Page 89 of Mountain Rescue
“It’s like that, huh?”
“Not sure, but maybe. I know that I want to figure out a way to keep seeing her, but there’s no way I can be happy living in Hollywood.” He lifted his gaze to Jack. “I need space.”
“Okay, I have a question for you. Are you sure you’re not thinking Rachel might be the one only because she can touch you without you feeling like bugs are crawling under your skin? Are you using her as a crutch?”
“I don’t know.” He was as positive as he could be that wasn’t the case. But what if it was?
That’s what you get for eavesdropping, Rach. You hear things you wished you hadn’t.She’d come in to go to the bathroom and had stilled when she realized Dallas was talking about her. She hadn’t been surprised when he’d said he couldn’t live in Hollywood. He wasn’t meant to be a city man, and that was okay. She was getting tired of the place and all the trappings herself. Montana sounded like a place she’d like to live someday if things worked out with them.
Then Jack had asked his question. “Are you using her as a crutch?”
“I don’t know.”
Her heart actually hurt at hearing Dallas’s answer. What was she supposed to do? Hang around while he figured out the answer to that question? And while she was waiting, fall in love with him? She was already halfway there. If he decided he didn’t want her, where did that leave her? Heartbroken, that was where.
She backed out of the kitchen on her sock-clad feet.
“That was fast,” Nichole said when she came back outside.
“Um...” Stupid tears filled her eyes.
“Rach? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Not now, okay?” Nichole was her best friend, and they talked about everything, but if she told what she’d overheard, she’d start crying. The last thing she wanted was for Dallas to come out and see her bawling.
Nichole reached for her hand. “Okay for now, sweetie, but we’re going to talk. Why don’t we plan to have lunch tomorrow? I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’d like that.”
“So tell me about your next movie. What’s it about?”
“It’s a murder mystery. The protagonist is an FBI profiler. The bad guy, a serial killer, murdered her sister years ago, but she doesn’t know that. Now he’s fixated on her.”
“Sounds scary. What kind of stunts will you be doing?”
“Not sure yet. I have a meeting next week with the stunt coordinator to go over all of that.” As they talked about movies and the latest Hollywood gossip, the feeling that she was ready to leave that life behind grew. But what would she do?
“I miss the mountains,” she said as she took in the beautiful views surrounding them. Maybe she’d move home. The more she thought about it, the more the idea appealed. The question was, what would she do for a job?
“Does that mean you’re ready to come home?”
She heard the hope in Nichole’s voice. “I don’t know. Maybe. Especially now that I’m going to be an auntie.”
“You know I’d love nothing more than to have you here.”
The guys walked out carrying platters of food. “The grill should be ready,” Jack said.
Dallas set a plate of garnishes on the table, then sat in the chair next to her. “How are your feet feeling?”
“Fine.”
“You grew up in Asheville. Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes.” A lot lately. She wished he’d stop talking to her.
“Think you’d move back someday?”
Why did he keep asking her questions? “Probably.” He was starting to look at her funny, no doubt puzzled by her one-word answers. Maybe he’d give up and stop talking to her.
