Predestined: Nathan McCoy's Story (Hell Yeah! Book 37) Page 30

“Wow. Thanks.” Nathan felt like he’d been poleaxed. She’d keyed in on one of his greatest fears and obliterated it with just a few sweet words.

  “So, on a semi-related topic…since we’re about to visit a UFO hotspot, do you consider aliens to be supernatural?”

  Nathan shifted in his seat, stretching out his left leg. “No, I don’t think so. Although, I figure some might find it hard to distinguish between ultra-advanced aliens and mythical gods. I mean it’s happened before.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, when Europeans first arrived in the New World, the natives thought they were gods. They looked different, dressed different, no one knew where they came from – they could even kill from a distance using weapons that shot fire. All of this was unimaginable to the Aztec. The same thing could conceivably happen today if aliens arrived who had the power to cloak and be invisible or teleport or…” He grinned. “Read people’s minds.”

  “True. Although, those skills could very well be in our own future.”

  “When we become more advanced, yes. Science is grounded in the idea that the dreams we have today becomes the reality of tomorrow. Take computers for example, fifty years ago we had no idea what they’d be capable of.”

  “Not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Who would’ve thought?” She gazed off into the desert, seeing the sand dunes rising in the distance. “I’m fascinated by the reports of people seeing shimmering, iridescent outlines of beings or humanoids in our national parks and elsewhere.”

  “Yea! Reminds me of that movie Men in Black where the aliens are already here but we just can’t see them. They may control or influence events in our society and we don’t know it. Invisible but active. If you think about it, all of this blurs the line between the real and the supernatural. What is natural and what is magic. Like I mentioned earlier, we may be seriously underestimating the laws of nature and what we consider to be paranormal today might be called reality tomorrow.” He looked up into the sky. “Who knows? I guess I’m searching for an explanation for all that’s happened between us.”

  “I know, but maybe we’re not supposed to fully understand it. I’m not the most religious person in the world, but I have to believe there’s a reason for things that happen.”

  Glancing at her, he touched her arm lightly. “There’s been times in my life when I cried out for help. One of those times was when I was trying to find you in the blizzard. Another was when we were trying to climb out of that burning truck.”

  Clare clasped her hands together, thinking of the prayers she’d recently sent heavenward. “No one could deny we’ve been blessed.”

  “You can say that again.” He slowed down when he saw the sign announcing the Great Sand Dunes National Park. “Okay, I checked online, and we can drive through one of the scenic routes, that way you don’t have to get out of the car.”

  A feeling of inadequacy filled Clare. Hopefully, one day she would be able to do normal activities like everyone else. “Thank you for being so considerate.” She couldn’t imagine how he would react if he knew the full extent of her problem.

  “No big deal.” He slowed down, taking in the unique landscape. The dunes rose in the distance as they approached. With the high peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background, they initially appeared small. The farther they drove, however, the vaster they became. “This is wild. I’ve see pictures but they didn’t do this place justice.” Nathan marveled at the sight. “How tall are they?”

  “Some are 750 feet or more. The dunes extend for miles. Storm told me once that Zebulon Pike, the explorer that Pike’s Peak is named for, described this scene as a ‘sea in a storm, an ocean of sand hills of breathtaking magnitude.’”

  They drove slowly, taking it all in. Suddenly, Nathan pointed in the distance. “What’s that guy doing?”

  Clare leaned forward peering into distance. “Sandboarding. Look at him go!”

  They watched as a young man came sliding down the dunes on what looked to be a version of a skateboard. “It’s almost like he’s surfing,” Nathan commented. “I remember Joseph telling me he came here to ride the sand.”

  “Joseph has been everywhere and done everything, hasn’t he?” Clare muttered. “There’s so much I want to do.”

  “Let’s do it together. Whatever you want.” Nathan reached over to take her hand.

  “Sounds wonderful.” She was careful not to make a promise she couldn’t keep. “Ready to see the UFO Watchtower?”

  “Well, yea. Of course!” Nathan headed in the direction that Clare indicated. When they arrived he had to get out and climb up onto the ten-foot platform.”

  “Hey, I want to come up too!”

  “Great!” He came down after her but instead of helping her climb, he just picked her up and carried her to the top. “There you go.”

  Clare looked out over the horizon, then up into the big blue sky. “You know, lots of people have seen strange things in this valley. UFO’s, aliens, fireballs.”

  “Not too long before I moved out here, we were moving some cattle from one pasture to another, and a storm came up. An electrical storm. Lightning struck near us and set off a stampede. We saw something strange, blue fire dancing on the horns of the cattle. It was eerie.”

  “Sounds like it. There’ve also been a lot of cattle mutilations in the area.”

  “Oh, that’s just disgusting. Whoever is doing that ought to be imprisoned.”

  She lifted her shoulders. “Many believe its aliens, taking samples or whatever. There’s a lot of talk of abductions in this part of the country. People with lost time. Memories of being taken up in some type of craft. Others can’t tell their dreams from reality.”

  Nathan could relate to that quandary. “What do you believe?”

  “I don’t know. Like we were talking about earlier, some people think extraterrestrials have visited before.”

  “Or they’re still here.” Nathan glanced furtively around, then grinned.

  “Actually, the Native Americans and even more recent inhabitants claim Reptilians live underground in these parts.” She patted the railing. “A woman named Judy Messoline built this little roadside attraction. She came to the valley to raise cattle, but that didn’t work out. Needing to find some way to make a profit off of her land, she decided to focus on another resource our beautiful area offered and that was UFO’s. Originally, this started as a prank. Her friends had told her of odd things they’d seen in the night sky, and she was aware UFO enthusiasts were drawn to this part of the country. So, she set up campground on her property, built a tiny gift shop, and put up this viewing platform.”

  “We’re ten feet off the ground, not much of a view,” Nathan commented dryly.

  “True, Judy always said when the elevation is over seven thousand feet, how much higher do you have to be?”

  “Well, I guess she has a point.” He chuckled, looking up at the sky. “We’ll have to come here after dark and try to spot something.”

  “I think we have company.” Clare noted two camper trailers pulling into the parking lot. “This might look like a tourist trap, but it’s quite popular. Judy keeps a log in the gift shop for people to record any sightings. I hear she’s changed from being a skeptic to full-fledged believer with over a dozen sightings herself.” As the two families exited their vehicles, several children began running around the site. Clare lowered her voice. “Judy also got became an online minister so she could marry couples who were interested in saying their vows in an otherworldly setting.”

  “Do you need to make an appointment?”

  “To what?” She grinned. “Get married?”

  “Yea, tie the knot.”

  “Well, yes. I would think so.”

  He winked and tapped the side of his head. “Good to know. I’ll file that info away for future reference.”

  She laughed out loud at the thought, ignoring the wistfulness his words created within her. “This isn’t the prettiest venue, but there’s somet
hing about it that gives me hope.” Clare gave him a thoughtful look. “Would you really want to get married at the UFO Watchtower?”

  Nathan pinned her with a stare. “Anywhere is fine, as long as I’m marrying you.”

  Chapter 16

  Nathan’s non-proposal proposal stole Clare’s sensibilities. She’d laughed it off and suggested they leave, ignoring the wistfulness his words created within her. “I’m ready to go. Don’t we have an appointment to keep?”

  “Yea, we need to head to Telluride, our reservations await.” He offered her his arm, leading her down the stairs to the car.

  On the road again, they shared another snack as they debated everything from climate change to the state of the economy. What they learned was that they agreed more often than not and where they didn’t see eye to eye, the differences didn’t matter.

  Clare couldn’t prevent her hopes from rising sky high. With the transplant evaluation on the calendar, she felt like she was on the verge of a new lease on life. With such optimism flowing through her veins, she began to let down her guard and enjoy the time with Nathan. Thoughts of the future kept popping into her brain. “Do you want children?” the question popped from her mouth before she could stop it.

  Nathan jerked and the front right tire hit one of those screaming strips that tell you you’re leaving your lane. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

  “No.” She laughed. “I’m just making conversation.”

  “Oh, well. Yea. Sure, I do. Don’t you?”

  “I’ve never really considered it, to tell you the truth.” Clare answered carefully but couldn’t keep the longing out of her voice if she tried. “But yea, I think so.”

  “Good.” He let his imagination run free. “I can see you teaching them to garden, to cook, to paint – to love animals. You’d be a marvelous mother.”

  “Any child would be lucky to have you as a father.” She grew serious, memorizing his beautiful face.

  “Think so?” Nathan clasped her hand tightly within his own.

  “We’re just talking hypothetically here,” she hastened to add, her emotions rising higher than she knew was wise.

  “Are we?” He gave her a knowing smile. “You keep telling yourself that while I’m booking a date at the UFO Watchtower.”

  “Nathan…” She laid her head against the seat and sighed with contentment. “Are you enjoying working with my brothers?”

  “Oh, yea. Sure am. The blizzard set us back but since the weather has been clear, I’ve readied winter pastures, built fence, and sold some cattle to replace with a heartier breed.”

  “I know they’ve been pleased with your efforts.” She squeezed the hand she was still holding. “They like you a lot.”

  “I hope so. How about you? Where do you see your artistry going? Any big plans?”

  “No,” she answered quickly. “I create when I’m inspired, and I sell to make room for more.”

  “You’re lucky.”

  “You think so?” The notion was alien to her. She’d always figured she ran out of luck a long time ago.

  “Oh, yea. Many artists and writers produce what they need in order to survive. You, on the other hand, can create what comes from the heart.”

  She placed her free hand over her troublesome organ. “I just hope my heart doesn’t let me down.”

  Nathan glanced at her with concern. “It won’t.”

  Clare hoped he was right.

  As they neared the charming town of Telluride, the sun was sinking behind the mountains. Dark came suddenly to the town surrounded by high peaks. “Hey, it’s like somebody turned off the light,” Nathan noted. “At home, sunset creeps up on you.”

  “Telluride sits in a box canyon. It’s isolation was one of the reason so many outlaws used to make their home here.”

  “Outlaws? Like Jessie James?”

  “Close, try Butch Cassidy.” Clare studied his profile, noting a slight indention near the corner of his mouth. “Do you know you have a dimple?” She touched the sexy spot, her face lighting up with a smile.

  “Yea, I’m cute as a bug.” He chuckled, enjoying himself immensely. “Hey, speaking of outlaws, what’s going on over here?”

  Looking to her right, she saw what Nathan was questioning. “Oh, a little Telluride voodoo. They’re calling up snow.”

  He slowed down to watch some folks dancing around a bonfire. “They’re wearing shorts and flip-flops! What are they burning?”

  “Skis. They also put trail maps in their freezer, anything to appease the snow gods.”

  “Huh. I wonder if they were responsible for our last blizzard?”

  “I don’t know, but there’s nothing else in the forecast and we need moisture desperately. The trees and grass around my cabin are so dry. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if this brings more.” She pointed to the next street. “If you’ll turn there, we can catch the free gondola up the mountain.”

  “Oh, yea. This should be fun.” He found a parking spot and started to slip his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans.

  “No need. The gondola is free. One of the perks of Telluride.”

  Soon, they were on their way up the side of the mountain riding in a gondola car high above the ground. “Oh, this is cool,” Nathan said, his eyes taking in the lights of the city below.

  “It’s a fun way to travel, for sure.” Clare looked back toward the town. “Another neat thing about Telluride is the Free Box, people bring stuff they don’t need and leave it for people who do. It’s so popular, folks use it as a geographical landmark spot – you know, go five blocks north of the free box – that kind of thing. Another thing that makes Telluride unique is the penny bear, a 15 foot six-thousand-pound grizzly bear statue covered in 187,000 pennies.”

  “This I’ve got to see,” Nathan responded, completely captivated by the way Romy was leaning against him. “Can we drive by it on the way home?”

  “Sure, the detour will be small.” She let out a slow, contented breath. “I’ve certainly enjoyed the day with you. We’ve talked up a storm.”

  “We have.” He bent his head to kiss the top of her hair. “And the night isn’t over – not by a long shot.” When the gondola reached the top, a snow coach was waiting on them. A cozy enclosed passenger sled pulled by a snowcat. “Your carriage awaits, my boho-princess.”

  Clare put her hand in his and let him lead the way. Once they were onboard, they spoke to the other passengers, then cuddled up together on one of the comfortable seats under a nice blanket provided by the driver. Their journey to Alpino Chalet was breathtaking. Literally, she was finding it a bit hard to breathe.

  Sensing her discomfort, Nathan asked, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  Feeling silly, Clare tried to brush off his concern. “Oh, I’m fine. Higher elevation, I guess.”

  “Do you want to go back?”

  “No, no.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Just hold me a minute. I’ll be okay.”

  “Are you sure?” Nathan touched the side of her face, pushing her hair over her shoulder. “We can leave right now.”

  “No, we can’t. There are other people here, we can’t just commandeer…” She took a breath, pausing. “Commandeer the snow coach on a whim.”

  “Taking care of you is not a whim, it’s my job.”

  Love for Nathan almost overwhelmed her. She cuddled up to him. “Just hold me.”

  “Not a problem,” he whispered with near reverence. “Not a problem at all.”

  When they reached the chalet at the top of the mountain, he searched her face carefully. “You gonna be okay?”

  “Yea, I guess I’m getting used to the elevation. Plus, I always feel better after you hold me.”

  “My arms are always open.”

  She gave him a smile. “Good to know. Now I’m hungry.”

  “Well, let’s get you fed.”

  They walked to the door and a very nice host greeted them. Nathan enjoyed Romy’s smile when they stepped ins
ide the beautiful candlelit cabin filled with displays of fresh flowers. When a waitress met them with an offer of a glass of champagne, Nathan accepted one and handed it to Clare.

  She shook her head. “None for me, thanks. Alcohol and I…don’t mix.”

  Nathan kept the glass and shook his head to let the man know only one was needed. “I don’t need it for a good time either.”

  “Enjoy it.” She felt a bit embarrassed at having turned it down. “Oh, the fire looks cozy.”

  Nathan asked if they could sit by the roaring fire and his request was granted. Once they were seated, they looked into one another’s eyes, and Nathan whispered, “Spending time with you is the best prize I’ve ever won.”

  “Better than the belt buckles at the rodeo?”

  “You know about that?”

  She blushed. “Yea, I heard my brothers talk…I’m sure.” Lie. Lie. Lie.

  “No comparison. The belt buckle doesn’t even register on the same scale as you do.”

  Clare’s heart skipped a beat, and she didn’t think it had anything to do with her health – and everything to do with the man in front of her.

  “More champagne?” A waiter came by holding a wine list and Nathan asked them about nonalcoholic drinks. They ended up with a couple bottles of fancy mineral water.

  After their order was placed, they gazed out over the amazing scenery. With the moon nearly full, the snow was clearly visible against the dark surface of the mountain and the black night sky. “It’s so beautiful here. Thank you for bringing me.”

  Nathan cleared his throat. “You’re so welcome, but the pleasure is all mine. I wouldn’t trade this moment for all the tea in China.”

  She smiled, her cheeks pinkening. “That’s a lot of tea and a lot of money, you best reconsider that import/export decision.”

  “Nope. I know what I want. And I want you.”

  “Nathan, I can’t deny how much I want you too.”

  He closed his eyes in relief. “So, you’ll give us a chance?”

  “I want to.” She stared at the starched white tablecloth, one of her delicate fingernails tracing the pattern in the linen cloth.