A Soldier's Journey (21 page)

Louisa agreed. “Any ideas?”

“Why don't we divide tasks? We have marketing, writing, sets and lights, costumes. There's probably others that will come along. But why not recruit people to lead those things and they can appoint whoever they might need? Then the chairs of each group can meet every week to exchange progress, ask questions, make suggestions.”

“I like that,” Louisa said. “But there should be someone coordinating everything.” She looked at Andy.

“Oh, no,” Andy exclaimed, shaking her head. “I don't really live here. I probably won't even be here in six weeks.”

Faces fell. “But you have to stay,” Sara said. “You started this and...”

Her voice tapered off.

Louisa nodded, and they both stared at her with betrayal in their eyes.

“Isn't Nate doing that?”

“He's overall chair,” Louisa said. “But he has his own business and the inn to look after. I don't think he has time to keep up with everyone involved in every project and what's going on every day and transmit it to the others.” She looked expectant.

How could she even be thinking about it? It was idiotic. She knew nothing about plays. Organization, yes. She was very good at organizing operating rooms in godforsaken places. But...

More time with Nate. Wise? No. Oh, what the heck!
She nodded.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

A
NDY
DROVE
HOME
after having dinner with the Monroes and Louise.

It was too late to attend the vets' meeting, and she was tired. She'd had little sleep last night and today, well, today had been busy.

Al had been gracious. He asked questions that indicated he had some doubt about the project, but he hadn't opposed it...

She was still in shock at Sara's suggestion that she coordinate a mammoth project after being in town for such a short time.

It was as if a group of fairies or gnomes or other magical creatures had taken over her life.

Still, she knew her back was straighter, her mind clearer, her heart more open. She had a purpose. She had people depending on her, and she wasn't running from it.

“We are going to celebrate,” she told Joseph as she reached the cabin and viewed it with new appreciation. It was no longer just a haven. It was becoming home.

But it
wasn't
her home. She had to remember that. She only had it on loan.

Some of her enthusiasm drained away. Then where would she go?

Her phone rang.

She sensed who it was before she answered.

“Hi,” Nate said. “We missed you at the vets meeting, but I hear you're taking over the pageant.”

“Under you,” she said, “and I really don't know how it happened.”

“I do. Everyone likes you. Not everyone here likes everyone else.”

“I haven't noticed,” she said.

“You will.” He paused, then said, “Would you like to have our first business dinner tomorrow night?”

“At Maude's?”

“Nope. At the inn. You haven't even seen the place you named. We're testing out menus.”

“I'm now a taster as well as errand person?”

“A taster, yes, an errand person, no. Sara is so elated she called me and raved about you. You know how to listen,” he continued. “It's a rare talent to listen and hear and understand. Sara's become a different person since you got her involved.”

Andy didn't know how to take that. She'd been trained to listen. To doctors. To patients. To other members of a medical team. It wasn't anything special, but pleasure still flooded through her.

“I would really like to see the inn. I drove by it but haven't seen the inside. I feel a kinship since I named it.”

“And so you should. Is seven okay? I'll pick you up.”

“Sounds good.”

“I'll see you then,” he said and hung up.

Andy held the phone for a moment. What was she doing? Yet she'd found herself saying yes. And worse, it hadn't even occurred to her to say no.

She reminded herself she was here for weeks, not months.

She could handle it, she reassured herself. It was only dinner. She went back to the second journal. Would it tell her if Angus had fallen in love with his Ute wife?

She read again until she fell asleep on the sofa with Joseph curled up next to her...

* * *

T
UESDAY
SPED
BY
.
She met again with Louisa and Sara, and the three of them selected more excerpts.

More and more people called to say they'd heard about the pageant, and Andy started a list.

She had lunch with them, then went by the community center. Bill was busy looking through boxes. He, too, had been queried all day by residents. Wanting more information. Unfortunately, information was scarce.

Then it was six. She and Joseph returned to the cabin. She couldn't wait to tell Nate about the latest entries and Louisa's excitement.

She headed for the bedroom and her limited wardrobe. Exactly what did one wear in Covenant Falls for a formal date, even to an empty inn?

She already felt a flutter deep in her stomach, the ache of anticipation. She opened her closet and stared at the few garments.
Dismal.

She selected a pair of navy blue pants and a light blue fitted blouse she'd found at the general store and looked at herself. She really needed something else. She looked in the small velvet pouch in which she kept her few pieces of jewelry: a necklace she had found during a brief trip to Greece when stationed in Germany, a bracelet her mother had given her when she graduated from college and finally the ring Jared had given her but that she had never worn except the few times they were able to leave the base. She hadn't been able to look at it since the attack. With a new stab of anguish, she returned everything to the pouch. This was a business dinner.

But the bracelet reminded her she hadn't called home.

She picked up the phone and dialed her mother's number. She heard the tremulous voice. “Mom,” she said.

“Andrea—” her mother's voice was worried “—are you...are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she said. “Everyone here is friendly, and I'm involved in a city project. I just wanted you to know I'm doing fine. I'm...happy.”

The moment she said the word, she knew it was true. She
was
happy. Excited. She still had black moments, the sudden, unexpected assaults of grief, but they were coming less often.

“When are you coming home, baby?”

She felt as if she was ten years old again, loitering at the library when she knew she should be home. “Not for a while. I have to finish what I started. But I love you, Mom.”

“Love you, too, baby.”

Andy clicked the phone off and dressed, finally picking up the jewelry pouch again and taking out the necklace. She put it on, then applied some lipstick.

“What do you think?” she asked Joseph, who barked happily at the attention.

The doorbell rang. Joseph rushed to inspect the intruder, then wriggled with delight when he saw Nate.

Andy thought she might be doing the same. Her heart was bouncing wildly about.

She went to the door and opened it.

Nate looked great. He wore a pair of jeans that fit his tall, lean body as if designed just for him. A light tan suede jacket was worn over a dark brown shirt open at the neck. His hair was wet, as if he had just come out of a shower, and that sent sensual images through her mind.

It didn't help that his eyes, which always seemed to change color, looked at her with an intensity that sent her blood racing. They were a molten mix of light brown, gold and moss green.

“Hi, there,” he said as he stooped down and made Joseph a very happy dog by rubbing his ears, then running his hand down his back. Staid Joseph made a spectacle of himself by twisting his body around in excitement, then plopping on the floor and raising all four feet in the air while Nate rubbed his belly.

“Now, that is just plain disgusting,” she said. “He doesn't do that for me.”

“It's male bonding,” Nate said with a grin.

She laughed. She couldn't remember when she'd last laughed with spontaneity.

She reached for a folder of Angus's entries and started for the door.

“You might need a sweater,” he said. “I heard a cold spell is coming. We get some of those in the spring.”

“I'll be okay,” she said. “I like cold.”

He nodded. That was what she liked best about him. He never questioned. He reached out and took her hand. It was warm and strong without being controlling. She didn't object when he opened the door of the pickup for her. She put the folder on the floor and stepped inside.

He turned and looked at her. “You're damn pretty.”

She didn't think she was. She'd been startled when Jared had fallen in love with her. Now she wondered whether it wasn't the danger and fear and emotion that brought them together.

Nate drove and she watched him. His ex-wife had to be one of the country's biggest fools.

They reached the inn. The sign wasn't up yet, but the exterior looked appealing. Rustic with a touch of elegance. It resembled a sprawling ranch house with an exterior of cedar siding. There was an archway that led inside.

As they entered the lobby, her gaze was drawn to a huge natural-rock fireplace that took up one side of the room. The smell of hickory came from a large burning log.

The room looked warm and welcoming with its leather chairs and sofas. The reception desk resembled an Old West saloon bar. A very large painting depicting the mountains hung over the fireplace, and several obviously well-used saddles were mounted along the wall.

“We're not quite finished yet,” he said, “but what do you think?”

“I love it.” And she did.

“I'm trying to find a painting of camels to go over the reception desk, but so far no luck. I was thinking about commissioning one if I can find the right artist at the right price.”

“There has to be a starving artists' website,” she said. “You can ask for samples and sketches. It probably won't be great art, but you don't need that. Just good art that attracts people.”

“I knew I invited you here for a reason,” he said as he leaned down and kissed her. It was a light kiss but there was a promise in it.

“Hi, there” came a cheerful voice, and Andy forced her gaze away from Nate to a very pretty woman probably in her early forties who stood in the doorway off the reception desk. She wore a simple but tasteful white blouse with a black skirt that showed off very nice legs.

Andy noticed all this within a second of seeing the woman and resented the jealousy welling up inside.

Nate put an arm around her shoulder. “Andy, this is Susan Hall. She'll be managing the inn. Susan, this is Andy Stuart, the creator of the name the Camel Trail Inn.”

“It's a great name,” Susan said. “I love it, and it's attracting attention. We're already getting queries.” She looked at Andy. “Like to see the website? It's pretty basic right now.” Andy nodded, and Susan went to the registration desk computer. The background of the home page was a photo of the waterfall with a rainbow just above.

There was also a sketch of the front of the inn. Opposite the photo were two sentences in a rustic typeface: Opening Soon. The Camel Trail Inn in historic Covenant Falls, Colorado.

At the bottom of the page she read, “Visit our historical falls, our national forest and old mining towns. Make reservations now.” A phone number was listed and there was a link to a registration form.

“Right now I'm trying to pique interest, but we need copy about the town and the falls and Angus. Not much, but some,” Susan said.

Andy suddenly realized that was her main job here: a short history. She'd become so involved with the play that her original job had flown out of her head.

She looked up at Nate. “I forgot...”

“You're steeping yourself in the history of the town, and I think you have far more to do than you ever imagined. Than I ever imagined. Susan thinks the pageant is a terrific idea.”

Susan nodded. She looked at Nate and then Andy. “I'm heading home. Ethel has dinner ready for you. It's one of the options on the menu, so you two can taste test it for us.” She grabbed a purse from behind the registration desk and started for the door, then turned back. “I'm so pleased to meet you, Andy. I've heard a lot about you. Welcome to Covenant Falls.”

Andy watched her go, envious of the way she wore her clothes and her stylish haircut.

Nate caught her hand. “You haven't seen it all yet,” he said. “But first, the dining room.”

The moment she stepped in the dining room, her mouth watered.

“Homemade bread and rolls,” he said.

The room was not large. Three sides were paneled and the last was a wall of windows that faced the mountains. The tables and chairs were oak. Small, intimate tables, but they were square so they could be moved together to seat large parties. Fixtures looking like Tiffany gas lamps were mounted along the two sides of the room as well as smaller ones on each table. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. It was simple, uncluttered. She turned to him. “It's wonderful.”

He grinned. “Well, we knew what we wanted.” He reached out his hand. “May I escort you to our table?”

“You may,” she said. His hand felt comfortable in hers. Natural. He led her to a table in front of the window. It was already set for two with wineglasses and an open bottle of wine in the center.

As they sat, a buxom woman hurried in with a basket of rolls and a dish with butter.

“Mr. Nate, are you ready for me to bring in the food?”

“Where did the mister come from?” he asked.

“Well, since I'm working for you...”

“One more mister and I'll fire you. Josh will feel the same. You're family, Ethel.” He turned to Andy. “Meet Ethel Jones. She used to babysit me. I loved it, because she always brought something tasty with her.

“And this is Andy,” he told the woman.

Ethel beamed. “I've been hearing fine things about you. It's a pleasure.” Then she hurried out before Andy could answer.

Nate poured the wine. “No liquor license yet,” he said, “so don't tell anyone.”

“Lawless, huh?”

“Yes, especially when I have a pretty woman with me.”

“Susan is attractive.” She knew she sounded jealous but she couldn't stop the words from coming out.

“Yeah, and she also used to babysit me when I was young. Of course, she was young then, too.” His eyes met hers. “We're friends, and that's all. We were lucky to get her. How is the wine?”

She took a sip. It was a white. Crisp and cold. “I like it.”

His eyes caught hers. They were intense, the green in them more pronounced. He hesitated, then words seemed to explode from him, “I know this probably isn't the time, but damn, I can't help but saying it. I like
you.
A lot.” He hesitated. “I know you're still...raw, and I never believed in, well, instant attraction, and it's probably too fast...” He stopped, then continued, “Hell, I'm rambling and you probably want to run out the door.”