Everything we’ll need and fewer people.”
She walked toward him, and he stepped aside for her to precede him down the hallway. In the garage, Ryder soon had her bags tucked into the back of her SUV. She set the alarm, for whatever good it might do, and pulled out after him. Soon they took the ramp heading for the Jemez. As she followed, she noticed he took care not to weave in and out of traffic so she wouldn’t lose him.
The scenery already looked familiar from their ride up here yesterday. After stocking up at the convenience store that served as the local grocery, he turned from the main highway onto one that wasn’t as well maintained as the logging road had been. Red dust kicked up from his back tire. She drove slower to keep some distance between their vehicles in case he hit a rut and rolled his bike.
The rock formations and soil surrounding them still had red tinges.
Simple beauty.
She couldn’t wait to go exploring with her camera when she wasn’t trying to keep her eyes on the road. She’d have to watch for rattlesnakes—probably scorpions, too. So different from her time spent in the wilds of the Black Hills. Of course, there were venomous snakes there, too. None had ever bothered her.
Megan shuddered. She really didn’t like snakes.
Ryder turned onto an even less maintained road. She maneuvered to avoid some of the ruts. This must be a fun road to drive after a rainstorm. Not. After avoiding what had to be a bone-jarring hole, his bike made a sharp turn, and there stood a one-story adobe house. The reddish tint of the mud made it clear it had been made from local soil.
The unpainted wooden front door welcomed anyone who might happen upon the porch. A ristra of dried red chiles hung from the porch roof rafters. Two small windows on either side of the door completed the façade. Cozy.
A newer addition extended off to the right of the main part of the house with larger, more modern windows. She could imagine his friend’s grandmother living in the old section, but until she saw the new addition, she wouldn’t have pictured this as his home. Of course, he merely lived here and took care of the place for a friend.
She didn’t imagine too many people ventured this far up the mountain, though. Someone had to be looking for the house to find it, and she wasn’t sure if she left and tried to come back she could retrace her path.
Vines of morning glory grew up the wall on the left side of the entrance, with hollyhocks shooting up before them. Their blossoms would be gorgeous against the red adobe in mid-summer.
Too bad she wouldn’t be here to photograph them.
He indicated with his pointed finger the spot for her to park, and she exited the SUV. A panoramic view of the valley and mountains stretched out beyond the house.
“What a beautiful place!”
“I agree. I probably didn’t appreciate it as a teenager, but it’s given me a lot of peace since…since I moved out here.”
“I can imagine.” The feeling of peace and harmony here was palpable. His friend was a godsend to offer him a place to recover from combat.
“I can’t wait to start taking photos.” She popped the hatchback. “But first, I guess I ought to carry my things inside.”
“I’ll get the suitcase.”
Picking up her purse and camera case, she followed him noting that he hadn’t locked the door when he left. For someone so concerned about her security, he didn’t seem to have any worries about his own property or person.
The air in the house was cool. She scanned the room with its kiva fireplace. Very homey and old-fashioned furnishings from the sofa and arm chairs to the bear rug in front of them. She shuddered. How anyone found dead animals or their furs attractive was beyond her.
“I’m going to put your bag in what I call my sister’s room, since she’s the only one who’s ever slept there since I’ve lived here.”
She set her bags on the bed, grateful he had more than one bedroom here. She didn’t
She walked toward him, and he stepped aside for her to precede him down the hallway. In the garage, Ryder soon had her bags tucked into the back of her SUV. She set the alarm, for whatever good it might do, and pulled out after him. Soon they took the ramp heading for the Jemez. As she followed, she noticed he took care not to weave in and out of traffic so she wouldn’t lose him.
The scenery already looked familiar from their ride up here yesterday. After stocking up at the convenience store that served as the local grocery, he turned from the main highway onto one that wasn’t as well maintained as the logging road had been. Red dust kicked up from his back tire. She drove slower to keep some distance between their vehicles in case he hit a rut and rolled his bike.
The rock formations and soil surrounding them still had red tinges.
Simple beauty.
She couldn’t wait to go exploring with her camera when she wasn’t trying to keep her eyes on the road. She’d have to watch for rattlesnakes—probably scorpions, too. So different from her time spent in the wilds of the Black Hills. Of course, there were venomous snakes there, too. None had ever bothered her.
Megan shuddered. She really didn’t like snakes.
Ryder turned onto an even less maintained road. She maneuvered to avoid some of the ruts. This must be a fun road to drive after a rainstorm. Not. After avoiding what had to be a bone-jarring hole, his bike made a sharp turn, and there stood a one-story adobe house. The reddish tint of the mud made it clear it had been made from local soil.
The unpainted wooden front door welcomed anyone who might happen upon the porch. A ristra of dried red chiles hung from the porch roof rafters. Two small windows on either side of the door completed the façade. Cozy.
A newer addition extended off to the right of the main part of the house with larger, more modern windows. She could imagine his friend’s grandmother living in the old section, but until she saw the new addition, she wouldn’t have pictured this as his home. Of course, he merely lived here and took care of the place for a friend.
She didn’t imagine too many people ventured this far up the mountain, though. Someone had to be looking for the house to find it, and she wasn’t sure if she left and tried to come back she could retrace her path.
Vines of morning glory grew up the wall on the left side of the entrance, with hollyhocks shooting up before them. Their blossoms would be gorgeous against the red adobe in mid-summer.
Too bad she wouldn’t be here to photograph them.
He indicated with his pointed finger the spot for her to park, and she exited the SUV. A panoramic view of the valley and mountains stretched out beyond the house.
“What a beautiful place!”
“I agree. I probably didn’t appreciate it as a teenager, but it’s given me a lot of peace since…since I moved out here.”
“I can imagine.” The feeling of peace and harmony here was palpable. His friend was a godsend to offer him a place to recover from combat.
“I can’t wait to start taking photos.” She popped the hatchback. “But first, I guess I ought to carry my things inside.”
“I’ll get the suitcase.”
Picking up her purse and camera case, she followed him noting that he hadn’t locked the door when he left. For someone so concerned about her security, he didn’t seem to have any worries about his own property or person.
The air in the house was cool. She scanned the room with its kiva fireplace. Very homey and old-fashioned furnishings from the sofa and arm chairs to the bear rug in front of them. She shuddered. How anyone found dead animals or their furs attractive was beyond her.
“I’m going to put your bag in what I call my sister’s room, since she’s the only one who’s ever slept there since I’ve lived here.”
She set her bags on the bed, grateful he had more than one bedroom here. She didn’t
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