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“That was scary,” Rusty said. “Does this kind of thing happen often?”
“No. I’m too close to Jubilee for animals like that. But it had been wounded. There’s a broken shaft from an arrow sticking out of its shoulder, and it looked in rough shape. No telling how long it’s been suffering like that, either. It was probably hungry and smelled Ghost. Ghost has never encountered a bear up close before, and I’m glad he didn’t decide to challenge him.”
“Poor thing,” Rusty said.
“Yeah, it’s bear-hunting season right now through the first week of November and someone shot it and let it get away.”
“Good lord. I’m going to need different survival skills for the mountains,” she muttered.
He grinned. “You’ve got me.”
“When we have children, I’m going to need to know there’s at least a six-foot fence around this backyard or they’re never setting foot out of this house to play.”
He laughed. “That can be arranged, although you should know that I’m the third generation of Popes to grow up in this house and none of us were ever attacked or threatened by wild animals. Just dodged a few snakes. We did some running away from switches to our backsides from time to time, but no bears.”
Rusty looked at him, trying to imagine him as a little boy and growing up here, then nodded. “I won’t argue. This is your world I’m walking into. I’ll figure it out.”
“I called Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. They’re sending someone to retrieve the carcass, but it’ll take a while for them to get here.”
Rusty plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs and slowly exhaled. “I’m going to take a break from work for a bit. I don’t think I could concentrate if I had to. I need a drink.”
“I have beer and straight whiskey.”
“I’ll take a shot of the hard stuff…and a piece of cake,” she added.
Cameron threw back his head and laughed.
“Ah God…cake and whiskey. I had no idea you were such a connoisseur.”
“I’ve made do with less in far worse situations,” she muttered. “And Ghost is pretty frazzled, too. I think he needs a treat.”
“Yes, hewasflying when he came out of those trees. I don’t know what kept him from attacking that bear. That would have been his first reaction if I’d been there.”
“But you weren’t, which proves how smart he is,” Rusty said. “He had the good sense to know he was on the lower end of that food chain.” Then she reached for Ghost and scratched his head between his ears. “Didn’t you, boy? Smartest dog ever…yes, you are.”
Cameron got two shot glasses out of the cabinet, pulled down the bottle of whiskey beside them, and carried them to the table. He poured two shots, then cut two slices of the chocolate cake from his aunt’s bakery, grabbed a couple of forks, and they were good to go.
Rusty lifted her glass. “To being alive,” she said.
The smile slid off Cameron’s face. “To being alive,” he said softly.
The glasses clinked, and then they downed the shots in one gulp.
Rusty shuddered as it went down, and then picked up her fork and took a bite of the cake.
“Much better,” she mumbled as the chocolate melted on her tongue.
Cameron watched her get up and go to the pantry to get Ghost a little treat and thought how easily she’d wrapped them both around her finger.
“Everything is better with you in my life,” he said.
Rusty looked up. “Not to wear out an old movie line or anything, but you had me at hello. Don’t lose me, okay?”
Suddenly there was a lump in Cameron’s throat. “Don’t be afraid of love, baby. I will never hurt you.”
Rusty’s eyes welled. “I’m not afraid of you. I’m just overwhelmed by what you make me feel. I have a reputation. Cold-as-Ice Caldwell. Reckless Rusty. And you remind me I’m a woman first. It’s taking some getting used to.”
“Just so you know, you make me forever grateful I was born a man.”
