nodded. “Sure. I’ll give it a try.”
“By the way,” Celia said quietly. “I heard you two up talking last night.”
“Yeah, we visited a bit.”
“Making any progress?”
“With what?”
Celia smiled. “You know. With your date?”
Jaime burst out laughing, causing the others to stop and turn.
“What’s going on back there?” Abby demanded. “If you’re going to do jokes, you have to share with everyone.”
Sara turned around too, her eyes finding Jaime’s at the back of the line. She raised her eyebrows, waiting.
“Nothing,” Jaime murmured. “It’s private,” she added.
“Uh-huh.” Sara noticed the amusement on both Sandra’s and Celia’s faces and wondered what they were up to. “How about a break?”
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Abby said, already tossing her pack on the ground.
“Sorry about that, honey,” Celia whispered as both she and Sandra leaned against the same tree as Jaime.
“No problem.”
“You know, I don’t recall Sara ever mentioning a special someone,” Celia said. She nudged Jaime with her shoulder. “You might have a chance.”
“Well, you’ll certainly be the first to know.” Jaime slid her eyes to where Sara was sitting, alone. The mountain breeze was blowing the blond hair onto her face and she watched as slim fingers reached out to try and tame it. Jaime stared, wondering when the last time was she’d found someone this attractive. Actually, she realized it had been months since she’d even gone out on a date and that was someone her friend Carol had set her up with. It had turned out to be a nice dinner but there wasn’t even a tiny spark between them and she had never called the woman again.
But Sara? Well, she would have given just about anything to have had Sara strip off her swimsuit yesterday. She closed her eyes and smiled. Of course, then she’d probably have just made a fool out of herself.
They hiked until nearly four o’clock, through stands of golden aspens and along ridges dotted with spruce trees. The views were incredible and most of the women pulled out small digital cameras to capture the scenes. Once, Sandra handed her camera to Celia and wrapped her arm around Jaime’s shoulder, smiling big as Celia snapped their picture.
There would be no hot springs this evening as they weren’t even near a stream but they would at least have a campfire. And they would need it. As soon as the sun dipped below the mountains, the cold returned. Jaime traded her flannel shirt for the sweatshirt again, then helped to gather downed wood for their fire.
Sara made a fire ring out of rocks and piled pine needles and cones inside before adding smaller twigs. She handed Abby a book of matches.
“Want to do the honors?”
“Absolutely.”
All the women watched as Abby knelt down and struck the match, cupping it to keep it from blowing out. Soon, the flame licked at the pine needles and they had their first big campfire going. Cheers and claps resounded and Jaime looked up, right into the smiling eyes of Sara Michaels.
After they ate their dinners and cleaned up the pots, all twelve of them crowded around the fire, trying to keep warm. But one by one, the cold chased them off and the women retreated into the tents and sleeping bags, until only Sara and Jaime remained.
“It’s barely eight,” Jaime said from across the fire.
“They’re not used to this much activity. But I thought having a fire might keep them up longer.”
Jaime nodded although she hadn’t missed the wink Celia had given her when she’d left them alone. The older woman was apparently playing matchmaker.
“You seem to be in pretty good shape for a CPA,” Sara said.
Jaime laughed. “I hate that stereotype. I’m a gym rat, actually.”
They were both quiet, staring into the fire. Then Sara leaned forward, watching Jaime.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“What are you doing here?”
Smiling, Jaime raised her eyebrows. “Are we back
“By the way,” Celia said quietly. “I heard you two up talking last night.”
“Yeah, we visited a bit.”
“Making any progress?”
“With what?”
Celia smiled. “You know. With your date?”
Jaime burst out laughing, causing the others to stop and turn.
“What’s going on back there?” Abby demanded. “If you’re going to do jokes, you have to share with everyone.”
Sara turned around too, her eyes finding Jaime’s at the back of the line. She raised her eyebrows, waiting.
“Nothing,” Jaime murmured. “It’s private,” she added.
“Uh-huh.” Sara noticed the amusement on both Sandra’s and Celia’s faces and wondered what they were up to. “How about a break?”
“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Abby said, already tossing her pack on the ground.
“Sorry about that, honey,” Celia whispered as both she and Sandra leaned against the same tree as Jaime.
“No problem.”
“You know, I don’t recall Sara ever mentioning a special someone,” Celia said. She nudged Jaime with her shoulder. “You might have a chance.”
“Well, you’ll certainly be the first to know.” Jaime slid her eyes to where Sara was sitting, alone. The mountain breeze was blowing the blond hair onto her face and she watched as slim fingers reached out to try and tame it. Jaime stared, wondering when the last time was she’d found someone this attractive. Actually, she realized it had been months since she’d even gone out on a date and that was someone her friend Carol had set her up with. It had turned out to be a nice dinner but there wasn’t even a tiny spark between them and she had never called the woman again.
But Sara? Well, she would have given just about anything to have had Sara strip off her swimsuit yesterday. She closed her eyes and smiled. Of course, then she’d probably have just made a fool out of herself.
They hiked until nearly four o’clock, through stands of golden aspens and along ridges dotted with spruce trees. The views were incredible and most of the women pulled out small digital cameras to capture the scenes. Once, Sandra handed her camera to Celia and wrapped her arm around Jaime’s shoulder, smiling big as Celia snapped their picture.
There would be no hot springs this evening as they weren’t even near a stream but they would at least have a campfire. And they would need it. As soon as the sun dipped below the mountains, the cold returned. Jaime traded her flannel shirt for the sweatshirt again, then helped to gather downed wood for their fire.
Sara made a fire ring out of rocks and piled pine needles and cones inside before adding smaller twigs. She handed Abby a book of matches.
“Want to do the honors?”
“Absolutely.”
All the women watched as Abby knelt down and struck the match, cupping it to keep it from blowing out. Soon, the flame licked at the pine needles and they had their first big campfire going. Cheers and claps resounded and Jaime looked up, right into the smiling eyes of Sara Michaels.
After they ate their dinners and cleaned up the pots, all twelve of them crowded around the fire, trying to keep warm. But one by one, the cold chased them off and the women retreated into the tents and sleeping bags, until only Sara and Jaime remained.
“It’s barely eight,” Jaime said from across the fire.
“They’re not used to this much activity. But I thought having a fire might keep them up longer.”
Jaime nodded although she hadn’t missed the wink Celia had given her when she’d left them alone. The older woman was apparently playing matchmaker.
“You seem to be in pretty good shape for a CPA,” Sara said.
Jaime laughed. “I hate that stereotype. I’m a gym rat, actually.”
They were both quiet, staring into the fire. Then Sara leaned forward, watching Jaime.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“What are you doing here?”
Smiling, Jaime raised her eyebrows. “Are we back
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