Other than the end of rail tracks at the entrance, I couldn’t see a single thing in the darkness. “This is incredible,” I gushed. But with my next breath came a pungent smell that had me gagging. “The smell. There must be a dead animal in there.” I waved a hand in front of my nose, as if it would make the smell go away. “I bet this mine was forgotten once the property became landlocked by our fathers.” I spoke excitedly as I looked over my shoulder at Ridge. “Speaking of history, this is a big part of it.”
He came up beside me and tried to look inside it as well. His nose immediately wrinkled at the smell. “You realize mining in this town is the reason my Ute ancestors were forcibly removed, don’t you?”
I frowned. Everyone in Telluride knew the disturbing story of what the European settlers had done to the original inhabitants of that land. All the Ute people wanted was the land they’d been raised on to hunt, fish, and live in peace. Then the Meeker Massacre of 1879 happened, provoking a Ute uprising against a US government agency, which prompted the Ute Removal Act. Twelve Million acres of land that had been guaranteed to the Utes were suddenly denied to them, forcing them into exile.
The horror of our town’s past hit me hard, and I swallowed. “We learn about the history of Telluride in school. What happened back then was unfair, and I’m sorry.”
A soft smile appeared on his face, surprising me. “Oh no. You had nothing to do with what happened back then. And I can’t say much myself, since I’m a bit of a mixed bag.”
His ancestry was something I’d yet to ask him about, though I desperately wanted to understand. Luckily, I didn’t have to ask a thing.
“My Cross ancestors were part of the problem and some of the first settlers to own property here.”
After one sentence, I started to fill in so many blanks about Ridge’s background. No wonder he seemed so fascinating and complex. I wanted to know more. “But your mom took you to live on the reservation. Why?”
His jaw tightened for a second before he released it with a shrug. “I got the impression that we were no longer welcome here. I didn’t ask many questions growing up. My mom didn’t like to speak about Harold.”
I let in a slow breath, trying to stay calm, though my mind was going wild. “That’s got to be hard, not knowing.”
He released his grip on the gate door. “My mom was a good person. I believe she did what she felt was best, and I’ll honor her decision always.”
I released my grip on the gate, too, and turned to face him. “Did you enjoy living on the reservation?”
“The rez is all I know, so I suppose I enjoyed it. Never felt like I belonged, though.” He raised his arms and looked around. “Just like I don’t feel like I belong here.”
I started to frown again but found an opportunity to smile instead. “Which is exactly why we should become friends. I’d love to learn more about where you’re from. And I can teach you about all the things you missed in Telluride.” I grinned, feeling like there was no way he could turn me down. “What do you say, Ridge?” I stuck out my hand. “Friends?”
He twisted his features in hesitation. “Our parents would never allow such a thing.”
“They never have to know.”
His expression relaxed some. “And your friends? They looked at me like I was an alien yesterday.”
I rolled my eyes. “That was Trip. He’s just a big jerk. Don’t pay him any attention.” Then I grinned again. “Just think—one day, it will be you and me running the land. We can end the silly feud then and there. And you know that bridge you tried to threaten me not to cross? One day, that bridge will connect us instead of separate us.”
Ridge’s gaze froze on mine, like even he could picture our worlds coming together as one. “You think so, huh?”
I nodded, more confident than I’d ever been about anything in my entire life. From that moment forward, it would be my main mission. The day I stepped into my papa’s shoes would be the day we ended the stupid feud.
Ridge smiled as his hand met mine for the second time that day. “Okay, Wild One. We can be friends.”
I squeezed his hand and popped up on my toes. “Good. Now you can check this mine out with me.” I’d just started to release his hand and turn toward the mine when he yanked me back to him.
Ridge’s eyes were wide, and he shook his head while letting our hands fall. “Don’t even think about it. We don’t know what’s in there. It’s probably not even safe. Besides, it has a lock on it.”
I looked around and grabbed a large rock. “Then let’s open it.”
He ripped the rock from my hand and threw it into the nearest field. “No way. It’s sealed for a reason, whether our parents know about it or not. Before anyone steps into that thing, it should probably get inspected.”
His suggestion spiked fear in my chest. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”
Ridge sighed without answering and looked behind us toward the tall grass that led to the woods. “C’mon. I’ll walk you to the bridge. Then you need to run on home before your papa comes looking for you.”
“I can walk myself,” I insisted.
Ridge was apparently just as stubborn as I was, because he didn’t listen. Instead, he grabbed my hand firmly and started to walk through the tall grass, into the woods, and down to the creek, which we followed. He didn’t let go of me until we reached the center of the bridge.
There, he waved me forward and started to walk backward toward his own land. “Hurry home and stop getting into so much trouble.”
Though his comment was coming from the right place, all I could think about was what would happen if either of our fathers discovered what we just had. “Don’t tell anyone about the mine, okay?”
He halted and tilted his head. “It’s dangerous, Camila. Someone should check it out before anyone goes exploring where they shouldn’t. They could get hurt.”
“No one will get hurt,” I insisted.
Ridge shook his head and closed his eyes, silently telling me that I was wrong. “You don’t know that for sure.”
“I know, but—” I didn’t know why I felt so protective over something that didn’t belong to me, but it wasn’t just about the mine. It was about the hilltop too. “If anyone finds out about the mine, they could have reason to create a public access road to get to it.”
“Then you lose the hilltop.”
“We lose the hilltop, Ridge. It’s ours now.” I swallowed, praying that he would agree to just leave the mine be. “And I don’t want anything to change that.”
After a few more moments of silence, he nodded slowly. “Okay, Camila. You have my word, but you have to promise me one thing.”
Relief rushed through me, but my heart still pounded furiously. “Anything.”
“Don’t go near that mine again. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“From now on, you’ll access the hillside through the cornfields when the stalks are tall, but if Harold catches you—”
I nodded. “I get it, Ridge. If he catches me, it’s over.”
Ridge tilted his head toward the bridge. “Okay. Now go on, Wild One. Before someone starts looking for you.”