Page 46 of Awakening the Sheriff

“Hey, Keaton.” Auden approached me. “You got everything? Proper boots, warm pants, jacket, gloves, beanie?”

“Yep, all set.” I did a little twirl to show off my attire.

Auden gave me a thorough once-over, and my cheeks heated. Did the man like what he saw?

Auden cleared his throat. “Yeah, that’s good. You look good.”

He kept staring at me until I had to resist the urge to squirm. “Something wrong?”

“No, just…lost in thought for a moment. Let’s hit the road.”

We climbed into the truck and drove off, first through the town and then across the river, where Auden took the road leading to the campgrounds, navigating the winding road with ease. I spotted his backpack on the back seat. “Shoot, should I have bought something?”

“I’ve got us both covered, but if you ever go by yourself, you should bring some emergency supplies.”

“Like what?” Not that I had plans to go out exploring on my own, but a little knowledge never hurt.

“Water, enough food to survive for at least twenty-four hours, a whistle, something to keep you dry, an emergency blanket, a power bank for your phone plus the charging cable… I always recommend carrying a sharp pocket knife. And you’ll need a map and a compass, though you’d also need to know how to use one, or you’d still be lost.”

All that for a hike? “Is that like a worst-case scenario thing?”

“You always have to prepare for the worst. Every summer, our SAR teams have to rescue dozens of hikers who were unprepared. Mother Nature is fierce, and she’ll throw whatever she’s got at you some days.”

Okay, then. “Thanks for taking care of us today. I had no idea.”

He sent me a smile. “No worries. I’ve got you.”

I looked away before he saw the longing in my eyes. If only he meant it the way I wanted him to mean it…

“I didn’t know you did this kind of search and rescue,” I said.

“I normally don’t, but I’ve stepped in a few times when the SAR teams were shorthanded.”

“What kind of cases do they get?”

“People who got caught in bad weather and didn’t have the proper gear. Folks who got lost, hurt, almost drowned… One of the worst stories I’ve read was from the Northeast, in Vermont. A college student went for a winter hike, completely unprepared. She had only a light jacket, no gloves, no hat, no winter boots, nothing to keep her warm, not enough water and food, no navigation or a map. When it started snowing, she lost the trail. They found her a couple of days later, frozen to death. It broke my heart to see a young life cut short. People are so woefully ignorant sometimes, so unprepared for the outdoors. It’s scary.”

“Wow. I agree that is heartbreaking. I might not have known the whole list of stuff you recommended, but I’m happy to report I would never have headed out without proper preparations. Hell, I wouldn’t hike in the winter anyway, as I have the navigational skills of a…” Wait, what animal had bad navigational skills? I couldn’t think of any. “…a dead squirrel.”

Auden snorted. “Duly noted. Good thing I’m an expert at it, then.”

“And so modest…”

He shrugged. “Modesty is fine for things that aren’t related to my job. When it comes to professional skills, I need people to know I’m highly skilled and qualified.”

Darn it, that kind of confidence was sexy. “You know what? I agree. When I’m voting for an office, I want to know if people are competent. Especially for a job like the sheriff.”

“The next elections are next year, so I’m counting on your vote,” Auden said with a grin.

“You’ve got it.”

Sipping my coffee, I admired the beauty of the landscape around us. Snow-covered evergreens lined the sides of the road, their branches weighed down by the thick blankets of white. The sky was a clear icy blue, and the sun reflected off the snow like millions of tiny diamonds. As we drove higher into the mountains and the road became more and more narrow, the trees closed around us, their boughs heavy with snow.

“Have you ever been up here?” Auden asked.

“Haven’t had the chance yet. We arrived at the end of summer, and the first few months were crazy as I tried to get us all settled.”

“I can imagine hiking and exploring weren’t high on your list.”

---