CHAPTER 16
I checked my GPS again to make sure I was heading in the right direction. The main streets of Brancher were starting to become familiar, but the outlying country roads were still a mystery.
Avery was working, Annabelle was in preschool, and I found myself with the morning off before Lucas flew in and I had to pick him up at the airport. A trip out to see Avery’s parents and have a private conversation with them was long overdue. Once I was confident that the GPS was pointing me in the right direction, I sat back to enjoy the relatively short drive.
Texas was a big state with lots of different terrain, but around here it was mainly scrubby, horizontal pasture with miles of barbed wire fences along the roads to keep meandering cattle off the highway. There wasn’t much around to provide shade, but here and there I saw a few sporadic oaks and juniper trees. Right now everything seemed dry, and I wondered vaguely about the local precipitation levels.
On the side of the road to my right I passed an old oak, its trunk split in half by what had to be a lightning strike and marred by fire, but the remaining branches surprisingly full of green leaves despite the overall charred appearance of the bark.
I tested the limits of the SUV, screaming down the highway in this rain. Get to the ranch and see her car, then you can turn around and she’ll never know you came all this way on a nervous hunch, I told myself. But she wasn’t answering her cell phone. The storm knocked out reception all over the county… and I had a bad feeling. My gut didn’t like the odds.
In the darkness ahead I saw the tree, blazing fire as it raged along with the wind. A downed telephone pole blocked the road, its live power lines crackling in the sporadic rain. Fire plus electricity could equal a big problem.
My high beams reflected off the taillights of a stalled car, the back of a familiar figure visible halfway out of the rear door. I was out of the SUV practically before I’d put it in park, running toward them.
“Avery!” I called. “AVERY!”
When the flashback hit me I swerved over to the shoulder, letting the images come as I sat immobile in the driver’s seat, trying to breathe deeply. I knew that tree, that busted, scarred old oak. This was the stretch of road where I’d found Avery and Annabelle caught in a storm, their car broken down and just feet away from fire.
I liked this memory a lot less than the one from last night, but I’d take it. After sitting there for another moment, I checked over my shoulder and pulled the truck back out onto the highway. Within a mile or so I was pulling into the ranch’s long driveway, taking in the big, rambling house, the neatly tended paddock and barn, and flat pastures extending beyond.
When I got out of the truck a small pack of dogs ran up to greet me, wagging their tails and barking excitedly. I recognized the old black lab mix from a few photos on my laptop, and I reached down to rub his ears.
“Hey there, boss,” I said. The dog’s tail thumped the dirt next to my boots.
“Hey there yourself,” a voice replied, and I jerked my head up in surprise to see Avery’s dad leaning against the porch railing with a cup of coffee in his hand. He raised the mug in greeting.
“Everything all right?” he asked casually. “Didn’t expect you this morning.”
“Sorry to bother you,” I began, feeling awkward without the buffer of Avery.
“Nonsense, son. Come inside. I need a refill.”
I followed him through the front door and back to the kitchen, taking in the comfortable furniture and decor filling the rooms as we passed by. I could see Avery growing up here, a spread that had been in her family for generations, even though I knew she and her parents had lived in a smaller place closer to town until about ten years ago. It felt like her — the way she’d decorated her own space reflected this place.
“Mr. Kent, I—”
“First off, you’ll need to call me Jim. Nothing’s changed.” His back was to me as he pulled out another mug from the cabinet and filled them both with fresh coffee from the kettle. He turned, bringing the cups to the farm table that dominated the kitchen, and jerked his chin at an empty chair.
I sat. “Jim.”
“What brings you out here, Fox?”
I looked him right in the eye. “I love your daughter, sir. And if that hasn’t been incredibly apparent over the last few weeks, I apologize.”
Jim sat back in his chair, studying me with an indescribable expression on his face. “Bullshit.”
I’d been about to take a sip of my coffee, but I set the cup down uneasily. “Which part?”
He shook his head. “Letting a girl go for her own good, or trying to… I’d call that love, wouldn’t you?”
Is that what I’d done? I tried to think back to the very beginning of my post-coma haze, the self isolation, the anger. I didn’t want Avery or Annabelle anywhere near that, so I’d pushed them away. And when my brain fog cleared, when I’d managed to take my past and reconcile it, tried to finally put it away — I’d realized that I couldn’t lose her, couldn’t lose them. Loving Avery was a privilege that I finally felt I’d earned.
“I— yeah. Maybe.”
“I’d also call it stupid, but you figured that out on your own.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Fair enough.”
“So, you’re back in Brancher. What now?” Jim set his mug on the table.
“We have a year until Avery can go to grad school. I’m not happy she deferred, but it was her choice. I have a few ideas for some projects I’d like to do on the house, and then Avery mentioned me going back to work at The Kitchen.” I wondered if he even wanted me there, or if that was just Avery’s idea.
“But what are your plans? Yours?”
I opened my mouth and then closed it quickly. The truth was I’d been asking myself that question for the last few weeks, and I wasn’t any closer to having an answer. I loved being a firefighter, but I felt like that was part of my past. And I knew I could work with Lucas in the security firm, but I wasn’t sure that was for me either. There was only one other thing I’d ever considered, and I hadn’t had time to think about it until recently.
“I don’t know yet,” I told him honestly.
He nodded. “You want to come back and cook for me, I’d be glad to have you. But I can’t say it wouldn’t be a shame for that to be your endgame.”
A small flicker of confidence ignited in my chest. There was nothing wrong with Kent’s Kitchen or being a cook, but that’s not what he meant and I knew it.
“Thank you. It’s only temporary. We’ll be in New York next year.”
Jim regarded me thoughtfully. “My Avery, she thinks this town defines her, but that’s never been the case. You write your own definition, and the rest is just geography.”
His words resonated with me. “I think Avery can be whatever she wants,” I agreed. There was no doubt in my mind about that.
“Same goes for you, son.” He tapped his own head. “A roadblock don’t matter none when you have four-wheel drive.”
I debated telling him about the memory surges but instead just nodded. “Yeah. I’m working on it.”
“That’s all you can do.”
“I appreciate you taking the time out of your morning for me. And for…” I trailed off before I said something too sentimental. “For the coffee.”
Jim gave me a look that said he wasn’t fooled, but silently drained his cup, setting it on the table with a clunk. “If that shoulder is healed up enough, I could use another body to unload some hay. Since you’re here.”
“Sure.”
“Good. And Fox?” Jim called over his shoulder on his way out of the kitchen.
“Yes?”
“Glad you’re back, son. Real glad.” I heard the front door open and shut, and then I was alone in the house.
Jim and I were cut from the same cloth — too many words and we started to get uncomfortable. The little that he did say meant a lot because of that. I got up to follow him into the barn, the now-familiar flicker of warmth in my chest sparking up again at the idea that things were slowly going back to normal.
* * *
“You’re late,” Lucas said, languidly stirring his cocktail as he slumped on a stool at the airport bar.
I surveyed him skeptically. “Fifteen minutes. How are you drunk already?”
“I’m not drunk. But to answer your question, I achieved this level of intoxication by pre-gaming on the plane.” He cracked a grin. “The flight attendant loved me.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“An idiot with three mini bottles of vodka in his carry-on,” Lucas insisted. “You smell like a cow.”
“I helped Avery’s dad out at the ranch for a minute. C’mon, let’s get going,” I said, picking up his bag. “Unless you want to hit on the bartender now to try and score more free booze.”
“I’m offended that you would insinuate something like that,” Lucas grumbled. “Like I’m just some man-whore. I have feelings. I want love, too.”
“Very heartwarming. Try that line out on Heather. Let’s go.”
At the mention of Heather, Lucas downed his cocktail quickly and stood up, brushing his pants off before he grabbed his carry-on. I refrained from making a comment about his eager response in an effort to get us out of the airport before I got a parking ticket.
Once we were back on the highway heading toward Brancher, Lucas pulled a few files out of his carry-on and opened them on his lap.
“What are those?” I asked.
“One is everything I have on J.D.,” he said, holding up the thicker of the two. “The other is paperwork from the lawyer. Did you set up the meeting with him?”
“Yes, it’s first thing in the morning.”
“Good. J.D. comes in on the afternoon flight. I want you to read all of this, familiarize yourself so you’ll know what questions need answering.”
I nodded, my eyes on the road. “Have you spoken with him? J.D.?”
“Yeah,” Lucas chuckled. “He was slightly unnerved by the fact that I knew his itinerary, but then I reminded him that I’d paid for his ticket. He’s getting a little weird, B. I think he was hoping to use the element of surprise on us when he got to Texas.”
“After this week, we’ll have his signature and he’ll have his money and his admission date for rehab. I’m not going to worry about him again unless and until Annabelle asks.”
“I hope it goes that smoothly,” Lucas said doubtfully.
“It probably won’t,” I agreed. “I’m conditioning myself to be optimistic, though, for Avery. Do me a favor and try it.”
I pulled into a parking space in front of the diner, and Lucas glanced in the visor’s mirror before I shut the engine off.
“Heather won’t be here this early. She has deliveries today. But you look beautiful.”
“Eat me.”
“Nasty talk for such a pretty boy.”
We got out of the truck and Lucas all but shoved me through the front door of the diner. I was just about to retaliate with an elbow to his ribs when I caught sight of Joy coming around the counter to meet us.
“Now, now,” she drawled. “You boys behave. Y’all better not break anything or you’ll be washing dishes.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lucas said.
I kissed Joy on the cheek. Since I’d been back she’d visited us twice, once to catch Avery up on all the diner happenings and another to shoo us out of the house for a couple hours while she and Annabelle planted flowers in the window boxes on the front porch. I liked her spunky attitude, occasionally foul mouth, and the way she saw through everyone’s bullshit. She and Savannah Miller would probably be great friends if they lived closer to each other.
“Don’t try to butter me up, Fox.” Joy’s voice was no-nonsense but her eyes glinted as she spoke. “I’m not putting you and Avery on more than three shifts a week together.”
I nodded, a small smile on my face. “I know.”
“Good.” Satisfied, she pointed to the booth closest to the kitchen. “Sit. I’ll get y’all some pie.”
Lucas and I obediently sat, and I looked around for Avery, catching a glimpse of her in the kitchen. When she saw me, a smile lit up her face and I thought for the thousandth time how glad I was that I pulled my head out of my ass before I lost her.
She came out of the swinging door immediately, and despite Joy’s orders I stood up to greet her. I kissed her briefly, my hands at her waist, wanting more but not willing to put on a show for the rest of the diner.
“Hi.”
“Hey,” she breathed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Lucas cleared his throat, and she looked over at him and laughed. “I’m glad you’re here too, Lucas.”
“Please don’t kiss him,” I said.
“I think there’s someone else Lucas would much rather kiss,” Avery remarked innocently. Too innocently. We both looked over at Lucas, enjoying the undiluted discomfort on his face.
“Can we change the subject, please?” he pleaded.
I sat back down in the booth and slid over to make room for Avery.
“This is a small town, Luke. We don’t have much else to talk about. I got you a copy of the town Gazette from Sunday, there’s a full page on it in there.”
Lucas looked horrified before he realized I was kidding, and then he just looked like he wanted to murder me.
Avery tried to hold back her laughter and failed miserably. “I think this is the only time I’ve ever seen you really uncomfortable,” she told him. “It’s kind of endearing.”
“So glad that my private life can be a source of amusement for you two,” he remarked dryly, kicking me under the table when I snickered.
She shrugged. “It’s not private when it involves my best friend, sorry.”
Lucas sighed. “Point taken. Any idea where she is, by the way? I tried to call before I left LAX, and again when I landed, but she’s not answering.”
“I’m sure she’ll turn up soon,” Avery reassured him.
My attention was temporarily taken by a couple ranchers sitting at the booth in front of us, animatedly talking to Joy while she shook her head.
“That is terrible,” I heard her say. “And there are no other options?”
“No,” the older of the two men said. “Everyone who can go is already out looking.”
Joy clucked her tongue. “Those poor boys, all alone. Their parents must be besides themselves.”
Avery excused herself to go check on a table, and I held up a finger to Lucas when he started to speak, still trying to hear the conversation between Joy and the ranchers. It was rude to eavesdrop, but a strange prickling on the back of my neck wouldn’t let me ignore it.
“It’s wilderness out there for sure. If they ain’t found soon it won’t be good.”
Lucas heard them now too, and he looked to me, waiting for my reaction.
I leaned out of the booth slightly to get their attention. “I’m sorry for interrupting, but what are you talking about?”
“Lost track of a couple young kids from around here, about forty-eight hours ago,” the older man replied. “Boys drove out early in the morning for a day hike over at Big Bend. The parents were away and there was a miscommunication with the grandparents, so no one realized how long they’d been gone until yesterday.”
“They’ve been out overnight?” My blood felt like it was moving slowly, sluggishly through my veins.
The temperatures in Big Bend could drop quickly in the evening after the sun went down. I remembered that from the weeks I’d spent there during my Hotshot training. Unprepared hikers, especially young kids, could run into numerous problems when trying to start a fire to keep warm. And that was just the tip of it. There were parts of that park that were definitely considered cougar country.
“Two nights at least.” The rancher shook his head. “Got local search parties out now, but the counties were overwhelmed by the flash floods from the last storm and the soonest they can get the main SARs out is tomorrow.”
“Their ages? The hikers?” Somehow, I already knew the answer.
“Two brothers. Fourteen and sixteen.”
I exchanged a glance with Lucas. He took in my expression and shook his head. “I don’t know if this is a good idea, Beckett. Honestly. You’re still recovering.”
“I’m fine.” My body was healed, and my head was almost there.
“You could wait for the SARs, join a team,” he protested.
“Another night out there might be their last, B. You know it.”
Lucas gave me a hard look, but my gaze remained even, steady.
“I know there’s no talking you out of this, so tell me what you need. I’ll help you however I can.” He pulled out his phone.
“Get the necessary information, tap in, and find out where their cell phones pinged last.” Before I even finished speaking, he was scrolling and typing furiously.
“On it,” he said.
“Can you find me a pilot?” I asked the rancher. “Preferably someone a little crazy.”
“Henry,” Avery blurted. She’d come up beside the booth to hear the last part of our conversation. I looked at her quizzically.
“Joy’s Henry, her, um, man friend,” she clarified.
I looked to Joy, and she nodded. “If you need him, I’ll call him right away.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask… But why would you want a crazy pilot?” the rancher asked.
“Because those are the ones who don’t flinch when you tell them you’re jumping out of their plane.”
Avery’s eyes grew wide, but to give Joy her credit, she just excused herself to go make her phone call. Lucas was still typing on his phone, probably doing something borderline illegal, but I didn’t care. The GPS ping was the best chance for locating those kids.
“I’m going to need some phone numbers, or at least names,” he said. “But I’m halfway there.”
“Can you give me more information, or point me toward someone who can?” I asked the ranchers.
The older man nodded. “The family is all posted up at the ranger station, hoping that someone will have good news,” he said. “You can call them there.”
My brain was scrambling, trying to think of everything I needed before I could make my best attempt at locating the boys. Ideally I’d be working with another searcher or a team, but the only qualified person I knew was two hours away in Lubbock, which made him almost six hours away from Big Bend. That was too far.
If I was going to have half a chance at getting those kids out, I had to drop in before nightfall. They’d been gone too long already and with only enough supplies for a day hike and the injury potential… the sooner I found them, the better.
Joy hurried back to the booth. “Henry said to give him two hours. He’ll meet you at the small airfield out past the north highway.”
Avery hadn’t said a word after she suggested Henry as a potential pilot. I stood, wrapping an arm around her waist, and felt a small amount of relief as she leaned into me.
“Can we talk?” I asked her. “Outside?”
She nodded, letting me draw her away from everyone.
I heard Lucas on the phone, likely calling the ranger station, and I knew that he’d take care of the GPS situation, giving me a little time with my wife before I had to pack up.
Avery held my hand as we walked out the back door of the diner, and once we were outside, I turned her in my arms.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She took a deep breath. “I love you for selflessly wanting to help those kids. I wouldn’t expect anything less. But I’m worried,” she admitted.
“If you told me to stay, I would.” And I would, no questions asked. I wanted to help, I felt that I needed to go, but Avery trumped it all.
“You know I’d never do that,” Avery said seriously. “You wouldn’t go if you weren’t sure. I trust your judgement more than anything. But I’m human, and I just got you back.” Her voice trembled slightly.
“This is a routine rescue,” I told her. “It’s unusual because I’m not working with a team, but there’s no fire. I’m just locating some lost hikers and helping them get out.”
Avery rolled her eyes. “You’re jumping out of a plane, Fox.”
“It’s the best way to get there without having to hike in and waste time. It’s going to be fine,” I said, bringing my hands up to hold her face. Those were famous last words, but I stood by them. I leaned in, my mouth on hers the best reassurance I could come up with.