A Soldier′s Journey
A Soldier's Journey
Patricia Potter
One brave step at a timeLieutenant Andrea Stuart survived the warzone attack that took her fiancé. A therapy dog and a cabin in Covenant Falls are all the risks the former military nurse is willing to take anymore. But as Andy’s drawn into writing the history of the small town, she’s also drawn to Nate Rowland.As rugged as he is jaded, Nate’s committed to helping fellow veterans—and avoiding a new relationship. Keeping her distance might be smart, but it’s hard to stay away when Andy sees that Nate has a few scars of his own. Together they might find a path toward healing…and so much more.
One brave step at a time
Lieutenant Andrea Stuart survived the war-zone attack that took her fiancé. A therapy dog and a cabin in Covenant Falls are all the risks the former military nurse is willing to take anymore. But as Andy’s drawn into writing the history of the small town, she’s also drawn to Nate Rowland.
As rugged as he is jaded, Nate’s committed to helping fellow veterans—and avoiding a new relationship. Keeping her distance might be smart, but it’s hard to stay away when Andy sees that Nate has a few scars of his own. Together they might find a path toward healing...and so much more.
“You’re so pretty.”
“You’re not bad, either,” Andy admitted in a wry voice.
Nate chuckled. “You’re not very good at compliments, are you?”
“I’ve been told that.”
He realized they were standing there, lost in each other’s gazes, and making ridiculous small talk when her eyes were saying something else, and he imagined his were doing the same.
He reached out and took her right hand in his. Her fingers were soft although he felt the strength in them. They would have to be strong and supple and efficient to work in an army hospital, especially a forward base. Casualties often came in multiples, and they were usually critical.
Then he took her left one. The fingers were stiff and barely managed to curl slightly along his. His fingers rubbed the long scar on the back of her hand. She tried to pull away, but he pulled her hand up to his lips.
“It’s ugly,” she said.
“I think it’s beautiful. Just like everything about you.”
Dear Reader (#ulink_6f325c7e-8996-5c8b-bf41-4f2de093783d),
I am so delighted to return to magical Covenant Falls, where wounded veterans find a future again with the help of bighearted townspeople and what must be a cupid flying around a certain cabin. That cupid often comes disguised as a dog, in this story an Australian shepherd named Joseph.
I had not intended a miniseries when I wrote my first Home to Covenant Falls book, but the characters in that book wouldn’t leave me alone. They wanted their own stories and happy-ever-afters.
In this instance, Nate was flagging me down. He wasn’t aware of doing it. After a particularly bad marriage, he has sworn off romance. He doesn’t believe in it, even if his two close friends have fallen off the happy bachelorhood wagon. He does not intend to be the next, even when the incoming vet turns out to be a very pretty army nurse haunted by being the only survivor of a terrorist attack that killed her surgical team, including her fiancé.
As in previous cases, it takes a town to heal wounded hearts, this time with the assistance of two wayward camels.
Enjoy!
Patricia Potter
A Soldier’s Journey
Patricia Potter
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
PATRICIA POTTER is a bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty books. Her Western romances and romantic suspense novels have received numerous awards, including RT Book Reviews’ Storyteller of the Year, its Career Achievement award for Western Historical Romance and Best Hero of the Year. She is a seven-time RITA® Award finalist for RWA and a three-time MAGGIE® Award winner. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America. Patricia is also a passionate animal lover, which is reflected in many of her books but never more so than in her Home to Covenant Falls miniseries. She believes curiosity is the most important trait of any writer, and she’s often led far astray when researching a subject.
Dedicated to Piya Campana, my editor, who seems to know magical ways of her own to bring out the best of every book.
Contents
Cover (#u5344a234-6643-543a-b4d7-261fb0e07c3d)
Back Cover Text (#u222ac76d-34a7-5e21-9a24-d0b40d202b04)
Introduction (#u6f01452e-9b1c-537b-921e-1bc9ee1550f9)
Dear Reader (#u42b9a7f5-14cf-5fe4-a5f3-8cdddc64e375)
Title Page (#u1fa416bf-1e50-5697-83e9-acf501922d2b)
About the Author (#u6a1d359a-8628-5fdf-9977-f8dacdc0bff9)
Dedication (#u22759334-bf50-52cd-b324-77dcf095f3e0)
CHAPTER ONE (#uaed06a66-1d4f-5b13-8064-34ae70ad867f)
CHAPTER TWO (#uc601ab03-b9de-5124-9b04-51b2b52cbfc0)
CHAPTER THREE (#u8b0efccc-5497-5015-9ee1-86167bd994ea)
CHAPTER FOUR (#ue861a520-5a53-504d-aedf-f7371348f4d9)
CHAPTER FIVE (#ud4cfa6c2-6708-54fa-96f2-792ebadcd496)
CHAPTER SIX (#u67cae67b-6b3d-5c71-a16e-c14e3c2d21b1)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#ub1743cb2-08b5-5d5d-9845-d223b59b8f8c)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_e57a2b14-cf03-5194-9fbc-104ee8ce4737)
HER HEART POUNDED so fast Lieutenant Andy Stuart thought it would burst from her body as she stopped suddenly in the hall of the military hospital.
It couldn’t be, but still, she stared at a doctor and nurse whispering to each other in a corner.
Jared. It was Jared. Jared and herself. Joy surged through her. Jared wasn’t dead. He wasn’t dead! His face. Her face. Together.
She was transfixed. Then the couple moved and Jared’s face dissolved into an older, wider face. The woman...
No. Come back.
Confusion filled her and she started to shake.
A nurse approached. “Is anything wrong?”
Yes. Everything. She shook her head.
“Can I help you find someone?”
“No... I know where...” Andy stopped. How could she explain seeing her dead fiancé? How could she explain the joy, then the anger replacing it? It should have been Jared and me.
Trembling, she watched as the couple disappeared down the hall. Anger swept through her. Anger at Jared. Anger at the world in which two people whispered together and lived.
“Let me help you,” the nurse tried again. “Where are you going?”
Andy directed that fury at the nurse. “It’s none of your business,” she said and was immediately appalled at herself. She was never rude, particularly to someone who was trying to help. Never until the past seven months.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” she said, then took off for Dr. Payne’s office. How could she have thought she saw Jared?
She burst into the reception area, past the receptionist and into his private office. He looked up from his desk, a question in his eyes. She placed herself directly in front of him. “I saw him. I saw Jared. And myself. But it wasn’t us. It was strangers, but they had our faces. How could that be?” She was shaking.
Andy hadn’t bothered closing the door as she stormed inside. Anger and confusion were too strong.
Dr. Robert Payne calmly got up and closed the door, then sat back down in his chair. “About time,” he said.
She stared at him as if he were the crazy one. “A couple,” she said. “A nurse and doctor. Whispering to each other in a corner. For a second I thought it was Jared...and me. And then I looked again, and they were strangers. I was so angry. I am angry. So damned angry.” She wasn’t making sense. She knew she wasn’t making sense, but she couldn’t stop.
Dr. Payne leaned forward. “What you saw isn’t that unusual with people who have lost someone they love. Especially given the circumstances.”
He paused, then added, “I’ve been waiting for that anger,” he said gently.
Andy paced the floor. “I don’t understand.”
“You’ve bottled it all up. You haven’t let yourself feel anything. You’ve just been drifting, indifferent to everything.”
“So wanting to hit two innocent people is healthy?”
“You didn’t do it, did you?”
“No, but I wanted to.”
“It’s normal, Andy. It’s normal getting angry when you see a happy couple. It’s something you expected to be. And it was torn away from you in the worst possible way. It’s okay to be angry. It’s good, even. Better than stifling those feelings to the point of not being able to function.”
“I’ve been functioning,” Andy said defensively.
He just looked at her.
“Have you found a job yet?”
“Cash register and waitress at a coffee shop. Just two days a week, but it helps pay for my part of an apartment.”
“What about nursing?”
She shrugged. “Who wants to hire someone who hears a noise and drops to the ground screaming? Wouldn’t instill much confidence in patients. Not to mention a bum hand. I can operate the cash machine and take orders, but I can’t carry heavy trays.”
“There’s a lot of fields in nursing where you can work.”
She looked at him with hostile eyes. “Doc, I really don’t think I can do that.” Dammit, he knew why. He knew all the reasons. He knew everything about her. Well, practically everything, after two visits a week for the past six months, including two months while having surgeries and later as an outpatient for PTSD.
“We’re getting pressured to let you go now that your medical discharge has gone through. You’ll transfer to the Veterans Administration.”
“I’m losing you?”
“I thought you didn’t like me.”
“I didn’t like where you made me go.”
“Today is important, Andy. I’m not saying tomorrow is going to be easier. What happened today will happen again. You’ll see someone who reminds you of Jared. The anger will come flooding back. But it’s the beginning of taking your life back.”
She looked doubtful.
“Have you cried yet?” The question came out of nowhere. Or maybe not. He’d asked it a month ago.
She thought about lying, but what the hell. “No,” she said. It was unnatural. She knew it, but she hurt too much for tears.
“You can only keep them inside so long,” he said.
She only nodded.
He sat there studying her. “I have a proposal for you,” he finally said.
“What?” she said suspiciously.
“I wouldn’t have suggested it yesterday. You weren’t ready. You still might not be, but given the circumstances I think it’s worth a try.”
She waited.
“There’s a cabin in a small town in Colorado that’s available,” he said slowly, and she knew he was carefully choosing his words. “It belongs to a veteran who recently married. It was passed to another vet who no longer needs it. The town has a large number of veterans, and they look after each other.”
She hated his calm, reasoning tone. She didn’t want reason. She wanted to turn back the clock to a time before her world had fallen apart. And she didn’t want to go to someone else’s cabin.
Andy knew she didn’t have many choices. She had worn out her welcome at the military hospital. She couldn’t go home. She didn’t want to take her grief and anger there or be a burden on her family back home. Jobs were rare, if not nonexistent, in a dying coal town, especially for a surgical nurse who would start trembling uncontrollably at loud noises and who had a hand that didn’t work. Never mind the nightmares that made a night’s sleep rare.
She should be married now, making a home with the man she loved with all her heart, maybe even beginning a baby they both wanted. That dream was gone, and there was precious little left.
But charity...
A Stuart didn’t take charity. Never had, no matter how bad the times, and they had been bad most of her life. She never wanted to live in a small town again. She’d felt trapped as a child and later as a teenager. She’d been different. A nerd in a town where half the kids didn’t finish high school and most went into the mines, and, if they didn’t, they left as fast as they could hitch a ride out of town.
Her out had been the ROTC and a ROTC scholarship for a nursing degree. She was the first and only member of her family to go to college, much less obtain a four-year degree. The price had been ten years in the army, much of it in Iraq and Afghanistan field hospitals.
And now...now there was nothing. She’d sent most of her salary home to her mother and youngest sister in West Virginia. It would be a while, apparently a long while, before she received back pay and disability from the army. The backlog was as much as two years long. She was, in effect, the next thing to being dead broke.
“I don’t want charity,” she said again.
“It’s not charity,” he said, leaning across the desk. “You might say it’s meant as a way station for returning vets while they find their legs. It sits alongside a lake fed by the mountain streams, and there’s a large number of supportive vets, some of whom have gone through much the same thing you’re going through now.”
He paused, then added, “As for charity, you’ll probably be asked, but not required, to do something connected to the town. The last vet taught computer classes for senior citizens.”
“Where is he now?”
“He joined the police department there. He’s being groomed for chief.”
“What was he?” she asked, curious despite herself.
“A chopper pilot. Suffered a head injury that kept him from flying again. I have to say that he had the same reaction as you have but decided to try it. He’s very happy that he did. He said you could call him if you want.”
“You told him about me?” she said.
“Not you specifically. Not without talking to you first. I just said there was someone who could be interested in the cabin.”
“And no one wants to know more?”
“Nope.”
“I think it’s weird,” she said.
Dr. Payne smiled. “It’s a good kind of weird. But the vets are a close-knit group. They have a weekly poker game,” he said with a grin. Somewhere in all their discussions, she’d let it slip that she had become a good poker player during the slow times at the field hospital.
“All guys?”
“Don’t know. Didn’t ask. Doesn’t matter. They take care of each other.”
“I don’t need to be taken care of.” She feared she sounded like a child. She wasn’t going to admit that maybe, just maybe, she did.
“If Covenant Falls doesn’t work out for you, you can always get into a PTSD program in Denver. There’s a good one there.”
She looked at him warily. He knew her financial situation. In fact, he knew a great deal about her. She had been in a stupor for months after Jared’s death. He had tried to make her want to live again, to believe that was what Jared would want.
“Give it a try,” Dr. Payne said, obviously sensing victory. “You don’t have to stay. It’s not a jail sentence. If you’re uncomfortable or just don’t like it, I’ll find something else.”
“I’ll think about it,” Andy said. She really didn’t care where she was. And he was right. She wouldn’t have to stay.
“Do you like dogs?” Dr. Payne asked unexpectedly.
“Sure. Who doesn’t?” Andy replied, relieved to be off the subject. “Never had one. Money was too tight when I was a kid, then a dog doesn’t really fit into army life unless it’s military.”
“There’s several programs, including one near here that matches shelter dogs with vets who have PTSD. They’re trained to sense when a PTSD attack is coming and alert their vet.”
She hesitated. A dog? How could she take care of a dog when she couldn’t take care of herself right now? Dr. Payne waited, then said gently, “You would be saving a life.” He paused. “And I can probably win you a few more days here.”
He was trying to force her to make a decision, but the idea suddenly appealed to Andy. Loneliness was like a shroud around her. And a dog wouldn’t ask questions or give sympathy or question her choices. “Would the cabin owner approve?”
The psychologist grinned.
“He adopted a retired military dog with PTSD. The woman he married has four rescue dogs and, from what I hear, two horses, a cat and a son. He was a dedicated loner before he went to Covenant Falls.”
She couldn’t hide her skepticism. The loner probably hadn’t seen his fiancé shot down in a hail of bullets by one of people he was trying to help. “How much is a dog? I don’t have much money.”
“It’s free. The dog has all its shots, is well trained and there’s equipment provided, as well. A dog bed, dishes. Food. Toys.”
She felt like a fish being reeled in. She didn’t like being manipulated, but she had to make a decision. And fast.
Dr. Payne waited, as he always did. He rarely appeared to push, but in his own devious way, that was exactly what happened.
“Maybe I’ll give the cabin a try,” she said reluctantly.
“What about the dog?” Dr. Payne said.
She hesitated, just as she hesitated at any move forward these days. Inertia had taken over her life. Decisions were difficult if not impossible. That was entirely new for her. She had been making decisions since she was little older than a toddler. When set on a course she could be rarely be deterred. But that was before. Now...nothing was important.
“Andy,” Dr. Payne said, changing from his usual formal “Lieutenant.” “Give it a try. At least talk to the trainer. See the dog. You don’t have to make a decision this minute.”
There was that reason again. Sometimes she hated it.
She nodded her head.
* * *
THREE DAYS LATER, she drove with Dr. Payne to meet the dog. She braced herself for meeting someone new and having to make a decision.
Dr. Payne had warned her that the trainer wouldn’t let the dog go with just anyone. There had to be “a fit.” She swallowed as Dr. Payne turned the car onto a well-rutted dirt road. What if the dog rejected her? She didn’t know whether that was what she wanted or not. She had decided that if it did work she was going to keep an emotional distance from the animal.
Why had she let Dr. Payne talk her into this?
“You’re second-guessing yourself again,” Dr. Payne said.
“You didn’t trust me to get here on my own,” she accused him.
She’d been surprised when he’d offered to drive her down on his day off. Probably because he feared she would back out, or not make it in the Bucket, her ancient Volkswagen.
If the introduction went well, she would be expected to stay at the trainer’s ranch for several days for intense training and to ensure the match would be successful.
Maybe it wouldn’t be. In the past few days, she’d read enough about the program to know there had to be trust on the part of both the veteran and the dog. She didn’t know if she could give that.
Dr. Payne turned onto a dirt road that led to a small ranch house. There were also stables, an oblong building with a chimney, kennels and a fenced-in area. Several dogs came to the fence and barked as Dr. Payne parked the car.
A wiry woman came to the car as Andy stepped out. “Lieutenant,” she said. “I’m Karen Conway. Call me Karen. Everyone does.” She held out a weathered hand, and Andy took it.
“We won’t waste time,” Karen said. “I know Richard...Dr. Payne...hasn’t much of that.”
The way she said Richard startled Andy. There was a warmth in it, as if they were more than simply acquaintances. Dr. Payne never talked about his private life.
Before any more thoughts flickered through her mind, she was herded into the ranch house. A dog was at the window, watching. He didn’t move until they were all inside and Karen said, “Joseph, say hello.”
The dog approached obediently. He was medium size where she had expected a larger animal. Maybe a German shepherd. But this dog more resembled a small Lassie; his coat appeared woven of shades of tan and black and gray. He had blue eyes that regarded her as cautiously as she expected hers were.
“Joseph?” Karen said again.
The dog held up his paw.
Andy took it gingerly. The fur was soft, and the dog’s gaze seemed to reach inside her and ask questions she couldn’t answer. Then his tongue flicked out and licked her hand.
“He likes you,” Karen said. “It took much longer for Adam to win a kiss.”
Andy found herself petting the dog.
“Try behind his ears,” Karen said. “That and his stomach are his favorite places.”
Andy followed the advice and with her good hand rubbed behind the dog’s ears. Joseph turned on his back and bared his stomach. She rubbed it, stopped when she heard a rumbling noise.
“That’s a groan of pleasure,” Karen said with a smile.
“You sure about that?”
“I’m sure.”
Andy went back to rubbing his stomach before straightening up.
“You think he will do?” Karen asked.
Andy stood and Joseph sat in front of her. She hesitated. Joseph lifted the same paw that he had before and looked expectant.
“He’s accepted you. Now it’s up to you,” Karen said. “He’s a smart dog, one of the smartest I’ve trained, and that says a lot. He had to be to survive. If you feel through the fur, you’ll find scars. He’s had some rough times. Some hikers found him badly hurt in the mountains. They assumed he’d been dumped by someone and had a run-in with wild animals. One of the hikers, a donor to this program, took him home, but he already had several dogs.
“He called me,” Karen continued. “Said Joseph had a natural empathy that makes him ideal for our purposes. If you have a nightmare, he knows to wake you up. He will remind you when it’s time to go to bed. Panic attack? He will physically interrupt you and redirect the panic.”
Andy was stunned. She had read about dogs and vets but hadn’t realized exactly what they did. “All of that?” she asked dubiously.
“And more. He can find and locate objects, like your shoes, or your phone or keys. In other words, he can pretty much do anything you want to teach him to do.”
Andy found it hard to believe he could do all that. But if he just interrupted the nightmares, she would be grateful.
“I know it’s hard to believe,” Karen said, “but it’s really remarkable what these dogs can do.”
“Dr. Payne said they are free. How can you do that?”
“I have sponsors. Dr. Payne is one of them. But there’s others, including area veterinarians who donate their services. I do it because my son had PTSD, only it wasn’t recognized like it is now.” She paused, then added, “He committed suicide.”
“I’m sorry,” Andy said.
Karen simply nodded. “If you decide you want to come into the program, you’ll stay in the bunkhouse with the dog until I think the two of you are ready. But I want to know for sure that you’re committed, that you will stick with it. I don’t want Joseph disappointed again.”
“What happened?”
“Adam took Joseph home and then discovered his wife was extremely allergic to dog hair. It was either her or Joseph.” She looked sternly into Andy’s eyes. “You don’t have anyone allergic, do you?”
“No.”
Andy looked down at the dog. He looked up at her. “Are you ready for me?” she asked.
She would have sworn the dog smiled. “Why the name Joseph?” she asked.
“Of the coat-of-many-colors fame,” Karen said. “You will be expected to stay here a short time. Maybe a week, maybe less, maybe more. You’ll live in the bunkhouse with the dog while you get to know each other. He’s trained, but you’re not. You’ll learn what he can do for you, and learn to accept what he has to offer.”
Karen paused, then added, “You up for the challenge?”
Andy looked down at Joseph. The brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen looked back as if to say, “What are you waiting for?”
She nodded. She had to be. It was what Jared would want. He used to say that what first attracted him to her was her strength. Instead, she had been a zombie these past months. She hadn’t even been able to cry since she’d woken up from surgery. She hadn’t remembered everything then; she’d just had a head full of dread. Then it came back slowly. The first gunshot...
“Good,” Karen said, breaking into that memory. “Joseph has had all his shots, and when you’re ready to leave, we’ll give you supplies. After that, it’s up to you, but we ask that you keep in touch and if for some reason you feel you can’t keep Joseph, return him to us.”
Joseph made a low sound, like a rumble, and moved closer to her. She felt his warm body through the jeans that were much too large for her. She reached down and stroked his head. He licked her hand and looked up at her as if she were a goddess.
“When can you get started?” Karen asked.
Andy looked at Dr. Payne.
“Three days?” he asked. “It will take a few days to do the paperwork, discharge you from my care. And it will probably take you that long to buy a few things.”
She bit her lip. Everything was going so fast. “Trying to get rid of me?” she asked.
“Now that you mention it...” He smiled.
“I have to give notice at the coffee shop, but I don’t think that will a problem. I broke more than a few cups.”
“Good. Now that’s settled,” Karen said. “Can you stay for dinner?”
“Wish we could, but I have a meeting tonight,” Dr. Payne said. “And I imagine Andy has some planning to do.”
He ushered Andy out the door and into his car. Once settled, he asked, “Should I accept the use of the cabin in Covenant Falls on your behalf?”
“You’re pushing it, Doc.”
He shrugged. “You can always cancel it.”
She still wasn’t sure taking on a dog was a good thing. Since the violent afternoon that had taken everything away from her, she’d changed from a hard-charging, ambitious army officer to someone who couldn’t make a decision on what to eat. Mainly because she hadn’t cared. Didn’t want to care.
Neither was she sure she wanted to form a close bond with the dog. In fact, she was quite sure she didn’t. But maybe the dog would help. Anything to keep from falling to pieces whenever she heard a loud noise. She would just have to maintain an emotional distance, that was all.
She looked at Dr. Payne. “I’ll give it a try.”
She had made her first decision in months.
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_88a75d77-5ad1-5880-b85f-abb5e128dd25)
NATE ROWLAND WIPED the sweat from his forehead and looked at his watch. Time to leave and meet the incoming vet.
He took one last glance at the interior of the reception area of the inn he and Josh were transforming from an old by-the-hour motel, then locked the door and headed for his pickup truck.
He was the designated welcoming committee. Josh, who owned the cabin, was in Denver, and Clint, the second vet who had been in residence at the cabin, was completing a law enforcement training program in Colorado Springs.
Nate had volunteered before he learned the new occupant was a woman, and an officer at that. Officers didn’t bother him much. The woman part did. He’d made an art of avoiding them for the past four years. Burned once, her fault. Burned twice, his fault.
Josh’s cabin seemed to have come under a spell. First Josh. Then Clint. After moving in, Josh had gotten married, and now Clint, the second occupant, was more or less engaged. Hopefully. Nate had never been superstitious, but damn, there was something about that cabin that brought even the most marriage-averse people to the altar.
He looked around the freshly painted lobby—warm sand tones with a huge oak beam reaching across the arched ceiling and a stack-stone fireplace. He was more proud of the inn than anything he’d previously built. Josh had provided his own money and a bank loan and turned Nate loose on design. They’d stretched every penny a yard long. The furniture was coming from a firm going out of business, and it was quality at a low price.
All they needed was guests.
The preview opening was scheduled in seven weeks, which was why Josh was in Denver. He was making the rounds of the state tourist association, tourist publications and newspapers. They were offering complimentary three-night stays to anyone who could help them promote Covenant Falls.
He glanced at his watch again. He wanted to be at the cabin at 8:00 a.m. The newest vet was expected between nine and ten. He’d stacked wood for the fireplace yesterday, and he knew that Josh’s wife had stocked the kitchen.
He locked the front door of the Covenant Falls Inn and drove to the cabin. The mayor, Josh’s wife, called it the Rainbow Cabin. She’d fallen in love with Josh there, almost, she said, from the moment she had seen him. The same thing had happened to Clint when he’d met the town veterinarian.
Josh had said the new resident was a military nurse, a lieutenant. All he knew was that she had been injured and had PTSD. She would be the first female veteran in town, and he wondered how she would fit in, particularly at the Monday-night poker games. But he would do his part in making her welcome. He fervently hoped she was plain and obnoxious.
The cabin was spotless. Someone, probably Eve, had placed flowers in vases on the dining table and on the table next to the sofa. There was a platter of Maude’s sweet rolls in the kitchen.
He made a pot of coffee and walked outside to the porch swing. It was a fine April day with a cool breeze and bright sun. He thought about the day he’d met Josh, when he’d hired him to replace the floor on the cabin. His life had changed dramatically. Even the town had a new vitality since Josh’s arrival. Clint added his own impact.
Nate wondered if this military nurse would also rock the Covenant Falls boat.
He was looking at the lake when an old Volkswagen turned into the driveway. Yellow. And not old, but ancient. A relic, really. His gaze followed its path until it stopped. He stood, opened the porch door and went out to meet the new resident.
She didn’t move. She just sat in the car looking at the cabin. A dog sat protectively next to her. Then, as he reached the car, the driver opened the door and got out. Reluctantly, it appeared.
His worst fears were realized. She wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous. Not in the accepted sense. But she had a quality even more dangerous. She was slender, even gaunt, but her face was something out of a painting. Strong lines and jaw, with striking, haunted light gray eyes that dominated all the other features.
Nate realized he had been staring. “Lieutenant Stuart,” he said, holding out his hand. He tried to steady his voice even as he was affected by the ethereal sadness in her. He noticed her left hand was in a leather brace.
“I’m Nate Rowland, your welcoming committee,” he said. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll show you around, give you the keys and answer any questions.”
She nodded and took his hand, but there was no heart in it. “Thank you. And it’s not lieutenant. Not any longer. I’m just Andy Stuart.” She turned, and the dog, outfitted with a service animal’s coat, jumped out and stood close to her. “This is Joseph. We’re just getting to know each other. I was told he would be welcome.”
“More than welcome. This is a very dog-friendly community,” Nate said. “Can I get your luggage?”
She hesitated, and he sensed that she was reluctant to take any help. “I don’t have much,” she said, “but perhaps you can help with Joseph’s belongings. He has more than I do.”
She waited while he opened the trunk that was filled with dog food, a dog bed and a cardboard box full of dog dishes, toys and a leash. She was right about her luggage. He saw only a medium-size duffel.
Only too aware of her presence, he picked up the dog bed and the big sack of dog food while she reached for the duffel with her good hand and used the wounded fist to slam the trunk closed. Then she followed him inside. He watched surprise spread across her face as she took in the comfortable interior. “It’s very nice,” she said after a moment. “Are you the owner?”
“No. Just a friend of the owner.” Nate placed the dog bed in front of the living room window and, still holding the dog food, led the way into the kitchen. “I made some fresh coffee, and the owner of the town’s diner sent over some sweet rolls. They’re great. The owner’s wife also filled the fridge. You’ll find a couple of casseroles and cold cuts along with bread, eggs, milk and sodas.”
“Thank you,” she said. It was politely said with little emotion.
“There’s a bathroom next to the master bedroom down the hall. There’s also a second bedroom that’s mostly a library now. Help yourself to any of the books. There’s a desk in there, as well.” He paused, then added, “As for town, you probably drove through it. There’s a general store, grocery, hardware store and pharmacy there, along with Maude’s Diner. The food is very good, especially the steaks, and they’re easy on the wallet.”
She nodded. “I’ll remember that.”
She was scarce with conversation, but that was all right. So was he. Usually. “How long have you been driving?” he asked, strangely reluctant to leave.
“Since midnight. I like driving at night and dawn when there’s little or no traffic.”
He suspected it was more than that. Depending on the severity of PTSD, late-night and early-morning driving had fewer distractions.
“That car looks like a real collector’s dream,” he said, probing for more information, even as he knew he should be leaving. And quickly. She was distant.
“The Bucket,” she said with the first hint of a smile. “She’s been with me fifteen years, and she was pretty ancient before that. I’ve nursed her back to health more times than I can remember, but she’s a tough old lady. I couldn’t leave her behind.”
He mentally filed that information. Nursed back to health? The car? Was she a mechanic, too?
He was lingering. He had intended to say, “Hello, here’s the keys and goodbye.” He gave himself a mental kick. That was exactly what he should do.
“I’ll leave you to get some rest,” he said. He took out a sheet of paper he’d prepared. “My number is there, along with several others you might want to know. The veterinarian. The town doctor. Josh Manning, who owns the cabin.”
She nodded.
He handed her the keys to the cabin, then leaned down and scratched the dog’s ears. “Joseph? Of the many-colored coat?”
“It seems to have been the inspiration. I had nothing to do with it,” she said defensively.
“He’ll have a lot of company around here,” Nate said. Damn, he was rambling on, but he didn’t want to leave her alone. There was something broken inside her. Her voice was soft, Southern, but it carried no strength, no conviction that would be expected of an army officer.
He was nearly undone by those haunted gray eyes. They were framed by brown hair that fell to her shoulders, a simple style that he thought was probably for utilitarian reasons rather than vanity, although it suited her. She wore jeans and a simple white T-shirt and looked to be in her early thirties.
He suddenly realized he was staring. “I had better go,” he said. “The television is satellite and has a lot of stations available. There’s a path just to the left of the cabin that goes up the side of the mountain. There’s some great views there.” He cocked his head. “Anything else you would like to know?”
She shook her head. “It’s far more than I expected.” She hesitated, then added, “Dr. Payne said there might be something I can do to pay for the use of the cabin.” It was a question more than a statement.
“Is there anything you like to do?”
“I’m a surgical nurse. Or was one before my hand was damaged. I don’t really know anything else.”
“I’m sure Josh and Eve will find something if you’re interested. Eve’s uncanny in ferreting out talents.”
“Dr. Payne said she’s the mayor?”
He grinned. “And a damn good one.”
She nodded, obviously absorbing the information, then went to the door. “Thank you for the welcome,” she said.
It was an obvious dismissal. “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything or have questions,” he said again as he walked toward the door. “Covenant Falls is very safe, and the sunsets are great. Oh, and every Monday night we have a meeting of vets. Seven p.m. at the community center. It’s right at the end of this road.”
“And play poker?” Her lips eased slightly into an almost smile.
“You heard about that?” Nate said with a grin. “It’s just penny ante. But we enjoy it. And we’re happy to have new faces.” Particularly a pretty one, he suspected. He kept that thought to himself and hurried on. “You can bring Joseph. Josh always brings his dog, and everyone has gotten accustomed to having him there.” He headed for the door. He had already stayed longer than necessary. He forced himself down the path to his pickup.
As he opened the truck door, he glanced back. Andy Stuart was watching as he left. Slim and straight and still, she looked like a statue.
He started his pickup and headed toward Lake Road. He swore to himself. Dammit. Why couldn’t she have been gruff and rough and thoroughly disagreeable? Instead, she was soft-spoken and appealing. More than appealing. He suspected the haunted gray eyes would stay with him. It was something he did not need at the moment. Or ever.
Hell, he had always been a sucker for a damsel in distress. That particular weakness had nearly destroyed his life. He’d sworn it wasn’t going to happen again. He had a chance now to rebuild his career, and he damn well wasn’t going to let anything, especially a woman, risk it.
He was going to stay away. A long, long way away.
* * *
ANDY WATCHED HIM drive away, then turned back to explore the cabin.
Her first impression of the cabin was warmth. Someone had loved this cabin. And that made her ache inside. It was just like the home she and Jared had planned to buy. A large living area with expansive windows, hardwood floors and a huge fireplace.
She went into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee from the electric pot. Mr. Rowland had put out a cup and bowls of sugar and creamer. She liked her coffee black, and the stronger the better. She had become addicted to it in college and later during long hours in operating rooms.
She took a plate with two rolls outside and returned for the coffee. She didn’t want to risk spilling either one with her bad hand. She sat in one of several chairs on the screened porch and ignored the swing. Joseph followed her and sat at her side and regarded the roll enviously.
Andy couldn’t help but smile as the dog’s tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. She steeled herself against getting too attached to the dog, but she had to admit he was growing on her. She couldn’t resist giving him a piece of roll.
She looked out through the pines to the lake. The sky was impossibly blue against the mountains, and a cool breeze was refreshing. The scent of pines perfumed the air.
For the first time since she set off on this journey, she relaxed. Maybe this had been a good move, temporarily anyway. She liked Nate Rowland. He hadn’t pushed but made her feel comfortable in a strange place under strange circumstances. He was lanky, like Jared, and had a warm smile.
Grief filled her as she saw Jared’s smile again, slow to come but then widening until it filled her heart. It was as real today as it had been seven months ago.
She felt the darkness descending again. The despair. Joseph nudged her, and she stood, remembering what Nate Rowland said about the mountain. A walk. Fresh air. That was what she needed. She looked up and saw the path he had mentioned.
“What do you think, Joseph? Should we try it?”
Joseph wagged his tail eagerly.
She silently admitted to doubts. Her hand would be no use if she needed to grab something. But the path was there. Taunting her. Inviting her to leave her safety zone.
She could hear Jared now. Go for it.
A breeze brushed her face, as if he were there next to her.
She started up the path. Joseph went ahead of her but kept looking back to make sure she was keeping pace with him. She didn’t realize how out of shape she was. She hadn’t run since Afghanistan.
She was breathing hard when she reached what was obviously a lookout. She paused and looked out over the town of Covenant Falls. It looked like a toy town from here. The lake appeared an even richer blue. On its border was a large park with a beach, gazebo, swings and a large rambling building. Four church steeples were also visible. The main street was the only one that looked busy.
A peaceful town where everyone probably knew everyone. It wasn’t what she and Jared had planned. He’d been a top surgeon specializing in traumatic injuries. He had already been offered positions in several practices in Chicago and Richmond, Virginia, at the end of his service commitment. Richmond had been her hope, but she’d suspected Chicago had been his.
Nor was Covenant Falls anything like the mining town where she had been raised. That town had the scent of poverty hovering over it. Hardscrabble houses and bare yards. There was always the smell of coal and dust and the sound of heavy machinery.
Joseph made curious little noises in his throat and licked her hand. “Sensing something, huh?” she said. “But I’m okay. Really, I am.”
He looked at her with those clear blue eyes. He seemed to be saying, “I’m here now. You’re not alone.”
Not alone. Then, why did she feel she was? Nate Rowland seemed nice enough. But he was a stranger, and she intended to keep him that way.
He’d looked Western inside and out with his hard, lean build, plaid flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, worn jeans and boots. His hair was a little long and looked as if it had been combed with his fingers, and his eyes were a cool hazel. His hand had been hard with calluses.
Jared’s hands had been so different. His fingers had been long and smooth and supple, as if designed to perform the most delicate and precise surgery. His dark eyes were always intense...
Don’t! Don’t do this! She filled her lungs with fresh air and the rich smell of pine. She swallowed hard. Joseph nudged her again, and she reached out and scratched behind his ears. He was a dog. A smart one, but could he really read her mind?
She hadn’t had a nightmare or panic attack since the third night at Karen’s ranch, but then that had been only a few days ago. Her problem was she never knew when they would strike. That uncertainty kept her from searching out a nonsurgical nursing position.
Rested, she looked at the towering mountains in the other direction. Snow-covered peaks glistened in the noon sun. How she wished Jared could see it, too.
She could almost hear his voice. Live, sweetheart. Live for me.
He wouldn’t be happy with the way she had closed herself off from life.
And yet pain was a living thing inside her. It had been for months. She couldn’t let go of it. She didn’t want to let it go. It would be a betrayal of those who died that day. But maybe here—away from the military and everything that reminded her of her former life—maybe she could manage it. Maybe she could take pleasure in a deep blue sky and a fresh breeze without feeling guilty.
She started down the mountain. The path was well trod but steep. She had to concentrate on every step—a good thing, in her mind. She was winded when she reached the bottom. She remembered when she could run ten miles without breathing hard.
But that was a lifetime ago. Now she had to face new challenges. She only hoped she could.
CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_4f902a7c-fcb7-5576-a36d-86bb1dd30363)
ONCE BACK IN the cabin, Andy decided to explore. She’d had very little sleep last night, but she hated the very thought of sleep these days. Too many nightmares.
She was curious about Covenant Falls now. Curious about the cabin and its owner and past occupants. She’d been stationed in Texas and had visited Colorado during leaves, but she’d never heard of Covenant Falls. She wanted to know more about her mysterious benefactor who would offer a very comfortable cabin to a stranger.
She checked out the kitchen fridge and cupboard. As Mr. Rowland said, both were filled. There was a small room in back with a washer and dryer.
Then she went through the living room to a large bedroom. The bed was a double and looked comfortable. The headboard faced a window that framed large pine trees. The bathroom was medium size with a large walk-in shower.
Then she inspected the desk in the second bedroom, which apparently served as an office and library. She found pens and notebooks, along with reams of paper as well as stacks of books. She carried a notebook and a couple of pens into the living room and settled in a big comfortable chair.
She started writing, making notes about Dr. Payne, Karen Conway and Nate Rowland and what she knew about them. Impressions, really. It had been a habit of hers since she left home for college.
There had been so many new people, and notes helped her to remember them all. She turned the notes into journals when she went on active duty. There had been so much to see and remember.
She hadn’t written anything since the attack, nor had she ever asked about the journals or her other property left in Afghanistan. She hadn’t wanted anything. They had been stored with other items in a storage unit near the base. There had been so much about Jared in the last one, and she couldn’t bear to read it.
When she finished, she turned on the television and ran through the stations, stopping only at a news channel when she heard a commentator mention Afghanistan. More troops were pulling out. Her team had been among the last medical teams remaining. The rest of the unit had probably been dismantled after the attack.
Just the thought of Afghanistan sent familiar images swirling through her head: the day she had arrived at the forward base, the first time she’d met Jared, the last time she had seen him. Blood had been everywhere then...
Joseph moved closer to her, nudged her and made guttural sounds in his throat. She assumed that was his way of reassuring her. “It’s okay,” she said and rubbed his ears. The guttural sounds turned into something more like a purr.
Andy turned the television off and looked at the clock. Just after noon.
She should fix lunch. She wasn’t hungry, but she needed to eat. She was foraging in the fridge when the phone rang.
“Hi” came the cheerful voice on the phone when she picked it up. “I’m Eve Manning. I hope I’m not intruding, but I wanted to make sure you had everything you need. I would have been there to meet you, but I had a meeting in town.”
“Mr. Rowland was very helpful,” Andy replied.
“Are you up to a visit? And don’t be polite.”
Andy hesitated. It was the last thing she wanted. She was tired and tense from the drive. She had met one stranger, had imagined his unsaid questions. She didn’t want more. But the caller was the mayor, and Andy had accepted use of her husband’s cabin. She sighed. Maybe coming here hadn’t been the best idea.
But then she probably couldn’t sleep, either. “That would be fine,” Andy said, hoping the delay in her reply didn’t say more than her actual words.
“Would one be okay? I can take you to Maude’s or we can stay at the cabin. You decide.”
She needed to get out. She knew that. She couldn’t retreat into a safe place again, as she had done with the hospital. She had taken one step forward in coming here. It was time to take another. “Mr. Rowland mentioned Maude’s.”
“Good. I can show you around town. I have to warn you, though, that everyone will want to meet you. They mean well, but they sort of take vets under their collective wing whether or not you want to be there.”
“I’m warned,” Andy replied.
“Nate also said you have a dog,” Eve said.
“Yes, Joseph. He’s a service dog, although not the kind that can go in restaurants.” Apparently the law only permitted dogs for physically handicapped vets.
“Here he can,” the mayor said. “Maude has a soft spot for dogs, and the mayor’s just fine with it. Your predecessors both take their dogs inside.”
“Then, I will,” Andy said. “We’re new to each other and this is a strange place for him.” For both of us.
“You’ll have to introduce him to my crew,” Eve said.
“Crew?”
“Five dogs,” she said. “And a cat.” She hesitated, then added, “Well, one is strictly my husband’s. Amos was a military dog and highly disciplined. The rest of my group are rather unruly.”
“Sounds...interesting.”
“Terrifying sometimes. I’ll be there at one.”
The phone clicked off.
Andy took a deep breath. Had she done the right thing in agreeing to go to a public place? What if she had a panic attack? She knew, though, she had to get busy doing something or she could sink back in inertia.
“What do you think, Joseph?” Despite her vow to the contrary, she found herself talking to Joseph often.
Joseph stared at her with those penetrating blue eyes. He barked.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said. She filled Joseph’s water dish, then went into the bedroom. She opened the duffel and took out a sweater and a clean pair of jeans and headed for the shower.
* * *
THE MAYOR ARRIVED just as Andy’s watch hit 1:00 p.m.
She didn’t know what she’d expected, but when she opened the door, she saw a tall, attractive woman with shoulder-length dark hair, a pug nose and a wide smile.
“I’m Eve,” the mayor said simply.
“And I’m Andy,” Andy said.
“Andy it is. Welcome back to the civilian world.” Eve leaned down and rubbed Joseph’s ears. “And who is this?” she asked as Joseph frantically wagged his tail.
“Joseph,” Andy replied. “He’s only been with me a short time.”
“Ever had a dog before?”
“No. Dogs and the army don’t go together, and my family never had one when I was young.”
“Watch out. They steal your heart in no time.”
Joseph’s tail wagged happily as they walked to the pickup parked next to the Bucket. Eve opened the passenger door and invited Joseph inside and showed him a spot behind the front passenger seat. Andy climbed in after him.
“Thank you for including him,” Andy said. “And thanks for the use of the cabin.”
“That’s my husband’s doing.”
“Why?” The question was abrupt and probably rude, but it had been pricking at her.
“His best friend owned the cabin and was killed saving Josh’s life. Josh had a lot of grief and anger when he left the army. He directed it toward rehabbing the cabin he inherited from his buddy. Rehabbing it was therapeutic for Josh, but when we married he moved in with me. The cabin needed a new resident, and Josh wanted something good to come out of a tragedy.”
Andy felt an instant kinship with the owner. No wonder she’d felt more at home here than she’d expected.
They left the cabin, and Eve drove out of the driveway. “That’s a great car,” she said of the yellow Volkswagen. “My husband will go crazy when he sees it. So will Stephanie, our veterinarian. How old is it?”
“Nearly forty,” Andy said.
She didn’t add that she’d feared she wouldn’t be able to drive it again after the injury to her hand, but she had practiced for hours until she felt confident she could steady the wheel while working the clutch.
“I’ll give you a quick tour,” Eve said, interrupting that thought. “The second cottage down from you belongs to Mrs. Byars,” Eve explained. “Her son was killed in the service, and she loves veterans. She’ll probably be by in the next few days with something wonderful to eat.”
They reached the end of the road. A park was on the right. “That building is our community center. If you don’t have a computer, you can use one there. It’s free. That’s also where the veterans in town meet every Monday night. I’m barred, but you’ll be invited.”
Eve turned right toward the center, then a left. “This is Main Street,” Eve said. Andy looked at the modest houses lining the street for six blocks before hitting businesses on the left side of the road. “That’s the city hall, along with the police and fire departments. The police are paid, but the firefighters are all volunteers except for the chief. He’s a retired firefighter from Pueblo and receives a small salary for keeping the equipment and conducting training.
“On the left is the veterinarian practice. Stephanie Phillips is one of the best and most caring vets you’ll find. A few doors down is Doc Bradley. He’s nearing seventy, and a bit grouchy, but he’s a very good general practitioner and can usually be reached day or night. In between the vet and doctor is the real estate and insurance office. A small bank branch is located inside the building.
“There’s also a small grocery, a general store and a hardware store. The pharmacy around the corner has office supplies, books and small tech supplies.”
She parked in a space with a reserved sign in front of the city hall. “One of the few benefits of being mayor,” Eve said. “Maude’s is across the street,” she added.
Andy felt comfortable the moment she stepped inside the diner. It looked much like the one back home where all the kids went after school.
The diner was busy, but a middle-aged woman who looked as if she was fond of her own food met them. “I’m Maude. You must be Josh’s new veteran,” she said, then looked down at the dog. “Looks like a fine service dog,” she added with a wink. She didn’t wait for an answer but led them to the back booth.
After they were seated, Andy asked what was good.
“Josh would say steaks, but I like patty melts.”
“Patty melts?”
“Hamburger with onion and melted cheese on rye bread. They are sinful, and I try to limit myself to one a week. I don’t always succeed, but I do try.”
“You sold me,” Andy said, and they ordered.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about Maude already knowing who she was. She’d always been a private person except for the close-knit surgical teams with which she’d served...
The memories came flooding back. Her hand crushed the napkin in her lap. Joseph moved closer to her, put his head on her thigh.
She looked up and saw Eve’s concerned gaze. “My first husband died six years ago,” she said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry beyond the booth. “We were childhood sweethearts. I loved him very much. He was a coach, ran in marathons, and I thought he would live forever. He died one afternoon while on the field with the football team he coached. He was running with them when he suddenly dropped to the ground. A heart defect no one had detected. If it hadn’t been for Nick, my son... I don’t know what I would have done.”
Andy suddenly felt betrayed by Dr. Payne. “You know...what happened to me?”
Eve shook her head. “I only know that pain in your eyes. I saw it in my mirror for a long time. If there’s ever anything I can do...”
“There is,” Andy said. “I need something to do. I don’t have much money, but Dr. Payne said it was possible to help in the community. I’ve always paid my own way.”
“What did you do in the army?” Eve asked.
“You don’t know?”
“No. Dr. Payne says very little about his recommendations to my husband. Josh probably says even less to me. He figures if you want anyone to know your business, you’ll tell them. He’s a sphinx where other vets are concerned.”
“I think I’ll like him.”
“You will. He would tear off his arm to help someone, particularly a vet.”
“I’ve known someone like that.” Andy bit her lip as the image of Jared popped up again.
Eve looked at her. “They are rare,” she said. “Are you interested in history?”
An odd question and quick change of subject. But she nodded.
“Do you like writing?”
“I’ve kept a journal, that’s all.”
Eve’s eyes suddenly lit. “We’re trying to grow the town, create more jobs. We think tourism is the first step. My husband and Nate are finishing rehabbing—rebuilding, really—a very nice inn, but we’re a fair distance from populated areas. We need attractions, and I think that attraction could be our history.”
“Why?”
“The town was founded by a Scot who came here in the 1840s, saw the lake and established a trading post. There were Native raids, but he saved the life of a Ute chief and they rewarded him with protection and the chief’s sister as a wife. He basically built the town and became instrumental in the campaign for statehood. Then there’s our falls, where much of this happened.”
“I’m not a writer,” Andy said. “And shouldn’t someone from the community write about the town?”
“We don’t need a book,” Eve explained. “Just a short, coherent narrative we can use in a brochure and advertising program.”
“Wouldn’t someone who lives here be more qualified...?”
Eve sighed. “There’s a few rivalries around here. And different versions of what happened and where we should go in the future. I think an outsider will be objective and produce a narrative appealing to people outside the community. I want fresh, unbiased eyes.” She paused. “We’ve been thinking about hiring someone, but why don’t you take a stab at it? We don’t need Gone with the Wind.”
“Where would I begin?” Andy asked, a kernel of interest building inside. She had always liked history, even thought about being a history teacher, but there had been no scholarships for that.
“Probably the best place is the small museum we’ve started in the community center. There’s old newspapers and photos and some mining equipment. You can start there, and then contact Al Monroe. He’s a descendant of the founder of Covenant Falls, Angus Monroe. There’s rumors that Angus kept journals. Al might have them if, indeed, they do exist.”
Eve’s proposal was the last thing Andy had expected. The more Eve talked, the more intrigued she became. It was far more interesting than the pounding nails or filing papers that she’d expected. And she’d always liked research.
Plus, it would absorb her. She needed something like that. “I’ll try it,” she finally said. “I can’t promise anything remotely coherent.”
Eve grinned. “I’ll try to tone down my expectations.”
Their lunch arrived then, and Andy took a bite. “Mmm,” she said. “I like this.”
“Good,” Eve said, and they both concentrated on the sandwiches and fries. Andy couldn’t remember when anything had tasted so good. After they finished, Eve looked at her watch. “I have a meeting in twenty minutes. I’ll drop you over at the community center where the museum is.”
“Should we drop Joseph off at the cabin first?” Andy asked.
“I think Joseph can go almost any place you want to take him in Covenant Falls. Amos, my husband’s dog, has pretty well shattered people’s opinions as to where a dog should or should not go. He’s the town celebrity.”
“Why?” Andy asked.
“He saved my son’s life twice,” she said, “but that’s a long story and takes time in the telling. Why don’t you come over for supper tomorrow night? Clint and my husband both want to meet you. It will be really relaxed. You can leave any time you want, no explanations needed. Joseph is invited, as well.”
Andy wasn’t sure she was ready for a social event yet.
“I don’t want to pressure you,” Eve said, obviously sensing her hesitation. “So say no if you’re not ready. God knows my husband and I both understand. He was the loner of all time when he first moved into the cabin.”
“And now?” Andy asked.
“He still has a tendency to run off to the woods on occasion, but he’s adapting,” she said with a grin. “Not easy in my household.”
Andy surrendered. It was impossible to say no to Eve Manning. “Okay,” she said. What was that saying? In for a penny, in for a pound.
CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_15f7f986-7a07-5ca0-8632-225fc960e354)
IT WAS MIDAFTERNOON when Eve drove into a parking area in back of the two-story brick building she’d pointed out earlier. A sign outside identified it as the Covenant Falls Community Center.
Andy was quickly having second thoughts. Why had she agreed to Eve’s suggestion of writing a history of the town? But she had agreed to try, and she did need a job, a goal, a diversion. She needed to start living again, even if it was so damn hard.
Andy reluctantly followed Eve up the step, through the unlocked door and into a vestibule. A gray-haired, wiry man rose from a desk in a corner. She noted a Western novel on his desk.
“This is Bill Evans,” Eve said. “He manages the center. Bill, this is Andy Stuart. She moved into the cabin today. And this is Joseph.”
At the sound of his name, Joseph barked and wagged his tail.
Mr. Evans leaned down and scratched the dog’s ears. “He’s a handsome fellow.” Joseph wriggled with pleasure at the attention.
Then the man straightened and held out his hand and she took it. “Real pleased to meet you,” he said. It was a firm shake, and she warmed to his friendly grin.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Bill, I wondered if you could show Andy around the center and particularly the museum,” Eve said. She turned to Andy. “It’s on our wish list to do more with it, but money is tight. I’m leaving you in good hands. I have a meeting. It seems I always have a meeting. But Bill will take good care of you. He can drive you and Joseph back to the cabin.”
“Not necessary,” Andy said. “Joseph and I can make it alone. We walked up the mountain earlier.”
“Okay, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me,” Eve said, “and we’ll see you tomorrow night.” And then she was gone.
“Is she always so...busy?” she asked.
Bill Evans grinned. With his thin hair and neatly trimmed mustache, he looked to be in his late sixties. “Yes, and as a fellow vet, I feel it necessary to warn you about our mayor. She’s really good at keeping others in the same state.”
“She suggested that I try to write a short history of Covenant Falls for a brochure.”
“That’s what she suggested, huh?” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Andy wasn’t sure she liked the way he said it. “Is there a problem?”
“No, no problem at all,” he said. “Sounds like a good idea. You a writer?”
“Nope. A nurse by training,” she admitted.
“Ah, one of the angels. I served in Vietnam and that’s the way we thought about the nurses. And the doctors. They saved my life, for sure.”
She didn’t reply. She was still pondering his previous—enigmatic—words.
He didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll show you around.” He walked to the left and stood in an open door while she looked inside. “This is our library and computer center. Nate Rowland, another one of our vets, built the shelves for the books.”
Andy peered inside. Large windows were framed by cheerful drapes. Books filled shelves that lined one wall of the room. Several worn but comfortable-looking chairs were scattered in front of them. Two preschoolers were sprawled on throw rugs in front of the shelves. Several older children were browsing through books on higher shelves.
Two teenagers and an elderly woman sat in front of three of the ten computers lined up on a long table. Not wanting to disturb them, she joined Bill Evans, who was waiting in the hall.
“Nice,” she said.
“The center is all Eve’s doing. This building used to be a restaurant, and it stood here empty for nearly twenty years until Eve decided we needed a community center. She badgered the city council into making repairs with volunteer help.”
He led the way across the hall to a door and opened it. “This is our meeting room. We vets meet here every Monday night. You’re invited, of course.”
“Nate Rowland mentioned it,” Andy replied.
“You’ve met Nate? He’s a good guy. He’s the one who really started the Monday-night get-togethers. It’s helped a bunch of us, just talking about things we can’t talk to anyone else about. I hope you come. You’ll like everyone, and we need new blood. You play poker, by any chance?”
“I’ve been known to,” she replied modestly.
He eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then grinned. He rambled on, “We’re not the only ones who meet here. We just claim Monday night.”
Andy admired the room. Like the other one, it had an eccentric charm. Three elderly overstuffed sofas of varying colors and design were scattered throughout the room. An equally aged television sat in a corner. A battered bar ran along the back of the room with mismatched bar chairs. Card tables and folding chairs lined one of the walls.
“I like it,” she said. “It looks...comfortable.”
“Ah, a diplomat,” he said. “It’s all donated except for the folding chairs.”
“In an odd way, everything fits,” she said. Then she remembered why she was there. “And the museum, Mr. Evans?” she prompted.
“It’s Bill. I hope I can call you Andy.”
“I would like that,” she said.
“I should warn you about the museum. We’re just beginning to put it together. We’ve been spending the past several months asking for contributions. Not money, but letters, photos, old newspapers, vintage clothing. Right now it’s just scattered pieces of our history. I’ve been going through it, but I’m no curator. In fact, I’m just a volunteer who kinda hangs around here.”
“Are you doing the sorting?” Andy asked. She was getting a suspicious feeling about this museum.
“When I have time. The library and computers came first.”
“Okay,” she said, trying to determine his role. “You take care of the library and computers, the meeting room and now the...museum, and you’re a volunteer?”
Evans looked embarrassed. “I like keeping active. I sold the general store to my nephew last year. It was a huge mistake. I was used to being busy.” He shrugged. “Retirement isn’t all it’s made out to be. Within a month, I was driving my wife and myself crazy. So this is not exactly slave labor for me,” he said with a grin. “It’s just that one thing kinda leads to another, and before you know it you’re hooked like a fish. Eve does have a way about her. Watch yourself.” He led the way up a flight of stairs to a door at the top.
“I’m only going to be here for a short time,” she said.
“I’ve heard that from your predecessors at the cabin. They’re still here.”
Despite herself, Andy was curious. And also wary. “What did they get hooked on?” she asked carefully.
“Well...quite a few things, actually.”
Andy sighed. “Eve just wants a short brochure. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Right,” he said, but there was doubt in his voice as he unlocked the door and stood aside as she entered.
Newspaper-size bound volumes sat in a pile on a table. Other tables held scrapbooks and photo albums. Unopened boxes filled another table, with even more boxes tucked underneath. She glanced through several of them: menus from the ’20s, a bill promoting a traveling circus in 1888 and several wanted posters from around the same time. Another box was filled with school pictures that looked as if they went back as far as the late nineteenth century. A stack of high school yearbooks was in the corner.
Bill Evans looked embarrassed. “We...I...really haven’t had time to look at all of it.” He brightened. “We also have a fool’s-gold nugget, along with a real one and some mining equipment. A few diaries.”
“Any of it cataloged?”
“Afraid not.”
She looked around helplessly. This wasn’t a museum. It was a disaster. An earnest disaster, maybe, but a disaster nonetheless. It would take months to find anything and more months to get the museum in shape.
“You can spend as much time as you need here,” he said.
“Maybe I could talk to...a descendant of the founder of the town...Mr. Monroe?”
“You could do that,” he allowed.
She eyed him. “What’s wrong with that?”
“He’s a bit...difficult.”
“Eve didn’t mention that,” Andy said. She tried a different possibility. “Is there a newspaper in town?”
“Yep. There’s only one now, of course, but there’s been a number throughout the years. We have bound copies of some of the editions.”
“What about talking to the editor?”
“Well, the newspaper’s been around, but the editor hasn’t. He’s only been here two years. Inherited it, and doesn’t give a damn about it or the town. He would sell it in a New York second if he could find a buyer. It’s not a very good paper.”
That wasn’t encouraging. Andy liked newspapers. In fact, she’d been addicted to them. She’d had a really strong curiosity about almost everything, although it had been dormant for the past months. She hadn’t wanted to read or hear about the Middle East or any kind of violence. It came to her too often at night.
Then she remembered what Eve had said. A Scot and a Ute princess. Gold. She’d been intrigued by the story. It was obvious now, though, that writing it would probably be more difficult than the mayor implied. Now she understood what Bill meant by a hook...
It didn’t make any difference, though. Now that she had committed to at least taking a stab at putting something together for a brochure, she wanted to get started. It was time to stop hiding from the rest of the world. And to do that, she had to join it.
Prying into the town’s history seemed a safe way of doing it. Having no goal was like looking into an abyss. She owed Jared more than that. She owed the others more than that.
She had to live for them.
But it was so damned hard.
* * *
EVE GREETED HER husband with a huge hug. “I’ve missed you,” she said. Josh Manning bent his head to her upraised face, and their lips met. She wondered if the heat would ever cool between them, prayed that it wouldn’t.
“Hey, Josh.” Nick bounded out of his room, Amos beside him and the other dogs following him. “Amos was so excited to hear your Jeep.”
“Hi, champ, thanks for taking care of him,” Josh replied as Amos pressed between them and leaned against Josh’s legs, making little crying noises.
Josh knelt down and rubbed his fur. “Sorry, guy, but you were better off here for three days.”
“How did it go?” Eve asked.
He grinned. “I have acceptances from eight in the travel industry, including two newspapers, a business magazine, the tourism bureau, several travel agencies and a freelance writer who specializes in writing about Colorado for major travel publications. I have a couple more maybes.”
“What date?
“Eight weeks from today. Clint will be back then and can give us a hand.”
Josh was talking more, and faster, than since she’d had met him nearly a year ago.
“Clint’s with the police department now,” Eve reminded him.
“I know, Mayor. But it’s the weekend, and hopefully his boss will let him off for a day then.”
“It depends on whether we have a massive crime wave.”
He grinned and kissed her again. “Anything happen while I was gone?”
“The new resident of the cabin arrived.”
“Have you met her?”
“Today,” Eve said. “I like her.”
“You like everyone.”
“There’s a few exceptions.”
“Not very damn many. What is she like?”
“Quiet. Grieving. Do you know what happened...?”
“I didn’t ask and the shrink didn’t tell me. I got the impression, though, that whatever happened was pretty bad.”
She had to smile at his use of the word shrink. She knew who he meant, knew how much Josh respected Dr. Payne, but he would always be the shrink.
“She’s coming over for dinner tomorrow night,” Eve said. “I volunteered you to grill steaks. Clint will bring Stephanie. I’m debating about asking Nate.”
His face suddenly went serious. “He met her at the cabin, right?”
She nodded.
“Then, he’ll be a familiar face. Let’s ask him. Maybe he can drive her over.”
Eve stared at him. “You’re not thinking...?”
“Me? Hell, no,” he said. “You know the way I feel about interfering.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I seem to recall you nudging Clint and Steph together.”
“Your imagination. Now tell me more about Lieutenant Stuart.”
“She’s getting a fast indoctrination. She volunteered to write our history for the brochure. She’s going through the museum now.”
“Volunteered?”
Eve shrugged innocently. “She wanted to do something to pay for the cabin. We need a history written for your opening. It seemed...fortuitous, don’t you think?”
“Can she write?”
“I don’t know, but she said she keeps a journal and likes history. She really needed something to do. She’s lost, Josh. Really lost.”
Josh took her in his arms. “I love you, Eve Manning, you and that huge heart of yours.”
“Me, too,” Nick piped in.
Amos barked, and a chorus of sounds came from Nick’s four dogs.
CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_a3f95ceb-162f-5f73-8dba-f01e54368e38)
ANDY SPENT THE rest of the afternoon looking through boxes at the community center.
Bill Evans had brought a chair inside the “museum” after she started glancing through some of scrapbooks, then he disappeared, apparently in pursuit of other volunteer duties.
Joseph lay beside her, his head resting on his paws, his tail wagging occasionally, apparently to remind her that he was there. She didn’t have to be reminded. In a few short weeks he’d become her lifeline. She had someone to feed and water and take for walks. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed that.
She found twelve different newspapers that had apparently come and gone in the more than 150 years they documented. Some were little more than a single page. They were in chronological order but some years were missing. Still, it was like filing through snapshots of history.
The faded pages presented a glimpse of the town: the marriages, the births and the deaths. The marriage of a Nathan Rowland to Edna Redding caught her eye. The date on the newspaper was May 16, 1930. She counted back. He was probably Nate Rowland’s great-grandfather. The story was accompanied by a photo.
The Nate who had greeted her earlier in the day resembled the groom, except the latter sported a handsome mustache and looked uncomfortable in a black suit and white shirt with a stiff collar. The dark-haired bride was very pretty. Andy turned to another article. The country was deep in the Great Depression. There were rumors, denied, that the bank in the town would close. She suspected she would find out if it had.
Fascinated, she’d turned to the next issue when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked at her watch. Nearly six. She was amazed at how much time had passed.
“Hi, again” came a voice from behind her, and she whirled around. Nate Rowland stood in the doorway. “I hope I didn’t startle you,” he said. “You looked completely absorbed.”
“I was,” she said, feeling oddly as if she knew him better after reading the marriage announcement. “These...are fascinating.”
“You really think so?”
“Don’t you?”
He shrugged. “I grew up on this area’s history.” He knelt next to Joseph, who promptly turned on his back, baring his belly. Nate rubbed it as Joseph hummed with pleasure.
“He’s shameless,” Andy said. “And easy.”
Nate smiled, a slow twist of his lips that was surprisingly attractive. She found herself smiling back. She hadn’t really managed a real one for months, not until several days after she was introduced to Joseph. It was impossible not to respond to an animal that lived every day just to please you and intuit your every mood. It was also...difficult not to respond to Nate Rowland’s smile.
“You must be exhausted,” he said.
She shrugged. “I don’t sleep much.”
“I get that. I didn’t, either, when I returned from Iraq.”
She turned back to the newspaper and closed the bound volume. “It’s probably time for me to go back to the cabin and feed Joseph.”
“Bill had to leave. Something for his wife,” Nate said. “He asked me to close up for him and drive you home. He said you were so engrossed in the files, he didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“That was considerate of him,” Andy said, “and you, but I can walk home. Joseph and I need the exercise.”
“He thought you might want to take some of the material with you.”
Surprised, she blurted out her first thought. “I would think he, or the town, would want keep it under lock and key.”
“I don’t think he’s worried about you taking off with anything in here,” Nate said with that wry smile again. She was prepared for it this time.
She stood, stretched. She considered the newspapers she had been reading. It was either that or a book tonight, and she was becoming intrigued with Covenant Falls. It was the first time in months that she’d felt even a smidgen of interest in anything around her.
She was grateful for it, for anything that kept her mind from going back to Afghanistan. But if she took the bound newspapers home, she couldn’t hold Joseph’s leash. She would need a ride.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll take that ride.”
“Good. Can I carry that down for you?”
She hesitated, then nodded. The last thing she needed now was to fall down a flight of stairs.
He picked up the heavy, awkward book with ease. He waited for her and Joseph to lead the way down the stairs and he followed.
The building was empty. She waited as Nate locked up the building, then walked with her to his blue pickup.
“What time does it usually close?” she asked.
“Five on Friday. Seven the other weekdays so kids can do homework. Then it’s open Saturday from nine to five.”
“And it’s after six,” she said. “I didn’t realize...”
“Not to worry,” he said. “Bill saved me from doing some paperwork that’s on my desk. Now I can foist it on Josh.” He paused, then asked, “Have you had dinner?”
“No, but I had a late lunch with Eve Manning and there’s enough food in the fridge to feed an army.”
A light seemed to go on in his eyes. “Ah, now I understand,” he said.
“Understand what?”
“Why you’re here. Eve is behind this.”
“I like to pay my own way.”
“I get that, too,” he said as they went down the few steps to the ground. They reached his pickup and she wondered whether everyone in Covenant Falls drove a truck. The Bucket was definitely going to be out of place.
She opened the passenger door before he could reach it and climbed inside. Joseph hopped in and squeezed next to her, then she took the bound newspapers in her lap.
It was warm outside and it seemed to get warmer when Nate stepped inside. The sleeves of his blue shirt were rolled up, displaying bronze muscles. She hadn’t noticed that much this morning. She’d been tired and anxious to get inside and settled, at least as much as she could in a cabin that didn’t belong to her. She had worried every mile of her drive that some loud noise or headlight would send her back to Afghanistan and off the road.
But now she was running on adrenaline. The lunch with Eve Manning had given her something she very much needed: an immediate goal. She liked Bill Evans and thought he could be a friend. Maybe Nate, too, although she wanted absolutely nothing outside a casual friendship.
She leaned against the seat.
“What exactly does Eve want you to do?” Nate asked.
“A brochure about the town’s history,” she said.
Nate didn’t say anything, but then silences seemed to be a part of him.
A minute later they were in front of the cabin. He turned off the engine. “If you want to know the history, you should talk to Al Monroe.”
“Eve mentioned something about him, but Bill indicated he might be difficult.”
“He might. He might not,” Nate said. “But it’s worth a try.”
“Could you ask him?”
“I think you should do it yourself,” he said. “He respects strength and directness. And even if not, I’m the last person to ask him.”
“Why?”
“As far as he’s concerned, I’ve been wrong on every side of an issue in Covenant Falls.”
“That’s intriguing.” She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. Instead, he stepped down and went around to her side of the pickup and opened the door. He reached for the book, but she shook her head.
“I can take it from here,” she said.
His gaze met hers in the internal light of the pickup. His eyes were predominantly a golden brown but with shades of gray and green mixing with it. What was striking, though, was not the color. It was something she couldn’t define. It wasn’t kindness, but more of an empathy. She resented the hell out of sympathy, or pity or its like, but this was neither. I’ve been there. I know what you’re going through. I respect it.
She suddenly realized she was still sitting in the seat, holding the book as if it were a lifeline. Joseph barked as if to jar her into moving. She handed the bulky volume down to Nate. He took it, and she stepped out and followed him to the cabin. “I can take it now,” she said, but as she took it from him once they were inside, her bad hand failed her and the heavy volume started to fall. He caught it.
“Where would you like it?” he asked as if nothing at all had happened.
“The table, I think,” she said, biting her tongue in mortification.
He placed it down on the table, then he turned to her. “Think about contacting Al Monroe,” he said. “I think he would like you.”
“Why?”
“Because I think you have a hell of a lot of grit, and he respects that.” She was too stunned to reply. Grit? Not recently.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t know what the hell happened to you out there, but here you are, in a strange town, standing up tall and ready to take on a challenge because you’re not giving up.”
“But I was giving up,” she admitted honestly.
“Was doesn’t matter. Now is what matters. Just know we all have your back. Okay?”
He was willing her to believe it. She took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said.
He just nodded. “Call if you need anything, or just want to talk. You’ll be coming to the vet meeting Monday night?”
“You said they play poker?”
“Yeah. We’ve been known to do that.”
“You betcha, then.” False bravado, but it just popped out. She was as surprised as he looked.
He simply nodded, his eyes hooded. “Welcome to Covenant Falls,” he said as he headed for the door.
* * *
NATE’S THOUGHTS WERE in turmoil as he drove away from the cabin. He had not meant to say what he had said, nor do more than leave her at the door. The look on Andy’s face when she’d nearly dropped the heavy, bulky book had changed his mind.
She looked so fragile and yet she had the strength to plunge through whatever pain she had. She’d traveled to a strange place with a determination to reclaim her life. She had apparently grabbed at whatever Eve had offered.
Be careful! Women, particularly pretty ones with wide eyes and sad stories, were poison for him. It had taken him five years to claw back from the hell Maggie had put him through. The last thing he needed was any kind of involvement with a woman.
He would keep his distance. He had given her a challenge by mentioning Al Monroe. He suspected she couldn’t ignore it if she was the fighter he thought lurked within her. He’d done his part. He turned on the highway. He had other stops today.
CHAPTER SIX (#ulink_d7c4139c-3f46-504a-b937-4abbb68852c0)
ANDY WOKE TO sunlight streaming through the bedroom window. She felt a furry body next to her. It was the first full night’s sleep she’d had in months. No demons. No blood. Just a soft snoring.
Joseph opened one eye and peered at her, as if asking whether he could stay. She remembered her resolve three weeks ago. She wasn’t going to get too emotionally invested in the dog. It was a sound decision. It had lasted until the first nightmare, when he’d woken her, crawled up on the bed and let her cling to him.
Bright blue eyes regarded her solemnly now, and she couldn’t help but rub his ears. So much for not getting invested.
She looked at the clock on the stand next to her bed. Nearly seven. She rarely, if ever, slept that late, but then yesterday had been a very long day. She had gone nearly twenty-four hours without more than a nap yesterday morning.
Even after arriving back at the cabin, she’d looked through more of the papers.
One item had jumped out at her. The mention of a camel ordinance being defeated...
For a few hours she hadn’t thought of Jared, of her friends, of the hand that didn’t work very well.
She stretched out in the bed and thought about the day ahead of her.
Saturday. She was committed to dinner tonight. She wasn’t sure whether she was ready for it, but Eve Manning was a force of nature.
She rubbed Joseph’s fur, and he rewarded her with a sneak-attack kiss. As a nurse who had never had a dog before, she was appalled. But then, she reasoned, a lot of people apparently had canine companions and stayed healthy.
Joseph hadn’t attempted such an overt show of affection before. She apparently had passed the Joseph test.
“Time to get up,” she said. She was hungry. Appetite was something else that had been missing. She was actually hungry now. Dr. Payne would be proud. She might send him a text.
She went into the bathroom. The shower was great. She stayed there for a long time, washing her hair, then just reveling in the hot water. It was almost symbolic. Washing away some of the anger and hopelessness that had smothered her.
She stepped out. Joseph stood and wagged his tail. “Want to go out?” she asked.
The tail moved faster.
Andy went back in the bedroom and slipped into jeans and a T-shirt, then went to the back door and opened it. Joseph dashed out.
She stood there and watched as the dog explored the area in back, then did his business and returned. She had been afraid at first that he would run away, but in the two weeks she’d been with him, she’d learned how well he was trained. The word come would bring him immediately.
She prepared coffee. It was slow because she had to do nearly everything with one hand. Then she fried three eggs. One went into Joseph’s bowl along with dog food. Her two went on a plate with one of the sweet rolls Maude had provided with the cabin.
Andy carried her plate outside. She left the front door open for Joseph to join her.
The lake was visible through the trees. The scent of pines perfumed the air. A few wildflowers peeked up out of the ground.
Her thoughts turned to Nate Rowland. Grit. Just his saying the word helped her battered self-image. Grit was something she needed, something she respected, something she’d once relished and in the past months had lost.
Or maybe she hadn’t.
She hadn’t been a victim in his eyes. She was a person with grit, and that was a gift.
So was a purpose. There were interesting tidbits in the newspapers but very little about the beginnings of the town, and that had been the carrot Eve had offered. Traders. American Indians. Gold. That was the core, the mother lode.
She picked up the plate and coffee cup and went inside, placed them in the sink and looked at her watch. It was a little after eight. She washed the dishes, put them away, then called Eve.
After the preliminaries, she got to the point. “You and Nate mentioned Al Monroe, that he might have original journals from 1850. I would very much like to read them. Question is, how do I approach Mr. Monroe?”
“Quite honestly, I think if you called, he would say no,” Eve said. “He’s had a couple of tragedies these past few years, and he’s retreated from nearly everyone. But he’s very proud of his family roots. We’ll talk about it tonight.”
“You think he would approve of me writing a short history of the town?”
“I never know with Al. I’m not one of his favorite people, but he surprises me at times. He was a curmudgeon on the town council, but under a gruff exterior he really cares about Covenant Falls.”
Andy digested that answer. It raised several questions. And suspicions. She didn’t like being manipulated, either for her own good or for someone else’s.
But despite any misgivings, she was hooked. One of her character flaws was an obsession to finish whatever she started. “What time tonight?” she asked.
“Around six,” Eve said. “Oh, I asked Nate to come as well, since you’ve already met him. If it’s okay, he’ll pick you up. Josh will be working his magic with steaks, and we’re a bit hard to find.”
“It’s fine,” Andy said and with a goodbye hung up. She stood there for a moment. It wasn’t fine at all. Nate was being thrown at her, and she resented it. He probably did, too. He had been helpful last night, but the last thing she wanted, or needed, was a matchmaker hovering around. Damn.
* * *
NATE AND JOSH spent Saturday-morning meeting with the newly hired manager for the Covenant Falls Inn. The daughter of one of his mother’s friends, Susan Hall, had been a hotel manager in Las Vegas—not for one of the huge luxury hotels, but a small boutique hotel.
She was recently divorced and had been looking for a job far away from the ex-husband when her mother had heard about the opening for a manager. Susan was hired after the first interview.
“It may not be permanent,” Nate had warned. “We’re all out on a limb here.”
“It doesn’t matter. Right now, it’s a godsend.”
“You can hire the rest of the staff,” Nate said. “Let us know what you need and recommended salaries.”
“We’ll start off slow until we know about the market,” she said. “I can fill several positions. We’ll need a night manager. I’ll take care of the day desk.”
“We’ll need a cook,” Nate said.
“A chef,” Josh said with a wry smile.
“A cook,” Nate insisted.
Susan laughed. “Maybe we could get Maude.”
“Hell, no,” Nate said. “The town would drive us out on a rail. But we have other great cooks in town. We start out using home talent. Mrs. Byars, for instance, could provide brownies for each room, and Ethel Jones is a great cook. She’s widowed and could use money. We could hire a young person to help her while getting training.”
“I like it,” Josh said. “The whole idea is to bring jobs to the town.”
“I’ll talk to Mrs. Jones,” Nate said. “I have better diplomatic skills than Josh.”
“I resent that,” Josh said. “Eve says I’m one hundred percent improved.”
Nate rolled his eyes. “One hundred percent of zero is still zero.”
Susan laughed. “I think I’m going to like this job.” She looked down at the dog sitting next to Josh. “I take it the inn will be animal friendly.”
“Yep,” Josh said.
“Take a hard look throughout the property, Susan,” Nate said. “See if there’s anything we missed or that we need. We used every wholesale and going-out-of-business company in the country. Call me or Josh anytime with a problem. I’ll take the easy ones, and he, as president of this budding firm, will take the hard ones.”
“When do we open?”
“We have an informal opening in seven weeks. We’ve invited a number of travel agents and tourist information people. We have about eight couples who have accepted. I would like to open to the public shortly after that. As soon as you think we’re ready, we’ll put out news releases saying we’re open.”
“I have contacts with travel magazines and websites,” Susan said. “I’ll get in touch.” She hesitated, then said, “You don’t have the sign yet.”
“No.”
“You might want to think about the name. Something chic and catchy.”
“The Covenant Falls Inn isn’t chic and catchy?” Nate asked.
“Truthfully?” Susan answered.
“We’ll think about it,” Josh said. “We haven’t confirmed the design yet with the sign company.” Josh stood, ending the meeting. “We’re really happy to have you,” Josh said to Susan.
“Not nearly as happy as I am to be here. We’ll make it work,” she replied.
Nate and Josh walked out together. “She might just do that,” Josh said.
“I like your enthusiasm,” Nate replied drily.
“I hear you’re coming to dinner tonight.”
“All Eve has to say is ‘steaks.’”
“I also hear Eve conned you into meeting our new arrival.”
“Yep.”
“That tells me a lot,” Josh said.
“She’s like most of us when we got back. There’s a lot of pain there.”
“You liked her.”
“She’s nice enough. Obviously hurting. But don’t you or Eve even think of matchmaking. She’s certainly not ready, and neither am I.”
“I would never harbor the thought,” Josh said. “A confirmed bachelor is a confirmed bachelor.” He smirked.
“I mean it,” Nate said.
“I know you’ve been avoiding every woman in town and something bad went down. You don’t talk much about personal things, my friend.”
“Not just bad. I was an idiot. I fell for a pair of blue eyes and a sad story. I thought I could fix things. I discovered I’m not worth a damn in fixing broken things. I married for the wrong reason and to do the right thing, and it exploded on me. My ex-wife had totally different motives, including another guy. I ended up losing my career as well as everything I had saved.”
Josh knew the results. Nate had returned to Covenant Falls two years ago. He’d worked at every construction job he could find. It was how they’d met—Josh had needed help installing a new floor and hired Nate. He found a talented craftsman with three years toward an architecture degree in addition to eight years in the army.
Nate had shared stories about his time in Iraq but not the years afterward. Josh had never asked and never would, but he knew Nate carried a load of hurt. He’d just had a glimpse of how heavy it was.
Josh gave him a searching look, then nodded. “Eve is going to ask you to pick her up tonight. She and I will be cooking, and Andy doesn’t know Clint or Stephanie. Do that, and I’ll tell—ah, ask—her to refrain from asking anything else. Okay?”
Nate nodded. “Deal.”
They separated, Nate going to his truck and Josh, Amos at his side, to his Jeep.
* * *
ANDY WAS RESTLESS. She’d finished the last few issues of the bound newspapers. She had scrawled a couple of notes of dates and events she thought might be important.
She wanted to know more about the Monroe family. If she was going to talk to the man, or even try to, she needed as much information as she could find. She decided to drive to the community center, return the volume she had and look at more recent newspapers.
She drove the Bucket, since she had the newspapers with her. Bill Evans wasn’t there, but a Mrs. Wilson was.
“Bill told me you might be showing up. I’m real glad to meet you. My husband is Calvin Wilson. He and my son run the hardware store. You need anything—a replacement lightbulb, anything at all—you call them. They would be real proud to help.”
The real proud reminded Andy of home. It sounded like her mother. It also reminded her she needed to call her mother, make sure everything was all right and let her know where she was. She had made duty calls once a week, but she knew they had been more worrying than comforting. She had repeatedly refused to go home to heal. She didn’t want to add another burden to a family that already had more than they should have to handle.
“You need anything, you just call me,” Mrs. Wilson said. “There’s usually coffee in the club room.”
“Thank you. I might try that.” After Mrs. Wilson left, Andy looked through the stacks of bound newspapers and picked up one that covered the years 2005 through this year. Someone, probably Bill Evans, had conscientiously added each newspaper.
After flipping through them, she understood exactly what Bill Evans had meant when he’d dismissed The Covenant Falls Herald as a serious newspaper. The editions were little more than a collection of gossip, dry recounts of city council meetings and legal ads. She flipped through them until she came to a headline—Councilman Monroe Resigns After Arrest of Nephew.
She read the article. Al Monroe, chairman of the city council, had resigned when his nephew was arrested for kidnapping. Her interest boiled over when she read that the victim had been the mayor’s son, who was rescued by the mayor’s current husband and her husband’s dog, Amos.
Maybe Covenant Falls wasn’t quite as tranquil as she’d thought, and now she understood, at least in part, why the mayor indicated she wasn’t exactly the councilman’s favorite person. And maybe, just maybe, why she wanted an outsider to write—attempt to write—the history of the town.
Strangely enough, it deepened her interest. She had been intrigued before, but now her thoughts were going at warp speed.
She turned to the next week’s news. Nothing much of interest.
The nephew was being held for trial. Al Monroe disappeared from the papers.
She kept turning the pages. The wedding, four months later, of Josh and Eve Manning. Then the arrival of chopper pilot Clint Morgan last fall was duly reported.
Andy closed the paper. This was getting her nowhere. She wanted to go farther back. She wanted to know Covenant Falls when it was little more than a trading post.
She checked the other bound volumes of papers, but none went back farther than 1919, unless there were scattered editions in the pile of boxes lining the room.
Then she found what she was searching for: a box marked “Early Years.”
She wished she had a computer. She hadn’t bothered with one in the hospital or the months of recuperation. The purchase of a cell phone after her release from the hospital had been a big deal.
Note to self—laptop computer. It would take a bite out of what little money she had, but it was necessary. Not only for this task but for day-to-day living now that she’d decided to be a functioning person again. She opened a box and started prowling through it.
CHAPTER SEVEN (#ulink_79853d64-e840-5f61-8648-b5a540222a41)
WHAT DO YOU wear when meeting your landlord and a bunch of strangers while dining at the house of the mayor?
Eve had said it was casual. But there was casual, and then there was more casual. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much of a choice. Her wardrobe was limited, and that was an understatement. Her predeployment clothes had been much too large by the time she left the hospital, and she hadn’t had the heart, desire or reason to buy more than basic necessities.
That translated into three pairs of jeans, one pair of black pants, two sweaters, three T-shirts and several shirts, including two pullovers. Her choice of footwear was a pair of lace-up walking shoes, a pair of sandals and one pair of well-worn loafers.
She chose the best pair of jeans and a blue-gray shirt with long sleeves. After running a brush through her hair, she added a touch of lipstick, then stared at herself in the mirror. Really looked for the first time in months. Her hair needed a cut. Badly. She was thin, too thin. Her cheeks were hollow.
Joseph watched every movement, following her from room to room as if afraid someone would snatch her.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You can come with me.”
The doorbell rang. Joseph barked. “It’s a bit late for that,” she told Joseph. “You’re supposed to bark before the bell rings.” She hurried to the door and opened it. Nate stood there, a rueful smile on his lips.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m really not stalking you.”
“Are you sure?” she asked with a slight smile.
“Nope, I swear. Eve will vouch for me.”
He wore jeans and a casual blue pullover cotton shirt with short sleeves that showed off muscled arms and a fit body. A shock of unruly chestnut hair fell over his forehead.
“Tell me about the other people at the dinner.”
“Josh is a former loner who finds himself surrounded by people and animals and can’t quite figure out how it happened. Clint is the opposite. He’s never met a stranger and could charm a rattler. Clint likes to tease Josh about his current zoo and a wife with a finger in a hundred pies.”
“And you enjoy standing back and enjoying it.”
“Guilty. But then Stephanie and Clint are interesting, too. Clint’s the outgoing one, and Stephanie is all practicality.”
“Should make for an interesting evening.” Andy turned to Joseph. “Let’s go.” Then she glanced back at Nate. “Eve said it was okay to bring him.”
“I would be shocked if he wasn’t invited,” Nate replied as Joseph picked up his leash and brought it to her.
“Eve will be impressed,” Nate said as he opened the door for her, then the screen porch. “Her dogs never do that.”
She’d expected the pickup but instead he led her to a middle-aged Buick sedan. “My mom’s car,” he said. “I thought it would be more comfortable.”
“She lives here?”
“It’s one reason I came back. She’s getting older.” A shadow crossed his face and she realized there was probably more to the story. But she knew better than to probe. She didn’t want anyone to probe into her life.
Once they were on the road, he turned to her. “Everyone who’ll be there tonight is good people. Really good people. They’ll understand if you need to walk away. Just nod at me, and we’ll leave. Okay?”
She swallowed hard. He understands. She hadn’t been around more than a few people since...waking up. She’d refused group therapy. No way could she talk about what happened.
“Thank you,” she finally said.
He turned on some jazz in the car and they rode in silence.
Nate drove to a parking area in front of a one-story ranch house. A screened-in porch, much like her own, stretched across the front. A boy—maybe ten or so—opened the door and approached the car. He waited as Andy stepped out of the car.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hello to you,” she said with a smile.
“I’m Nick. Mom told me to bring you inside. She said you might have a dog. I have four. They’re inside because Mom says they can be too much for a visitor.” He hadn’t taken a breath between all the sentences.
“I think I can handle a few dogs,” she said. “And I do have one in the car. Would you like to meet him?”
Nick nodded eagerly.
Nate had walked around the car, and he opened the back door.
Joseph jumped down and stood protectively next to Andy.
“Can I pet him?” Nick asked.
“I think he would like that.”
“What’s his name?”
“Joseph.”
Nick knelt and rubbed Joseph’s ears. “He’s a fine dog,” he said.
“Every dog is a fine dog to Nick,” Eve said as she walked up. “Welcome. The guys are around at the grill in back. Would you like to come in and have a glass of wine before joining them?”
Andy nodded. “Sounds good.” She followed Eve inside while Nate strode behind the house. Joseph was at her heels, and Nick at his.
She stepped inside the porch. “Looks familiar,” she said.
“Josh built the one at the cabin and liked it so much he added this one after we were married. He’s great with his hands.”
They went inside to the kitchen. Eve poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to her. “Bill Evans said you stayed at the museum until late.”
“You piqued my interest,” Andy replied.
“Good.”
“But there was nothing about American Indians and gold mines and Scottish traders.”
“I have to admit we have a lot of work to do on the museum, but you’ll find bits and pieces of the history. Some exaggerated, some not. Gold was found in the mountains around us, but no one found the amounts discovered farther north. As for the natives, the Utes lived in this area until they were moved west and were mortal enemies of the Apaches, who wandered this way occasionally.”
“And the trader? Angus. I didn’t see much about him.”
“You’ll find it as you delve into it.”
“The journals you mentioned? Am I going into a minefield?” Andy asked.
Eve looked startled, then she smiled. “You’re direct. I like that.” She took a sip from her glass. “A little history will probably help,” she said. “I was city clerk before running for mayor. The former mayor did very little to nothing, which made Al Monroe happy.
“After my husband died,” she continued, “I was at a loss. The mayor decided not to run again, but I’d really been doing his job. My father-in-law urged me to run and, on a dare, I did. No one was more surprised than me when I defeated Al’s chosen candidate. We were at loggerheads for the next three years. He made it nearly impossible for any businesses to move here while I watched all the young people leave town.”
Interest stirred in Andy. “I saw in the local newspaper he’d resigned from the council?”
“His nephew, Sam, was on the police force. He wanted to be chief, and I was opposed to it. So Sam decided to make a name for himself. He committed some petty burglaries and tried to frame Josh, the newcomer to Covenant Falls.”
Andy was feeling more at ease as Eve talked. She didn’t seem to be holding anything back.
“When Josh first arrived, he was in pretty bad shape. He was rude to everyone and stayed to himself. He was the perfect foil.”
“Obviously not,” Andy said wryly, “since you married him, you’re still mayor and the ex-commissioner is nursing his wounds.”
Eve grinned at her. “Obviously not,” she agreed. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. Sam kidnapped my son. Josh and his dog, Amos, found him.”
“Where is the nephew now?”
“In jail. He pleaded guilty and received a short sentence, but Al felt he had to resign from the commission. He apologized, which I think was very difficult for him to do, and retreated from everything but his business. He owns the real estate and insurance companies, along with an interest in the bank, which has a branch in his offices.”
“And he harbors bad feelings toward you?”
“Against the whole town, I think. It elected me mayor twice, and he feels it was a repudiation of him. It wasn’t. They’re just scared the town is dying.”
“And you’re sending me into the lion’s den?”
“Nothing as dramatic as that. Thing is, I like him. He’s had a lot of tragedies. His wife couldn’t have children and she’s been ill. She pretty much dropped out of everything. His only other family was a sister, but she and her husband died in a car crash. Al raised their boy, Sam. Spoiled him. The whole kidnapping thing destroyed him.”
Sympathy surged through Andy. She knew loss all too well.
And she suddenly realized why Eve had asked her to write the history. “Were you going to ask me to do this before you met me?”
“No.”
“You think Al Monroe and I would be good for each other?”
Eve sighed. “You’re too perceptive. I won’t lie to you. I had that thought. Not romantically, of course. He’s happily married. But he needs something...”
“You baited me neatly.” Andy couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice. She’d liked Eve, but she didn’t like being used.
“No. The town really does need a history. Al does have his supporters. The town is divided, and neither side trusts the other. That’s why I thought an outsider would be a good idea. After I met you, I sensed that you might get through to Al. I don’t know why.”
It was an apology of sorts, and even an implied compliment. Her resentment faded away. “Has anyone seen the journals?” she asked.
Eve shook her head. “His nephew bragged about having seen journals, but when I asked Al about them, he was very non-committal.”
“Maybe there’s something in them that he doesn’t want someone to see,” Andy surmised.
“After a hundred and fifty years?” Eve said.
“Or,” Andy said, “maybe they don’t even exist.”
“That could be true, too,” Eve said, “but he’s never denied their existence. I think he’s just proud and stubborn.”
Another voice broke in. “Are you ever going to bring Lieutenant Stuart out to meet the crew?”
Andy turned. Josh Manning—it must be Josh Manning—filled the doorway into the kitchen. He was tall, solidly built with tawny hair and emerald green eyes.
“Hello,” he said to her. “Welcome to Covenant Falls. I’m Josh, and I’ve come to save you from my wife.”
“Hi. I understand you’re my landlord. Thank you.”
“Thank my buddy. He left the cabin to me. It’s what he would have wanted.” His green eyes clouded over for a split second, then cleared. “I hope you’re comfortable.”
“It’s very nice. I took a walk up your mountain yesterday.”
“I did that on a regular basis. It usually cleared my head.” He peered down at Joseph. “Who is this?”
“Joseph.”
Her host leaned down. “He’s a handsome fellow. Okay to pet him?”
“Sure. He loves attention,” she said, suddenly at ease with Josh as he leaned down and rubbed Joseph’s ears.
“Come and meet my particular savior,” he said. “Or one of them.” He led the way outside, where a dog resembling a German shepherd stood at the step. “This is Amos, a Belgian Malinois,” he said. “He was a military dog before he became my best buddy.”
The two dogs, Amos and Joseph, looked at each other, sniffed each other thoroughly, then wagged their tails before retreating to their humans.
Andy took several steps down to a large patio, and Josh guided her over to a man and woman who were drinking long-necked beers. “The lady is Stephanie, veterinarian superb,” Josh said, “and the loafer is Clint Morgan, chopper pilot, police-chief-to-be and your predecessor at the cabin.”
Stephanie smiled. “Welcome,” she said. A striking redhead, she was nearly as tall as Clint. She eyed Joseph. “Shelties are great dogs. Where did you find him?”
Andy hesitated. She really hated to admit she’d needed help.
But then she shrugged. “A group specializing in matching dogs with veterans. A psychologist at the hospital arranged it.”
“How long have you had him?” Stephanie asked.
“About three weeks.”
“He’s obviously well trained. He doesn’t take his eyes off you.”
“We’re getting used to each other. I thought there would be other dogs here.”
“We tried to restrain ourselves tonight,” Stephanie said with a big grin. “I have two at home. Clint has one. Josh has Amos, and Eve has four rescues. We thought to keep your first visit relatively peaceful. We didn’t want you to run back to Texas on your second day.”
“Sit,” Josh said. “I’m putting steaks on the grill. How do you like yours?”
“Medium.” She put her drink on a table and sank down into one of the lounge chairs. She looked at Stephanie. “Are you a native of Covenant Falls?”
“I’ve been here a little more than five years,” she said. “I’m one of the newcomers. If I had been here twenty years, I would still be a newcomer, but that’s okay. We’re not too discriminated against.”
Andy decided she needed a longer conversation with Eve about Covenant Falls politics and, more specifically, about Al Monroe, but this was not the time or place.
Andy sipped her glass of wine. She drank very little since her return to the States. Her medications had narrowed to two, one for panic attacks and the other for insomnia. She hadn’t used those in several days, but she was still cautious about alcohol.
The sun was going down, and vivid scarlet, pink and coral ribbons crossed the sky and blessed the mountain.
Nate returned and Andy looked at the three men—Nate, Clint and Josh—around her. They had served, probably survived horrors as she had. But she still felt apart from them. They seemed at ease, living in the moment. Talking about events that had nothing to do with her. The shadows inside were still too strong, the memories too recent.
She saw the affectionate banter and touches between Josh and Eve, and Clint and Stephanie, and she resented them. She shouldn’t. They were going out of the way to make her feel at home, but...dammit, she did. That anger and resentment she’d felt the morning she saw the couple in the hospital returned.
“Andy?” Nate walked over to her chair. “Why don’t we walk to the corral? The horses are out.”
Gratitude filled her. He had sensed her discomfort. She nodded and stood, the brace on her left hand hitting the table beside her and knocking the glass over. It exploded like a shot, and the wine splashed up on Nate’s clothes and began to spread. A red stain spreading...spreading...
White lights. Shots. Screams. Her screams. More shots. Pain. The mountains faded into the field operating room. Blood was everywhere. “No,” she heard herself screaming. Jared stepped in front of her and... God, no... Jared! Jared! Don’t...
She was only vaguely aware of someone touching her, talking to her, but she couldn’t understand the words. A loud bark, a warm furry body pressing against her...
She felt herself being lowered to a sitting position. Images still darted in and out of her brain. The man with the gun... Her friend...
She couldn’t breathe. Then she felt arms going around her and carrying her. Strong. Like Jared. He isn’t dead!
“Andy. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Breathe,” the voice commanded. It isn’t Jared. Despair flooded her.
“Breathe, dammit.” The voice was louder, too strong to resist.
Air rushed in, then out.
“Andy?” The voice was gentle now, even tender. “You’re safe now.” Something wet licked her face. A furry body tried to crawl up on her. She grabbed him, held him close as the images started to fade away in a fog.
She was aware, barely, that fingers were taking her pulse, then her blood pressure. She knew her pulse was racing, and her blood pressure was probably sky-high. Her eyes were wet. Sore.
She was inside a room. Not a tent. Joseph was madly licking her hands. She saw Nate’s face then. Worried. His hands were busy taking her blood pressure.
Stephanie was by her side, holding a glass of water. “Hey. Glad to have you back with us,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Take a sip of water.”
Andy did as she was told. “I’m so sorry,” she said after a swallow. “I don’t know...” But she did know, and she felt humiliated beyond words.
“No apologies necessary,” Stephanie said.
“Damn right,” Nate said. “I’ve been there. So has Josh.”
“I shouldn’t have come...” She remembered the steaks then. Probably burned by now. She didn’t care for herself. She wasn’t hungry. She felt sick. And incredibly tired.
“Anything I can get you?” Stephanie asked.
She shook her head. All she wanted to do was flee, but she didn’t want to ruin everyone’s evening, and that was what would happen if she left now. She had to stop running, no matter how much she wanted to at this minute.
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Patricia Potter
One brave step at a timeLieutenant Andrea Stuart survived the warzone attack that took her fiancé. A therapy dog and a cabin in Covenant Falls are all the risks the former military nurse is willing to take anymore. But as Andy’s drawn into writing the history of the small town, she’s also drawn to Nate Rowland.As rugged as he is jaded, Nate’s committed to helping fellow veterans—and avoiding a new relationship. Keeping her distance might be smart, but it’s hard to stay away when Andy sees that Nate has a few scars of his own. Together they might find a path toward healing…and so much more.
One brave step at a time
Lieutenant Andrea Stuart survived the war-zone attack that took her fiancé. A therapy dog and a cabin in Covenant Falls are all the risks the former military nurse is willing to take anymore. But as Andy’s drawn into writing the history of the small town, she’s also drawn to Nate Rowland.
As rugged as he is jaded, Nate’s committed to helping fellow veterans—and avoiding a new relationship. Keeping her distance might be smart, but it’s hard to stay away when Andy sees that Nate has a few scars of his own. Together they might find a path toward healing...and so much more.
“You’re so pretty.”
“You’re not bad, either,” Andy admitted in a wry voice.
Nate chuckled. “You’re not very good at compliments, are you?”
“I’ve been told that.”
He realized they were standing there, lost in each other’s gazes, and making ridiculous small talk when her eyes were saying something else, and he imagined his were doing the same.
He reached out and took her right hand in his. Her fingers were soft although he felt the strength in them. They would have to be strong and supple and efficient to work in an army hospital, especially a forward base. Casualties often came in multiples, and they were usually critical.
Then he took her left one. The fingers were stiff and barely managed to curl slightly along his. His fingers rubbed the long scar on the back of her hand. She tried to pull away, but he pulled her hand up to his lips.
“It’s ugly,” she said.
“I think it’s beautiful. Just like everything about you.”
Dear Reader (#ulink_6f325c7e-8996-5c8b-bf41-4f2de093783d),
I am so delighted to return to magical Covenant Falls, where wounded veterans find a future again with the help of bighearted townspeople and what must be a cupid flying around a certain cabin. That cupid often comes disguised as a dog, in this story an Australian shepherd named Joseph.
I had not intended a miniseries when I wrote my first Home to Covenant Falls book, but the characters in that book wouldn’t leave me alone. They wanted their own stories and happy-ever-afters.
In this instance, Nate was flagging me down. He wasn’t aware of doing it. After a particularly bad marriage, he has sworn off romance. He doesn’t believe in it, even if his two close friends have fallen off the happy bachelorhood wagon. He does not intend to be the next, even when the incoming vet turns out to be a very pretty army nurse haunted by being the only survivor of a terrorist attack that killed her surgical team, including her fiancé.
As in previous cases, it takes a town to heal wounded hearts, this time with the assistance of two wayward camels.
Enjoy!
Patricia Potter
A Soldier’s Journey
Patricia Potter
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
PATRICIA POTTER is a bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty books. Her Western romances and romantic suspense novels have received numerous awards, including RT Book Reviews’ Storyteller of the Year, its Career Achievement award for Western Historical Romance and Best Hero of the Year. She is a seven-time RITA® Award finalist for RWA and a three-time MAGGIE® Award winner. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America. Patricia is also a passionate animal lover, which is reflected in many of her books but never more so than in her Home to Covenant Falls miniseries. She believes curiosity is the most important trait of any writer, and she’s often led far astray when researching a subject.
Dedicated to Piya Campana, my editor, who seems to know magical ways of her own to bring out the best of every book.
Contents
Cover (#u5344a234-6643-543a-b4d7-261fb0e07c3d)
Back Cover Text (#u222ac76d-34a7-5e21-9a24-d0b40d202b04)
Introduction (#u6f01452e-9b1c-537b-921e-1bc9ee1550f9)
Dear Reader (#u42b9a7f5-14cf-5fe4-a5f3-8cdddc64e375)
Title Page (#u1fa416bf-1e50-5697-83e9-acf501922d2b)
About the Author (#u6a1d359a-8628-5fdf-9977-f8dacdc0bff9)
Dedication (#u22759334-bf50-52cd-b324-77dcf095f3e0)
CHAPTER ONE (#uaed06a66-1d4f-5b13-8064-34ae70ad867f)
CHAPTER TWO (#uc601ab03-b9de-5124-9b04-51b2b52cbfc0)
CHAPTER THREE (#u8b0efccc-5497-5015-9ee1-86167bd994ea)
CHAPTER FOUR (#ue861a520-5a53-504d-aedf-f7371348f4d9)
CHAPTER FIVE (#ud4cfa6c2-6708-54fa-96f2-792ebadcd496)
CHAPTER SIX (#u67cae67b-6b3d-5c71-a16e-c14e3c2d21b1)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#ub1743cb2-08b5-5d5d-9845-d223b59b8f8c)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_e57a2b14-cf03-5194-9fbc-104ee8ce4737)
HER HEART POUNDED so fast Lieutenant Andy Stuart thought it would burst from her body as she stopped suddenly in the hall of the military hospital.
It couldn’t be, but still, she stared at a doctor and nurse whispering to each other in a corner.
Jared. It was Jared. Jared and herself. Joy surged through her. Jared wasn’t dead. He wasn’t dead! His face. Her face. Together.
She was transfixed. Then the couple moved and Jared’s face dissolved into an older, wider face. The woman...
No. Come back.
Confusion filled her and she started to shake.
A nurse approached. “Is anything wrong?”
Yes. Everything. She shook her head.
“Can I help you find someone?”
“No... I know where...” Andy stopped. How could she explain seeing her dead fiancé? How could she explain the joy, then the anger replacing it? It should have been Jared and me.
Trembling, she watched as the couple disappeared down the hall. Anger swept through her. Anger at Jared. Anger at the world in which two people whispered together and lived.
“Let me help you,” the nurse tried again. “Where are you going?”
Andy directed that fury at the nurse. “It’s none of your business,” she said and was immediately appalled at herself. She was never rude, particularly to someone who was trying to help. Never until the past seven months.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” she said, then took off for Dr. Payne’s office. How could she have thought she saw Jared?
She burst into the reception area, past the receptionist and into his private office. He looked up from his desk, a question in his eyes. She placed herself directly in front of him. “I saw him. I saw Jared. And myself. But it wasn’t us. It was strangers, but they had our faces. How could that be?” She was shaking.
Andy hadn’t bothered closing the door as she stormed inside. Anger and confusion were too strong.
Dr. Robert Payne calmly got up and closed the door, then sat back down in his chair. “About time,” he said.
She stared at him as if he were the crazy one. “A couple,” she said. “A nurse and doctor. Whispering to each other in a corner. For a second I thought it was Jared...and me. And then I looked again, and they were strangers. I was so angry. I am angry. So damned angry.” She wasn’t making sense. She knew she wasn’t making sense, but she couldn’t stop.
Dr. Payne leaned forward. “What you saw isn’t that unusual with people who have lost someone they love. Especially given the circumstances.”
He paused, then added, “I’ve been waiting for that anger,” he said gently.
Andy paced the floor. “I don’t understand.”
“You’ve bottled it all up. You haven’t let yourself feel anything. You’ve just been drifting, indifferent to everything.”
“So wanting to hit two innocent people is healthy?”
“You didn’t do it, did you?”
“No, but I wanted to.”
“It’s normal, Andy. It’s normal getting angry when you see a happy couple. It’s something you expected to be. And it was torn away from you in the worst possible way. It’s okay to be angry. It’s good, even. Better than stifling those feelings to the point of not being able to function.”
“I’ve been functioning,” Andy said defensively.
He just looked at her.
“Have you found a job yet?”
“Cash register and waitress at a coffee shop. Just two days a week, but it helps pay for my part of an apartment.”
“What about nursing?”
She shrugged. “Who wants to hire someone who hears a noise and drops to the ground screaming? Wouldn’t instill much confidence in patients. Not to mention a bum hand. I can operate the cash machine and take orders, but I can’t carry heavy trays.”
“There’s a lot of fields in nursing where you can work.”
She looked at him with hostile eyes. “Doc, I really don’t think I can do that.” Dammit, he knew why. He knew all the reasons. He knew everything about her. Well, practically everything, after two visits a week for the past six months, including two months while having surgeries and later as an outpatient for PTSD.
“We’re getting pressured to let you go now that your medical discharge has gone through. You’ll transfer to the Veterans Administration.”
“I’m losing you?”
“I thought you didn’t like me.”
“I didn’t like where you made me go.”
“Today is important, Andy. I’m not saying tomorrow is going to be easier. What happened today will happen again. You’ll see someone who reminds you of Jared. The anger will come flooding back. But it’s the beginning of taking your life back.”
She looked doubtful.
“Have you cried yet?” The question came out of nowhere. Or maybe not. He’d asked it a month ago.
She thought about lying, but what the hell. “No,” she said. It was unnatural. She knew it, but she hurt too much for tears.
“You can only keep them inside so long,” he said.
She only nodded.
He sat there studying her. “I have a proposal for you,” he finally said.
“What?” she said suspiciously.
“I wouldn’t have suggested it yesterday. You weren’t ready. You still might not be, but given the circumstances I think it’s worth a try.”
She waited.
“There’s a cabin in a small town in Colorado that’s available,” he said slowly, and she knew he was carefully choosing his words. “It belongs to a veteran who recently married. It was passed to another vet who no longer needs it. The town has a large number of veterans, and they look after each other.”
She hated his calm, reasoning tone. She didn’t want reason. She wanted to turn back the clock to a time before her world had fallen apart. And she didn’t want to go to someone else’s cabin.
Andy knew she didn’t have many choices. She had worn out her welcome at the military hospital. She couldn’t go home. She didn’t want to take her grief and anger there or be a burden on her family back home. Jobs were rare, if not nonexistent, in a dying coal town, especially for a surgical nurse who would start trembling uncontrollably at loud noises and who had a hand that didn’t work. Never mind the nightmares that made a night’s sleep rare.
She should be married now, making a home with the man she loved with all her heart, maybe even beginning a baby they both wanted. That dream was gone, and there was precious little left.
But charity...
A Stuart didn’t take charity. Never had, no matter how bad the times, and they had been bad most of her life. She never wanted to live in a small town again. She’d felt trapped as a child and later as a teenager. She’d been different. A nerd in a town where half the kids didn’t finish high school and most went into the mines, and, if they didn’t, they left as fast as they could hitch a ride out of town.
Her out had been the ROTC and a ROTC scholarship for a nursing degree. She was the first and only member of her family to go to college, much less obtain a four-year degree. The price had been ten years in the army, much of it in Iraq and Afghanistan field hospitals.
And now...now there was nothing. She’d sent most of her salary home to her mother and youngest sister in West Virginia. It would be a while, apparently a long while, before she received back pay and disability from the army. The backlog was as much as two years long. She was, in effect, the next thing to being dead broke.
“I don’t want charity,” she said again.
“It’s not charity,” he said, leaning across the desk. “You might say it’s meant as a way station for returning vets while they find their legs. It sits alongside a lake fed by the mountain streams, and there’s a large number of supportive vets, some of whom have gone through much the same thing you’re going through now.”
He paused, then added, “As for charity, you’ll probably be asked, but not required, to do something connected to the town. The last vet taught computer classes for senior citizens.”
“Where is he now?”
“He joined the police department there. He’s being groomed for chief.”
“What was he?” she asked, curious despite herself.
“A chopper pilot. Suffered a head injury that kept him from flying again. I have to say that he had the same reaction as you have but decided to try it. He’s very happy that he did. He said you could call him if you want.”
“You told him about me?” she said.
“Not you specifically. Not without talking to you first. I just said there was someone who could be interested in the cabin.”
“And no one wants to know more?”
“Nope.”
“I think it’s weird,” she said.
Dr. Payne smiled. “It’s a good kind of weird. But the vets are a close-knit group. They have a weekly poker game,” he said with a grin. Somewhere in all their discussions, she’d let it slip that she had become a good poker player during the slow times at the field hospital.
“All guys?”
“Don’t know. Didn’t ask. Doesn’t matter. They take care of each other.”
“I don’t need to be taken care of.” She feared she sounded like a child. She wasn’t going to admit that maybe, just maybe, she did.
“If Covenant Falls doesn’t work out for you, you can always get into a PTSD program in Denver. There’s a good one there.”
She looked at him warily. He knew her financial situation. In fact, he knew a great deal about her. She had been in a stupor for months after Jared’s death. He had tried to make her want to live again, to believe that was what Jared would want.
“Give it a try,” Dr. Payne said, obviously sensing victory. “You don’t have to stay. It’s not a jail sentence. If you’re uncomfortable or just don’t like it, I’ll find something else.”
“I’ll think about it,” Andy said. She really didn’t care where she was. And he was right. She wouldn’t have to stay.
“Do you like dogs?” Dr. Payne asked unexpectedly.
“Sure. Who doesn’t?” Andy replied, relieved to be off the subject. “Never had one. Money was too tight when I was a kid, then a dog doesn’t really fit into army life unless it’s military.”
“There’s several programs, including one near here that matches shelter dogs with vets who have PTSD. They’re trained to sense when a PTSD attack is coming and alert their vet.”
She hesitated. A dog? How could she take care of a dog when she couldn’t take care of herself right now? Dr. Payne waited, then said gently, “You would be saving a life.” He paused. “And I can probably win you a few more days here.”
He was trying to force her to make a decision, but the idea suddenly appealed to Andy. Loneliness was like a shroud around her. And a dog wouldn’t ask questions or give sympathy or question her choices. “Would the cabin owner approve?”
The psychologist grinned.
“He adopted a retired military dog with PTSD. The woman he married has four rescue dogs and, from what I hear, two horses, a cat and a son. He was a dedicated loner before he went to Covenant Falls.”
She couldn’t hide her skepticism. The loner probably hadn’t seen his fiancé shot down in a hail of bullets by one of people he was trying to help. “How much is a dog? I don’t have much money.”
“It’s free. The dog has all its shots, is well trained and there’s equipment provided, as well. A dog bed, dishes. Food. Toys.”
She felt like a fish being reeled in. She didn’t like being manipulated, but she had to make a decision. And fast.
Dr. Payne waited, as he always did. He rarely appeared to push, but in his own devious way, that was exactly what happened.
“Maybe I’ll give the cabin a try,” she said reluctantly.
“What about the dog?” Dr. Payne said.
She hesitated, just as she hesitated at any move forward these days. Inertia had taken over her life. Decisions were difficult if not impossible. That was entirely new for her. She had been making decisions since she was little older than a toddler. When set on a course she could be rarely be deterred. But that was before. Now...nothing was important.
“Andy,” Dr. Payne said, changing from his usual formal “Lieutenant.” “Give it a try. At least talk to the trainer. See the dog. You don’t have to make a decision this minute.”
There was that reason again. Sometimes she hated it.
She nodded her head.
* * *
THREE DAYS LATER, she drove with Dr. Payne to meet the dog. She braced herself for meeting someone new and having to make a decision.
Dr. Payne had warned her that the trainer wouldn’t let the dog go with just anyone. There had to be “a fit.” She swallowed as Dr. Payne turned the car onto a well-rutted dirt road. What if the dog rejected her? She didn’t know whether that was what she wanted or not. She had decided that if it did work she was going to keep an emotional distance from the animal.
Why had she let Dr. Payne talk her into this?
“You’re second-guessing yourself again,” Dr. Payne said.
“You didn’t trust me to get here on my own,” she accused him.
She’d been surprised when he’d offered to drive her down on his day off. Probably because he feared she would back out, or not make it in the Bucket, her ancient Volkswagen.
If the introduction went well, she would be expected to stay at the trainer’s ranch for several days for intense training and to ensure the match would be successful.
Maybe it wouldn’t be. In the past few days, she’d read enough about the program to know there had to be trust on the part of both the veteran and the dog. She didn’t know if she could give that.
Dr. Payne turned onto a dirt road that led to a small ranch house. There were also stables, an oblong building with a chimney, kennels and a fenced-in area. Several dogs came to the fence and barked as Dr. Payne parked the car.
A wiry woman came to the car as Andy stepped out. “Lieutenant,” she said. “I’m Karen Conway. Call me Karen. Everyone does.” She held out a weathered hand, and Andy took it.
“We won’t waste time,” Karen said. “I know Richard...Dr. Payne...hasn’t much of that.”
The way she said Richard startled Andy. There was a warmth in it, as if they were more than simply acquaintances. Dr. Payne never talked about his private life.
Before any more thoughts flickered through her mind, she was herded into the ranch house. A dog was at the window, watching. He didn’t move until they were all inside and Karen said, “Joseph, say hello.”
The dog approached obediently. He was medium size where she had expected a larger animal. Maybe a German shepherd. But this dog more resembled a small Lassie; his coat appeared woven of shades of tan and black and gray. He had blue eyes that regarded her as cautiously as she expected hers were.
“Joseph?” Karen said again.
The dog held up his paw.
Andy took it gingerly. The fur was soft, and the dog’s gaze seemed to reach inside her and ask questions she couldn’t answer. Then his tongue flicked out and licked her hand.
“He likes you,” Karen said. “It took much longer for Adam to win a kiss.”
Andy found herself petting the dog.
“Try behind his ears,” Karen said. “That and his stomach are his favorite places.”
Andy followed the advice and with her good hand rubbed behind the dog’s ears. Joseph turned on his back and bared his stomach. She rubbed it, stopped when she heard a rumbling noise.
“That’s a groan of pleasure,” Karen said with a smile.
“You sure about that?”
“I’m sure.”
Andy went back to rubbing his stomach before straightening up.
“You think he will do?” Karen asked.
Andy stood and Joseph sat in front of her. She hesitated. Joseph lifted the same paw that he had before and looked expectant.
“He’s accepted you. Now it’s up to you,” Karen said. “He’s a smart dog, one of the smartest I’ve trained, and that says a lot. He had to be to survive. If you feel through the fur, you’ll find scars. He’s had some rough times. Some hikers found him badly hurt in the mountains. They assumed he’d been dumped by someone and had a run-in with wild animals. One of the hikers, a donor to this program, took him home, but he already had several dogs.
“He called me,” Karen continued. “Said Joseph had a natural empathy that makes him ideal for our purposes. If you have a nightmare, he knows to wake you up. He will remind you when it’s time to go to bed. Panic attack? He will physically interrupt you and redirect the panic.”
Andy was stunned. She had read about dogs and vets but hadn’t realized exactly what they did. “All of that?” she asked dubiously.
“And more. He can find and locate objects, like your shoes, or your phone or keys. In other words, he can pretty much do anything you want to teach him to do.”
Andy found it hard to believe he could do all that. But if he just interrupted the nightmares, she would be grateful.
“I know it’s hard to believe,” Karen said, “but it’s really remarkable what these dogs can do.”
“Dr. Payne said they are free. How can you do that?”
“I have sponsors. Dr. Payne is one of them. But there’s others, including area veterinarians who donate their services. I do it because my son had PTSD, only it wasn’t recognized like it is now.” She paused, then added, “He committed suicide.”
“I’m sorry,” Andy said.
Karen simply nodded. “If you decide you want to come into the program, you’ll stay in the bunkhouse with the dog until I think the two of you are ready. But I want to know for sure that you’re committed, that you will stick with it. I don’t want Joseph disappointed again.”
“What happened?”
“Adam took Joseph home and then discovered his wife was extremely allergic to dog hair. It was either her or Joseph.” She looked sternly into Andy’s eyes. “You don’t have anyone allergic, do you?”
“No.”
Andy looked down at the dog. He looked up at her. “Are you ready for me?” she asked.
She would have sworn the dog smiled. “Why the name Joseph?” she asked.
“Of the coat-of-many-colors fame,” Karen said. “You will be expected to stay here a short time. Maybe a week, maybe less, maybe more. You’ll live in the bunkhouse with the dog while you get to know each other. He’s trained, but you’re not. You’ll learn what he can do for you, and learn to accept what he has to offer.”
Karen paused, then added, “You up for the challenge?”
Andy looked down at Joseph. The brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen looked back as if to say, “What are you waiting for?”
She nodded. She had to be. It was what Jared would want. He used to say that what first attracted him to her was her strength. Instead, she had been a zombie these past months. She hadn’t even been able to cry since she’d woken up from surgery. She hadn’t remembered everything then; she’d just had a head full of dread. Then it came back slowly. The first gunshot...
“Good,” Karen said, breaking into that memory. “Joseph has had all his shots, and when you’re ready to leave, we’ll give you supplies. After that, it’s up to you, but we ask that you keep in touch and if for some reason you feel you can’t keep Joseph, return him to us.”
Joseph made a low sound, like a rumble, and moved closer to her. She felt his warm body through the jeans that were much too large for her. She reached down and stroked his head. He licked her hand and looked up at her as if she were a goddess.
“When can you get started?” Karen asked.
Andy looked at Dr. Payne.
“Three days?” he asked. “It will take a few days to do the paperwork, discharge you from my care. And it will probably take you that long to buy a few things.”
She bit her lip. Everything was going so fast. “Trying to get rid of me?” she asked.
“Now that you mention it...” He smiled.
“I have to give notice at the coffee shop, but I don’t think that will a problem. I broke more than a few cups.”
“Good. Now that’s settled,” Karen said. “Can you stay for dinner?”
“Wish we could, but I have a meeting tonight,” Dr. Payne said. “And I imagine Andy has some planning to do.”
He ushered Andy out the door and into his car. Once settled, he asked, “Should I accept the use of the cabin in Covenant Falls on your behalf?”
“You’re pushing it, Doc.”
He shrugged. “You can always cancel it.”
She still wasn’t sure taking on a dog was a good thing. Since the violent afternoon that had taken everything away from her, she’d changed from a hard-charging, ambitious army officer to someone who couldn’t make a decision on what to eat. Mainly because she hadn’t cared. Didn’t want to care.
Neither was she sure she wanted to form a close bond with the dog. In fact, she was quite sure she didn’t. But maybe the dog would help. Anything to keep from falling to pieces whenever she heard a loud noise. She would just have to maintain an emotional distance, that was all.
She looked at Dr. Payne. “I’ll give it a try.”
She had made her first decision in months.
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_88a75d77-5ad1-5880-b85f-abb5e128dd25)
NATE ROWLAND WIPED the sweat from his forehead and looked at his watch. Time to leave and meet the incoming vet.
He took one last glance at the interior of the reception area of the inn he and Josh were transforming from an old by-the-hour motel, then locked the door and headed for his pickup truck.
He was the designated welcoming committee. Josh, who owned the cabin, was in Denver, and Clint, the second vet who had been in residence at the cabin, was completing a law enforcement training program in Colorado Springs.
Nate had volunteered before he learned the new occupant was a woman, and an officer at that. Officers didn’t bother him much. The woman part did. He’d made an art of avoiding them for the past four years. Burned once, her fault. Burned twice, his fault.
Josh’s cabin seemed to have come under a spell. First Josh. Then Clint. After moving in, Josh had gotten married, and now Clint, the second occupant, was more or less engaged. Hopefully. Nate had never been superstitious, but damn, there was something about that cabin that brought even the most marriage-averse people to the altar.
He looked around the freshly painted lobby—warm sand tones with a huge oak beam reaching across the arched ceiling and a stack-stone fireplace. He was more proud of the inn than anything he’d previously built. Josh had provided his own money and a bank loan and turned Nate loose on design. They’d stretched every penny a yard long. The furniture was coming from a firm going out of business, and it was quality at a low price.
All they needed was guests.
The preview opening was scheduled in seven weeks, which was why Josh was in Denver. He was making the rounds of the state tourist association, tourist publications and newspapers. They were offering complimentary three-night stays to anyone who could help them promote Covenant Falls.
He glanced at his watch again. He wanted to be at the cabin at 8:00 a.m. The newest vet was expected between nine and ten. He’d stacked wood for the fireplace yesterday, and he knew that Josh’s wife had stocked the kitchen.
He locked the front door of the Covenant Falls Inn and drove to the cabin. The mayor, Josh’s wife, called it the Rainbow Cabin. She’d fallen in love with Josh there, almost, she said, from the moment she had seen him. The same thing had happened to Clint when he’d met the town veterinarian.
Josh had said the new resident was a military nurse, a lieutenant. All he knew was that she had been injured and had PTSD. She would be the first female veteran in town, and he wondered how she would fit in, particularly at the Monday-night poker games. But he would do his part in making her welcome. He fervently hoped she was plain and obnoxious.
The cabin was spotless. Someone, probably Eve, had placed flowers in vases on the dining table and on the table next to the sofa. There was a platter of Maude’s sweet rolls in the kitchen.
He made a pot of coffee and walked outside to the porch swing. It was a fine April day with a cool breeze and bright sun. He thought about the day he’d met Josh, when he’d hired him to replace the floor on the cabin. His life had changed dramatically. Even the town had a new vitality since Josh’s arrival. Clint added his own impact.
Nate wondered if this military nurse would also rock the Covenant Falls boat.
He was looking at the lake when an old Volkswagen turned into the driveway. Yellow. And not old, but ancient. A relic, really. His gaze followed its path until it stopped. He stood, opened the porch door and went out to meet the new resident.
She didn’t move. She just sat in the car looking at the cabin. A dog sat protectively next to her. Then, as he reached the car, the driver opened the door and got out. Reluctantly, it appeared.
His worst fears were realized. She wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous. Not in the accepted sense. But she had a quality even more dangerous. She was slender, even gaunt, but her face was something out of a painting. Strong lines and jaw, with striking, haunted light gray eyes that dominated all the other features.
Nate realized he had been staring. “Lieutenant Stuart,” he said, holding out his hand. He tried to steady his voice even as he was affected by the ethereal sadness in her. He noticed her left hand was in a leather brace.
“I’m Nate Rowland, your welcoming committee,” he said. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll show you around, give you the keys and answer any questions.”
She nodded and took his hand, but there was no heart in it. “Thank you. And it’s not lieutenant. Not any longer. I’m just Andy Stuart.” She turned, and the dog, outfitted with a service animal’s coat, jumped out and stood close to her. “This is Joseph. We’re just getting to know each other. I was told he would be welcome.”
“More than welcome. This is a very dog-friendly community,” Nate said. “Can I get your luggage?”
She hesitated, and he sensed that she was reluctant to take any help. “I don’t have much,” she said, “but perhaps you can help with Joseph’s belongings. He has more than I do.”
She waited while he opened the trunk that was filled with dog food, a dog bed and a cardboard box full of dog dishes, toys and a leash. She was right about her luggage. He saw only a medium-size duffel.
Only too aware of her presence, he picked up the dog bed and the big sack of dog food while she reached for the duffel with her good hand and used the wounded fist to slam the trunk closed. Then she followed him inside. He watched surprise spread across her face as she took in the comfortable interior. “It’s very nice,” she said after a moment. “Are you the owner?”
“No. Just a friend of the owner.” Nate placed the dog bed in front of the living room window and, still holding the dog food, led the way into the kitchen. “I made some fresh coffee, and the owner of the town’s diner sent over some sweet rolls. They’re great. The owner’s wife also filled the fridge. You’ll find a couple of casseroles and cold cuts along with bread, eggs, milk and sodas.”
“Thank you,” she said. It was politely said with little emotion.
“There’s a bathroom next to the master bedroom down the hall. There’s also a second bedroom that’s mostly a library now. Help yourself to any of the books. There’s a desk in there, as well.” He paused, then added, “As for town, you probably drove through it. There’s a general store, grocery, hardware store and pharmacy there, along with Maude’s Diner. The food is very good, especially the steaks, and they’re easy on the wallet.”
She nodded. “I’ll remember that.”
She was scarce with conversation, but that was all right. So was he. Usually. “How long have you been driving?” he asked, strangely reluctant to leave.
“Since midnight. I like driving at night and dawn when there’s little or no traffic.”
He suspected it was more than that. Depending on the severity of PTSD, late-night and early-morning driving had fewer distractions.
“That car looks like a real collector’s dream,” he said, probing for more information, even as he knew he should be leaving. And quickly. She was distant.
“The Bucket,” she said with the first hint of a smile. “She’s been with me fifteen years, and she was pretty ancient before that. I’ve nursed her back to health more times than I can remember, but she’s a tough old lady. I couldn’t leave her behind.”
He mentally filed that information. Nursed back to health? The car? Was she a mechanic, too?
He was lingering. He had intended to say, “Hello, here’s the keys and goodbye.” He gave himself a mental kick. That was exactly what he should do.
“I’ll leave you to get some rest,” he said. He took out a sheet of paper he’d prepared. “My number is there, along with several others you might want to know. The veterinarian. The town doctor. Josh Manning, who owns the cabin.”
She nodded.
He handed her the keys to the cabin, then leaned down and scratched the dog’s ears. “Joseph? Of the many-colored coat?”
“It seems to have been the inspiration. I had nothing to do with it,” she said defensively.
“He’ll have a lot of company around here,” Nate said. Damn, he was rambling on, but he didn’t want to leave her alone. There was something broken inside her. Her voice was soft, Southern, but it carried no strength, no conviction that would be expected of an army officer.
He was nearly undone by those haunted gray eyes. They were framed by brown hair that fell to her shoulders, a simple style that he thought was probably for utilitarian reasons rather than vanity, although it suited her. She wore jeans and a simple white T-shirt and looked to be in her early thirties.
He suddenly realized he was staring. “I had better go,” he said. “The television is satellite and has a lot of stations available. There’s a path just to the left of the cabin that goes up the side of the mountain. There’s some great views there.” He cocked his head. “Anything else you would like to know?”
She shook her head. “It’s far more than I expected.” She hesitated, then added, “Dr. Payne said there might be something I can do to pay for the use of the cabin.” It was a question more than a statement.
“Is there anything you like to do?”
“I’m a surgical nurse. Or was one before my hand was damaged. I don’t really know anything else.”
“I’m sure Josh and Eve will find something if you’re interested. Eve’s uncanny in ferreting out talents.”
“Dr. Payne said she’s the mayor?”
He grinned. “And a damn good one.”
She nodded, obviously absorbing the information, then went to the door. “Thank you for the welcome,” she said.
It was an obvious dismissal. “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything or have questions,” he said again as he walked toward the door. “Covenant Falls is very safe, and the sunsets are great. Oh, and every Monday night we have a meeting of vets. Seven p.m. at the community center. It’s right at the end of this road.”
“And play poker?” Her lips eased slightly into an almost smile.
“You heard about that?” Nate said with a grin. “It’s just penny ante. But we enjoy it. And we’re happy to have new faces.” Particularly a pretty one, he suspected. He kept that thought to himself and hurried on. “You can bring Joseph. Josh always brings his dog, and everyone has gotten accustomed to having him there.” He headed for the door. He had already stayed longer than necessary. He forced himself down the path to his pickup.
As he opened the truck door, he glanced back. Andy Stuart was watching as he left. Slim and straight and still, she looked like a statue.
He started his pickup and headed toward Lake Road. He swore to himself. Dammit. Why couldn’t she have been gruff and rough and thoroughly disagreeable? Instead, she was soft-spoken and appealing. More than appealing. He suspected the haunted gray eyes would stay with him. It was something he did not need at the moment. Or ever.
Hell, he had always been a sucker for a damsel in distress. That particular weakness had nearly destroyed his life. He’d sworn it wasn’t going to happen again. He had a chance now to rebuild his career, and he damn well wasn’t going to let anything, especially a woman, risk it.
He was going to stay away. A long, long way away.
* * *
ANDY WATCHED HIM drive away, then turned back to explore the cabin.
Her first impression of the cabin was warmth. Someone had loved this cabin. And that made her ache inside. It was just like the home she and Jared had planned to buy. A large living area with expansive windows, hardwood floors and a huge fireplace.
She went into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee from the electric pot. Mr. Rowland had put out a cup and bowls of sugar and creamer. She liked her coffee black, and the stronger the better. She had become addicted to it in college and later during long hours in operating rooms.
She took a plate with two rolls outside and returned for the coffee. She didn’t want to risk spilling either one with her bad hand. She sat in one of several chairs on the screened porch and ignored the swing. Joseph followed her and sat at her side and regarded the roll enviously.
Andy couldn’t help but smile as the dog’s tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. She steeled herself against getting too attached to the dog, but she had to admit he was growing on her. She couldn’t resist giving him a piece of roll.
She looked out through the pines to the lake. The sky was impossibly blue against the mountains, and a cool breeze was refreshing. The scent of pines perfumed the air.
For the first time since she set off on this journey, she relaxed. Maybe this had been a good move, temporarily anyway. She liked Nate Rowland. He hadn’t pushed but made her feel comfortable in a strange place under strange circumstances. He was lanky, like Jared, and had a warm smile.
Grief filled her as she saw Jared’s smile again, slow to come but then widening until it filled her heart. It was as real today as it had been seven months ago.
She felt the darkness descending again. The despair. Joseph nudged her, and she stood, remembering what Nate Rowland said about the mountain. A walk. Fresh air. That was what she needed. She looked up and saw the path he had mentioned.
“What do you think, Joseph? Should we try it?”
Joseph wagged his tail eagerly.
She silently admitted to doubts. Her hand would be no use if she needed to grab something. But the path was there. Taunting her. Inviting her to leave her safety zone.
She could hear Jared now. Go for it.
A breeze brushed her face, as if he were there next to her.
She started up the path. Joseph went ahead of her but kept looking back to make sure she was keeping pace with him. She didn’t realize how out of shape she was. She hadn’t run since Afghanistan.
She was breathing hard when she reached what was obviously a lookout. She paused and looked out over the town of Covenant Falls. It looked like a toy town from here. The lake appeared an even richer blue. On its border was a large park with a beach, gazebo, swings and a large rambling building. Four church steeples were also visible. The main street was the only one that looked busy.
A peaceful town where everyone probably knew everyone. It wasn’t what she and Jared had planned. He’d been a top surgeon specializing in traumatic injuries. He had already been offered positions in several practices in Chicago and Richmond, Virginia, at the end of his service commitment. Richmond had been her hope, but she’d suspected Chicago had been his.
Nor was Covenant Falls anything like the mining town where she had been raised. That town had the scent of poverty hovering over it. Hardscrabble houses and bare yards. There was always the smell of coal and dust and the sound of heavy machinery.
Joseph made curious little noises in his throat and licked her hand. “Sensing something, huh?” she said. “But I’m okay. Really, I am.”
He looked at her with those clear blue eyes. He seemed to be saying, “I’m here now. You’re not alone.”
Not alone. Then, why did she feel she was? Nate Rowland seemed nice enough. But he was a stranger, and she intended to keep him that way.
He’d looked Western inside and out with his hard, lean build, plaid flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, worn jeans and boots. His hair was a little long and looked as if it had been combed with his fingers, and his eyes were a cool hazel. His hand had been hard with calluses.
Jared’s hands had been so different. His fingers had been long and smooth and supple, as if designed to perform the most delicate and precise surgery. His dark eyes were always intense...
Don’t! Don’t do this! She filled her lungs with fresh air and the rich smell of pine. She swallowed hard. Joseph nudged her again, and she reached out and scratched behind his ears. He was a dog. A smart one, but could he really read her mind?
She hadn’t had a nightmare or panic attack since the third night at Karen’s ranch, but then that had been only a few days ago. Her problem was she never knew when they would strike. That uncertainty kept her from searching out a nonsurgical nursing position.
Rested, she looked at the towering mountains in the other direction. Snow-covered peaks glistened in the noon sun. How she wished Jared could see it, too.
She could almost hear his voice. Live, sweetheart. Live for me.
He wouldn’t be happy with the way she had closed herself off from life.
And yet pain was a living thing inside her. It had been for months. She couldn’t let go of it. She didn’t want to let it go. It would be a betrayal of those who died that day. But maybe here—away from the military and everything that reminded her of her former life—maybe she could manage it. Maybe she could take pleasure in a deep blue sky and a fresh breeze without feeling guilty.
She started down the mountain. The path was well trod but steep. She had to concentrate on every step—a good thing, in her mind. She was winded when she reached the bottom. She remembered when she could run ten miles without breathing hard.
But that was a lifetime ago. Now she had to face new challenges. She only hoped she could.
CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_4f902a7c-fcb7-5576-a36d-86bb1dd30363)
ONCE BACK IN the cabin, Andy decided to explore. She’d had very little sleep last night, but she hated the very thought of sleep these days. Too many nightmares.
She was curious about Covenant Falls now. Curious about the cabin and its owner and past occupants. She’d been stationed in Texas and had visited Colorado during leaves, but she’d never heard of Covenant Falls. She wanted to know more about her mysterious benefactor who would offer a very comfortable cabin to a stranger.
She checked out the kitchen fridge and cupboard. As Mr. Rowland said, both were filled. There was a small room in back with a washer and dryer.
Then she went through the living room to a large bedroom. The bed was a double and looked comfortable. The headboard faced a window that framed large pine trees. The bathroom was medium size with a large walk-in shower.
Then she inspected the desk in the second bedroom, which apparently served as an office and library. She found pens and notebooks, along with reams of paper as well as stacks of books. She carried a notebook and a couple of pens into the living room and settled in a big comfortable chair.
She started writing, making notes about Dr. Payne, Karen Conway and Nate Rowland and what she knew about them. Impressions, really. It had been a habit of hers since she left home for college.
There had been so many new people, and notes helped her to remember them all. She turned the notes into journals when she went on active duty. There had been so much to see and remember.
She hadn’t written anything since the attack, nor had she ever asked about the journals or her other property left in Afghanistan. She hadn’t wanted anything. They had been stored with other items in a storage unit near the base. There had been so much about Jared in the last one, and she couldn’t bear to read it.
When she finished, she turned on the television and ran through the stations, stopping only at a news channel when she heard a commentator mention Afghanistan. More troops were pulling out. Her team had been among the last medical teams remaining. The rest of the unit had probably been dismantled after the attack.
Just the thought of Afghanistan sent familiar images swirling through her head: the day she had arrived at the forward base, the first time she’d met Jared, the last time she had seen him. Blood had been everywhere then...
Joseph moved closer to her, nudged her and made guttural sounds in his throat. She assumed that was his way of reassuring her. “It’s okay,” she said and rubbed his ears. The guttural sounds turned into something more like a purr.
Andy turned the television off and looked at the clock. Just after noon.
She should fix lunch. She wasn’t hungry, but she needed to eat. She was foraging in the fridge when the phone rang.
“Hi” came the cheerful voice on the phone when she picked it up. “I’m Eve Manning. I hope I’m not intruding, but I wanted to make sure you had everything you need. I would have been there to meet you, but I had a meeting in town.”
“Mr. Rowland was very helpful,” Andy replied.
“Are you up to a visit? And don’t be polite.”
Andy hesitated. It was the last thing she wanted. She was tired and tense from the drive. She had met one stranger, had imagined his unsaid questions. She didn’t want more. But the caller was the mayor, and Andy had accepted use of her husband’s cabin. She sighed. Maybe coming here hadn’t been the best idea.
But then she probably couldn’t sleep, either. “That would be fine,” Andy said, hoping the delay in her reply didn’t say more than her actual words.
“Would one be okay? I can take you to Maude’s or we can stay at the cabin. You decide.”
She needed to get out. She knew that. She couldn’t retreat into a safe place again, as she had done with the hospital. She had taken one step forward in coming here. It was time to take another. “Mr. Rowland mentioned Maude’s.”
“Good. I can show you around town. I have to warn you, though, that everyone will want to meet you. They mean well, but they sort of take vets under their collective wing whether or not you want to be there.”
“I’m warned,” Andy replied.
“Nate also said you have a dog,” Eve said.
“Yes, Joseph. He’s a service dog, although not the kind that can go in restaurants.” Apparently the law only permitted dogs for physically handicapped vets.
“Here he can,” the mayor said. “Maude has a soft spot for dogs, and the mayor’s just fine with it. Your predecessors both take their dogs inside.”
“Then, I will,” Andy said. “We’re new to each other and this is a strange place for him.” For both of us.
“You’ll have to introduce him to my crew,” Eve said.
“Crew?”
“Five dogs,” she said. “And a cat.” She hesitated, then added, “Well, one is strictly my husband’s. Amos was a military dog and highly disciplined. The rest of my group are rather unruly.”
“Sounds...interesting.”
“Terrifying sometimes. I’ll be there at one.”
The phone clicked off.
Andy took a deep breath. Had she done the right thing in agreeing to go to a public place? What if she had a panic attack? She knew, though, she had to get busy doing something or she could sink back in inertia.
“What do you think, Joseph?” Despite her vow to the contrary, she found herself talking to Joseph often.
Joseph stared at her with those penetrating blue eyes. He barked.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said. She filled Joseph’s water dish, then went into the bedroom. She opened the duffel and took out a sweater and a clean pair of jeans and headed for the shower.
* * *
THE MAYOR ARRIVED just as Andy’s watch hit 1:00 p.m.
She didn’t know what she’d expected, but when she opened the door, she saw a tall, attractive woman with shoulder-length dark hair, a pug nose and a wide smile.
“I’m Eve,” the mayor said simply.
“And I’m Andy,” Andy said.
“Andy it is. Welcome back to the civilian world.” Eve leaned down and rubbed Joseph’s ears. “And who is this?” she asked as Joseph frantically wagged his tail.
“Joseph,” Andy replied. “He’s only been with me a short time.”
“Ever had a dog before?”
“No. Dogs and the army don’t go together, and my family never had one when I was young.”
“Watch out. They steal your heart in no time.”
Joseph’s tail wagged happily as they walked to the pickup parked next to the Bucket. Eve opened the passenger door and invited Joseph inside and showed him a spot behind the front passenger seat. Andy climbed in after him.
“Thank you for including him,” Andy said. “And thanks for the use of the cabin.”
“That’s my husband’s doing.”
“Why?” The question was abrupt and probably rude, but it had been pricking at her.
“His best friend owned the cabin and was killed saving Josh’s life. Josh had a lot of grief and anger when he left the army. He directed it toward rehabbing the cabin he inherited from his buddy. Rehabbing it was therapeutic for Josh, but when we married he moved in with me. The cabin needed a new resident, and Josh wanted something good to come out of a tragedy.”
Andy felt an instant kinship with the owner. No wonder she’d felt more at home here than she’d expected.
They left the cabin, and Eve drove out of the driveway. “That’s a great car,” she said of the yellow Volkswagen. “My husband will go crazy when he sees it. So will Stephanie, our veterinarian. How old is it?”
“Nearly forty,” Andy said.
She didn’t add that she’d feared she wouldn’t be able to drive it again after the injury to her hand, but she had practiced for hours until she felt confident she could steady the wheel while working the clutch.
“I’ll give you a quick tour,” Eve said, interrupting that thought. “The second cottage down from you belongs to Mrs. Byars,” Eve explained. “Her son was killed in the service, and she loves veterans. She’ll probably be by in the next few days with something wonderful to eat.”
They reached the end of the road. A park was on the right. “That building is our community center. If you don’t have a computer, you can use one there. It’s free. That’s also where the veterans in town meet every Monday night. I’m barred, but you’ll be invited.”
Eve turned right toward the center, then a left. “This is Main Street,” Eve said. Andy looked at the modest houses lining the street for six blocks before hitting businesses on the left side of the road. “That’s the city hall, along with the police and fire departments. The police are paid, but the firefighters are all volunteers except for the chief. He’s a retired firefighter from Pueblo and receives a small salary for keeping the equipment and conducting training.
“On the left is the veterinarian practice. Stephanie Phillips is one of the best and most caring vets you’ll find. A few doors down is Doc Bradley. He’s nearing seventy, and a bit grouchy, but he’s a very good general practitioner and can usually be reached day or night. In between the vet and doctor is the real estate and insurance office. A small bank branch is located inside the building.
“There’s also a small grocery, a general store and a hardware store. The pharmacy around the corner has office supplies, books and small tech supplies.”
She parked in a space with a reserved sign in front of the city hall. “One of the few benefits of being mayor,” Eve said. “Maude’s is across the street,” she added.
Andy felt comfortable the moment she stepped inside the diner. It looked much like the one back home where all the kids went after school.
The diner was busy, but a middle-aged woman who looked as if she was fond of her own food met them. “I’m Maude. You must be Josh’s new veteran,” she said, then looked down at the dog. “Looks like a fine service dog,” she added with a wink. She didn’t wait for an answer but led them to the back booth.
After they were seated, Andy asked what was good.
“Josh would say steaks, but I like patty melts.”
“Patty melts?”
“Hamburger with onion and melted cheese on rye bread. They are sinful, and I try to limit myself to one a week. I don’t always succeed, but I do try.”
“You sold me,” Andy said, and they ordered.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about Maude already knowing who she was. She’d always been a private person except for the close-knit surgical teams with which she’d served...
The memories came flooding back. Her hand crushed the napkin in her lap. Joseph moved closer to her, put his head on her thigh.
She looked up and saw Eve’s concerned gaze. “My first husband died six years ago,” she said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry beyond the booth. “We were childhood sweethearts. I loved him very much. He was a coach, ran in marathons, and I thought he would live forever. He died one afternoon while on the field with the football team he coached. He was running with them when he suddenly dropped to the ground. A heart defect no one had detected. If it hadn’t been for Nick, my son... I don’t know what I would have done.”
Andy suddenly felt betrayed by Dr. Payne. “You know...what happened to me?”
Eve shook her head. “I only know that pain in your eyes. I saw it in my mirror for a long time. If there’s ever anything I can do...”
“There is,” Andy said. “I need something to do. I don’t have much money, but Dr. Payne said it was possible to help in the community. I’ve always paid my own way.”
“What did you do in the army?” Eve asked.
“You don’t know?”
“No. Dr. Payne says very little about his recommendations to my husband. Josh probably says even less to me. He figures if you want anyone to know your business, you’ll tell them. He’s a sphinx where other vets are concerned.”
“I think I’ll like him.”
“You will. He would tear off his arm to help someone, particularly a vet.”
“I’ve known someone like that.” Andy bit her lip as the image of Jared popped up again.
Eve looked at her. “They are rare,” she said. “Are you interested in history?”
An odd question and quick change of subject. But she nodded.
“Do you like writing?”
“I’ve kept a journal, that’s all.”
Eve’s eyes suddenly lit. “We’re trying to grow the town, create more jobs. We think tourism is the first step. My husband and Nate are finishing rehabbing—rebuilding, really—a very nice inn, but we’re a fair distance from populated areas. We need attractions, and I think that attraction could be our history.”
“Why?”
“The town was founded by a Scot who came here in the 1840s, saw the lake and established a trading post. There were Native raids, but he saved the life of a Ute chief and they rewarded him with protection and the chief’s sister as a wife. He basically built the town and became instrumental in the campaign for statehood. Then there’s our falls, where much of this happened.”
“I’m not a writer,” Andy said. “And shouldn’t someone from the community write about the town?”
“We don’t need a book,” Eve explained. “Just a short, coherent narrative we can use in a brochure and advertising program.”
“Wouldn’t someone who lives here be more qualified...?”
Eve sighed. “There’s a few rivalries around here. And different versions of what happened and where we should go in the future. I think an outsider will be objective and produce a narrative appealing to people outside the community. I want fresh, unbiased eyes.” She paused. “We’ve been thinking about hiring someone, but why don’t you take a stab at it? We don’t need Gone with the Wind.”
“Where would I begin?” Andy asked, a kernel of interest building inside. She had always liked history, even thought about being a history teacher, but there had been no scholarships for that.
“Probably the best place is the small museum we’ve started in the community center. There’s old newspapers and photos and some mining equipment. You can start there, and then contact Al Monroe. He’s a descendant of the founder of Covenant Falls, Angus Monroe. There’s rumors that Angus kept journals. Al might have them if, indeed, they do exist.”
Eve’s proposal was the last thing Andy had expected. The more Eve talked, the more intrigued she became. It was far more interesting than the pounding nails or filing papers that she’d expected. And she’d always liked research.
Plus, it would absorb her. She needed something like that. “I’ll try it,” she finally said. “I can’t promise anything remotely coherent.”
Eve grinned. “I’ll try to tone down my expectations.”
Their lunch arrived then, and Andy took a bite. “Mmm,” she said. “I like this.”
“Good,” Eve said, and they both concentrated on the sandwiches and fries. Andy couldn’t remember when anything had tasted so good. After they finished, Eve looked at her watch. “I have a meeting in twenty minutes. I’ll drop you over at the community center where the museum is.”
“Should we drop Joseph off at the cabin first?” Andy asked.
“I think Joseph can go almost any place you want to take him in Covenant Falls. Amos, my husband’s dog, has pretty well shattered people’s opinions as to where a dog should or should not go. He’s the town celebrity.”
“Why?” Andy asked.
“He saved my son’s life twice,” she said, “but that’s a long story and takes time in the telling. Why don’t you come over for supper tomorrow night? Clint and my husband both want to meet you. It will be really relaxed. You can leave any time you want, no explanations needed. Joseph is invited, as well.”
Andy wasn’t sure she was ready for a social event yet.
“I don’t want to pressure you,” Eve said, obviously sensing her hesitation. “So say no if you’re not ready. God knows my husband and I both understand. He was the loner of all time when he first moved into the cabin.”
“And now?” Andy asked.
“He still has a tendency to run off to the woods on occasion, but he’s adapting,” she said with a grin. “Not easy in my household.”
Andy surrendered. It was impossible to say no to Eve Manning. “Okay,” she said. What was that saying? In for a penny, in for a pound.
CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_15f7f986-7a07-5ca0-8632-225fc960e354)
IT WAS MIDAFTERNOON when Eve drove into a parking area in back of the two-story brick building she’d pointed out earlier. A sign outside identified it as the Covenant Falls Community Center.
Andy was quickly having second thoughts. Why had she agreed to Eve’s suggestion of writing a history of the town? But she had agreed to try, and she did need a job, a goal, a diversion. She needed to start living again, even if it was so damn hard.
Andy reluctantly followed Eve up the step, through the unlocked door and into a vestibule. A gray-haired, wiry man rose from a desk in a corner. She noted a Western novel on his desk.
“This is Bill Evans,” Eve said. “He manages the center. Bill, this is Andy Stuart. She moved into the cabin today. And this is Joseph.”
At the sound of his name, Joseph barked and wagged his tail.
Mr. Evans leaned down and scratched the dog’s ears. “He’s a handsome fellow.” Joseph wriggled with pleasure at the attention.
Then the man straightened and held out his hand and she took it. “Real pleased to meet you,” he said. It was a firm shake, and she warmed to his friendly grin.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Bill, I wondered if you could show Andy around the center and particularly the museum,” Eve said. She turned to Andy. “It’s on our wish list to do more with it, but money is tight. I’m leaving you in good hands. I have a meeting. It seems I always have a meeting. But Bill will take good care of you. He can drive you and Joseph back to the cabin.”
“Not necessary,” Andy said. “Joseph and I can make it alone. We walked up the mountain earlier.”
“Okay, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me,” Eve said, “and we’ll see you tomorrow night.” And then she was gone.
“Is she always so...busy?” she asked.
Bill Evans grinned. With his thin hair and neatly trimmed mustache, he looked to be in his late sixties. “Yes, and as a fellow vet, I feel it necessary to warn you about our mayor. She’s really good at keeping others in the same state.”
“She suggested that I try to write a short history of Covenant Falls for a brochure.”
“That’s what she suggested, huh?” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Andy wasn’t sure she liked the way he said it. “Is there a problem?”
“No, no problem at all,” he said. “Sounds like a good idea. You a writer?”
“Nope. A nurse by training,” she admitted.
“Ah, one of the angels. I served in Vietnam and that’s the way we thought about the nurses. And the doctors. They saved my life, for sure.”
She didn’t reply. She was still pondering his previous—enigmatic—words.
He didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll show you around.” He walked to the left and stood in an open door while she looked inside. “This is our library and computer center. Nate Rowland, another one of our vets, built the shelves for the books.”
Andy peered inside. Large windows were framed by cheerful drapes. Books filled shelves that lined one wall of the room. Several worn but comfortable-looking chairs were scattered in front of them. Two preschoolers were sprawled on throw rugs in front of the shelves. Several older children were browsing through books on higher shelves.
Two teenagers and an elderly woman sat in front of three of the ten computers lined up on a long table. Not wanting to disturb them, she joined Bill Evans, who was waiting in the hall.
“Nice,” she said.
“The center is all Eve’s doing. This building used to be a restaurant, and it stood here empty for nearly twenty years until Eve decided we needed a community center. She badgered the city council into making repairs with volunteer help.”
He led the way across the hall to a door and opened it. “This is our meeting room. We vets meet here every Monday night. You’re invited, of course.”
“Nate Rowland mentioned it,” Andy replied.
“You’ve met Nate? He’s a good guy. He’s the one who really started the Monday-night get-togethers. It’s helped a bunch of us, just talking about things we can’t talk to anyone else about. I hope you come. You’ll like everyone, and we need new blood. You play poker, by any chance?”
“I’ve been known to,” she replied modestly.
He eyed her suspiciously for a moment, then grinned. He rambled on, “We’re not the only ones who meet here. We just claim Monday night.”
Andy admired the room. Like the other one, it had an eccentric charm. Three elderly overstuffed sofas of varying colors and design were scattered throughout the room. An equally aged television sat in a corner. A battered bar ran along the back of the room with mismatched bar chairs. Card tables and folding chairs lined one of the walls.
“I like it,” she said. “It looks...comfortable.”
“Ah, a diplomat,” he said. “It’s all donated except for the folding chairs.”
“In an odd way, everything fits,” she said. Then she remembered why she was there. “And the museum, Mr. Evans?” she prompted.
“It’s Bill. I hope I can call you Andy.”
“I would like that,” she said.
“I should warn you about the museum. We’re just beginning to put it together. We’ve been spending the past several months asking for contributions. Not money, but letters, photos, old newspapers, vintage clothing. Right now it’s just scattered pieces of our history. I’ve been going through it, but I’m no curator. In fact, I’m just a volunteer who kinda hangs around here.”
“Are you doing the sorting?” Andy asked. She was getting a suspicious feeling about this museum.
“When I have time. The library and computers came first.”
“Okay,” she said, trying to determine his role. “You take care of the library and computers, the meeting room and now the...museum, and you’re a volunteer?”
Evans looked embarrassed. “I like keeping active. I sold the general store to my nephew last year. It was a huge mistake. I was used to being busy.” He shrugged. “Retirement isn’t all it’s made out to be. Within a month, I was driving my wife and myself crazy. So this is not exactly slave labor for me,” he said with a grin. “It’s just that one thing kinda leads to another, and before you know it you’re hooked like a fish. Eve does have a way about her. Watch yourself.” He led the way up a flight of stairs to a door at the top.
“I’m only going to be here for a short time,” she said.
“I’ve heard that from your predecessors at the cabin. They’re still here.”
Despite herself, Andy was curious. And also wary. “What did they get hooked on?” she asked carefully.
“Well...quite a few things, actually.”
Andy sighed. “Eve just wants a short brochure. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Right,” he said, but there was doubt in his voice as he unlocked the door and stood aside as she entered.
Newspaper-size bound volumes sat in a pile on a table. Other tables held scrapbooks and photo albums. Unopened boxes filled another table, with even more boxes tucked underneath. She glanced through several of them: menus from the ’20s, a bill promoting a traveling circus in 1888 and several wanted posters from around the same time. Another box was filled with school pictures that looked as if they went back as far as the late nineteenth century. A stack of high school yearbooks was in the corner.
Bill Evans looked embarrassed. “We...I...really haven’t had time to look at all of it.” He brightened. “We also have a fool’s-gold nugget, along with a real one and some mining equipment. A few diaries.”
“Any of it cataloged?”
“Afraid not.”
She looked around helplessly. This wasn’t a museum. It was a disaster. An earnest disaster, maybe, but a disaster nonetheless. It would take months to find anything and more months to get the museum in shape.
“You can spend as much time as you need here,” he said.
“Maybe I could talk to...a descendant of the founder of the town...Mr. Monroe?”
“You could do that,” he allowed.
She eyed him. “What’s wrong with that?”
“He’s a bit...difficult.”
“Eve didn’t mention that,” Andy said. She tried a different possibility. “Is there a newspaper in town?”
“Yep. There’s only one now, of course, but there’s been a number throughout the years. We have bound copies of some of the editions.”
“What about talking to the editor?”
“Well, the newspaper’s been around, but the editor hasn’t. He’s only been here two years. Inherited it, and doesn’t give a damn about it or the town. He would sell it in a New York second if he could find a buyer. It’s not a very good paper.”
That wasn’t encouraging. Andy liked newspapers. In fact, she’d been addicted to them. She’d had a really strong curiosity about almost everything, although it had been dormant for the past months. She hadn’t wanted to read or hear about the Middle East or any kind of violence. It came to her too often at night.
Then she remembered what Eve had said. A Scot and a Ute princess. Gold. She’d been intrigued by the story. It was obvious now, though, that writing it would probably be more difficult than the mayor implied. Now she understood what Bill meant by a hook...
It didn’t make any difference, though. Now that she had committed to at least taking a stab at putting something together for a brochure, she wanted to get started. It was time to stop hiding from the rest of the world. And to do that, she had to join it.
Prying into the town’s history seemed a safe way of doing it. Having no goal was like looking into an abyss. She owed Jared more than that. She owed the others more than that.
She had to live for them.
But it was so damned hard.
* * *
EVE GREETED HER husband with a huge hug. “I’ve missed you,” she said. Josh Manning bent his head to her upraised face, and their lips met. She wondered if the heat would ever cool between them, prayed that it wouldn’t.
“Hey, Josh.” Nick bounded out of his room, Amos beside him and the other dogs following him. “Amos was so excited to hear your Jeep.”
“Hi, champ, thanks for taking care of him,” Josh replied as Amos pressed between them and leaned against Josh’s legs, making little crying noises.
Josh knelt down and rubbed his fur. “Sorry, guy, but you were better off here for three days.”
“How did it go?” Eve asked.
He grinned. “I have acceptances from eight in the travel industry, including two newspapers, a business magazine, the tourism bureau, several travel agencies and a freelance writer who specializes in writing about Colorado for major travel publications. I have a couple more maybes.”
“What date?
“Eight weeks from today. Clint will be back then and can give us a hand.”
Josh was talking more, and faster, than since she’d had met him nearly a year ago.
“Clint’s with the police department now,” Eve reminded him.
“I know, Mayor. But it’s the weekend, and hopefully his boss will let him off for a day then.”
“It depends on whether we have a massive crime wave.”
He grinned and kissed her again. “Anything happen while I was gone?”
“The new resident of the cabin arrived.”
“Have you met her?”
“Today,” Eve said. “I like her.”
“You like everyone.”
“There’s a few exceptions.”
“Not very damn many. What is she like?”
“Quiet. Grieving. Do you know what happened...?”
“I didn’t ask and the shrink didn’t tell me. I got the impression, though, that whatever happened was pretty bad.”
She had to smile at his use of the word shrink. She knew who he meant, knew how much Josh respected Dr. Payne, but he would always be the shrink.
“She’s coming over for dinner tomorrow night,” Eve said. “I volunteered you to grill steaks. Clint will bring Stephanie. I’m debating about asking Nate.”
His face suddenly went serious. “He met her at the cabin, right?”
She nodded.
“Then, he’ll be a familiar face. Let’s ask him. Maybe he can drive her over.”
Eve stared at him. “You’re not thinking...?”
“Me? Hell, no,” he said. “You know the way I feel about interfering.”
She raised an eyebrow. “I seem to recall you nudging Clint and Steph together.”
“Your imagination. Now tell me more about Lieutenant Stuart.”
“She’s getting a fast indoctrination. She volunteered to write our history for the brochure. She’s going through the museum now.”
“Volunteered?”
Eve shrugged innocently. “She wanted to do something to pay for the cabin. We need a history written for your opening. It seemed...fortuitous, don’t you think?”
“Can she write?”
“I don’t know, but she said she keeps a journal and likes history. She really needed something to do. She’s lost, Josh. Really lost.”
Josh took her in his arms. “I love you, Eve Manning, you and that huge heart of yours.”
“Me, too,” Nick piped in.
Amos barked, and a chorus of sounds came from Nick’s four dogs.
CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_a3f95ceb-162f-5f73-8dba-f01e54368e38)
ANDY SPENT THE rest of the afternoon looking through boxes at the community center.
Bill Evans had brought a chair inside the “museum” after she started glancing through some of scrapbooks, then he disappeared, apparently in pursuit of other volunteer duties.
Joseph lay beside her, his head resting on his paws, his tail wagging occasionally, apparently to remind her that he was there. She didn’t have to be reminded. In a few short weeks he’d become her lifeline. She had someone to feed and water and take for walks. She hadn’t realized how much she’d needed that.
She found twelve different newspapers that had apparently come and gone in the more than 150 years they documented. Some were little more than a single page. They were in chronological order but some years were missing. Still, it was like filing through snapshots of history.
The faded pages presented a glimpse of the town: the marriages, the births and the deaths. The marriage of a Nathan Rowland to Edna Redding caught her eye. The date on the newspaper was May 16, 1930. She counted back. He was probably Nate Rowland’s great-grandfather. The story was accompanied by a photo.
The Nate who had greeted her earlier in the day resembled the groom, except the latter sported a handsome mustache and looked uncomfortable in a black suit and white shirt with a stiff collar. The dark-haired bride was very pretty. Andy turned to another article. The country was deep in the Great Depression. There were rumors, denied, that the bank in the town would close. She suspected she would find out if it had.
Fascinated, she’d turned to the next issue when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked at her watch. Nearly six. She was amazed at how much time had passed.
“Hi, again” came a voice from behind her, and she whirled around. Nate Rowland stood in the doorway. “I hope I didn’t startle you,” he said. “You looked completely absorbed.”
“I was,” she said, feeling oddly as if she knew him better after reading the marriage announcement. “These...are fascinating.”
“You really think so?”
“Don’t you?”
He shrugged. “I grew up on this area’s history.” He knelt next to Joseph, who promptly turned on his back, baring his belly. Nate rubbed it as Joseph hummed with pleasure.
“He’s shameless,” Andy said. “And easy.”
Nate smiled, a slow twist of his lips that was surprisingly attractive. She found herself smiling back. She hadn’t really managed a real one for months, not until several days after she was introduced to Joseph. It was impossible not to respond to an animal that lived every day just to please you and intuit your every mood. It was also...difficult not to respond to Nate Rowland’s smile.
“You must be exhausted,” he said.
She shrugged. “I don’t sleep much.”
“I get that. I didn’t, either, when I returned from Iraq.”
She turned back to the newspaper and closed the bound volume. “It’s probably time for me to go back to the cabin and feed Joseph.”
“Bill had to leave. Something for his wife,” Nate said. “He asked me to close up for him and drive you home. He said you were so engrossed in the files, he didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“That was considerate of him,” Andy said, “and you, but I can walk home. Joseph and I need the exercise.”
“He thought you might want to take some of the material with you.”
Surprised, she blurted out her first thought. “I would think he, or the town, would want keep it under lock and key.”
“I don’t think he’s worried about you taking off with anything in here,” Nate said with that wry smile again. She was prepared for it this time.
She stood, stretched. She considered the newspapers she had been reading. It was either that or a book tonight, and she was becoming intrigued with Covenant Falls. It was the first time in months that she’d felt even a smidgen of interest in anything around her.
She was grateful for it, for anything that kept her mind from going back to Afghanistan. But if she took the bound newspapers home, she couldn’t hold Joseph’s leash. She would need a ride.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll take that ride.”
“Good. Can I carry that down for you?”
She hesitated, then nodded. The last thing she needed now was to fall down a flight of stairs.
He picked up the heavy, awkward book with ease. He waited for her and Joseph to lead the way down the stairs and he followed.
The building was empty. She waited as Nate locked up the building, then walked with her to his blue pickup.
“What time does it usually close?” she asked.
“Five on Friday. Seven the other weekdays so kids can do homework. Then it’s open Saturday from nine to five.”
“And it’s after six,” she said. “I didn’t realize...”
“Not to worry,” he said. “Bill saved me from doing some paperwork that’s on my desk. Now I can foist it on Josh.” He paused, then asked, “Have you had dinner?”
“No, but I had a late lunch with Eve Manning and there’s enough food in the fridge to feed an army.”
A light seemed to go on in his eyes. “Ah, now I understand,” he said.
“Understand what?”
“Why you’re here. Eve is behind this.”
“I like to pay my own way.”
“I get that, too,” he said as they went down the few steps to the ground. They reached his pickup and she wondered whether everyone in Covenant Falls drove a truck. The Bucket was definitely going to be out of place.
She opened the passenger door before he could reach it and climbed inside. Joseph hopped in and squeezed next to her, then she took the bound newspapers in her lap.
It was warm outside and it seemed to get warmer when Nate stepped inside. The sleeves of his blue shirt were rolled up, displaying bronze muscles. She hadn’t noticed that much this morning. She’d been tired and anxious to get inside and settled, at least as much as she could in a cabin that didn’t belong to her. She had worried every mile of her drive that some loud noise or headlight would send her back to Afghanistan and off the road.
But now she was running on adrenaline. The lunch with Eve Manning had given her something she very much needed: an immediate goal. She liked Bill Evans and thought he could be a friend. Maybe Nate, too, although she wanted absolutely nothing outside a casual friendship.
She leaned against the seat.
“What exactly does Eve want you to do?” Nate asked.
“A brochure about the town’s history,” she said.
Nate didn’t say anything, but then silences seemed to be a part of him.
A minute later they were in front of the cabin. He turned off the engine. “If you want to know the history, you should talk to Al Monroe.”
“Eve mentioned something about him, but Bill indicated he might be difficult.”
“He might. He might not,” Nate said. “But it’s worth a try.”
“Could you ask him?”
“I think you should do it yourself,” he said. “He respects strength and directness. And even if not, I’m the last person to ask him.”
“Why?”
“As far as he’s concerned, I’ve been wrong on every side of an issue in Covenant Falls.”
“That’s intriguing.” She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. Instead, he stepped down and went around to her side of the pickup and opened the door. He reached for the book, but she shook her head.
“I can take it from here,” she said.
His gaze met hers in the internal light of the pickup. His eyes were predominantly a golden brown but with shades of gray and green mixing with it. What was striking, though, was not the color. It was something she couldn’t define. It wasn’t kindness, but more of an empathy. She resented the hell out of sympathy, or pity or its like, but this was neither. I’ve been there. I know what you’re going through. I respect it.
She suddenly realized she was still sitting in the seat, holding the book as if it were a lifeline. Joseph barked as if to jar her into moving. She handed the bulky volume down to Nate. He took it, and she stepped out and followed him to the cabin. “I can take it now,” she said, but as she took it from him once they were inside, her bad hand failed her and the heavy volume started to fall. He caught it.
“Where would you like it?” he asked as if nothing at all had happened.
“The table, I think,” she said, biting her tongue in mortification.
He placed it down on the table, then he turned to her. “Think about contacting Al Monroe,” he said. “I think he would like you.”
“Why?”
“Because I think you have a hell of a lot of grit, and he respects that.” She was too stunned to reply. Grit? Not recently.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t know what the hell happened to you out there, but here you are, in a strange town, standing up tall and ready to take on a challenge because you’re not giving up.”
“But I was giving up,” she admitted honestly.
“Was doesn’t matter. Now is what matters. Just know we all have your back. Okay?”
He was willing her to believe it. She took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said.
He just nodded. “Call if you need anything, or just want to talk. You’ll be coming to the vet meeting Monday night?”
“You said they play poker?”
“Yeah. We’ve been known to do that.”
“You betcha, then.” False bravado, but it just popped out. She was as surprised as he looked.
He simply nodded, his eyes hooded. “Welcome to Covenant Falls,” he said as he headed for the door.
* * *
NATE’S THOUGHTS WERE in turmoil as he drove away from the cabin. He had not meant to say what he had said, nor do more than leave her at the door. The look on Andy’s face when she’d nearly dropped the heavy, bulky book had changed his mind.
She looked so fragile and yet she had the strength to plunge through whatever pain she had. She’d traveled to a strange place with a determination to reclaim her life. She had apparently grabbed at whatever Eve had offered.
Be careful! Women, particularly pretty ones with wide eyes and sad stories, were poison for him. It had taken him five years to claw back from the hell Maggie had put him through. The last thing he needed was any kind of involvement with a woman.
He would keep his distance. He had given her a challenge by mentioning Al Monroe. He suspected she couldn’t ignore it if she was the fighter he thought lurked within her. He’d done his part. He turned on the highway. He had other stops today.
CHAPTER SIX (#ulink_d7c4139c-3f46-504a-b937-4abbb68852c0)
ANDY WOKE TO sunlight streaming through the bedroom window. She felt a furry body next to her. It was the first full night’s sleep she’d had in months. No demons. No blood. Just a soft snoring.
Joseph opened one eye and peered at her, as if asking whether he could stay. She remembered her resolve three weeks ago. She wasn’t going to get too emotionally invested in the dog. It was a sound decision. It had lasted until the first nightmare, when he’d woken her, crawled up on the bed and let her cling to him.
Bright blue eyes regarded her solemnly now, and she couldn’t help but rub his ears. So much for not getting invested.
She looked at the clock on the stand next to her bed. Nearly seven. She rarely, if ever, slept that late, but then yesterday had been a very long day. She had gone nearly twenty-four hours without more than a nap yesterday morning.
Even after arriving back at the cabin, she’d looked through more of the papers.
One item had jumped out at her. The mention of a camel ordinance being defeated...
For a few hours she hadn’t thought of Jared, of her friends, of the hand that didn’t work very well.
She stretched out in the bed and thought about the day ahead of her.
Saturday. She was committed to dinner tonight. She wasn’t sure whether she was ready for it, but Eve Manning was a force of nature.
She rubbed Joseph’s fur, and he rewarded her with a sneak-attack kiss. As a nurse who had never had a dog before, she was appalled. But then, she reasoned, a lot of people apparently had canine companions and stayed healthy.
Joseph hadn’t attempted such an overt show of affection before. She apparently had passed the Joseph test.
“Time to get up,” she said. She was hungry. Appetite was something else that had been missing. She was actually hungry now. Dr. Payne would be proud. She might send him a text.
She went into the bathroom. The shower was great. She stayed there for a long time, washing her hair, then just reveling in the hot water. It was almost symbolic. Washing away some of the anger and hopelessness that had smothered her.
She stepped out. Joseph stood and wagged his tail. “Want to go out?” she asked.
The tail moved faster.
Andy went back in the bedroom and slipped into jeans and a T-shirt, then went to the back door and opened it. Joseph dashed out.
She stood there and watched as the dog explored the area in back, then did his business and returned. She had been afraid at first that he would run away, but in the two weeks she’d been with him, she’d learned how well he was trained. The word come would bring him immediately.
She prepared coffee. It was slow because she had to do nearly everything with one hand. Then she fried three eggs. One went into Joseph’s bowl along with dog food. Her two went on a plate with one of the sweet rolls Maude had provided with the cabin.
Andy carried her plate outside. She left the front door open for Joseph to join her.
The lake was visible through the trees. The scent of pines perfumed the air. A few wildflowers peeked up out of the ground.
Her thoughts turned to Nate Rowland. Grit. Just his saying the word helped her battered self-image. Grit was something she needed, something she respected, something she’d once relished and in the past months had lost.
Or maybe she hadn’t.
She hadn’t been a victim in his eyes. She was a person with grit, and that was a gift.
So was a purpose. There were interesting tidbits in the newspapers but very little about the beginnings of the town, and that had been the carrot Eve had offered. Traders. American Indians. Gold. That was the core, the mother lode.
She picked up the plate and coffee cup and went inside, placed them in the sink and looked at her watch. It was a little after eight. She washed the dishes, put them away, then called Eve.
After the preliminaries, she got to the point. “You and Nate mentioned Al Monroe, that he might have original journals from 1850. I would very much like to read them. Question is, how do I approach Mr. Monroe?”
“Quite honestly, I think if you called, he would say no,” Eve said. “He’s had a couple of tragedies these past few years, and he’s retreated from nearly everyone. But he’s very proud of his family roots. We’ll talk about it tonight.”
“You think he would approve of me writing a short history of the town?”
“I never know with Al. I’m not one of his favorite people, but he surprises me at times. He was a curmudgeon on the town council, but under a gruff exterior he really cares about Covenant Falls.”
Andy digested that answer. It raised several questions. And suspicions. She didn’t like being manipulated, either for her own good or for someone else’s.
But despite any misgivings, she was hooked. One of her character flaws was an obsession to finish whatever she started. “What time tonight?” she asked.
“Around six,” Eve said. “Oh, I asked Nate to come as well, since you’ve already met him. If it’s okay, he’ll pick you up. Josh will be working his magic with steaks, and we’re a bit hard to find.”
“It’s fine,” Andy said and with a goodbye hung up. She stood there for a moment. It wasn’t fine at all. Nate was being thrown at her, and she resented it. He probably did, too. He had been helpful last night, but the last thing she wanted, or needed, was a matchmaker hovering around. Damn.
* * *
NATE AND JOSH spent Saturday-morning meeting with the newly hired manager for the Covenant Falls Inn. The daughter of one of his mother’s friends, Susan Hall, had been a hotel manager in Las Vegas—not for one of the huge luxury hotels, but a small boutique hotel.
She was recently divorced and had been looking for a job far away from the ex-husband when her mother had heard about the opening for a manager. Susan was hired after the first interview.
“It may not be permanent,” Nate had warned. “We’re all out on a limb here.”
“It doesn’t matter. Right now, it’s a godsend.”
“You can hire the rest of the staff,” Nate said. “Let us know what you need and recommended salaries.”
“We’ll start off slow until we know about the market,” she said. “I can fill several positions. We’ll need a night manager. I’ll take care of the day desk.”
“We’ll need a cook,” Nate said.
“A chef,” Josh said with a wry smile.
“A cook,” Nate insisted.
Susan laughed. “Maybe we could get Maude.”
“Hell, no,” Nate said. “The town would drive us out on a rail. But we have other great cooks in town. We start out using home talent. Mrs. Byars, for instance, could provide brownies for each room, and Ethel Jones is a great cook. She’s widowed and could use money. We could hire a young person to help her while getting training.”
“I like it,” Josh said. “The whole idea is to bring jobs to the town.”
“I’ll talk to Mrs. Jones,” Nate said. “I have better diplomatic skills than Josh.”
“I resent that,” Josh said. “Eve says I’m one hundred percent improved.”
Nate rolled his eyes. “One hundred percent of zero is still zero.”
Susan laughed. “I think I’m going to like this job.” She looked down at the dog sitting next to Josh. “I take it the inn will be animal friendly.”
“Yep,” Josh said.
“Take a hard look throughout the property, Susan,” Nate said. “See if there’s anything we missed or that we need. We used every wholesale and going-out-of-business company in the country. Call me or Josh anytime with a problem. I’ll take the easy ones, and he, as president of this budding firm, will take the hard ones.”
“When do we open?”
“We have an informal opening in seven weeks. We’ve invited a number of travel agents and tourist information people. We have about eight couples who have accepted. I would like to open to the public shortly after that. As soon as you think we’re ready, we’ll put out news releases saying we’re open.”
“I have contacts with travel magazines and websites,” Susan said. “I’ll get in touch.” She hesitated, then said, “You don’t have the sign yet.”
“No.”
“You might want to think about the name. Something chic and catchy.”
“The Covenant Falls Inn isn’t chic and catchy?” Nate asked.
“Truthfully?” Susan answered.
“We’ll think about it,” Josh said. “We haven’t confirmed the design yet with the sign company.” Josh stood, ending the meeting. “We’re really happy to have you,” Josh said to Susan.
“Not nearly as happy as I am to be here. We’ll make it work,” she replied.
Nate and Josh walked out together. “She might just do that,” Josh said.
“I like your enthusiasm,” Nate replied drily.
“I hear you’re coming to dinner tonight.”
“All Eve has to say is ‘steaks.’”
“I also hear Eve conned you into meeting our new arrival.”
“Yep.”
“That tells me a lot,” Josh said.
“She’s like most of us when we got back. There’s a lot of pain there.”
“You liked her.”
“She’s nice enough. Obviously hurting. But don’t you or Eve even think of matchmaking. She’s certainly not ready, and neither am I.”
“I would never harbor the thought,” Josh said. “A confirmed bachelor is a confirmed bachelor.” He smirked.
“I mean it,” Nate said.
“I know you’ve been avoiding every woman in town and something bad went down. You don’t talk much about personal things, my friend.”
“Not just bad. I was an idiot. I fell for a pair of blue eyes and a sad story. I thought I could fix things. I discovered I’m not worth a damn in fixing broken things. I married for the wrong reason and to do the right thing, and it exploded on me. My ex-wife had totally different motives, including another guy. I ended up losing my career as well as everything I had saved.”
Josh knew the results. Nate had returned to Covenant Falls two years ago. He’d worked at every construction job he could find. It was how they’d met—Josh had needed help installing a new floor and hired Nate. He found a talented craftsman with three years toward an architecture degree in addition to eight years in the army.
Nate had shared stories about his time in Iraq but not the years afterward. Josh had never asked and never would, but he knew Nate carried a load of hurt. He’d just had a glimpse of how heavy it was.
Josh gave him a searching look, then nodded. “Eve is going to ask you to pick her up tonight. She and I will be cooking, and Andy doesn’t know Clint or Stephanie. Do that, and I’ll tell—ah, ask—her to refrain from asking anything else. Okay?”
Nate nodded. “Deal.”
They separated, Nate going to his truck and Josh, Amos at his side, to his Jeep.
* * *
ANDY WAS RESTLESS. She’d finished the last few issues of the bound newspapers. She had scrawled a couple of notes of dates and events she thought might be important.
She wanted to know more about the Monroe family. If she was going to talk to the man, or even try to, she needed as much information as she could find. She decided to drive to the community center, return the volume she had and look at more recent newspapers.
She drove the Bucket, since she had the newspapers with her. Bill Evans wasn’t there, but a Mrs. Wilson was.
“Bill told me you might be showing up. I’m real glad to meet you. My husband is Calvin Wilson. He and my son run the hardware store. You need anything—a replacement lightbulb, anything at all—you call them. They would be real proud to help.”
The real proud reminded Andy of home. It sounded like her mother. It also reminded her she needed to call her mother, make sure everything was all right and let her know where she was. She had made duty calls once a week, but she knew they had been more worrying than comforting. She had repeatedly refused to go home to heal. She didn’t want to add another burden to a family that already had more than they should have to handle.
“You need anything, you just call me,” Mrs. Wilson said. “There’s usually coffee in the club room.”
“Thank you. I might try that.” After Mrs. Wilson left, Andy looked through the stacks of bound newspapers and picked up one that covered the years 2005 through this year. Someone, probably Bill Evans, had conscientiously added each newspaper.
After flipping through them, she understood exactly what Bill Evans had meant when he’d dismissed The Covenant Falls Herald as a serious newspaper. The editions were little more than a collection of gossip, dry recounts of city council meetings and legal ads. She flipped through them until she came to a headline—Councilman Monroe Resigns After Arrest of Nephew.
She read the article. Al Monroe, chairman of the city council, had resigned when his nephew was arrested for kidnapping. Her interest boiled over when she read that the victim had been the mayor’s son, who was rescued by the mayor’s current husband and her husband’s dog, Amos.
Maybe Covenant Falls wasn’t quite as tranquil as she’d thought, and now she understood, at least in part, why the mayor indicated she wasn’t exactly the councilman’s favorite person. And maybe, just maybe, why she wanted an outsider to write—attempt to write—the history of the town.
Strangely enough, it deepened her interest. She had been intrigued before, but now her thoughts were going at warp speed.
She turned to the next week’s news. Nothing much of interest.
The nephew was being held for trial. Al Monroe disappeared from the papers.
She kept turning the pages. The wedding, four months later, of Josh and Eve Manning. Then the arrival of chopper pilot Clint Morgan last fall was duly reported.
Andy closed the paper. This was getting her nowhere. She wanted to go farther back. She wanted to know Covenant Falls when it was little more than a trading post.
She checked the other bound volumes of papers, but none went back farther than 1919, unless there were scattered editions in the pile of boxes lining the room.
Then she found what she was searching for: a box marked “Early Years.”
She wished she had a computer. She hadn’t bothered with one in the hospital or the months of recuperation. The purchase of a cell phone after her release from the hospital had been a big deal.
Note to self—laptop computer. It would take a bite out of what little money she had, but it was necessary. Not only for this task but for day-to-day living now that she’d decided to be a functioning person again. She opened a box and started prowling through it.
CHAPTER SEVEN (#ulink_79853d64-e840-5f61-8648-b5a540222a41)
WHAT DO YOU wear when meeting your landlord and a bunch of strangers while dining at the house of the mayor?
Eve had said it was casual. But there was casual, and then there was more casual. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much of a choice. Her wardrobe was limited, and that was an understatement. Her predeployment clothes had been much too large by the time she left the hospital, and she hadn’t had the heart, desire or reason to buy more than basic necessities.
That translated into three pairs of jeans, one pair of black pants, two sweaters, three T-shirts and several shirts, including two pullovers. Her choice of footwear was a pair of lace-up walking shoes, a pair of sandals and one pair of well-worn loafers.
She chose the best pair of jeans and a blue-gray shirt with long sleeves. After running a brush through her hair, she added a touch of lipstick, then stared at herself in the mirror. Really looked for the first time in months. Her hair needed a cut. Badly. She was thin, too thin. Her cheeks were hollow.
Joseph watched every movement, following her from room to room as if afraid someone would snatch her.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You can come with me.”
The doorbell rang. Joseph barked. “It’s a bit late for that,” she told Joseph. “You’re supposed to bark before the bell rings.” She hurried to the door and opened it. Nate stood there, a rueful smile on his lips.
“Hi,” he said. “I’m really not stalking you.”
“Are you sure?” she asked with a slight smile.
“Nope, I swear. Eve will vouch for me.”
He wore jeans and a casual blue pullover cotton shirt with short sleeves that showed off muscled arms and a fit body. A shock of unruly chestnut hair fell over his forehead.
“Tell me about the other people at the dinner.”
“Josh is a former loner who finds himself surrounded by people and animals and can’t quite figure out how it happened. Clint is the opposite. He’s never met a stranger and could charm a rattler. Clint likes to tease Josh about his current zoo and a wife with a finger in a hundred pies.”
“And you enjoy standing back and enjoying it.”
“Guilty. But then Stephanie and Clint are interesting, too. Clint’s the outgoing one, and Stephanie is all practicality.”
“Should make for an interesting evening.” Andy turned to Joseph. “Let’s go.” Then she glanced back at Nate. “Eve said it was okay to bring him.”
“I would be shocked if he wasn’t invited,” Nate replied as Joseph picked up his leash and brought it to her.
“Eve will be impressed,” Nate said as he opened the door for her, then the screen porch. “Her dogs never do that.”
She’d expected the pickup but instead he led her to a middle-aged Buick sedan. “My mom’s car,” he said. “I thought it would be more comfortable.”
“She lives here?”
“It’s one reason I came back. She’s getting older.” A shadow crossed his face and she realized there was probably more to the story. But she knew better than to probe. She didn’t want anyone to probe into her life.
Once they were on the road, he turned to her. “Everyone who’ll be there tonight is good people. Really good people. They’ll understand if you need to walk away. Just nod at me, and we’ll leave. Okay?”
She swallowed hard. He understands. She hadn’t been around more than a few people since...waking up. She’d refused group therapy. No way could she talk about what happened.
“Thank you,” she finally said.
He turned on some jazz in the car and they rode in silence.
Nate drove to a parking area in front of a one-story ranch house. A screened-in porch, much like her own, stretched across the front. A boy—maybe ten or so—opened the door and approached the car. He waited as Andy stepped out of the car.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hello to you,” she said with a smile.
“I’m Nick. Mom told me to bring you inside. She said you might have a dog. I have four. They’re inside because Mom says they can be too much for a visitor.” He hadn’t taken a breath between all the sentences.
“I think I can handle a few dogs,” she said. “And I do have one in the car. Would you like to meet him?”
Nick nodded eagerly.
Nate had walked around the car, and he opened the back door.
Joseph jumped down and stood protectively next to Andy.
“Can I pet him?” Nick asked.
“I think he would like that.”
“What’s his name?”
“Joseph.”
Nick knelt and rubbed Joseph’s ears. “He’s a fine dog,” he said.
“Every dog is a fine dog to Nick,” Eve said as she walked up. “Welcome. The guys are around at the grill in back. Would you like to come in and have a glass of wine before joining them?”
Andy nodded. “Sounds good.” She followed Eve inside while Nate strode behind the house. Joseph was at her heels, and Nick at his.
She stepped inside the porch. “Looks familiar,” she said.
“Josh built the one at the cabin and liked it so much he added this one after we were married. He’s great with his hands.”
They went inside to the kitchen. Eve poured two glasses of red wine and handed one to her. “Bill Evans said you stayed at the museum until late.”
“You piqued my interest,” Andy replied.
“Good.”
“But there was nothing about American Indians and gold mines and Scottish traders.”
“I have to admit we have a lot of work to do on the museum, but you’ll find bits and pieces of the history. Some exaggerated, some not. Gold was found in the mountains around us, but no one found the amounts discovered farther north. As for the natives, the Utes lived in this area until they were moved west and were mortal enemies of the Apaches, who wandered this way occasionally.”
“And the trader? Angus. I didn’t see much about him.”
“You’ll find it as you delve into it.”
“The journals you mentioned? Am I going into a minefield?” Andy asked.
Eve looked startled, then she smiled. “You’re direct. I like that.” She took a sip from her glass. “A little history will probably help,” she said. “I was city clerk before running for mayor. The former mayor did very little to nothing, which made Al Monroe happy.
“After my husband died,” she continued, “I was at a loss. The mayor decided not to run again, but I’d really been doing his job. My father-in-law urged me to run and, on a dare, I did. No one was more surprised than me when I defeated Al’s chosen candidate. We were at loggerheads for the next three years. He made it nearly impossible for any businesses to move here while I watched all the young people leave town.”
Interest stirred in Andy. “I saw in the local newspaper he’d resigned from the council?”
“His nephew, Sam, was on the police force. He wanted to be chief, and I was opposed to it. So Sam decided to make a name for himself. He committed some petty burglaries and tried to frame Josh, the newcomer to Covenant Falls.”
Andy was feeling more at ease as Eve talked. She didn’t seem to be holding anything back.
“When Josh first arrived, he was in pretty bad shape. He was rude to everyone and stayed to himself. He was the perfect foil.”
“Obviously not,” Andy said wryly, “since you married him, you’re still mayor and the ex-commissioner is nursing his wounds.”
Eve grinned at her. “Obviously not,” she agreed. “But that wasn’t the worst of it. Sam kidnapped my son. Josh and his dog, Amos, found him.”
“Where is the nephew now?”
“In jail. He pleaded guilty and received a short sentence, but Al felt he had to resign from the commission. He apologized, which I think was very difficult for him to do, and retreated from everything but his business. He owns the real estate and insurance companies, along with an interest in the bank, which has a branch in his offices.”
“And he harbors bad feelings toward you?”
“Against the whole town, I think. It elected me mayor twice, and he feels it was a repudiation of him. It wasn’t. They’re just scared the town is dying.”
“And you’re sending me into the lion’s den?”
“Nothing as dramatic as that. Thing is, I like him. He’s had a lot of tragedies. His wife couldn’t have children and she’s been ill. She pretty much dropped out of everything. His only other family was a sister, but she and her husband died in a car crash. Al raised their boy, Sam. Spoiled him. The whole kidnapping thing destroyed him.”
Sympathy surged through Andy. She knew loss all too well.
And she suddenly realized why Eve had asked her to write the history. “Were you going to ask me to do this before you met me?”
“No.”
“You think Al Monroe and I would be good for each other?”
Eve sighed. “You’re too perceptive. I won’t lie to you. I had that thought. Not romantically, of course. He’s happily married. But he needs something...”
“You baited me neatly.” Andy couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice. She’d liked Eve, but she didn’t like being used.
“No. The town really does need a history. Al does have his supporters. The town is divided, and neither side trusts the other. That’s why I thought an outsider would be a good idea. After I met you, I sensed that you might get through to Al. I don’t know why.”
It was an apology of sorts, and even an implied compliment. Her resentment faded away. “Has anyone seen the journals?” she asked.
Eve shook her head. “His nephew bragged about having seen journals, but when I asked Al about them, he was very non-committal.”
“Maybe there’s something in them that he doesn’t want someone to see,” Andy surmised.
“After a hundred and fifty years?” Eve said.
“Or,” Andy said, “maybe they don’t even exist.”
“That could be true, too,” Eve said, “but he’s never denied their existence. I think he’s just proud and stubborn.”
Another voice broke in. “Are you ever going to bring Lieutenant Stuart out to meet the crew?”
Andy turned. Josh Manning—it must be Josh Manning—filled the doorway into the kitchen. He was tall, solidly built with tawny hair and emerald green eyes.
“Hello,” he said to her. “Welcome to Covenant Falls. I’m Josh, and I’ve come to save you from my wife.”
“Hi. I understand you’re my landlord. Thank you.”
“Thank my buddy. He left the cabin to me. It’s what he would have wanted.” His green eyes clouded over for a split second, then cleared. “I hope you’re comfortable.”
“It’s very nice. I took a walk up your mountain yesterday.”
“I did that on a regular basis. It usually cleared my head.” He peered down at Joseph. “Who is this?”
“Joseph.”
Her host leaned down. “He’s a handsome fellow. Okay to pet him?”
“Sure. He loves attention,” she said, suddenly at ease with Josh as he leaned down and rubbed Joseph’s ears.
“Come and meet my particular savior,” he said. “Or one of them.” He led the way outside, where a dog resembling a German shepherd stood at the step. “This is Amos, a Belgian Malinois,” he said. “He was a military dog before he became my best buddy.”
The two dogs, Amos and Joseph, looked at each other, sniffed each other thoroughly, then wagged their tails before retreating to their humans.
Andy took several steps down to a large patio, and Josh guided her over to a man and woman who were drinking long-necked beers. “The lady is Stephanie, veterinarian superb,” Josh said, “and the loafer is Clint Morgan, chopper pilot, police-chief-to-be and your predecessor at the cabin.”
Stephanie smiled. “Welcome,” she said. A striking redhead, she was nearly as tall as Clint. She eyed Joseph. “Shelties are great dogs. Where did you find him?”
Andy hesitated. She really hated to admit she’d needed help.
But then she shrugged. “A group specializing in matching dogs with veterans. A psychologist at the hospital arranged it.”
“How long have you had him?” Stephanie asked.
“About three weeks.”
“He’s obviously well trained. He doesn’t take his eyes off you.”
“We’re getting used to each other. I thought there would be other dogs here.”
“We tried to restrain ourselves tonight,” Stephanie said with a big grin. “I have two at home. Clint has one. Josh has Amos, and Eve has four rescues. We thought to keep your first visit relatively peaceful. We didn’t want you to run back to Texas on your second day.”
“Sit,” Josh said. “I’m putting steaks on the grill. How do you like yours?”
“Medium.” She put her drink on a table and sank down into one of the lounge chairs. She looked at Stephanie. “Are you a native of Covenant Falls?”
“I’ve been here a little more than five years,” she said. “I’m one of the newcomers. If I had been here twenty years, I would still be a newcomer, but that’s okay. We’re not too discriminated against.”
Andy decided she needed a longer conversation with Eve about Covenant Falls politics and, more specifically, about Al Monroe, but this was not the time or place.
Andy sipped her glass of wine. She drank very little since her return to the States. Her medications had narrowed to two, one for panic attacks and the other for insomnia. She hadn’t used those in several days, but she was still cautious about alcohol.
The sun was going down, and vivid scarlet, pink and coral ribbons crossed the sky and blessed the mountain.
Nate returned and Andy looked at the three men—Nate, Clint and Josh—around her. They had served, probably survived horrors as she had. But she still felt apart from them. They seemed at ease, living in the moment. Talking about events that had nothing to do with her. The shadows inside were still too strong, the memories too recent.
She saw the affectionate banter and touches between Josh and Eve, and Clint and Stephanie, and she resented them. She shouldn’t. They were going out of the way to make her feel at home, but...dammit, she did. That anger and resentment she’d felt the morning she saw the couple in the hospital returned.
“Andy?” Nate walked over to her chair. “Why don’t we walk to the corral? The horses are out.”
Gratitude filled her. He had sensed her discomfort. She nodded and stood, the brace on her left hand hitting the table beside her and knocking the glass over. It exploded like a shot, and the wine splashed up on Nate’s clothes and began to spread. A red stain spreading...spreading...
White lights. Shots. Screams. Her screams. More shots. Pain. The mountains faded into the field operating room. Blood was everywhere. “No,” she heard herself screaming. Jared stepped in front of her and... God, no... Jared! Jared! Don’t...
She was only vaguely aware of someone touching her, talking to her, but she couldn’t understand the words. A loud bark, a warm furry body pressing against her...
She felt herself being lowered to a sitting position. Images still darted in and out of her brain. The man with the gun... Her friend...
She couldn’t breathe. Then she felt arms going around her and carrying her. Strong. Like Jared. He isn’t dead!
“Andy. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Breathe,” the voice commanded. It isn’t Jared. Despair flooded her.
“Breathe, dammit.” The voice was louder, too strong to resist.
Air rushed in, then out.
“Andy?” The voice was gentle now, even tender. “You’re safe now.” Something wet licked her face. A furry body tried to crawl up on her. She grabbed him, held him close as the images started to fade away in a fog.
She was aware, barely, that fingers were taking her pulse, then her blood pressure. She knew her pulse was racing, and her blood pressure was probably sky-high. Her eyes were wet. Sore.
She was inside a room. Not a tent. Joseph was madly licking her hands. She saw Nate’s face then. Worried. His hands were busy taking her blood pressure.
Stephanie was by her side, holding a glass of water. “Hey. Glad to have you back with us,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Take a sip of water.”
Andy did as she was told. “I’m so sorry,” she said after a swallow. “I don’t know...” But she did know, and she felt humiliated beyond words.
“No apologies necessary,” Stephanie said.
“Damn right,” Nate said. “I’ve been there. So has Josh.”
“I shouldn’t have come...” She remembered the steaks then. Probably burned by now. She didn’t care for herself. She wasn’t hungry. She felt sick. And incredibly tired.
“Anything I can get you?” Stephanie asked.
She shook her head. All she wanted to do was flee, but she didn’t want to ruin everyone’s evening, and that was what would happen if she left now. She had to stop running, no matter how much she wanted to at this minute.
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Patricia Potter
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: One brave step at a timeLieutenant Andrea Stuart survived the warzone attack that took her fiancé. A therapy dog and a cabin in Covenant Falls are all the risks the former military nurse is willing to take anymore. But as Andy’s drawn into writing the history of the small town, she’s also drawn to Nate Rowland.As rugged as he is jaded, Nate’s committed to helping fellow veterans—and avoiding a new relationship. Keeping her distance might be smart, but it’s hard to stay away when Andy sees that Nate has a few scars of his own. Together they might find a path toward healing…and so much more.