SHELTER

Chapter 2

Each layer of clothing removed provided a new injury for her inventory. Overall her left side had taken more of a hit than she'd thought but it would all heal in time. She'd be pretty sore in the days to come though. She pulled the band from her hair and shook out its thick waves.

Jolie stepped into the hot water with a sharp hiss as it found all of the little abrasions her wreck had left behind. For a moment she just stood still and took deep breaths until they stop smarting so much. The hard hot spray beat on her tense muscles as she thought about her day.

It was her birthday, she was 27 today. Without family to remind her she'd almost forgotten the day had any real significance. It had started in a scenic campground in northern Colorado with a large cup of cowboy coffee and a day old muffin. She'd wound her way south and into the panhandle of Oklahoma where everything had gone to hell. Now she found herself standing in a kind stranger's shower washing away blood and road grime.

Finishing up her shower she took a good long time drying herself off and applying antibiotic ointment to the open abrasions. It was amazing what clean clothes could do for the soul, she felt refreshed and relaxed as she did the best she could with her unruly hair.

A quick check of her phone showed 5 text messages. Three birthday well wishes, a request for update from Dustin and a frantic demand for information from Jake.

She quickly sent Jake a text with a brief summary and assurance that she was fine then updated Dustin that she was safe, warm and the bike was getting fixed. She shut the phone off after that. She knew Jake would want more information and she didn't want to deal with his mother hen ways. He meant well but she just didn't have it in her tonight.

She gathered her things and opened the door to be assaulted by the warm, mouth watering smell of garlic and butter. She dropped her things off in her room and followed her nose to the kitchen.

Warren was standing in the kitchen stirring something sizzling in a skillet. He'd changed from the hoody into a t-shirt and Jolie became aware he was a very fit guy. If she hadn't already known he'd been in the service she'd probably have been able to guess from just watching him.

His hair was a little longer than military spec but not much, he had the tall upright bearing of a man ordered through boot camp and the house was fastidiously clean. He noticed she was watching him and looked up. Those eyes, they were his best feature. They were a warm, meadow green under his dark brows and nestled in the strong, sharp lines of his face. He almost looked dangerous if it weren't for those eyes that bespoke nothing but kindness.

"Perfect timing! Potatoes are done. I just pulled the steaks off the grill and put them in the oven to keep warm. Sit down." He gestured with the spatula toward a wooden table.

Jolie sat and placed a plate before her steak, fried potatoes, corn on the cob and a thick slice of butter slathered French bread. Her stomach growled appreciatively.

"I have amber ale, iced tea, milk and water?"

"Amber ale please." He popped the top off a dark bottle of Fat Tire and placed it before her before taking his own seat.

"To new friends!" He angled his own bottle toward her.

"To new friends and 27." She smiled, touched her bottle to his and took a long pull.

"Twenty seven? Is it your birthday?" He looked surprised when she nodded. "This is a pathetic birthday dinner. I don't even have cake. I'm sorry."

She finished chewing the piece of steak and swallowed. "Are you kidding? This is delicious. Seriously, it is really good. I'd probably have just had a deli sandwich before bed in a campground. This is a very welcome deviation."

"Been on the road a while then?" A shadow passed between them and he wished he could take back his question. "Disregard. It's none of my business."

"No. It's fine. I've been travelling around about 18 months now I guess. I left Idaho the spring before last. Travelled around the western states and wintered in Arizona. I had the plan to do that in Alabama or Georgia this year but now it looks like it will be Oklahoma." She kept eating, it really was amazing. He was a great cook.

"Sounds like an adventure. How do you know Dustin?"

"I worked as a dispatcher for the sheriff's office and told him where to go." She smiled to herself at the unintended joke. "He started just a little while after me so we had the new people bond. Then I met Maria at the Christmas party and... well that was it."

He was certain there was something important she had cut on, something else about that party she didn't want to talk about that made her sad but he wasn't going to pry.

"He's a good guy. He saved my life; pulled me out of a bunker when I couldn't walk after being shot in the leg. Drug my ass a mile until we could flag down a ride. Bunker got bombed not long after that. If he'd left me there to find help, I'd have been a goner."

"Were you at the wedding? I don't remember seeing you?"

 "No, we got out at the same time but I wanted to wander around Europe a little before coming back. I didn't figure I'd ever get the chance again. I would have been back in time but I got detained in Amsterdam and missed my flight."

"Detained hmm...?" She smirked and he almost forgot to swallow.

"Ya, some drunk started walloping on a woman and well.....like I said, my momma raised me right. By the time we got the facts straight it was too late to make my flight."

She leaned back from her empty plate. "Wow. I really packed it away but it was so darn good."

"I'm glad you liked it." Warren went to the fridge and brought them both back a second beer and a Little Debbie box of Ding Dongs. "It isn't a proper cake but it's something sweet to end the meal with."

She laughed and ripped open the cellophane wrapping. She took a big creme filled bite. "It's delicious!" She announced.

"You don't drink often do you?" She shook her head to confirm his suspicions. This was the loosest he'd seen her since he'd pulled up beside her on the freeway. "How about you go relax and I'll clean up here?"

"I can help." She stood but he stopped her.

"No, you're my guest and you've had a long day."

She looked a little irritated but conceded. "Alright, well I'm going to go to bed then. I'm pretty tired."

"My room is all the way down at end of the other hall if you need anything. I work pretty early in the morning but I'll try to keep quiet so you can rest up."

"Thanks." She wandered down the hallway and left him alone in the kitchen with his beer and his thoughts.