Aspen doesn’t wait for me, hopping out and joining me in front of the Jeep.
“This is home?”
Home. I’ve never really thought about it like that. It’s a base. A place I come to when I’ve run out of other places to go.
“This is it,” I say.
“Show me around?” she asks.
“What would you like to see first?”
“An impossible decision, really,” she deadpans. “Where are we, exactly?”
“The edge of Coyote Creek and Bramble. The plot of land is part of Perdition Ranch. I lease it from the ranch owners in exchange for keeping an eye on the fences out this way.”
“The view is . . .” She turns, her arms wrapping around her. “It’s incredible. I can’t believe you live here. I get it now.”
“Yeah?”
“Uh-huh,” she says, rubbing her arms over the sweatshirt.
“You’re freezing, aren’t you.”
“The dress was only practical while the sun was out.”
“Why don’t you change while I check things over and then we can head out before it gets much darker.”
“So, no tour?”
“You’ll still get the grand tour. Come on, Angel.” I round the Jeep, swinging the bag she packed over the side, and leading her toward the camper.
When we come around the side of it, I spot a problem straight away. My fingers tightens on the strap.
And things were going so well.
The front tire is flat as the plains, the rim resting on the red dirt.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
Aspen stops beside me. “What?”
I point at the tire. “Flat.”
After the day we’ve had, all I want is to curl up with Aspen, eat some dinner, and just be with her. Now we’ve got this to deal with.
“I’ll grab the jack,” I say.
Aspen’s already moving, catching my arm before I can take another step. “You are not wrestling a tire after everything your body’s been through.”
“It’s one tire.”
“And one stupid decision away from setting your recovery back.”
I exhale through my nose. If she weren’t here, I’d muscle through it and deal with the consequences later. But there’s no winning against a determined nurse.
“Fine,” I mutter. “I’ll supervise.”
Her grin turns smug instantly. “Perfect. You can use your words and point at things.”
