Free Surrendered Hearts by Carrie Turansky Page A

she appreciated the way he resolved the tension between them with openness and a calm attitude. That certainly wasn’t Phillip’s style.
    A ripple of surprise passed through her. Why was she comparing Bill and Phillip again?
    A few minutes later they sat on the back deck enjoying Bill’s delicious chicken and ziti, freshly steamed broccoli, and crusty Italian bread. Jenn settled back in her chair, soaking in the peaceful evening. The sunset had faded from bright blue to a soft gold. Crickets chirped in a steady chorus, and water tumbled over the rocks in the little stream at the bottom of the hill.
    “It’s so beautiful here.” She watched two squirrels chase each other around the huge trunk of an old oak tree. They chattered and flicked their tails at each other.
    “Do you miss Oregon?” Bill took another bite of chicken and watched her.
    “I love the Northwest, but Vermont has its own special beauty.” She sipped her ice water and set her glass aside. “There is one thing I miss though.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Getting up on a high hill and looking down on everything. I’ve always loved that.
    “When I was a little girl we used to drive up to the top of Mt. Tabor near our home in Portland and look out over the whole city. On a sunny day you can see Mt. Hood and the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. And at night the city lights spread out and sparkle for miles and miles.” She smiled at the memory, missing her hometown a little more than she’d realized.
    He chuckled. “Sounds nice, but we have all kinds of hills and mountains around here. We’re famous for them.”
    “That’s what I’ve heard, but I’ve been here almost two weeks, and it seems like everywhere we go we’re just driving back and forth in a valley. Even the nature center is at the bottom of the ski slopes. I’ve never been up high enough to get a good look around.”
    “There are some great viewpoints on the Round Mountain trail. We should get a group together and go for a hike.”
    “What’s it like?” She set her plate on the small table between them, hoping she wouldn’t have to tell him she’d never been hiking before. He was such an outdoorsman. She didn’t want him to laugh at her and think she was a wimpy city girl.
    “It’s about four miles long, there’s a bit of a climb, but most of it is pretty level. Great views. You’d love it.”
    She imagined herself hiking down a trail with Bill, enjoying the scenic beauty of Vermont. “Sounds great.”
    His smile spread wider, delight filling his eyes. “You really want to go?”
    She felt heat stealing into her face. “Sure.”
    “Okay, I’ll see if I can get some people together. Maybe Wes and Lauren will come. I think Toby might even be able to do this hike. I’ll check with Wes and see what he says.”
    As soon as Bill mentioned pulling a group together, a tempting thought struck her. “What about Julia?” Jenn watched Bill’s face, trying to gauge his reaction to the suggestion.
    He lifted his dark eyebrows. “I suppose we could ask her. She hasn’t come on too many hikes with us, but we all went fishing on Stillwater Lake last month and she was a good sport. At least she wasn’t like some girls, squealing at every bug that flies by or afraid to bait her own hook.” Bill chuckled and shook his head.
    Jenn nodded and determined she would prove she could hike up mountains, battle bugs, and bait hooks with the best of them, or at least as well as Julia.

Chapter Ten
    Jenn glanced out her bedroom window across the wild flower-filled front yard and checked the sky. The weather looked perfect for hiking. She smiled and trotted down the steps, her heart as light as the fluffy clouds she’d seen overhead. When she reached the living room, she grabbed two dirty coffee cups off the end table and carried them into the kitchen.
    Wes stood near the sink, the phone to his ear, his head bent in concentration. “Does he have a fever?” He paced toward the sliding glass