Afterglow (Four Corners Book 1)

by Artemis Anders

  Aaron brows came together. “Fuck. Really?”

  She nodded. “His name was Harry. I got the house, but had to give Harry up.”

  “No wonder Patton liked you so much. He’s usually nervous around strangers.”

  “He’s adorable.”

  Aaron took a sip of his margarita. “When do you head back to the Mile High City?”

  “Soon. I’ve got work to do, and it’ll be nice to get back to my own bed, tolerable temperatures, and, no offense, greenery.”

  “I still can’t believe you’re camping in this heat. But I hear you. When I got relocated here, I didn’t like it. Too hot, too dry, too brown. But it grew on me. It’s got its own beauty.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  When the server offered them another drink, Aaron looked to her. “Have time for one more round?”

  With two fresh margaritas in hand, they sat and talked. An hour later, their glasses empty, Teagan looked around. El Saguaro had mostly emptied, and she’d been too engrossed in conversation to notice. When their server brought the check, they both reached for it. Teagan was quicker and snatched it away.

  Aaron scowled. “I invited you, remember?”

  “You helped me with my boxes. That’s worth more than the price of a burrito and a couple margaritas.” She pulled out her credit card.

  Aaron grabbed his wallet. “We’ll split it.”

  “Fine,” she conceded. She couldn’t argue with that. Newly divorced people who’d sworn off the other sex split the check. Everyone knew that.

  But when the server came to pick up their check, Aaron grabbed Teagan’s card and handed the server his instead. Their server walked off before Teagan could say a word. Aaron handed over her card, his blue eyes gleaming with triumph.

  “You sneaky bastard!” she cried, taking it.

  He shrugged. “Sorry.”

  “You are not sorry!”

  “You’re right. I’m not. I can’t let a struggling author buy me dinner. My dad would kill me.”

  Any pseudo-outrage Teagan felt melted away. How thoughtful he was. Who did that anymore? “Thank you, Major.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  When they stood up to leave, Aaron motioned for her to lead the way. Outside, it was still plenty hot out despite the sun having set. Streaks of orange and pink stretched across the sky, making it so an intense warm glow settled over everything—the rest of the darkening sky, the city, the mountains beyond, and even El Saguaro’s parking lot. It felt magical, almost like being on another world.

  “Nice sunset tonight,” Aaron said.

  “It’s gorgeous,” Teagan said in awe, staring at it. “I’ve never seen one like this before. It’s like… it takes over everything.”

  “You get some good ones here. Better than most places I’ve lived.”

  Teagan continued to stare as they walked to their cars. Once at Teagan’s truck, they stood there in silence, Aaron gazing down at her. His gaze took her breath away.

  “Thank you again,” she finally managed to say, unable to come up with anything better. “I… had a great time.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said, still gazing at her with those gray-blue eyes. Before she could find something more inane to say, Aaron pulled out his wallet and retrieved a card. “If you’re planning to stay another day or two in Tucson, give me a call.” He handed her the card. “I’m off at four tomorrow. Maybe we could go for a hike.”

  She smiled. “I’ll let you know.”

  Back at the RV jungle, Teagan lounged in her chair and propped her feet up, chugging on cold water and waiting for the air temperature to drop before she called it a night.

  In the distance, the other campers played cards, splashed in the nearby pool, or swapped stories over beers. The air had the odor of desert brush that reminded her of old times. Like when they visited Grandpa Larry and Grandma Nancy in Utah when she was a child, or when she and her friend Diana would bike the Utah slickrock before their careers took over their lives. Utah had different desert, but it had the same dry brush smell and crisp air.

  She pulled Aaron’s card from her pocket. It was plain white with the Army insignia, the logo for the intelligence center, and Aaron’s information. Major Aaron Slater.

  She couldn’t stay. It would be stupid to stay. What good would come of it? The last thing she needed in her life right now was a guy. Not that he was interested in her anyway. He only talked to her at the trailhead to be polite, offered to share his table at Blake’s because there was literally no other seat in the place, and asked her to dinner because, well, maybe he was as sick of eating alone as she was. He was apparently an officer and a gentleman. A friend, not a prospect.

  Yet… she felt happier than she had in weeks. In months. Aaron didn’t look at her with pity. If anything, he understood her pain. And what was her big hurry, exactly? To get back to her empty house that still had Harry’s dog hairs in hidden places? To run into her ex somewhere else?

  No. She would stay another day.

  Chapter Six

  The next day, Teagan sent Aaron a text:

  TM: If the offer is still good, I’ll take you up on that hike. If not, no worries and have a great day. Teagan.

  She got up and showered, putting on a sundress and flip-flops. She typically took a day off writing after a convention, to avoid burning herself out. But the Tucson heat gave her few choices, and a few hours writing in an air-conditioned coffee shop couldn’t hurt. When she grabbed her phone to search for a place with wifi and power outlets, she had a text from Aaron.

  AS: Sounds good. Will call you around 3pm.

  At 3:02, hopped up on caffeine and a few thousand more words written, Teagan’s phone rang. A 520 area code.

  “Hello?”

  “Teagan?” said a deep masculine voice.

  “Yes?”

  “Hey, it’s Aaron.”

  “Hey! How was your day?”

  “Not bad. You still up for that hike?”

  “Definitely.”

  “I was thinking about the Ventana Canyon trail, in the Tucson foothills. It’s one of the prettier ones and it has a great view. Will that work?”

  “That’s a long drive for you… you don’t want to meet somewhere closer to where you are?”

  “There’s not much between me and Tucson. It’s no big deal… when you live in the sticks, you get used to driving to meet people.”

  “Okay. What time should we meet?”

  “I need to run home and take Patton out. How about six? We can still get a few hours in before dusk.”

  “Six it is. You aren’t bringing Patton?”

  “No dogs allowed on that trail.”

  “That’s too bad.” She was disappointed that she wouldn’t see the little guy again. “I’ll see you at six.”

  A couple hours later, Teagan closed up her laptop, changed into her hiking gear, and headed north.

  Tucson was laid out before her, a city half-surrounded by a tall, dramatic mountain range. As she headed toward the foothills, the sandy-colored homes grew larger and more impressive with their red-tiled roofs, gorgeous landscaping with rocks and tall cacti, and expansive views that overlooked all of Tucson and the distant mountain ranges. At the end of the road, she pulled into the small lot at the Ventana Canyon trailhead. Aaron’s white Chevy truck was already there, parked in a shady area where the trees blocked the western sun. She parked next to him.

  Aaron sat on his tailgate, sipping from his water bottle. He wore a gray t-shirt that showed off his muscular chest and arms, along with a hat and sunglasses. She blinked a couple of times, wondering how it was possible that he’d gotten even more handsome in less than twenty-four hours.

  “Got everything you need?” he said, standing up and closing his tailgate.

  “I’m ready. I just need to grab my hydration pack.” She put on her water-filled pack, the small pockets stuffed with necessities like snacks and lip balm, and stowed her key in one of the pockets. And of
f they went.

  Other than some brief small talk, they didn’t chat much. Teagan didn’t mind, wanting to enjoy her surroundings. Aaron was right; the trail was beautiful. Compared to the trail where they’d met, with its sparse shrubs and cacti, Ventana Canyon was lush and green. Trees flanked them on both sides as they trekked through a sandy wash and passed tall shrubs and other foliage. As they hiked deeper into the canyon, the foliage grew denser and taller, dwarfing them both.

  Soon, they were surrounded by saguaro cacti… tons of them, dotting the hillside with their u-shaped arms. They were tall. Insanely tall. Pictures didn’t do justice to how massive they were, or how beautiful, especially against the early evening sky, which was still absurdly blue.

  “You checking out the saguaros?” Aaron said. He’d stopped to wait; her gawking had slowed her pace.

  “Yeah, sorry. They’re… remarkable.”

  And the sounds. Buzzing insects, lots of chirping birds, and the occasional rustling of shrubbery as tiny mammals scurried to hide from them. Up the canyon they went, Aaron keeping the brisk pace she preferred as the trail grew narrower between the tall canyon walls.

  “What did you do today?” Aaron asked.

  “I worked on my latest book, at a coffee shop. It kept me cool all day, and caffeinated.”

  “You’re a coffee drinker?”

  “It’s pretty much mandatory when you’re a writer. You?”

  “I get cranky without it.”

  They passed through a shaded area briefly, until the sun hit them again. The heat was still intense and Teagan was already coated in a thin layer of sweat.

  Suddenly, Aaron slowed his pace. Teagan did as well, wondering if he saw something worth checking out. Then he halted. She came up alongside him to inquire, but Aaron held out an arm to blockade her, pushing her back a little. She felt a flash of annoyance until she spotted something ahead. A snake slithered to the center of the trail and stopped, its coloring almost identical to the trail. Teagan caught her breath when a loud rattle sounded.

  She hadn’t seen a rattlesnake in ages. They liked the heat, and she typically hiked during colder weather or at high altitudes where conditions didn’t favor rattlers. Her heart began to pound. Typically, they’d just go around the snake, taking care to give him space. But the trail was too narrow to pass.

  “Looking for a new pet?” she quipped, keeping her eyes on the creature.

  A tiny chuckle. “I don’t think he and Patton would get along.”

  They waited, Teagan secretly cursing the rattler. They couldn’t turn around now. It was too beautiful to turn around! Fortunately the snake, probably annoyed that silly humans had invaded his peaceful sunning, relinquished the trail and disappeared into the brush. Teagan breathed a sigh of relief.

  She gave Aaron a playful shove. “You scared him away!”

  Aaron peered down at her, amused. “You like poisonous snakes, do you?”

  “Umm… no. Scared the hell out of me, to be honest. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “You’d be fine. They don’t like people.”

  “I know, but I’m not used to looking for them. I’d have been ogling all these beautiful saguaros and probably walked right into him! Thank God for your sharp eyes.”

  He shrugged. “You spend enough years in the field, especially in enemy territory, you learn to watch your step.” He took a couple drinks of water before resuming their hike.

  “So you’ve been out there, in the thick of it? Doing what you train your subordinates to do?”

  “I have, among other things.”

  She didn’t press, preferring to hear the details of Aaron’s deployments when they were face to face, without the distraction of rattlesnakes and the beauty of the hidden canyon oasis Aaron had brought her to. She continued behind him, admiring his upright posture, his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and his confident walk. That view wasn’t so bad either.

  When the trail got steeper, they maintained their pace so they could get as far as possible before dark. The trail crossed the dry creek and began ascending a steep hillside. They hiked the switchbacks, sweat pouring off Teagan as they passed more dense foliage and lofty saguaros. Finally, at the top of the hill, they stopped and drank more water. When Teagan turned around and faced the mouth of the canyon, she gasped.

  They could see much of Tucson, the chocolate mountains beyond, and the deepening blue sky, the entire view framed by the canyon walls. The waning sun cast a warm glow over it all, making it come alive.

  “Wow,” Teagan murmured. A warm feeling came over her, as if Tucson’s glow had found its way inside her. How different it was from the cool green conifers and clear lakes she was used to.

  “Pretty, huh?” Aaron said.

  She nodded. “Beautiful. I always thought the desert was just some barren place with nothing but ugly brown plants. Boy, was I wrong.”

  “You glad you stayed?” he asked, gazing at her from behind his sunglasses.

  She nodded. Beyond glad.

  “You’re a strong hiker,” he said. “I usually have to slow down for people, but you were right behind me.”

  “Thanks. I hike a lot. Plus, I’m used to hiking at higher altitudes.” She peered out at the mountains beyond Tucson. “Can you see Fort Huachuca from here?”

  “No. It’s further east.”

  “Do you ever feel isolated, living out there? Or is there plenty to do on base?”

  “We have a few things to do, like movies and some community events, but it gets pretty dull after you’ve been there a while. I come to Tucson a lot.” Aaron motioned to a rock, offering her a place to sit down. She took it, but he remained standing.

  “Where did you grow up?” she asked him.

  “All over. Dad’s a retired Colonel.”

  “Army, I assume…”

  He nodded.

  “Was it hard? You know, having to keep making new friends?”

  “Sometimes. Not as much for my sister. She’s a lot more outgoing than I am. Are you from Denver originally?”

  “Born and raised.”

  “Seems like a good place to call home.” He checked his watch. “We better head down if we’re going to finish before nightfall.”

  Teagan followed Aaron back down the slope and into the canyon, chatting a little more now that the hard work was behind them. By the time they reached the parking lot, the sun had set. She took off her hat and hydration pack, wondering if Aaron needed to get home. And hoping he didn’t.

  “You hungry?” Aaron said, taking off his sunglasses and placing them on his hat.

  “I’m starving.”

  “I know a place with a nice patio. Great view if you don’t mind the heat…”

  “Perfect.”

  “I’d drive us, but it’s not a good idea to leave your vehicle here at night. You mind following me?”

  “Lead the way.”

  When they arrived at the restaurant, Teagan quickly brushed her hair before getting out of her truck. Aaron requested a patio table and when the host seated them, Teagan gasped. Their table offered a full southwestern vista of the city below and the mountains in the distance, the sunset’s afterglow casting a warm luminescence over all of it. The western sky was still bright orange, the dark silhouettes of saguaro cacti rising from below.

  “Wow,” she said again.

  “Tucson likes you. You’re getting all the good sunsets.”

  “I know! And I feel kind of guilty because I dreaded coming here, especially in summer. The beauty of this place kind of sneaks up on you.” She glanced at Aaron to find him gazing at her again, in that way he sometimes did. That way she couldn’t read. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  His expression changed. “No reason. I… I guess I was just thinking about what you said. Some things do sneak up on you, and wind up being better than you expect.” He sipped his water.

  Before Teagan could answer, their server approached. Soon, they had their juicy burgers and fries to go with the
ir beers. The sunset eventually faded and gave way to city lights glimmering below. They talked about places Aaron had lived growing up and about his earlier years in the service, including field intelligence work in Iraq and later in Afghanistan. They talked about Teagan’s books and the places they’d travelled.

  “Of the places you’ve been, what’s your favorite?” Aaron asked her.

  “Spain. Nice people, good food, great architecture. What about you?”

  He shrugged. “Hard to pick. Maybe Austria. Great place if you love beer and big mountains.”

  Teagan picked up a french fry. “If you could go anywhere in the world without worrying about money or time off work, where would you go?”

  “Iceland. In summertime, though.”

  She gasped. “Me too! But I want to go in winter, to see the aurora borealis.”

  He frowned. “The Northern Lights are only in winter?”

  “I’m afraid so. You’ll have to brave freezing temperatures and really short days to see them.”

  “Hmm. Iceland in winter it is.”

  When they’d finished their dinner, a feeling of satisfaction came over Teagan. How did this happen? How did a trip she’d only used to escape a dreaded party and sell a few books turn out so fun? She lost all sense of time, at least until her phone rang at 9:45 p.m. Ben, probably wondering why she hadn’t come home yet. She silenced it and put it away.

  When Aaron excused himself to go to the restroom, she sent Ben a quick text that she was still in AZ and would be home soon. She flagged down their server for the check, realizing this was her opportunity to pay before Aaron could argue with her. But the server told her the check was already taken care of. Teagan sat there for a moment, confused, and then she figured out what happened. When Aaron sat back down, she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “You paid our bill again, you punk.”

  Aaron gave a smug smile. “Yep.”

  Teagan shook her head. “I underestimated you.”

  “That’s twice now.”

  She reached over and smacked him on the arm, and Aaron couldn’t help but laugh. When they headed out to the parking lot, they stood near her truck again.