Cold Horizon Telluride: The Pathway Series, #5

By Kristy McCaffrey

A Romantic Short Read

 

Lindsey Coulson has lost her edge. After surviving a harrowing descent of K2, the second highest mountain in the world, life back home has left her with serious doubts about continuing the dangerous life of a high-altitude mountain climber. When she accompanies her boyfriend, Ty Galloway, to a trade show in Telluride, Colorado, a chance encounter with a climber who knew her deceased dad—famed mountaineer Robbie Coulson—sets her on a different course.

 

Ty Galloway has settled into a nine-to-five routine with his new job as editor-in-chief of Mountaineer Magazine, but the monotony is already beginning to chafe. A weekend away with Lindsey at his parents' place seems like the perfect antidote, but when his mom and dad unexpectedly arrive, their presence puts a damper on his romantic plans. And they've got a few surprises in store for Ty.

 

(Includes appearances from Italian climber Elena Rossi and the irreverent mountaineer Dan Beck.)

 

Each Pathway novel can be read as a stand-alone, but don't miss the other books.

 

Book 1: Deep Blue (Dr. Grace Mann and Alec Galloway)

Book 2: Cold Horizon (Lindsey Coulson and Tyler Galloway)

Book 3: Ancient Winds (Dr. Tristan Magee and Brynn Galloway)

 

After reading the novels, enjoy these short stories in The Pathway Series:

Book 4: A Pathway Short Adventure Collection

     (includes Deep Blue Australia, Deep Blue Réunion Island, and Deep Blue Cocos Island)

Book 5: Cold Horizon Telluride

Book 6: Shark Reef

Book 7: Sapphire Waves (novella)

 

Related novella:

Blue Sage (Dr. Audrey Driggs and Braden Delaney)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristy McCaffrey
• Release date: Jun 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781733142021

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Telluride, Colorado

October

Ty Galloway stepped into the Telluride Conference Center and gave his name to the young woman staffing the desk. She handed him a folder stuffed with information about the Western Regional Outdoor Trade Show along with a bag covered in sponsor logos. A quick glance inside revealed food samples—energy bars, gel packets, freeze-dried food—along with magnets and coupons for local restaurants.

He looped the lanyard around his neck stating his identity—Editor-in-Chief of Mountaineer Magazine—and handed a visitor’s pass to his girlfriend, although he suspected that many folks attending would probably recognize her without a nameplate. Plenty of press coverage had followed Lindsey Coulson’s miraculous feat of surviving an avalanche, followed by a grueling and heroic effort to save herself and a Norwegian climber named Anders Fiske near the summit of K2 this past summer.

She smiled and secured her lanyard as well, but Ty could feel the distance between them as if they were on opposite sides of a river. Not a wide river but more space than he cared for. He’d asked her about it, of course, but she’d chalked it up to simply being tired as she delved back into her work in the genetics lab at UC Berkeley, as well as intense coursework for her Ph.D. in Chemistry. Last week she’d crashed at his place for several days, and without fail had been up before daybreak each morning working bleary-eyed on her laptop.

Is everything okay? he asked, still concerned about her. And, if he was being truthful, concerned about them. Their relationship was still in the honeymoon period, still fragile.

Her expression shifted to one of feigned enthusiasm. Her long, blond hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her brown eyes were dark pools that tugged at a place deep inside him, along with the curves he knew intimately beneath her maroon sweater and jeans.

She nodded. Fine.

He planted a quick kiss on her lips, and her wisp of a smile bolstered his spirits.

Work first, then romance, he said quietly, giving her right hand a squeeze. She was still taking care with her left one after a bout of frostbite during her harrowing twenty-four hours on K2.

If I lose track of you, he added, let’s meet back here in an hour. We can grab lunch.

Got it.

Ty peeked at the conference schedule attached to the outside of his folder, then began to merge into the crowd of people as they entered the ballroom, Lindsey trailing behind him. It was divided into three separate areas: mountain gear, resorts and tours, and in the back were books and media.

Tyler, someone yelled to his left.

Through the crowd emerged a familiar face. Ty grinned and shook the man’s hand. It’s good to see you, Mick. What the man lacked in hair on his head was more than compensated by the dark bushy beard and mustache on his face.

You too.

Lindsey, this is Mickey Dooley. He’s CEO of Dooley Creek.

I’ve got some of your camp shirts, she said, also shaking his hand. Very good quality.

Mick’s face beamed. High praise coming from you. I saw Dan Beck last night. He told us about your incredible belay of him and Galloway on K2.

Ty didn’t miss Lindsey’s slight recoil from the remark, but just as quickly it was gone. Had he imagined it?

High on the slopes of K2 last summer, two descending Italians had triggered an avalanche that had pushed Ty from his anchor. Beck, an old climbing buddy of Ty’s and on a different team, had been roped to both him and Lindsey that day. Ty and Beck had been plucked off the slope, with Ty landing in a crevasse. If Lindsey hadn’t held her position as the last one on the rope, they might all still be trapped in an icy tomb on the slopes of K2.