The Charm of Lost Chances Read online

  The Charm of Lost Chances

  by

  Lucia N. Davis

  Copyright © 2017 Lucia N. Davis.

  All rights reserved.

  DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Editing by Leah Wohl-Pollack (Invisible Ink Editing)

  Cover design by Alchemy Book Covers

  Published by Orange Vine Publishing

  It was already midafternoon by the time Sara turned her car into the short driveway of the old cabin. She was back.

  Not much had changed in her absence, as far as she could tell. The wooden cabin still looked the same: standing alone, marked by time, even a little shabby, perhaps. But despite all that, it was still firmly rooted in its place in the Cascade mountains.

  She had missed it. The cabin—and David.

  David… It was with some disappointment that she noticed his pickup truck was not here yet. She shrugged, a little piqued that he didn’t seem to share her excitement for their reunion. Men, she thought. If only they came with a manual.

  To kill time, she walked around the side of the cabin and sat on the back stairs. The patch of grass at her feet was dry after the warm summer, appearing almost yellow-gold in the afternoon sunlight, and gradually vanishing into the dark shadows of the surrounding forest. The tall Douglas Firs swayed in the breeze. Sara shook her long blond hair loose and closed her eyes, turning her face to the sun. It was so peaceful here.

  Although the last time she was here, it hadn’t been so peaceful. It surprised her that she felt so comfortable sitting on these steps. Her gaze skirted over her left lower leg. Despite having healed nicely, it was still marked by scars from the surgery—bright pink lines that boldly contrasted with her fair skin—the only remnants of the physical ordeal she had endured.

  But that was all over now. She was pretty sure her unwanted visitor from last spring would not bother her again.

  David, on the other hand, seemed like a new beginning—or at least the possibility of one. If she had been reading the signs right, that was. He had been her landlord, the owner of this cabin, and a realtor here in Dunnhill. The old mining village was situated in the Northern Cascades, and although the original village was small, a larger resort side had been developed for pleasure- and thrill-seeking tourists, providing David with plenty of business.

  Sara frowned and looked at her cell phone. Apparently work was keeping him busy enough; he was now officially very late. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she tried to resign herself to the fact that she could do nothing but wait. The cabin was locked and David had the key. Plus, her cell phone had no reception here, so even if David had tried to reach her, she would have no way of knowing.

  Her thoughts traveled to last spring, when she had fled her life in San Francisco, fled the pain and the grief after her parents had died in a car accident. After she rented the cabin and met David, many strange things had happened—unexplainable things—that had forced their paths to cross and intertwine. They had just barely gotten to know each other before Sara broke her leg.

  After she left for Seattle to recuperate at her aunt and uncle’s house, David had called her a few times. There seemed to be mutual attraction—a connection she couldn’t explain—and he had certainly encouraged her to come back to Dunnhill. So, against her normally cautious nature—and better judgement, for that matter—here she was, taking a gamble to see where things might lead.

  But where was David?

  As excited as she was to see him again, she was still not sure she was ready—ready for someone to rock her world. She had been feeling adrift since her parents’ death, and she needed an anchor, not stormy conditions that would send her further off course. She checked the time again; David was now at least forty-five minutes late.

  She got up, stretching her long, slender legs. Patience was not her strong suit. Maybe she could drive over to the village, where she had reception. As she was patting off some dirt from her shorts, she heard the rumble of a truck coming closer, and wheels crunching on the gravel driveway.

  Finally! She quickly walked around the cabin to greet him. The doors of the truck slammed close and voices rang out in the air. Someone laughed—a beautiful, melodic, radiant laugh—that stopped Sara dead in her tracks. Her excitement deflated like a balloon as her heart sank in her chest. Not only was David late, but he’d also brought company. Another woman.

  Gathering her courage, Sara forced a smile and rounded the corner. There was David, as good-looking as she’d remembered, with his ruffled hair and two-day-old stubble. Judging from his tan, he had been spending plenty of time outdoors this summer. But Sara’s eyes did not linger long before they were drawn to the woman David was facing. She was beaming up at him as she playfully placed her hand against his cheek. Bearing witness to this obviously tender and loving gesture, Sara cringed. She knew trouble when she saw it.

  “Hey Sara!” David called out, finally noticing her. “Sorry for the wait. I got held up. You know, clients, they can be so difficult…” He grinned at the woman next to him, then walked over and gave Sara a hug. “It’s good to see you. How are you? I hope you didn’t have to wait a long time. I texted you, but the reception here is sketchy, as you know.”

  Sara cleared her throat in an attempt to uncoil her vocal cords. “I’m well, thanks,” she managed to squeak out. “And you?”

  “Great. It’s been a beautiful summer. I’m glad you’ll be back for a bit. Your stay last time was cut way too short. It’ll be a better experience this time around. You’ll love it, promise. By the way, I’d like you to meet somebody.”

  Right. Here we go.

  The woman walked up to them gracefully. She was slightly shorter than Sara, with long, lush, dark brown hair reaching down to her mid-back. There was no denying it: She was simply beautiful. The thin white summer dress she wore accentuated her tan skin, slender frame, and toned muscles. She flashed a dazzling smile, revealing a set of perfect white teeth.

  “Hi,” she said, extending her hand, “I’m Taylor Russell. Nice to meet you.”

  Is it? Sara thought, accepting the hand. “Likewise,” she said, keeping her tone light. “I’m Sara. Sara Eriksson.” She grimaced as Taylor gave her a firm handshake. Damn, that woman had a grip.

  “Taylor and I are old friends,” David explained. “She’d visit during the summer and winter holidays when we were young. Her aunt lived in a village close by. We spent many summers together, hiking, climbing, swimming, you name it. Skiing in the winter. It was fun.”

  No doubt. Sara suppressed a scowl. The appeal was obvious. “So, are you here visiting, then?” she asked Taylor.

  “Oh, no. I’ll be managing a white-water rafting office here in Dunnhill, so I’m actually planning to stay a while. Which is why I asked David to help me find some property.”

  Staying a while… that did not bode well. Sara swallowed hard. “White-water rafting? That seems… wild. You like that sort of stuff?”

  “Absolutely!” Taylor’s face lit up. “It’s fantastic. I love the outdoors. Rock climbing, skiing, hiking—anything, really. Don’t you?”

  David chuckled. “Actually, Sara is somewhat accident-prone. It may be wiser for her to steer clear of those kinds of activities.”

  Sara’s face burned. Even if David was right, the comment stung. Her clumsiness had led to enough embarrassing situations over the years, but she didn’t need it pointed out so bluntly. Besides, she had lived in big cities all her life. It wasn’t her fault she wasn’t the outdoorsy type.
r />   Surprisingly, Taylor didn’t laugh. “You know, that’s nonsense,” she told Sara. “Anyone can learn. You should come with me some time; I’ll teach you. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

  Sara tried to discern if Taylor was mocking her, but found nothing but a candid and honest gaze. “Well, um, thanks,” she muttered, a little bewildered. “I’d love to.”

  “In fact,” Taylor continued enthusiastically, “why don’t you come with us right now? I was going to take David for a short stroll along the river to show him where we’ll be taking the rafts. Let’s get you settled in your cabin and then we’ll all go, before it gets dark.”

  Sara stared at Taylor for a moment, unsure of what to say. “Well, I don’t know. I had a long day. Besides, if you and David made plans, I don’t want to interfere…” She glanced over at David, who shrugged, as if to say it was up to her. Sara sighed inwardly.

  Taylor was not easily dissuaded. “Don’t be silly. The more the merrier. It will be fun. You can stretch your legs after the long car ride, and it’s very beautiful. I mean, unless you’re too tired, of course.”

  Not wanting to seem like a wimp, Sara firmly shook her head. “No, I’m not that tired.” She faked a smile. “I’ll come along. You’re right—it will be good to stretch my legs after the ride. Let me get my stuff out of the car.”

  “I’ll help.” David followed her to the car. “You really don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” he whispered. “Taylor can be quite, well, let’s call it persuasive.” He grinned and gave her a conspiratorial wink. “But if you want to come, great. It’s a nice walk.”

  While carrying her bags into the cabin, Sara mulled his comment over. Did he want her to come, or just the opposite? That manual would really come in handy right about now. Well, she’d already said she would come along. Backing out now would be awkward.

  She located her walking shoes, and before long, they were all inside David’s truck, roaring down the road. Sara quickly decided that joining them had been a mistake; stuck in the seat next to Taylor, she had no escape from the woman’s apparently boundless curiosity.

  “So, Sara,” Taylor said, “why are you here in Dunnhill? David mentioned you lived in San Francisco before. I love San Francisco. You miss it?”

  “Uh, no, not really. It was time to leave. I came here to… to sort out my life, I guess.”

  Taylor looked at her questioningly. When Sara offered no further explanation, she moved on. “I see. Well, compared to San Francisco, this place is a little isolated. Aren’t you afraid you’ll get lonely in that cabin?”

  Sara stared out the window. She’d thought she was going to get to spend some time with David, so loneliness hadn’t exactly been one of her main worries. Shrugging, she replied, “Not really. I have to work, you know. I do freelance writing.”

  “Wow, writing! How cool. What do you write about? Amazing you can make a living from that. I’ve heard it can be hard.”

  “Hmm.” Sara’s eyes darkened. The truth was, she couldn’t make a living—not yet—although she was making some money. Leaving her teaching job had been a bit impulsive. But her parents’ inheritance had left her with sufficient funds to last a while—at least long enough to figure out what to do with her life. Living in the cabin was cheap, and she really had no other major expenses for now. That is, as long as she could stay out of the hospital.

  Time for a change of subject. “What about you, Taylor?” Sara asked. “How does that work, the rafting business? You only have a limited tourist season, right?”

  “Right. We have to make it work in the months that allow us to raft. It’s always a challenge, starting something new. I have a partner here, Gary, who helps out, so it’s not just me. In the winter, I’m sure I can find work as a ski instructor. I don’t like to sit around. But I can take it easy for a bit. I had a pretty good career prior to this.”

  “Oh, what did you do?”

  “I did a lot of modeling. Mostly athletic stuff. I was very fortunate—traveled a lot. It was a blast.”

  Sara stifled a groan. Of course, modeling. That made sense. Compared to an outdoor-sports-queen-slash-swimsuit-model, I must seem totally dull. Who was she kidding? She didn’t stand a chance. Even worse, Taylor seemed like a genuinely nice person. David could do a lot worse.

  She slowly let the disappointment set in. Well, at least now she didn’t have to wonder what could have been. She would stay for a few weeks, enjoy the area, then figure out what to do next. She was twenty-nine—a big girl. She could handle it.

  Her thoughts were interrupted as the truck slowed down and came to a standstill at the side of the road. Sara followed David and Taylor out of the truck and down a narrow trail leading into the trees. David was rather quiet, but then, Taylor was talking more than enough for the both of them.

  After a while, they ended up near the edge of a narrow canyon with a river running through it. Sara stared down at the river. “Looks pretty wild to me. You go down there?”

  “It’s not so bad,” Taylor replied. “There are far more intense rapids upstream. This is actually a really nice ride; I think you’d like it.”

  Sara raised an eyebrow. It was far more likely she’d fall out of the raft and make a fool of herself, or worse, drown. Both options were equally unappealing right now.

  Taylor, not noticing Sara’s apprehension, pointed downstream. “It ends up in a reservoir. The water level is lower now compared to springtime. I suggest we walk upstream a bit. The canyon opens up, and there’s a nice sandy beach area with access to the water.”

  They had been walking single file for fifteen minutes when the trees thinned out and gave way to a view of the river—wider now, but no less calm in Sara’s opinion. Taylor led them to a spot on the riverbank where the water drifted away from the rushing flow and created a small, shallow pool. Taylor sat down on one of the big boulders and was soon talking animatedly again, pointing out various spots along the river to David.

  Sara could hardly follow the conversation, not that she was particularly interested in the intricacies of rafting. The water looked so clear and inviting. On impulse, she took off her shoes and socks and stepped into the pool, inhaling sharply. The water was cold but wonderfully soothing at the same time. It reached to just below her knees. Gingerly, she stepped around the smaller rocks and walked further in.

  “Ouch!” She had stepped on something sharp. Lifting her foot, she examined the damage. No cuts, fortunately. She peered into the water, spotting the culprit: a pointy rock in the riverbed. She looked up for a moment, but her gaze was drawn back to the rock. Something glittered in the water right next to it. Something gold.

  “Sara? Are you okay?” David called from the shore.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” Sara mumbled absently. She bent forward, touching the shiny object. It was small and thin, and stuck beneath the rock. It slipped through her fingers as she tried to grab it. Using both hands, she carefully tried to free it by moving the rock a little. It came loose and she cupped it in her palms.

  It was a small, thin gold bracelet. So small, in fact, that Sara didn’t think it would fit around her own wrist, assuming there were no pieces missing. The chain was broken, but the lock was still attached and in one piece. The bracelet had a single charm: a little gold heart. As Sara held the bracelet in her hand, an overwhelming feeling of sadness weighed her body down. Then the sound of rushing water filled her ears, growing louder and louder. The world spun, and Sara wobbled. She needed to sit down.

  In a trance, she stumbled back to David and Taylor. “Are you sure you’re okay?” David asked, his voice sounding far away. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Still feeling dizzy, Sara sat down on Taylor’s rock. “That’s not funny,” she said softly.

  “Sorry. You’re right.”

  Taylor looked quizzically at David, who shrugged and said, “Long story.”

  Sara put her head between her knees and dropped the bracelet on the boulder. Slowly, the rushing in her e
ars subsided and the dizziness faded. She became aware of Taylor patting her back. She was saying, “It’s all right, just take it easy. You’ll be fine.”

  Sara lifted her head. “Thanks. I feel a bit better. I think something happened when I bent over to pick up this bracelet. I get dizzy sometimes, you know, when I get up too fast.”

  She caught David looking at her askew. Frankly, she wasn’t even sure she believed her own explanation. Getting dizzy was one thing, but the intense sadness she felt—it didn’t make sense. And there was no denying it had occurred at the exact moment she had lifted the bracelet out of the water.

  “Very pretty.” Taylor had picked up the bracelet and was studying it closely. “It’s tiny, though; I wonder if part of it is missing? Like it was broken in several pieces?”

  Sara had to restrain herself from snatching it back. For some reason, she didn’t want anybody else touching it. At the same time, the thought of touching it again and feeling that sadness was not exactly tempting.

  “There’s an engraving,” Taylor went on, examining the charm. “Look! It’s hard to read. My… sweet… J… O. My sweet Jo!” Taylor smiled triumphantly. “That’s what it says. It belonged to a girl named Jo. I think?”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure there’s no Jo in our village. Sweet Jo must have visited this place at some point and lost it.” David got up and returned with Sara’s socks and shoes. “We need to leave before it gets dark. Besides, you still look a bit pale. Let’s get some food in you and then get you back to the cabin.”

  Sara nodded and started drying her feet with her socks. When the other two weren’t looking, she used a sock to pick up the bracelet and put it in her pocket.

  Alone in the cabin that evening, she carefully fished the bracelet out of her pocket, using a thin towel to hold it. She placed it on the table and examined it, moving it with a pencil. Taylor was right. The engraving on the little heart was hard to read, but with some effort she made out the words My sweet Jo.