Jamie and her Jaguar

1

“Ma’am, I see you are all packed.” I nodded at my driver and he lifted my suitcase and shoved it in the trunk for me. “Shall we head out now?”

“Yeah, time to start my vacation.” I told him as I pulled my non work phone out and checked my flight one more time. It was still on time, and I was getting more and more relaxed the closer it came to take off.

“Great, might I just say that I am glad you are taking your time off away from home. You have been cooped up way too long.” I smiled as I walked to get my own door.

“You can say it and mean it. I have been in the city too long.” The only reason I was here and why I stayed so long was because my father finally retired. Left me to handle the mergers, the business that was barely staying afloat... and three years later I could finally relax enough for a vacation.

“I can’t remember a summer you didn’t take off for camping or exploring.” He laughed as we both settled in the car and he was right. Marty had been with us for years, I wasn’t sure when he started to drive my mother and I around, but he had been there for as long as I could remember. My mother loved nature, she was a prolific nature photographer. She sold it as art, nowhere near Ansel Adams, but she had fun and so did I.

When she died, I spent months backpacking in Europe and Asia. I kept my head up and loved being connected to the world like she saw it. Now I was able to go hiking and be in nature for a month... but I was still going to be stateside. I had a single flight from here to Helena and then I had a driver that would take me to the mountains and I would be able to just make my own way.

“Here we are Ms.Mahone.” I looked up at Marty and smiled.

“You know you could always call me Jamie. Thanks Marty, see you in a month.” I pushed my door open and collected my phone and purse. He helped me pull my bag out and I smiled as I saw someone waiting to help me collect it.

“Be safe Miss.” He told me and I smiled and nodded before heading into the airport. I handed over my papers and they got me through security and then I was headed right for my plane. I walked across the tarmac and waved at a pilot. I put my backpack down and moved to get buckled in as they got the tests set up.

I sat back, smiling the entire flight, and since it was last spring, almost summer, it wasn’t too warm or too cold when I got off my plane. I headed into the mountains and found my perfect little Bed and Breakfast.

My driver set me in their little parking lot and I was excited to get in and find maps and head out. I had one night here to start, paying for a month, and it really depended how long it took me to go up and around the mountain and back, I might have a few more days here or even just one night.

“Hello, how are you today?” I looked up at the cheerful male voice and smiled at the man across from me.

“I’m doing well, I made a reservation here a couple months ago, it was for a month's stay.” I told him and set my things down to pull out my credit cards and ID.

“Ah, you must be the Mahone girl. I did brief business with your father a few years ago.” He told me and I just blinked, a man, who lived here and ran a B&B had business with my father? “I see the confusion. I came here to help out my lovely cousin almost two years ago, she was having a baby, cutest little guy, and now shes pregnant again I have fallen in love. No need to leave if I don't need to. Your father and I actually met in Italy and spoke about a casino I own.” He made this place sound like a place that could suck you in and want to stay before he bought up my father again.

“Did he make you money... or lose some for you?” I cut the casino investments off after I took over, there was no way I would loan money if it wasn’t a sure thing.

“Made money since you pulled out of the deal and had to pay me off.” He smiled at me as he kept his fingers moving over the pretty computer he had here. “I am Dante.” He held out his hand and I nodded and shook it quickly.

“Dante!” I heard someone shout and I jumped when a door slammed open and a heavily pregnant woman waddled through. “Get your friend away from me before this baby is fatherless. He wants me to stop working from home! When the doctor gave me that list of how to make this practically grown toddler shoot out of my body-” She pulled a full stop when she saw me and I smiled softly. “I apologize. I didn’t realize we had someone checking in.”

“It’s ok, new moms with annoying husbands get a pass.” I told her and she laughed and smiled.

“I need you to give him something to do so he is not hovering.” She put her hands under her chin and looked at Dante who was looking from me to her and then he nodded.

“I do that, you finish locking in her reservation.” He told her and smiled at me before walking off and I smiled as the tiny woman came to the tall desk she could barely reach over.

“A whole month stay huh? What are you looking for around here? We have had some people looking for special birds and plants this spring, is it something like that?” She asked me as she typed faster than the other guy but produced my cards back just as fast.

“Something like being with nature again. My mother used to take me out in nature all the time. I want to reconnect.” I told her and she nodded happily.

“That’s good. Any big plans? Hikes you know?” She asked me and I paused and shook my head, but if she knew some that would help. “I can get our trails and there’s a guy that would love to help you get the lay of the land.”

“I am really good on my own. I would like a hiking map if you have one. Do you have any idea if there is any bad weather coming?” I had checked but there was a bulletin saying it might change as the days go. She started typing before I watched her scroll and then her eyes landed back on me.

“Officially, it’s supposed to be all blue skies, but we are sometimes hit with a few storms. Are you going to need more gear, or maybe some kind of GPS in case it gets too hard?”

“I might need more of a tent or something like that.” I told her and she nodded.

“If we are hit with a big storm we can send someone to kind of track you down so we know you’re safe, with snow still at the top of my mountain we are always on guard about missing hikers.” She told me and I nodded in understanding.

“Well, I am a little rusty but I am sure I will be fine.” I told her and she nodded slowly.

“And if you need any food to go, in the morning or whenever you take off, just let me or Dante know, we have a cook, Lyla on hand and she’s really handy with all things food.” She told me and I nodded at her before taking my things and heading to the stairs. “You’re on the second floor, second door on the left at the top of the stairs.” She told me and I nodded and smiled before waving and heading up.

I got to the room, and it was amazing. So cute and homey. There were white linen sheets and a plain gray comforter that looked warm, and I will admit that I was going to miss sleeping in beds when I was out there, so I really hoped I would enjoy my last night in one tonight.

I settled in, relaxing and double checking supplies and looking over the maps and since they woman downstairs seemed to be worried I started to mark my trails and expected stops for the night... and I would pass it along before I left.

“This is going to be so fun.” I whispered as I looked at the view of the mountain and I could just think about all the things I was going to be able to to do and see. This month... this is what I needed.