Second Chance Summer(11)

She could see most of Cedar Ridge from here, including Dead Man’s Cliff far off to the right. Technically it wasn’t part of the Cedar Ridge Resort property. In fact, Dead Man’s Cliff was closed off to climbers and skiers alike, having been deemed too dangerous since the early 1960s. The only thing allowed there was on-trail hiking.

This hadn’t stopped the daredevils from going up and attempting to free-climb the face. But true to its name, it’d killed more than one adventure-seeking idiot.

Ten years ago that idiot had been her sister.

Lily’s chest tightened. Well, what did she expect? She’d known she would stir up all sorts of emotions by coming back here. Still, it was harder than she’d imagined.

Turning away from the window, she changed her shoes and her intentions. Suddenly she needed to show the mountain she wasn’t afraid. She was going to go for a hike. Not a climb. Just a simple, easy hike. And if she got to the spot where Ashley had left the trail and tried to climb across the face of Dead Man’s Cliff and fallen to her death, then she’d stare that place down and … hell. She had no idea.

But since she had nothing pressing other than obsessing about how she’d ever thought coming back here might be a good idea, she geared up and headed out.

It took her a good half hour to force her feet to move past the trailhead. Twice she turned back but stopped herself.

She could do this.

It was another two hours before she got to the well-known fork in the trail at the base between Cedar Ridge and Dead Man’s Cliff, and she was breathing heavily from exertion by the time she did.

Decision point.

Left, and she’d get to an extremely popular hiking trail that would take Lily to about nine thousand feet and give her an incredible, awe-inspiring view.

Right, and she’d get to Dead Man’s Cliff. The trailhead had a sign posted that read:

EXPERIENCED HIKERS ONLY

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

NO FACE CLIMBING

STAY OFF ROCKS AND OUTCROPPINGS

For most, this served as enough of a warning. But for the daredevils, it was an active dare.

And a death wish, of course, for those who chose not to listen …

Like Lily, when she’d been younger and far more stupid. Once upon a time she’d wandered all over this mountain looking for a way to challenge herself and she’d found it here. Hiking up to the top of Dead Man’s Cliff and free-climbing on the face was the one thing she’d been able to do that Ashley hadn’t, and remembering how she’d bragged about it backed up the air in her lungs.

Because of course Ashley couldn’t possibly let the unspoken dare go. Nope. She’d had to attempt to beat Lily, as she did at everything.

And she’d died because of it.

Lily’s heart started a heavy, fast beat as she stared at the sign another moment and then …

Took a step back.

Maybe back then she’d had no fear, but that had changed. Big-time. Feeling responsible for your sister’s death did that to a person.

And your dad, too, a little voice inside her added. Don’t forget.

As if she could. He’d collapsed at Ashley’s funeral from a heart attack and had died en route to the hospital.

With them both gone, Lily’s mom had decided leaving town was the best way to heal. She retired and sold the house. So Lily had taken off, too, meeting up with her mom once a year, or as often as their paths crossed—not easy, since her mom loved to travel. Lily was only back in Cedar Ridge now because she needed the job. But standing at the trailhead she suddenly knew she’d also come back for something else—to somehow find forgiveness.

Maybe then she could finally really move on.

She was still standing there when her phone rang. Not recognizing the number, she hit IGNORE. A minute later came a text from that same number:

If you’re looking for something bad for you, try me instead.



Lily stilled. She didn’t have to be told who it was, she could hear Aidan’s voice as she read his words. But how …? Where …?

She whirled around, searching above her for the security camera she hadn’t realized was out here. Though it made sense. In the past ten years, Cedar Ridge’s popularity had boomed. It was much more remote than the most well-known Colorado ski parks, but for the people who wanted extremely challenging, rugged, and out-of-the-way adventure, it was here at Cedar Ridge for the picking.

She couldn’t find the camera, but knowing she was being watched, she hit REPLY:

How did you get my number?



She got a reply in seconds. Jonathan.

She growled, then hit DELETE and left. A few minutes later she received another text:

Good choice.



Funny, coming from Aidan. Oddly enough, back when she’d known him, he hadn’t been a natural risk taker. He’d been sharp and ready, willing and up for anything, and maybe a tad bit feral—but though he’d often found trouble with his brothers, he’d been smart about his walk on the wild side.

In truth, he had been her complete opposite.

Still was. Now he’d become the risk taker—firefighting, S&R—and she the cautious one.

And he was sitting in front of the security feeds somewhere, watching her, aware of what she was doing and knowing she’d failed.

Her thumb hovered over DELETE, but somehow her wires got crossed and she typed a response instead: Just out trying to acclimate to altitude again.