Page 32 of The Healer

“And you’re the mayor?” Ilona chuckled while exiting the SUV.

She strolled along the path. The cold wind whipped her hair as the sun warmed the crown of her head. When she crept up the few steps onto the porch, she paused at the door.

“It’s unlocked,” Dane called. “We don’t have crime here.”

Nodding as if no crime wasn’t phenomenal, she parted the door on silent hinges. The scent of lavender tantalized her, and she inhaled.

“How is this possible? It smells like my gran.” She scanned the rooms searching for the fragrance.

In the small dining room on the left, a potted lavender took centerstage on a polished wooden table. The open-plan kitchen, in bright whites and grays, nestled at the rear of the dining room.

“Amos modernized the kitchen.” Dane peeked his head through the archway. “Living room over there, bedrooms to the rear of the house, and a garage tucked at the back. But I have another plan to while away the afternoon.”

“What?” She faced him as a car door thumped from the front of the house. Over his shoulder and through the sheer curtains, she narrowed her gaze on a man crossing the snow to the porch.

“That should be Sheriff Jake Dunn, our local law enforcement.” Dane swung the door wide. “Good timing, Jake. Come meet our new doctor.”

“Temporary doctor.” She slipped around Dane’s bulk to offer the sheriff her hand.

In jeans, a T-shirt, and a thick jacket, he didn’t look like a policeman. Not to mention the shoulder-length hair peppered with gray. He had piercings in his left ear and tattoos climbing his throat, hinting at something intricate beneath his clothes.

“Welcome.” He rocked on his heels, hooking his thumbs into his pockets. “Ready to taste snow?”

“What?” Ilona gritted her teeth at her monosyllabic response.

“Dane’s got a hankering for some board time. Ever skied, boarded, tobogganed?”

She shook her head. “No, just sandboarding on the Dunes of Sashan, east of Fenneg.”

“Close enough.” Dane patted her back, and she stumbled into Jake’s arms. She tossed a glare at Dane while rolling her throbbing shoulder.

“Milligan’s Research Tower is on the south face of Echon Mountain. The scientists haven’t messaged that they need anything, but we should prepare you for an emergency. I’ve asked Dane to let you drive to Lover’s Point. Each day while you’re in Coedwig, I need you to practice the drive as many times as you can. Text me or Dane before you go and when you return, just in case I need to gather a search team. Doc’s used to the drive, but now he ain’t here…” Jake grinned, flashing a gold tooth.

“Might as well board a little, get you started on that too.” Dane nudged her with his shoulder, almost toppling her.

She waved her hands, fear sliding down her spine at the thought of all that snow. Hell, the snow had won her boot. How was she supposed to show the snow who was boss? “I’m not dressed. I mean, I don’t have the equipment, the gear—”

“Got you covered.” Jake hitched his thumb behind him. “We keep a supply, so help yourself. Best stash it in your trunk, y’know, for—”

“Just in case.” Ilona grumbled under her breath about high-handed men.

With another nudge from Dane, she hurried to the rear of Jake’s SUV, popping it to stare at the mountain of stacked equipment. The men removed snowboards, helmets, goggles, stretching around her to take what they needed.

She must have hesitated too long because Jake chose a pair of snow boots for her, kneeling to check if they would fit.

Dane hooked goggles over her face, resting them with care on her forehead. He ran a gentle touch along her scar. “You’ll tell me about this one day, Ilona.”

She pinched her lips against the violent bombardment of grief that snatched her breath away and spun her vision. It had been dormant since Mo’s. Instead of answering, she regulated her breathing, trying to hold back the sorrow.

He lowered the goggles over her eyes, then tugged a helmet on, adjusting the straps despite the tears pooling on her eyelashes.

“I have the portable medkit in my backpack.” Jake hooked a bag over his shoulder, then grabbed her board and his. “I chose a one-fifty board. Should be a good fit.” He climbed into Dane’s SUV, choosing the backseat.

Dane shoved her toward the driver’s side.

“I feel railroaded.” She glowered at him over the hood of his car.

“Got to be done.” He grinned. “No rest for the wicked doctor, right?”

---