Page 18 of Forever Finds Us
“That wolf,” I whispered.
“That was…”
“Crazy,” we said at the same time.
“It was probably Edwina,” Evan said as he, Misty, Bax, and Bea joined us. “She’s an old, deaf wolf people have reported seein’ around here this fall. The older she gets, the more often she strays from her pack.”
“She’s deaf?” Roxanne said. “That’s why she didn’t run until she saw us. She didn’t hear us.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I’ve never seen anything like that. She was protectin’ that girl.”
“It’s unusual,” Evan said, shrugging, “but not unheard of. The animal could sense that Natalie was injured and weak. Edwina could relate.”
“C’mon, ya’ll,” Misty said, swinging her arm behind her when she turned. “You’re gonna have to relay that story fifty more times tonight. We better get back so you can get started.”
Chapter Seven
Roxanne
The hike back to the parking area took for-freaking-ever.
It was well after midnight, and I wanted to curl into a ball in the dirt myself and take a nap. The mountain and the feeling of success buzzing through my body had melted my anxiety away, and the lazy lapping of the water against the lakeshore could’ve lulled me right to sleep. Above the trees, stars dotted the night sky, twinkling like little congratulatory sparks of light.
Bax and Bea had hurried ahead of our group with a quick wave goodbye, probably excited to get to the consummating part of their wedding night now that Natalie had been found safe. Evan and Misty had gone on ahead too. Brand and I were the weary stragglers, but he let me lead us back.
“How do you know Evan Moran?” I asked as we walked.
“Went to school with him. He lived up in the woods outside the park, but he got bussed down to Wisper for high school. He’s younger than me, but he used to rodeo, and my brothers and I would go out to watch him sometimes. Kid was damn good with a rope.”
“Huh. I’ve met him several times on search and rescue cases. He volunteers. He knows the GTNP like the back of his hand, but I never knew he rodeoed.”
A few minutes passed in silence except for our breath as we hiked up and down the small hills along the trail.
“Do you have to work tomorrow?” Brand asked.
“S’posed to, but Dan will probably take my shift. The Wisper sheriff’s station is a small outpost, so when there isn’t a big case goin’ on, we work solo for traffic stuff and non-emergency calls. I’ll shoot him a text when we get back to my truck and can get a better signal.”
“It’s nice you can rely on and help each other.”
“Yeah.”
His footsteps on the dirt trail behind me were nearly silent. “You and Dan ever…”
I snorted and looked over my shoulder while Brand caught up to me. “Uh, that’s a hard no, sir. I have never hooked up with Dan Draven. Ew.”
He smiled at my answer. “So no, then. Got it.”
We continued walking. “No, he’s a nice guy, extremely dedicated to the job, but he’s not my type. Plus, we started the same day at the Wisper station, and I made the decision to loathe him pretty much from the first minute we met.”
“Loathe is a strong word.”
“I’m jokin’. I don’t hate him. He and I just get under each other’s skin sometimes. He’s like my shorter, older brother who I’d like to poke in the face with a stick.”
Brand laughed, and I practically swooned right there in the middle of the Grand Teton National Forest, his low, rumbling voice like a little generator instantly revving my body into overdrive.
Tired? Who’s tired?
“He’s too short for me anyway. Can you imagine us tryin’ to get it on in the shower?”
