Читаем Back of Beyond полностью

“I’m very, very fond of your father. I know he feels the same about me. We’re both lonely, and there’s a very good possibility we’ll be together in the future. That’s where you two come in.”

“Hey,” Danielle said, “as long as you don’t try to run my life, I’m okay with it.”

Rachel still spoke primarily to Gracie. “I’ve been around the block. I don’t try to pretend your father is young, single, and carefree. I know he’s got a family. And I know he absolutely adores you two girls. This isn’t an either/or situation unless we make it such,” she said. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Gracie said, “I’m not sure I do.”

Rachel said, “You two are the most important people in his life. I recognize that fact and I admire it and I’d never try to change it. If we can’t accept each other and get along, I’ll step aside. I won’t force him to make a choice and he doesn’t need to. Most men are trying to do the right thing but they don’t know how. That I’ve learned. They don’t understand what we want and need and expect. They assume we think love is a zero-sum game-either he goes with you or he goes with me-which it isn’t. I know he’s attracted to me, and I to him. I could draw a line in the sand. But I won’t, because then I’d be with a man I don’t respect and you’d have a dad you resented. What I’m saying,” she continued, “is we’re not rivals. Not either/or. You’ve already got a mother and from what I understand she’s a wonderful woman. I look forward to meeting her as well. I don’t plan on disliking her or resenting her.”

Gracie said, “You talk to us like we’re adults.”

Rachel said, “And I plan to continue to do that. I’m too old to start playing games, and this…” she waved her hand over her head to indicate the situation they were in that morning, “is an incredible distraction. If we don’t talk now and talk bluntly, who knows when we’ll get the chance?”

Danielle said, “Hey, I’m here, too,” attempting to break up the two-way conversation.

“You are,” Rachel said. “And I’m sorry. I just had the impression you weren’t the one I’d need to convince.”

Danielle started to argue, then rolled her eyes and said, “I’m not, I guess.”

Rachel turned back to Gracie. “And what about you?”

Gracie hesitated and felt her sister and Rachel Mina looking at her. She said, “I need to think about it.”

“Gawd,” Danielle sighed. “Gracie, you are such a little-”

“No,” Rachel said, holding up her hand to silence Danielle, which impressed Gracie because it actually worked, “that’s perfectly fair. I’d probably say the same thing.”

And with that, she turned and went back to her tent to pack up.

Gracie and Danielle watched her in silence until she was out of earshot.

Danielle said, “I have to admit, that was pretty cool. I like her, even though I still don’t see what she sees in Dad. I mean, I could live with her around, I think.”

Gracie nodded, although she wasn’t yet ready to agree. She didn’t want Danielle to think Rachel had won her over so quickly, even though she nearly conceded to herself she had.

Danielle giggled. “I was kind of hoping she would have said she did want to be our best friend, though. That’s the way you get stuff, you know? There’s nothing better for a girl than to have two sets of parents competing for your affection, and buying you things to make you like them more, you know?”

Gracie looked at her sister with disgust. “What planet are you from, anyway?”

“Planet Danielle,” her sister said with a lilt. “It’s a good and happy place. And it has hot showers and cell phone service.”

* * *

Jed waited until everyone had dispersed before tracking down Dakota, who was picketing her horse with the others. His voice was tight and low. He said, “Why in the hell didn’t you keep going until you found them? Do you know what this might mean?”

She slid the saddle and pad off, leaving a sweaty matted square on her horse’s back. “No, what does it mean?”

He reached out and grasped her shoulder, preventing her from turning away from him. “It means he’ll go to the Park Service, that’s what it means. I could lose my contract, is what it means. Why didn’t you track him down? Why did you quit on me before you found him?”

She broke eye contact and let her gaze slip to his hand on her shoulder. She wouldn’t speak until he let go, so he did.

Dakota said, “I lost them, Jed. I followed their tracks for two miles and then the tracks just vanished. I can’t figure out why they left the trail or where they went. I rode another half mile to see if they got back on the trail, but they didn’t. I don’t know where they are, but I didn’t want to say that in front of our clients.”

Jed shook his head. “They just disappeared?”

She nodded defiantly.

Jed felt a weight lift. If Tristan and Wilson had wandered away from the route they might never get back to the trailhead.

“Should we notify Search and Rescue?” Dakota asked.

“No,” Jed said. “Not yet. Those two might realize the error of their ways and come back yet.”

He ignored the puzzlement in her face.

* * *