Page 36 of Intoxicating Pursuit

The Arrival

Lucy turned out to be an excellent companion.

While Oscar had been the fifty-something, gruff, bullish smoker I’d remembered from Creekside and the rooftop bar, Lucy was young, refined, and personable.

She had skin the color of smoky quartz and natural hair she wore in a short afro.

Her dark eyes sparkled when we talked, and her laugh was easy.

But I didn’t mistake her easy disposition for lack of strength.

With her thick, muscular build, I imagined she could give Oscar a run for his money—if there were ever a fight.

When the Gulfstream finally came to a stop, Lucy guided us to a waiting black SUV on the tarmac, where I was pleasantly surprised to find Charlie behind the wheel.

“Hey, Sammy” A youthful grin lit his face. He grabbed my bag and popped it in the trunk. “Good to see you again.”

“Great to see you too, Charlie. Thanks for picking us up.”

“You bet.” He extended a hand to my daughter. “And you must be Meghan. You look just like your mama.”

After the pleasantries, we got settled and navigated off the tarmac.

The SUV traveled through the outlying neighborhoods of Multnomah County, then onto freeways similar to those in any other U.S.

city. Before long, however, the exits spread out, and the scenery shifted from urban to wild.

When the SUV pulled off the highway, we climbed to an older two-lane road that hugged the low mountains south of the Columbia River Gorge, and a panorama opened up beneath us.

I had read about this place and seen pictures, but I was not fully prepared for the beauty of it.

Sweeping vistas of blue water, green trees, and hazy mountains emerged, stretching for miles, looking peaceful under a bright sky scattered with drifting white clouds.

In the distance below, the waters of the broad Columbia River shimmered beneath the wind and sunlight.

Low, forested mountains made their way nearly to the edge of the gorge on both sides, and waterfalls punctuated the landscape, as melted ice from faraway peaks tumbled toward the river below.

Pull offs abounded, and cars crowded the small lots as eager visitors clamored to experience the splendor up close.

We drove east past the tourist turn-offs and several small towns before travelling through a more remote area.

After a few miles, Charlie turned onto an unmarked road.

He paused after several yards, pushed a button, and a gate closed behind us.

The road wound its way up a steep grade between tall Ponderosa pines on what must have been private land.

I rolled my window down as we climbed and tasted the temperate air of the Pacific Northwest, the scent of evergreens tickling my nose.

Eventually, the road turned sharply, and a break in the trees opened to reveal a rambling home perched over the edge of the world.

The modern, dark-gray house looked to be a story-and-a-half tall, but the hill cut away steeply behind it, and I realized there could be other levels below.

The expansive structure had sleek lines, large windows, and a black roof covered in solar panels.

The parking pad out front was enormous, and I imagined the home was designed to occasionally host crowds.

Meghan and I grabbed our bags and followed Lucy to the front door.

She punched in a key code. “Come on in, guys.”

While the facade of the house was shaded by conifers, light filled the interior.

Floor-to-ceiling windows ran the length of the great room opposite the front door, framing an unparalleled vista.

The Columbia River glimmered at the base of the gorge, and the surrounding mountains now looked like mere foothills as the snow-capped peak of Mt.

Adams rose above them on the horizon. A huge sectional couch invited visitors to linger, and a well-appointed kitchen peeled away to the right, providing any cook who worked there with awe-inspiring views.

We were setting down our bags when Gabe walked down a set of floating stairs.

His gaze filled with instant heat when he saw me, and a knowing smile crept across his lips.

He crossed the room, and the hug he gave me set my nerves ablaze.

“So glad you’re here, Sammy.” He stepped back.

“And you must be Meghan. Nice to meet you.” He offered his hand.

Meghan took his hand in both of hers and gawked, her eyes sparkling. “Wow, I can’t believe it’s really you. We listen to your music all the time.” She kept shaking his hand, a mile-wide grin stuck on her face.

“Thanks for coming. I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, but I think we can have a great time anyways.” He patted her hands.

She did not let go. “It’s just so pretty here. I mean, we have mountains and stuff out East, but I’ve never seen anything like this, and I can’t believe your view. Your home is incredible.”

“Thanks. The area’s spectacular. Tons of waterfalls. Trevor and his friends will have to take you to see some of them.”

She still held his hands, evidently too starstruck to notice. Gabe looked over at me, uncertainty flitting across his features.

“Meghan? Sweetheart? Do you think maybe that’s enough?” I asked as gently as I could.

She glanced at me, then back at Gabe, and finally to her hands, still wrapped around his. “Oh! Crap!” She released her hold and stepped back, casting her eyes down in embarrassment. “God, could I be a bigger idiot?”

“Now come on, you’re not an idiot.” The worry disappeared from his face. “Sometimes people get excited. Look, if I didn’t have fans, I’d have to get a real job. So, thank you.”

Meghan’s smile returned, and she stared at the big picture windows. “This really is so gorgeous.”

A happy chaos of noise interrupted her comments.

A pack of boisterous college kids emerged in straggling succession from what must have been a basement stairwell.

Multiple, simultaneous conversations bounced through the group as they walked toward the kitchen in a jumble of backslaps, swearing, and laughter.

“Trevor,” Gabe called out. “Can I ask you to come say hi?”

One of the young men stopped and looked our way. He broke away from his friends and reluctantly ambled in our direction. He had his dad’s height and bone structure, but his hair and complexion were darker, contrasting with bright green eyes. Honestly, he was a strikingly handsome human being.

He looked us over skeptically.

“Trevor, this is my friend, Sammy, and her daughter, Meghan. I told you about them. They’ll be staying for a few days. It would be great if you could make Meghan feel at home.”

“Yeah, cool. Hi.” He shook our hands and looked at Meghan. “Um, we’re just grabbing snacks and hanging out in the basement if you want to come down.”

A pretty brunette wandered over and claimed Trevor with a hand around his arm.

He gave her a quick smile. “Oh, guys, this is my girlfriend, Pria. Pria, these are my dad’s friends. Meghan’s gonna hang with us.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” She reached around my daughter’s shoulder for a quick hug. “We’re outnumbered, and I swear the boys only want to eat chicken wings and nachos. Wanna help us find something better?”

Meghan glanced at me, and I nodded. “I’ll take your bag to your room. Go unwind a bit.”

I watched her follow Trevor and Pria into the kitchen. “I bet I won’t see her again for at least a couple days.”

Gabe chuckled.

“Sorry she didn’t keep her cool.”

“Don’t worry about it. Come on, I’ll show you where we can set Meghan up.”

One of the first-floor hallways led to four ample bedrooms, and we dropped Meghan’s suitcase off in an unclaimed room. Then Gabe picked up my suitcase and led me up the floating stairs.

“The master and one extra bedroom are up this way.” He set my bag down at the top of the steps. “You can settle in wherever you’re most comfortable.”

I hadn’t thought everything through yet, and the kids were within line of sight. “I’m not sure Meghan knows exactly what’s going on. Is it okay if I put my stuff in the guest room for now?”

“Sammy, you can set your suitcase on Mars if you want. I’m just so damn relieved you’re here.”

***

T he kids eventually drove off to explore one of the big waterfall attractions, and we decided to hike around the property.

While the back of the house looked out over a steep, untraversable hill, the front of the house sat on more level ground, and several trails led away from the parking area and driveway.

Gabe took my hand and led me to an uphill path. Ponderosa pines and oaks rose high overhead, shading a sprinkling of lanky dogwoods stretching for light.

He gave my palm a gentle squeeze. “Was your flight good?”

“In that jet? The flight was awesome.”

“Not a bad perk, right?”

“Not at all.”

We trekked up the path as it cut in and out of the tree line, sometimes ducking beneath the soaring canopy and other times catching glimpses of the Columbia River and the surrounding mountains. He really did live in the most spectacular places.

“Are you excited to have a break for a day or two?” I asked.

“Of course. It’s a quick break, but it’s always nice to do what I want for a bit.” He shrugged. “Obviously, the circumstances could be better.”

We kept a steady rhythm as we pushed uphill over the dry ground, scattering pebbles and leaf litter in our wake. The fresh smell of spruce and pine scented the air.

“How have you been doing with all of this, Sammy? I know it’s been a long week.”

“Eh. During the day, I'm too busy to think about things, but late at night, I can’t seem to shut off my brain. I wish I could fix this.” A tree had fallen across the path, and we took turns stepping over the huge trunk. “How about you?”