Evers & Afters

3. Elias

Chapter Three

Elias

“Why?” Daphne demanded.

“Because I don’t need it,” I muttered, trying to keep the frustration out of my tone.

At that moment, Flynn came walking in the room. His gaze arced from me to Daphne. “Babe, I know you want him to take more pain medication, but he’s not going for it.”

Flynn’s girlfriend let out a little huff of frustration. “Fine. Then, I’ll make your favorite muffins.”

My lips tugged into a reluctant smile. “Food will definitely improve my mood, especially anything you make.”

She gave me a worried smile. Crossing over to my bed, she pointlessly adjusted the pillows behind me. “Are you sure your leg is comfortable?” she asked as she straightened.

I looked up at Daphne, who had stolen Flynn’s heart so neatly and completely, I think he was still occasionally shocked by it. He called her princess, because she looked like one. Or, rather, she had the vibe. With auburn hair and stunning green eyes, she had a petite build, and even when she was dressed casually, she looked perfectly put together. She was a shockingly good cook and had made our lives here even better, just because she spoiled us like crazy. Ending up with a chef who could probably have a hit restaurant in any city out here in the middle of almost nowhere Alaska was pretty freaking awesome.

“My leg is fine,” I replied. Because it was. My ankle was achy, but that was to be expected.

She gave me another smile. “All right. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Daphne turned and hurried away, leaving me alone with Flynn. Flynn Walker was one of my best friends and also technically my boss. He sat down in the chair Daphne, ever helpful, had situated beside my bed. His eyes flicked down toward my ankle, which was in a f*****g cast. He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back in the chair.

Flynn and I had served in the Air Force together. Aside from Flynn’s brother, and his sister, Nora, who was finishing her flight training hours, the rest of us had met during our time in the Air Force. Flynn had left the Air Force two years before me to come home and take care of his younger siblings after their mother died. Flynn’s father disappeared long ago, and his stepfather, father to the rest of his siblings, had passed away a few years earlier. In a way, Flynn was the father his siblings never had. He’d pulled everything together and gotten this outdoor resort up and running.

Working here was a dream job for me. I got to fly planes all the time, and flying planes in Alaska was pretty sweet. The view was incredible no matter where you were.

Flynn’s sharp gaze made its way back to my face. “Are you okay?’

I lifted a shoulder in a light shrug. “Define okay.”

He chuckled. “Dude, I know it sucks. You’ll be on your feet soon. How is the pain? Really.”

“Tolerable.”

Flynn was one of the few people who knew about my prior brush with getting a little too comfortable with painkillers. I didn’t want any. I would just live with the pain rather than tempt my body back to that place.

While those pills could work magic for pain, they hijacked your brain. I’d take pain any day over that feeling of standing on the edge of desperation.

“It would help if you mentioned to Daphne why you don’t want to take any meds. She won’t bug you about it then,” he offered.

I leaned back in the pillows, letting out a ragged sigh. “Dude, I know you love her, but I f*****g hate talking about that shit.”

“I don’t want you to tell her because I love her. She gets it. She’s been through her own version of hell, and she won’t judge you. But maybe if she knows, she won’t nag you.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“What did the doctor say about how long you’ll need that cast?” he asked, kind enough to change the subject.

“He said six to eight weeks. I’ll be ready to fly before you know it,” I replied.

“You’re not flying anywhere until you have medical clearance,” Flynn said, just as Diego came in the room.

Diego Jackson was another friend from the Air Force. Like me, when Flynn gave him the chance to fly planes for a living in God’s country, he jumped at it.

Diego chuckled, his eyes flashing as he divided his gaze between Flynn and me. “Flynn’s gonna be strict about that. You can be my copilot anytime, even with a cast on.”

Flynn cast him a glare. “Dude, don’t pull that shit.”

Diego stopped beside the bed as he cuffed Flynn lightly on the shoulder. “Just f*****g with you. Daphne’s making your favorite muffins. She says they’ll be ready in an hour.”

Flynn stood from his chair, stepping back. Gesturing to it, he commented, “Why don’t you keep cranky here company? I was just coming in to check in and let you know I’ll be in town today. You need anything?”

“I can’t do anything, so what would I need?” I returned.

Diego hooked his hand on the back of the chair, turning it to face toward the windows as he sat down. “You can do stuff. You just gotta walk on your crutches.”

I rolled my eyes. Flynn turned and began walking out of the room, pausing by the door. “Text me if you think of anything. I’ll stop by the grocery store before I come back.”

“Make sure to get some beer,” Diego called.

“I don’t need to be reminded of that,” Flynn replied as he lifted his hand in a wave and then left the room.

Diego’s eyes scanned the space before coming back to me. “Daphne fixed this room up nice for you.”

They’d put me up in the only guest room in the downstairs of the resort. When Daphne came to stay, she had originally been an actual guest and stayed upstairs where guest rooms occupied to the two upper floors. Then, she stayed on after Flynn chased away another cook and moved down here before she and Flynn finally fessed up to being in love with each other. Despite my irritation with the situation, I was in a ridiculously comfortable bed with a fluffy down quilt and enough pillows for about five people.

“Of course, she did. It was spotless already.”

Diego’s green gaze landed on mine. “It looks like she gave you some extra pillows,” he observed. “If you don’t need them all, I’ll take a few.”

I lifted a pillow with my good arm and tossed it toward him. He caught it easily with a chuckle. “I’m glad you’re okay, man,” he said, his gaze sobering.

“Thanks. I’m okay enough to be annoyed while I recover. It’s boring.”

Diego was quiet as he regarded me. “Boredom’s always a good sign.” He gestured to the flat screen television mounted directly on the wall across from the foot of the bed. “You can watch all your favorite shows.” When I rolled my eyes, he waved toward the windows. This room had windows facing in two directions, one looking out into some trees behind the resort, and the other offering a partial view of the field with mountains and the ocean in the distance. “At least you have a good view.”

I bit back my retort. Despite my frustration, I wasn’t going to cast aspersions on the view here.

His lips twitched with a smile. “Hang in there. You’re on the mend. How’s your pain?” he asked.

I wanted to growl, but that didn’t seem reasonable. Like Flynn, Diego knew of my brief brush with opiate addiction.

“It’s fine.”

Diego gave me a long look, and I forced myself not to look away even though I wanted to. He was a good friend, the best kind of friend, the kind who always had your back. He was also perceptive as all hell, which sometimes drove me insane.

“Good. You don’t have to be an a*s to everybody.”

“I’m not,” I protested.

One of Diego’s brows hitched up. “Man, your baseline is bordering on being an a*s. If you need anything, let me know.”

At that moment, the door to my bedroom opened—again—and Nora, Flynn’s sister entered. “Hey,” she said, her eyes bouncing from me to Diego. “Why do you have a pillow on your lap?”

Diego shrugged, casting her a quick grin. “We had a pillow fight, and Elias lost.”

Nora laughed softly. Crossing the room, she held up a mug. “Fresh coffee. It won’t be as good as Cammi’s Red Truck coffee, but Daphne made it extra strong just for you.”

I held up my hand, curling my fingers around the mug handle as she released it. I took a big swallow, closing my eyes as the rich flavor slid across my tongue. “That’s delicious, thank you,” I said as I opened my eyes.

Nora’s brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and it bounced when she slid her hips on the foot of my bed. Her eyes matched her hair, and she was the only one of the Walker siblings who had those brown eyes. They coasted over me. “How’s your pain?”

“Oh, my f*****g God,” I muttered. “You’re the third person who’s asked me that in the last ten minutes. It’s fine. Ibuprofen is amazing.”

Nora’s forehead creased as she looked at me. “No need to be so irritable. You had a piece of plane metal puncture you in the side. It’s kind of serious. I just want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

I felt a twinge of guilt at my irritation. “I’m comfortable. I promise. I will lay in this bed like a good boy and watch TV and hopefully be off these crutches soon.”

“Have you had a shower yet today?”

My alarm must’ve shown on my face because she laughed. “I’m not planning to give you a shower. I just didn’t know if you needed help getting in and out.”

Diego threw his head back with a laugh. “Like he’d let any of us help him.”

Nora gave me a concerned look. “Don’t be stupid. We have the instructions for the bag thing you’re supposed to put over your cast.”

“I know, I know,” I said with a sigh. All of my friends were trying to help, and I hated needing help. “Let me enjoy my coffee and have one of the fresh muffins Daphne’s making, and then I wouldn’t mind a little help.”