over a second cup
of cocoa to soothe Kelly's nerves. "And that's when he dumped you?
When you found his wife's lost-and-found message?"
"No," Kelly said. "That's not when he dumped
me."
Everyone commiserated. "Well, we've all been
in relationships that went on too long," Jayne said, "relationships
we allowed to carry on until—"
"That's when I dumped him!"
Stunned silence fell. Kelly blushed.
Then, they all cheered. "Yay, Kelly!"
everyone shouted, united in respect for her gutsy move. Carla
pumped her fist, Mitzi shared celebratory pieces of Bazooka, Doris
and Donna choose a new DVD, and Jayne gave Kelly another hug plus
all the kudos she deserved for standing up for herself.
They were six women dressed in comfy
clothes, fortified by the remains of a cocoa-and-popcorn feast, and
entertained by the ever-present gorgeous-George-ness of ClooneyTV.
They were sharing, growing stronger, and preparing themselves for
the days ahead. After this, Jayne realized, none of them would ever
be the same again.
Wilderness, watch out !
Naturally enough, that was when the men
arrived on the scene...and changed everything.
Chapter Seven
Riley paused in the doorway of the lodge's
common room. He'd come here to introduce the other guides to the
women in Jayne's group, but now...seeing the mayhem before
him...well, he wasn't too proud to admit he considered getting the
hell out of there and breaking out the brewskis with the guys
instead.
Unfortunately, his fellow guide Bruce made
the decision for all of them. One minute, he was standing there
placidly beside Riley, Mack, and Bruce's fifteen-year-old cousin
Lance. The next, he was taking his big blonde lumberjack-type self
straight into the group of women.
"It's a smorgasbord!" he announced
gleefully, gazing from one surprised female to the next. "A buffet
of women! I know you said you had a group here, Riley, but
this...this is an unexpected treat."
Bruce strode further into the room, rubbing
his hands together with undisguised eagerness. "Hell- lo ,
ladies!"
The women responded mostly with raised
eyebrows. Riley couldn't say he blamed them. Although he couldn't
help but notice, Mitzi seemed intrigued. She actually smiled at the
big lug.
"He's harmless, really," Riley told them,
slapping Bruce on the back. "Out here in the wilderness...well,
Bruce doesn't see much action. If you know what I mean."
"Hey!"
"And this is Bruce's cousin." He urged Lance
forward. The boy came, all gangly arms and legs, self-consciously
gelled hair, and overly logo-ed clothes. "As long as no one
objects, Lance here will be coming along on our trip."
"Hi, Lance!" the women said, welcoming him
with smiles and waves.
"Lance's parents took a cruise to Alaska,
and left Bruce in charge of the poor kid." Riley grinned. "I figure
he'll need some positive influences while they're gone."
Oblivious to the teasing, Bruce nodded. He
winked at Mitzi, mouthing something to her. She blushed.
"And this is Mack." Riley encouraged the
final guide to come forward. "He comes to you with fifteen years'
guide experience, an unfailing knowledge of the Arizona high
country—"
"And cookies." Mack held up a bag in each
hand.
"Oreos!" all the women cheered. "Yay!"
They descended on a flustered Mack,
chattering and sharing and munching. They took Lance beneath their
collective feminine wings, encouraging the boy to join in the fun
and making him feel welcome. They even included Bruce, despite his
uncouth entrance, and endured his attempts to "chat them up."
Bruce was an excellent and trustworthy
guide, Riley knew, having taken out several adventure travel groups
with the man. But his social skills...well, they needed work. Bruce
tended to say exactly what he thought at any given moment. His idea
of small talk was, "Your place or mine, baby?" And he made no
efforts to control his ogle reflex, no matter who noticed. Bruce
claimed this made him "all man." Riley figured it made him impulse
control
of cocoa to soothe Kelly's nerves. "And that's when he dumped you?
When you found his wife's lost-and-found message?"
"No," Kelly said. "That's not when he dumped
me."
Everyone commiserated. "Well, we've all been
in relationships that went on too long," Jayne said, "relationships
we allowed to carry on until—"
"That's when I dumped him!"
Stunned silence fell. Kelly blushed.
Then, they all cheered. "Yay, Kelly!"
everyone shouted, united in respect for her gutsy move. Carla
pumped her fist, Mitzi shared celebratory pieces of Bazooka, Doris
and Donna choose a new DVD, and Jayne gave Kelly another hug plus
all the kudos she deserved for standing up for herself.
They were six women dressed in comfy
clothes, fortified by the remains of a cocoa-and-popcorn feast, and
entertained by the ever-present gorgeous-George-ness of ClooneyTV.
They were sharing, growing stronger, and preparing themselves for
the days ahead. After this, Jayne realized, none of them would ever
be the same again.
Wilderness, watch out !
Naturally enough, that was when the men
arrived on the scene...and changed everything.
Chapter Seven
Riley paused in the doorway of the lodge's
common room. He'd come here to introduce the other guides to the
women in Jayne's group, but now...seeing the mayhem before
him...well, he wasn't too proud to admit he considered getting the
hell out of there and breaking out the brewskis with the guys
instead.
Unfortunately, his fellow guide Bruce made
the decision for all of them. One minute, he was standing there
placidly beside Riley, Mack, and Bruce's fifteen-year-old cousin
Lance. The next, he was taking his big blonde lumberjack-type self
straight into the group of women.
"It's a smorgasbord!" he announced
gleefully, gazing from one surprised female to the next. "A buffet
of women! I know you said you had a group here, Riley, but
this...this is an unexpected treat."
Bruce strode further into the room, rubbing
his hands together with undisguised eagerness. "Hell- lo ,
ladies!"
The women responded mostly with raised
eyebrows. Riley couldn't say he blamed them. Although he couldn't
help but notice, Mitzi seemed intrigued. She actually smiled at the
big lug.
"He's harmless, really," Riley told them,
slapping Bruce on the back. "Out here in the wilderness...well,
Bruce doesn't see much action. If you know what I mean."
"Hey!"
"And this is Bruce's cousin." He urged Lance
forward. The boy came, all gangly arms and legs, self-consciously
gelled hair, and overly logo-ed clothes. "As long as no one
objects, Lance here will be coming along on our trip."
"Hi, Lance!" the women said, welcoming him
with smiles and waves.
"Lance's parents took a cruise to Alaska,
and left Bruce in charge of the poor kid." Riley grinned. "I figure
he'll need some positive influences while they're gone."
Oblivious to the teasing, Bruce nodded. He
winked at Mitzi, mouthing something to her. She blushed.
"And this is Mack." Riley encouraged the
final guide to come forward. "He comes to you with fifteen years'
guide experience, an unfailing knowledge of the Arizona high
country—"
"And cookies." Mack held up a bag in each
hand.
"Oreos!" all the women cheered. "Yay!"
They descended on a flustered Mack,
chattering and sharing and munching. They took Lance beneath their
collective feminine wings, encouraging the boy to join in the fun
and making him feel welcome. They even included Bruce, despite his
uncouth entrance, and endured his attempts to "chat them up."
Bruce was an excellent and trustworthy
guide, Riley knew, having taken out several adventure travel groups
with the man. But his social skills...well, they needed work. Bruce
tended to say exactly what he thought at any given moment. His idea
of small talk was, "Your place or mine, baby?" And he made no
efforts to control his ogle reflex, no matter who noticed. Bruce
claimed this made him "all man." Riley figured it made him impulse
control
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