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I did owe him. He was great about keeping Lizzy entertained while Joyelle and I spent time together. If it wasn’t for him, this weekend probably would’ve been boring as hell. To me, camping wasn’t about sitting by the fire. It was about exploring nature around me. Even though I’d been here before, it felt like the first time. I got to see it all through Joyelle’s eyes and found she enjoyed this stuff even more than I did.
It wasn’t long before Joyelle and Lizzy were exchanging hugs and we were waving as they took off in the Jeep.
Joyelle turned to me and asked, “If they have the helicopter and the Jeep, what does that leave us?”
“A cell phone and plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the evening.”
“But it’s a five-hour drive. I’m not sure I feel comfortable driving through these dark and windy mountain roads late at night,” she said. “They have moose signs posted everywhere for a reason, you know.”
I chuckled. “I promise I will brake for all creatures great and small. Even a chipmunk,” I stated.
She laughed. “I saw how you drove your McLaren. I’m not sure you’d even see a moose.”
“Okay, I also promise to follow the speed limit signs. Will that convince you that we can safely stay for one more sunset?”
Joyelle melted into my arms and said, “I just wish we had the time to see the sunrise, too. Sometimes it really stinks owning your business. There’s no playing hooky without knowing exactly how it affects your bottom line.”
“Most people don’t think of that. They only see it as freedom, when in fact it is the total opposite,” I replied.
“I know. It’s only me that I need to worry about. Imagine if I had employees who counted on me to keep a roof over their heads and to feed their families? That is a lot of pressure. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep at night,” she said.
And there was a major difference between us. I never thought of my staff except for what they brought to the team. My name is Heart, but I’m not sure I have one.
“Not everyone is as…emotionally involved as you,” I said.
“I don’t think I could be any other way. It’s hard enough to put up a wall around my heart when I have to go and repossess someone’s car. I remember seeing a woman and her kids crying on their porch as I pulled their minivan onto my truck. I was able to keep it together, but as soon as I pulled away, I broke down crying.”
Her tough exterior only went so deep. “Why not sell the business and do something else? Something that would be less stressful?”
“I guess I could, but really, it’s just selling the truck. It’s not like I have a garage or anything,” she explained.
“That sounds simple enough.”
She laughed. “Then what do I do? Sit home and twiddle my thumbs or learn how to knit? No, thank you. I would be bored.”
I didn’t often dole out advice, and she really hadn’t asked for mine, but I was compelled to give it anyway. In a serious tone I suggested, “How about doing something you enjoy?”
“That would require college and I’m a little old to be starting that,” she said.
“How old are you?” I asked, not daring to even take a guess, because the wrong one could change the mood for the entire evening.
“Twenty-nine.”
“Ancient,” I teased. “But still younger than me. I’m thirty-two.”
“And I bet you have a college degree, too,” she stated.
“I do. But learning doesn’t end with a degree. Tell me, what did you want to study in college?” I asked. Tonight wasn’t turning out to be the romantic wild sex under the stars that I envisioned, but getting to know her on a more in-depth level was nice, too.
“Business.”
“Really?” That surprised me. “Have you considered approaching a college with your work experience and see if they will accept it toward some credits?”
“You’re serious? A person can do that?”
I nodded. “In certain circumstances. Since you run your own business, they just might. It won’t provide you with a degree, but it might shave some courses off and save you a semester.”
Joyelle was in deep thought and a sweet smile crossed her lips. “I can’t believe that I might be able to do it. Go to college. Get my degree.”
