Page 2 of Embattled Ever After

Reaching up she scratched under the dog’s chin. “And do you mind if I ask what the service vest is for?”

Flynn glanced at her, his eyes weighing her even though she couldn’t see them.

“She’s going through training right now to be my PTSD service dog.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel as if she were going to scoff at the thought, but she’d dealt with enough patients to know how to calm their fears. “Ah, very smart. She seems to be doing a good job. I couldn’t tell you were affected at all at the airport.”

Some tension eased in the cab of the truck. “Well, if I’d had had to go into the terminal to find you, it probably would have been a different story. It was best that we stayed outside.”

Alex appreciated a person that understood his or her own limits. Too many times she saw people who thought they were still as young as they used to be, or as strong as they used to be and hadn’t modified their behavior according to their age or medical conditions. Then they paid the price for their misjudgment.

As they wound around the loop onto the interstate the afternoon sun glinted off the skyline. “What a beautiful city.”

“Yeah, it’s not too bad,” Flynn agreed. “There’s plenty to do here if you’re a tourist. And it’s got several cool shopping districts if you’re into that.”

Alex shrugged. She could shop as well as any girl if she needed to, but there were usually other things she wanted to do. “I prefer to see things, experience things.”

“Then you can check out any of the gold mining towns not too far away. There’s skiing for every skill level, mountain biking, there are even some zip line tours popping up here and there. Horseback riding. Trail climbing. You name it and it’s around here probably. Not sure how long you’ll be here but you should take a trip into the mountains and explore.”

“I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here either,” she admitted. It depended upon how well everything went tonight, didn’t it?

She looked at the jam-packed interstate. It was hard to believe the year was almost over. Christmas was tomorrow. Then another week and it would be a new year.

She leaned her head against her hand as they sped along. It was only about thirty degrees outside, but the way the sun was shining, you would think it felt warmer. Her monster suitcase was packed with plenty of sweaters and warm leggings. Alex had grown up in mostly tropical climates so the winters in Kansas City and Colorado definitely took some getting used to.

Flynn flicked his turn signal on and exited the ramp on the northeast side of the city, then drove through a developed suburban area populated with strip malls. They pulled up in front of a restaurant or bar in a fairly trendy area. Maybe it was both. Flynn parked the truck and turned off the ignition. “I’ll bring your suitcase in if you can get your carryon.”

Alex slid down from the cab and looked down at the snow on the ground. Maybe she should change her shoes. Stepping carefully, she crossed to the rustic wood front door of the Frog Dog. Christmas lights outlined everything. A large sign warned the public ‘Closed For Christmas. See you next week!’

It was warm inside, and as soon as she entered, people rushed toward her. One petite young woman with curly brown hair stepped forward. “You must be Alex. Oh, my gosh, you’re gorgeous! You’resoperfect. I’m Shannon.”

Alex grinned at the woman, already feeling a kinship with her. They’d spoken on the phone several times and now that she had connected the voice with the face, their connection seemed so natural and she returned the hug happily. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you as well. I can’t believe I finally made it.”

She didn’t mean the plane ride. She meant the situation itself.

Shannon’s kind expression turned serious. “Yes, I know. Let me introduce you around. Duncan won’t be here for at least an hour, but if I know him, he’ll be even later. That man is a true workaholic.”

Shannon turned to a slender blond-haired woman. “This is Lora. Her daughter Mercy is over there in the corner booth with her coloring book. Chad,” she called.

A tall man with a genial smile and a cowboy hat on turned from the bar and walked over. He wrapped his arm around Lora’s shoulders, his bright blue eyes shining.

“This is Chad Lowell. He’s one of the partners and I think you’ve spoken to him on the phone a time or two. John is around here somewhere.” She glanced around but didn’t see her boyfriend. Alex had heard enough about the man she could probably pick him out of a crowd, but there weren’t that many people in the bar.

Then a scowling man in a wheelchair rolled out from a dark hallway. His lap was laden with several cases of beer, but he balanced them perfectly as he rolled to the entrance to the bar. There was some grumbling and a giant of a man stood from behind the bar. He must have been stocking down low because she hadn’t seen him. The guy was huge.

“John, Zeke, come over here.”

The two men looked at the group at the door, then made their way over. “Alex,” Shannon continued, “this is John Palmer, second partner of the company, and my boyfriend.”

Alex reached out and shook his hand, impressed with the man’s almost palpable personality. Yes, he was in a wheelchair, but he had so much spirit it was almost hard to look at him.

His dark eyes narrowed on her as he sat back in his chair. “So, you’re the doc from Kansas City, huh? Shannon’s been shittin’ kittens to get you out here.”

Shannon gasped and smacked him on the shoulder. “John!”

Alex laughed, enjoying the camaraderie she could feel between all these people, and she knew that she had just been offered the chance to be part of them. “No kitten shitting on my behalf, please, Shannon.”

They all laughed and she felt like she had gained a toehold in the mountain. The big man at John’s shoulder stuck his hand out. “Zeke. My g-g-girlfriend Ember and I r-run this place right now. Welcome to D-d-denver.”

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