Timberline Trail Read Online Free PDF Page B

soon enough. Perhaps if I start training now I’ll be prepared.”
    Steve grinned and Tia remembered the description Mary had given her about the blond e man staying at the Timberline Lodge. She hadn’t been wrong in her assessment. His sandy hair hung long over soft brown eyes and laugh lines originated from his mouth, crinkling the corners of his full lips. Though a large man, Steve carried his weight well. Tia felt a faint pull of attraction but pushed it away. She wasn’t in the mood for starting a relationship with anyone and after he departed tomorrow her writing would once again become top priority.
    “So what kind of business are you in?” asked Tia, spooning several ladles full of soup into a saucepan. She stirred the thick mixture briskly with a wooden spoon after adjusting the flame.
    Steve leaned back in the wooden chair and smiled broadly. “My background’s in advertising . My firm’s in Seattle but I’ve just gone through a nasty divorce that was finalized only three months ago and Cindy got our cabin on Vancouver Island.”
    “I’ve been to Vancouver Island once,” said Tia, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. “I had a friend who worked in Victoria; it’s such a beautiful place. You can’t find a lovelier spot to have a vacation home.”
    “That’s exactly what I thought,” said Steve, “but my wife took the cabin after I’d worked so hard on that baby. It sat right on the lake and the fishing was amazing. Little did I know Cindy used it as a love nest for her and her boyfriend Jerry. I can’t believe I worked everyday with that bum.” He sighed deeply. “So I figured; it’s time to take care of Steve, so I’m looking for a place with great fishing!” He glanced down; suddenly embarrassed he’d shared such an uncomfortable part of his past with a woman he’d only just met. Tia warmed to the big blonde man immediately and nodded compassionately.
    “Believe me I understand.”
    “I don’t know why I told you that; maybe it’s because you made me feel welcome even though I’m a complete stranger. Anyway, I thought a place in the pristine wilderness with good fishing was just what I needed; someplace where no one I knew from Seattle or Vancouver lived anywhere close. That’s what I’d call paradise.”
    “If you’re trying to get away from things this is the right place. And, I’ve heard tell that the fishing is really top-notch. The river and streams are full of trout and grayling and if you venture near the coast you can catch huge salmon during the spring. It’s an amazing sight when they jump upstream over the rocks, battling for the spawning grounds. There’s nothing quite as tasty as fresh salmon.”
    “I’d have to agree,” said Steve , warming to the subject. “I used to catch salmon near Seattle. The realtor says I can get some land here pretty cheap and I’ve convinced a friend in construction to come up and help me build. I thought I might try laying the foundation this fall, and as soon as the snow clears, build the cabin next summer. Sonny has a huge RV and I figured we could live out of it while building. Nancy, the owner of Timberline Hotel, said it’s pretty easy to get building supplies since you have your own local trucker.”
    “That would be Mary’s husband, Joe Whitebird. He and his two sons can bring anything into town you need.”
    “I sure like the layout and warm feel of this place,” said Steve , looking around.
    Tia beamed proudly. “It’s all hewn from lodge pole pine. The process is simple really; they cut the entire tree down and strip off the branches, shedding the bark in the process. My dad used the biggest poles for the basic frame and staggered the log tails to give it a more authentic feel. My uncle and dad chinked the inside walls, that’s why it appears so authentically rustic, and used river rock for the fireplace. They chose golden pine for the cabinets and furniture but the floors are actually cedar. All our windows are