Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
An hour later, Wren and Elias stood outside the Y.
“I’ll wait for you down here,” Elias told her as he leaned against the concrete planter. He’d insisted on coming with her and he’d put off calling Gabe until she’d had a chance to talk to Evan.
Wren rolled her neck, trying to loosen up the tense muscles in her back. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need luck. You’ve got this.” He kissed her and opened the door for her.
Wren approached the front desk, relieved that the same receptionist from the other day was on.
“Hi, Carrie,” she said smiling, which got the woman’s attention. “Do you remember me from the other day? I‘m the photographer. Wren Stapleton.”
“Of course,” Carrie said, brightening. “How can I help you? Did you leave something here?”
“No, but I’d like to talk to Evan if he’s in? Just a follow-up to the story.”
“He is. He came down for his mail about an hour ago and went back upstairs. Let me call up to his room.” She picked up a phone receiver, dialed his number, then covered the mouthpiece and whispered, “He’s such a sweetie.”
Wren beamed. “He really is.”
Carrie uncovered the mouthpiece. “Hello, Evan? It’s Carrie downstairs. You have a visitor, Wren Stapleton the photographer.” She paused. “She’s here for,” Carried looked at Wren, “a follow-up to the story.”
Wren nodded, still smiling, while her nerves turned her stomach into a bowling ball, hoping that Evan would invite her up to talk.
“Shall I send her up to your room?” Another pause.
He’s telling her no .
“All right, I’ll let her know.” Carrie hung up the phone.
Maybe I can wait for him in the parking lot. Like a stakeout. I bet Elias knows how to do those, but of course I’ve seen enough TV shows that ?—
Carrie held out a lanyard with a card on it. “He’s in number twelve, third floor. It’ll be on the left toward the end of the hall. You’ll need this for the elevator, and I need to sign you in.”
Wren blinked. “You mean I can go up?”
“Yes, he said he’d love to talk. Between you and me, he needs visitors.”
Wren hung the lanyard around her neck. “I agree. And who knows? Maybe I’ll be the first of many.” She held up the card that identified her as a visitor. “Thanks.”
Wren went over what she planned to say on the ride up. She walked down the hall to number twelve. The door was open a crack but she knocked anyway.
“Evan? It’s Wren.”
“Yes, yes.” She heard him shuffling to the door. He opened it with a smile. “Come in, come in. I was just making tea. Would you like a cup?”
“That sounds good, thank you.” She stepped into the little room. His only furnishings were a bed, a desk, a chest of drawers, a mini fridge, and two chairs. A small sink took up one corner. A beautiful quilt covered the bed. Two large cardboard boxes sat stacked on top of the chest of drawers and another acted as a makeshift nightstand, holding several medicine bottles, a glass half full of water, and a book. A hotpot sat on the desk beside a china teapot and two matching cups and saucers. The room was neat as a pin.
“Come sit.” Evan pulled one of the chairs out for her beside the desk, then went to the fridge and opened it. She noticed his insulin bottles beside a carton of milk, which he took out and set on the desk.
At least he can afford his meds. Unless he’s rationing them. Damn those bastards at ‘Millstone .’
Evan sat in the chair opposite hers. “Do you take milk and sugar? I have my sweetener but I also have a wee bit of sugar left from making the fudge.”
“Yes, both, please. And thanks again for the fudge.”
Evan fixed them two cups of tea. It was strong, hot, and good.
“So,” he started. “You wanted a follow-up? Another photograph?”
“No. I left my camera at home today.” Wren set her cup down. “The follow-up isn’t so much for the story, but for you. For your life.”
Evan frowned, puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
Wren gave him a gentle smile. “I live in Lyons. I’ve been to the rec center, and I’ve met Stephanie West.”
Evan looked away. “I see.”
Wren softened her voice. “Evan. She has people looking for you. I just happened to find you first.”
He looked back at her. “Have you told Stephanie?”
Wren grinned and leaned forward. “Do you really think she’d let me come here without her if she knew?”
Evan chuckled. “I suppose not.”
Good. I’ve got him laughing .
“I wanted to talk to you before they find you, because they will. I’ve met the men she’s asked to find you and they are very capable and determined. I know you don’t want Sue and Fran to blame themselves for what happened after they saved your life. I don’t think they will. But Evan, they will be hurt if they find out you didn’t want their help.”
He shook his head as his gaze settled on the cup of tea on the desk in front of him. “I’m just so embarrassed.”
“I get it. I lost everything once, just like you did. My home. My happy childhood. I felt shame, too, for things that were out of my control. I spent years not telling anyone what happened because I was carrying the fear that they would leave me. I was afraid of losing everything all over again so I kept all the people in my life at arm’s length. And I’ve missed out all this time. Please . Let me tell them where you are. Stephanie cares about you. The nurses too, and they’ll all want to help you get back on your feet. It’s okay to let them.”
Evan nodded as he looked into the middle distance.
Finally, he met her gaze again and said, “Don’t tell her.”
The rec center was unusually quiet—the gorgeous Colorado weather keeping everyone outside—when Wren pushed the door open. Stephanie looked up from her book and watched her come in, Elias right behind her.
Helping Evan keep steady as he walked.
Stephanie’s mouth opened as she stood up. “Evan? Evan !” She dropped her book and practically sprinted to them. “Where have you been? Are you alright? Sue and Fran thought you’d moved without telling us, which was weird.”
Wren’s instinct was to shield Evan from Stephanie’s onslaught of questions. But he surprised her when he smiled at Stephanie.
“I moved, yes, but not because I wanted to. It’s a long story, and you’ll be reading about it soon enough in the Mile High Marker . I heard you were looking for me, so I decided to come find you instead.”
“You bet I was, Evan.” She pointed at Elias. “So was he, and I guess he found you.”
“No, it was all Wren,” Elias said. “A stroke of luck.”
Evan laid his hand on Wren’s arm. “I’m here now, thanks to this kind lady who talked a bit of sense into me. She was going to tell you I was coming in, but I wanted to surprise you myself.”
Stephane beamed as she looked back and forth between Wren and Evan. “Let’s head into the conference room where we can sit. I’m calling Sue and Fran and telling them to get their buns over here, ASAP. Oh, and Gabe !” She shouted Gabe’s name down the hall. “Come here, right now! I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“Oh dear,” Evan said. “I didn’t think to make a batch of fudge.”
Stephanie laughed and pulled him into a hug. “I don’t think they’ll mind just this once.”
Wren spent the rest of the weekend with Elias. She only stopped by the townhouse Saturday night to check on it and pack a weekend bag. She couldn’t keep stealing Elias’ clothing indefinitely. What would he wear?
Not that she would mind watching him walking around naked all day.
She considered not packing a weekend bag.
They spent their days talking, with Elias pelting her with questions about herself. What was her favorite color? Red. What was her favorite food? Taco Tuesday, duh. When would she like to move in with him?
She surprised both of them with her answer. “As soon as my lease is up.”
It felt right. Like finally finding her forever home.
Tuesday, Elias went to work. Wren got up early when he did and insisted on frying up some eggs and making toast before he left, since he’d cooked every meal up until then. Wren had always heard that firefighters were good cooks, but Elias had them beat. He’d told her during their first dinner together Saturday night that he’d learned how to cook at the fire station where his ambo was based.
“Well, the student has surpassed his masters,” Wren had said as she patted her tummy. “Good thing I belong to the rec center.”
Now this morning, she set plates of eggs and toast on the table, both dogs at her feet. Elias was getting dressed in his bedroom.
Make that our bedroom soon. Wow . Her tummy warmed inside.
“Listen, guys. I’m moving in,” she told Penny and Chuck. “I hope that meets with your approval.”
Chuck sat down and thumped his tail against the floor. Penny stood on her hind legs and twirled in a circle.
“You’re just doing that because you’re hoping I’ll give you that extra plate of scrambled eggs I happened to make, aren’t you?”
Penny yipped. Chuck thumped his tail faster.
“I thought so.”
“Are you kidding? Penny understood every word,” Elias said as he came into the room. “She’s as thrilled as I am and so is the Chuckster.” He took Wren into his arms and kissed her. Like every other kiss, it lit up all the cells in her body at once. Her cootchie tingled, even though it was pleasantly sore. Elias had pelted her with questions by day, but he’d pelted her with multiple orgasms by night.
“Is this my scrubs top?” She plucked at the back of his collar.
“Hell no. That one smells like you and I want to keep it that way. Same with the tee.” His smile turned devilish. “And the jeans, little Miss Goin’ Commando.”
Wren laughed and kissed him again. “So naughty.”
“Yes, you are.” Elias winked as he let her go and they sat down to breakfast. “What are your plans for the day?”
“Well, I’ve got another real estate shoot with Chase over in Boulder, then I’m calling Kit to tell her the good news about Evan. I think it will lend the article a bit of hope, and God knows we all need that.”
Evan was going to be alright. Sue took the guest cottage—a converted carriage house behind hers—off the B&B site she used to rent it to tourists and insisted Evan move in immediately. He put up a token protest, but in the end, Elias and Gabe helped him pack up the rest of his things, loaded them into Elias’ other, modern truck, and moved him in by the end of the day.
“I wish we could do more for Matthew and Arthur, too.” Wren sighed.
“Just wait,” Elias said. “If Kit’s article doesn’t change things, Gina and Lach will.”
While the guys were busy moving Evan’s belongings, Wren was meeting more of Elias’ friends—specifically Gina Smith, Lachlan Campbell, and the man who ran a local security company called Watchdog, Kyle McGuire. Wren was familiar with the Watchdog Security branch in Los Angeles. Many of the celebrities she photographed used them, including Barbie and Bette Collins, the number one star in Hollywood. Gina, Lachlan, and Kyle had worked together at the LA location before Kyle set up his branch in Colorado.
But that was about all she knew about Gina and Lach—besides the fact they and Kyle were all big-time dog people. Each brought along their own dog. Lachlan’s dog was an older boy named Sam who nevertheless looked healthy and easily kept pace with the others. Kyle had a black-and-yellow Lab named Camo who could probably give Penny a run for her money in the brains department. Same with Gina’s dog, Fleur. If ever a dog and her owner resembled each other, it was those two. Both had the most amazing golden-amber eyes, bright with intelligence.
“They were quite interested in Evan’s situation, but I’m not sure how they can help. For some reason, Lachlan kept reminding Gina they were retired. He was insistent about it.”
Elias almost spit his coffee out. “Yeah, I bet he was.”
Wren narrowed her eyes. “What?”
Elias shook his head and zipped his finger and thumb across his mouth.
“You can’t tell me.”
“Nope. Not beyond their jobs in security .”
“Ah, okay, gotcha.”
Damn. Now I’m really intrigued , she thought. Government maybe, or wait—black-ops. No—assassins! Oh, who am I kidding, this isn’t a Kris Michaels novel.
“You’re overthinking it, babe.” Elias stood and picked up their empty plates.
“Stop reading my mind. And give me those. You need to get to work.” She made a grab for the plates but he lifted them up out of reach.
“Nope. You cooked, I wash.” He smirked. “Your rules.”
“Stupid rules.” She pouted at him, then went to divide the scrambled eggs between Penny and Chuck’s food bowls. “I’ll just ask them straight-up what they did for a living when I call to see if they liked the house. Chase showed them the one near Bear and Ellie’s yesterday.”
“Good luck with that.” Elias put the second plate in the dishwasher and dried his hands on a kitchen towel. “Hope they liked the house though, for their sake. Ellie’s dying for them to move close, and Bear makes sure that what Ellie wants, Ellie gets.”
“Aw, poor maligned Bear. He’s really a big marshmallow.”
Elias only smiled. “Not always.”
Back at her townhouse, Wren had just finished packing up essential bathroom items—all the things Elias referred to as chick stuff—when her doorbell rang.
Probably another package. At least it arrived while I’m here.
Wren went to the door and looked out the keyhole.
Kit Larson stood on her porch.
“Kit,” Wren said when she opened the door. “Come on in. I was just about to call you.”
“Hey, Wren.” The best way Wren could describe Kit’s voice was unenthused. Actually, that was being generous. Kit looked like she’d lost her puppy.
This’ll cheer her up.
“Hey, if you haven’t finished the story, I have a new, incredibly happy ending concerning Evan Roy.” She closed the door behind Kit, who sat down on the couch.
“I don’t need it.” Now her voice sounded flat with a heaping side of angry that made Wren’s stomach clench.
“What’s wrong?” She sat beside Kit. “Don’t tell me you want to end on a sad note, for sympathy?”
“No. There will be no ending, sad or otherwise. Or a middle. Or a beginning for that matter.”
“I don’t understand.”
Kit played with the strap of her purse. “My boss, the features editor, asked to see an early draft, which I thought was kind of odd. He knows I still want to conduct a couple more interviews and he’s always been good about waiting until I’m done. So, I sent him what I had so far. Then, he wanted to see all my research. I gave it to him, thinking I was in trouble with one of the fact checkers. But no. They did a catch and kill on me.”
“A catch and kill?” Now dread filled Wren’s belly.
“Yeah. He told me to drop the story, said we won’t be publishing it. He wouldn’t go into why, just said it didn’t fit the Marker anymore, which is bullshit.” She twisted the purse strap around her hand.
“I have a feeling that editorial decision comes from higher up, maybe even the publisher himself. I can’t sell the story to another paper without losing my job. Though, after this, it’s tempting just to quit.” She laughed bitterly. “Can’t afford to lose my medical insurance though.”
Wren scoffed. “Can you say ironic?”
“Right?” Kit sighed.
Wren seethed. “This isn’t fair. You’re right—this is total bullshit. People need to know about this…this predatory hospital. Who do you think told the publisher to kill it?”
Kit blew out a hard breath and stared at Wren’s coffee table, looking like she was debating with herself. Then she nodded slightly and looked at Wren.
“My boss was excited when I first pitched the story and whenever I gave him an update on my progress. But when I let him know at our last meeting that I wanted to interview Milestone’s CEO, that’s when he got back to me saying he wanted to read my current draft. Next thing I knew, the story was dead.”
They were silent for a moment, both staring off into the distance, sharing their anger.
“Dead for you, maybe,” Wren said quietly.
Kit curled her lips in and huffed through her nose. “So, are you saying that if you were walking somewhere, eyes on the ground, and you happened to see a thumb drive just lying there, you’d get curious, pick it up, and see what’s on it?”
“I would.”
“And, let’s say it was full of research on a story you’d just photographed.”
“Well. I think I might take up writing or find someone who knows how to write up a feature already.”
“Interesting.” Kit stood up. “Well, it’s been great catching up with you but I’ve got to run. I’ll see myself out.”
As she walked toward the front door, she reached into the front pocket of her purse, then stretched her arm straight out to the side and opened her hand. A thumb drive bounced on the carpet.
“Oops,” Kit said without slowing her stride. “Clumsy.”
Wren didn’t waste time picking up the drive, or her breath telling Kit she’d dropped it. She stood in her doorway watching Kit walk away.
“Thanks for stopping by,” Wren said. “It’s been educational.”
Kit turned and waved. “Can’t wait to see your next project.”