Shelter (Heroes of Big Sky 2)

The ride is just spectacular. I can watch the town, the lake, and get lost in my thoughts as I leisurely descend the face of the mountain.

When I reach the bottom and am helped off, I decide then and there that this will be a weekly activity for me for as long as they continue running the chairlift.

I could hike back down, but why would anyone do that if they can take that ride?

The drive down to town doesn’t take long, and when I pull into my space at the campsite, I raise a brow when I see Seth sitting on a log, waiting for me.

I park next to him, climb down from the van, and offer him a smile.

He grins back, but there’s something in his eyes that tells me that he had a rough day.

“Wanna talk about it?”

He sighs, stands, and tucks his hands into his pockets. “Not right now.”

“Shit day?”

“Yeah.”

I nod and then gesture for him to follow me. “I have soup from Little Deli in here. Why don’t I heat it up and we can eat together?”

“What kind of soup?”

“Does it matter?” I raise a brow and look back at him.

“Yeah. If it’s tomato, I can’t eat it.”

“Are you allergic to tomatoes?”

“No, I just hate tomato soup.”

I laugh and pull a saucepan out of my cupboard, then set it on the two-burner stove I have.

“Well, it’s not tomato. It’s corn chowder.”

“I’m in,” he says and pulls the door closed behind him. “It’s bigger in here than I expected it to be.”

I follow his gaze, taking in my tiny kitchen and the bed in the back.

“It suits my needs okay.”

“Except when you want a good shower.”

I laugh, then shrug. “I’ve stopped off at gyms here and there to go in and use their shower. I just pay a daily fee. I belong to a national gym that’s really cheap, but they don’t have them up here in the northwest.”

“Almost everything up here is locally owned.” He sits on the edge of the bed. “Are you safe in here? I mean, have you had any issues with creepers?”

I instinctively start to deny it but then stop myself. “Actually, only a couple of times. Mostly, people mind their own business. I have safety features in the van, and I have learned some tricks here and there.”

“Such as?”

“Well, at night, I pull the seatbelts through the door handle, then click them in place. If anyone tries to open the door, they can’t.”

“That’s damn clever.”

“There are lots of little things like that. I watched a lot of videos and read tons of blogs before I decided to go ahead and do this. I’m a woman traveling alone, and I know that there are risks associated with that. Someone once suggested I get a dog, but it’s not fair to leave it in the van for hours on end while I hike through the national parks. Dogs aren’t allowed on the trails.”

“It’s the safest thing,” Seth replies with a nod. “Wildlife might be attracted to the dog, and it puts both of you in danger.”

“Exactly. I’m not willing to do that. To either of us. So, it’s just me.”

“Do you get lonely?”

I shrug a shoulder and ladle up the soup, offering him a bowl. “It’s been nice to have the quiet. My life was such a zoo for so long, with so many people around, the anonymity is welcome.”

Seth narrows his eyes on me. “Why was it a zoo?”

“You don’t watch a lot of TV, do you?”

“No, no time for that. Are you a movie star?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Definitely not. You know those shows where people have to compete in physically challenging things?”

“Like Survivor?”

I smile. I won season thirty-six.

“Yes, exactly. I’ve done quite a few of those. It’s been my job for the last decade, actually.”

“You’re kidding. You can do that? Just hop from one to the next?”

“Sure. I had an agent who got me booked on them.”

“No wonder you’re in such good shape.”

“Not as good as I used to be,” I admit and take a bite of the soup. “But, that’s okay. I’m not getting any younger. I mean, I’m not old, but it’s harder and harder to keep up with the kids in their early twenties, you know?”

“Oh, yeah. I know.”

“And there’s a lot of politics and kissing ass that’s done. Plus, I dated a producer for a while who is kind of a jerk. It just wasn’t fun anymore. And what’s the point of punishing your body and dealing with all the bullshit of TV and social media if you’re not having fun?”

“I can’t argue with you there.”

“So, I retired. And the calm and peace that I’ve felt since is a surprise. And it’s pretty awesome. Because of the family dynamics I had growing up, I was alone a lot. It doesn’t bother me. So, no. I’m not lonely. I’m having a good time. Meeting cool people, seeing incredible things. And, I have a new job.”