Summer to Remember

Swan Hill Carolyn

Description

For her summer break from college, Nicole Thomas is ecstatic to be in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. Family friends Virginia and Norman Parker own a resort at the foothills of Rocky Mountain National Park, and Nicole helps take on the job of cottage caretaker for two and a half months with older friend, Catherine Maine.Its not long before Nicole meets three handsome men who will play pivotal roles in her Colorado vacation. Forest rangers Scott Thompson, Todd Wheeler, and Bill Martin are handsome and fun to be around, but Scott is the one who captures her heart. But Scott is also in love with another girl and cant give his whole heart to Nicole. Crushed, she learns a hard lesson about the dangers of giving her heart away so quickly and resolves never to do it again.Nicole tries to soothe her heart by focusing on the bounty of beauty the park offers, from stunning wildlife to majestic mountain views. As she does so, she begins to see things in a new light. Still, romance doesnt stay away, and Nicole contends with her emotions for the three men and their attentions to her. She sees Todd as only a friend despite his feelings for her, and Bill is more like an older brother than a love interest.Just as Nicole is beginning to think that true love will never find her, she discovers that you should never say never.

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 26 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9781462405442
• Langue: English

Extrait

A Summer TO REMEMBER
CAROLYN SWAN HILL


 
Copyright © 2013 Carolyn Swan Hill .
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
 
 
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ISBN: 978-1-4624-0543-5 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0544-2 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013903233
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 2/25/2013
A Summer To Remember
T his story is about a young woman’s first extended vacation away from home, and how she coped and grew. Life took on many twists and turns changing her life, and she is forced to see things in a different light. Her heartache brings about many good changes, and she has to start a new beginning. Read about Nicole’s journeys, and how she is off to a new adventure with lots of memories and hopeful for a wonderful future.

I t was the first day of June, a day that would normally be warm, but it was chilly in Estes Park, Colorado. Nicole Thomas was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but the cool wind had her seeking the warmth of the sun. Her long, below the shoulder length light-brown hair was tossing in the wind, whipping into her blue eyes, and her tall slender frame made it hard to keep her balance. She was visiting family friends at their cabin resort for two weeks, a gift from her parents, which would ultimately be stretched out for most of the summer. This was to be a most memorable summer, a summer she would never forget.
The mountain views were spectacularly breathtaking, and the sky was streaked with vivid shades of blue that were indescribably different from the sky in Ohio, where she lived. She was twenty and had just completed her sophomore year of college.
Catherine, a family friend, had picked her up at the airport and had stopped on the way back to the resort to let Nicole see the beautiful scenery of the foothills. After a few minutes Catherine called her back to reality, telling her they needed to get going. She assured Nicole that there would be more to come and more to see.
Catherine Maine was a six foot tall, muscular woman in her late forties. She had a full smile of straight white teeth, short wavy white hair and ice-blue eyes. She was an attractive lady, and Nicole was happy to see her again.
Catherine was the caretaker of the cabins, and Nicole offered to be her assistant while she stayed at the resort. After their chores were completed, and until the evening meal, they would be free to roam the foothills of Rocky Mountain National Park where Catherine could spot wildlife during the hours of daylight or darkness, and that talent proved to be quite interesting to Nicole. Catherine was good friends with all the local park rangers, and she wanted to introduce Nicole to a few of them.
After the plane ride, Nicole was tired, and wasn’t up to meeting anyone else before going to the resort, and she and Catherine went directly to their cabin. Catherine lit a fire before the evening chill set in. In a short time it became cozy and warm, and Nicole began to nod off to sleep. Catherine awakened her, as they were to have dinner with their hosts at their cabin.
Virginia and Norman Parker had a lovely cabin with wide hardwood floors, area rugs and comfortable furnishings. As Nicole glanced around the room, she noticed framed photographs on the walls that Norman had taken over the years. The art captured the feel of the majestic mountains in the area, and she asked Norman if one particular photo included her father. He nodded and told her about the event. They sat around and talked, watching the flickering fire in the fireplace. It was so inviting to just sit awhile and listen to the stories. After dinner, they returned to the living room and sat near the crackling fire while the smell of cinnamon and spice filled the air. Virginia offered them a drink of the spiced cider she had made in the large pot hanging in the fireplace. It smelled so good and was soothingly warm.
Nicole knew from the moment she stepped into the Parker cabin that she was going to enjoy her vacation with them and Catherine. She felt at home, and she knew that she wasn’t going to have time to miss her family or friends.
Catherine nudged her and asked, “Are you ready to hit the hay, little lady?” Nicole nodded, and then she hugged Norman and Virginia thanking them for the wonderful dinner and time together. Nicole and Catherine then headed for their cabin.
The night air was brisk, and the sweater Nicole wrapped around her shoulders didn’t seem to keep her warm. When they stepped into their cabin, it was nice and warm from the fire Catherine had built earlier.
“Thank you, Catherine, for a wonderful first day,” Nicole told her, “but if you don’t mind, I am really tired and would like to go to bed.”
Nicole headed for her bedroom, which was much larger than the bedroom she had at home.
This was to be her home in Colorado. It was especially nice to have her own bathroom that she didn’t have to share with other girls in the college dorm. She decided to leave the unpacking until morning. Her full-sized bed was very comfortable, and when she snuggled under the layer of blankets and comforter, she wasn’t awake for long.
 

I t seemed that morning came very quickly. Catherine was already up and in her shower when Nicole awakened. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was only six thirty. Nicole thought to herself, “ Why are we getting up so early? There couldn’t be any cabins to clean at this hour.”
Catherine quietly opened Nicole’s door and said, “Rise and shine. Breakfast is served at seven o’clock, and then our work begins.”
Nicole was a working girl now, and she wanted to please Catherine. She was eager to start a new day in the mountains, so she got up and headed for the shower. After drying off, Nicole blow-dried her long hair as it would not dry quickly in the cool temperatures. It didn’t take her long to get ready.
Catherine told her to dress warmer for the mornings and that a change of clothes would be necessary by mid-afternoon as the temperatures would be much warmer.
They went to the dining hall together where Catherine introduced Nicole to everyone in Norman and Virginia’s employ. Charlie and Susan were the cooks; Jon was the grounds-keeper; Alberta and Evelyn were in charge of laundry; Judy, Anne and Mary Lou were the kitchen help; and Catherine and Nicole were the cabin maids. Nicole would learn very quickly that Charlie and Susan were very important people, as she would really work up an appetite working and touring in the higher altitudes.
Nicole and Catherine had some cabins to clean thoroughly, as several new families were on their way. They finished just in time for lunch. After eating, Catherine grinned from ear to ear and said, “I’ve got some friends I want you to meet.”
They jumped into her jeep and drove up a mountain pass. As they drove, they noticed that it was snowing in the higher elevations above them, and Catherine stated, “We don’t want to get caught up in that blizzard.”
Nicole questioned, “But it’s already June! Why should we be leery of a few snowflakes?”
Catherine laughed and said, “Don’t you kid yourself, young lady. I’ve seen it snow even in July. It wasn’t the bad stuff then, but it still snowed. You can’t trust the snow storms in early June around here, but we don’t have much further to go anyway.” Just then she pulled off onto a narrow dirt road, and they drove up to a ranger’s station. A very nice looking blonde-haired young man stood leaning against a post on the porch of the large cabin.
When Nicole and Catherine got out of the jeep, Catherine said, “Hello Scott. I want you to meet someone. This is Nicole Thomas, and she is my assistant for a few weeks at the lodge.”
Scott quickly offered his hand as a welcome. While he still had her hand, he said to Nicole, “My name is Scott Thompson.”
Nicole responded with a smile. He was very attractive, and she felt her hand getting warm. She didn’t mean to stare, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was tall with a tanned muscular build, big blue eyes, and a nice smile with deep inset dimples.
Just then, another tall man walked out onto the porch and introduced himself to her. “Hello. I am Todd Wheeler, and I am also a ranger here with my buddy, Scott. It’s nice to meet you. Catherine has told us a little bit about you, and we have been looking forward to meeting and getting to know you during your stay here in the Rockies. Would you like a seat, young lady, and maybe something to drink? I would be happy to get you a soda or tea if you’d like.”
Nicole heard herself stammer a little as she spoke to Todd, “I’m fine, thank you. I don’t care for anything right now, but thank you for asking.” She looked at Catherine, and Catherine quickly looked away from