Hollywood Hero

Chapter 3, Part 3

Chapter 3, Scene 1

Dazed and Confused

Grey clouds concealed the summits of forested hills surrounding a narrow lake. The four-seater Cessna float plane banked steeply and circled to prepare for landing into the light wind. Wendy's stomach fluttered, not from the mild air turbulence, but rather excitement as she eagerly peered out the side window.

Trees carpeted the shores of the lake, interrupted only by a clearing at one end. Their destination, Boondocks Lodge, consisted of a long two story log building and several smaller outbuildings. To the west, six square cabins were strung out along the shoreline. An L-shaped dock extended like a hook from what she figured must be a boathouse. The tiny boat bobbing alongside the dock was a big clue. From her bird's eye view she didn't see a swimming pool or hot tub. Maybe they were in one of the outbuildings.

From the lack of activity and lone vehicle in the rear parking area she assumed that there were few other guests, which suited her just fine. I'll only have to share Halden's attention with the fish.

Halden's large frame hunched uncomfortably in the copilot seat beside Zane Emery, their pilot and real estate agent. Zane set the plane on a heading into the wind, and expertly adjusted the controls as the plane's wings waggled on the descent to the lake's surface.

After taxiing to the wood dock, Zane hopped out onto the plane's float, retrieved ropes, and secured the plane. Halden grabbed Wendy around the waist and lifted her onto the dock. When he released her, the warmth from his large hands left a comforting imprint. She looked around. Trees formed a dark, impenetrable green swath that pressed into an irregular shoreline. Nothing but water and trees as far as the eye could see. No other buildings, no docks, no chimneys.

So this is what wilderness looks like. She remembered Rachel's warning about bears and shivered. She turned to Halden, his size representing safety in this environment so foreign to a Latina who grew up in LA's urban sprawl. He was helping Zane unload three cardboard boxes from the cargo area.

"Provisions," their tall, lean pilot explained to them. "Greta asked me to pick up her grocery order. She's the cook."

A tall, slender woman in her early twenties waved as she hurried toward them along dock. She wore faded jeans ripped at the knees and a navy T-shirt with a large fish emblazoned on the front. She could have been wearing a sack, and it wouldn't have made a difference to anyone who laid eyes on her. Rachel's heart sank to the toes in her platform sandals. No clothes could mask that lovely face framed by long, straight naturally blond hair.

Uh-oh. Halden's type. The genuine article.

Halden shifted Wendy's extra large roller suitcase from the cargo hold to the dock, placed it beside his duffle bag and her carry-on case, and extended a plate-sized palm to the arrival. "Greta?"

The young woman smiled, but it didn't reach red-rimmed eyes. "Skylar," she corrected, allowing his hand to swallow hers. She looked up, way up. "Welcome to Boondocks Lodge, Mr. Armstrong."

"Call me Halden."

"Sure, Halden." She peered around him, no easy feat. "Hey Zane. Thanks for collecting our order. Saved me a trip into town. Much appreciated."

Zane nudged Halden aside and swept Skylar into a full body hug, lifting her off workboot-shod feet. He cleared his throat, his expression serious. "Anything for you, Skylar. You know that."

"Much appreciated," she nodded, eyes glistening.

He set her down. "You doing okay?"

She smiled gamely. Again it didn't reach her eyes. "We're glad to have guests." Remembering her manners, she extended her small hand to Wendy. "Skylar Boon."

Wendy gripped the other woman's right hand, felt the rough calluses. A hardworking girl, she realized. They had that in common. Still, she didn't want to like Skylar. She was competition.

"Nice to meet you," she said politely. "I'm Wendy Davila, Halden's assistant." Soon to be so much more, she ached to add, to give the other woman fair warning.

"Zane, will you join us for dinner?"

"Not today. I want to get home before the weather breaks."

In unison they all looked at the sky. Thick dark clouds massed to the south down the lake.

"Rain!" Halden sounded happy about it. "Tomorrow morning I'll give you your first fishing lesson." He clapped Wendy on the shoulder, a friendly pat that tipped her off balance.

She stumbled on the uneven wood planks and hissed at the pain that shot through her left ankle. Maybe platform sandals with thin straps hadn't been such a good idea. The stiffening wind whipped the sundress against her thighs. She shivered, missing the white jean jacket she'd tossed into the discard pile in order to be able to zip her suitcase.

Halden didn't notice as he hurried to help Zane untie the plane. The men exchanged a few words before Zane saluted, climbed into the pilot's seat and began his pre-flight checks.

"He wants us clear before he fires up the propeller." Halden hoisted his duffle bag over one shoulder and grabbed the handle of her oversized suitcase. "I'll return for the groceries," he promised Skylar.

Skylar ignored him, hoisted a box into deceptively strong arms, and marched after him. Wendy was left alone to nurse a sore ankle and a sinking feeling in her gut.

Conscious of Zane's impatience to beat the incoming weather, Wendy slipped out of both open toed sandals, held them by the straps in one hand, and with the other dragged her carry-on bag noisily over the uneven planks. She halted beside a rusted metal sign nailed to the wood boathouse wall that warned Don't drink and dive.

Ahead lay a flagstone path curving uphill to the log lodge. Not a good prospect for bare feet. She sighed. Nothing for it but to grit her teeth and hobble after Halden and Skylar. Behind her the plane engine roared. Delaying the inevitably painful trek to the lodge, she swiveled to watch the plane taxi away from the dock.

A strong gust of wind rolled across the lake surface, whipping it into whitecaps. When it reached shore, the gust lifted the full skirt of her pink, lowcut sundress and pushed her smack against the boathouse wall.

Come back for me, a scared part of her soul urged as she watched the small plane bob and bounce down the length of the lake. One hand crept into her knockoff handbag where she kept her smartphone. It wasn't too late to call Zane and beg him to fly her back to civilization.

A fat, icy drop of water landed on her nose. Then several needled her arms through her thin cardigan. That was all the warning she got. The sky opened, drenching her to the skin, icing her lashes, drowning her tears. Far down the lake the plane's engine roared as it gathered speed to take off into the torrential downpour.

I think I'm screwed, and not in the good way.

***

Hollywood Hero is published as of March 8, 2021. To read the rest of the story, buy it from Amazon, Apple Books, or Kobo.

Love the series so far? The revised and professionally edited versions of Caught on Camera, Seduced by the Screenwriter, and Hollywood Hero are published in a box set: Hollywood in Muskoka Box Set: Books 1-3, available on Amazon, Kobo, and Apple Books.