Last Flight from Flagstaff (Choices: Story Two)

by Beth Carpenter

  Chapter 5

  The parking lot was almost full. This must be a popular spot in Flagstaff. Donna got out of the jeep and breathed in the pine-scented air. She felt the tension of the day slide from her shoulders as the natural setting soothed her. She exchanged her high-heeled pumps for sneakers. They probably looked ridiculous with her sharp business suit, but who was she trying to impress anyway? She put her phone and car keys in the pockets of her suit jacket.

  The area near the parking lot was a large grassy, flat space. Further away, the towering pines climbed the hillside. Aspens and other deciduous trees clustered here and there among the ponderosas. Near the other side of the parking lot, she could see some tennis courts.

  All around, people were walking dogs, playing with their kids, and enjoying the outdoors. A border collie was performing astounding Frisbee catches, entertaining the passersby. Overhead, a robin was singing his heart out, trying to attract a mate. A breeze ruffled Donna’s hair. She rubbed the back of her neck and felt the knots beginning to loosen as she walked toward the forest.

  A sign marked a trail ahead, a three-mile loop through the woods. That sounded perfect. Donna started up the trail. It was a beautiful day, with the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. Donna just wished she had someone to share it with. She turned a corner around a fat conifer and began to climb the hill.

  Just ahead, a flash of movement from a plumy tail caught her eye. The tail belonged to a reddish dog walking alongside a tall man. The dog looked up into the man’s face, tongue hanging out, and wagged its tail again. The man had dark hair, curling over the collar of his indigo tee shirt. The tee was snug on his powerful shoulders, tapering to a trim waist and tucking into a pair of stretchy athletic pants that hugged the taut muscles in the man’s excellent butt.

  Whoa. Has it come to this? Ogling a stranger in the park? Really, Donna? Her face flushed as she shifted her eyes back over to the dog. The man began jogging and the dog joyfully kept pace. She couldn’t help but notice that the man moved well too, with a powerful, athletic stride. The pair soon disappeared around a curve in the trail.

  Donna continued her stroll, listening to the sounds of birds and the whisper of the breeze. As she rounded the curve, she noticed the dog and her master had stopped. The dog sniffed a tree and squatted to mark the spot, while the man pulled out a cell phone and peered at the screen.

  A squirrel with a luxurious tail and disproportionately large black-tipped ears ran into the path just ahead of Donna. It froze, almond-shaped eyes staring at her. Donna stared back, entranced. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Donna saw the dog’s head jerk up and she realized the dog had seen the squirrel. As if in slow motion, the dog broke free, pulling the leash out of the man’s hand and causing him to drop the phone. The man made a valiant effort to catch the phone as it tumbled, juggling it two or three times before it fell deep within a pile of brush beside the trail.

  “Sally, no!” the man shouted. “Come!”

  The dog ignored him, shooting toward Donna and the squirrel, the leash trailing behind. The squirrel scurried up a tree, stopping on a branch about head height and chattering at the dog, who put her front feet against the tree, and finding the squirrel out of reach, gave one good bark and dropped back to the ground. Up close, the dog revealed an interesting mix of a parentage. She had a boxer’s face, which gave the appearance of having smashed into a brick wall at high velocity, but her plumy tail and red color must have come from an Irish setter. Who knows what other breeds might be lurking? White hairs were slowly invading the black markings on the dog’s ears. She stood panting, a doggy smile splitting her white face.

  “Hello there,” Donna said. “Did you have fun?”

  The dog looked up at Donna and wagged her tail, ignoring the squirrel’s scolding. Donna picked up the leash and walked the dog back toward her master, who was striding toward them. He was even better looking from the front. Brilliant blue eyes twinkled as he gave her a wry grin, accepting the leash.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I can’t believe this old girl managed to get away from me like that. That’s what I get for paying attention to my phone when I’m supposed to be walking her.”

  “She is speedy,” Donna said, “and obviously not enormously obedient.”

  “In her defense, she can’t hear thunder. I don’t know why I even tried to call her back,” the man said. “Thanks for grabbing her.”

  “No trouble at all,” Donna said. “Did you find your phone?”

  He shook his head. “Not yet. And I need it because I’m picking up my sister at the airport later and her first flight was delayed. I need to keep in touch to see whether or not she makes her connection.”

  “Would it help if I call your number?”

  “That would be great.” He gave her the cell number.

  A few seconds later, the muted sound of a classic telephone bell could be heard. Donna took the leash and the dog sat, head tilted, watching the man as he began digging through the pile of twigs, leaves, and brush. He was still excavating when the call rolled over to voicemail. “You have reached 928-…”

  Donna redialed. She could have sworn the dog was laughing as she watched her master tunneling frantically through the brush, trying to locate the ringing phone. Donna smiled too, enjoying the scene.

  “Eureka,” the man said finally. He turned to Donna and grinned, holding up the phone in triumph. A dimple appeared in his left cheek. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “So do you live around here?” he asked.

  “No, just visiting a friend,” she said. Did she detect a hint of disappointment on his face? “It is beautiful here. Do you live in Flagstaff?”

  “Most of my life. I’ve had to spend some time away but I moved back recently. Sally and I run here or in one of the other parks almost every day.”

  “That sounds wonderful. I think this is the sort of place I could feel at home.”

  “We get a lot of snow in the winter,” he warned.

  “I like snow. I haven’t seen a lot of it, but I enjoy skiing and cold crisp air. Do you like living here?

  “I love it. I’ve spent time in many places, but I always come back to Flagstaff. Well, it was nice running into you.”

  “You too. Hope you and your sister have a nice visit,” Donna said.

  He raised his eyebrows, looking somewhat doubtful. “Yeah, me too. Thanks again. Come on, Sally.” He and the dog were off at a fast jog down the trail as Donna looked on.

  I wonder if he is married, Donna mused. She thought of his outrageously long dark eyelashes framing the bright blue eyes and his easy smile. She could feel her own lips softening, thinking about that kissable mouth. Now why can’t anyone ever introduce me to a man like that?

  Donna continued her walk, head in the clouds. She found herself back at the parking lot without quite realizing how she had covered the three miles. She looked around for a red dog, but of course, they would have finished and gone. When she got to the jeep, she noticed her pumps lying in the backseat, and felt a twinge of embarrassment she had met such an attractive man while wearing a navy business suit and pink sneakers. Oh well, it wasn’t as though she would ever see him again.