Here you will find bits and pieces of backstory from the points of view of secondary characters in my Six of One series.  Some of these snips will be included in future published works, but not all of them.  I'm sharing them here for readers with a deeper interest in the characters.  These entries have not been professionally edited so please excuse any little errors or inconsistencies.  And please, do not copy or share anything from this page.

 

Just as in the published works, these stories will often include adult content.  Some pieces will center on my main characters as children and teenagers and will spotlight their youthful explorations in sensuality.  A notation will appear at the beginning of those stories for anyone who does not wish to read that type of content.  Long-time readers of mine will be familiar with my work in this subject matter and will know what to expect.  Others, please use discretion and caution.  It is not my intention to offend anyone.   

 

These entries will not be in any chronological order; they are 'scenes' I've written to help me see the larger picture of the lives of my Kathryn and Kellan Broch.  Each entry will be noted by the date it was added to this page and will list the character 'speaking'.

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Just a reminder that comments are not enabled on my blog.  If you would like to discuss anything you read here, please drop by my author Facebook page and start a discussion.  All opinions are welcome, but please be civil and use punctuation.

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I hope you enjoy these glimpses into the understory of Mount Iolite.  Some of these are my very favorite moments.

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Scene Title:  The Peach

Date Posted: March 21, 2019

Speaker: Sandie (local woman in M.T.I., timeline 2008)

Content Level: PG-13 

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The new girl was sweet, but Sandie didn’t think she had the goods to stick out the server circuit in M.T.I.

 

During the high seasons, most of the locals with any restaurant skills worked at two or more of the eateries and watering holes in town. It was a grueling work-until-you-fell-down schedule, but the quiet times when one could truly enjoy the beautiful area made it all worth it. The freedom of that schedule alone had been the reason Sandie moved to Mount Iolite from Reno the year before.

 

Marlena relocated from Humboldt where she’d recently graduated with a degree in agriculture. She was pressed from the same mold as most of the young women drawn to the high desert mountains: lean, athletic body, glossy, thick hair down to her waist, big, friendly eyes and a smile for everyone she met. She liked to be called ‘Marley’ and was a pretty good drinker for being a whip of a girl. She was hired at the Rhino a week before and Sandie offered to train her.

 

So far, she’d been doing well for someone with only barista experience under her belt. Marley was a good listener and did everything Sandie told her; she learned quickly and kept a great attitude even when things went bonkers during busy times. The customers liked her, which was half the battle when those customers were locals. They had expectations of the wait staff at the Rhino and could get surly if their standards weren’t met.

 

On a sunny Wednesday between lunch and dinner service, Sandie and Marley sat in the kitchen cleaning and refilling ketchup bottles. Perched on stools at a prep table, they sipped ice tea and kept an eye on the few customers in the dining room through the line cook’s pass-through.

 

“You’re getting the hang of everything really quick. Are you liking it?”

 

Marley smiled as she carefully poured one half-full bottle of ketchup into another. “I think so. The people are nice and I’m feeling more confident when it’s busy. At least I haven’t dropped food on anyone yet. That’s my biggest fear.”

 

Sandie chuckled. “My first week, I dumped one of those giant tankers of ice tea all over this couple who were on their first date. Amazingly, they were really cool about it. It just depends on how you react when you mess up. They made jokes about having a funny story to tell at their wedding.”

 

“That’s cool. If that happens to me, I hope I’m that lucky.”

 

The bell over the front door rang and they both glanced up to see how many new guests had come in. It was just one and he went directly to the bar to chat with Max. Sandie noted the tight white t-shirt Evan MacTavish wore with his ratty Levi’s. He had the already short sleeves rolled to show off the new ink high up on the inside of his right arm. His skin was tanned and glowing with health, which made Sandie smile. The boy had been a wreck when he came back from the war last year. It was great to see him fully recovered and thriving. Then again, the Brochs had only left M.T.I. a week ago, so their glow was still all over him.

 

“He’ll probably stay at the bar so Max has him.” Sandie took a clean towel to the bottle she’d just filled, then reached for the next one.

 

Marley, however, was frozen in place. Her smooth skin had gone pale as a sheet and her pretty brown eyes were wide like she’d seen the ghost of Jesus.

 

Alarmed, Sandie rested a hand on the girl’s slim shoulder. “You okay?”

 

Marley blinked, laughed nervously, then returned her attention to the ketchup bottles. “Yeah, totally. Sorry. Do you know that guy that just came in?”

 

Sandie glanced out at the dining room again. Evan had parked himself on a stool near the pinball machines and Max put a drink down in front of him. She knew it was a Jack and Coke because that’s all he and Kellan ever drank. “Yes. Evan MacTavish is a born and raised local—there aren’t too many of those. He’s been here his whole life except for when he was overseas in the war.”

 

“Afghanistan?”

 

“Yep. Only back about a year.”

 

Marley was still working on her ketchups, but her eyes were glued to the young man at the bar. “He’s hot.” She spoke so softly, it might have been a prayer.

 

“Yes. And he’d be the first to tell you so.” Sandie shook her head.

 

“I’d forgive a guy that hot for being stuck-up. Do you know if he has a girlfriend?”

 

Sandie reached for her ice tea and took a thoughtful sip. “I’m not sure how to answer that. He’s got a girl but she doesn’t live here all the time—only a few months a year—so they’ve been keeping things lose. When she is here, they’re tight as hell, though. She’s what we call a summer local. Her family owns a cabin down on Bonny and she comes up for a few months at a time every year.”

 

“Is she cool?”

 

“Oh yeah, Kath’s great. She comes up with her little brother. They have a band; do a lot of shows locally. I’m sure you’ll see them eventually.”

 

Marley gave that data serious consideration as she gathered the bottles she’d cleaned. “Her name’s ‘Kath’? Sounds like she might be a badass.”

 

“That’s certainly been said.” Sandie smirked. “But again, when she’s not here, Evan’s not tied up. This is common knowledge in town. I mean, he won’t be available to date, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be … ya know, friends.” She nodded toward the bottles in Marley’s hands. “As long as you’re cool with that, why don’t you bring those out there and say hello.”

 

After another moment’s deliberation, Marley shored herself up. She held the ketchup bottles close against her belly, then backed out through the batwing door to the dining room.

 

Sandie watched her deliver clean bottles to a few of the booths along the window before she went to the middle of the room. Evan had been watching Marley from the moment she came out of the kitchen. His gray-blue eyes took inventory of the girl’s long legs poured into tight black jeans, the gentle curve of her compact ass and the sweep of her long light-brown ponytail at her waist. When she met his eyes from the table in the center of the room, Evan flashed his flirty, pretty-boy smile.

 

“Hey. New girl, right?”

 

“Right.” She smiled and extended her hand. “I’m Marley.”

 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Evan.” They shook and he continued to watch her placing ketchup bottles on empty tables, especially when she had to bend over to do so.

 

Sandie gave it another minute, then went out with her own bottles. She swung by the bar and elbowed MacTavish playfully in the ribs on her way to her station. “Dog,” she teased.

 

He gave her a light smack on the butt, but he was laughing.

 

It didn’t take him long to engage the girl in a conversation. Between servicing customers, Marley leaned on the bar, chatting and flirting with the handsome blond local boy. As the restaurant filled up for dinner, Sandie saw them leaning closer to each other to be heard over the growing bar noise. Marley slipped him her phone number before he left for the night.

 

Back in the kitchen after closing, Sandie and Marley sat in the manager’s office going through their evening checkout. When the manager stepped out to go the register, Marley leaned in to whisper.

 

“Evan texted me. He wants me to stop by after my shift.”

 

Sandie wasn’t surprised by this, but acted like she was. “Stop by his house? At 1:00 in the morning?”

 

The young girl took out her phone and scrolled through the messages, holding the screen up for Sandie to see. There was a lengthy exchange she only glanced at, culminating in his invitation.

 

                     I’m not working tomorrow so I’ll be up late. Come by after work for a drink. 319 Crawley St.

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Since Marley was new in town, she said, “Is that in the village here, or down canyon?”

 

“It’s right here, down the road from the bar. He just bought that house a few months ago.”

 

She blinked. “He owns a house? He’s only, like, 24.”

 

Counting out a stack of singles, Sandie said, “He got a break on the price from the previous owners because he’s a wounded veteran. It’s a long story. I’m sure he’ll tell you about it if you ask.” She winked. “Listen, Marley—you’re welcome to have fun and enjoy the hot boy and everything, but remember what I said about Evan not being available. I don’t want you to get all tangled up emotionally when there’s nothing to grab onto there. Plus, small towns suck with stuff like that.”

 

“I gotcha,” she said. “All good. And thanks for looking out for me.”

 

The manager returned and closed both of them out for the evening. Sandie walked to the parking lot with Marley, taking note of how anxious the girl was becoming. She kept looking in the direction of the houses in the village and checking the time on her phone. They were parked next to each other in the small lot behind the building. Marley leaned on her open car door watching Sandie toss her handbag into her own backseat.

 

“So?” Sandie said. “Are you going by?”

 

Marley looked toward the village again, then took a deep breath. “Actually, no.” She smiled proudly. “I’m going home and taking a hot bath. See you tomorrow. Good night.”

 

“Good night.” Sandie knew Marley was renting a studio apartment near the entrance of town, in the opposite direction of the village. She waited, pretending to be engaged with something on her phone, until Marley pulled out of the lot and headed for the main road. Sandie watched the girl pause for a long time at the stop sign, then ultimately turn toward the village. She wasn’t surprised.

 

 

***

 

 

After coming in early to help with an especially busy breakfast, Sandie was already in the kitchen when Marley arrived for her lunch shift the next day. There was no one in the Rhino at 11:00am except Julio the bar back, getting things ready for Max to come on duty. Marley clocked in, got her apron, then came to the dining room to help Sandie with the lunch set-ups.

 

“How was your bath?” Sandie stood close and lowered her voice in case Julio decided to get curious.

 

Marley placed a small stack of napkins at the end of one of the booth tables. Her expression reminded Sandie of someone trying to converse in a language they didn’t quite speak. “I … decided to go to Evan’s after all.”

 

Crossing her arms, Sandie gave a knowing smile. “I confess that I knew that. I saw you turn toward the village after you drove out of the lot last night.”

 

Sheepishness flitted over Marley’s face, but that confused expression intensified. She leaned against the table, glancing at Julio and whispering. “Something kinda strange happened.”

 

Sandie frowned. “Wait, he didn’t do anything weird to you sexually, did he? I’ll kill him.”

 

“No, not at all!” Marley held up her hand. “He was very sweet and, you know, made sure I enjoyed myself and everything. He was yummy.” She dug her hands in the pockets of her jeans as though she might find the words she wanted in there. “We had sex twice and by then it was like 3:30 in the morning. He was falling asleep so I got up to get dressed. My boots were on the floor next to the bed and when I bent down to pick them up, I saw some photos sticking out between the mattress and box spring.” Her cheeks colored. “I know it was none of my business, but I was curious and he was half asleep, so …”

 

Lifting her eyebrows, Sandie grinned encouragingly. “If I’d just done him twice, I would have looked at those, too—anyone would have. So, what were they?”

 

Marley’s frown deepened. “That’s the strange thing. They were of this really hot guy with dark hair and pretty, sort of orangey-brown eyes.” 

 

Sandie swallowed but didn’t say anything yet.

 

“He was in bed in the pictures. They looked like they were either selfies or taken by someone lying right next to him.”

 

“Were they porn?” Sandie had to ask.

 

“Not exactly.” Marley sighed, frustrated. “The guy was naked, but the sheets were up over his waist.” She laughed nervously. “I saw his bare hip in one of them, but they weren’t dick pics or anything. There was just something so … I don’t know, erotic about the pictures. The way the guy was looking into the camera gave me chills. These weren’t magazine pictures, they were prints of photos.”

 

Reaching into her apron pocket for her phone, Sandie scrolled through her photos looking for a group she’d taken a few weeks ago at the Rhino. There were two snaps in particular she was after and when she found them, she handed the phone to Marley.

 

“Was this the guy in the pictures?”

 

The girl’s pretty eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Totally this guy. God, he’s so hot. Who is he?”

 

Before she replied, Sandie reached over to swipe the screen to the next photo. “He’s this girl’s baby’s brother.” The image was of Kathryn laughing with her long, thick hair flowing down over her slim shoulders. She had no make-up on other than a touch of tinted lip balm, but the light in the shot had hit her in a way that made her look like a super model.

 

“Holy shit.” Marley’s frown deepened. “Please don’t tell me this is The Girlfriend.”

 

Sandie draped her arm over Marley’s shoulders. “Sorry, doll. That’s Kath Broch and the hot boy is her brother, Kellan. They are The Girlfriend and The Best Friend of Hot Mr. Last Night.”

 

All Marley could do was sigh as she swiped back and forth between the two photos. She paused on Kellan’s, finger zooming for better detail on his face. “His eyes are so crazy. It’s like they burn.”

 

“Everything about him burns,” Sandie laughed. “Trust me. He’s a heart-breaker whenever he’s in town, even if he doesn’t mean to be.”

 

“But he likes girls, right? Kellan?”

 

“Graphically.” Sandie rolled her eyes. “He and Ev together are the biggest skirt-chasing hounds I’ve ever witnessed. Not that the skirts do much running away, mind you.”

 

“Right.” Marley handed the phone back, but her perplexed frown persisted. “Evan was half asleep when I found the pictures, like I said, but he saw me looking at them. I asked him ‘who’s the cutie?’ and he got this sexy little grin on his face. He was mumbling but I heard him clearly say ‘that’s peach’, and then he conked out.” Marley pursed her pink-painted lips. “He was lying on his back with his hands tucked under the pillow. He has this big tattoo on his right bicep that’s new—it’s still scabbed over. It’s this huge peach. When he said ‘that’s peach’, I started thinking that tattoo was about that guy in the pictures, but … that doesn’t make any sense unless Evan’s bisexual, right? I mean, why would you get a tattoo like that about someone unless you were doing each other?”

 

Sandie shrugged then went to the shelves by the wall where the utensils were kept and brought back a handful of forks and knives to be placed on the tables. She split the pile with Marley. They stayed close together while they worked and kept their voices low.

 

“I’ve been in M.T.I. just over a year,” Sandie said. “And one of the very first pieces of micro-town gossip I heard was about Evan MacTavish and the Brochs. There was a lot of threesome talk and bullshit of that nature, but I blew it off as small town jaw-flapping. But when I finally saw them all together, I understood why the rumor mill was grinding so hard.”

 

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Julio couldn’t hear them, then pointed to the booth at the far end of the window wall. “They were sitting right there drinking and munching on a plate of fries. Kath was on the inside by the window and had her feet on the bench across from her, next to her brother. Kellan and Evan were sitting opposite each other. You could see their knees and calves sort of rubbing under the table. This was a year ago so they were 22 or 23. That’s not the behavior of young guys who chase skirts.”

 

“No,” Marley said. “But they’re best friends so maybe they were just being affectionate?”

 

“Maybe. I didn’t give it much thought myself, but the other servers working that day made the biggest stink out of it. All this yap about how someone saw those two guys making out on the Robbin Lake trail last week, and how they used to disappear for hours up at Swamp Rock when they teenagers—some crap about a pup tent. All these horseshit reports. It didn’t seem like anyone knew anything for sure. It wasn’t until the next time they came up that I got to know Kath a little.”

 

They’d completed the set up and headed into the back, tucking into the doorway of the linen closet to continue. The dishwashers and cooks were busy in the kitchen and too far away to hear them.

 

Sandie leaned in. “She and I became friends and hung out a little while they were here last fall. They invited a bunch of people to their cabin down on Bonny for a BBQ one night and Kath and I got into this long, alcohol-induced conversation. I told her the stupid stuff I’d heard about her brother and her boyfriend and I remember her giving me this look. She was sort of smirking in this knowing way. I asked her if the rumors were actually true. She pointed across their backyard to where her brother and Evan were sitting at a picnic table and said ‘you tell me’.”

 

Marley moved closer, her eyes widening slightly. “What were they doing?”

 

“They were both drunk and hanging all over each other, laughing. They were talking to a bunch of other people seated around the table. Kellan rested his head on Evan’s shoulder right here,” Sandie pointed to the spot on her arm where she’d seen Evan’s new peach tattoo earlier in the week, “and he fit into the curve of Evan’s body like he’d been born there. Evan’s fingers were in Kellan’s hair while he was talking; he wasn’t even aware he was doing it. They were both totally engaged in their conversation, but there was all this PDA.” She shook her head. “I’m not gonna lie, girl; they’re both so damn hot that it was really sexy watching them be all lovey-touchy like that. I couldn’t help imagining what they got up to when no one was watching.”

 

Marley’s eyes sparkled a little and she blushed. “Can I tell you something else about last night?”

 

“If you want to.”

 

Looking around the kitchen, Marley determined they couldn’t be heard by any of their coworkers. Her cheeks flushed a little darker. “There was a t-shirt tucked under one of the pillows on his bed. My hand caught it when he had me on my back, but he didn’t see. His attention was elsewhere.”

 

“I hope so,” Sandie grinned.

 

“Right? Anyway, we’d been making out for a while and I’d commented on how good he smelled. It wasn’t like cologne or anything; just his skin. It’s a great, but very distinctive scent. I thought this t-shirt was his for sleeping in and I kinda brought it to my nose to smell it. The shirt was obviously a little dirty, but the scent was totally different—not like Evan at all.”

 

Sandie waggled her brow. “Did you see the shirt—like the color of it or if it had anything printed on it?”

 

“Yes,” Marley said. “It was old and dark green and it had the logo of a coffee house in Glasgow, Scotland on the front.” Her smile broadened. “This is gonna sound so crazy, but it smelled a little like pastry—like some sweet, warm, buttery thing you’d want to eat ten of when no one was looking. It made me salivate.”

 

Sandie laughed. “That was Kellan’s shirt, all right. I saw him wearing it a few times when they were here. He went to college in Scotland.”

 

“Oh my god.” Marley’s blush was creeping down her neck. She pulled at the color of her t-shirt. “If that’s what Kellan smells like, no wonder Evan got a tattoo in his honor. Yum.”

 

Sandie had more she could have said, but their conversation was interrupted by the manager calling a quick staff meeting about a large party coming in for lunch that day. Marley was on her break when Evan came in for an after-work drink with Henry Hunter. They sat at one of the window booths in Sandie’s station. She brought their order, then sat down next to Evan.

 

He gave her a puckish grin. “Don’t start with me. New girl had a good time.”

 

“I wasn’t gonna say a word about that.” Sandie winked across at Henry. “But she’s really curious about that hot guy in those pictures under your mattress.”

 

Evan sipped his drink and shrugged, but had nothing to add.

 

Henry shook his head. “You let some random girl find compromising photos under your bed?”

 

Laughing, Evan said, “There’s nothing compromising about them. And they were none of her business, anyway. She got what she came for and then some.”

 

“I told her he was your boyfriend,” Sandie deadpanned, making Henry chuckle.

 

Evan’s cheeks colored slightly. “I don’t care what she or anyone else thinks, Sandie. If you’re trying to get a rise out of me, I’m sorry to disappoint.”

 

“Right.” Sandie flattened her hands on the table and stood up. “You, my handsome young friend, are zero fun. I didn’t really say that, by the way. I told her I didn’t know anything for sure because I don’t. But when you told her the guy in the photos was ‘peach’, she drew her own conclusions from your new ink.”

 

“Again,” Evan said. “I don’t care what she thinks.”

 

Sandie lifted an eyebrow. “Since you don't care, is that new ink about Kell?”

 

Those lovely gray-blue eyes leveled at her, but Evan was still smiling. “Yes. Stick that in your gossip pipe and smoke it.”

 

Laughing, she went off to greet some new customers, but there was a little pep in her step. Sandie felt like she’d learned a good secret, but she didn’t feel the need to share it. Not even with Marley. Instead, she would tuck that tidbit away and let it fuel her naughty imagination the next time she saw those two hot young men together.

 

Besides, Sandie knew better than to mess with Kathryn’s boys. Being struck by lightning wasn’t on her agenda that year.

 

~

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Scene Title:  Red Flag

Date Posted: February 19, 2019

Speaker: Kath (23 years of age)

Content Level: PG-13 (language and suggestive comments)

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Vons Supermarket

Bishop, CA

September 2006

 

 

Kathryn scanned their extensive grocery list as Kellan maneuvered the already loaded cart down the canned goods aisle. Well after Labor Day, it was still hot as blazes in the high desert. She’d been happy to be in her thin yellow sundress when they were outside on the road, but she had goosebumps in the air-conditioned grocery store.

 

“I almost forgot what it’s like to be in a proper supermarket.” Kellan leaned over the hand rail of the cart, half walking and half riding it along the gleaming floor. 

 

“The Scots would say it’s wasteful; too many choices.”

 

Kellan nodded. “This Yank is happy to be overwhelmed with options of canned beans.”

 

She smirked as she selected a few varieties of said beans: refried, black, pinto and cannellini.  She put the cans in their cart and continued reading the list. “I’ll make a batch of Grandma’s minestrone and we can freeze some.”

 

“I want tacos.”

 

“Tonight?”

 

“Every night until I pop. I’ve been craving good tacos for five years.”

 

She laughed thinking of how many times they’d already been to Taco Bell and La Salsa since they’re returned to California two weeks earlier. All the Americans they met while in school had the same longing for the familiar comfort of fast Mexican food. Burgers were decent there, but the UK hadn’t quite figured out the art of a perfect taco or a simple bean burrito.

 

Looking down at the list, Kath loosely guided the cart with her fingers. They rounded the corner into the frozen food aisle and she heard her brother snicker from behind her.

 

Sotto voce, he said, “Heads up, girl; tall, blond hotness at ten o’clock.”

 

Kath looked up immediately. 

 

Ahead of them on the left, a young man with messy blond hair down to the top of his spine was rummaging in one of the coolers. His back was to them, so she let her eyes roam the length of him; long, strong legs, beautifully shaped tight ass, all encased in well-worn 501s. Black biker boots. She glimpsed the black leather of his belt just under the hem of his white wife-beater. The man’s waist was narrow and appeared even deeper cut by the broad expanse of his powerful shoulders. 

 

She could make out most of the tattoo spread across his upper back around the armholes of his shirt; an eagle holding up the globe in its talons. Kath had seen that design before on the last leg of their home-bound flight. They’d connected out of JFK and a group of returning soldiers took up the whole first row of coach. Several of them had this design tattooed on arms and shoulders.

 

“The ink’s a Marine thing, right?” Kellan said.

 

“I think so.” 

 

Her eyes moved down the man’s large, sculpted biceps, noting how the dense blond hair along his forearms gleamed flaxen in the florescent light. He wore black aviator sunglasses even though they were indoors. His face was in limited profile, but she took in the generous pout of his full lips as he fished in the cooler. Unkempt golden stubble covered his jaw and part of his throat. 

 

“We didn’t see much of this sort in Scotland,” Kellan said, still amused.

 

She grinned. “Nope; that one’s 100% American made. Grade A Choice, if I do say so myself.”

 

“Go engage. I’ll finish the shopping while you molest him in the rest room.”

 

Never one for being shy, Kath still found herself unwilling to approach this man. Something about him struck a chord of primal unease that she’d never felt. Perhaps it was because he appeared so much stronger than her physically. She’d always felt more comfortable with men she knew she could overtake, should the need arise. This young man could capture and hold her effortlessly—maybe even with only one hand.

 

Her brother pushed the cart forward, bumping into her backside. “What’s the hold up, sissy?”

 

Frowning, she said, “I think I’m afraid of him.”

 

“Why, cuz he’s all inked up and in cop shades?”

 

Eyes still moving over the attractive man’s body, Kath murmured, “I don’t know … something’s flying a red flag.”

 

“Maybe he likes dudes and your gaydar is picking that up,” he smirked.

 

Lowering her chin, she smirked at her brother over her shoulder. “You go talk to him, then.  You spotted him.”

 

Kellan snorted. “Come on. Stop bein’ chicken. He’s totally your type.”

 

“Totally.” Kath eyed the man again but still stayed where she was.

 

He’d found what he was after in the cooler and was consulting a slip of paper, most likely a shopping list like her own. Kath was thoroughly enjoying the long, strong construction of him and her preference had always leaned toward fair-haired men. Still, she just couldn’t make herself walk over to him.

 

Kellan sighed irritably and then she heard one of the cooler doors open. Something sailed past her; a large frozen pizza box. It landed on the floor right at Kath’s feet, flat and loud.

 

Instinctively, the man turned toward the sudden noise, glancing down at its source. His glasses hid his eyes, but he was smirking as he strolled toward them, boot heels thudding solidly on the polished floor. When he was close enough, Kathryn registered his unmistakable features. Her heart began to pound.

 

“Kell …” She tried to speak, but her voice got lost somewhere between shock and excitement. Kathryn didn’t need to speak, anyway. Her brother had seen it, too. 

 

The man striding toward them down the center of the frozen food aisle was none other than Evan MacTavish.

 

He was smiling full out by the time he reached the pizza box. He picked it up and handed it back to Kellan. “Drop somethin’, lady?”

 

Kath was staring, not quite believing this was really her first and only love. He looked so different from the last time she’d seen him when he was only seventeen and still a lean, athletic boy. This full-grown man was bulked up with hard muscles and pulsing with animal sexuality. 

 

He was staring at her, too. Evan took his glasses off and hooked them on the neck of his t-shirt.  Once his slate-blue eyes were exposed, any doubt Kath may have had that this was really him vanished. She swallowed hard. 

 

“Oh my god,” she breathed.

 

Evan smiled at her—into her—and stepped close enough to take her in his arms. “You’re more beautiful than ever, Kathryn.” He drew her into a tight embrace. She worried his sunglasses would be broken between them if he squeezed her any harder.  

 

Kath was in a daze. He was taller than she remembered because of his boots, but also at least three inches larger all the way around. The last time she’d held him, she could feel the bones if his shoulder blades under her hands; now they were encased in tightly chorded muscle. His scent was different, too; a mix of the sun-baked desert dirt, woodsy skin lotion and the acrid sweat of a laborer. It was unspeakably delicious. Kath took a deep breath of him, closing her eyes.  

 

She felt Evan press his nose into her hair, sniffing a few times and then kissing the top of her head. He was smiling when he looked at her. It was the same glowing, boyish smile that had always liquefied her socks, but now it radiated from a handsome man’s tanned face.

 

“You guys didn’t tell me when you were coming,” he was saying, but his voice sounded very far away. Kath feared she may be about to faint. She was so stunned to see him like this, it wouldn’t surprise her if she did.

 

Kellan came around the cart on Evan’s left, his amber brown eyes dancing with unbridled joy.  Evan moved away from her, turning all his attention to her brother. They folded into a long, tight hug, swaying with their eyes closed. She leaned on the cart for balance, watching them run their hands over each other’s backs and shoulders, learning the changed terrain. They held each other’s faces in their hands and touched foreheads, then Evan pulled Kellan close again. For a long time, they didn’t speak and then her brother started laughing.

 

“She was checking you out,” he told Evan. “I spotted this tall, hot blond dude down there and told her to look. Big sis was diggin’ the view big time.”

 

Evan chuckled, grinning at her. “I felt eyes on me, but I was kind of focused.” A brief flash of concern creased his brow as he took hold of her shoulders. “Kathryn, are you okay? You’re really pale.”

 

She nodded and took a much-needed deep breath. “You freaked my shit out, dude, that’s all. I literally did not recognize you until you were right here in front of us. You look so different, Ev.”

 

“Yeah, you said that. I guess I have changed. The Corps really puts a guy through it.”

 

Kellan walked around behind Evan, pushing his t-shirt up and out of the way of the large tattoo. “This is monstrous ink. It’s huge.”

 

“It commemorates a huge experience.” Evan smiled at his boyhood friend, but tugged his shirt protectively back down over his torso.

 

Kellan glanced at his sister, his brow knitting in concern. “Ev, we know you were injured. We’re not afraid to see the scars.”

 

Kathryn didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t agree with that statement. She was terrified to see them, if only to see how close Evan had come to death.

 

He sighed and forced a smile. “Some other time. All that matters is that I’m standin’ here, right?  Got all my fingers and toes and I’m walking and talking.”

 

“Yeah, of course, but …” Kellan stepped close and touched his fingertip to the plump curve of Evan’s mouth. On the right-hand side, there was a thin white vertical scar about an inch long that cut straight across his upper lip. “Someone stabbed you in the face?”

 

“Nah, that was one of our own. Drill sergeant punched me for insubordination,” Evan grinned. “Wasn’t the only time, either.”

 

Kath frowned and put a kiss on her finger that she touched to the thin scar on Evan’s lip. “I hate that you were hurt in any way by anyone. We were so fucking worried about you, Ev.”

 

He opened his arms and pulled them both to him, like he’d done thousands of times when they were kids. Kath and her brother wrapped around him on each side and held on.  

 

Reassuring them, Evan said, “Easy, guys. I just got a little banged up. I was much luckier than some of the guys in my unit. I got to come home and in one piece.”

 

She and Kellan said nothing, they just held on to him next to the coolers of frozen pizza. She’d had just enough time to adjust to the fact that they were really with Evan again so talking about almost losing him in the war was more than she could manage. She felt how tightly her brother was holding Evan and knew he felt the same. 

 

Evan kissed them both on the forehead and then changed the subject. “My Brochs are back in the Eastern Sierra,” he beamed. “Were you going to tell me you’d arrived or had you planned to blow me off?”

 

“Shut up,” Kath said. “We didn’t know for sure when we’d get up here because we had to wait in Lone Pine to pick up some parts Big Jackson ordered for the generator. We were there overnight.” She stepped out of their tight hug, but Kellan remained. 

 

Evan gave him a good squeeze. “I’m okay, Peach. I promise.” 

 

Kellan still gave him a worried frown bordering on tears. Evan lifted his chin. “Buck up, you.  They didn’t turn you into a sissy school boy in the UK, did they?”

 

Kellan smirked. “Not that I’m aware of.”
 

“Good,” Evan said. “So, are you headed up the hill now?”

 

“As soon as we decimate this list,” Kath said. “Dad gave us a million things to do. We should be up in a few hours.”

 

Evan nodded. “Okay. I have an appointment to keep here in town, but I should be back in M.T.I. around 7:00. You guys want to settle in on your own tonight or should I come by? I’ll bring dinner.”

 

Kellan grinned. “Corsero’s?”

 

Laughing, Kath nudged him. “I thought you wanted tacos every night until you popped.”

 

“I can eat both.”

 

“Whatever you want.” Evan put his arms around them both again, giving Kathryn a light kiss. God, she’d missed those gorgeous lips that were somehow more gorgeous decorated by that tiny scar. “7:30?”

 

“Sounds good,” she said against his ear.

 

“I’ll see you cuties then.” He patted her backside playfully and pressed a kiss into Kellan’s cheek, then he walked off toward the checkout lines.

 

They were quiet while they finished their shopping, only talking about gathering the list items. It wasn’t until they came to the liquor section that Kellan stopped the cart and looked at his sister.

 

“There’s something wrong with him.”

 

Kathryn frowned darkly. “He got severely wounded in the war. He’s probably traumatized.”

 

“He doesn’t seem traumatized,” Kellan said. “He just seems . . . off. Not quite Evan, you know?”

 

She knew. She’d sensed the same thing but couldn’t quite articulate it. “That’s why I was afraid of him before we knew it was him. I didn’t want to approach that hot guy because he scared me.” Kath looked at her brother uneasily. “Evan MacTavish has never scared me.”

 

Kellan shook his head. “Maybe we’re imagining it.”

 

“Maybe.”

 

He sighed, trying to shake off the unpleasant feeling. He reached for a bottle of Jack Daniels on the shelf and put it in their cart. “I’m gonna pray that’s the case.”

 

Kath nodded but her gut was tight with anxiety.

 

They focused on finishing their shopping and by the time they reached the alcohol section, she felt less apprehension and more excitement to be back in Mount Iolite. Kellan was so excited to be able to buy alcohol legally in the States that he’d been snatching up bottles wherever they stopped and adding them to the supplies in their vehicles. They probably had enough to stay drunk for a year by then. Still, Kathryn grabbed a bunch of different wines and some vodka, just to round out what would be their first bar in the cabin. She was both excited and scared to be there without their dad, but she knew they could handle it. Plus, Jewel was always there to help.

 

They made their way to the front of the store and chose a line to get into. They both leaned on the cart while they waited, thoughtfully quiet. 

 

“I spoke to Cindy last week,” Kath said. “She said Evan was doing fine—that he seemed to be coping really well with what happened over there, and with being back and all.”

 

Kellan nodded. “He told me they were making him see a doctor down here in Bishop—a counselor. He said they did that with all the soldiers who came home wounded.”

 

“That’s only going to be helpful if he actually talks to this person, and we know how clammed up Evan is.”

 

“Maybe he’s not like that anymore.”

 

Kathryn doubted that. If anything, she expected his experiences in the war to make him even more self-protective. Pulling forward in the line, they began unloading their cart onto the conveyor belt. 

 

“He smells different.” Kellan stacked some paper towels on the belt.

 

“I noticed that, too. But I kinda liked it.”

 

“Me, too. I just noticed it is all.”

 

Kath sighed. “I’m sure we smell different to him, too. We’re all five years older.”

 

He quirked a grin. “We probably smell like bus exhaust and pub food.”

 

“Definitely like those burgers at the White Hart.”

 

“I love those,” her brother said reverently.

 

“Not as much as tacos, though.”

 

“No. Tacos are sacrosanct.”

 

Kath had almost forgotten how strange Evan had seemed by the time they got back to the cars.  They loaded up their groceries and then got behind their respective wheels for the last leg of the drive up the mountain. They were parked next to each other in the large lot that serviced the Vons, the K-mart, the gas station and the lawn and garden supplier. She winked over at Kellan as she pulled on her seat belt. Kath started her engine, and then suddenly burst into tears.

 

The wave of emotion came on so fast and hard, it jolted her physically. She squeezed the steering wheel and let the sobs pull through her. She had no choice, really; they were in control.  She heard Kellan get out of his car and come around to her driver’s side. He tapped anxiously on the window until she opened the door, then leaned in to put his arms around her. 

 

Kellan didn’t ask her what was wrong, he just held onto her until the sobs subsided enough for her to speak. He reached over her lap to the packet of tissues she had in the cup holder, pulling out a few for her.

 

“Thanks.” Kath blew her nose and took a deep breath. “Jesus H!”

 

Still kneeling beside her, Kellan watched his sister’s face with concern. “Was that all about Evan?”

 

“Fuck if I know. It must’ve been, right?”

 

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re just really tired? Haven’t done this long-ass drive in five years.”

 

She looked at him incredulously. “I’ve never been so tired that I suddenly cried hysterically.”

 

“Okay, well … Evan then.”

 

Still uncertain, Kath frowned. “But I’m crazy happy to see him.”

 

“Me, too,” he said.

 

“So, what the fuck? This isn’t me at all.” She blew her nose, pressing on a throbbing point just above her eyes. It went away after a second.

 

“Are you okay now?” he said.

 

“I think so.” She offered a weak smile. “Thanks.”

 

He put a kiss on her cheek as he stood up and headed back to his car. “You’ll feel better once you see Bonny,” he said.

 

“I’m sure.” Kath got a bottle of water out of the small cooler on the passenger floor and took a few deep gulps. She felt steadier right away and thought maybe she was just a bit dehydrated. Putting the car in reverse, she pulled out and followed her brother back to the Interstate.

 

Once they were back on I-395 headed up the Sherwin Grade, Kath felt like herself. She couldn’t wait to see their friends and be at the cabin again. But she still couldn’t shake that strange panic hovering just under her surface. Something was wrong with their precious Evan, and she knew he’d make it nearly impossible to find out what.

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