Evers & Afters (Dare With Me #2) - J.H. Croix Page 0,4

had a petite build, and even when she was dressed casually, she looked perfectly put together. She was a shockingly good cook and had made our lives here even better, just because she spoiled us like crazy. Ending up with a chef who could probably have a hit restaurant in any city out here in the middle of almost nowhere Alaska was pretty freaking awesome.

“My leg is fine,” I replied. Because it was. My ankle was achy, but that was to be expected.

She gave me another smile. “All right. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Daphne turned and hurried away, leaving me alone with Flynn. Flynn Walker was one of my best friends and also technically my boss. He sat down in the chair Daphne, ever helpful, had situated beside my bed. His eyes flicked down toward my ankle, which was in a fucking cast. He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back in the chair.

Flynn and I had served in the Air Force together. Aside from Flynn’s brother, and his sister, Nora, who was finishing her flight training hours, the rest of us had met during our time in the Air Force. Flynn had left the Air Force two years before me to come home and take care of his younger siblings after their mother died. Flynn’s father disappeared long ago, and his stepfather, father to the rest of his siblings, had passed away a few years earlier. In a way, Flynn was the father his siblings never had. He’d pulled everything together and gotten this outdoor resort up and running.

Working here was a dream job for me. I got to fly planes all the time, and flying planes in Alaska was pretty sweet. The view was incredible no matter where you were.

Flynn’s sharp gaze made its way back to my face. “Are you okay?’

I lifted a shoulder in a light shrug. “Define okay.”

He chuckled. “Dude, I know it sucks. You’ll be on your feet soon. How is the pain? Really.”

“Tolerable.”

Flynn was one of the few people who knew about my prior brush with getting a little too comfortable with painkillers. I didn’t want any. I would just live with the pain rather than tempt my body back to that place.

While those pills could work magic for pain, they hijacked your brain. I’d take pain any day over that feeling of standing on the edge of desperation.

“It would help if you mentioned to Daphne why you don’t want to take any meds. She won’t bug you about it then,” he offered.

I leaned back in the pillows, letting out a ragged sigh. “Dude, I know you love her, but I fucking hate talking about that shit.”

“I don’t want you to tell her because I love her. She gets it. She’s been through her own version of hell, and she won’t judge you. But maybe if she knows, she won’t nag you.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“What did the doctor say about how long you’ll need that cast?” he asked, kind enough to change the subject.

“He said six to eight weeks. I’ll be ready to fly before you know it,” I replied.

“You’re not flying anywhere until you have medical clearance,” Flynn said, just as Diego came in the room.

Diego Jackson was another friend from the Air Force. Like me, when Flynn gave him the chance to fly planes for a living in God’s country, he jumped at it.

Diego chuckled, his eyes flashing as he divided his gaze between Flynn and me. “Flynn’s gonna be strict about that. You can be my copilot anytime, even with a cast on.”

Flynn cast him a glare. “Dude, don’t pull that shit.”

Diego stopped beside the bed as he cuffed Flynn lightly on the shoulder. “Just fucking with you. Daphne’s making your favorite muffins. She says they’ll be ready in an hour.”

Flynn stood from his chair, stepping back. Gesturing to it, he commented, “Why don’t you keep cranky here company? I was just coming in to check in and let you know I’ll be in town today. You need anything?”

“I can’t do anything, so what would I need?” I returned.

Diego hooked his hand on the back of the chair, turning it to face toward the windows as he sat down. “You can do stuff. You just gotta walk on your crutches.”

I rolled my eyes. Flynn turned and began walking out of the room, pausing by the door. “Text me if you think of anything. I’ll stop by the grocery store before I come back.”

“Make sure to get