boys. I’m sure a day trip with Clint would be fun for them, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to pass this time.”
Wait—what? Had she just turned Libby down?
Turned him down?
He bristled and stood an inch taller, squaring his shoulders and pressing forward on the balls of his feet.
She thought he couldn’t do it, did she? She thought that he couldn’t teach her boys how to enjoy the mountains, how to survive in the wilderness? Did she really believe that he couldn’t keep them safe?
Who knew the Deep Gulch Mountains better than he did? Who else spent their days and many a night in the forest with only the light of the stars for a ceiling? He was far better than any boys’ organizations that he knew of. His guided trail experiences were up close and personal, molded into whatever his clients most needed and wanted.
Pride flooded his chest, but it was a tender, guarded emotion. If he didn’t watch out, she’d pop his ego like a sharp needle on a balloon.
“It will be good for them to learn new skills,” he prodded. “Boys like being out in the open, and everyone needs a good survival course. Can’t start too young.”
Stop talking.
What was he doing? Digging himself into a hole? Probably, but he couldn’t seem to stop the flow of his words.
“Be that as it may,” Olivia said, lifting her chin and meeting his gaze square on. He wasn’t intimidating her—not that he really wanted to, but she was calling his career into question. What did she expect? He wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“What?” His emotional walls were in place. Impenetrable no matter what she said next.
“It’s too soon.”
That caught him off guard. What was too soon?
“Oh, Olivia, dear. I’m so sorry,” Libby said, pulling her into a bear hug. “You’re thinking of your Luke, aren’t you? Well, of course you are. Clint and I are being completely insensitive, aren’t we?”
Olivia’s shoulders shook. Was she crying? Please—anything but that. Clint did not do well with a woman’s tears.
Libby’s gaze pleaded with him from over Olivia’s shoulder. But for what? What did she want him to do? Press forward? Back off? He didn’t know what to do with Olivia’s tears. He didn’t even know what they were talking about.
Olivia stepped back and swiped her suspiciously wet cheeks with the palms of her hands.
“It’s nothing against you,” she said, motioning to Clint. “I’m sure you’re a wonderful trail guide. It’s just that—” Her sentence broke off as she looked at her boys. “Guys, why don’t you go grab another cookie, huh?”
The boys squealed and took off toward the dessert table.
Clint silently waited for an explanation.
“I’m sure you remember that my husband passed away a couple of years ago. What you may not know is that he died in a freak rock climbing accident. They said one of his clamps gave way. And he was an expert. The triplets are not. I can’t risk my boys getting hurt up there. They’re completely inexperienced—and they’re a handful during the best of times. One or another of them could easily slip away from you. Trust me, it happens all the time.”
Clint nodded. “I get where you’re coming from, but I assure you—they’re totally safe with me. I won’t let anything happen to them. Not on my watch.”
Not like Clint’s own father, who’d brought him up to the mountains and then just walked away. No. Nothing like that.
“I believe you,” Olivia assured him. He didn’t know whether she meant it or not, but her words were a balm to his bruised ego. “I just can’t let them go with you. It’s about me, not you.”
That was that, then. It kind of sounded like a breakup line, but he would take what he could get. He thought that was the end of the subject, and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit relieved. Going their separate ways—that was what he wanted, wasn’t it? What they’d talked about? Agreed on?
Yet a small part of him wanted to prove to her that he was responsible, capable of leading her sons on a successful day trip. That they’d have fun and learn everything he had to teach them.
“I have a splendid idea,” Libby said, jovially squeezing Olivia’s shoulder.
Olivia smiled, but it was shaky at best. Her chin was still quivering.
“Why don’t you go with them? It would do you good to get out and get a little fresh air, and that way you’ll be right there to take care of the triplets and see that they don’t come to any harm.”
Clint’s gaze widened. Come to any harm? Surely Libby didn’t believe he couldn’t handle three kids for one day.
“Isn’t that a good idea, Clint, darling? Olivia accompanying you on the day trip?”
No. It was not a good idea. In fact, it was the worst idea he’d ever heard. What was he going to do with Olivia on the beginner’s challenge? By default it would be targeted at six-year-olds. Surely she wouldn’t be interested in a children’s wilderness safety course.
And to top it off, he knew he’d get distracted. By her sparkling blue eyes. By the beautiful, full curve of her lips. By the rich oriental scent of her perfume. Everything he’d discovered about her when they were dancing.
He wasn’t marriage material, but he was a man, and he couldn’t help but be attracted to a pretty woman. Olivia was definitely that and then some.
This whole thing was a disaster in the making.
“Maybe Olivia is right,” he suggested, running a hand across the stubble on his jaw. “She’s not ready to venture out yet. And the boys are still young. There’s plenty of time for them to learn mountain skills.”
“But we want to go now, Mr. Clint!”
He hadn’t even seen the kids return, but there they were, and their expressions punched Clint right in the gut. He’d never seen such downcast features, complete with quivering lips and the onset of tears. These boys really wanted to spend time in the mountains. He got that. He felt the same way.
“Well...” he hedged. “What do you think, Olivia? We can take it as easy as you and the boys need to. It doesn’t have to be a big production. We don’t have to do the official beginner’s challenge. I can tailor it to whatever your needs are. It might even be kind of fun.”
Sure, if “fun” meant wrangling three overexcited youngsters for an entire day. He didn’t think that qualified as a good time.
Olivia sighed and rubbed her fingers on the tense muscles at the nape of her neck. “I just don’t know.”
“You can trust Clint,” Libby said, curling a hand in the crook of his elbow and patting his biceps.
“No, I know. Clint is the expert. So what exactly does this day trip entail?”
