THE NIGHTMARE RETURNED with a vengeance. It was the first time in a month.
Jenny heard the approaching rumble of the planes. The whistle of bombs and explosions mixed with screams. The air was full of dust and fire and death. She jerked awake.
Light seeped in from the bathroom. She’d left the light on inside and closed the door halfway. She hadn’t wanted to wake in darkness. She only hoped she hadn’t made any noise.
She held her breath for a few minutes. There was no pounding on the door, no ringing of the room phone.
She looked at the clock. A little after four. She knew from experience that she wouldn’t go back to sleep again. Every sense was awake now. She picked up the journal and placed it on the night table. She’d read more than three-quarters of it last night.
She took a shower. Hot water first to wash away the sweat, and then cold water to wipe away the cobwebs in her head. After she dried herself off, she worked on her shoulder exercises with the folding rod she’d brought with her. She kept at it until the muscles and ligaments in her shoulder hurt so much that she almost screamed.
She wanted to go outside. Feel fresh air on her face. Wash away the lingering memory of dust and desperation and death. As comfortable as the room was, she felt trapped.
She pulled on some clothes. Then she left without locking the door. She doubted there were burglars in Covenant Falls. It looked like a model of a small town in a film from the 1960s. Was it real?
Was Travis Hammond real? She didn’t need complications. She just wanted to heal and get back to where she belonged.
No one was in the lobby, although it was well lit. She opened the door and took a deep breath of the fresh air. A nearly full moon sat atop the mountains.
It was clean. Bright. So beautiful it hurt. She knew the mountains. She’d skied and climbed and walked the nearby Rockies while in college, but never had she known the peace she felt here. Maybe Covenant Falls did have a magic of its own.
She started walking. The streets were quiet, the houses dark. After walking about a mile, she turned back. She went to her room. It was still not time for the fresh coffee and pastries, but she had a coffee machine in her room. She didn’t particularly care for the tiny packages and drip machines, but she needed the jolt.
She planned the day ahead. After breakfast she would walk back through town, meet whoever she could. Spend more time at the community center. She wanted to discover the heart of Covenant Falls.
She picked up the journal and tried to read, but her thoughts kept turning to Travis and hazel eyes that never seemed to be the same color. They’d changed with his moods. He’d been cautious around her, but he had a quick sense of humor that emerged when she least expected it.
She tried the journal again, reading the words of the Scottish trader who’d journeyed half a continent for a brother who didn’t live to see their dream come true. Charlie, the romantic, would love the tale.
Her niece would love everything about the town. It held a strange pull for her, too. Maybe she was ready for a little peace.
Did she really want to go back to the Middle East? There were so many stories to be told there, but the loss and suffering of the people had drained her.
Maybe there were important stories here, as well. Stories not about wars, but people like Angus, who saved the life of an enemy, or a small town working to make life better for veterans.
She took a chair, curled her legs under her and found the entry where she’d left off.
* * *
AFTER A RESTLESS SLEEP, Travis woke at dawn. He was relieved Danny was doing well. More than well. Danny seemed happier than at any time since he’d met him, except maybe the day he got his new prosthetic. From his few meetings with Jubal, Travis knew the former SEAL would look after Danny.
He got out of bed, pulled on a pair of jeans and walked to the dock. He sat on the bench and watched the first glimmers of dawn crawl over the horizon. The peace soothed the violence that had colored so much of his life.
An eagle, probably looking for breakfast, soared above him. He doubted it worried about the future or felt piercing loneliness. He’d had few visitors during the past two years beyond his ex-fiancé and several military friends.
He turned his thoughts back to Jenny. Despite her injury in Syria, she obviously loved her independence. He knew from the articles he’d found that she’d been in many of the Middle East hotspots. A lot of the stories were about civilians trying to exist in a war zone or surviving a terrorist bomb. There was empathy in the stories, a connection to the people she wrote about.
Her experiences, though, hadn’t dimmed a contagious smile that had probably lured many people to say more than they’d ever intended.
Dammit, he wanted to see her again, spend time with her and discover more about her. But this was no time to get involved with a woman, particularly when he knew it would be temporary. He needed to start building some permanence now, whether it was the army or academics or something else. She had made it clear that she liked her freedom.
So why couldn’t he get her out of his mind?
Time to get back to work. Today was Friday. He had a lot to do before Sunday. He’d ordered and read books on equine therapy and rehab programs and accumulated a growing file of different programs in the country. He kept finding new ones. The demand was strong. In his usual methodical way, he’d jotted down questions as he researched.
He left the dock and walked toward a path winding up the mountain, located behind the cabin. He hesitated once he reached the foot of the path. He’d tried it on his first visit to Covenant Falls, but it was steep, and he’d stumbled several times before heading back down. He was better at walking now, more aware of his ankle’s limitations. Maybe he would try it later.
Once back at the cabin, his thoughts turned to his trip ahead. He’d already checked the mileage from Covenant Falls to Fort Hood. It was a long car trip but he really looked forward to it. He’d been cooped up in hospitals and rehab for two years. The freedom of the road was enticing.
He made coffee, fried three eggs and toasted some bread, then settled into one of Josh’s extraordinarily comfortable chairs and started reviewing the materials he’d gathered.
There seemed to be no competition between the programs. By their very nature, participants were limited, and there was an ongoing demand.
Travis felt a responsibility to them. He’d been the person who sent men and women to train unreliable allies in hostile territory. He’d watched them cry over a fallen comrade but rarely for themselves when they went home without legs or arms or prospects of a job or future.
It was midafternoon when the phone rang. It was Josh. “You are coming for steaks tonight, right?” Josh asked.
“Sure,” Travis said.
“I think I told you Eve invited Jennifer Talbot.”
“I think your steaks overcome any reservations I have. What time?”
“Six thirty good for you?”
“Fine.”
There was a pause. Then Josh said, “Can you pick her up and drive her here? Stephanie and Clint were going to do it, but she’s been called out on a lost person, and Clint is going along with her. No telling how long the search will last.”
After accepting the dinner invite, he couldn’t very well say no—as much as he wanted to.
Or did he?
He didn’t answer immediately.
“Don’t worry,” Josh said, interpreting the silence. “Eve’s not matchmaking. Both of you are here temporarily. Eve knows that. It’s just that Ms. Talbot doesn’t drive, and we’ll be busy cooking.”
What could he say? That he was smitten with her, like a teenager?
He surrendered, feeling a jolt of anticipation. “I think I can manage that,” he conceded.
After the call ended, Travis looked up the number of the inn on a list next to the phone and called Jenny. She wasn’t in, and he left a message that he would pick her up at a quarter after six. He hoped that Eve had reached her about dinner.
He drank another cup of coffee and decided to try the path up the mountain again. It was just as steep as he remembered, but he was careful. By the time he reached a lookout about halfway up, he sat down and rested. Frustration filled him. He used to run twenty miles. Now his leg ached in less than half a mile. His ankle had stiffened and didn’t want to work. He looked at his watch. It was nearly five. Time to start heading back. He needed to have a good stiff drink. Then he’d check with Jenny to make sure she received the message.
* * *
HE HEADED FOR the inn. He was surprised to see Jenny step out of the doorway as he pulled up. She was wearing black slacks and an emerald green blouse that matched her eyes. Her short, copper-colored hair was damp and framed her face. As before, her only makeup appeared to be lipstick.
She opened the passenger-side door before he could get out.
“You got shanghaied again,” she said with that quick smile. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“You’re welcome.” He concentrated on driving the short distance. “How was your day?”
“Good. I spent most of the day at the community center going through newspapers, and I had another burger at Maude’s. And now steaks. I’m a happy person. I wanted to meet more people but ran out of time.”
“I have to warn you that, in addition to some very good steaks tonight, there’s a mob of dogs.”
“I like animals,” she said. Then she added, “Eve said you and her husband served together.”
“We did.”
“Did you see about your young friend?”
He nodded. “Yeah. He’s good. Learning some skills other than war.”
The words popped out of his mouth without warning. There had been so many kids, all so young. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Like his brother.
He took a deep breath. The army had been his life and the Rangers his family. He didn’t regret it. He was proud of his service, of the men who had served with him. But in the hospital, he’d seen so much loss. He’d also seen so much gallantry.
She asked softly, “Did he serve with you?”
“No. I met him in rehab.”
“He has no family?”
“No. Foster kid. They throw them out of the system when they’re eighteen. No education beyond high school. No stipend. Not even a ten-dollar bill. Just get the hell out. He felt his only choice was the army. Now he has to survive with one leg.” He tried to suppress the anger he felt. “The problems facing foster kids would make a good story,” he said. “A lot better than one about a small town.”
“I’ll remember that,” she said, ignoring the implied criticism. “I would like to meet him.”
They reached Josh’s ranch. Travis smelled the smoke from the grill and steered Jenny toward the back of the ranch house once they’d both left the car. Josh was busy nursing charcoal and hickory in his grill.
She hadn’t met Josh Manning before but went right to him, holding her hand out. “I’m Jenny.”
Josh took it. “I’m Josh, and this fellow next to me is Amos.” The Malinois standing guard next to him regarded her with cautious eyes.
“May I say hello?” she asked.
“He would be offended if you didn’t,” Josh said.
She stooped and Amos sniffed her. Then he licked her hand. She scratched behind the dog’s ears, and he made little whining noises of approval.
“You passed the friend test,” Josh said.
“He’s a military dog, isn’t he?”
“Was. He’s retired, along with me. And if you like animals, you’ll love my stepson’s herd. They’re undisciplined and drive me crazy, but they’re lovable, and they came with the package.”
“Don’t believe him,” came another voice from behind Travis.
He turned to see Eve behind him. “He adores them,” she added. “And they return the feeling.”
Eve went over to Jenny. “I’m Eve. It’s so good to meet you in person.”
“And I’m Jenny. Thanks for the invitation.”
“I’m a little behind in the kitchen,” Eve said. “Why don’t you come inside and have a glass of wine while I finish the salad?”
Jenny nodded. “Sounds good.”
The two women disappeared indoors.
Josh smiled at Travis. “She’s pretty. She also has good taste in dogs.”
Travis ignored the comment. “Where’s my buddy and his menagerie?”
Josh raised an eyebrow. “I might just sue you for alienation of affection. I used to be my stepson’s hero. Now it seems you are. Nick’s been waiting for you all day. I finally convinced him to feed and water the horses. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute to get another pitching lesson.”
“He’s got a good arm,” Travis replied.
“Well, you created a monster. I have to catch balls every night now.” Josh changed the subject. “How are you on the trip? Got it all worked out?”
“Pretty much. It’s eight hundred miles to Fort Hood, and my appointment with Dr. Payne is at eleven Tuesday. Leaving Sunday will save me the pain of an eight-hundred-mile drive in one day.”
“I was worried about that. You sure you don’t want to fly down there and rent a car?”
“No,” Travis replied. “Tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to a road trip.”
“Okay. It’s your choice,” Josh said. “I like the programs you’ve selected.”
“It’s a good mix,” Travis replied.
Josh took another sip of beer. “Wish I could go along, but I have a prospective client coming this week. A husband and wife are thinking about moving their business here. They live in California, where the business taxes are sky-high. Someone told them about our town.”
“What kind of business?”
“You’ll like this. Kind of ironic. It’s a maker of dog and cat beds for a chain of pet stores. It’s a small business but would employ ten or twelve people to start. The owners like this area and hated the traffic in Los Angeles. They also like to employ veterans, which is one of the reasons Covenant Falls caught their attention. The low taxes more than compensate for additional shipping costs. It’s exactly the type of business we’ve been trying to draw.”
“Considering the number of dogs I’ve met around here, they’ve found the right place,” Travis observed. “They can make a profit just by selling to your family.”
“I mentioned that,” Josh replied with a grin. “They’ll need a building, small but expandable. My partner, Nate, is an excellent builder and knows how to do it on a budget. I can work with the bank on financing. And, if they do move here, they’ll need a house. Means a few more jobs and maybe some home sales.”
“I never thought I would see the day you wore a suit,” Travis said. “Or talked about financing.”
“No suit yet, but I’ve been taking online courses in finance. The president of the bank has been working with me. Sometime I’ll have to tell you that story.”
“Another one?”
Josh shrugged.
Travis shook his head. “I still don’t get why so many of you stayed here.”
“For me, Eve is the answer. If I wanted her, I had to take the rest of the package, and that included Covenant Falls and her instinct to fix every person and every animal she encounters. There’s never been a day I regretted it.”
Nick appeared then from the direction of the stable and ran toward them. “Hi, Major Hammond. Will you give me some pitching tips again?”
“Sure,” Travis said.
“Awesome,” Nick said. He already had a baseball in hand.
Travis grinned. “You just happened to have one with you?”
“Yessir. The gloves are out here, too.”
“If it’s okay with Josh, let’s show him what a great pitcher he’s raising.”
“Go to it,” Josh said.
* * *
JENNY HELPED EVE finish a salad, chopping onions and tomatoes. She then accepted the offer of a glass of wine.
Andy had told her a little about Eve, that she’d been widowed when her son was still a toddler and that she’d been elected mayor four years ago. She’d married Josh Manning in an outside wedding attended by nearly the entire town.
Jenny liked everything she’d heard. A woman who was a survivor, who had lost a father to violence and a husband to a heart attack, and who’d made not only a new life but apparently a very purposeful one and who’d tamed a warrior. Or maybe became one with him.
She glanced out the kitchen window. Travis Hammond was leaning over a young boy who was holding a baseball.
“That’s my son, Nick,” Eve said. “He’s been excited since he heard Travis was returning to Covenant Falls. Travis played baseball in college, and Nick is a Little League pitcher. Travis gave him some pointers on his last trip, and now Nick has decided he wants to be a professional baseball player. Before, he wanted to be a veterinarian.”
“I can guess which you would prefer,” Jenny said.
“Oh, I think he’ll change his mind a dozen more times before he has to make decisions. Six months ago, he planned to be a forest ranger.”
Jenny’s attention returned to the tall man who held the ball with the three fingers on his right hand before giving it to Eve’s son. Travis then stooped down and guided Nick’s arm as the boy threw the ball to Josh. It hit the mark, and the boy looked up with such bliss her heart ached.
She reminded herself that Travis was a soldier. Yet she’d witnessed other scenes during conflicts when a soldier went out of his way to comfort or help a child caught in chaos. Why should she be surprised? He probably helped old ladies cross the street. He would stop the traffic in both directions.
“He’s one of the really good guys,” Eve said after they both watched for several minutes. “He and Josh are good friends, which is unusual considering the difference in ranks. Josh says Travis would have made colonel if he hadn’t been so outspoken on behalf of his men.” She turned away from the window. “Everything’s ready except the steaks, and Josh is taking care of that. Let’s join the guys.”
Jenny hurried to open the back door as Eve carried their glasses of wine outside.
At seeing them, Josh left his pitching position to put the steaks on the grill, while Nick threw the ball to Travis and he threw it back. The sun hit the peaks of the mountains, and the horizon erupted with fire. The air was spiced with the scent of smoking hickory.
She could see the lure of this town, although she would probably go crazy after a few weeks. Wanderlust would catch up with her again.
She put her wineglass on an outside table and walked closer to where Travis was standing. One of Nick’s pitches went wide, toward her, and she automatically reached out to catch it.
Pain shot through her, and she dropped the ball. She stood there for a moment, trying to absorb the sudden agony that ran through her.
Travis was by her side in seconds. “Your shoulder?”
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “It will go away in a minute. I shouldn’t have tried...”
“What can I do?” Travis said.
“What can we do?” Eve broke in.
Jenny was embarrassed. Everyone looked terribly concerned, but she knew the pain would gradually fade. It was Nick who worried her. He looked stricken.
She leaned down next to him. “I haven’t caught a ball in a long time,” she said softly. “You have one fine arm, my friend. You don’t worry about mine. It will be as good as ever in a few minutes.”
“Are you sure?” Nick asked.
“Absolutely. How can I not be when Josh is grilling those steaks? You think I’d miss one of those?”
“He grills the best steaks ever,” Nick bragged and started for the door. “Can I get you something, Miss Talbot?”
“After dinner, I’d like to meet the dogs I’ve heard about.”
“They’d like that,” Nick said, his worried expression fading.
“Why don’t you go inside and put the salad on the table,” Eve said.
“Okay,” Nick said. He turned to Jenny again. “I sure am sorry if I hurt you.”
“Not to worry another second, or you will hurt me.”
“I like you a lot,” Nick confided. Then he darted inside the house.
Eve looked at her. “Thank you.”
“He’s a nice kid.”
“Yes, he is,” Eve said. “Now, what can I do for you?”
“Serve me one of those steaks. You might have to cut mine tonight, but tomorrow my shoulder will be fine.”
Eve gave her a slow smile. “Done,” she said as she handed Jenny her glass of wine.
Travis hovered as Jenny held the glass in her left hand while trying not to let the others know how much her shoulder ached. She would take an anti-inflammatory tonight and it should be down to a dull ache in the morning.
Meanwhile, Jenny tried to concentrate on watching Josh’s culinary skills as he added some kind of sauce to the meat. “Smells great,” she said.
“Steak suppers have become a tradition for newcomers,” Eve said. “It’s our way of welcoming new friends. We usually don’t try to injure our guests, though. Are you sure I can’t get you something, or call the doctor?”
“Not necessary,” Jenny said. “Truly, it’s already fading away, and I wouldn’t miss that steak for anything.”
“If you’re sure...”
“I am,” Jenny said in a tone that, while pleasant, made it clear the subject was closed.
Eve nodded and turned to Travis. “Have you decided when you’re leaving?”
“Sunday morning,” Travis answered.
Jenny’s ears perked up. “You’re leaving?”
“Temporarily,” Josh said.
Jenny raised an eyebrow.
“He’s going to visit ranches that helps veterans,” Nick, who’d just returned, said proudly. “I wanted to go, too, but I have to go to school.”
Jenny’s antenna went straight up and she turned to Travis. “That’s interesting,” she said. “You didn’t mention that.”
“No reason to,” he said.
She was used to rebuffs but this one stung. She’d liked him and he knew about her interest in veterans and had said nothing. She wasn’t going to show her disappointment, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to drop it.
“Equine therapy programs?” she asked.
He nodded warily.
“How long will you be gone?” she persisted.
“Not sure. Five, maybe six days,” Travis replied.
She started to ask another question when Josh interrupted. “The steaks are ready. Travis, you want to help take them inside?”
Travis stood, and he and Josh went to the grill while Nick and Eve headed toward the house. She followed them inside.
But if Travis thought the subject was dropped he was in for a shock. Now her interest was thoroughly stirred and when that happened she would go to almost any lengths to satisfy it.