Page 1 of Break Away
BREAK AWAY
Chapter One
Levi took the turn onto the dirt driveway,the morning sun sending sharp shafts of light into his eyes. Hesquinted and shifted in his seat to stretch his back. Exhaustionmade the last ten miles feel like a hundred, and he was sure hisass had permanently molded to the seat of the Suburban. He scrubbeda hand over his face, the scruff on his chin reminding him hehadn’t shaved in over a week. The caffeine boost from the coffeehe’d consumed the first three hours of his drive had worn off, andhe’d refrained from getting more when he’d stopped for gas. He’dnever had trouble sleeping before, but hey, another new thing inhis life.
His destination finally in sight, a cabin hismom owned about fifty yards up the dirt-packed driveway. Renting itfrom her had been tricky. She’d refused to charge him, and he’drefused to stay there if he didn’t pay. He’d won that skirmish onlybecause his mom wanted him back home so damn bad she would’ve solda kidney to make it happen.
He bumped along the pitted driveway, countingthe minutes until he could fall face first onto the bed, and, ifthe gods were smiling, not surface again for twenty-four hours.
Levi noted the small home to the left, theother rental on the property, which sat under a grouping of tallpines. The structure was made of golden wood, its shutters and thedeep porch painted a dark forest green. Wind chimes and some sortof coppery metal thing glinted in the light hanging from under therafters. The cottage looked like it could belong to the queenfairy. An older model, dusty blue Prius sat parked in front.
He jerked, stomping on the brakes more out ofinstinct than awareness, bringing the Suburban to a skidding stop.His first thought was bear: big, black, and in the middle of theroad.
Then the animal moved and he realized it wasa big-ass dog nearly the size and shape of a bear. Black on itsback, it had a white chest, and white with lighter brown markingson its face. It sat on its haunches in the middle of the driveway,not even twitching when the Suburban came within feet of flatteningit. No matter how big the dog, it wasn’t going to tangle with a carwithout major damage. Bear dog stared through the windscreen atLevi, then opened its huge mouth and gave a deep baying bark.
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed,and waited for it to move. The mountain of fur didn’t appear readyto give up the middle of the road. He tapped the horn and eased theSUV forward. When the beast remained unfazed, he contemplatedtaking the Suburban off the driveway.
Figuring the trees were too close togetherfor that, he parked and opened the car door to peel himself out ofthe seat with about as much dexterity as an octogenarian. A lungfulof the pine-scented air had him stopping to take in hissurroundings.
Large aspens, fresh air, and to the west, thegranite peaks of the Eastern Sierras. Home. He’d left Oaklandbefore dawn, and now it was midday. Not a bad ride, but given theturmoil of the past couple of weeks, he felt like he’d gone extrarounds with the champ and not come out the winner.
He glanced at the cottage, hoping to see thedog’s owner. “Hey, bear dog,” he called and held out a hand. Noperked ears, no tail wag, not even an effort to sniff his fingers.Just a steady dog stare. Inspiration struck. He reached in the carto grab a bag from the center console. He ripped it open andreached inside. Black eyes followed the movement and Levi made surethe dog saw the chips before he stuffed them in his mouth.
Purposely, he dropped one on the ground. “Youwant that, bud?” Bear dog stared at the chip, then at Levi, thenback at the chip. It glanced toward the cottage, a long string ofdrool landing at its feet. Then, with what seemed like a herculeaneffort, it rose to all fours and lumbered to get the dropped chip.Levi moved to the side of the road, dropping chips as he went. Thedog followed, slobbering profusely as it used its massive tongue tosnag each chip.
“Lucy, no.” The sharp command rang out andthe dog froze, its gaze locked on the last potato chip, drool nowdripping like a leaky faucet.
“Busted. Sorry, bud.”
A woman marched down the steps from the porchof the fairy cottage. Hmm. Compact and curvy and with a wild massof dark curls piled on top of her head into a messy bun. Her jerkymovements broadcast she was supremely pissed. Cute, but pissed.
“Time out,” she pointed at the cottage. Sheand the dog had a stare-down. “Lucy, time out.”
Levi wasn’t sure if he’d name a bear dogLucy. He thought maybe Ursula or Olympia, but the dog named Lucydropped her head, heaved a big breath that sounded suspiciouslylike a sigh, and with a last longing look at the remaining chip,walked with dragging steps to the cottage.
“She acts like she’s going to death row.”
“Guilt trips are her best weapon.” The womanturned flashing eyes on him. “Why would you feed my dog potatochips?”
“I’m not sure that’s a dog.” She glared athim and he shrugged. “She was in the middle of the road. I want toget by, tried honking and edging forward and she didn’t move.Seemed like a good alternative.”
“Do you know what potato chips do to dogs?”Her hands were on her hips in the classicyou’re in deep shit,misterpose.
“Make them happy?”
“How about give them diarrhea? A sudden doseof fat like that and she’ll be a miserable mess.”
The dog had climbed the steps and wasregarding them with what could only be described as a woefulexpression.
“That dog wants the chips bad.”
“Well, she can’t have them.”
“Right.” Because they were in his hand, Levistuffed the remaining chips in his mouth and crunched as he checkedout the woman. Flowy dress in bright tie-dye colors, a loose topwith a wide neck, dangly earrings, plus about half a dozenbracelets on her left wrist. Add the fresh complexion without ahint of makeup, the Prius, the dog and potato chip lecture, and hehad the type: earth mother.
The dose of fat from the chips must be doinghim some good because Levi felt a spark of interest he wouldn’thave thought possible ten minutes ago. The petite, curvy earthmother might be uptight about the dog, but she was hot.
“You got a body in there?”
