Page 20 of Home for Nathan
“Ah, eggs and bacon in pasta. I see a theme.”
Zion slid onto the stool next to him. “I am constant as the sun.”
“I like that.” He leaned a moment, and Zion gave him another kiss before they dug in. “So what do you need help with?”
“You’ll see.”
About an hour and a half later, they were pulling up at the Old Stone Mill house on the little trail on Zion’s property in a side by side. “You didn’t tell me I didn’t have to hike,” he accused.
“I know.” Zion grinned. “I didn’t want you to say we could do it later.”
“Are you kidding? I love this place. I’ve seen the pictures, and you can just peek at it from the highway, but that doesn’t do it justice.” He peered at the ramshackle building that sat on a bend in the river, and also in a small falls, where the mill would have gotten its power. There was a ladder down to the sluice too, and it was so picturesque and wonderful.
They wandered over, and as they got close to the river, Zion took his arm. “Just don’t want you to overbalance. I mean, I know you’re preggers and not sick or something, but I worry about your baby belly and you.”
He flushed with pleasure. “Thanks. Seriously. I’ve been going it alone for a while.”
“I get that.” Zion kissed the top of his head. “Now. Let’s get a good view. It’s not safe to go up in, but we can get close and take some pictures.”
“So how does it stay preserved?”
“The city and the property owner have a contract. So it passed to me. It’s all very fair, and the historical society is part of the preservation.”
“Ah. Hank Vargas.”
“Among others, but yes. Hank is the spearhead. He’s a nice guy.”
“He is.” Nathan really liked the guy, even if some folks thought he was a little…precise. Read fussy.
“Come on, honey.” They wandered to the mill base, and he started taking pictures while Zion came around with him, skipping a few stones, checking a few boards, just generally keeping an eye on him.
“This is so cool!” He shot what he could through the open door, then headed down toward the falls.
“Careful!” Zion called.
“I promise. That river is cold, even in the good weather.” And he didn’t want to end up shocking his system with an unplanned dunking.
“No kidding. I tried a dip up at the shallow end.”
He laughed, then frowned, because something in the water caught his attention. It was struggling, not just flapping or floating.
“Zion! Zion, I think there’s an animal trapped in the wood tailings down there!”
“An animal?” Zion stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“Yes, you know, creature? Black and white, four legs. It’s a dog, I think. Or possibly a really skinny cow.” Nathan felt hysteria coming on. “I don’t know, but you can’t let it drown.” That would be horrifying.
He started looking around for a place to climb down so he could go help, and Zion pinned him with a look.
“You are not going down to rescue the cow-dog.”
He glared, but honestly, he didn’t want to risk it either, and it looked bitter cold. “You’re going to go, though?” Zion was his hero. He had to go.
“I’m on it.”
Nathan watched as Zion made his way down the near sheer face to get closer to the critter, who was barking now, which meant?—
“Totally not a cow!” he called out. “Definitely a dog!”
