Dream Catcher Lake, Northern Ontario, Canada

Oh my goodness, what have I done?” Thirty-five-year-old Paisley Violette’s tummy hollowed out in a twisting roller coaster kind of way as she stood beneath the towering pine trees and stared in disbelief at the derelict two-story log cabin perched near the shoreline of Dream Catcher Lake. Ten years ago, during her stint as a wildlife artist, her scenic paintings had hung on the walls of this very cabin, which now boasted a For Sale sign with a large SOLD sticker.

“Ladies, remind me why in the world I bought this place unseen?”

“Sweetie, you were warned that it’s been abandoned for a few years,” her friend, Selena Rydell, reminded her.

“Yeah, you said that’s what contractors are for. To help fix it up,” her other friend, thirty-year- old Tatianna Mansfield, chuckled.

“Your shrink said you needed to reacquaint yourself with your inner girl,” Selena continued.

“And you always told us that when you lived at Dream Catcher Lake it was the happiest time of your life. So what better way to get back in touch with your inner girl than to go back to where you were happiest?” Tatianna said.

Unexpected emotions welled and it was all Paisley could do to maintain control and not start crying. Crying was something she’d been doing off and on over the years, and it had only increased since she’d left her abusive husband.

Paisley smiled through her watery tears as her friends laughed in the viewfinder of her tablet. Selena and Tatianna were so sweet and thoughtful, and she thanked God every day that she had met them at a shelter for abused women a couple of years ago. These wonderful women had been her lifeline back to sanity.

Selena had recently made it big as a model and fashion designer, and had loaned Paisley most of the money she’d needed to invest in her dream of buying the Art House. Tatianna had also pitched in some financial help and was currently on a furlough from the military. The two women gave Paisley the emotional support she craved in her decision to follow her dreams.

Wow, she could barely believe that she was actually here at Dream Catcher Lake, Northern Ontario, Canada. It was a place she had never thought she would see again.

I can’t afford this dream.

Even as she thought it, the tiniest spark of her old craving to paint flared to life. This area had always been a beacon to artists as well as wilderness enthusiasts. In the past, her paintings had provided a lucrative income for her and she’d struggled to keep up with the demand for her art.

Paisley smiled as cool air caressed her cheeks. She peered past the trees and out across the two-mile-long lake to where she could barely make out the towering gray cliffs in the distance. At the edge of those cliffs, overlooking a large canyon, had been the old cabin she used to live in with two hot guys.

Paisley blew out her breath as images of Andrew and Adam danced in her head. Both men had been aspiring artists coming to the nearby lodge to take lessons from big-name artists who gave workshops.

Andrew Cowie with his boyish good looks, long blond hair and yummy muscles was almost as carefree with his life and art as she had been. Adam, the dark-haired serious one, had at first not been her type, but boy oh boy, that man had known how to kiss. His paintings, not so great, but she’d seen potential.

The friendship between the three of them had been pure pleasure and the sex…Paisley held back a low whistle. The sex had been so intense.

She bit her bottom lip with regret. She’d been a fool leaving them behind.

Paisley forced herself back to the present and to the awesome view. The sparkling waters of Dream Catcher Lake boasted an unusual midnight-blue hue that mixed so perfectly with the dark-green twisted pine trees that straddled gray rocky shores. This scenery had always given her the feeling she’d stepped into one of the late Tom Thompson’s wilderness paintings.

A bubble of happiness struggled past Paisley’s shock at buying this place. She liked the feeling that she was going to be her own boss, and using this old cabin to sell her paintings was the perfect way to experience freedom.

“I can tell by her face she loves her surroundings,” Selena said.

“Hold up your tablet so we can see,” Tatianna instructed.

Paisley did as she was told and slowly spanned the lake and house.

“Oh wow, it is so beautiful, Pai. Why in the world did you ever leave there?” Tatianna asked.

At Tatianna’s question, pain zapped deep into Paisley’s heart.

For a split second, she wondered what had become of her old flames, but she squashed her curiosity. They were gone from her life, and in the way she’d left them, they would never trust her to be in their life again.

“You know why she left,” Selena snapped with irritation.

As Paisley gazed back at her tablet, she noted Selena nudge Tatianna in an effort to silence her. But Paisley knew they wouldn’t fight with each other. They never did.

The three of them had made a pact about having no more arguments.

Most of their adult lives they’d been too busy fighting off their abusive husbands and they were tired of arguments. She pushed the unwanted hate for her ex-husband aside, and started to walk toward the Art House. Yes, the building had definitely aged. The log sides were graying and large amounts of the cement chinking was cracked or falling out. Oh dear, she could only imagine how dusty it must be inside.

“The real-estate agent said the lady who owned the place passed away about five years ago. But her son has no interest in it, as he lives in British Columbia. He put it up for sale and this place has been sitting there with no one interested in buying it,” Tatianna said.

Paisley knew all this. The real-estate agent had told her over the phone. Her friend was babbling in order to cover up her earlier comment about Paisley’s reason for leaving here.

Mrs. Oleson, the owner of Art House, had been so old that Paisley was surprised the woman had been able to live out here all alone, even back then. But the artists had taken care of her, bringing her groceries and keeping the premises clean so the place looked decent for the tourists who came to buy the art. Paisley should have stayed here and kept an eye out for Mrs. Oleson. She should have stayed…

Paisley shook her thoughts away. Hindsight was twenty-twenty.

When Paisley placed her foot on the narrow staircase that led up to the wraparound veranda, a spectacular rush washed over her.

Gosh, the place still smelled the same. Of old wood, the sweet scent of pine needles and fresh, crisp air. Suddenly she never wanted to leave here again. She took a second step up the stairs. The board cracked and gave way beneath her foot. The unexpected jolt set her off balance and before she could grab the railing to steady herself, she and her tablet were spiraling through the air.

She could hear her friends’ screams as Paisley hit the ground hip first.

Ouch!

“Oh my goodness! Are you okay?” Her friends’ frantic cries marred the silence.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” she called out to reassure them.

But as she moved, an unexpected sharp throb seared her right hip and and sizzling pain leapt into her right knee. She bit her bottom lip and forced herself to relax and endure. She’d been in much worse situations than this. She would be fine.

They continued to call her name and after a couple of minutes of struggling, Paisley managed to get into a standing position. She tried to avoid putting too much weight on the sore hip.

Man! That fall hurt!

“Paisley! Please tell us the truth. Are you okay? What happened?” Selena asked as Paisley picked up her tablet and looked into the screen.

Worry etched their faces and guilt zipped through Paisley for causing them concern.

“The second step is rotten. First thing on the agenda is to get these stairs replaced.”

When they continued to frown at her, Paisley realized she still needed to convince them she was okay.

“Come on, girls, I’m fine. Seriously! I’m going to go and get settled into the nearby lodge. I need to hire us some handymen to get this place in tip-top shape.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? No broken bones?” Tatianna questioned. Tears glistened in her eyes. Gosh, she really had frightened them.

“I’m fine. Really. It was only a little tumble.” Okay, a big one. But the less they knew the better.

Relief spilled through their faces and Paisley kept silent as the pain arrowed along parts of her leg. She’d be fine. She had to be. This old house needed her and she needed it.

“Keep your tablet on until you get safely to the lodge,” Tatianna instructed.

Paisley laughed.

“Darling, you know I don’t chat while I’m driving.”

“Okay, okay. Then call us when you check in. Please.”

Her friends were such wonderful people. So concerned for her well-being and much more mature than she would ever be.

“Will do, sweethearts. I’ll call you two when I get to the lodge. Now please don’t worry.”

After she disconnected, she dusted off her jeans. Thankfully, she could already put a little more pressure on her right side without much trouble. She was lucky this time and deep down in her heart, instincts told her that she was going to be okay from here on out. She smiled and gazed up at the Art House.

I’ll be back, she promised the old building. I’ll be back.

* * *

“Looks like a car over at the Art House,” Andrew said as he caught the late afternoon mid-September sunshine reflecting off a car windshield near the abandoned building about a quarter of a mile away.

On his canoe seat, in front of him, Adam stopped paddling and turned to look in the direction of the shoreline.

“Probably someone checking it out. Whoever buys it is going to own a money pit. The place needs a lot of work,” Adam said.

“The new housekeeping maid, Heidi, said she heard it was just sold and three old ladies bought it,” Andrew replied.

Adam laughed. “That does sound like Heidi. She’s what? Sixteen? Seventeen? She thinks everyone over twenty is old.”

True. Heidi did act a bit immature, but she was a school dropout and her mother worked at the lodge and had insisted they hire her rebellious daughter in order to keep her out of trouble—and so she could keep an eye on her.

“Maybe we should be neighborly and take a quick detour over there and see if it’s the new owners?” Andrew suggested.

“Can’t.”

Adam twisted his body around and tapped the end of his paddle on the large blue cooler filled with ice and fish situated between them on the floor.

“Cook is expecting fresh trout and we’re already running behind.”

Andrew grinned.

“We always run behind on trout supper night. It’s our only day off.”

Adam chuckled. He turned and dipped his paddle into the water.

“You call fishing for a lodge full of guests a day off?” Adam asked.

“First of all, we’re in off-season now and we have only a dozen guests, and second of all, at least we get fresh air out of the deal.”

“Well, there is plenty of fresh air,” Adam agreed. “We’re hundreds of miles away from any major polluting cities.”

Andrew nodded and they fell silent as they paddled.

The soft sounds of their paddles dipping into the water and the clunk-clunk noise of the waves gently lapping against the bow of the aluminum canoe whispered through the air.

Andrew inhaled the pine-scented air. There was no place in the world like Dream Catcher Lake. It was so peaceful here. So far away from the rush of everyday life.

The quiet didn’t last long as a loon called out from somewhere far away. The forlorn cry made Andrew think about how lonely he’d been lately. Yet, at the same time, he realized how lucky he was to be out here on the lake with his good friend and also living his dream of being an artist with financial freedom.

“It will be nice to see the Art House up and running again,” Andrew said.

“Do you remember old Mrs. Oleson? Man, she was so old and wrinkled, yet smart as a whip,” Adam said, admiration lacing his voice. “She knew which paintings would sell quickly and which ones would languish on her walls. We were so young and stupid but she must have seen something in us, because she always encouraged us to paint and to bring our paintings in so she could put them up for sale.”

Andrew laughed. Those days had been really good times, although short-lived. Neither Adam nor Andrew had made many sales from their artwork. They had just started out and were in the learning phase, working at the lodge and saving every penny for the workshops and painting supplies. Paisley, their shared girlfriend, had been the magnificent painter of the trio.

Just thinking about Paisley made happiness bubble inside his chest, among other ill-disciplined reactions.

“Remember how we used to give our parents heart attacks when they thought we were going to stay living here in the middle of nowhere and be starving artists forever?” Adam retorted.

Irritation snapped through Andrew. Sometimes being a parent sucked.

“That’s what parents are here for. To be stressed out by their kids. It’s a passage of right for us,” he replied, unable to keep the sting of frustration out of his voice.

Adam stopped paddling and turned on his seat to look at him. He winked and smiled, giving Andrew a momentary reprieve of his anxiety about his only son.

“Maybe your kid is a chip off the old block? If he wants to pursue art, then let him. Don’t you remember how your parents tried to steer you clear of your dreams? They were a pain in your ass and they said you would never earn a living at being an artist.”

“They were right.”

Adam laughed. “The hell they were. Here you are, years later, right back where you started. You’re seriously painting again, selling all your shit. And we’re back here, the most peaceful place in the world. You should give your son the opportunity to follow his passion too.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I am totally overreacting. He is only five years old. But I see the same signs in him like I had at that age. Drawing and painting all the time. Getting lost in the colors and abstracts. And I mean all the time and he’s damned good at it too. But yeah, I guess he should stick with it. It’s just I want him to grow up and be secure in life with a well-paying job. He could be a lawyer, a doctor or a dentist. Anything but a damned starving artist.”

Adam whistled lowly. “Andy, my man. Haven’t you learned anything? Money doesn’t buy you happy.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say. You’re loaded.”

“And so are you. You got a great settlement when Lea divorced you.”

Ouch. That comment stung. Just thinking about Lea shot a spear of pain into his heart.

“Yeah, getting an alimony from my ex-wife. Makes me feel like a real man. Man, it is so embarrassing having her making so much money. I didn’t want anything from her, but her lawyers advised her to pay. And she agreed, eventually. I figure it’s guilt money for dumping me for a younger and more exciting man. Can you believe it? She’s screwing a freaking twenty-year-old.”

“Hey, that’s what you get for marrying a cougar. She dropped her previous husband for you and what were you? Twenty? Can’t change a cougar’s stripes.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. Cougars didn’t have stripes. But he got his friend’s meaning.

“Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Andy. You’re supposed to be cheering me up. Not the other way around.”

Andrew nodded. He needed to focus his attention on Adam. He was at a very delicate stage in his life. A man who had been suicidal not too long ago.

“Sorry, you’re right,” Andrew said.

“Right about your five-year-old son?” Adam prodded.

Andrew grinned and shook his head. Adam was impossible.

“Paddle, man. Just paddle,” Andrew instructed.

“Last one there is a dirty rotten egg,” Adam said from his perch in front of him and began paddling furiously.

“Ha. Ha. Funny.”

* * *

“Oh wow, this place has really changed for the better since I was here,” Paisley said.

She laughed as she gazed at the large, freshly shellacked two-story log building while she sat in her car in the Dreamheart Wilderness Lodge parking lot.

“It’s fun going down memory lane, right? Are you feeling better after the fall?” Tatianna asked.

The hopefulness edging her friend’s voice made Paisley frown as she drew her attention from the lodge back to her friends as they gazed up at her from the screen of her tablet.

But her sadness lasted only for a moment. She was through feeling sorry for herself. She was ready to move forward with all aspects of her life. Being back here was going to be a healing experience for her inner girl.

“Yes, I am fine. And girls, this is the best decision ever.” Although she couldn’t help wondering how much her friends would hate her if things didn’t get profitable with the Art House, and soon.

“Yes!” Tatianna laughed.

From beside her, Selena grinned and nodded.

“It’ll be good for you. You’ll see. And you can paint and sell your stuff there just like you used to,” Selena said.

“Are you sure you two ladies are not just trying to get me out of your hair?” she teased. She wished she could reach into the phone and yank on Selena’s blonde ponytail.

Selena frowned. “Gosh, no. Don’t ever think that. I love having you stay here with me and Russ. He loves you just as much as I do. But you need to spread your wings. You need to find happiness.”

“And a well-hung man,” Tatianna chuckled.

“Tatianna!” Selena and Paisley both shouted.

They all burst out laughing. It wasn’t the first time the women had suggested she start dating again. She would. Some day. But only if the right guy came along.

This time around though, she would be so very careful. She’d been swept off her feet by a charmer in the past. She’d married him after only two weeks of knowing him and he’d turned out to be the worst mistake of her life.

She would never allow herself to be so naive again. Never.

Moments later, Paisley stood at the lobby desk with two of her suitcases in tow. While she waited for the young female clerk to finish checking her into an available cottage, she gazed around in awe. Everything in the lobby had been modernized with an old fashioned knotty pine look. Moose antler lamps hung from the ceiling and pretty red-and-black-plaid sofas lined the large windows that gave a picturesque view of the lake.

Paisley’s heart thumped with excitement as she strolled over to gaze out the nearest window and spied a silver aluminum canoe approaching a newly built dock about a hundred feet away. There were two men in it. They wore fishing caps, their faces hidden from view. Leisurely, they dipped their paddles into the calm lake and appeared as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

Wow, to be able to relax like that would be her ultimate fantasy. The first chance she got she was going to rent a canoe and get out there and explore.

“Okay, ma’am, you are booked into Cabin Thirteen,” the blonde clerk called out from behind her desk.

A moment later, Paisley had a key and a map in hand and the clerk proceeded to quickly show her what path to follow to get to her new accommodations.

“Thank you,” Paisley said as the clerk finished.

“Just let me ring for someone to help you with your bags—“

“No need. I’m fine. Thanks so much.” The last thing she needed was someone to show her to her cabin. She wanted to savor this place on her own.

“Oh, and before I forget, tonight’s dinner is trout. Served at six sharp,” the clerk said with a warm smile.

Paisley nodded and a foreign, happy feeling fluttered through her. She’d always loved the melt-in-her-mouth taste of trout from this lake.

“My mouth is already watering,” she laughed.

The clerk waved goodbye as Paisley picked up her suitcases and started toward the side door. But she halted by one of the windows and took a last look out across the large blue lake. Gosh, the lake’s waves still twinkled like bright stars in the sunlight. It was just as she’d always remembered. So beautiful and so peaceful.

She could barely stop the excitement flooding through her at wanting to re-explore every nook and cranny around here. But all that would have to wait. She’d been in her car for hours, and she was dying for a shower and a fresh set of clothes. And this crisp wilderness air was making her hungry too. These surroundings would be the salve she needed to help heal all the tragic wounds from her past. Inhaling deeply, Paisley moved away from the window.

* * *

“Hey, look up there!” Adam shouted. He almost toppled out of the canoe as he pointed at the lodge’s main window. A woman had been staring out and damned if she didn’t look like…

“What? Where? I don’t see anything,” Andrew replied from his perch behind Adam.

But she was gone. And he was being a complete idiot. There was no way Sparky would be here. The woman he’d just seen was simply a lookalike and he would be making a fool of himself for even mentioning her to Andrew.

“Nothing. I…thought I saw an owl.”

Andrew chuckled. “Never saw you get so excited over an owl before. You really should get a life.”

Yeah, he should. His wife, Dianne, had passed away over two years ago and he should start thinking about moving on. But how could he? Dianne had been his life.

One didn’t just jump back into the pond, so to speak, and be unfaithful. But thinking about Sparky and the sizzling ménages he’d had with her and Andrew back in the old days was being disloyal to his late wife. He really should tell his cock to stop throbbing and swelling at just thinking about Sparky.

Man, he seriously needed to get his head out of the past. For some insane reason, Paisley had been on his mind off and on over the years and quite often lately. He wondered where she was at and how she was doing. He gazed back at the window again and hoped to hell he’d see Paisley standing there. But the window remained empty. Just like his heart.

Adam dipped the paddle back into the water and leisurely paddled toward the dock.

* * *

Black and blue. Again. Damn! Why couldn’t she go long without bruises? Paisley frowned as she stared into the bathroom’s full-length mirror. A fist-sized ugly bruise hugged her hip where she’d fallen earlier. Thankfully though, after a refreshing shower, her leg wasn’t so sore anymore. Maybe she’d gotten lucky this time and she’d heal quickly. Inside and out.

The rented one-bedroom cabin she’d been given was absolutely gorgeous. Nestled amongst pine trees, the cabin sat within twenty feet of the shoreline. The cabin was secluded from prying eyes, and it appeared to be new. It smelled good too. Like fresh pine.

She loved this bathroom, which actually consisted of two rooms. One room had a shower stall and a separate luxurious clawfoot bathtub. Nearby was a wicker shelf filled with rolled towels and various soaps and toiletries. The other room contained a toilet, large marble vanity and the mirror she was gazing into.

A ring from her nearby cell phone, where she’d set it on the countertop, made Paisley jump. She quickly dropped her skirt. Gosh, she had to stop being so damned jumpy.

The ringtone indicated Tatianna was calling and in a second she had her friend staring at her in the small viewfinder.

Warmth cradled her heart as Tatianna smiled.

“How’s it going?” Tatianna asked.

“Good. I’m all dressed and ready to head out for their famous trout supper.”

“Let me see how you look.”

“Approve?” Paisley asked as she angled the phone at the mirror so Tatianna could get a good look at what she was wearing.

“Wow, you look great. Pam! Come see Paisley.”

A second later, Selena was there. She clasped her hands to her chest and squealed.

“Seriously beautiful, woman. You will be drawing bachelors like a moth to the flame.”

Emotions, thick and raw, almost toppled Paisley. She wasn’t used to compliments and having her friends giving them so freely was always overwhelming.

She inhaled deeply several times in an effort to steady her frantic heartbeat and when she thought she had her voice back, she spoke.

“Thank you, ladies. Now if you will excuse me, I’m off to supper. I am starving.”

“See you later, have fun,” Her friends echoed.

She disconnected and then stared at herself in the mirror.

Before leaving Toronto for this trip, Tatianna had surprised her with a suitcase full of top-of-the-line painting supplies and Selena had given her several new outfits that she had made herself. Those women were such wonderful and giving people. She truly didn’t know where she would have ended up had they not been in her life.

For tonight’s dinner, Paisley had picked the most conservative clothing in her new collection. A dark-purple, short-puff-sleeved chiffon dress with full A-line skirt and a mock collar. If she did a daring quick turn, she’d have her dress flying like Marilyn Monroe’s famous pose over the steam grate.

Paisley laughed out loud at the burst of spontaneity rushing through her. Goodness, she even had a healthy pink blush to her cheeks. The color went well with her mid-back-length blonde hair. She reached for her brush, and gave her wavy hair a few strokes to keep it tidy. Then she placed the brush back on the counter and hesitated.

For a split second, a horrible urge to slip the item back into her makeup bag hit her. Her ex-husband, Paul, had never liked clutter. Disorder made him very angry and she’d learned to be meticulous in an effort to avoid any confrontation with him. But he was out of her life now and she forced herself to leave the brush where she wanted it.

Then she opened the door and went into the living room.

By the exit, Paisley slipped into a pair of white pumps, put on her red wool jacket, opened the door, stepped outside into the mild evening breeze and locked up. Five minutes later, she sat in the almost-empty lodge dining room at a table that overlooked the lake.

“This is crazy gorgeous,” she whispered to herself as she gazed out across the lake.

From here, she had a clear view of the Art House, about half a mile up the shoreline. The lone two-story house appeared spooky and abandoned in the amber glow of the setting sun. The first thing she would do was install several softly glowing fancy electric lamps along the shoreline in an effort to make the place look more inviting and encourage people to drop by.

Paisley leaned back in her chair and inhaled deeply. She truly loved the pine scent of this room. But something else drifted through the air. Another odor. A spicy smell that suddenly had her on edge with interest and gazing over her shoulder. At the nearby bar, a man stood with his back to them. He was talking in a low voice to the bartender. The man wore a blue-and-black-checkered flannel shirt and tight jeans. His shoulders were wide and his hips slim.

His hair was medium-length dark brown. She couldn’t see his face, and she couldn’t hear what he was saying, but the commanding way he stood, had her staring with curiosity. Who was he? Why did he seem so familiar? And why was his scent making her pulse pound so insanely fast?

“Hi! I’m Heidi. May I take your order?” A young waitress cut off Paisley’s view of the man.

“Yes, please, I’m starved,” Paisley said. Quickly, she ordered the trout dinner and suddenly couldn’t wait for the waitress to leave so she could check out that man again. To her surprise, an interesting uneasiness settled over her. It wasn’t a bad feeling. It was an awareness she hadn’t experienced in so long that at first she didn’t recognize it. When she did, she bit her bottom lip to stifle a gasp.

Sexual alertness.

She was a free woman now, and she was finally allowed to look at whomever she wanted. She didn’t have to worry about Paul watching her every move when they went out in public. Or worry about him making up delusional comments that she’d been eyeing some guy and wanting to climb into bed with him, even though she had never looked at another man that way when she’d been with Paul. She hadn’t dared.

Suddenly, Paisley realized she didn’t have to worry about his insane jealousy or his fists pummeling her anymore.

Relief splashed over her like a refreshing waterfall. Her psychologist had told her it would take time for her to slip back into her own skin after all the years of domination and abuse. It had already been more than two years since she’d made the break from Paul. It seemed so long ago, and yet her learned reactions to his demands were still fresh and raw.

When the waitress left, Paisley snuck a peek to check out that man. He was gone. She frowned. For some unknown reason she wanted to see him again.

Gosh, why was she suddenly acting like such an excited teenager? He was just a man, and most likely married and here on a trip with his wife or with his fishing buddies. But still, she couldn’t help feeling as if he’d been familiar. A man from her past. A man she’d once had an intense relationship with.

Adam?

She shook her head and frowned. It couldn’t be Adam. She was only imagining things from way back when they’d worked here at the lodge. She focused her attention to a notebook she’d brought along with her. She’d start a list of things she would need for the Art House. Top of the list was a new set of sturdy stairs and getting lanterns up by the shoreline at her place.

My place. A swell of happiness stroked her.

Suddenly she couldn’t wait until she was filling the Art House with her paintings. She’d be like Mrs. Oleson. She’d become a beacon for up and coming artists. She’d put the Art House back on the map.

That flare of wanting to paint grew brighter. It was a good feeling. Really good. She’d made the right decision in coming back here, and she couldn’t wait for tomorrow to arrive.