The log fire crackled and spat in the grate, but it gave out more light than heat. He found his opportunity when they made their first pilgrimage to the burned out cabin on the shores of Little Lake. He’d made his decision weeks earlier, but had chickened out of telling her, growing more anxious with each passing day. The morning he broke the news and damn near broke his own heart in the process. Walker cast his mind back to that early spring morning. Video calls could never make up for them being apart so long. But it had also dragged past in agonizing, super slow motion-especially the times when he crawled, exhausted, into his lonely bed. The years had flown by in a whirl of antiseptic white walls, purple scrubs, and medical textbooks. The thought of seeing his Josie again, this time without a ticking clock to mark the end of her brief holiday visits, made his spirits soar. ![]() They started a few miles out back of the gas station and cast an imposing shadow over the diner. While nursing his drink, Walker continued to stare through the window at the gently rising foothills of the Colorado Rockies. After that, he’d pick his way along narrow back roads and make it safely home.Īlthough he’d only lived there for a few months-winter months at that-Lucky Shores was his home. Hence the additional cup of coffee.īefore leaving Shirley’s Place-the name hanging in lights over the rest stop eatery-he’d get her to fill his two-pint thermos, and the emergency reserve would see him through the final leg of his journey. He’d make Lucky Shores by morning even if he had to drive through the night to do it. Smiling too much in a public place might draw too much attention. Inwardly, Walker smiled, but made sure to keep it from his face. Without doubt, the proximity of the Lucky Shores Diner had everything to do with Walker’s current state of being-his growing excitement and optimism. His decision happened to be scientific in its scope and permanent in its nature. Not that Walker was biased in its favor, of course. ![]() A diner owned by the most beautiful woman on the planet-bar none-and looking out on perhaps the third prettiest view in the world. If things panned out as expected, it would be the place he’d take his next breakfast. The top dog, number one status in the coffee charts, belonged to a different diner altogether. If he kept a personal Billboard Coffee Hot 100, it might have made his top ten. Walker returned it with as much interest as a road-weary traveler could muster.Īlthough not quite the best he’d ever tasted, her coffee was pretty good. It improved his mood, and no doubt the mood of all her patrons. She poured and ran a red-polished nail over the name embroidered on the pocket of her apron. Can’t remember the last time I refused a decent cup of java.” Through the recently -polished windows, the foothills of the Rockies promised his journey’s end. READ MOREĪfter spending the better part of two days driving through a dust-dry Midwest, tasting nothing but rest stop food and road grit, Walker appreciated both the change of scenery and the aroma. If the woman’s welcoming smile said anything, Wyoming had to be a great place to set down some roots. ![]() A homespun, woman-next-door type with a clear complexion to match the freshness of all outdoors and easy on the makeup. Her smile appeared genuine, and the setting sun through the plate glass windows brought a sparkle to her dark blue eyes.ĭespite the location-a diner attached to a gas station-and the lateness of the hour, she looked fresher than she had any right to be. ![]() The curvy waitress in the tight uniform held up the carafe and leaned over the stainless steel counter, making sure Chet Walker didn’t miss her guaranteed-to-increase-the-tips assets.
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