Page 5 of The Power of a Myth

It didn’t take them long to get water to everybody who needed it and then make their way to the dance. They both headed straight to the dance floor. He quickly discovered Molly was an exceptional dancer as she moved to the rhythm of the latest hits. He could watch her all evening, but needing a drink, he led her to the makeshift bar. He requested two beers, and having paid, he handed one to her.

“Thank you,” Molly smiled.

“Shall we find a table?” Hayden asked, looking around.

The music was loud in the tent, and he hoped to find a quiet location so they could talk and he could find out more about her.

“There’s one.” Molly pointed to a table tucked away in a corner, and he followed her to it.

They were both dressed in their military attire, and even though it was baggy on Molly, he could still tell underneath she had a killer body. Damn, it had been a long time since he’d been with anyone. He was only twenty, and his previous partner had been a fumbled one night stand just before he’d left to go to war. He wasn’t exactly a player, but something about Molly was captivating him.

“Where do you come from?” Hayden questioned,

Molly was still tapping her foot along to the music as she sat.

“I’m from Montana, my family lives close to the Glacial National Park.”

“Wow, that must be a killer coming here with the heat and humidity.”

Molly laughed, “Just a bit.” She opened her mouth to add to her comment but closed it again. He found that strange. “Where are you from?” she finally asked.

“Seattle, so not far from you. It took me a long time to get used to the weather here. I’ve been to the Glacial Park a few times. It’s stunning there.”

“I love to go running in the mountain tops—it’s so peaceful,” Molly informed him.

“Wow, you must be fit if you can get up there.”

She blushed. “Just a little. It’s my home. I know it well.”

“I hope you keep an eye out for the wild animals. I always remember my father telling me to be careful of big cats and wolves. He even mentioned seeing a polar bear there once, but I think he was a bit too far south to see one of those.”

“Just a bit,” Molly chuckled.

“Have you always wanted to be a nurse?” Hayden changed the conversation.

“I’ve always wanted to help people, and this is the perfect way for me to do it. It’s taken quite a bit of learning and one big shock when I arrived here, but I’m still feeling good at the moment. What about you? Have you always wanted to be in the army?”

He shook his head. “Not at all, but the army is sort of a family tradition that I’m following for the time being. This is probably going to make me sound like a complete nerd, but I really love archeology. Eventually, I want to travel the world on digs and discover the history buried beneath the earth. I did get the chance to assist an archeologist a few years ago when he went on a dig for dragon bones.”

“Wow,” Molly exclaimed, “Did he find any?”

“No, it turned out to be a dinosaur, but it was still fabulous to find all the little bones and match them together. Maybe one day I’ll discover a dragon. I’m sure there are still creatures out there we don’t know anything about. I’ve always been fascinated by werewolves. If they do exist, I don’t believe they’re as evil as people say.”

“Interesting theory. If you ever find any mythical creatures, I’d like to see them as well. It would be amazing. I love animals. I would have considered training to be a vet if nursing hadn’t worked out, but it’s not really practical. Most vets are men, and it’s just so hard for women to get into. Hopefully, I can use some of my nursing skills on animals in the park when I return.”

“Again, I say be careful of the wild animals.”

“I will. They don’t scare me.” Molly laughed, and Hayden got the sense from her that she really wasn’t scared of them.

They both fell silent for a few minutes and finished their beers as they swayed in their seats to the music.

“Would you like to dance again?” Hayden asked as he placed his finished beer on the table.

“Yes please.”

They returned to the dance floor and spent the next few hours together showing how well they could move. By the end of it, Hayden was exhausted, but he was also the perfect gentleman and escorted Molly back to her sleeping quarters.

“I wanted to ask you something?” Hayden stopped her just before she went inside.

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