And then there was the ocean, flashes of crystalline blue that became more frequent after their town car turned onto a two-lane road that wound along the coast, playing peekaboo with the Pacific. Fruit stands and shrimp shacks with hand-lettered signs dotted the shoulder.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Hildy’s voice said from the seat beside him. “You’re so grateful you came. This is exactly what you needed. Thank goodness I let Hildy talk me into this,” she prompted, when he turned his gaze from the window. “I totally forgive her for the bear spray.”
Jefferson patted the back of his head.
“What are you doing?”
“Checking for strings.”
“Very funny. Obviously you’re free to be yourself. Within certain parameters.”
One of the things Jefferson appreciated about Hildy was her directness. You always knew where you stood with her, because she’d told you where to go and how to act once you got there. Hildy wasn’t the type to say,Can we eat at that new steakhouse tonight? I have a craving for red meat,when what she really meant was,The guy I’m sleeping with behind your back will be there and I enjoy the drama of lying to your face.
“I was planning to hang back and let you do your thing. Carry heavy bags as needed. Is that about right?”
“Don’t sell yourself short, JJ. You’re not my golf caddie. This is a time for you to relax. And take plenty of pictures. Did you know I’ve always wanted to have my own photographer?”
“I shoot pictures of wildlife, Hildegarde. It’s not exactly covers forVogue.”
“Yes, but if you can make bighorn sheep look hot, imagine what you’ll do with all this.” She fluffed her hair, waiting a beat before elbowing him in the side. “Joking aside, I super-appreciate you being here. I know this is a big step outside your comfort zone.”
He gave a stiff nod. A certain amount of steamrolling had been involved, but they both knew he was letting her get away with it. Despite being an only child, she’d taken a page straight from the little-sister playbook, a deadly combination of sad eyes and badgering.Come to Hawaii with me! We’ll have a super-fun time! And stick it to your ex-girlfriend! Did I mention that I’m an orphan?
Maybe Hildy was the one who needed a vacation, and didn’t want to go alone. She put on a good front, but there was a ticking intensity underneath the smiles—not surprising after a near-death experience.
“Try not to get all choked up,” she teased. “The optics are also on point.”
“That’s a relief.” Whatever it meant.
“Having you in the picture gives me gravitas.” She stroked her jawline with freshly painted nails. He had no idea when she’d had them done, especially considering they were a different color than last night. “I think that’s the real reason young women on the rise take up with old dudes. People assume it’s about the money, but I already have that, you know?”
He did know. Even by the standards of the wealthy winter sports enthusiasts who flocked to Jackson Hole, Hildy was in a class of her own.
“What I need is some of that craggy, old school, you-can-trust-me aura. Which you bring to the table in spades. People look at me and they see hot, young, steal-your-girlfriend-and-your-boyfriend energy. Maybe I frighten them a little, so they make assumptions about my messy personal life and lack of ambition. But then they get a load of you and it’s like,So silent! So scowly! So male! He seems solid.”
Jefferson had never thought of thirty-two as particularly ancient until he met Hildy. “Glad my geriatric self could be of service.”
“Same. Honestly, I should have thought of doing this a longtime ago. Maybe not the lost-in-the-woods part but the aftermath. Our quote-unquote journey. Even my freaking uncle is giving me space. It’s like, wow, is this what it takes to get you to respect my independence?”
Hildy mentioned her uncle so often that at first Jefferson had assumed she was starved for his attention, in the same way the younger of his nieces would collapse in a heap, exaggerating the smallest injury, when she needed a cuddle. The image of an absentee billionaire too busy running his business to worry about family was less surprising than the apparent reality: a helicopter uncle who smothered Hildy with affection.
“I don’t know if it’s the ratings bonanza or being with an old guy, but I think he’s finally starting to see me as an adult woman instead of his frilly little princess. Which obviously I’m not saying you’re Viagra-ad old, because that would be creepy. You’re just different from guys my age. Not all waxed and cut with that generic gym body.” Hildy ran a hand in front of her abdomen, indicating the six-pack he didn’t have.
“I’ll put that on my tombstone.”
“Relax, Mr. Sensitive. You know you’re at least a seven, maybe a seven-point-five if you’d let me take you shopping.” She squeezed his forearm. “What I’m saying is, I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m sure you would have managed just fine without me.” His mind supplied a picture of white-out winds strong enough to strip flesh from bone. “Once we got you off the mountain.”
“But it’s more fun this way. For both of us.”
Fun wasn’t the first word that came to mind for Jefferson, and not only because it wasn’t part of his standard vocabulary. The chaos of the last few days had left him feeling as though the avalanche had caught them after all and they were churning down the rocky slope at bone-crushing speed. “I appreciate the vacation,” he said politely.
“Don’t thank me. We’re on the corporate dime. Anyway, this is nothing. You should see how my uncle travels. Plus, he totally owes you for saving my life. Not to mention the part where this is a legitimate business expense.Anda wonderful opportunity for personal growth.”
That last bit had the distinct aroma of something Hildy’s hero, the legendary Lillibet, would say. Indulgence as a spiritual pursuit. Hallmark for millionaires. Jefferson’s reasons for agreeing to this trip might be a little hazy, but he knew one thing: It wasn’t due to a burning desire to meet Lillibet. Thanks to Genevieve, he’d been inoculated against the charms of self-obsessed attention seekers.
“I didn’t have much else going on. As you helpfully pointed out.” The timing had swayed him almost as much as Hildy’s full-court press. A perfect blank on his calendar, in a week that happened to include his birthday. A change of scenery didn’t sound like the worst idea, to bridge the gap between his old life and the next chapter.
