by J. H. Croix
My heart twisted in my chest, and I wanted to take Elias home, wrap him in a warm comforter and ply him with tea and coffee and sweets. My response to Elias made me feel a little crazy. It alternated between pure lust and this sudden desire to take care of him. As if Elias needed anyone to take care of him.
“What time is your get out of jail card scheduled for tomorrow?” Flynn’s question drew me back into the conversation.
“The doctor said in the afternoon. They have to clear me before they truly agree to set me free.”
“I’m bringing him coffee in the morning so he’ll be in a better mood,” I offered.
Flynn chuckled. “Daphne is making him something special for dinner. You’ll get spoiled when you come home.”
“I’ll stay out in the other house,” Elias muttered.
“No can-do,” Flynn said. “A nurse called this morning to make sure somebody could help when you change the dressing on that injury, and you still can’t get around on that leg. Daphne’s gonna set you up downstairs. It’s a win-win.”
“Okay, I know you’re crazy about Daphne, and I think she’s awesome, but how do I win?”
“You get a bed downstairs and amazing food, plus all your friends get to visit.”
My phone rang, and I slipped it out of my purse, glancing down to see my friend Susie’s name flash on the screen. I stood and glanced between them. “I should get going. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” I said, casting a last smile at Elias.
Chapter Three
Elias
“Why?” Daphne demanded.
“Because I don’t need it,” I muttered, trying to keep the frustration out of my tone.
At that moment, Flynn came walking in the room. His gaze arced from me to Daphne. “Babe, I know you want him to take more pain medication, but he’s not going for it.”
Flynn’s girlfriend let out a little huff of frustration. “Fine. Then, I’ll make your favorite muffins.”
My lips tugged into a reluctant smile. “Food will definitely improve my mood, especially anything you make.”
She gave me a worried smile. Crossing over to my bed, she pointlessly adjusted the pillows behind me. “Are you sure your leg is comfortable?” she asked as she straightened.
I looked up at Daphne, who had stolen Flynn’s heart so neatly and completely, I think he was still occasionally shocked by it. He called her princess, because she looked like one. Or, rather, she had the vibe. With auburn hair and stunning green eyes, she had a petite build, and even when she was dressed casually, she looked perfectly put together. She was a shockingly good cook and had made our lives here even better, just because she spoiled us like crazy. Ending up with a chef who could probably have a hit restaurant in any city out here in the middle of almost nowhere Alaska was pretty freaking awesome.
“My leg is fine,” I replied. Because it was. My ankle was achy, but that was to be expected.
She gave me another smile. “All right. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Daphne turned and hurried away, leaving me alone with Flynn. Flynn Walker was one of my best friends and also technically my boss. He sat down in the chair Daphne, ever helpful, had situated beside my bed. His eyes flicked down toward my ankle, which was in a fucking cast. He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back in the chair.
Flynn and I had served in the Air Force together. Aside from Flynn’s brother, and his sister, Nora, who was finishing her flight training hours, the rest of us had met during our time in the Air Force. Flynn had left the Air Force two years before me to come home and take care of his younger siblings after their mother died. Flynn’s father disappeared long ago, and his stepfather, father to the rest of his siblings, had passed away a few years earlier. In a way, Flynn was the father his siblings never had. He’d pulled everything together and gotten this outdoor resort up and running.
Working here was a dream job for me. I got to fly planes all the time, and flying planes in Alaska was pretty sweet. The view was incredible no matter where you were.
Flynn’s sharp gaze made its way back to my face. “Are you okay?’
I lifted a shoulder in a light shrug. “Define okay.”
He chuckled. “Dude, I know it sucks. You’ll be on your feet soon. How is the pain? Really.”
“Tolerable.”
Flynn was one of the few people who knew about my prior brush with getting a little too comfortable with painkillers. I didn’t want any. I would just live with the pain rather than tempt my body back to that place.
While those pills could work magic for pain, they hijacked your brain. I’d take pain any day over that feeling of standing on the edge of desperation.
“It would help if you mentioned to Daphne why you don’t want to take any meds. She won’t bug you about it then,” he offered.
I leaned back in the pillows, letting out a ragged sigh. “Dude, I know you love her, but I fucking hate talking about that shit.”
“I don’t want you to tell her because I love her. She gets it. She’s been through her own version of hell, and she won’t judge you. But maybe if she knows, she won’t nag you.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“What did the doctor say about how long you’ll need that cast?” he asked, kind enough to change the subject.
“He said six to eight weeks. I’ll be ready to fly before you know it,” I replied.
“You’re not flying anywhere until you have medical clearance,” Flynn said, just as Diego came in the room.
Diego Jackson was another friend from the Air Force. Like me, when Flynn gave him the chance to fly planes for a living in God’s country, he jumped at it.
Diego chuckled, his eyes flashing as he divided his gaze between Flynn and me. “Flynn’s gonna be strict about that. You can be my copilot anytime, even with a cast on.”
Flynn cast him a glare. “Dude, don’t pull that shit.”
Diego stopped beside the bed as he cuffed Flynn lightly on the shoulder. “Just fucking with you. Daphne’s making your favorite muffins. She says they’ll be ready in an hour.”
Flynn stood from his chair, stepping back. Gesturing to it, he commented, “Why don’t you keep cranky here company? I was just coming in to check in and let you know I’ll be in town today. You need anything?”
“I can’t do anything, so what would I need?” I returned.
Diego hooked his hand on the back of the chair, turning it to face toward the windows as he sat down. “You can do stuff. You just gotta walk on your crutches.”
I rolled my eyes. Flynn turned and began walking out of the room, pausing by the door. “Text me if you think of anything. I’ll stop by the grocery store before I come back.”
“Make sure to get some beer,” Diego called.
“I don’t need to be reminded of that,” Flynn replied as he lifted his hand in a wave and then left the room.
Diego’s eyes scanned the space before coming back to me. “Daphne fixed this room up nice for you.”
They’d put me up in the only guest room in the downstairs of the resort. When Daphne came to stay, she had originally been an actual guest and stayed upstairs where guest rooms occupied to the two upper floors. Then, she stayed on after Flynn chased away another cook and moved down here before she and Flynn finally fessed up to being in love with each other. Despite my irritation with the situation, I was in a ridiculously comfortable bed with a fluffy down quilt and enough pillows for about five people.
“Of course, she did. It was spotless already.”
Diego’s green gaze landed on mine. “It looks like she gave you some extra pillows,” he observed. “If you don’t need them all, I’ll take a few.”
I lifted a pillow with my good arm and tossed it toward him. He caught it easily with a chuckle. “I’m glad you’re okay, man,” he said, his gaze sobering.
“Thanks. I’m okay enough to be annoyed while I recover. It’s boring.”
Diego was quiet as he regarded me. “Boredom’s always a good
sign.” He gestured to the flat screen television mounted directly on the wall across from the foot of the bed. “You can watch all your favorite shows.” When I rolled my eyes, he waved toward the windows. This room had windows facing in two directions, one looking out into some trees behind the resort, and the other offering a partial view of the field with mountains and the ocean in the distance. “At least you have a good view.”
I bit back my retort. Despite my frustration, I wasn’t going to cast aspersions on the view here.
His lips twitched with a smile. “Hang in there. You’re on the mend. How’s your pain?” he asked.
I wanted to growl, but that didn’t seem reasonable. Like Flynn, Diego knew of my brief brush with opiate addiction.
“It’s fine.”
Diego gave me a long look, and I forced myself not to look away even though I wanted to. He was a good friend, the best kind of friend, the kind who always had your back. He was also perceptive as all hell, which sometimes drove me insane.
“Good. You don’t have to be an ass to everybody.”
“I’m not,” I protested.
One of Diego’s brows hitched up. “Man, your baseline is bordering on being an ass. If you need anything, let me know.”
At that moment, the door to my bedroom opened—again—and Nora, Flynn’s sister entered. “Hey,” she said, her eyes bouncing from me to Diego. “Why do you have a pillow on your lap?”
Diego shrugged, casting her a quick grin. “We had a pillow fight, and Elias lost.”
Nora laughed softly. Crossing the room, she held up a mug. “Fresh coffee. It won’t be as good as Cammi’s Red Truck coffee, but Daphne made it extra strong just for you.”
I held up my hand, curling my fingers around the mug handle as she released it. I took a big swallow, closing my eyes as the rich flavor slid across my tongue. “That’s delicious, thank you,” I said as I opened my eyes.
Nora’s brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and it bounced when she slid her hips on the foot of my bed. Her eyes matched her hair, and she was the only one of the Walker siblings who had those brown eyes. They coasted over me. “How’s your pain?”
“Oh, my fucking God,” I muttered. “You’re the third person who’s asked me that in the last ten minutes. It’s fine. Ibuprofen is amazing.”
Nora’s forehead creased as she looked at me. “No need to be so irritable. You had a piece of plane metal puncture you in the side. It’s kind of serious. I just want to make sure you’re comfortable.”
I felt a twinge of guilt at my irritation. “I’m comfortable. I promise. I will lay in this bed like a good boy and watch TV and hopefully be off these crutches soon.”
“Have you had a shower yet today?”
My alarm must’ve shown on my face because she laughed. “I’m not planning to give you a shower. I just didn’t know if you needed help getting in and out.”
Diego threw his head back with a laugh. “Like he’d let any of us help him.”
Nora gave me a concerned look. “Don’t be stupid. We have the instructions for the bag thing you’re supposed to put over your cast.”
“I know, I know,” I said with a sigh. All of my friends were trying to help, and I hated needing help. “Let me enjoy my coffee and have one of the fresh muffins Daphne’s making, and then I wouldn’t mind a little help.”
Chapter Four
Cammi
The little toddler in my lap yanked at my hair, letting out a squeal when her fingers curled tightly around a clump of it.
“Easy now,” I said as I lightly gripped her hand, distracting her with a giant stuffed giraffe.
My friend’s daughter, Iris, grabbed the giraffe before clambering off my knees where I was seated on the floor. Susie Winters looked over with a grin. “That’s why my hair is always up,” she said, gesturing to her brown curls pulled up high in a ponytail.
“Hazards of having a toddler, I suppose,” I replied as I uncurled my legs and stood from the floor. I crossed the room to sit at the table where Susie was tapping away on her laptop.
Susie was a good friend. We’d grown up together in Diamond Creek. Lately, it seemed as if her life was moving at hyper speed, while my life felt stuck as I spun my wheels and went nowhere.
“What are you working on?” I asked as I smoothed my hand over my hair.
Susie reflexively looked over toward her daughter. Iris was sitting on the floor, the giraffe now discarded at her hips as she played with some wooden blocks. Glancing back toward me, Susie replied, “Accounting. That’s all I ever do. Today, I’m actually doing the books for Jared and his brothers. Quarterly reports are coming next month, and I like to have everything lined up early. I have to nag most of my clients.”
“I bet you don’t have to nag Jared,” I teased lightly.
As if conjured by our discussion, Susie’s husband came through the front door. “Hey ladies,” he called. Jared Winters pushed the sunglasses up on his head, striding quickly across the room to give Susie a kiss. It was brief, but his lips lingered, and I felt myself looking away as if I were accidentally interrupting an intimate moment.
Jared was on the move, aiming for Iris and asking, “How’s it going, Cammi?” He lifted their daughter into his arms. She squealed, patting his cheek with her small hand. “Hey, you.” He gave her an exaggerated kiss on her cheek, and she curled her hand around the collar of his black T-shirt.
“Doing okay,” I replied as he returned to stand beside the table. “Good grief, she looks so much like you.”
Jared had rich green eyes and dark hair. He was classically handsome and could give off an intimidating vibe, mostly because he could come off on the stern and broody side. Iris shared his green eyes and glossy dark hair.
“I know, right?” Susie said with a grin. “No worries about who’s the father.”
Jared slid his eyes sideways. “As if there ever was.”
Susie rolled her own eyes. “Don’t get cocky.”
I laughed, trying to ignore the twinge of jealousy I felt. I wasn’t jealous specifically of Jared, and I adored Susie, but I wanted my own family, and that wasn’t looking like a possibility anytime in the near future. I had epically bad luck with men and was still recovering from my last disaster.
“Jay down for a nap?” Jared asked.
Susie nodded. “Yup. He crashed not long after Cammi got here.” She lifted the baby monitor from where it sat on the table by her elbow. “We’ll hear when he wakes up.” Iris was their oldest child at two, and they also had a one-year old boy named after Jared who they called Jay.
When his daughter wiggled to be let down, Jared eased her to the floor and she toddled off to play with her blocks again. “How are the books looking?” he asked.
“Perfect. Because I do them,” Susie replied with a sly grin.
Jared chuckled. “Another reason in the long list of reasons why I love you. I’m only here for a few minutes. I forgot the battery died in one of our boats, so I need to grab one out of the garage. Pizza for dinner? I can pick it up on the way home.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Jared gave Susie another kiss, waved to me, and then he hurried off into the garage to fetch the battery.
I looked over at Susie. “It’s hard to believe you could hardly stand that man at one point.”
Her smile was wide.” I know, right? He still drives me a little nuts. He’s such a perfectionist.”
“The way you are with numbers, you should understand,” I chided her gently.
Her brown eyes twinkled as she looked over at me. “True. Plus, having kids has chilled him out. You can only keep the house so clean.”
I looked around, feeling another pinch in my heart, an almost stinging sensation over my breastbone. I ran my knuckles over it, quickly dropping my hand as soon as I realized what I was doing. I was jealous of a messy living room with toys scattered on the floor. I wanted this kind of disorder in my life, the loving mess of a family.
“Are you o
kay?” Susie asked, her voice bright.
Of course she noticed I was feeling melancholy. She knew me too well. Good friends were wonderful, but sometimes you wanted to hide from how much they saw through you.
“I’m fine,” I replied with a light shrug. I took a sip of the water I’d left on the table earlier, hoping Susie didn’t press.
I should’ve known better. She always pressed. She had the kind of personality that charged ahead, no matter what it was. “You’re not fine.” She closed her laptop, giving me her full attention. “What’s up?”
My nose itched, and I rubbed my knuckles over it, masking my nervousness and discomfort. “I don’t know. I feel like life is leaving me behind,” I finally said.
Susie looked at me quietly for a moment before asking, “You’re not still worried about what happened, are you? There’s no way you could’ve known.”
I bit my bottom lip, dread coating the insides of my stomach. My last attempt at a relationship had exploded in my face. When the man I thought was fine turned out to have an entire family in another town, and his wife showed up at my coffee truck with the kids in tow to rub it in my face that I was nothing more than a stupid cheater, well, it messed with my head in a big way. That had been months and months ago, but it still stung.
“I should’ve known,” I protested.
“How? If you had somebody do a background check on him, it wouldn’t have mattered. He gave you a fake name, so even doing a random online search wouldn’t have helped. Sweetie, you can’t go through life blaming yourself for not knowing he was lying. That’s just crazy. It’s a miserable way to live.”
“Maybe. I thought I was falling in love with someone, but it turned out he had another whole family. I feel so stupid and awful.”
“He hasn’t called you again, has he?” she asked, her tone low.
Susie was a fiercely protective friend and would probably beat this guy up if given the chance. I loved that about her, but sometimes, it was a bit much.
