she listened to the sound of the silence.
And then her radio squawked.
Automatically reaching for it, Kellen mentally prepared herself to face whatever the new day was bringing.
*
Dana awoke, not to the familiar sounds of car alarms and sirens and traffic, but to birdsong. She lay still for a moment, listening with pleasure to the lilting call near her window before opening her eyes.
The morning sun streamed through the slatted blinds, painting pale stripes of gray over the tumbled bedding, and letting her know she had slept much later than usual. But she didn’t care because she also realized she was smiling and, try as she might, she couldn’t remember a time in her past when she’d awoken every day with a smile on her face.
The air that she breathed was still and cold, but under the duvet she was cozy and warm all the way to her soul. Content.
Not surprising, she thought, because her first week in Haven had been filled with hard work and unexpected moments of fun and laughter, as she got to know the new people in her life. Consequently, for the past week, she’d enjoyed the most peaceful nights’ sleep she’d experienced in a very long time.
Maybe because she knew she didn’t have to get up and face long lines of people with gunshot and knife wounds waiting for medical attention in the ER.
Far more likely because she knew while life in Haven was still quite foreign to her, that couldn’t detract from the feeling she’d had since her arrival. The feeling of homecoming.
It helped that the people she’d met so far neither knew nor cared about who her father was or what the expectations had been for her before her arrival. All they cared was she was the newest member of the Alpine team, a qualified doctor bearing Annie’s stamp of approval, and someone ready to add medical skills and expertise to their expanding search-and-rescue efforts.
Even more surprising, all they seemingly wanted in return was for her to approach her new life in Haven and everyone she encountered with acceptance and an open mind as she got to know them.
Stretching lazily, Dana scratched her arm, finally blessedly cast free, and turned to thoughts of one person in particular, the enigmatic head of Alpine Search-and-Rescue. She already knew Kellen was someone who was going to make her new life a hell of a lot more interesting than she’d envisioned. Definitely someone she was looking forward to getting to know much better.
She thought back to a singular moment after a team meeting, watching as Kellen chewed a bite of pizza, half closing her eyes in sensual appreciation as the flavors danced across her tongue. It was the first time in her life Dana had experienced jealousy. And of a damned slice of pizza, no less.
But behind the confident stride and sexy smile, she also sensed a very private woman when she looked at Kellen, one not easily moved to trust. So it would take time. And that was okay. If she had an abundance of anything right now, it was time. Time to get settled, time to feel comfortable, time to figure things out.
The cabin, as it turned out, also strengthened her feelings of finding a home, having far exceeded any expectations she might have had. Spotless and cheerful, it had come furnished with a large comfortable sofa, a couple of overstuffed chairs, and a fully functional fireplace. She looked forward to spending quiet evenings in front of the fire while it snowed outside.
Cody had pointed out the propane heater in the corner of the bedroom, but had assured her that the fireplace would probably generate all the heat she would ever want or need. And Cody and Ren ensured she had plenty of firewood, neatly stacked on the deck just outside her front door.
It was a need for caffeine that finally drew her from the comfort of her bed. After a wonderfully hot shower, she quickly dressed in jeans and a heavy Irish-knit sweater. Quite a change from hospital scrubs, she thought, as she finished off her new look by putting
And then her radio squawked.
Automatically reaching for it, Kellen mentally prepared herself to face whatever the new day was bringing.
*
Dana awoke, not to the familiar sounds of car alarms and sirens and traffic, but to birdsong. She lay still for a moment, listening with pleasure to the lilting call near her window before opening her eyes.
The morning sun streamed through the slatted blinds, painting pale stripes of gray over the tumbled bedding, and letting her know she had slept much later than usual. But she didn’t care because she also realized she was smiling and, try as she might, she couldn’t remember a time in her past when she’d awoken every day with a smile on her face.
The air that she breathed was still and cold, but under the duvet she was cozy and warm all the way to her soul. Content.
Not surprising, she thought, because her first week in Haven had been filled with hard work and unexpected moments of fun and laughter, as she got to know the new people in her life. Consequently, for the past week, she’d enjoyed the most peaceful nights’ sleep she’d experienced in a very long time.
Maybe because she knew she didn’t have to get up and face long lines of people with gunshot and knife wounds waiting for medical attention in the ER.
Far more likely because she knew while life in Haven was still quite foreign to her, that couldn’t detract from the feeling she’d had since her arrival. The feeling of homecoming.
It helped that the people she’d met so far neither knew nor cared about who her father was or what the expectations had been for her before her arrival. All they cared was she was the newest member of the Alpine team, a qualified doctor bearing Annie’s stamp of approval, and someone ready to add medical skills and expertise to their expanding search-and-rescue efforts.
Even more surprising, all they seemingly wanted in return was for her to approach her new life in Haven and everyone she encountered with acceptance and an open mind as she got to know them.
Stretching lazily, Dana scratched her arm, finally blessedly cast free, and turned to thoughts of one person in particular, the enigmatic head of Alpine Search-and-Rescue. She already knew Kellen was someone who was going to make her new life a hell of a lot more interesting than she’d envisioned. Definitely someone she was looking forward to getting to know much better.
She thought back to a singular moment after a team meeting, watching as Kellen chewed a bite of pizza, half closing her eyes in sensual appreciation as the flavors danced across her tongue. It was the first time in her life Dana had experienced jealousy. And of a damned slice of pizza, no less.
But behind the confident stride and sexy smile, she also sensed a very private woman when she looked at Kellen, one not easily moved to trust. So it would take time. And that was okay. If she had an abundance of anything right now, it was time. Time to get settled, time to feel comfortable, time to figure things out.
The cabin, as it turned out, also strengthened her feelings of finding a home, having far exceeded any expectations she might have had. Spotless and cheerful, it had come furnished with a large comfortable sofa, a couple of overstuffed chairs, and a fully functional fireplace. She looked forward to spending quiet evenings in front of the fire while it snowed outside.
Cody had pointed out the propane heater in the corner of the bedroom, but had assured her that the fireplace would probably generate all the heat she would ever want or need. And Cody and Ren ensured she had plenty of firewood, neatly stacked on the deck just outside her front door.
It was a need for caffeine that finally drew her from the comfort of her bed. After a wonderfully hot shower, she quickly dressed in jeans and a heavy Irish-knit sweater. Quite a change from hospital scrubs, she thought, as she finished off her new look by putting
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