She spent nearly two hours going through the photo albums, but no face jumped out at her or even looked vaguely familiar. Twice she had tried and come up empty, she thought as she left the building.
In a way she was glad.
It’s just a dream, that’s all. Even if it isn’t, you’ve done everything you can think of to stop it from happening.
She tried to convince herself, but still it bothered her. So much so she took an Ambien that night and slept straight through till morning.
For the first time in days, Autumn awakened fully rested. She said a little thank you that the pill had worked and the nightmare hadn’t come and prayed it would never come again. Deciding to forego her morning workout, she lay back against the pillow and slept for a little longer, just to indulge herself.
She had a climbing class today and a couple of private lessons in the afternoon, which made her some extra money, then she planned to meet Terri at the gym that evening, after her friend got off work. Terri was a legal secretary at Hughes, Jones, Weinstein and Meyers, one of the city’s most prestigious law firms. She wasn’t a member at Pike’s Gym but occasionally worked out using one of the guest passes Autumn got as part of her teaching deal. Terri wasn’t much on exercise, but she liked looking at the men.
At six o’clock, Autumn headed for the gym, hoping to get the serious part of her workout done before Terri arrived and they wound up sitting at one of the tables in the health bar drinking smoothies.
She had just finished using the thigh machine, stretching and working muscles that were invaluable in climbing, when she spotted her friend. Terri was wearing tight black leotards and a pink-and-black midrift top and she looked terrific. She had a fabulous figure and she showed it off whenever she could.
“Hi ya’ll!” Terri waved and walked toward her. She was born in Virginia but raised out west and her southern accent was mostly gone, surfacing only on occasion just for fun.
“I see you’re ready to sweat,” Autumn teased, knowing that was the last thing Terri wanted.
“Sure thing, honey. I’ll just go put my bag in a locker and be right back.” She disappeared for a few minutes, turning several male heads as she walked past. While she was gone, Josh Kendall, Autumn’s climbing partner, walked into the gym.
“Hey, Autumn, how’s it hangin’?”
Autumn smiled at Josh’s favorite expression and gave her usual reply. “By the thumbs, Josh, how about you?” They had met during a four-man climb up in the Cascade Mountains two years ago. Josh was long and lanky, with sandy hair and a slightly freckled face. He wasn’t killer handsome, but good-looking in a sort of nerdy way.
“We still going up next weekend?” he asked.
“You bet. I’ve really been looking forward to it. I can’t wait to tackle Castle Rock.”
“Yeah, me too.”
A climbing partner had to be someone you could trust with your life because that was literally what you had to do. Autumn had admired Josh’s skill and he had respected hers so they had decided to make a climb together. Their styles turned out to be extremely compatible. They were both certified guides and in the summer they headed for the mountains whenever they weren’t giving classes or doing private coaching.
They were friends. Close friends. Climbing together had a way of doing that. Autumn felt safe with Josh—in more ways than one. She knew he had no interest in her beyond their climbing partnership. It was Terri he wanted, Terri who snagged his attention whenever she walked into a room. Considering she saw him only as a friend and it didn’t look like that was going to change anytime soon, Autumn felt sorry for him.
Josh’s gaze darted away from her to the shapely brunette sauntering toward him. Terri’s hips swayed provocatively, her gaze moving over the guys with the bulging muscles who were working out on the weight machines.
“Hi, Terri,” Josh said, his smile a little too bright.
“Hi, Josh.”
“How’s it going?” he asked.
“Fine. Great, in fact.” She turned away from him as if he weren’t there and leaned over to whisper in Autumn’s ear. “See that hunk over there working on the bicep machine?”
Autumn glanced that way. “I see him.” She had noticed him a couple of times before, but hadn’t really paid much attention.
“Well, what’s his name, honey? Is he married?”
“How would I know?”
Terri rolled her eyes. “Lord, you are impossible.”
They both stared at the hunk whose arms bulged with nicely shaped muscle as he strained on the weight machine. Josh made a noise in his throat, returning their attention to him.
“Well, I…um…guess I better get going. I’ll see you next weekend, Autumn.”
“Call me the end of the week and we’ll go over our trip plans.”
“Sounds good.”
“So, Josh…you wouldn’t happen to know that guy over there in the corner?” Terri asked.
Josh turned that way. “I don’t know him but I’ve seen his picture in the newspaper. He owns this building. That’s Ben McKenzie.”
Terri’s dark eyebrows shot up. “Is that so?”
Terri was openly salivating and Josh looked like he wanted to slash his wrists. “Like I said, I better get going.” With a last longing glance at Terri, he headed for the climbing gym.
Terri surveyed the room, the long rows of white-and-black exercise machines, rows of treadmills each with its own TV, and racks of heavy chrome barbells at the far end in front of a wall of mirrors.
“I’m ready if you are,” she said. “Why don’t we start over there?” She pointed toward the area where Ben McKenzie was now lying back on a black vinyl bench hoisting a barbell loaded with weights.
Autumn gave him a long, assessing glance. Terri was right. The man was amazing. Not only drop-dead gorgeous, but with a lean, athletic body that looked as if it were sculpted more from sports than lifting weights in a gym. He had thick dark-brown hair, nicely trimmed, a square jaw and dark brown eyes. He was wearing shorts and Reeboks. A tank top stretched over his powerful chest and she caught a glimpse of curly dark-brown chest hair.
“Nice, huh?” Terri said.
“Very nice.”
“Probably married with at least four kids.”
“At least.”
Terri sighed. “Wouldn’t it be great if he wasn’t?”
“I thought you were madly in lust with Todd.”
Terri cast her a glance. “I was thinking of you.”
Autumn laughed. “Sure you were.”
