by Vella Munn
Acknowledging he was probably waiting for her to invite him in, she climbed into the truck bed and perched on the side, her legs sharing space with the dog house. Hauling herself up had aggravated her aching right shoulder, prompting her to lightly rub it. She’d have to be careful when it was time to get down.
“I’ve been indoors all day,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind if we hang out here, but I could use some fresh air.”
He hoisted himself up and settled on the opposite side. The pickup bed rocked under his weight. They had to look around the dog house to see each other.
“Not at all but you’re going to get cold before long.”
He was right. Fortunately she hadn’t taken off her shoes and had on jeans and one of her work shirts. Also it wasn’t raining. When goose bumps started forming, she’d point out that she had to be back at work early the next morning. Gave him the hint he needed to leave. He’d probably think she was heading for bed but sleep wouldn’t happen until she’d made a stab at figuring out what she felt where he was concerned.
Grateful as she was because she was living where she was, her place didn’t have much in the way of a view. Knowing how her mind operated, she’d probably have to go for a solitary walk if she hoped to clear her mind regarding this member of the opposite sex.
A long walk.
“So, you’ve thought about where a doghouse needs to be placed.” Terron’s comment broke through her thoughts. “I even considered taking it to where I live, but everyone’s crammed together and there’s a lot of stuff around the trailers.”
She’d been relieved when Rey had told her she wouldn’t be living in a trailer. Hopefully the rumor that they were going to be replaced before long was true. Maybe Terron didn’t mind living in the so-called park but she’d felt claustrophobic on the rare occasions she’d gone there.
“I have,” she said.
Instead of explaining further, she looked toward the lake. In daylight she could see a small sliver of water from her place, but it wasn’t visible tonight. That was the thing about night. The world closed down until it was difficult to remember how massive this forest was. To comprehend her small place in the vast wilderness.
“I’m not sure what prompted me to decide to build the sucker,” he said. “I could have just functioned as your listening board.”
He’d done more than listen because he cared about a homeless dog. Didn’t he realize how simple the explanation was?
Simple and complicated because now they’d connected over a creature that apparently wanted nothing to do with them. Them. Not just her after all.
She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“My place is the last kitchenette in the row,” she said. “There’s nothing on that one side plus there’s some space behind it.”
“So that’s where you want this put?”
She scooted closer to the tailgate so she could see him better. Even though he wasn’t any closer, his strong, dark silhouette made breathing difficult.
Because she’d turned on the outside light, she could tell he was giving her his full attention. Knowing he was locked on her complicated things. Complicated, unsettling, and interesting. At the moment more interesting than anything else.
“Yes,” she said. “It’s perfect.”
“It also means you’ll have a lot of interaction with him, assuming you can convince Shadow to take possession.”
Interaction. Connecting her life with something that needed her. Did she know how to do that and if not did she want to learn?
“I’m fine with that,” she said. “For one thing, I’ll be able to bring leftovers home. He’ll get fed regularly. It isn’t as if I often leave Lake Serene.”
“Why don’t you? It’s pretty remote up here.”
Why had she’d told him what she had? She knew better than to reveal much in the way of a personal nature. Most of the time she had no desire to.
“I don’t like cities.”
He shook his head. “And maybe you’re hiding out here.”
“What made you say that?” It wasn’t as if she was considering putting down roots at Lake Serene. One day she’d wake up and decide it was time to move on as first her mother and now she did.
“So you aren’t wanted by the law?”
She made herself laugh. “Not that I know of.”
“That’s good. I notice you work a lot of hours. Wouldn’t you rather be hiking or fishing or something?”
Yes. “There’s my vehicle.” She pointed at an older pickup with a cracked windshield, balding tires, dented exterior, and well-maintained engine. As she did, her shoulder protested. Darn it, she should have known better not to use her right arm until it stopped hurting, which might not happen any time soon.
“I need to replace it and what I have my eye on doesn’t come cheap. In other words, I need to work as many hours as possible.”
“Got it. What do you have your eye on?”
“You care?”
He frowned. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”
Feeling off-balance, she named an all-wheel SUV and added that she wanted a moon roof, off-road tires, and a state-of-the-art stereo system.
He whistled. “How far are you from having a down payment? You aren’t going to be able to get much for your beater.”
“I intend to buy it outright.”
He whistled again. “Seriously? That’s ambitious.”
“I’m nearly there.” Why was she telling him this?
“I’m seriously impressed. What made you decide to do it that way? I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. Maybe you have lousy credit or a phobia against car salesmen.”
She could keep the conversation light; let a few more minutes pass before telling him she needed to get ready for bed. Work on her limited social skills. Wrap her mind around what his presence was doing to her emotions and nerves. “I know what I’m going to buy is worth so there won’t be any haggling. Either the dealership accepts my offer or I’m walking. What I’d prefer is to buy nearly new from a private party, hand them a stack of bills, and be on my way.”
“Good for you. My credit history is nearly nonexistent, which means I’m probably going to have trouble when I have to replace this.” He thumped the truck’s side.
Was he saying he didn’t have any credit cards? She only had one which she paid off every month. For the most part she dealt in cash, but everyone had times when they had to pull out their plastic, didn’t they? Her aversion to debt ran deep, starting with the first time her mother and she’d been evicted.
No. Not going there. Staying in the heady present.
“Replacing your rig shouldn’t have to happen any time soon.” She patted the ledge where she was sitting to make her point. “This is a nice vehicle.”
“It wasn’t my choice, but Dad was loyal to the manufacturer. I couldn’t talk him into buying a car. Given this”—he tapped the dog house—“it’s just as well he insisted on a truck.”
So the big pickup had been his father’s? What was the older man, if he was alive, driving these days?
As moths gathered around her outside light, she acknowledged her less than casual interest in Terron Sax. Of course she had conversations with her fellow resort employees but they revolved around fishing reports, some of the crazy things visitors did, how the remodeling project was going, the weather. She hadn’t probed into their personal lives—specifically whether a man who lived alone had a woman in his life.
Until tonight.
“What brought you here?” he asked. “Lake Serene isn’t the first place most people would think of when they’re looking for a job.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“I asked first.”
Was he avoiding her question? Maybe. Either she’d tell him what he wanted to know or he might probe until she had to warn him to back off which she didn’t want to do.
“Echo told me about it. She grew up in Kalispell and has spent most of her wo
rking life in the Flathead forest. Anyway, I was in the sixth grade when my mother got a job at a combination grocery store and gas station that’s no longer in business. We lived in Kalispell for nearly two years. Echo and I were in the same classroom.”
“Most childhood friendships don’t last.”
“No, they don’t, but early on Echo and I discovered we had a lot in common.”
“Like what?”
“For one, we hated being indoors. Weekends and summers, we’d ride our bikes clear to Flathead Lake. We made up great adventures, pretended we were explorers or Indians. Convince ourselves we were following bear or wolf tracks.”
She should stop before he got bored so why did she want to keep talking? “In our minds, we were the world’s best trackers. Echo’s parents took us to Glacier all year around. How I loved that!”
“I can tell. How long did the two of you go to school together?”
“Only a couple of years.” Go on. Finish the story. “Mom got fired and we had to move.
“I’m sorry.”
I hated it. “Echo and I stayed in touch via letters until we were in high school. I’m not sure what happened then, life mostly.”
“I know about life.”
“I’m sure you do.” She waited for him to explain, but when he didn’t, she told him Echo had found her via Facebook. “She let me know the Lake Serene resort was coming back to life. The timing couldn’t have been better.”
“Sometimes things work out that way.”
“Yes.” Sometimes. “I was looking for a way to get out of driving truck and, of course, I was familiar with the area. With Echo’s encouragement, I applied to work here.”
He studied her so long she grew uneasy. “I’m trying to picture you behind the wheel of a big rig. Whatever made you decide to do that?”
Because that was what the only man she’d ever loved had done. By becoming a trucker, they could be together. Most of the time she and Brian operated as team in the same vehicle. Then one day he’d taken over for another driver at the last minute, leaving her to finish a run on her own. He’d only be gone for four days, he’d told her. The job paid more than usual and they could sock it away to spend on their wedding.
However, Brian had been killed near the end of the second day.
She remembered almost nothing of the first month after she’d gotten the news. Then the owner of the company they’d been working for had knocked on the door of the sleeper she’d been holed up in. He’d given her a choice, an ultimatum really. She could either hand over the keys and gather up her belongings or take a load to Chicago. Because she had nowhere to go and nothing else to do, she’d driven to Chicago. She’d kept on doing that for over a year, maybe close to two, it didn’t matter.
For reasons she might never comprehend, one spring morning she’d stared through a bug-splattered windshield at the rising sun and known she couldn’t greet another sunrise this way. Two weeks later, Echo had contacted her.
Now it was late fall, tonight was getting cooler by the moment, and she was sharing it with the man who’d built a house for her dog, a man who intrigued and unnerved her.
“Why does anyone do anything?” It was her standard response. “The money’s good when the tires are rotating, but it’s hard on the body. Your turn. How’d you hear about the resort?”
His mouth twisted. Darn but she liked seeing him do that. “Shaw was using the state employment office for some of his hires. I applied. He interviewed me for grunt work. End of story.”
She wasn’t sure about that being the end of things but guessed he’d told her all he wanted her to know, for now. They had that in common. “Is your home base in Kalispell? A number of staff members are from there.”
“No. I’d been living in Billings but a lot had happened recently. There was no reason for me to stay there. I was monitoring employment offices all over the state.” His chest rose and fell. “Lake Serene struck me as the perfect change of pace.”
By a lot happening did he mean a woman and what business was it of hers?
“I’ve heard conflicting stories about how many members of the construction crew will remain employed through the winter,” she said, hoping to draw him out despite her usual reluctance to do so. “Not much outdoor work can take place with snow up to the windows.”
“Or over the windows. It’s hard to believe there might be so much snow.” He surveyed what they could see of their surroundings. “The other day Shaw said he’d like me to consider being part of the back country trails staff.”
Being outdoors for hours on end, smelling fresh snow, staring up at endless flakes, maybe spotting a wolf loping down the trail ahead of her. Feeling free and a little wild. “What would you be doing?”
“Grooming for the most part although I might be asked to do simple snowmobile maintenance. I don’t know enough about snowmobiles to be trusted for major repairs.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. The sound of her voice brought her back to the here and now. “They’re simple compared to big rigs.”
“Good point. Maybe you should apply for the position of head mechanic.”
“No thanks.”
“Why not? It has to pay a lot more than waitressing.”
“Not my thing.” Also not the best for my banged up shoulder.
“What is your thing?”
She’d stepped into a trap without seeing it coming. She could either brush off the question or take advantage of a chance to bring up something she’d been thinking about. It wasn’t as if Terron was invested in her life. As a result, it was possible he’d serve as an objective bystander—and not have an inkling that he might make it hard for her to sleep tonight.
“It’s really bothering you, isn’t it?” he asked before she could pull her thoughts together.
“What is?”
“Your shoulder.”
She’d started rubbing it again. She could stop but that wouldn’t change what he’d noticed. “The restaurant was crazy busy tonight because of the district forest service meeting. I worked my tail off.”
“Not your tail, your shoulder.”
His correction made her smile, something she hadn’t done enough of in her life. Maybe she should stay out here with him indefinitely and see if he could make her laugh.
Not just laugh.
Calm down, girl. This isn’t the real you.
“I wonder what kind of tail Shadow has.” She mused.
“What made you think of him?”
“I don’t know.” I was thinking about you. About us. Crazy things.
“If I saw it,” he said, “I don’t remember. I was a lot more concerned about you.”
This thing that had started between them wasn’t casual. It might lead—where? And did she dare take that journey? Risk having her heart broken again. “Why were you worried about me?”
“I told you I was concerned he might be aggressive.”
“That’s my problem, not yours.”
“Is it? Look, I have this ingrained sense of responsibility. I’m trying to cure myself of it but it’s taking a while.”
He wasn’t responsible for her so why didn’t she feel like pointing that out? However, despite her desire to dismiss the chilled air so she could learn more about him, she was getting cold down the middle of her back which wasn’t helping her shoulder.
“So,” she said, “what do you think of my idea of putting the dog house near my place? You can drive behind the studios and back onto the level spot. Hopefully the two of us can unload it.”
“I’m not having you do any of the work.”
“You can’t stop me,” she said instead of admitting she might be next to useless tonight.
“Look, I don’t want to risk having you sue me for permanent damage to your shoulder.”
“Helping is my decision to make.” Her voice was sharper than she wanted it to be but she’d been responsible for every aspect of her life for years. Besides, this wasn’t the first time they’d had thi
s conversation. “If we’re going to do this, I suggest we get it done before people start going to bed. They won’t appreciate the noise.”
He planted his hands on his knees and leaned forward. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No. I didn’t mean—”
“But something I said got to you.”
She stood. “I don’t need you making my medical or other decisions. I thought I’d made that clear.” Her choice of words was making a mess of things, but she couldn’t be anyone except who she was.
Right now she was a lot confused when it came to him.
“Fine. Whatever,” he said as he got to his feet. “Tonight I won’t tell you what I think you should or shouldn’t do, but fair warning, I might need a reminder later.”
Let it go. Drop the subject. “Why is that?”
“My parents had a lot of health issues. Putting their needs first became second nature to me.”
“Oh. That explains a lot.”
“Does it? My hang-ups don’t need to become your problem.”
Neither do mine need to infringe on your life.
*
Not for the first time, Kolina’s strength surprised him, especially since she’d called on her left hand and arm to do most of the work while protecting her right. She’d strained but had thrown herself into the effort of easing his creation from his truck to the ground. After that, they’d positioned it on a level spot. Then they’d stepped back and studied their accomplishment. It wasn’t until she was standing in the light from his headlights that he noticed goose bumps on her forearms.
“You need to—wait, I humbly suggest you go inside.” He reluctantly placed his hand on his truck’s door handle. “I doubt if Shadow will find this tonight.”
“You’re right. He’s probably settled wherever he spends the night.” She started to rub her forearms only to wince and press her fingers against the right side of her neck.
“You aggravated your injury.” He made it a statement. “Look, I’m going to offer something. I learned massage techniques so I could help my parents. What you’re doing on your own isn’t getting deep enough.”
Her mouth sagged a little as she stared at him. She’d held her own with the dog house but now she looked vulnerable.
