by Kris Bryant
“Listen, doggo, if you are under there, you need to come out before animal control gets here. You can hang out in the warm car, and you might even have a cheeseburger in your future if you come out.” Natalie listened but didn’t hear anything. She joined Joshua, who informed her nobody was home, or at least not answering the door.
“The crawl space must be the entire length of the house. Except for the deck,” Joshua said.
“Maybe that’s how Ghost Dog is getting in and out. I wonder if this is his hiding place.”
“Do you think the marmot would share the space? He seems awful big and mean,” Joshua said.
“I’d like to believe that animals take care of one another, just like people do. Even R.O.U.S.,” Natalie said. She smiled at Joshua’s confused look. “What? You don’t know what R.O.U.S. is?” She laughed. “David would.”
Joshua turned his head and clicked the walkie-talkie to life. “Calling Sly. Come in, Sly Stallone. I have a question the boss said you can answer.” David got the nickname because the department found out he saw Rambo thirty-four times, not because he was a boxer or gym rat.
“Oh, this is going to be good.” David laughed. “Hit me.”
“What does R.O.U.S. stand for?”
“Are you dealing with an R.O.U.S. right now?” David asked. He whistled just like Joshua had a few minutes ago.
“Would somebody please tell me what it means?” Joshua said.
“Rodents of Unusual Size. It’s from the movie The Princess Bride, circa 1987.”
“Holy crap. You should see what we’re dealing with here. I’ve never seen a marmot this big before. It’s got to be a solid ten pounds.”
“I thought you were after the dog?” David’s voice cracked across the walkie.
“We got sidetracked. The dog might still be under the house with the R.O.U.S. We’re waiting on animal control,” Natalie said.
“Ouch. Keep an eye out on them. They aren’t known for their gentleness with animals.”
Natalie piped in. “I’m here to make sure nothing bad happens.” If Natalie wasn’t good at her job or didn’t like being the sheriff of Spruce Mountain and the surrounding county, she would have returned to Colorado and worked at a place for animals like the local shelter or The Pet Posh Inn, which had just opened locations in Denver and Colorado Springs. Animals were important to her, and even though she thought she was too busy to have one, she did what she could to help them.
While they waited, Natalie wasn’t entirely convinced the dog was still under the house, so she walked around the property and along the outskirts of the woods behind the neighborhood to look for him.
“Sheriff, animal control is here.” Joshua’s voice startled her a bit in the quiet of the forest.
She pinched the button on the speaker. “On my way. Two minutes.” She hustled back to the house to greet the officer. “Hi, I’m Sheriff Strand. We’re looking for a dog, a pet of a friend’s, and we think he might be under the house. In the process, we found an R.O.U.S. living on the south end.”
“An R.O.U.S.? Let me adjust the noose.” She increased the size of the opening.
“Does everybody know what an R.O.U.S. is except for me?” Joshua threw up his hands.
Without smiling, the officer responded. “In this line of business, you learn it on day one. Besides, it was my favorite movie growing up. What’s your friend’s dog’s name?”
Natalie froze. She didn’t want the dog to be caught in that frightening way, nor did she want him to be taken away. He was so beautiful and obviously somebody’s pet. She hadn’t been expecting to have to come up with a name to go with her lie and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. “Milford.”
“Milford?” Joshua asked.
Natalie avoided eye contact with Joshua and waved her hand. “Apparently it’s a family name. He answers to Ford.” Worst dog name ever, she thought. “Don’t ask me the marmot’s name because we aren’t on friendly terms.” That warranted a laugh from everyone and got the attention back on the marmot.
“I need you all to step back.”
The officer slipped on paper coveralls and a headlamp with three flashlights, which almost blinded Natalie when she flipped them on. Natalie stepped back, pulling Joshua with her. “I know you are curious, but I don’t need you to get bitten by the marmot.” They waited for about five minutes until a scuffle ensued and the officer backed out slowly.
“Got him. Yep. He’s big all right.” She pulled the long pole with the largest marmot Natalie had ever seen tethered to the end. They backed away farther when she swung the marmot around to deposit him in the big carrier in back. Natalie snapped a quick picture because nobody was going to believe them. She sent the photo to Sarah.
Look at this chubby marmot!
Fat-shaming a marmot. Tsk, tsk, Nat. Who does that? Sarah followed it with a winking emoji. And holy crap, he really is giant.
Welcome to Spruce Mountain, where the marmots are big as dogs.
Natalie focused back on the animal-control officer. “Did you see the dog under the house by chance?” Natalie asked after the marmot was behind bars.
“No, but I’m going to take another look around. Make sure there aren’t any babies.” She flipped on the headlamp again and disappeared under the house.
With the marmot safely caged, Natalie walked around the house to the opening she’d found earlier. No action there. It was completely quiet, except for the officer who was scooting under the house. Where did the dog go?
“Nothing else is under there. No nests, no dogs, no cats. Nothing.” After ripping off her paper coveralls, the officer climbed into the truck.
“What’s going to happen with him?” Natalie leaned closer to the open window and thumbed behind her.
“We’ll find a place far away where he can make a better home and not endanger any people.”
“Great. Thanks for coming out.” She tapped her hand on the car door dismissively and walked to Joshua. “Well, at least we accomplished something today.”
“Milford? What’s the story there?”
Natalie shrugged. “I feel like he’s somebody’s dog, and I don’t want him going to animal control and getting pulled farther away from his home. He might not be from here, but somebody has to be missing him.”
“I get that, but couldn’t you come up with a better name than Milford? Like Rigsby or Baxter?” Joshua asked.
“Does it really matter? Come on. Let’s get back to the office.”
* * *
Natalie spent the afternoon filling out forms and purchase orders, and eating six of the cookies Sarah dropped off. They were just the way she liked cookies—crispy crusts with soft centers. She picked up her phone and sent Sarah a text without even thinking.
These are store bought, aren’t they? Because nobody bakes this well.
Natalie smiled at the bubbles.
It was hard to get Harley to wash her hands every single time she wanted to taste the dough.
Three hundred and seventy-five degrees will kill all germs. We’re good.
Was that your lunch?
I plead the fifth. Natalie looked at the clock. It was almost quitting time. What a long fucking day, she thought. She was surviving off sugar and coffee. She needed something substantial.
Want to get some dinner later?
She held her breath as she watched bubbles appear, then disappear, then appear again. Right as she was sending a backpedaling message, Sarah’s response popped up.
Sure. Aunt Judy will watch Harley. What’s good around here?
Spruce Mountain had three restaurants. Gravy’s was a diner that wasn’t private or quiet at all. Moby’s was a family restaurant, which was a step up from Gravy’s. And then there was Mountain View, the only upscale restaurant. It filled up on Valentine’s Day and important anniversaries. They could always go to Ophelia’s in Sawyer, which was a fifteen-minute drive with a lot more options, but truthfully, Natalie wanted to chill.
We
could go to Moby’s or I can cook something. She wasn’t in the mood to cook, but she didn’t want to have to explain why the two of them were out together. Small-town talk was alive and well in Spruce Mountain.
You cook?
Natalie smiled. Meh. It’s passable for food. Any restrictions?
Nope.
Steaks on the grill and a salad?
Perfect. What time and what’s your address?
Shit. Now she was going to have to clean up the place, shower, and start dinner. Is six thirty too late?
No. That gives me time to feed Harley and get a few things done, too.
I’ll see you then.
Natalie didn’t want to leave work early again, so she watched the clock until it struck five and grabbed her coat. “Have a good evening, everyone. Call me if anything happens.”
She hoped that tonight, of all nights, the town would be quiet.
Chapter Six
“I brought wine and sparkling cider, in case you don’t drink wine.” Sarah held up two bottles when Natalie opened the door. She tried to maintain eye contact and not openly stare at Natalie. The sheriff’s uniform was sexy, but Natalie in tight leggings and an oversized sweater that almost slipped off her shoulder made Sarah’s knees weak.
“Come on in. I waited to throw the steaks on the grill because I don’t know how you like yours cooked.” Natalie stepped back and waited for Sarah to enter.
“You have a very nice place,” Sarah said. Natalie’s bungalow was located on the edge of town on a full acre. It was decorated very simply but tastefully, with warm colors. She headed straight for the fireplace with her hands held out. “And I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed fireplaces.”
“Not a lot of need for them in Texas, huh?” Natalie asked.
“They have them, but they aren’t needed as much as they are here. Most of Texas is hot. I know not everybody loves the four seasons, but I love them. Harley’s never had a white Christmas,” Sarah said. She rubbed her hands together for a few moments and turned back to Natalie. “But I also don’t remember Spruce being this cold.”
Natalie shrugged. “This cold is unusual for us this time of year, but I’m sure Harley will see a white Christmas. Unless you move to Portland. Then no. Probably not.”
“I really like the idea of opening a business and seeing what happens here. I mean, the town is small, but it has a lot of potential,” Sarah said. She heard the huskiness in her own voice and cleared her throat. Natalie’s raised eyebrow indicated that she heard it, too. “I brought a Malbec to drink with dinner.”
“You might have to open it. I’m really bad with corkscrews.” Natalie waved her left hand. “Or just a naturally awkward lefty.”
“Is it bad that I’m an expert?” Sarah crinkled her nose playfully and took the bottle from Natalie. Their fingertips brushed during the exchange, and Sarah noticed the gasp that escaped Natalie’s lips. As a matter of fact, it boosted Sarah’s confidence that maybe, after all these years, there was still something between them.
“Let me find the corkscrew.”
Sarah took the moment to fully appreciate Natalie’s impressive body when she turned to retrieve the bottle opener. She had her hair pulled up, but several strands hung down, giving it the messy but adorably cute look. “How long have you been in this house?”
“I bought it a few years ago and spent a lot of time and energy remodeling it.”
“You did it all yourself?” Sarah stared at Natalie with new appreciation.
“The butch in me got to use all kinds of power tools. It was good because I had a lot of energy to expel after my dad died.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something sad.” Sarah took the glass from Natalie’s outstretched hand, careful not to touch her for fear of dropping the glass and embarrassing herself.
Natalie waved her off. “I got to spend quality time with my father. I came back because I was needed and stayed because I like being a part of something good. I know that probably sounds corny or weird.”
Sarah reached out and gently squeezed Natalie’s forearm. “I think it’s great. When I was here, I didn’t like it because it’s a small town, and I felt like I was too big for it. Now that I’m back, I’m starting to understand its charm.” She skillfully opened the bottle and poured two glasses of wine at Natalie’s nod. “And you have blossomed here.” A pink blush brushed across Natalie’s neck and cheeks. More courage for Sarah. “You’ve come a long way since high school.”
“We both have,” Natalie said.
Sarah felt chills tingle her arms and legs at the smoothness of Natalie’s voice. Natalie was so confident and sure. “I’m sorry I wasn’t nicer to you in high school.”
Natalie crossed her arms and rested her elbows on the counter. That put her comfortably in Sarah’s personal space. Sarah always loved how Natalie’s eyes reminded her of the dark-blue ocean right before a storm.
“Trust me, you were nicer than most. High school was the worst.”
“But look at you now. You’re successful, respected, and beautiful.” Sarah took a sip of wine to calm her growing nervousness.
“Now I can arrest everyone who’s still here who was a jerk in school.”
“I love it, but I think you’re kidding?”
Sarah laughed when Natalie wiggled her hand side to side, indicating that it was a toss-up.
“Tell me about you. The other night at the bar, we only talked about me and my bad decisions. Except for Harley. She’s the best decision I ever made.”
“Let me throw the steaks on the grill, and then we can sit and relax, and you can ask me all the questions,” Natalie said.
Through the sliding-glass door, Sarah watched Natalie place two thick steaks on the grill, close the lid, and slip back inside. Sarah handed her the glass of wine and sat opposite her, but still in front of the fire.
“Are you dating anyone?” Sarah hated to start off with that straight-to-the-gut question, but she wanted to hear it straight from Natalie and not Judy. Gossip wasn’t always right.
“No. I had a girlfriend in Bend for about a year, but it didn’t work out.”
Sarah bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from smiling at the news that Natalie was single and that she had heard it straight from her, not just depended on gossip from the other night. Again, not that she was in any position to start dating so quickly after the divorce, but it was hard not to have tiny fantasies about her. “Distance?”
Natalie nodded. “And we just weren’t right for one another. We should have broken up sooner. I let it go too long.”
“I get that. Sometimes it’s easier to cling to what used to be in a relationship than to deal with the problem straight on.” Sarah raised her hand. “I speak from experience.”
“Tell me about…Francine, right?” Natalie asked.
“She practices sports medicine down in Fort Worth. She works with the women’s soccer team at Texas Christian University.”
“You played soccer?”
Sarah snorted out a laugh. “Oh, God, no. Don’t you remember how awful I was at high school sports? Francine and I met after I graduated. We were the perfect couple on paper and decided to get married. She didn’t want kids, and I thought I could change her mind. I threatened to leave when our relationship hit rock bottom, and should have, but she suggested that we start a family, so I stayed. We had Harley, and I was so happy with a baby I didn’t realize she wasn’t, and I caught her in not one, but two affairs.”
“Ouch. How is Harley adjusting to single-parent life?” Natalie asked.
“Honestly? I don’t think she even noticed. I’m not even kidding when I say Francine didn’t want kids. That was her way of keeping me.”
“Does she communicate with Harley? I don’t mean to pry, and you don’t even have to answer me.” Natalie shook her head.
“It’s okay. This is a safe space. You can ask me anything. Francine calls her once a week, but I predict that now that we’ve moved,
those conversations will eventually fade away.” Sarah put her wineglass on the table and moved closer to the fire.
“Ack. I’m sorry. That can’t be easy for either one of you.”
“I’m good. Healed. And I really think Harley is adjusting well. She doesn’t seem sad or super excited when Francine calls. She treats her like a family friend.”
“I’d like to meet Harley someday. Hang on. I have to check on the steaks.” Natalie slipped on a jacket this time and disappeared onto the deck.
Sarah stared at the fire. Everything about this felt right. Spending time with Natalie, being here in her house next to the fireplace. Aside from the millions of butterflies in her stomach that danced every time she saw or thought of Natalie, she was completely at ease. Spruce Mountain was a surprisingly easy adjustment. She had dreaded the drama she thought would be here when she returned, but she’d slipped right back into life as though the last seventeen years had happened in the blink of an eye.
“They’re almost ready. Medium, right?” Natalie shrugged out of her jacket and set the table.
“Let me help with something. Anything.” Sarah stood but sat when Natalie pointed the salad tongs at her and snapped them together a few times.
“You’re my guest, so you stay put.”
Sarah shivered at the authoritative yet playful manner Natalie took with her. Her tiny fantasy of kissing Natalie again had turned into a full-blown make-out session as she imagined Natalie taking charge in bed. She shook off the delicious vision and held her hands up in resignation as she waited for Natalie to grab the steaks and put them on the table. “Everything looks wonderful.”
“This is an easy meal. I normally don’t cook unless I go to my mother’s.”
“I’m sure it’s fantastic. Thank you for inviting me.” Sarah pulled out her chair and sat when Natalie did.
“It’s good to see you again after all these years.”