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“I hadn’t really thought about it,” he admitted, slowly turning the idea around his head. There’d been talk of deep-sea fishing with some of the guys on his team, and a golfing trip to Scotland, but he hadn’t committed.
Hudson set down his mug and swore. “Jesus, Trav, I didn’t…” He paused and turned in his chair. “I guess it would be hard with Ruby back here and all.”
Travis shook his head. “No worries there. She wants nothing to do with me, so we’re good.”
“Have you seen her?” Hudson asked quietly.
Staring straight ahead at the lake, he nodded. “Sure have.”
“And?”
He waited a bit and then shrugged. “She pretty much hates my guts, and if I walked in front of a bus, I don’t think she’d care.”
“That’s a little harsh.”
“Accurate, though.”
Silence fell between the two men as the gray morning brightened. Hudson finished his coffee in one last gulp and got to his feet. “So will you think about it?”
“Yeah.” Travis nodded. “I will.” He frowned. “You leaving already?”
Hudson stretched and ran his hands along the whiskers at his chin. A wry grin slashed across his face as he nodded. “Hank is due to wake up soon, and I like to be there when he feeds.”
Travis watched his brother until he disappeared from sight, and as the low rumble of Hudson’s truck cut through the silence, he settled back in his chair, eyes falling on the lake. The water was like glass, not a ripple to break the glossy surface. In the distance, fog slowly rolled away from the shore, and he spied a Loon near a piece of driftwood.
A feeling of melancholy washed over him. A strong tug that had him clearing his throat and sitting a little straighter. Could he handle an entire summer in Crystal Lake?
Could I handle seeing Ruby all the time? He rubbed his jaw, which was still sore. Could she handle seeing him? More importantly, was it fair to put her through that?
The thought slid through his mind, and it was one he still pondered an hour later as he laced up his shoes, grabbed his iPod, and hit the road for a run. It didn’t take long for Travis to find his rhythm, to find that sweet spot of quiet and contentment running gave him. Without conscious thought, he took River Road and eventually ended up in town. It was quite the hike, and by this time, the sun was fully up and the sleepy folks of Crystal Lake were buzzing around like bees after honey. Some were on their way to church, others getting ready for a day of family, sun, and fun.
He headed to the main square downtown and grabbed a coffee. Said hello to several of the regulars he recognized, and talked about the coming season with those who cared. Ralph Benedict was concerned about their draft picks, while Mason Smith thought the Red Wings were paying too much for most of their roster, including Travis. “You tell them bigshots in the front office to free up some money and get some young talent onboard. You’re not getting any younger.”
Travis just smiled and said nothing. Old? Hell, he was barely thirty and in the best shape of his life. No way was some rookie taking his position. Not for a good long while.
By midmorning he found himself at the edge of town, near the park that bordered the lake. He took a breather and doffed his T-shirt, hot and more than a little sweaty. He sat down on a bench and leaned back, enjoying the sounds and smells of summer in Crystal Lake.
He closed his eyes and relaxed, and he might have dozed off except a small dog came ripping out of nowhere and barked up a storm. With one eye now open, Travis spotted the little fur ball running madly after a blown dandelion that dipped and turned in the breeze. The fluffy white stems teased the little thing until the dog managed to grab it and destroy it.
Amused, Travis chuckled as the dog turned wildly, barking up at the now-freed stems as they rose higher and higher out of his reach. Judging from the bright pink collar and—he winced—pink bows set behind its ears, the little critter was obviously a female.
The dog spied Travis and ran over, her little tail wagging crazily.
“Hey.” Travis bent over and ran his hands over the top of the dog’s head. “You gonna stop yapping or what?”
The dog sat back on her haunches and cocked her head to the side as if she knew what he was saying. She barked and then glanced over her shoulder, and that was when Travis spied a woman, slowly making her way to him. The sunlight danced around her head, making a halo of blonde hair.
Long. Lean. Curves in all the right places. Ruby.
Travis’s heart sped up on sight, and he sat a little straighter.
She was dressed in running gear. Slim black leggings. Black tank top. All that wavy hair pulled back into a ponytail. Dark sunglasses covered her eyes so he couldn’t get a good read on her, but she held a pink dog leash in her hand as she came to a stop a few feet from him.
Was she annoyed? Her lips pursed slightly, and he recognized the meaning. She was definitely annoyed. Two guesses as to why.
“Tasha, come.” Her voice always got to him. The whiskey-soaked undertone. The way she took her time and rolled her words. Even when they were angry words, they were still sexy as hell.
The dog looked from Travis to Ruby but didn’t move. Ruby inched closer, the dangling leash trailing along the ground. There was color in her cheeks, and she’d gone from annoyed to a level of pissed off that the dog should take seriously. Travis knew this. He’d been on the receiving end of that look many times. She shook her head and tapped her toe.
