Gen’s truck into a handyman vehicle. There were bits and pieces of just about everything organized in boxes and staged in the truck’s bed. He put the nails back into the box he was taking back to the hardware store and unbuckled his belt, laying that and his gloves in another box.
“Let’s walk. It isn’t far and it will give us time to visit.” She grabbed his hand.
He glanced at the scant city block he had to walk and nodded. He dropped his arm over her shoulder, and they ambled down the little town’s street. “Have you heard from Jamison lately?”
“He called this morning. Nothing new.” They’d lucked out and caught an ATM picture of Cyrus in San Diego. He’d used Docker’s card with the correct pin number. No doubt Cyrus forced the agent to tell him the number. That was five days ago.
“Well, that… sucks.” Eden gave a half-hearted laugh. “But at least that means he probably hasn’t killed anyone else.”
That we know of. He hummed his agreement.
“Are you almost done with the repair work?”
“We are. It went faster than I thought it would that first night.” He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head as they walked. “You picked a damn good town.”
“Right?” She smiled up at him. “They all love you.”
He grimaced. He’d worked people hard, but he put in just as much effort. “I doubt that.”
“It’s true.” They stepped off the blacktop into the pea gravel in front of the Spur as the locals called the Bit and Spur. “It’s kind of hard to believe it’s only been a few months since we met outside this door.”
He stopped and pulled her into his arms. “Time is irrelevant when you know what’s in your heart.”
She smiled up at him. “I’m going to quote you on that. The scientific journals will have a field day. ‘Psychiatrist who understands what a woman needs to hear.’ That is banner news, Doctor Wheeler, but not exactly what the Freudian scholars would approve of, is it?”
He stepped to the side of the door and tugged her to him, staring into her eyes. “Screw the medical journals and anyone else who hasn’t been in our shoes. I know what my heart wants and it’s you. I’m in love with you, Eden Wade.” He lowered, capturing her gasp in his kiss. She wound her arms around his neck while he claimed her. He hadn’t planned on saying the words so soon, but he knew what he felt. It was fast, but he didn’t care.
When he lifted away, she stared up at him. Her kiss-swollen lips were glossy as a smile spread across them. “I love you, too. And yes, it’s fast, and no, I don’t care.”
He smiled as her words echoed his thoughts. Glancing at the door he suggested, “Let’s just go home.”
She blinked and stepped back. “Ah, no, let’s just go in for a quick drink. We’re here already. It will be a celebration.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her. “What is going on?”
“Nothing. Come on.” Grabbing his hand, she dragged him into the bar.
When they entered, close to a hundred people were there. Someone started a rendition about him being a jolly good fellow and the rest took it up. Eden beamed up at him. Just about everyone he’d worked with in the last ten days was present. Handshakes and congratulations on a job well done came from friends, new acquaintances, and the people he’d helped after the storm. He kept Eden by his side as he worked his way through the congratulations.
Gen hugged him. “You did well, big brother. Thank you.”
“I just did what everyone else was doing.”
Gen shook her head. “No, you did more. The only time you took away from the repair work was to see your patients. You’re one in a million.” She lifted her empty beer. “I’m having one more of these and then heading home.” She kissed him on the cheek and headed toward the bar.
Phil stood up on a chair and whistled to get everyone’s attention. “Someone get those two a drink while I talk. Now, Doc Wheeler here isn’t a typical city slicker. We saw that fact with our own eyes as that man worked beside us. He’s learning. Give him two or three more storms and he’ll be able to roof a house by himself.” The crowd laughed and Jeremiah lifted his beer glass in acknowledgment of his deficiencies. “But I want to tell you things you didn’t know. The Doc