Teagan pulled into the campground, on the lookout for Diana’s Jeep. The summer mountain breeze cooled her through her open window. How great it felt compared to the sizzling heat “down the hill.” When she spotted Diana’s beautiful Mediterranean face and big smile, Teagan grinned and pulled into their campsite.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Diana said, hugging Teagan tight. “How long has it been since the three of us got together in person?”

“Spring of last year, I think.”

Diana shook her head. “How sad is that? We don’t even live that far from one another. And we’re still mostly single. What happens when we all get married and have kids?”

“Speak for yourself,” Teagan said with a smile. “You’re the only one with a boyfriend, and you know Hannah… we’ll be lucky to shove her to the altar, kicking and screaming the whole time.” Teagan looked around, spotting Hannah’s SUV but seeing no sign of her. “Is she out running?”

Diana nodded. “She’s been gone for two hours. She’s training for another race.”

“Which one?”

“One of those fifty-milers.”

Teagan shook her head. “She amazes me.”

“I know. Me too.”

“How’s Matthew doing? I take it he isn’t joining us…”

Diana smiled. “He’s good. We’re doing good. But no, he won’t be coming. Matthew’s more of a hotel guy.” Diana glanced at Teagan’s bike, mounted to the back of her truck. “Do you feel like going for a short ride? It looks like we won’t get rain this afternoon. By the time we get back, Hannah should be done and then we can start dinner.”

“Perfect.”

Twenty minutes later, Teagan and Diana were suited up and on their mountain bikes, riding up switchbacks and challenging Teagan’s skills at finding the right gear. Diana led the way and made it look easy as usual, glancing back at Teagan and occasionally stopping to wait for her. Fortunately, the heavily forested trail was smooth and not like the technical and rocky foothills trails.

After reaching the top of one hill, the trail took them over a wooden bridge and into a meadow, the sound of the rushing stream following them for a while. Soon, they reached an old wooden structure, remnants from the days when the site was an active mine. They looked around for a minute, Teagan imagining old miners working there and trying to survive winter in the Rockies.

The way back to camp was downhill and much easier, and when they reached the campground, Hannah’s long thin body was stretched out in a hammock she’d strung between two trees. She was still in her running shorts and tech tee. She smiled and jumped up, hugging both of them.

That night, the three of them ate dinner, drank wine, and sat by the fire, toasting marshmallows and catching up. Teagan was amazed at how easily they all fit together as friends, even after fifteen years, and she wondered why they didn’t do this more often. The next day, Hannah went for another trail run while Diana led Teagan on another mountain bike ride. In the afternoon, Diana suggested they go into town and get a nice dinner.

Hannah drove them into Palisade, a small town outside Grand Junction that was known for its many wineries. They ate a good meal, Hannah scarfing down more than Teagan or Diana—which was saying a lot—and made their way over to the local watering hole for a drink.

The bar had wood floors and wood-paneled walls and lots of western flare. It wasn’t long before Diana recognized a couple of men she knew and went over to say hello.

Hannah looked at Teagan. “Is there anyone on the Western Slope that Diana doesn’t know? Anyone at all?”

Teagan laughed. “I don’t think so.”

Soon, the two men—Josh and Miguel, both from Diana’s school district—joined them. Josh, the one with the spiky hair and big brown eyes, sat down next to Teagan.

“What was your name again?” he said. “I couldn’t hear Diana over the noise in here.”

“Teagan.”

“Oh, Irish lass, huh?”

“In my spare time.”

He smiled at that. “Nice. So how do you know Diana?”

“She and I, and Hannah, went to college together. I live in Denver.”

“Wait. Are you the writer? The one who writes science fiction?”

“That’s me.”

Josh nodded, taking a swig of his beer. “I teach science, so I’m always pushing my students to read sci-fi. Makes ‘em smarter.”

She giggled. “A good philosophy.”

“What got you into writing sci-fi?”

“I’ve always loved it. I’m kind of a Trekkie, and I teach science, too. College, though.”

His eyes widened. “Holy shit. I’m a Trekkie too,” he added in a lowered voice. “A closet Trekkie. Everyone always gave me shit about it, and here you are advertising it to a complete stranger, and with no shame.”

“Say it loud, Josh. Be proud of your nerd-dom.”

He scoffed. “Easy for you to say. Nerd girls are hot, especially when they’re, you know, hot,” he added, giving her a quick onceover. “Nerd guys… not so much.”

“You’re willing to flirt that boldly, but you won’t admit that you dig Captain Kirk?”

He shrugged. “I’m more of a Picard man, myself. And telling a woman she’s attractive may get me a dance, whereas telling her I watch Star Trek probably won’t.”

She laughed again. “I don’t dance. But if I did, I think that would work.”

“See what I mean?”

The five of them sat there for a couple of hours, laughing and talking. The guys couldn’t get any takers for a little western dancing, given that their only hope was Diana, who Teagan knew didn’t feel comfortable dancing with other men when she had a boyfriend. When the evening ended, everyone shook hands and said their goodbyes.

On the way back to camp, Diana turned and eyed Teagan with a suggestive smile. “Looks like you and Josh hit it off.”

“He was a lot of fun,” Teagan admitted. “Wait, you didn’t set that up, did you?”

“No!” she cried. “I swear. But he asked for your email address. I told him you don’t do LDRs or assholes, and he said he doesn’t either. Plus, I’ve known him for years. He’s a great guy. I think he’d like to at least stay in touch.”

Teagan sighed. What was the point? She liked him and he was cute… but she didn’t feel that thing. That chemistry. Then again, she’d felt that with Aaron, and even Shawn, and look where it got her. And, the thought of dating didn’t make her want to heave as much as it used to…. “Why not? Give him my email. But I can’t promise you anything.”

“That’s okay.”

“What about me?” Hannah said in mock indignation as she drove.

Diana laughed. “We’ll find you one, sweetie. We’ll find you a nice boy who spends all his time working and won’t trigger your massive fear of commitment.”

Teagan laughed at that.

Hannah shook her head. “I had to be friends with a fucking psychologist.”

Josh did email her. Emails led to occasional phone calls. After a few months, they’d settled into a friendship. Teagan liked Josh’s quick wit and his appreciation for science. And he was just goofy enough to be a great science teacher.

“How’s Denver?” he said on one sunny October day.

“Nice. At least I think it is. I haven’t been outside much. How’s school?”

“Oh, you know. Lots of middle school angst. I have Diana’s boyfriend’s son, the older one, in one of my classes. He’s a good kid.”

“How cute! Glad he’s a good one. I’ve only met Matthew briefly.”

“He seems alright. Diana’s a little out of his league, though.”

Teagan laughed. “You’re bad. I thought he was cute.”

“Maybe. But he’s kind of… conservative.”

“She is too.”

“Yeah, on the outside, maybe…. Anyway, how’s the writing coming? Kill off any sand-dwelling aliens today?”

“No. But I did write an alien sex scene.”

“Ooh, even better. I like me some alien love. A few tentacles here and there, or maybe some kind of mind meld where they just fuck each other telepathically…”

Teagan giggled. “You are bad.”

“I know. How are the first two books in the series doing?”

The beta readers had liked Suns of the Desert, which thrilled her. They loved Jaden, the bad-boy pilot, and they liked the happy ending. Just like Hannah predicted. They had a few suggestions, including making the hapless jerk warrior’s death even more brutal. It was almost as if they knew she’d based him on Shawn. She’d published it, and then published the second one last month. “They’re doing good. No bestseller lists or anything, but they’re selling. Anything new at work?”

“I have a good batch of kids this year, although some of them are pretty troubled. One came in with a bruised face and the usual ‘I fell’ excuses. I sent him off to Diana and it looks like we’ll have to file a report.”

“Wow. That’s sad. I don’t have to deal with anything like that. I have hungover students, students who don’t care, students with learning issues… but they’ve usually left the evils of childhood behind.”

“Well, teaching ain’t for sissies.”

She laughed. “That’s for sure.”

“Hey,” he said, switching topics. “I’m thinking about heading to the mountains to ski in January, over Martin Luther King weekend. It’s not for sure yet, but if I go, what do you think about meeting up for some skiing?”

Teagan hesitated. Skiing? With Josh? Then she thought, why not? “That could be fun. Keep me posted on your plans when they get closer.”

After they hung up, she got on Amazon to check her sales rank for Suns of the Desert. When she found it, she blinked a couple of times. It had hit the Top 1000. Far higher than any of her other books had ever been. Teagan let out a whoop.

Then she pressed her lips together. It was too soon to get excited. Most spikes were just that, temporary anomalies that returned to their usual levels just as quickly. She shut down her computer and went to make dinner.

When November rolled around, Teagan gawked at her book sales for Suns of the Desert and its follow-up. They’d gone nuts, maintaining the already impressive levels she’d witnessed in October.

She glanced outside at her little redbud tree, its leaves gone until springtime. When had they turned color and dropped? She’d missed it. She hadn’t been outside in two months, other than to teach. She’d spent her spare time writing the third book in the series, to meet reader demand. The demand she still couldn’t believe, that had allowed her to pay off the rest of her debt and stash away a decent amount of money.

She’d been in regular contact with Josh as well. They’d cemented their plans to ski Beaver Creek in January, and she got the feeling that Josh hoped the trip would take a more romantic turn. Teagan had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, Josh was her people. He loved science and had just the right amount of nerd in him. He was cute, too, and he’d proven himself to be a good guy with no asshole tendencies or hidden ex-wives. But on the other hand, besides him living four hours away, she wasn’t sure she wanted more. And without seeing him in person all those months, or testing out the chemistry with a kiss or two, she had no way of finding out. So she agreed to go and see what happened. She had to at least try. It was time for her to suck it up and get out there again.

Teagan heard the beep of a new email. It was from Albuquerque Comic Con. They’d invited her to the convention—not as an exhibitor, but as a “special guest.” They would cover her hotel cost and provide a transportation stipend. She would have her own table to sign books in person, and would sit on several panels, including one about women who write science fiction. Teagan let out a whoop.

She was invited to be a special guest at comic con! Something that only happened to accomplished authors!

She checked the dates. The convention was in January, before she’d meet Josh in Beaver Creek and just before spring semester began. It would be hectic, but she could swing it.

Teagan hit reply and said yes.