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Tina
Saturdays were typically spent at Ziegler’s, where Obermachers had a permanent stand. Word had spread like wildfire through their small community, and Tina was inundated with locals stopping by for a scoop. So inundated in fact that actual paying customers had difficulty getting close enough to buy anything.
By lunchtime, Tina had had enough of the clicking tongues and nods of sympathy. She closed the stand, loaded up everything in the back of her truck, and left.
The plan was to head up to Sanctuary later that night after Ziegler’s closed, but Tina didn’t want to wait. She made a brief stop at her cottage, packed a bag, and drove up early, hoping Doc wouldn’t mind.
Even though she’d been there several times before, she felt weird about just walking into the lobby of the main building. Those prior visits had been when she was expected or when she had someone else with her.
Did she believe Rick’s assertions that Sanctuary was a stronghold of paranoid mercenaries with an evil agenda? No, not even a little. But she was a strong believer in common courtesy and respecting others’ privacy, so she rang the bell on the front door and waited. Noticing a security camera pointed down at her, she offered a smile and a tentative wave.
She didn’t have to wait long. Within seconds, Matt Winston opened the door and invited her inside.
“You could’ve come in,” Matt told her with a smile.
“I didn’t want to be rude. Besides, if the rumors are true, I had half a dozen sights on me, just waiting for me to make a move.”
She’d meant it as a joke, only realizing after the words were out of her mouth that they sounded terribly offensive. Thankfully, Matt’s grin grew.
“Good thing you have clearance then. Shouldn’t you be at Ziegler’s?”
“I was, but the lookie-loos and gossipmongers were out in full force today, scaring away business, so I decided to close early. Is Doc around?”
“No. He usually spends Saturday afternoons with Mr. O’Farrell.”
Tina had forgotten about that. “That means he’s spending the day with my grandmother, too. She’s been staying with Mr. O’Farrell after Rick and Bonnie got into a drunken fracas.”
“A fracas, huh?”
“A drunken fracas. Bonnie ended up taking the kids to her mother’s. I’ve been avoiding the house.”
“Smart. From what I remember, Rick has quite a temper.”
“That hasn’t changed,” Tina told him. “Anyway, when I was here the other day, Sam mentioned she uses stuff from The Mill. The back of my truck’s loaded if you want it.”
“That’d be great. Let me get some guys to bring it in.”
Tina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Her muscles and joints were aching even more than usual—a direct result of poor sleep and lots of stress.
Two of the guys who came to help she recognized; two of the guys she didn’t. They made short work of unloading the crates, and then Matt beckoned her toward his office.
“Come on in here, and I’ll write you a check. How much do I owe you?”
She waved him off. “Nothing.”
“Unacceptable.”
“Seriously. Consider it a long-overdue welcome-home gift. It might be the last I can offer for a while.”
Matt looked like he wanted to argue, but he wisely clamped his lips together and nodded. “In that case, thank you. You know we’ll help you in any way we can, right?”
“I do, and I appreciate it. Do you mind if I hang around and wait for Doc?”
“Not at all. Make yourself at home.”
“I was thinking of checking out some of the trails, if that’s okay.” Her hopes were that a leisurely stroll would loosen her joints and help her clear her head.
“That’s fine.” His eyes even twinkled a little when he winked and said, “Just give me a moment to disarm the booby traps.”
She laughed and wondered if that was a running joke among everyone who lived there. At least they had a good sense of humor about it.
Tina started at the greenhouses. It was a nice day. Many of the glass panels were open, allowing in direct sunlight and fresh air to circulate. She breathed in the comforting scents of soil and plants, pleased to see that they’d added some dwarf lemon trees to their inventory. The lemons wouldn’t survive outside in the northeast Pennsylvania climate, but they definitely could in a climate-controlled greenhouse. She wondered vaguely about adding natural lemon to some of her existing products.
Leaving the greenhouses, she followed the trail she’d been on before, down toward the stock pond and then farther out toward the small lake. The sun was bright and hot, reflecting off the water in beautiful, shimmering bands. When her skin began to tingle, warning her that she was approaching the limit of her exposure to direct sunlight, she opted for a fork that led into the woods.
Here, the sunlight was broken up by tall, stately evergreens and an assortment of budding deciduous trees, like oaks, maples, and massive walnuts. The trail was well-worn and clear. By the looks of it, it was used often by horses and motorized vehicles.
It was peaceful there amid the dappled sunlight, abundance of mountain laurel, and the scents of wet earth and leaves that hadn’t fully decomposed over the winter.
As she walked along, Tina caught occasional glimpses of cabins through the trees and wondered if that was where some of the permanent residents lived. As the path wound back toward the lake, Tina gained a companion. A massive pit bull trotted her way, then stopped, sat down, and stared at her.
It wasn’t Duke, the dog who’d approached her before, but he did look similar.
“Brutus!” called a woman’s voice. “Where did you get to?”
Bree appeared on the path in front of her. Tina knew her from their coffee chats, knew that she was paired with the guy they called Cage.
“Sorry about that,” Bree apologized. “He looks vicious, but he’s really a big marshmallow.”
“So, I can pet him?”
“He’ll be your friend forever if you do.”
Tina reached out slowly and scratched the top of his head, feeling the need to explain her presence. “I’m just killing time until Doc gets back from town. Matt said it was okay to walk the trails.”
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Bree agreed. “Brutus and I love walking out here, but it’s even more fun snowmobiling and riding horses.” She laughed. “Never thought I’d say those words. I’ve always been more of a city girl, but this place, these people ... it kind of sneaks up on you and changes the way you see things.”
Bree was right. There was something about Sanctuary, something peaceful and therapeutic. Tina felt the effects after being there only a short time. She had to work on her endurance, however. The ache in her back, legs, and hips was becoming impossible to ignore.
“How long is this trail?” Tina asked.
“Pretty long,” Bree told her. “It goes all around Sanctuary property, which covers a couple hundred acres at least, and that doesn’t include all the offshoots and shortcuts. I’ve been here for months, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’ve even gotten lost a few times. Thankfully, Nick comes looking for me if I’m gone too long,” she said with a laugh.
Tina wondered if Doc would come looking for her if she were gone too long. Warmth flooded through her when she realized that, yes, he probably would. If he was around, that was.
She looked at her wristwatch, surprised to see how much time had passed. “Speaking of, I should start heading back. Matt said Doc is usually back by dinnertime.”
“It’s faster if you keep going the way you’re going. Take the next fork to the right just ahead. That’ll take you right past our place and toward the main building. You can’t miss it.”
Tina thanked her, and with one last pat on Brutus’s head, she went on her way. With each step, her anticipation grew, as did her desire to see Doc again. Wanting to hear his voice. See his smile. Feel the warmth and strength of those strong arms as they closed around her. When had she become so needy?
Before long, she was walking up the final slope to the main building. She spotted the object of her current obsession talking with Matt, who was probably telling him that Tina was out and about. Her steps quickened without conscious thought.
“This is a nice surprise,” he said. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. Well, as okay as it can be, I guess. I decided to come up early.”
The look in his eyes made her knees go weak. “Does this mean you’re staying the night?”
“I’d like to, if that’s okay with you.”
“That’s more than okay. Want to eat in the dining room or take things back with us?”
“It’s a little early for dinner, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but once we head back to my place, I don’t plan on coming out again until tomorrow.”
A delighted thrill ran through her along with a telltale heat she only felt around Doc. She was so on board with that. “In that case, definitely takeout.”