“After this, what’s next?”
“Which peak posed the greatest challenge?”
Kenzie couldn’t hold herself back. She ran into his arms, pressed her face into his chest, fighting tears. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
He held her tight, kissed her, ignoring the reporters. “God, I missed you.”
“Your mom, Joanie, and her boys are here, too.”
“Harrison!” Laurie hurried over.
“Hey, Mom.”
Kenzie stepped aside, making room so Laurie and Joanie could welcome him home, the two of them hugging him tight.
Joanie blinked back tears. “He loved you like a brother.”
Harrison kissed Joanie on the cheek. “I loved him, too.”
Harrison answered a few questions from reporters before they headed out to the minivan Kenzie had rented to transport both people and gear.
He looked up at the Rockies. “I can’t wait to get home.”
Kenzie had to warn him. “The town has gone crazy over this, so be ready. They want to have a reception for you at Knockers tomorrow. They’re talking about naming a street after you.”
“What?” He grinned, shook his head. “That’s bananas.”
They drove out of Denver and toward Scarlet Springs, the boys asking Harrison a thousand different questions, including the heartbreaking, “Did you see our dad?”
“No, I didn’t see him, but I did feel him up there.”
They were a couple miles outside of Scarlet when they saw their first sign.
Welcome home, Conrad, you badass!
It wasn’t the only one. As mountain residents often did in the wake of big events, people had spray painted messages onto old boards, squares of plywood, or anything else they had lying around.
It warmed Kenzie’s heart to see how the words touched Harrison.
Just outside Scarlet, they came to the town limits.
Scarlet Springs Town Limit, Pop. 1,458, Elevation 8,936.
But the sign had changed. Someone had tacked on a two-by-four.
Home of Harrison Conrad.
“Good grief.” He shook his head again, but there was a smile on his face.
“You must be tired,” Laurie said. “We should let you catch up on sleep.”
Harrison nodded. “Pretty beat, yeah.”
Kenzie dropped Laurie, Joanie, and the boys off at the Forest Creek Inn and headed home. “The dogs are going to go crazy when they see you.”
He grinned. “I can’t wait.”
He stepped through the front door, arms loaded, to a welcoming committee that whined and licked and wagged tails and jumped on him. “Hey, Gabby, girl. God, I missed you. You, too, Gizmo. Hey, Prince, you loverboy. Yes, good doggies!”
