Grant sighed as he peered into the steaming mess of metal and plastic that was under the hood of his truck. He knew just enough about how everything in there worked to know he was completely fucked and it was beyond his ability to fix in the moment. He waved some steam out of his face and pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. One bar. That was not encouraging. He held the device up and wandered around a bit.
The road he was on was technically a highway, in that it had a high speed limit and no traffic lights, it was also two lanes and mostly deserted. He heard crunching off to the side and saw a deer watching him as it chewed some leaves. "Yeah, laugh it up antler boy." There! Three bars if he stood on this spot right here.
He quickly dialed roadside assistance and relayed his location as best he could. Somewhere along the highway about ten miles beyond the last rest stop. He crawled back inside his truck to wait. Maybe a cross-country drive alone wasn't the best of ideas. But circumstances had almost demanded it of him. He wondered what Sandra was up to now. Probably working on some case brief. Not that he should wonder anymore, the whole point of this had been to get away from her before weakness brought him back.
Almost two hours later a tow truck finally came from up the road, pulling up beside him and rolling down the window. The man inside looked to be in his early fifties, with a full head of salt and pepper hair and a weaselly face. Grant regretted thinking that about the man instantly when he grinned. "I guess you're the one I'm out for? Let's get your truck hooked up and into town."
Another forty minutes on and they were pulling of another road they had taken into the mountains. The truck driver, a man by the name of Martin, was short but stocky, and really a pleasant guy. They chatted a little on the way into town, Grant getting the privilege of riding in the cab. Grant had been expecting a few building clustered around an intersection with a garage and a cruddy motel. He had not pictured the postcard perfect small town they pulled into. It looked like something out of a cheesy made for TV movie about saving Christmas. Minus the snow. The shimmering lake and tall mountains made up for it. Surprisingly the town seemed to be bursting at the seems, though cars were headed out for the most part.
"The college." Martin said with a nod towards a cluster of buildings that could barely be seen over the tree tops. "Just getting back in session." He pulled the tow truck into a space in front of a garage and got out to lower and unhook Grant's truck.
Grant climbed out and looked around. This was one of those small towns he had always shown Sandra pictures off, idly fantasizing about how nice it would be to live in a place like this. Just hidden away in the middle of the mountains.
Grant's truck unhooked, Martin steered the tow truck into a parking space and climbed out again. "Let's see what your issue is." And popped the hood.
"This your garage?" Martin beamed at Grant, motioning to the building. "Been in the family almost three generations now. My son sadly has no interest in it. My daughter." He laughed and tapped the side of his nose. His grin turned to a frown though. "Looks like a worn out belt, and a coolant leak. Smell that?" He sniffed the air. "That's burnt coolant. Might need to replace the radiator on this and I'm not sure I have the part. Actually. Truck this old, I'm sure I don't have the part. I can order it in but that'd be.. oh.. a week?"
Grant rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his truck. The price of nostalgia. He'd been driving that vehicle since he was sixteen. Fourteen years now. And it wasn't new when he got it either. "Well, good news is I have no where I need to be." Sure he was moving, lease was already signed and paid for. He didn't have a job yet, which didn't worry him, he got a good chunk of money in the divorce which should hold him over for a while.
Martin, though, looked worried. He glanced first at the clock then to the sun. "Guess there's nothing for it unless we want to flag down some of those leaving parents to bring you to the next town over. Valley does this once in a while." Grant raised a brow but Martin shook his head. "There's a nice bed and breakfast a few blocks that way, right on the lakefront. Furthest one from the college, which let me tell you is going to be rowdy the next few days. Tell Tanner I sent you, and your truck is stuck in my garage, he'll give you a discount. Grab what you need, I keep the place locked up at night so your stuff should be fine. Hop On Inn, can't miss the place."
Grant tossed Martin the keys to his truck before he popped open the door, grabbing a duffle and backpack from the passenger seat. The rest of it wouldn't move until he unpacked in his new apartment. He filled out some paperwork for Martin then headed off with directions.
The town really was sickeningly picturesque. None of the houses seemed new, many done in Victorian or turn of the century styles, 1940s craftsman homes at the newest, but all were well cared for. He passed another bed and breakfast that seemed mostly empty, but kept on until he found the one Marin suggested. A large Victorian house covered in vines and rose bushes. The sign over the porch reading "Hop On Inn" With a family of rabbits bouncing along in the background. Across the street was a green space leading up to a strip of sand at the edge of the lake.
He stepped inside and up to the small reception desk. "Hello?" No response. "Hello?!"
The face that popped from around the corner was probably not what Grant was expecting. The man was about his age, with short spiky blond hair and a scruffy jaw, with a build packed with taught, lean muscle. His shirt was some button-up Hawaiian deal covered in flowers, and he wore cargo shorts with sandals. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone to show off a bit of his blond furred chest. Around his neck was a necklace of shells with a shark tooth. The guy looked like he should be combing beaches or surfing, not responding to some guy trying to check in to an inn. He scrunched his brows as if he was trying to place Grant. "'Ello, checking out?" The guy's accent was lightly tinged with Aussie, but sounded a little confused as he stepped behind the counter and up to the computer there.
"In, actually." Grant corrected.
The Aussie looked at the clock on the wall, then back to Grant. Why did everyone keep doing that? Was this one of those freaky small towns where everyone became a cannibal after midnight. "My truck broke down outside of town, and Martin sent me here, said we might be able to arrange a discount? You're Tanner, right?"
"Oh.." Came the softer sounding reply, as if the man finally understood. "That'd be me. Got hooked in by our valley then. There are worse places." When Tanner broke out into the first smile Grant had seen, it was practically dazzling. "Yeah, I hike rates for Freshmen orientation, I'll give you the off season one."
"How many do you have staying?" Grant asked out of curiosity, since there was no sound coming from anywhere else in the inn.
"Tonight? Just you. Don't worry, I have a few check ins tomorrow. Not about to axe murder my only guest." Once payment was complete, Tanner unlocked a cabinet on the wall and took out a key. "Come on, gave you the best room in the house since it seems you'll be here a bit and not off at the college so you might enjoy it."
They trudged up to the third floor, and Tanner unlocked the room, escorting Grant in. The windows on one side of the room offered a view of the lake and mountains, and the bed was a nice sized king. TV, couch, a desk, everything he could need. Tanner handed Grant the key. "Breakfast is between 8 and 10. If you need me for anything my cell number is on the card by the desk. Just pressing zero will ring the front desk but I'm usually elsewhere. There's a hot tub down in the back garden, feel free to use it."
Grant found himself focusing on the accent more than the words, so it took him a moment to hear, "Anything else?"
"Any place I can get dinner around here?" Grant asked.
"Right. Dinner. Yeah, no, yeah. Most of the places will be shut down tonight. Tell you what. I don't normally make dinner for my guests but pop on down to the kitchen in an hour, I'll whip us up some grub. Since you're my only guest tonight."
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Grant didn't know what to expect for dinner, but it wasn't two heaping bowls of vegetable stew with bread. Tanner had struck him as a meat and potatoes guy, but looking around the kitchen mostly revealed what looked to be a lot of fresh produce. "So, why an innkeep?" Grant found himself asking after they were halfway through dinner and a couple of beers in.
"Believe it or not, it was a dream of mine. I like taking care of people." Tanner said as he dunked some bread and took a bite. "Anyway, I was visiting this town, just having randomly stumbled across it. Stayed here, the guy who owned it then said he was considering retiring and after stayed a few weeks I offered to buy."
"By yourself?" Grant asked, disbelieving.
"I have two staff who come by during the day to help with the cleaning and the rooms and laundry, but I do the cooking and all the office work. Maybe someday I'll find a real partner to help me out. Problem is having the time to be social." He laughed cheerily.
Grant cleaned the last of the stew from his bowl with the bread. "I gotta tell you, if this is how you cook all the time, I can't wait for breakfast."
Tanner grinned a wide grin. "Aw, thanks."
"I think I'm going to hit that hot tub. If your evening is light why don't you join me. Sounds like you could use some unwinding." Tanner looked at Grant as the offer was made, looking thoughtful for a long moment before he nodded.
"I just might."
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Tanner wasn't sure what to make of his new guest, or how he was going to deal with him come the morning. This happened once in a while, the valley would strand someone here or pull in a passerby just in time to get them stuck as the valley shifted over. It had happened to Tanner himself. Maybe whatever power the controlled this valley was finally going to take pity on him and let him get a little tail. He loved it here, he really did, but it was starting to get a little lonely after three years. Out the window of his bedroom he could see Grant headed towards the hot tub.
He was good looking. Log wave black hair down to his shoulders now that it wasn't tied back, a short trimmed beard. He must do some sort of physical activity to be as lean as he was despite a little paunch at the middle. The fabled dad bod that actually looked good. Tanner sighed and went to change into his swim trunks. Hopefully this wouldn't go south.
Grant seemed to brighten as Tanner stepped out of the inn with a towel over his shoulder. "Figured you were right, mate. No guests but you and only two breakfasts to cook. Might as well enjoy the evening." He set the towel aside and slipped into the water. It had been a few months since he had had the chance to be out here himself, and he sighed at he warm churning water.
The two just sat in silence for a while before Tanner felt the need to interject. "What about you? What lured you out here? Not often someone is driving that stretch of road unless they're coming here."
"Had to cross the mountains somewhere, heard the views along here were spectacular. They were right." Grant laughed. "Probably doesn't answer your question though. I'm moving, cross country. Just needed a change of pace after, well, doesn't matter, not going to ruin a nice evening with my tragic backstory." Grant settled back, arms folded behind his head.
Tanner scooted closer, placing a hand on Grant's thigh as he leaned in. He was stopped by a hand on his chest, "Wait. Sorry, I'm not.." The hand pulled back and Tanner took his back as well.
"Well, that's embarrassing." But he put on a smile with some effort.
"No, I can see where you might have..." Grant sighed shook his head. "I'm flattered, really. Nice to know I can still turn heads."
"Just, the wrong head." Tanner laughed, getting out of the hot tub, water dripping off of him.
"You don't have to go." Grant said as he watched Tanner towel off.
"Better if I do, I need a cold shower. No hard feelings, mate. I'll see you in the morning." He kept his smile on his face till he was back in the house and mortification finally took over. By the time he was back in his room, a peek into the back garden showed the tub empty with the cover back in place. Tanner silently hoped the shock of tomorrow morning would wipe this little memory from both their minds.