by Leah Atwood
His limitations bothered him more than the pain itself. Man, he hated the obstacles his leg created. Be thankful I still have my leg.
Despite his frustrations, he was grateful the doctors had saved his mangled limb. In his foggiest memories, he remembered lying in the hospital bed, being told he’d probably lose the limb. He could only credit its current presence to the power of prayer. On the bad days of pain, during the worst moments such as now, he reminded himself of his fortune.
Not only did he still have all his limbs, but he also had his life. Unlike Mike.
Thinking of Mike, he cut his gaze to Janie. She hummed a tune he recognized from an old movie his sister loved as a child about an orphan named Annie. Would the figurative sun come out tomorrow for Janie? He prayed so, and the serene smile on her face bolstered his hope. Since Mike’s death, her smile had rarely surfaced. He didn’t know what happened after their waitress followed Janie into the bathroom, but Janie had been more relaxed since then.
From the back seat, Jared emitted an unexpected snore that broke the peaceful silence.
Evan made eye contact with Janie and laughed. “Should we record him and use it as a bribe?”
Janie shook her head, her eyes full of mirth. “Nah, he has no shame and wouldn’t care.”
“You’re right on that.” Another cramp tightened his leg, and he fought the urge to reach down and massage it.
“Not too much longer ‘til we get there.” Her sympathetic smile told him she meant her statement as an encouragement to him without mentioning his leg.
He appreciated her discreet support but wished she couldn’t read him so well. “The hotel has a hot tub. I’m torn between trying it out and heading straight to bed.”
“You never did tell me what I owe for my room.”
“Nada.”
Her nose wrinkled. “I can pay for my own.”
“Wyatt covered both rooms.” He flexed his ankle before braking for another sharp turn. “If it makes you feel better, he reserved and paid for them before I even got the chance. He insisted on it since we were driving all this way to attend his wedding.”
“You’re the most stubborn group of men I’ve ever met.”
“Who, me?” He tossed her a wink.
“You, Wyatt, and Jared.” She returned the wink. “The whole lot of you.”
He wiggled his brows and smirked. “But you love us, anyway.”
“Keep thinking that.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a travel size bottle of lotion. Pressed the lid open and applied a dab to her hands.
The scent of amber and vanilla filled the space between them, a pleasant smell that far surpassed the sweaty odor of Marines who’d worked outside all day. That’s one thing he wouldn’t miss about active duty.
“How are your sisters and brother doing?” He’d thought of Janie as a sister for so long, sometimes he forgot she had actual siblings back in Iowa.
“They are good.” Rolling her eyes, she rubbed a spot of lotion she’d missed into her arm. “James keeps talking about the new tractor he bought. He sure is proud of it. Mom says he’s married to the farm.”
“That will change when he meets the right girl.”
“I told Mom the same thing, but she said she doesn’t think so.” Janie let out a short laugh. “She was joking, or at least I hope she was.”
“What are Jessie and Julie up to?”
“Driving Mom and Dad crazy. Their dorm was damaged when a pipe busted two weeks ago, so they’ve had to move back in with my parents for the time being. They’re pushing my parents to let them rent an apartment off campus.” She twisted her mouth. “I’m not sure that’s a great idea.”
“Why not? You were married and living on your own a thousand miles from home at their age.” Biting his cheek, he wished he hadn’t said that. Any reminders of Mike tended to send Janie into a state of sadness.
He breathed a sigh of relief when she continued unaffected.
“The twins are different. Mom and Dad babied them. Therefore, they don’t understand consequences. Last semester, for example, Jess failed international logistics, not because she couldn’t understand the material, but because she never attended the class. My parents paid for her summer semester without any questions.”
“That wouldn’t have flown with my parents. After I graduated high school, they gave me one semester to figure out what I wanted to do.” The memory brought a self-deprecating smile to his face. “I knew college wasn’t for me, at least not then. My sister Kate has always been the more studious of us. I just wanted to goof off.”
“They gave you the choice of college or military?”
“Or work full time. If I didn’t do something productive, they’d cut me off financially.” Hitting a straight stretch of road with no oncoming cars, he flicked on the high beams. “In hindsight, I realize how good I had it, and have to admit they spoiled me. The first year of my contract, they kept me on their auto insurance and cell plan. They offered to keep me on longer, but by then I realized I had to man up and support myself.”
“Mike’s parents tried to help us out on numerous occasions in the beginning, but he wouldn’t allow it.” Her voice took on an honored tone. “There were times I could have strangled him for not taking the help we desperately needed, but then I’d be so proud of him for his determination to make it on our own.”
“The pay is squat at first. I don’t know how y’all made it.”
“With a lot of love and prayers.” A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips. “We did all right, though. The first two years were tough, even with my income added to the budget, but we made it. We were finally doing well when…”
Remorse sank in when she trailed off. “I’m sorry for bringing it up. I should have thought before I spoke.”
“Don’t be sorry. I need to talk about him, even if it hurts.”
He leaned over the tan console and nudged her arm, offered her a tight-lipped smile. “Hey, that’s progress.”
“It is, isn’t it?” She pointed to a metal sign illuminated by the headlights. “Looks like we made it.”
“Made it where?” Jared asked in a sleepy voice from the back seat. “How long was I asleep?”
“We just hit Lilston city limits. Another few minutes and we’ll be at the hotel.” Evan handed Janie his phone. “Can you text Wyatt and let him know?”
“Sure.” Holding the phone, Janie started typing. A few seconds later, his phone beeped. “He wants to know if he should come meet you or wait until morning.”
“I plan on crashing once we get there. My leave started at zero-seven hundred this morning, and they kept me there until six thirty-three. Gotta love it.” Jared yawned. “No offense to Wyatt, but a pillow holds more appeal as company right now.”
Evan agreed. “Tomorrow morning is good.”
“I’ll let him know.” After sending a reply text, Janie returned his phone.
He squinted his eyes. “Is that the hotel up there?”
“Looks like the logo, at least from here.” Jared leaned forward, resting his elbows on the front seats. “Do you have the reservation information?”
“It’s on my phone.” Because he had more spare time due to his medical retirement, Evan had become the de facto organizer of the trip north.
“Wyatt wasn’t upset I didn’t stay with Meg, was he?” Janie clasped her hands in her lap.
Her question yanked on his heartstrings. She’d changed so much since Mike’s death. Before becoming a widow, she never would have questioned a decision she’d made. For that matter, she would have stayed with Meg, and welcomed the opportunity for developing a new friendship.
He didn’t hold it against her—not one bit—but for her sake, he wanted the old Janie to surface. The crash and Mike’s death had changed them all, but she’d suffered the worst loss. Like a scared turtle facing incoming traffic, she’d receded into a shell and only poked out her head occasionally. “He understood, and so did Meg.”
“I wante
d to, and I tried to convince myself I could, but anxiety got the better of me.” Her voice echoed the indecision they knew she battled against. “Leaving Jacksonville was hard enough. I need familiar surroundings, and dumb as it sounds, having you two in the room next door is comforting.”
“It’s not dumb at all.” Jared reached for his bottle of water, twisted off the lid, and took a swig. “And don’t worry about what anyone thinks. Make decisions based on what you’re comfortable with.”
A relieved expression settled over her. “You two are the best. I know I haven’t been the easiest person to be around, but you guys have been there for me through it all.”
“We all look out for each other. That’s what friends are for.” Evan pulled into the hotel lot and parked under the awning. “I’ll be right back.”
His first views of the hotel impressed him. Clean, stylish, and modern. Even though it belonged to a national chain, he’d expected a small-town location to be out-of-date or run-down, but he’d been proved pleasantly wrong.
Janie would approve of the champagne and burgundy color scheme. So would his sister if she were here. A memory surfaced of when they were younger, not long after their adoption, and their parents had taken them on their first vacation. The hotel they’d stay at had drapes similar to the ones here, and Kate had wrapped one around her shoulders, pretending it was her cloak she wore while lost in the forest. To their parents’ horror, she’d accidentally managed to pull down the entire piece of fabric.
Man, he missed his family. He couldn’t wait until Christmas when he went home to visit. It wouldn’t be the same—Kate had married a few months ago—but he looked forward to seeing her and their parents. He even wanted to spend more time with his brother-in-law, Luke, and get to know the man his sister had added to the family. From all he knew of Luke, he wholeheartedly approved of him for his sister. Last Christmas, Luke had even pulled strings for him and Kate to video chat a few days after he’d been rescued.
A middle-aged man wearing a sky-blue button-down shirt and khakis approached the front desk from a room behind the lobby. “Welcome to Rose Inn Hotel. How may I help you?”
“I have two reservations.” He pulled out his phone and opened the email with a scannable barcode. “One for Jergens and one for Stroud.”
The man scanned Evan’s phone. “I just need your license, please.”
Evan slid the plastic ID from his wallet and slid it over the oak countertop.
The employee scanned it then handed it back to him along with two white folders that had the hotel’s trademark rose imprinted on the front. “You’ll be in rooms 309 and 311. The easiest access is through the entrance on the rear left side of the building. Your keys are inside here, along with hotel policies and directions for accessing the internet. Breakfast is down the hall to your right and served from six until nine-thirty. There is absolutely no smoking in any rooms. If you must, there is a smoking area beyond the pool.”
“No smokers in our group.”
Nodding his approval, the man continued. “The pool and jacuzzi are closed from two a.m. until seven a.m. every morning. Checkout is at eleven a.m. but we offer a two-hour grace period with advanced notice. Do you have any questions?”
“Which room has the single king bed?”
“311.”
“Thanks.” He tucked that information in his short-term memory to tell Janie which room was hers. “I’ll call down if I think of anything else.”
“Enjoy your stay.”
Evan tucked the paperwork under his arm and limped to the car, relieved for the easy check-in process. He handed Janie the bottom packet and Jared the top. “We’re all set.”
After he drove the car to the left side of the building, he found a parking spot, and then they unloaded their bags. Carried them to the building, only to realize there were only stairs on this side, no elevator.
Frustration nearly toppled him. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Jared or Janie. The way his leg hurt, he may as well have faced climbing Mount Everest.
“We’ll find the elevator,” Janie offered.
“No.” He hadn’t meant to snap at her, and he had no excuse but pride. “I can do it.”
Jared reached for the bags Evan carried to lighten his load. With great reluctance, he handed them over, hating his limitations all the more with each pound lifted.
He made it up the first flight of steps. The second required the use of the handrail for support. Halfway up, he couldn’t go on. He leaned over and drew a long breath as though the air would inject mobility to his leg.
“Go ahead. I’ll meet you there.” Even to his own ears, his voice sounded tortured.
Not budging from his spot, Jared shook his head and dropped the bags. He slipped an arm under Evan’s. “Never leave a man behind.”
Taking another deep breath, Evan accepted the help. He couldn’t look either friend in the eye. Hated for them to see him at such a low. His pride sank slower when Janie wordlessly grabbed the bags and carried all three of their belongings.
The final steps to the room seemed interminable. He leaned against the wall while Jared opened the door.
Refusing more help, Evan hopped in and collapsed onto the nearest bed.
“Where’s your medicine?” Jared squatted by the bags.
“In the side pocket of my duffle.” He sat up and stretched out his leg, massaged the weary muscles.
Seconds later, Jared handed him a pill bottle.
Janie produced a bottle of water from somewhere and gave it to him.
He gauged the expression in her face. Sympathy, not pity. Good—he didn’t want pity, couldn’t handle more of it. “Thank you.”
“Need anything else before I go to my room?” The circles under her eyes darkened with each passing hour. She needed rest as badly as he did.
“No.”
She draped her garment bag over her arm and wrapped her fist around the handle of her suitcase. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
After she left, Jared stared at him.
“Not a word.” Evan scowled at him, cutting off any comments about his leg. “I’ll be fine in the morning.”
“If you say so.” Jared shrugged and tossed his bags on the second bed. “I’m jumping in the shower. Holler if you need anything.”
Before he went to the bathroom, Jared moved Evan’s bags next to the bed.
Evan stared at them, knowing he still had to brush his teeth and change, but nothing could convince him to leave the bed. Missing one night won’t hurt my teeth. He stretched his arms upward and pulled off his sweatshirt. Tonight, he’d sleep in jeans and a t-shirt.
Using his arms, he scooted his body backward until he could lay straight back and have his head hit the pillow. He closed his eyes and let the medicine kick in, finally drifting off free of pain.
Chapter Three
Contrary to what Janie had anticipated, the wedding soothed her harried soul. Watching Wyatt and Meg—then Kelly, Meg’s sister, and her now husband, Kyle—exchange vows in a dual ceremony reaffirmed her belief in life and love. She watched the ceremony unfold without pangs of jealousy, but a profound gratitude for the time she’d had with Mike.
Because of the double wedding, the brides and grooms had decided not to have best men and bridesmaids in the traditional sense, but those closest to them had reserved seats of honor at the reception. She, Evan, and Jared were to be seated at a round table closest to Wyatt and Meg’s table, but she didn’t know who their companions would be.
Their limousine entered the circle driveway of a historic mansion at which the reception would take place. Four imposing columns stood two stories high in a stately fashion in front of the brick, three-story home. A balcony jutted from the third floor above the columns. Lanterns hung from the porch awning with flickering candles that would glow against the night within an hour.
She couldn’t wait to see the inside. Her and Mike’s wedding had been a simple affair with a reception in their church’s fe
llowship hall—it had been all their families could afford at the time. Even if she could, she wouldn’t go back and change a thing. Their day had been perfect as it was, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate the grandeur of Wyatt and Meg’s.
When the luxury car came to a stop, no one moved until the chauffeur opened the door. Sandwiched between Evan and Jared on the far side of the U-shaped seat, they were the last of the party to exit. Once she stood on two feet, she brushed her dress with a hand, smoothing the newly formed creases. Jared struck up a conversation with Wyatt’s brother, Noah, as they walked inside, leaving her alone with Evan.
They walked side by side, and Evan cupped her elbow to assist her up the seven steps of the slate porch. Large double doors opened to a marble tile foyer. Soft, even strains of a string quartet drifted down the hallway creating a romantic atmosphere.
Evan leaned over and whispered, “Wyatt and Meg wanted a smaller event, but since this was their second time down the aisle together and only cared about being reunited, they gave Kelly the reception of her dreams.”
“It’s gorgeous.” Her eyes couldn’t move quickly enough to take in all the details.
The hallway, and then the ballroom, had been transformed into a blaze of fall-colored glory. Flower arrangements and hanging baskets were strategically placed to make guests feel as if they walked under a canopy of autumnal trees.
Each table had a centerpiece of scarlet roses, golden sunflowers, and copper chrysanthemums. Crackled glass votive holders surrounded the arrangements. Bronze napkins lay on top of each plate setting, artistically folded into the shape of a leaf.
Guests who hadn’t been involved in official pictures already filled the vast ballroom. Many had found their assigned table and hovered near them, but a handful milled about, chatting with friends and family, catching up on the latest family gossip.
