“No,” she replied. “Why?”
“There’s a pretty good-sized snow storm moving in,” he said. “It will probably cause the Snoqualmie Pass to be closed sometime tonight. I can also see you don’t have snow tires, and your car is a two-wheel drive. Do you have chains in your trunk?”
She shook her head, no.
“Then I’d get on the road really soon and make double time if I were you.”
She began to worry, “Thank you, I will.”
“Why were you asking about Wheeler?” he asked.
“Huh?” she replied.
“Wheeler?” he repeated. “You were asking about Wheeler? Do you know people there?”
“Oh..., uh... yes,” she stammered. “I have... an aunt there.”
And there you have it, she thought. The man of her dreams was standing right in front of her and she had told him a fat lie less than two minutes into her first conversation. But what would she say? I think you are the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met. I saw the town of Wheeler on a map and it was all I could think of to say so you wouldn’t walk away.
No, she thought. She was not going to say that or anything remotely like it.
He began to fill his truck with gas.
“You might want to consider calling your aunt and staying at her place tonight,” he said.
He pointed at the sky. She looked up. The sky was ominously dark. The sun was setting but she could still see the dark gray clouds looming low overhead, blocking all signs of the moon and stars.
She looked at him and nodded, “That sounds like good advice,” she said, trying not to show him that her anxiety level was elevating into a full-blown panic thinking about the possibility of being stranded.
“Well, you take care of yourself, you hear?” he said, smiling. “I’m going to grab my buddy and head into the bar for a quick bite before we get back at it.”
“You have someone with you?” she asked.
“Yep, two people actually; my buddy and his wife,” he responded.
Trevor slapped the side of the truck and yelled, “Wolf! Wake up. We’re at the diner.”
“You have a friend named ‘Wolf?’” she asked.
“Don’t worry,” Trevor replied. “When it comes to pretty women, he doesn’t have a bark or a bite. He might howl when he sees you, though.”
He smiled and winked at her.
She began to blush at his inference that she was pretty. She wanted to change the subject quickly.
“You aren’t worried about the pass closing?” Honor asked, embarrassed that she was questioning him.
He shook his head, “Nope. I’m not going as far as the pass. I’m headed to Kachess View Lodge. It’s well before the pass. Besides, I have a four-wheel drive and I do have chains.”
“I’ve never heard of Kachess View Lodge,” Honor replied.
She heard the passenger door of the truck open and then slam shut. She waited in silence, hearing footsteps on the passenger side of the truck before seeing a man walking toward her. He wasn’t quite as tall as Trevor, but every bit as hunky.
“Do you think this place has a decent steak?” the second man said.
“I’ve had it here before,” Trevor replied. “It’s passable.”
The man Trevor called “Wolf” looked at Honor and smiled. He looked back at Trevor, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“This is Honor,” Trevor said. “She’s on her way to Seattle.”
The man offered his hand, “I’m Matthew,” he said. “Matthew Steel. Wolf is my Navy code name.”
She shook his hand. It was a powerful rock-solid grip, immensely strong, yet he handled her hand gently.
“And I’m Caroline,” a voice from behind called. She smiled at Honor.
“Caroline is my better half,” Wolf said, grabbing her by the arm, pulling her into him. “Aren’t you, honey?” He kissed her. Lucky girl, Honor thought.
“Your colder half,” she corrected. “C’mon, let’s eat, I’m starving and I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
“You guys go ahead,” Trevor said. “I’ll meet you in the diner. I’m going to pull the truck out of the station and park.”
Caroline looked at Trevor, then back at Honor. Honor could feel the woman sizing her up. It didn’t feel like a competitive comparison, more like a careful evaluation.
“Hey, would you like to join us?” she said.
Honor’s face reddened. She smiled nervously and looked to the ground. She wanted to say yes, but was truly worried about making it home before the storm hit.
“Oh no, but thank you,” she replied. “I really should be going.”
“She’s right,” Trevor said. “That storm is going to catch her before she hits the pass if she doesn’t get on the road right now.”
“It doesn’t look like she has a choice,” Wolf said. “She’s not going anywhere soon. Her front right tire is flat.”
“What?” Honor cried out. “It was just fine when I pulled in.”
“Well, it’s not fine now,” Wolf said. “It’s flat as a pancake. You probably picked up a nail when you pulled in. Do you have a spare?”
“I don’t, actually,” she said. “My brother took the spare out and used it for a car he was rebuilding. This is awful.” Honor began to tear up, “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m going to be stuck out here.”
She bit her lip; her hands began to tremble. She kept thinking to herself, don’t have a meltdown, don’t have a meltdown.
“There’s no need to panic,” Wolf said, as if on cue. “I’ll go inside and speak with the attendant. Maybe they can fix it.”
“Thank you,” Honor said. “His name is Butch.”
Wolf gave the thumbs-up sign as he headed toward the attendant.
“Have you been on the road long?” Caroline asked.
“I went to a friend’s wedding in Spokane,” she said. “It was yesterday. I was just heading back home. It’s the first trip I’ve been on alone.”
Caroline raised her eyebrows. By her estimate, Honor had to have been at least thirty years old. She had beautiful, creamy olive-toned skin and long, dark raven black hair, but carried an innocence and naiveté about her that was hard to describe. She stole a glance at Wolf through the window. He was speaking to the attendant. He nodded and headed back to the door.
“This is the first time you’ve been away from home by yourself?” Caroline repeated as if clarifying what Honor had said.
She nodded, tears forming in her eyes, “My dad and brother are usually with me, but they couldn’t make the trip. I convinced them I would be okay.”
“You will be okay,” Trevor said, reassuringly. “We’ll help you get this tire fixed. You’ll be on the road before you know it.”
“That attendant sure is a nervous fella,” Wolf said, when he returned.
“The man is 140 lbs. soaking wet,” Caroline said. “He was probably worried you’d break him in two. What did he say? Can we get Honor back on the road?”
“Yes, but maybe not real soon,” Wolf said. “The attendant said he can fix the tire in the shop around back, but he’s the only one on duty. It will probably take an hour or more to do it between customers.”
“Well, it could be worse,” Caroline said.
“Well, unfortunately, it is worse,” Wolf said. “While I was inside, I heard the news on the radio. The storm has already blown in west of us. The pass will be closed within an hour. I’m afraid Honor is going to be stuck on the east side of the mountains tonight.”
Wolf could see the young woman’s lips begin to quiver.
“Oh, dear,” Honor said. “This is not good.”
She began to tear up.
“That’s okay,” Trevor said. “It’s going to be alright. Your aunt lives in Wheeler. That’s less than forty-five minutes from here. We can get you on the road and follow you until you get there. I have chains. If we run into trouble, we can leave your car and take you to your aunt’s house.
She can drive you back when the weather clears.”
“You’d do that?” she asked.
“Sure,” Trevor replied. “Wheeler is not that far out of our way. We’re happy to do it. Okay?”
She looked at Trevor and nodded, not willing to admit she had lied about having an aunt in Wheeler.
“The good news is, you can join us for dinner now,” Caroline said. “Are you hungry?”
She nodded, wiping tears away.
CHAPTER 2
Caroline was the only one in the group who seemed to notice the overall appearance of the diner. The outside of the building looked like it was made of aluminum.
“The décor is right out of a Norman Rockwell painting,” she said. “Have you been here before, Trevor?”
“Many times,” he replied. “I’m from this area, remember.”
The tabletops were chipped and worn, made of faded brown Formica. Lined up alongside the counter were nine green swivel stools mounted to the floor on tarnished chrome pedestals. The tiled floor was made of black, white and orange squares. The walls were painted in mustard yellow and burnt orange, adorned with black and white photos of Washington sports stars. The only one Caroline recognized was Russell Wilson.
The four of them sat in a green leather booth that had seen better days, and those better days dated back to when Nirvana rode through town on their way to play Spokane. Attached to the wall was a mini-juke box. Caroline skimmed through the titles and pulled out a dime, selecting the only song she recognized as being from this century, Ol’ Red, by Blake Shelton.
Wolf put his hand on Caroline’s as the song played. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “When was the last time I told you I loved you?” He asked.
“It’s been a whole ten minutes,” she said.
“My apologies,” he replied. “That’s way too long.”
He brushed Caroline’s hair back and touched her face before kissing her lips. She smiled and put her hand behind his neck pulling him toward her returning the kiss.
Honor took it all in. She yearned to be in a relationship like that.
"I love this place," Trevor declared. "They have the best peach pie in Washington."
“I can’t believe you’ve been here before and chose to come back?"
"Many times, Caroline," Trevor said, smiling at her. “I’m having pot roast with gravy.”
"I'm having the largest steak they have here, with mashed potatoes, cheese, bacon, sour cream and butter," Wolf said.
“No gravy?” Trevor asked.
“I prefer butter,” he said.
Caroline shook her head. "How is it that you two have lived this long? If terrorists don’t kill you, your diet will."
Both men chuckled.
Honor removed her coat, revealing that she was wearing a tight sweater and even tighter jeans. It did not escape Caroline that Trevor was watching Honor carefully, and she could understand why. Honor was built like a young Raquel Welch, with a perky, ample bust line and a tiny waist. It also didn’t slip by her that Honor had not taken her eyes off Trevor since they began walking to the diner.
“If you’ll excuse me a minute, I should call my dad and let him know I’m okay,” Honor said.
“Of course,” Caroline said.
Honor walked toward the women’s restroom. There was a hall area leading to it with a bench and a coat rack. She noticed her cell phone had been shut off this whole time. She’d forgotten to turn it back on once it had been charged.
As the phone powered up, the display read, “You have 9 messages.” Oh dear, she thought. In all the confusion with her car tire and meeting Trevor, she had forgotten to check in with her father. He was undoubtedly worried sick.
She dialed her father. He answered on the first ring, “Honor! Thank God,” he said. “I was getting ready to call the police.”
“There’s no reason for that, Daddy,” she said. “I’m fine.”
She didn’t intend to tell her father about any of the trouble she faced. Any mention of a flat tire or meeting Trevor would cause him to worry himself sick, and he would likely try to come and get her. With the storm brewing, she didn’t want her father to be out in the weather.
Her father was overly protective, but not for bad reason, she understood. The event had taken place fifteen years earlier. The experience left her an emotional wreck and it had required many years of therapy for her to rebuild herself. Her father had remained by her side the entire time. The effort had paid dividends, however. She was getting well and becoming more and more independent with each passing day, though her father remained guarded. He had been loving and supportive through the entire ordeal. He was overprotective, yes, but not smothering.
“I’ve been listening to the radio,” he said. “Have you made it through the pass already? There’s a huge storm moving in.”
“No I haven’t, Daddy. I actually heard about the storm when I got on the road and decided to get a room at the Oxford Suites,” she lied.
“You’ve never stayed in a hotel by yourself before,” he said. “Are you going to be alright?”
“Yes, of course, everything is going really well,” she lied again. “I remembered what you told me about hotels. This one has plenty of lighting the parking lot. All the rooms have inside access – mine is near the elevator. There is hotel security 24-hours, and they have free breakfast.”
He chuckled, “All that and free breakfast, too? Well, I guess it’s alright. I wish you were home, though. Are you sure you will be okay?”
“I will be fine,” she replied.
“I’m so proud of you, Honor,” he said. “You’ve gotten so much better. It’s amazing.”
“I am better, Daddy,” she said. “Thanks to you.”
“The storm,” he said. “It’s nothing to mess with.”
There was a moment of silence on the line. Honor could tell her father was thinking about whether he should just get in his car and brave the weather and come for her.
“Daddy, I’m fine, really,” she said. “Don’t worry. You said you wouldn’t worry.”
“I know, I know,” he replied.
“I’m really tired now,” she said. “I’m going to unpack and get some rest.”
“Yeah... yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” he said. “But you call me if anything comes up.”
“I will,” she said. “I promise.”
Honor hung up, and then Googled Hotels in Wheeler Washington. She found two, calling one of them to book a room. In the event Trevor made good on his promise to drive her to Wheeler to stay with her “aunt,” she really needed a place to stay. She’d worry about getting back to her car when the time came.
“Honor seems really sweet,” Caroline said to Trevor and Wolf.
“I’ll say,” Wolf added. “And she is gorgeous. Did you check out that body of hers? She could be a swimsuit model.”
Caroline slapped him on the arm.
“She does seem sweet,” Trevor agreed, “but she also seems... I don’t know, backward, or timid. Do you all get that impression?”
“She’s not backward; she’s very smart, I can tell, but she has trust issues, that’s for certain,” Caroline said. “She mentions her father in every other sentence. She has obviously been very overprotected. The question might be... why?”
“I know this much,” Trevor said. “I don’t think we should leave her alone until we know the storm had passed and her car is drivable.”
Wolf agreed, “Yep, a shy, gorgeous woman with a movie star body stranded out here all alone with a few thousand horny truckers? What could go wrong?”
Trevor chuckled.
“She’s coming back now. We can talk about this later,” Caroline said.
Honor sat next to Trevor, across from Wolf and Caroline. She stole a glance at him. It was the first time she’d seen him without his heavy winter coat. He wore a tight-fitting white cotton top, accenting his incredible biceps, rock hard pectorals and washboard abs. His waist could not have been larger
than 34 inches, she thought. Physically, Trevor Saunders was nothing short of magnificent.
“You never told me why you are heading to, where was it, Kachess Lodge?” Honor asked.
“Kachess View Lodge,” Trevor corrected.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’ve lived in Washington state my whole life and I’ve never heard of it.”
“That’s because it closed down many years ago,” Trevor said. “It was owned by my grandfather. The lodge did pretty well for a while but when he got cancer, the place went downhill pretty rapidly. Other lodges popped up and business began to turn sour. After a while my grandfather could no longer afford staffing or supplies. He closed up shop, but the building and property are still owned by my family. Over the years, he had a lot of offers to buy it, but he never sold. He always wanted to try to start it up again. He never got the chance. He died ten years ago. It’s been empty since. It sits on a hillside with a stunning view of the Cascade Mountain Range.”
“And you’re going there... why?” Honor asked.
“After tours in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, Bootstrap is thinking of retiring from the SEAL team and reopening the lodge,” Wolf said.
“Bootstrap?” Honor repeated.
“That’s my code name,” Trevor said. “Matthew goes by Wolf and I go by Bootstrap.”
“He brought us with him to help him look things over,” Caroline said.
“Wow!” Honor replied. “That sounds amazing.”
Trevor sighed, “It sounds scary to tell you the truth, but the timing could be very good.”
“Why is that?” Honor asked.
“One of the problems the lodge always faced was its access from I-90,” Trevor said. “It hurt the lodge back even in it’s heyday. Access was difficult. But the state has been working on a new road system, which will make it much easier for people to get to and from the lodge from I-90. The new road is almost finished.”
“But won’t it be snowed in?” Honor asked.
“Yep, but my old Dodge Ram will get me there tonight without a hitch.”
“I told him that he’s crazy,” Wolf said. “He’ll be bored stiff out here. Once a SEAL, forever a SEAL. Brothers for life. Am I right Caroline?”
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Protecting Honor (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Trevor Saunders Series Book 1) Page 2
