Chapter 3
RYAN
‘I know the perfect place for you. Trust me, it’s not the fanciest, but it's the best quality money can buy in this area.”
As we drove I learned he was a rock climber in his off hours and Frank’s was the only place he and any of his fellow climbers would buy their gear.
He took me right to a cute unassuming store in a nondescript building off the highway heading out of town.
The place wasn't huge from the outside, but seemed to expand into an outdoor wonderland once you came through the doors.
I had worried the selections would be slim, but they had so much to choose from it was almost overwhelming.
I felt another chill run through me and went right to the fleece and flannel racks.
I didn't care how much I spent, I was getting all the warm clothes I might need for the next few weeks.
“Hey there Tommy, my boy. Haven't seen you in a few weeks, how's the training going? Ahhh, and who's your friend? You got a new climber?”
I knew he could tell with that initial look I was no climber, but appreciated the benefit of the doubt anyway. I was built for strength, not agility or speed. That was a nice way of saying I was beefy, not fast.
“Nope, Mr. Landry, just picked him up at the airport. He's staying at the lodge and didn't pack warm enough. I told him you could get him fixed up better than any big box store.”
The smile that spread across the old man's face took 20 years off his age. He practically sparkled with excitement.
“You're absolutely right. I'll get you fixed up in a lickety split. You're lucky you decided to stop in and get some things. The weather looks to turn colder in the next few days. Depending on where your cabin is on the mountain, you might get snowed in if we have a heavy fall.”
While he was talking about the weather and the turn in temps he was expecting, he showed me over to some other racks near the back I hadn't seen before.
These were better quality things he had in my size including some soft virgin wool and a few cashmere pieces.
He left me to pick what I liked, and while I browsed, he shuffled back to the front counter and chatted with Tommy.
“Yep, Mr. Landry, I've been watching the skies and they do look to be making a change soon. Not good climbing weather for sure.”
“You're right there, son. Glad I've taught you a thing or two over the years. So how is you mom and dad? I heard your dad got a big buck a few weeks ago, bet that filled the freezer for the winter for you.”
As I browsed the aisles, I listened to the two converse about the weather and the possibility of snow soon and the meat they had added to their freezers for winter.
I drifted out of the conversation while I chose a few warm flannels, some of the wool and cashmere pieces, lined pants and some warm fuzzy slippers.
I debated on a pair of fleece pajamas, and finally decided to splurge as something I heard drew me back into the conversation. This sounded much more interesting.
“I've been watching that area up the South side of the peak the last few months and I swear you were right, Mr. Landry, those ravens are definitely doing what you said.”
“I been telling everyone. I don't know what they're doing up there, but all the people, human or not, should leave them be.” He lowered his voice to a whisper but I could still hear him clear enough.
“The wolves up there are involved somehow.
I think there's somebody studying them, so maybe we'll find out something.
I've heard of these things happening in other areas of the world, but not around these parts.”
“Heard about what happening, Mr. Landry?”
I was nearly hanging over the edge of the rack of flannel pjs I was pretending to look at, waiting for an answer along with Tommy. I wanted to know what the ravens and wolves were getting up to like it was the hottest gossip from a housewives show.
He settled the cap on his head, then leaned on the glass top counter right over the hunting knives display, but just as he was about to answer, the bell over the door jingled and a sweet voice called from the front of the store.
“Frank, I've got your lunch dear. Come eat before it gets cold.”
Snapping to attention and immediately forgetting the topic of conversation, Mr. Landry shuffled to the front door, took the Tupperware from the little lady who had just entered and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.
“Martha, just in time. I was so hungry I'd have wasted away any second.”
She blushed, putting a pretty tint to her thin cheek, then batted a hand at his shoulder softly in a practiced display I was sure they'd perfected over their many years together.
“Oh, go on with yourself, Frank. I see you've got a customer, so give me my Tupperware back, and I'll go put this in the office while you help this gentleman out.”
With another sweet kiss, Mr. Landry gave up the plastic bowl, and returned to the front counter. “Alright, sir, are you all set? Don't let me rush you, we have one of those microwave ovens back there if I need to warm my lunch back up.”
Chuckling, because I knew for a fact Mr. Landry would hate to microwave his wife's food, I placed the things I'd picked out on the counter.
“I'm ready if you are.” I cleared the tickle in my throat, then grabbed a peppermint out of a bowl on the counter.
“I wouldn't want Mrs. Landry to be mad at me for delaying your lunch any longer than necessary.”
He chuckled lightly and shook his head while he rang up my purchase.
“You’re not wrong, son. You're not wrong.
She can be a bear sometimes, that's for sure.” He gave me a wink and a smile.
“Yep, we can both be bears sometimes, but fate put us together 60 years ago, so it's always worth the trouble. Can't argue with the universe, right?”
I took the packages from his frail looking hands, then held out my right hand in an offer of friendship.
He took my hand in his and gave me a surprisingly firm, strong handshake.
At my surprise flinch, he shook his head and eased up on the pressure before letting go.
“Can't judge a book by its cover. You of all people should know that, Mr. Winthorpe.” My shock had to have been written over my face.
“Now, we may be all the way out here in God's country, but we still love to read.
It's a pleasure to meet you, but if I don’t go eat my lunch, I'll never hear the end of it.”
With that, he departed to the back and left me and Tommy to leave on our own. I took the warmest wool over shirt out of the bag and slipped it on over my sweater as another chill raced across me spine. I was immediately thankful for all the warm things I'd chosen.
“Aren't they the best?” Tommy commented as he grabbed a couple of my bags and walked me back out to his car.
“They are the best. It's nice to see relationships like that.”
“Oh, definitely. You'd never know they were both married before would ya?”
Shocked didn't begin to cover how I felt at that news. “ What do you mean, aren't they…” I trailed off because you never knew what someone knew or didn't know about the shifter community. I didn't have to worry though.
“Oh, yeah, they're mates for sure, but they were both mated before and lost their mates somehow.
I never heard the particulars, but mom and dad said they were the best example of putting your trust in the process.
They had to have been devastated, but then they found their mates for life in each other.
I'm not that romantic, but sometimes things like that make me hope I find the same thing one day. Don't you?”
I nodded silently in agreement, then pretended I had some work to do for the trip up to the lodge.
As I played on my phone, I felt my head and ears and realized I was burn up, just as yet another cool hit me.
I had been vtrying to ignore the fact, but I was definitely getting sick.
As we drove the forty five minutes out of town to the lodge, my head began to throb, but I tried to hold it together.
I was obviously feverish by this point so I had barely paid attention to the guy checking me in.
Branson was his name, I think, but he seemed distracted too.
Must be going around. He said they could give me a ride up to the cabin but it would be an hour or two before they'd be free.
They're was no way I'd last that long. I needed to lie down as soon as possible.
Tommy, who had come inside with me to help with my bags, offered to drive me up instead. I had already paid his fare and a generous tip, but I offered him some cash for the extra effort. He absolutely refused.
“No way, Mr. Winthorpe. Your cabin is on the south side of the mountain, and I've been wanting to go up that way for a while. I should thank you for letting me tag along.”
Curious, as the conversation from the store came back to me, I had to ask. “What's so special about this area? I heard you mention it earlier.”
He was quick to set my mind at ease.”Oh, it's nothing bad, promise.
Some of us in the area have just noticed a few things that are interesting, that's all.
The animals up here aren't that people or shifter friendly. They prefer to stay isolated and don’t socialize with any of us, even when we're shifted.
I guess we're just curious about them because of that. Some places the animal population openly accepts the shifters, but not here. In this area, they stick to themselves and we get curious.”
“Ahhh, I get it. So are you a wolf shifter?”
Tommy nearly skidded off the narrow dirt road.
We'd driven at the base of the mountain on several paved roads, then turned on this dirt track over a mile back as few incline had increased, slowly climbing up to my assigned cabin #111.
He steadied his SUV, then corrected me. “A wolf? You think I'm a wolf? I wish!”