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As we hustled back to the park truck as another pulled up beside.
“You Adrian?” I called. The lightly bearded ranger in the truck tipped his hat and nodded.
“That’s me. Bucks called me to come get y’all.”
“We appreciate it.” Looking over my shoulder at the boys and Nathan, I began barking orders. “Alright boys, you will go with Mr. Adrian over here.” I threw shovels and axes into the bed of my truck. James popped up on the other side, settling his gear before looking up at the breeze in the trees.
Christopher and Miles gave thumbs in unison, whipping off their hard hats and dropping them with the rest of the kit.
“Thank you, Mr. Hayden. I would like to do this again if it is okay.” Christopher said, with a beaming smile. They were both good kids.
“Me, too!” Miles beamed.
Patting them both on their shoulders, I said, “You’ll be back, hopefully with fewer storm warnings next time. But for now, we have other work to do, so you both get on home now.”
They hopped into the and were about to pull out when the park ranger paused, parking the truck once more and looked at me, face full of confusion. “Are you Hayden? Hayden... Storme?”
I did not know this ranger well. Until this moment, we only had a few interactions with one another, mostly at the main offices where we kept our gear and kit. He only started a few weeks ago, and my work at the fire lookout tower kept me too busy to interact with recent hires. “That’s me.”
“A woman asked after you earlier today when she was entering the park.”
A woman? Was it her?
My heart skipped into my throat, catching my breath. Lana. She was in the park. “Did you get her name?”
The park ranger looked as if he was wracking his brain. “Umm, Richards something. Elaine Richards, I think.”
Elaine Richards. Lana. My Lana? It had to be her.
My muscles clenched, and I could feel a cold surge through my veins. She was in the park now, with a massive storm incoming.
“When was this? Where was she going?” I wanted to reach into the truck and haul the ranger out by the front of his shirt. There was a bubbling of jealousy and worry that burned my ears.
“Early this morning, about six or so. She said she was finishing a hike.”
“She’s in the park?” She’s on that part of the trail. If this storm is as big as they say it is... She must already be several hours into that hike. Does she even know the storm is coming today?
“James.” I called toward the other, still parked rig.
The big man nodded. “Take the truck.”
Nathan stuck his head out as James grabbed his chainsaw and axe, moving to load them in the other vehicle being driven by the new guy. “Take the truck!?”
“Get out of the truck, Nathan.” James grumbled, opening the door and walking away with his kit. “We can go with Adrian.”
“But, it only seats four!”
“Then you can sit in the truck bed or squish in with the boys.”
Nathan held the keys in his palm, letting loose a massive sigh, probably from having to squeeze in with the two lanky teens. He stopped for a moment in front of me, his voice low and his boyish face serious in a dramatic change, as angry as the sea. I could see the man he was becoming after all these years. From the tall, goofy kid to a strong, determined, and kind man who would go to the ends of the earth for his team. “It’s her, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “It’s her.” Nathan pressed the keys to my palm.
“Don’t let her go this time, Hayden.”
