Summer of Adventure (The Edge Book 2), page 1
The Summer of Adventure
THE EDGE
BOOK TWO
ELYSE FRYER
Copyright © 2023 by Elyse Fryer
Published by Flock Publishing, a division of Pink Flamingo Productions
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Chapter One
The lingering sensations of a dream clung to Olivia’s mind. It was the smell, more than anything, that remained and while she wanted to run into the kitchen to see if her dream had melded with reality, the long years of disappointment kept her rooted in bed.
Lemon and sugar. The combination of sweet and sour filled her nostrils and her mouth watered instinctively. The crunch of the sugar crystals danced on her tongue and the tartness of the lemon zest hit the back of her throat. The cookies were warm but not hot, having just come out of the oven but forced to rest for a few minutes. Waiting was the hardest part but always, Olivia sat there, staring at the clock until her grandmother announced that just the right amount of time had passed.
Every Sunday, Olivia and her grandmother baked cookies. Chocolate chip, oatmeal, butterscotch. But the lemon cookies were her favorite and if Olivia was having a bad day, or was tired, or just needed a reminder she was loved, they would bake lemon cookies.
The memory from her dream passed through Olivia’s mind and then as consciousness came fully over her, the memory faded. It would come back, at another time, in another dream, but for today, it was time to exist in the present.
Speaking of the present, Olivia had a lot to decide on that day. It was the tail end of spring in Vancouver which meant everyone was slowly leaving their cocoon of hibernation. While the mild temperatures provided ample opportunity to still get outside, the near-constant rain put a real damper on activities.
Olivia, like most people, was starting to become claustrophobic and was itching to change things up. Unlike her friend Mary, who was quite happy to spend long afternoons curled up with a good book or a game of chess, Olivia needed to move. She had exhausted her long list of museums, art galleries, and trial gym memberships and craved to be outside again. Even if there was still a chance of being caught in a downpour, she was willing to take her chances.
The Sunday stretched long and clear in front of her. Olivia made a pot of coffee and settled into her favorite chair in front of her apartment’s living room window. The chair was old, its light pink fabric faded to almost white in some places. That winter she had had to patch up part of the cushion with a scrap of purple-striped fabric.
It reminded her of the furniture in her grandmother’s house and when she saw it at a second-hand store a year ago, she knew she needed to have it. Now it held a place of honor and on days when she really needed to think, Olivia always gravitated towards it.
Most of her wall space was taken up by various pieces of artwork. Some were hers but others were from local artists or thrift store finds. She was slightly envious of Mary, who had painted her walls vibrant colors the year prior, but as Olivia was only renting, she had to content herself with adding removable pieces.
Crossing her legs and throwing a knitted blanket over her bare legs, Olivia sipped her coffee and sighed in contentment. She reached over to the table next to the chair and picked up her sketchpad and pencils.
With no clear thought in mind, she began to sketch, allowing the lines to tease out her thoughts. Always busy with graphic design clients, Olivia made sure to reserve Sundays for her own time. Like most of the previous Sundays, Olivia let her hand wander, covering page after page with snippets of images.
The soft outline of her grandma filled most of a page. Her spirit was there, more than her features, which were always slightly dull. Olivia still had a few pictures of herself and her grandma but they didn’t quite reconcile with the images in her mind that came through a child-perspective filter.
It was only as the morning sunlight began to strengthen and her living room became brighter that Olivia was aware of the time. Picking her phone up just before the alarm she had set sounded, Olivia checked the time and carefully put her drawing pencils away. She then got ready to meet Mary for lunch.
“Ah, sorry I’m late,” Mary apologized as she slid into the chair across from Olivia.
“You’re like ten minutes late, Mary. If anything, I’m too early.”
“Yes, but you know I like to be punctual, which is why you’ve adjusted your late tendencies to always meet me on time. Don’t pretend like that isn’t what has happened and just accept the fact that you’re a good friend.”
Olivia narrowed her eyes but couldn’t think of a rebuttal. Instead, she took a sip of her margarita.
“The enchiladas are on special today,” Olivia finally spoke. They were at their favorite Mexican restaurant which was good as Olivia had been too focused that morning and her cup of coffee had been her only breakfast.
“I like your new haircut, by the way,” Mary chirped before ordering her own margarita from the passing server.
“Thanks, but it’s too short to put up in a bun anymore. I was sketching all morning and it kept falling in my face before I had to create a mess of pins and clips to keep it in place.”
Of all the parts of her body, Olivia was most proud of her hair. The tight, golden curls had been a source of amusement and talent at various stages of her life. As a kid in school, it had been hard for her to pay attention but whenever she absentmindedly pulled and straightened a lock of hair, her mind would somehow right itself and some measure of focus had been won.
The transition to adulthood had been made more difficult by her hair, as most people looked at her and jumped to the conclusion that she was a vapid blonde. While Olivia had hated this at first, she soon learned to use it as an advantage. There was one time when she was trying to rent an apartment and the landlord wanted to charge her way more than the price he advertised. As soon as she called him on his greediness, he had apologized and knocked fifty dollars off the monthly total.
“Sketching anything interesting?” Mary asked and Olivia jumped back into the present.
“Oh, just this and that. I’ve got a cool project I’m working on this week, though. This business wants a complete overhaul of its logo, letterhead, and everything with its name on it. The best part is the owner’s young so he’s giving me free rein on it. Way better than last month when I had a client who couldn’t decide on the shade of brown they wanted. I slipped in two of the same shades for a laugh which was a mistake because I was on three conference calls with him and his partner as they tried to decide which was better.”
“That wasn’t the client Jake recommended you to, was it?” Mary asked, her brow creasing with concern.
“It was,” Olivia laughed. “But don’t worry. He was really happy with the end result and gave me a bonus so it all worked out.”
“Oh good,” Mary laughed, joining her friend.
“Jake was really nice to put my name out there.”
“Yeah, he was really impressed with what you did with his new logo. He kept calling you this ‘consummate professional designer’ whenever he met with other business owners and then I’d have to step in and explain that you were young and vibrant and not old and stuffy.”
Olivia laughed harder at Mary’s description. She and Jake had been together for almost a year now and while on paper they seemed complete opposites, it was obvious to anyone who saw them together that this was a couple that was meant to be.
“Speaking of Jake, is he the reason you were late?” Olivia put the last word in air quotes.
“Um,” Mary began as a blush stole across her cheeks. “Oh, our server is coming. We really should order.”
Olivia narrowed her eyes but really, when had she ever not thought ordering Mexican food was a good idea? The restaurant was a hole in the wall, frequently only by local Vancouverites and a few tourists in the summer who were fortunate to stumble upon the tucked-away place. But, despite the lack of signage, it was always packed.
Mary and Olivia were seated at a back table, just barely large enough for their plates and glasses but they knew how fortunate they were to get a table at all. Mexican drink bottles, an array of colors, lined the wall above the counter, and the chefs were more than happy to teach Olivia some of the finer swear words in Spanish.
Their server did come by then, and Olivia ordered the enchiladas while Mary opted for a trio of tacos. They each ordered another round of margaritas.
“You were saying,” Olivia prompted, resulting in Mary’s blush to return.
“Okay, fine. Seeing as you clearly aren’t going to drop it. Yes, Jake was the cause of me being late.”
“Details, Mary, details,” Olivia prompted with a grin.
“Oh, there’s not much to tell,
“Naughty Mary,” Olivia teased.
“Yes, well, it’s a good thing I was wearing a dress. I’m not sure pants would have survived the encounter.”
“Jeez, you’d think he’s some sex-starved man instead of someone whose girlfriend just moved in with him.”
“I think that’s the problem, really.” Again, Mary looked around, then leaned in closer to whisper to Olivia. “It’s like he can’t believe I’ve really moved in. He gets so focused on something, like work, then is surprised I’m right there. Then he gets this grin on his face and I know that whatever I had meant to do needs to be postponed.”
“And you’re happy with the situation?” Olivia asked. She knew the answer by now but figured she should check, just in case.
“Oh, yes,” Mary nodded enthusiastically. “I thought maybe we’d settle into some sort of routine now that we’re living together, which would have been fine, but it’s like he’s trying to have me on every available surface. And he has this way of, I don’t know…” she trailed off, a dreamy look on her face.
“A way of knowing exactly how to make you come spectacularly?” Olivia suggested.
With her blush deepening, Mary nodded in agreement. “Now, let’s move on from all this and focus on you.”
“Fine but don’t think I didn’t catch what else you said. I hope you disinfect all those surfaces before the next time I come over.”
Mary rolled her eyes at the comment then looked abashed, as if Olivia would think otherwise of her.
“What about you? Any luck on the dating front?”
Olivia stuck her tongue out for emphasis. “Nope. Nada. It’s terrible out there. You should be glad you don’t have to deal with any of it anymore.”
“I know it sucks but you’re bound to meet someone that’s right for you. You’re beautiful, smart, way more adventurous than I could ever be. Really, Olivia, you’re the whole package.”
“Wow, Mary, I didn’t know that’s how you felt about me,” replied Olivia.
“You know what I mean,” Mary laughed. “I don’t know why you’re only attracting losers. Surely there’s some great guy out there that deserves you.”
Their food arrived and Olivia eagerly carved into her enchiladas, spearing a piece of avocado along with her first bite in an attempt to temper the steam that was rising from it.
“That’s the problem,” said Olivia, as she quickly swallowed a sip of her margarita to wash the burning food down her throat. “I’m tired of all of it. Always looking around at a restaurant or even on the street, wondering if some random guy I meet is going to be the one. I’m tired of disappointing first dates and having to teach a man just where the clitoris is.”
Mary finished up her first taco, then wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I think that’s smart, really. Being with someone is great but you’re a wonderful person, Olivia, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less than spectacular.”
“Thank you! My goal is to go for at least a month without dating. No men, no kissing, no sex. Just me and my own adventures.”
“Oh, speaking of adventures, Simon mentioned something to me that made me think of you.”
Simon was Mary’s boss and Jake’s best friend. Olivia adored him. He had this easy charm to him that was both sophisticated and childish at the same time. He and Olivia had been thrown together in a few group settings and he always made the event livelier.
“Oh, do tell what Simon said.”
“We were talking about all the various parts of the city I needed to see as I really haven’t explored the area that much since I moved here. He mentioned an adventure group that takes you to different areas and you get to join activities. He and Courtney, his wife, were going to join up a few years ago but in the end, they were just too busy to commit. Quite frankly, it sounds terrifying, all the activities you do, but it did make me think of you.”
The description of the group had the opposite effect on Olivia. Her ears perked up and immediately, her brain started spinning with ideas.
“What was the group called?”
“I’m not sure but I can text Simon and ask.”
Olivia finished her enchiladas; the smokiness of the chicken and the tang of the sauce were easily digestible. The last of her margarita went down smoothly with just a hint of salt that still clung to the rim. Outside, the sun slipped through the rise of buildings and one lowly but strong ray hit the wall of bottles and reflected into the rest of the restaurant.
Spring was here and soon it would be summer. The dreary days of endless rain were being transformed into hopeful days of sunshine and possibility. Olivia was done with lackluster men. This would be the summer of adventure.
Chapter Two
Nathan stepped off the bus and immediately breathed in deeply with the surrounding fresh air. He was the last one in line to get off and took advantage of not being in anyone’s way to simply admire the nature that surrounded him. This was what he was missing, he realized.
All around him stood tall, statuesque trees. Their needles sparkled in the early morning sun from the previous night’s dew. The air hung heavy with moisture and he could feel the oxygen enter his every pore.
Only an hour out of the city and Nathan felt transported into a world where he felt at home. It was a pity he worked in Vancouver and couldn’t live out here; he could see himself in a small cabin, the wood smoke embedded in his clothes. Nah, he shook his head, too many serial killer vibes to be in the middle of nowhere. Best to remember this place and try to come back to it.
Ahead of him, the group had congregated and he sped up his pace to catch up, his long, muscular legs quickly closing the gap. It was the first day of the adventure group and they were starting off with a bang. Today was white water rafting and excitement pounded in his chest as he listened to their guide give instructions.
“Each group will have an experienced rafter with you, so be sure to listen to them. The river is a little higher than we expected this time of year, so be sure to hold on when you’re told to. Paddle as hard as you can when you need to but don’t panic if you fall in. There will be plenty of us out there and we haven’t lost anyone. Yet,” he added to a smattering of laughter.
The guide, a young man no older than twenty, with shaggy hair, gave further instructions on changing into the wetsuits provided. Nathan followed Scott, another man from the group, slightly older than his twenty-eight years, whom he had sat next to on the bus.
“Ready to get out there?” Scott asked Nathan as he pulled his shirt off and stored it in his backpack.
“Definitely,” replied Nathan. He removed his own outer clothes, leaving him in just his swim trunks, and then peeled a wetsuit up his body. It wasn’t a perfect fit, especially across his broad chest, but Nathan could still move his arms and legs alright.
“Hmm, I hope I end up in her group,” said Scott as he zipped his own suit up. He nudged his head in the direction of a brunette who was laughing with a group of girls.
“Nice,” said Nathan encouragingly.
“What about you? Anyone catch your eye?”
“No,” said Nathan truthfully. He had been early to the bus and had sat at the back, and then after Scott sat down next to him, had been too caught up in their conversation to notice who else boarded. Now, smaller groups had broken off as instant but surface friendships were being made. There would be more time after the rafting to talk and meet other people, and really, Nathan was more interested in the activity side of this meet-up group.
The main guide reappeared and Nathan saw Scott give him a sly smile before not so discreetly moving in the direction of the brunette. Nathan didn’t really care who he was paired up with, so stayed where he was, although once he was grouped with a gaggle of giggling girls, he felt that perhaps he should have spent a bit more time calculating what group he would be in.
