That was an understatement. His intention was to stay in Sapphire Bay for two weeks and now look at him. “What made you want to work in Sapphire Bay?”
Doc Reilly smiled. “I met John at a community meeting in Polson. He hadn’t been in Sapphire Bay all that long but, even then, he was always looking at ways he could help the community. At that stage there were no doctors here. Everyone had to travel to Polson, even if it was for something minor. After a lot of hard work, John convinced the hospital that Sapphire Bay needed a part-time doctor. After some arm-twisting, I agreed to come here once a week. I’ve enjoyed every minute, but it’s time for a change of pace.”
“Are you looking forward to retiring?”
Doc Reilly rubbed his hand across his jaw. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t miss my job. Like you, my life is about to go through some big changes. But for once in my life I’m not going to worry about it. I’ve got my fishing boat, my wife, and more grandchildren than I know what to do with. Between those things, I’m hoping I won’t have a lot of time to think about my career.”
“Maybe I should get a boat,” Zac said half-jokingly.
“You don’t need one. If you have a free day, give me a call. We can commiserate with each other while we’re fishing on Flathead Lake.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“You won’t regret making the decision to work in Sapphire Bay. It’s a great place to call home.”
Doc Reilly’s words stripped away all the uncertainty Zac was holding onto. “I’m beginning to see just how special it is. Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call from me every now and again.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
After he’d said goodbye, Zac left The Welcome Center and headed toward the parking lot. If he could build on what Doc Reilly had achieved, he would be doing a good job.
He checked his watch and increased his pace. If he didn’t get a move on, he’d be late for his hike with Willow. After spending most of the morning working in front of a computer, he needed to stretch his legs.
Willow lookedbehind her and smiled. “Come on, slowpoke. We’ll be here all day if you don’t walk faster.”
“I’m enjoying the scenery. Some of us like to take life at a slower pace than others.”
She knew for a fact that Zac’s mind and body worked at a million miles an hour. “I’ve seen the way you live your life and, believe me, there’s nothing slow about it.”
The snap of twigs was Willow’s only warning that Zac was on the move. In a blur of denim and nylon, he sprinted along the trail, heading toward the summit with the ease of a mountain goat. “Wait for me.”
Zac slowed, but only enough to let her catch up with him.
“You deliberately puffed me out so you could reach the top first.”
It was Zac’s turn to grin. “If you promise to be nice to me, I’ll share the victory.”
Willow stuck her hands on her hips. “I don’t know what you consider nice, but if you let me go first, I’ll share some of Brooke’s fudge with you.”
“You brought fudge and didn’t tell me?”
“When my parents and I went hiking, we always took trail mix with us. I didn’t have any nuts and chocolate at home, so I raided my supply of Brooke’s candy.” She swung her backpack off her shoulders. “I’ve got chocolate, caramel, and strawberry dream fudge.”
He watched her take an old ice cream container out of her bag.
Willow didn’t need X-ray vision to see how interested he was in the supply of candy. She popped open the lid and waved the container under his nose. If Zac’s sense of smell was as good as his strategic plotting, he should be drooling by now.
“Blackmail won’t work.”
“Who said anything about blackmail? This is an old-fashioned trade. You can have two pieces of fudge if we walk to the top of the mountain together. If you let me go first, I’ll give you four.” Zac was so close that she could smell the tangy freshness of his aftershave. “What would you like to do?”
“I’m an equal opportunities kind of guy.” Zac peered inside the ice cream container. “I’ve also got a strong suspicion I’ll enjoy each of the flavors. For that reason alone, you’ve got a deal. But if you find any grizzly bears or mountain lions in the caves, run fast.”
“The only bear I’ve seen was in the zoo.”
“They might be closer than you think.” Zac wiggled his eyebrows. “Especially the dark-haired, brown-eyed variety. They tend to get desperate for company and make a nuisance of themselves.”
“They’re probably lonely. The poor things might want someone to give them a hug when everything becomes too much.”
