Jake's Biggest Risk (Those Hollister Boys) Read Online Free PDF Page A

terms with his landlady.
    Hannah’s face became less guarded. “Actually, you can sit on the deck and see a whole range of birds and mammals. I’ve spotted almost everything except bears and mountain lions.”
    “That’s promising. I also noticed a couple of trails leading away from the lodge. Where do they go?”
    The retriever yipped and she patted him again. “The one to the south leads into town, winding back and forth between the water and woods. The north trail is similar, but it’s rougher, with far more ups and downs. It extends around the lake to Mount Mahala.”
    Jake looked at the snowcapped peak behind the water. “I’m guessing it would take a while to reach the mountain.”
    A grin tugged at her mouth and he suddenly became aware of her as a woman. He still didn’t have any hint of Hannah’s figure, but if it matched her smile, he could be in trouble. Making a move on a woman with a child was a bad idea—in his experience, they were usually looking for commitment, and that wasn’t something he would ever be willing to offer.
    “You’re right—it’s much farther than it appears. You can’t see it from here, but there’s a spur of the lake that goes way north beyond that point.” Hannah gestured to an outcropping of land covered by tall evergreens.
    “What made you smile just now?” he asked curiously.
    “A memory. When I was a kid I decided I could hike to the mountain all on my own. My parents didn’t argue, but Dad followed a few hundred feet behind me. We spent the night out there, not even a quarter of the way, with my feet hurting like mad. Not that I admitted it.”
    And Jake would bet she was just as stubborn now. That kind of obstinacy wasn’t something people typically outgrew.
    “I take it you grew up in the area,” he commented.
    “Except for four years at college, I’ve always lived here.”
    “Hell, I could never stay in one place for so long.” It wasn’t until Jake saw the look on Hannah’s face that he realized how rude he must have sounded...
again
. “Sorry. I’m a born wanderer.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “Then you must be dreading the next twelve months.”
    “That’s an understatement. I just want to get past this damned accident and have my life back.”
    Nobody understood how he felt except Josie, and she was back in the Andes—or maybe she’d gone somewhere else by now. The doctors had preached patience, Matt’s attitude was that it was only a year and Andy was just pleased that his client had finally agreed to do a book based in the United States.
    But Jake didn’t want a conventional existence; he wanted what he’d had before the plane crash—international travel, seeing new places, his photography...and as few complications as possible.
    “It isn’t because of your house,” Jake added hastily. “The lodge is great. Why aren’t you living there, instead of in the guesthouse?”
    “It’s too expensive on a teacher’s salary. It makes more sense to rent it out and live in Silver Cottage.”
    “But surely you get child support,” he said. Before leaving the day before, Andy had explained she was divorced. Jake had gotten the impression that his friend was attracted to Hannah. Not that it would go anywhere. Andy was an excellent agent, skilled at professional negotiations, but he was notoriously inept in his personal life.
    Hannah’s green eyes narrowed. “My son’s father and his financial contributions are a private matter.”
    “Well, yeah. That is, I didn’t mean to pry.”
    “Whatever.” She turned and hurried away. Badger followed with a glance over his shoulder, clearly warning Jake to watch his step.
    Jake groaned.
    He hadn’t meant to be inquisitive, but even
his
father had never skipped out on financial responsibility for his kids. And S. S. Hollister was generally considered one of the most irresponsible men on the planet, with children and ex-wives all around the world.
    Of course, Jake’s mother wasn’t one of S. S.