there. Instead she felt claustrophobic. As if the trees and animals were reaching out to get her. And far from quiet! How could anyone call the constant chatter of the birds anything but irritatingly noisy?
Joy was a city girl who had only just learned to appreciate the Chester County burbs. She’d never learned to be comfortable in the dense forests she skimmed over almost daily. Maybe all the rescues she helped with and all the smoke jumpers she’d flown into the dangers inherent in forest fires had compounded her childhood terror. Whatever the reason, she just couldn’t seem to conquer her fears. And she felt absolutely ridiculous about it.
The only good thing happening in this situation was that, so far, she seemed to be able to hide it all from Brian. Because one thing she knew she couldn’t tolerate was him laughing at her and gloating and poking at her armor because he’d found a chink in it. It was bad enough he knew how much more experienced and competent he was in the wilderness.
Looking around the little campsite Brian had set up, Joy had to admit he was both competent and experienced. She also had to admit being there with Brian was better than being there alone.
He’d surprised her with his knowledge, but more with his strength, agility and resourcefulness. Now thatshe thought about it, smart people were often resourceful people. And he was certainly not the tenderfooted bookworm she’d always thought. He hadn’t needed her advice to scale the tree she’d been caught in anymore than she’d need his advice on flying.
His strong and toned body, though, still shocked and bothered her on an elemental level she refused to examine. Which made it more imperative that she hide her fear and get him to understand that, though he knew how to survive, she knew how to get them rescued. Because keeping him at arm’s length and subordinate to her was suddenly as important to her as survival.
Brian fought a growing sense of unease as he climbed higher and higher. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the helicopter he’d failed to flag down. Oak, maple and beech had quickly given way to birch after the rescue chopper passed him by. Now, as the way grew steeper there were more and more conifers. Finally, still plagued by vague disquiet, he forced himself to try analyzing the source of his worry.
Joy.
Something about the way she’d been acting didn’t add up. Though she’d worked hard to hide it, she was anxious in a way he had never seen her. It was a trait to worry about in someone who was usually as self-assured as she was. In fact, the only story he’d ever heard from her brother Jim that painted Joy as being less than fearless was from a period of time when she was about eight.
The Lovell’s had rented a movie for Christmas night— The Wizard of Oz. And for weeks after Joy hadplagued the household with sleepless nights due to nightmares the movie caused her to have. If he remembered correctly, Dorothy’s forest trek and the flying monkeys had scared young Joy, and not the wicked witch.
At the time, Brian had thought it quite hilarious to chant, “Lions and tigers and bears,” when she was least suspecting it. He’d reveled in the new information he’d gained to torture her.
Could it be possible? Could dragon-slaying Joy be afraid of the beautiful woodlands surrounding them? If that was true, he’d left her to battle her fear alone. His hand went automatically to his chest. The thought caused him to ache. He’d been hoping to save her from a long hike to the plane. But maybe he shouldn’t left her after all.
Was she hiding her fear out of pride? Did she think he would tease her? Still try to torture her the way he had back then? Joy had always been such a puzzle to him. Now he had to wonder if she’d been reluctant to abandon her plane because she’d preferred the risk of a crash landing to a long hike back to civilization?
Unsettled now, Brian took out his cell phone. He’d
Joy was a city girl who had only just learned to appreciate the Chester County burbs. She’d never learned to be comfortable in the dense forests she skimmed over almost daily. Maybe all the rescues she helped with and all the smoke jumpers she’d flown into the dangers inherent in forest fires had compounded her childhood terror. Whatever the reason, she just couldn’t seem to conquer her fears. And she felt absolutely ridiculous about it.
The only good thing happening in this situation was that, so far, she seemed to be able to hide it all from Brian. Because one thing she knew she couldn’t tolerate was him laughing at her and gloating and poking at her armor because he’d found a chink in it. It was bad enough he knew how much more experienced and competent he was in the wilderness.
Looking around the little campsite Brian had set up, Joy had to admit he was both competent and experienced. She also had to admit being there with Brian was better than being there alone.
He’d surprised her with his knowledge, but more with his strength, agility and resourcefulness. Now thatshe thought about it, smart people were often resourceful people. And he was certainly not the tenderfooted bookworm she’d always thought. He hadn’t needed her advice to scale the tree she’d been caught in anymore than she’d need his advice on flying.
His strong and toned body, though, still shocked and bothered her on an elemental level she refused to examine. Which made it more imperative that she hide her fear and get him to understand that, though he knew how to survive, she knew how to get them rescued. Because keeping him at arm’s length and subordinate to her was suddenly as important to her as survival.
Brian fought a growing sense of unease as he climbed higher and higher. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the helicopter he’d failed to flag down. Oak, maple and beech had quickly given way to birch after the rescue chopper passed him by. Now, as the way grew steeper there were more and more conifers. Finally, still plagued by vague disquiet, he forced himself to try analyzing the source of his worry.
Joy.
Something about the way she’d been acting didn’t add up. Though she’d worked hard to hide it, she was anxious in a way he had never seen her. It was a trait to worry about in someone who was usually as self-assured as she was. In fact, the only story he’d ever heard from her brother Jim that painted Joy as being less than fearless was from a period of time when she was about eight.
The Lovell’s had rented a movie for Christmas night— The Wizard of Oz. And for weeks after Joy hadplagued the household with sleepless nights due to nightmares the movie caused her to have. If he remembered correctly, Dorothy’s forest trek and the flying monkeys had scared young Joy, and not the wicked witch.
At the time, Brian had thought it quite hilarious to chant, “Lions and tigers and bears,” when she was least suspecting it. He’d reveled in the new information he’d gained to torture her.
Could it be possible? Could dragon-slaying Joy be afraid of the beautiful woodlands surrounding them? If that was true, he’d left her to battle her fear alone. His hand went automatically to his chest. The thought caused him to ache. He’d been hoping to save her from a long hike to the plane. But maybe he shouldn’t left her after all.
Was she hiding her fear out of pride? Did she think he would tease her? Still try to torture her the way he had back then? Joy had always been such a puzzle to him. Now he had to wonder if she’d been reluctant to abandon her plane because she’d preferred the risk of a crash landing to a long hike back to civilization?
Unsettled now, Brian took out his cell phone. He’d
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