Page 10 of What it Takes
“The diner has the best food. Seriously, everything they make is delicious.”
Laney knew the Trailside Diner was owned by Paige Kowalski, Josh’s sister-in-law. She’d bought the place some years back, when the town only saw snowmobile business, and the diner was one of the many businesses benefitting from the ATV traffic. Mitch and Paige had a two-year-old daughter, plus Rosie had mentioned Paige was seven months along with their second child.
“How are things going here? Do you like it?”
“So far, so good. Everybody’s nice and the work isn’t too much.” Laney rolled her eyes. “I should have had you write up notes on everybody in town, though, so I wouldn’t have looked like an idiot fussing over a cut on Ben Rivers’s hand because I didn’t know he’s a paramedic.”
Nola’s eyes widened. “You met Ben? And fussed over him?”
“I didn’t fuss overhim.Just the cut on his hand. Entirely different.”
“I had such a crush on him when I was in the ninth grade. He was a junior and had no idea I was alive, of course. But he’s been in the town hall a few times and I swear, he’s even hotter now than he was then.”
“You should ask him out,” Laney said, thinking that was the perfect solution for any budding attraction she felt for the man. If her cousin was interested in him, he was totally off-limits to her.
“Nope. I mean, he’s a great guy and he’s not hard to look at, but there isn’t any real spark. He’s not making up reasons to come into town hall to see me and I’m not taking my time doing whatever he needs just to keep him there, if you know what I mean.”
“That’s too bad.”
“I could set you two up on a date, though,” Nola said, looking only too happy about it.
“No.” Laney didn’t even hesitate. “I’m not dating. And please spare me theget back in the saddlespeech. I want to enjoy my own company for a while, just me and books and movies and my little camper.”
“Fine.” Nola gave an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. “Speaking of the camper, is that going okay? I remember seeing a picture of your house on Facebook and there isn’t even a house like that in Whitford, never mind a camper. I hope you weren’t expecting one of those big fifth-wheel models with the master bedroom suites and a fireplace.”
“Itissmall, but I like it.” She laughed at Nola’s skeptical look. “No, really I do. I’ve had a lot of expensive things in the last ten years and they didn’t really mean anything to me. Now I’m limited to things that really matter to me and being limited space-wise means I have to think about what’s important and what’s not.”
“I was so afraid you’d get here and wonder what the heck I’d gotten you into.”
“I’m happy I’m here. I promise. I mean, I have no idea what will happen at the end of the season, but I’m enjoying right now and I’m glad to have the time with you.”
Nola smiled, her honey-blond bob swishing around her neck as she nodded. “Me too. But keep in mind, the Northern Star is open year-round. The lodge anyway, for the snowmobilers.”
Before Laney could point out that she wasn’t spending the winter in a camper and she wasn’t sure Whitford was where she would put down actual real estate-type roots, there was a loud crash from the direction of the cabins and then a woman screamed.
* * *
Sam Jensen, who headed up Whitford’s extremely small volunteer fire department, was stretched out on the couch behind the engine, watching a sports talk show on the screen hung on the opposite wall when Ben walked in.
“Do you actuallyhavea home?” he asked when Sam turned his head to look at him.
“Yup.”
“Seems like a waste of money since you’re here whenever I show up, no matter when it is.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m the only one who doesn’t have a wife and kids, so why make one of the other guys sit here and watch TV alone. It doesn’t matter to me which couch I park my ass on. And what are you doing here, anyway?”
“I helped my dad strip some roofing this morning, but I needed a break.” He held up his hand, which he’d left uncovered after giving it another cleaning. The cut wasn’t pretty, but it seemed to be healing okay.
“Ouch. And on the right palm, too. Bet that’s hell on your sex life.”
“I hope you’re better at fighting fires than you are at comedy.”
“Luckily we don’t have too many of those around here. Help yourself to something from the fridge if you want.”
The fire station still blew Ben’s mind, even though it had been weeks. It was a rectangle, with the front two-thirds taken up by the engine and the utility truck, and the back third reserved for an equipment locker, two couches and a TV, a sad excuse for a kitchenette area and a bathroom. The only way it could be further removed from the city stations he was used to would be for them to park the trucks in somebody’s backyard under a carport.
“I can’t believe this town doesn’t have a real ambulance,” Ben said as he unscrewed the top off a bottle of lemonade with his left hand and settled onto the other couch.
