“I know how she feels.” In truth, Conrad had barely left his house since coming home, and it felt good to be outside again. The sun was shining. The aspens had turned, clothing the mountains in gold. The high peaks were topped with snow.
Kenzie glanced at her watch. “I need to get going. I’ve got—”
“Kenzie? Conrad?” A man’s voice came from behind them.
“Hey, Jesse!” Kenzie waved.
Conrad turned to see Jesse Moretti walking his way with his twins, Daisy and Daniel, who had grown a lot while Conrad had been away. They didn’t look like babies now. They looked like, well, kids. How old were they? Four?
Conrad got to his feet. “Hey, Moretti.”
Moretti drew him into a bear hug, grinning from behind mirrored sunglasses. “You son of a… ”
He stopped, glanced down at his kids, cleared his throat, and started over. “It’s great to see you. I’d heard you were back in town.”
Moretti was a former Army Ranger who’d come to Colorado to cope with war trauma and had fallen in love with climbing. He’d stayed, perfected his skill, and become a primary Team member in just a year.
“Oooh! A puppy!” Daisy shrieked with delight and hurried over to Gabby, her brother turning to follow her.
Conrad tensed, ready to intervene if the kids were too rough, but Kenzie had it under control.
“Be careful. She’s just a baby. Pet her gently.” She took first Daisy’s hand and then Daniel’s and showed them how it was done. “Like this.”
“She’s just a baby, Danny,” Daisy admonished her brother. “Be nice.”
“I like the puppy, too, Day,” Daniel was especially careful.
“You’re looking good,” Moretti said.
“You, too.”
Moretti had married Ellie Meeks, a war widow and the twins’ mother, shortly after Conrad had left for Everest. Conrad had gotten an invitation before he’d flown to Nepal. “Being a married man and a father seems to be working for you.”
“More than I ever could have imagined.”
Conrad could see that Moretti meant what he said. The man exuded happiness. “You still working up at Ski Scarlet?”
“Yep. We’re hiring for Ski Patrol if you’re interested. It doesn’t pay much, but money is money. Megs says you’re looking for a job.”
Ski Patrol.
Conrad might be able to do that. “How do I apply?”
“Go to the website. I’ll put in a word with my boss, if you like.”
“Sure—if you think that will help.”
Moretti laughed. “It won’t hurt if that’s what worries you. Once he hears you’re interested, he’ll want to hire you. Are you kidding? You would give him someone to brag about. Harrison Conrad, a member of Ski Scarlet’s Ski Patrol.”
Conrad wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
* * *
Kenzie swallowedthe lump in her throat as she drove away from Harrison’s house. She missed Gabby already. Puppies grew up so quickly, and Kenzie didn’t want to miss any of that precious time. But she’d seen the way Harrison’s gaze had gone soft the moment he’d seen Gabby. He had perked up, put a shirt on, gone down to the park. He’d laughed. He’d gotten some sunshine. He’d even talked about a job with Moretti.
All because of a puppy.
HeneededGabby right now.
