Page 42 of On the Way to You

“Kalo, no!” I jetted after her, but it was too late. She startled the woman and, though he tried, the man couldn’t stop her from slipping and falling on the rocks.

“Shit.”

Emery sprang into action, sprinting past me to help the woman up as I wrangled Kalo back on her leash. Emery and the older gentleman were on either side of the woman, escorting her to a dry rock nearby to sit.

“I’m so, so sorry,” I said, Kalo still pulling against her leash to try to lick the poor woman. “I know I should have kept her on the leash, she’s been cooped up in the car all day, I thought she’d be fine. I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” the woman said, a wide, toothy smile on her pleasant face. She had long gray hair that hung down to the middle of her back and eyes that crinkled at the edges. Her frame was slight, and she wore a Native American print dress over black leggings and boots. If I had to guess, I’d have said they were both in their sixties or so. “I may look fragile, but these old bones are a lot more sturdy than they appear.”

“You just wanted an excuse to get in the waterfall, Nora. You don’t fool me,” the man teased, his gray-blue eyes twinkling as he handed her a bottle of water. He was taller and rounder than her, but his hair was the same silver, and he watched her with love and adoration. “You okay, dear?”

“I’m fine.” She swatted at the bottle, signaling him to put it away. Then her eyes trailed up Emery’s arms, locking on his face. “And you’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t want to get in the water, but I did want to be saved by a strong young man.”

It took everything in me not to laugh as a red tinge shaded Emery’s already pink skin. I didn’t think it was possible for him to blush.

“Well, I can’t blame you there,” I said.

“What’s her name?” Nora asked, holding out her hand for a very impatient Kalo. She licked it immediately, tail wagging against my legs.

“Kalo.”

“Australian shepherd?”

I nodded. “Yes ma’am. She’s a mix.”

“She’s beautiful,” the man said. “You two from around here?”

“Just passing through, on our way up to Washington,” Emery answered, petting Kalo’s head along with Nora.

“Ah, we love that state. So many beautiful things to see. Newlyweds?”

Emery and I both laughed at that, his a little more genuine than my high-pitched panicked one. I opened my mouth to tell him that we had really just met, but Emery cut me off.

“Yes, actually. But you wouldn’t know that, since she wears her ring on the wrong hand,” he said, eyes on my best friend ring as I just gaped at him. “We’re from a small town and our parents don’t exactly approve of us being together, so we eloped.”

Nora smiled up at her husband, their hands intertwining where his rested on her shoulder. She turned her attention back to us after a moment. “That will be some coming home party.”

“You’re telling us,” Emery agreed with a laugh.

I was still gaping.

“I’m Glen, by the way,” the man said, extending his hand to shake Emery’s first before mine. “This is Nora. We’re passing through, too. On our way down to Florida.”

“That’s where we came from,” Emery mused. “What part are you heading to?”

“Whatever part isn’t freezing,” Nora answered quickly, and I chuckled. They were runningtothe heat while I was running to escape it.

“Are you guys staying in Colorado Springs for the night, then?” Glen asked.

Kalo finally plopped down on the ground next to me, and I rubbed behind her ear as Emery answered.

“Yeah, I think we’re going to get a room up at the resort where we parked the car.”

Nora looked up at Glen, the two sharing a knowing glance before she waved her hands at us. “You two should join us for dinner. We’re camping not too far from here, and we’ve got plenty. It’ll help save a little more money for a real honeymoon.”

I flushed again, and Emery grinned at me, clearly finding joy in my discomfort. “What do you think,honey? You down for a little camping?”

I murdered him twelve times with my eyes in that moment, but smiled nonetheless. “As long as you keep me warm by the fire,sweetie.”