Ends of the Earth

“She’s a great kid. You’re lucky.”

“I am.” Jason looked distant for a moment before he shook his head and smiled.

“I’m sorry about her mother. It must be hard.” He had so many questions that would likely fall into the “dick” category, so he bit his tongue.

Jason’s voice was steady. “I lost Amy a long time ago. It’s a challenge raising Maggie on my own, but you do what you have to do. I’d give up anything for her. Everything.”

“You don’t have any family helping you?”

“No.” Jason’s jaw tightened, his spine stiffening. “We’re just fine on our own.”

Hmm. Definitely a story there, but Ben didn’t think it was wise to press it. “Most guys wouldn’t be able to handle it—taking care of a little kid all alone. Sure as hell not as a teenager.”

Jason shrugged and fiddled with a damp curl behind his ear, tugging down the brim of his baseball cap. “Guess I’m not most guys.”

Definitely not. Ben watched Jason wipe a raindrop from his cheek. He cleared his throat. “How do you manage it?”

Jason was about to say something else when he stood up straighter. “Where is she?”

Ben realized Maggie had wandered completely out of sight while they’d been talking. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s right over there.” He pushed up the brim of his hat, peering into the gloom.

“Maggie!” Jason called.

A lark’s song whistled through the trees, and the raindrops seemed to echo in the stillness.

Before Ben could say another word, Jason bolted into the forest. “Maggie!”

Ben followed. “It’s okay, don’t panic.”

“Dad, come look at this!”

Ben could practically feel Jason relax, his breath whooshing out in a long sigh as Maggie reappeared and pointed excitedly at something in her hand. Jason listened patiently, running a hand over Maggie’s damp hair and pulling up her hood, retightening it under her chin.

Ben found himself smiling as he watched them. How had this young man handled raising a child? And raising one so well? Not that Ben was an expert, but he flashed back to muddy hikes with his parents and their endless patience as they taught him about the land. How happy and safe he’d felt exploring the wilderness with them.

Jason pulled his phone from his pocket, and Ben said, “No cell service anywhere out here. Sorry. You’d have to go down to Apgar Village.”

“Yeah, it’s been weird not going online. But a good weird, you know? I was just looking at the time. Shouldn’t we be getting back? It’s almost been an hour.”

“Nah, it’s okay. I don’t have another tour until after lunch. There’s a pretty cool cave nearby if you want to see it.”

Maggie gasped and clapped, and Jason laughed, a throaty chuckle that tightened Ben’s groin. “That’s Maggie for ‘yes.’”

As Ben led the way, he hoped he’d hear Jason Kellerman say yes again soon in an entirely different context.

CHAPTER THREE

“I don’t know about this.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “Dad, why do you always have to worry so much?”

“Because it’s my job.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Is not.”

“Is…” Jason stopped himself before he sounded even more like an eight-year-old. “Maggie, I just think it might be too dangerous.”

Her sigh was decidedly longsuffering. “You’re such a control freak.”

“What? I am not. You don’t even know what a control freak is.”

“Sure I do. I saw it on TV. This is why you won’t let me go to sleepovers. You want to be in charge of everything.”

So maybe he was a little overprotective. He could admit it. But after almost losing custody of Maggie, he kept her close. “No, I want you to be safe. That’s all.”

“Look, those kids over there are younger than me. Besides, we have to wear life jackets.”

“Right, because there’s a good chance of falling out.”

“Dad, would you chill?”

Jason laughed despite himself. They were in line at a small wooden kiosk to sign up for a morning of white-water rafting. The day had dawned sunny and perfectly warm. Down a gentle slope, the Flathead River was calm and placid. However, Jason knew that less than a mile away, the river became a frothy, frenzied beast, crashing violently over massive rocks.

“The rapids are only twos and threes. That’s nothing.” Maggie had done her homework, as usual.

“Why don’t we go canoeing on the lake back near the campsite? That’ll be even more fun.” He tried to sound enthusiastic.

Maggie’s tone indicated that she thought her father was being completely lame. “You can still drown in a canoe, you know.”

Terrific. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Maggie lowered her voice and leaned closer. “Is it too much money?”

“No! Of course not. Don’t worry about that.” He smiled in what he hoped was a completely reassuring way.

Truthfully, at just over a hundred dollars for the half-day trip, it was pricier than Jason would like, but he hated that Maggie was even aware of money beyond her allowance. At her age, he hadn’t had to think about what anything cost. Yes, his parents were rich, but still—kids shouldn’t have to worry about money. A hot slither of guilt snaked down his spine.