Bluebells on the Hill (14 page)

She was still attired as she had been for the
last week; hair freshly washed, wavy and soft in the bright sun,
make-up tastefully applied, highlighting her natural beauty. Her
dark blue brushed denim trouser suit was not suitable for summer
traveling in California's hot central valley, but had been welcome
for San Francisco's cool, foggy climate, and would not be too heavy
for the cooler mountain air. Fortunately, the bus was
air-conditioned.

Familiar landmarks sparked recognition. She
recalled this stretch of highway. Soon they'd round a bend, see the
river and traverse the bridge. Next stop, Timber!

As they pulled into the gas station and bus
depot, Amanda saw the gray truck parked near the building.
John-Michael must have checked the bus schedule. Grateful she
didn’t have to wait at all, she gather her few things from her
seat. The teenager stood by the truck, waiting. Almost home
now.

When she stepped from the vehicle, her heart
caught in her throat. Mac Mackenzie was the person leaning back
against the hood of the battered old truck, hat low on his face,
arms crossed. It wasn’t John-Michael after all.

She swallowed hard, her heart tripping at the
sight of him. Summoning up a smile, she walked over as casually as
she could.

'Hi.' Was that breathless voice hers? She had
enough carrying power to be heard at the back of an auditorium
without a mike if needed.

'Have a good trip?' He took in her
appearance, his eyes wandering slowly from her hair to her fancy
boots.

'Yes, thanks.'

He glanced at her face. 'Come into an
inheritance?'

'No. Is, uh, did John-Michael come?'

'Nope. I’ll give you a lift home.'

'Thank you. I have a few more cases this
time.'

He shrugged and moved to open the door.
'Climb in and I'll get them. You're the only one off the bus, I
take it all the baggage will be yours.'

Glancing back, Amanda realized the driver was
already unloading her things from the luggage area. Every box and
bag looked familiar.

'It looks like it. I'll help.'

'I can manage. Just get in.'

'Yes, sir!' She gave a mock salute, stopping
Mac in his tracks as he turned towards the bus. When he glared at
her, Amanda giggled, gave a saucy wink and promptly climbed into
the cab.

She watched as Mac gathered all the boxes and
bag and loaded them in the truck. Her eyes feasted on him. She had
almost forgotten how tall he was, how broad his shoulders were. His
hat, pulled low on his forehead, hid most of the bronzed hair,
though she could see it gleaming in the sun when his back was to
her.

He was certainly an attractive man, in spite
of the stern look perpetually on his face. She remembered how he
looked when he smiled. He should do it more often.

The last box in the truck, he joined her in
the cab, the look from his green eyes almost like an electric
shock. He stared her for a long, charged moment, at last moving to
start the engine.

'You look nice,' he said, turning the wheel
to take the pickup from the parking lot. 'A little tired,
though.'

'I am tired,' she replied. 'Thank you for
picking me up. Where's John-Michael?'

'Home.'

'Was it inconvenient for him to come for
me?'

Mac threw her a look. 'Object to me?'

'No, of course not. I just... I mean I was
expecting John-Michael.' What was the matter with her? She had just
negotiated and signed a large recording contract; started
preliminaries plans for a concert tour in the autumn; traveled
across the country and back; made arrangements to have furniture
delivered and was now stammering like a teenager. Taking a deep
breath, she slowly released it.

'I had to come to town, so I picked you up. I
wanted to see you.'

Amanda's heart gave a small skip. Mac had
wanted to see her! Her face broke into a lovely smile as she
shifted a little in the seat, relaxing a little.

He spoke again. 'Why so much stuff this time?
You hit a jackpot or something?'

'No. I have an apartment in L.A. and I'm
bringing things back here to really make my little house a home. I
was only planning to check out the area when I came before. Then I
saw Cora's place and stayed.'

'Without further investigation?' He looked
disapproving.

She shrugged. 'It was a wild splurge. I saw
something I liked and took it. Haven't you ever done anything like
that?'

'What if you didn't like it here? What if you
found it was a mistake to move to Timber? Did you consider
that?'

‘
Not at all. If I don't like it, I'll
leave. I can always change my mind. I'm not hurting anyone. Not
responsible to anyone for how I live my life. I certainly won't do
or not do something just because of other people's
views.'

'Hippies always see themselves as free souls,
beholden to no one. Live their lives however they choose.
Irresponsible, that's all,' Mac said.

'Not only hippies,' she retorted quickly.
'Others choose to live their lives as they want. All people who are
working at something they like, who live where they want, are doing
the same thing. That doesn't make them irresponsible. Aren't you
glad you are a rancher?'

'Of course I am. But I didn't buy a place on
impulse, without checking into it.'

'But I did,' she replied sweetly, 'and I'll
do it again if I choose.'

'Oh, so we're rich now, are we? Where are you
buying your next place?'

'I'd do it all over again here,' she
rephrased. 'Why did you want to see me?'

'I came to see you last Thursday. I didn't
realize you’d gone anywhere. John-Michael didn't mention it until I
asked him. I have that option agreement we discussed.'

Amanda felt like a pricked balloon. He only
wanted to see her so they could lock in the option agreement. He
hadn't really wanted to see her, except to ensure his hold on her
property. She was so disappointed she wanted to cry, to renege on
the option and let him worry if she'd ever sell to him or not. More
fool her for thinking he wanted to see her for any reason other
than business. Well, so be it.

'Fine. I'll look at it,' she said, suddenly
tired again. She fell silent for the remainder of the ride.

In spite of her disappointment, when they
rounded the bend to her track, she felt a lifting of spirits. Her
cabin looked so small and isolated after the massive, crowded
high-rises and glass edifices of the cities. The soaring pines, the
browning grassy meadows, the quiet breeze were soothing to jangled
nerves, giving a pervading sense of tranquility to a weary
traveler.

Amanda was glad to be home. To be home with
no necessity to go away again until the summer was over. She'd
spend the weeks ahead decorating her home and writing songs. It
would be a wonderful summer and she was determined to enjoy every
minute of it. In spite of her disapproving neighbor.

As soon as Mac stopped, Amanda climbed out,
going to the back of the truck and pulling one of her cases from
it.

'I will get those,' Mac said, lifting two
other cases.

'I can help,' she said, heading for the door.
Once unlocked, Amanda carried her case directly through to her
bedroom. She flung open the window, silently greeting the hills,
the trees, and her bluebells on the hill, now waning. When she
re-entered the living room a few moments later, Mac was setting
down a box she had brought, the last of her baggage.

Crossing to the front window, she opened it
for cross-ventilation. Taking off her jacket, she laid it and her
sun-glasses on the table.

'Did you get a job?' Mac asked, watching
her.

'I may have something lined up. For the
fall,' she replied, shrugging.

'I wondered, you look all fixed up. For an
interview?'

Amanda's hackles rose again. She had
forgotten for a moment he thought her a out of work free spirit. It
was such a different impression from what most people had about
her. An imp of mischief took over. Giving him a big grin, she
turned around.

'Do you like it? I bought some other things,
too, now that I'm moving in for good.' She opened her eyes wide and
stared limpidly up at him.

'Where did you get the money for all this
finery?'

'Here and there.' She waved her hand
vaguely.

'Doing something you shouldn't, I warrant.
Did it involve that nefarious man you had spend the night a while
back?'

'Nefarious man? You mean Dave?' Amanda gave a
small giggle. 'Dave’s not nefarious.'

'I bet!'

'Where's the option agreement?' She changed
the subject before she got mad.

'Here.' Mac drew an envelope from his pocket
and handed it to her.

Amanda opened it and scanned the page. It
looked pretty standard to her, but she'd read it carefully before
signing. The amount for purchase of the option was blank. She
looked up questioningly.

'We never discussed money. My attorney drew
up the agreement and left that blank. There should be some
remittance for the option. How much?' Mac asked.

Still piqued that he had only come for her to
clear up the option, she replied carelessly, 'Five thousand.'

'You're nuts!' he thundered. 'I'm not paying
for your life here in Timber! You find your income somewhere else.
You want a job, I'll help you get one, but you're not riding free
on my money.'

Amanda smiled. My, he was quick-tempered.
Could she always make him mad so easily she wondered, tilting her
head.

'Too high, eh?'

'A damn sight too high. I say one hundred
dollars.'

'Fine' she replied instantly, amiably.

Mac stared at her a long moment, reading the
laughter in her eyes. Slowly relaxing until the glimmer of a smile
touched his lips.

'I ought to spank you.'

'Doesn't sound like fun. I'll read the
agreement tonight and bring it up tomorrow. I'm tired and want to
eat and go to bed.'

'All right. Fair enough. I'll be home in the
morning.'

' Thanks again for bringing me home. I guess
I'm going to have to get a car or something. This place is just too
far to walk to town for everything.'

'Yes. Before I forget, Elizabeth instructed
me to invite you for dinner next Wednesday. She's having a few
people in and wanted you to join them.'

'Where does she live?'

'Not too far from here. I can give you a
lift. John-Michael and I are going, too. No trouble.'

Amanda nodded, certain Mac would not have
offered if it were any trouble.

'Do you have a, uh ... dress?' he asked.

'Yes, of course.' She gave him an exasperated
look. 'Don't you worry, I won't let your aunt down. What time?'

'About seven. We'll be by a little
before.'

'That’ll work. Tell John-Michael hi for me,
will you?'

'Yes.' Mac turned, pulled his hat down firmly
and opened the door, pausing to throw a glance back at Amanda.
'Glad you're back, spitfire.'

'I'll bet,' she mimicked.

Up early the next morning, Amanda waited
until after ten before walking up to Mac's home to give him the
signed option agreement. She had read it carefully the night
before. It was clear-cut and straightforward: if and when she ever
sold the property, in exchange for the $100 Mac would give her, she
would give him first right of refusal to buy the property at the
then fair market value.

Amanda saw nothing wrong with it, signed it
and was now carrying it to return to Mac. The gravel roadway wound
upward through the tall trees.

Rustlings in the undergrowth and the birds
chirping their own melodies reminded Amanda she was not alone on
her walk, even though she didn't see another creature. What a
pleasant way of life. She liked cities for the cultural advantages
they offered, but she loved the country.

The wooden bridge traversing the creek didn’t
seem any more substantial to Amanda than it had before. She walked
quickly across it, watching her step. Shaky though it appeared, it
was solid and did not move at all under her slight weight. That
obstacle behind her, she continued briskly up the drive.

She was dressed in her inevitable jeans and
T-shirt, hair drawn back in a ribbon and glasses firmly in
position. Since she had received a reprieve yesterday with Mac
picking her up instead of John-Michael, she had decided not to
tempt fate. Her disguise, such as it was, was back in place.

Cresting the last hill, Amanda paused as she
again took in the view from the home site. The endless mountains,
rising in the distance, a little blurry today. To the left, in the
far distance, a stately snow-capped peak rose loftily above the
tree line. Amanda gazed out for endless moments, spellbound by the
sheer beauty of the vista.

Slowly, reluctantly, she turned towards the
house. It was in a wonderful location. The barn discretely far
enough away not to feel like it crowded the open feeling. If it
were hers, she'd spend hours on the deck, just staring out over the
land. Did Mac ever do that? Did he share any of her feelings about
the mountains? Or just take it all for granted, never consciously
aware of the sheer beauty, the mighty majesty of the Sierra Nevada
range?

Mac answered the door. There was no loud
music blaring this time, only the soft swish of the breeze through
the grass and trees.

'Hello.' His look quickly took in her
attire.

'Hi. I brought the option letter.'

'Back to mountain dress, I see,' he
commented.

She shrugged. 'It's comfy. Do I come in, or
just hand it over to you and leave?' She offered the paper.

Stepping aside, he opened the door wider. As
she passed by, he took the paper, opening it and verifying she had
signed. He closed the door, resting back against it, watching
Amanda closely.

She felt her pulse quicken with the sound of
the latch. She was in Mac's house on the hill. Alone?