Chapter 39

thirty-nine

DYLAN

The following day, I pulled my jacket closer, studying the building across the street. People streamed into Candy Lane, the only confectionery store in Sunrise Bay. Even at the end of October it was busy, probably because Halloween was only a few days away. The bright orange flashing pumpkins and rows of cute chocolates were drawing in customers of all ages.

I wished my search for a rental property had been as successful. After spending most of the day at the hospital, I drove to Sunrise Bay to look for a house. Two hours later, I had to call Alex and ask for Jonathon’s phone number. My calls kept going to voicemail, so I decided to visit Alex’s friend at work.

Crossing the road, I stepped onto the sidewalk. It’d be a miracle if Jonathon’s house was still available. I’d naively thought the cold weather would deter people from wanting accommodation. What I hadn’t counted on were the families coming to Willow Lake for skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Most of the houses I’d seen were only short-term rentals. I didn’t know how long we’d need a house. It could be two weeks or two months. It all depended on when the FBI found the terrorist cell.

The doorbell jingled as I stepped into the store. The sweet, tempting smell of fudge and chocolate made my stomach rumble. I could spend all day here, enjoying the homemade candy that was the talk of the town. But I wasn’t here as a customer; I was here to find somewhere for Alex to live.

While I waited for Jonathon to finish serving the other customers, I looked in my favorite cabinet. Bars of raspberry, caramel, and chocolate fudge sat side by side. I sighed, imagining the taste and texture of each flavor.

“Hello again. Would you like to try some samples?” Jonathon asked.

I shook my head, focusing on my mission. “Not today, but I’ll definitely be back. Could I speak to you for a couple of minutes?”

Jonathon looked around the store. Someone else was helping behind the counter, but it was still busy. “If you can wait five minutes, I’ll be able to speak to you. Are you still staying with Alex?”

I nodded, finding it easier than explaining everything.

Jonathon looked at the customers farther along the counter. “I’ll be back soon.”

While waiting, I sat at a table and checked my emails.

“Riley! It’s good to see you.”

I looked up as Jonathon welcomed someone into the store.

A man about my age smiled. “It’s good to be here. I had to get away from my studio for a few minutes.”

“You’ve come to the right place. I’ll be with you soon.”

Unless another man named Riley lived in Sunrise Bay, the person standing in line was Alex’s friend’s fiancé.

As the people in front of Riley were served, I watched the two men interact. They were obviously good friends. They joked about Riley’s upcoming wedding and worried about how much work they had to fit in before Christmas.

Unlike Riley and Jonathon, I’d given up rescheduling my work. Right now, I didn’t know where I would be from one week to the next.

When Jonathon mentioned some of the Christmas parties he’d been invited to, I sighed. Since moving to Boulder, I’d been so busy I hadn’t considered my nonexistent social life. It took Alex to make me realize what I was missing. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, my brother’s canceled wedding made me even more determined to find my happy-ever-after.

By the time Riley ordered a mug of hot chocolate, I was feeling sorry for myself. Sometimes having a great career wasn’t enough.

“I’m sorry it took so long to get back to you,” Jonathon said as he sat beside me.

“That’s okay. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I tried to call, but you’ve been busy.”

“I turn off my cell phone when I’m serving at the front counter. How can I help?”

I chose my words carefully. Jonathon was a good friend of Alex’s, and unless Eric had talked to him, he wouldn’t know Alex was in the hospital.

“It’s about Alex. He’s moving to Sunrise Bay, but I can’t find anything for him to rent. He said your house might be available.”

“What happened to his home?”

“Nothing. It’s perfectly fine, but he had an accident two days ago. Moving here will make it easier to get to doctor’s appointments and meet with his physical therapist. ”

Jonathon’s eyes widened. “Is he okay?”

“He’s better than he was.” Jonathon didn’t seem like the type to overreact, so I told him the truth. “He was shot in the arm. He’s okay, but he needs to take things slowly for a while.”

Jonathon’s eyes widened even more. “How bad is it?”

“No bones were broken, but there’s a lot of muscle damage.”

“Did the bullet hit an artery?”

I took a closer look at Jonathon.

“I was a nurse before I moved to Sunrise Bay.”

“The brachial artery was damaged.”

Jonathon’s face lost some color. “Was he at his house when it happened?”

I nodded. “The rescue helicopter flew him to the hospital. He went into the operating room almost as soon as he arrived.”

Jonathon rubbed his temples. “I can’t believe that happened. How did you stop the bleeding?”

“I used to be in the Army. The trauma kit in my truck has a supply of XStat. It gave Alex enough time to get to the hospital.”

“It would have saved his life.” Jonathon took a deep breath. “To answer your question, no one’s renting my house. Alex is welcome to live there, but I won’t accept any money from him. He’s my friend.”

“That’s kind of you, but he wants to pay rent.”

Jonathon sighed. “We can talk about that after you’ve seen the house. I can’t leave the store for a couple of hours, but if you want to have a look without me, you can.”

“That’d be great.”

“I’ll write down the address and give you the keys. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. I need to use the back half of the garage for storage, but if Alex is happy with that, he can move in whenever he likes.”

I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. “Is it okay if myself and two other people stay with Alex for a few weeks? We’re still working on a project together.”

“That’s fine. Slowing down won’t be easy for him.”

“You can say that again.” Another group of people walked into Candy Lane. “He won’t be any busier than you are. Each time I come here, the store’s full of people.”

Jonathon sighed. “Sometimes, I feel as though I’m juggling so many things that nothing gets done. But that’s a whole different conversation. I’ll be back soon with my house keys.”

While Jonathon was gone, I watched the people in the candy store. Sunrise Bay was so much more than a small town on the edge of Willow Lake. It was a community who cared about each other, a place that had become a viable future for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

It could be a good place for me, too. I’d have time to make friends, think about what I want, and decide how much my life would have to change if Alex was part of my future.