Zenith Fulfilled by Leanne Davis Page A

knew he had a condo downtown, ran a powerful company, and had a beautiful, successful girlfriend. He also owned buildings and happily worked too much and made far too much money. Meanwhile, she was at home, an hour north of downtown, focusing on her little life. Her “soccer mom” life, as Rob so nicely put it. She gave little thought to her brother then, or to the sudden mention of Joelle in his telephone conversations.
    Then, her little sister, Trina, began her verbal assault on Joelle. Trina could be vicious and mean, which she demonstrated toward Joelle. Joelle and Trina were twelve years younger than Nick. In high school, they were best friends. That was all they knew about Joelle. Then suddenly, there was Joelle at a family dinner as Nick’s date. Rebecca remembered how flabbergasted she was. First, that Joelle was dating her older brother; and second, but more importantly, Joelle, at the time, was still married to Rob Williams.
    Trina was hostile and tried to corner Joelle. Rebecca and her sisters were right there with Trina. They, too, were never even remotely nice to her since that day. Even after Joelle married Nick and had a daughter with him, they still talked about Joelle derisively amongst themselves. How did Nick wind up with the complete opposite of the kind of wom an they pictured for him?
    Because Nick fell in love with Joelle, and that’s why he chose her. Rebecca wanted to smack her head now against the car window. How smug and petty she was, wrapped up in her own life, and how careless she’d been. How unforgiving. And when she asked for those things: care, support, love, thoughtfulness, comfort, who was first and foremost there for her? Her brother, of course. As always.
    Nick took over as the family father figure after her real dad died. Nick was always, without any exceptions, there for her. Not just for Trina, but her older sister, Sophie, and the oldest sister, Carrie. Always there. He never judged, or tried to control them. He let them make their own choices, and live their lives. And what did they do to thank him when he fell in love, and wanted to begin his own life and family at the age of thirty-six? They impudently turned their noses up at him, and Joelle, and behind their backs, had running bets that they’d never make a permanent life together as a couple.
    And now, the very first time Rebecca needed something from Joelle, who saw to her request in spades? Joelle . No questions asked. And no judgments.  
    Rebecca sighed as she started her van and backed out of Rob’s driveway. Even though she suddenly had a new appreciation for her brother and Joelle, she intended to do this book with Rob. And because of the memories it would stir up, she owed it to both of them to do it right. To make it work. To make it a success. She also owed it to herself. It was time for her to start over. To start a new life. And move on. To create a new identity and be somebody besides Mrs. Douglas Randall.

Chapter Six
     
    Rob slowed his motorcycle at the turnoff for Rebecca’s address. His bike skimmed over the gravel that covered the long, one-lane road he was on. The scenery was nice: trees, scatterings of mobile homes, a house, and more trees. There were mountains visible above the tree line. Shit, he was really far from the city. And from his regular life. Rebecca’s road wasn’t even paved. She lived much further outside the city limits, and away from the freeway, than he ever dreamed.
    After following the highway through the small town of Arlington, he was now halfway to the even smaller town of Darrington. Not far from that lay the North Cascades Pass to Eastern Washington. Rebecca was closer to the mountains than she was to civilization.
    He found the gravel road turnoff on Rebecca’s map and was now heading along the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. At least, that was according to the last sign he passed, back when he was still on pavement. Finally, he spotted the wooden sign, RANDALL and