KISSING KIN BY KAREN HULENE BARTELL

I’d planned to visit my only living relative in El Paso, but then a packing box and registered letter arrived the day before my discharge.

Harold Baker Law Firm--Ms. Jackson: it is with deep regret that I inform you of Mildred Taylor’s passing. In accordance with her will, please find the assets bequeathed to you--

I fingered through the box’s contents--my grandmother’s collection of family journals. Dated 1899, the topmost diary was labeled Fort Lincoln, Texas.

Fort Lincoln…The name conjured vague memories of Grandma’s stories. Tears stinging my eyes, I checked an online map. The town was three hours from El Paso. But do I have time for a detour? I’d have to file a DA 31 to request leave… 

A mirthless chuckle escaped. Tomorrow, I’m getting my discharge. I don’t need anyone’s permission!

****

“Our family homesteaded in the Lincoln Mountains.” Grandma’s bedtime stories echoed through my mind as I sped west on I-10. At an early age, family history had merged with myth until the name Fort Lincoln was as legendary as Avalon or Middle Earth.

But when the snow-covered peaks loomed closer, their reality was undeniable. Maybe her stories weren’t tall tales…

And what about her proverbs? “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” I winced. No job and no prospects. Mustering out after a five-year Army stint, I had to ask myself: What next? Where next?

Cody slipped into my thoughts, but I dismissed him, refusing to romanticize our breakup.

Though the speed limit was 80 mph, traffic zipped at a brisk 90, and I approached Fort Stockton just after noon. A troop of cavalry soldiers galloped toward me from the nineteenth century, but a second glance proved the images were metal cutouts--two-dimensional illusions that resembled an officer and guide leading two columns of cavalrymen.

The silhouettes evoked tales of my great-great-grandfather, Ben Williams. Beginning his military career as a scout, he’d been field promoted during combat, then commissioned as Second Lieutenant at Fort Lincoln.

I smiled, proud of our similar career paths. Maybe Grandma’s stories influenced me more than I realized.

Leaving the Interstate, I turned south. Road signs noted the distance to Fort Lincoln, Terlingua, Lajitas, and Castolon, towns that sounded familiar from family stories but seemed as mythical as Camelot or Tintagel Castle.

Closer now, the mountains’ features came into view. No longer mere outlines on the horizon, each craggy palisade and butte towered over the highway.

The forecast had promised sunny skies and temperatures in the sixties. Then an El Niño cold front barreled through. Fog still hugged the mountains--wispy remnants of the blue norther--coating every cactus spine, mesquite thorn, and barbed wire with a fine layer of ice. Fluffy hoarfrost transformed the landscape into an icy spectacle, with flaky, crystal shards overlaying each leaf and every blade of grass.

A frozen fairyland! Just the way Grandma described it. Inspired by the raw beauty, I straightened my shoulders. Maybe I’m viewing my discharge the wrong way. Instead of adrift, maybe I’m free…

Crouching forward, I peered through the windshield at the vertically fractured boulders high above. The basalt columns rose like thousands of giant fingers reaching for the sky. Steep bluffs flanked both sides of the road, and as I navigated the pass, another mountain range appeared on the horizon, then another.

Snow flurries swirled about the peaks like confectioners’ sugar. A bank of compacted snow lined the twisting highway’s shoulders, partially shrouding fallen rocks--proof of a plow’s recent sweep--but except for an occasional thin glaze of ice, the road was clear.

As my car continued its climb, another sign came into view: Wild Rose Pass.

A roadrunner sprinted across the road, its neck craned forward and its tailfeathers parallel to the ground.

I grinned at the lucky omen as I rounded the next bend, where a javelina sow and her two piglets scurried onto the highway, directly in my path. 

I swerved, but my front wheels caught a patch of black ice, sending the car into a spin as it careened toward a sheer drop-off. My equilibrium off, I pumped the brakes while I steered hand over hand, skidding sideways toward the opposite shoulder, where a solid basalt wall backboarded the emergency lane.

I closed my eyes, clenched the wheel, and braced for impact. 

The car crunched through the snowbank and jounced over the rocky debris, but instead of hurtling headlong into the stony barrier, it lurched to a halt, just inches from the mountainside. The hood tilted skyward, and the car’s right front tire lifted off the ground.

Rammed against the driver’s door and queasy from the spin, I cut the engine, while the javelinas nimbly ducked beneath the railing and scuttled down the hillside. At least, they’re safe. 

Thick smoke began filling the car. My lungs burning, I pushed against the wedged door, but it would not give. I’m not going to die in flames! Adrenalin pumping, I twisted in my seat and kicked against the armrest with both feet. Millimeter by millimeter, the rim scraped the packed snow until, finally, the metal buckled, and I tumbled out.

Black smoke billowed from the engine. Coughing, I filled my lungs with cold mountain air as I tried to pry open the hood. But with the car nearly leaning on its side, the crumpled metal would not budge. I limped to the passenger side for a better view.

Lodged on a fallen boulder, the right front of the car’s undercarriage listed in midair.

That’s what saved me from crashing into the wall. Despite February’s freezing temperatures, I wiped the perspiration from my brow as I slumped against the solid basalt. Its icy smoothness fortifying, I closed my eyes and mouthed a silent prayer.

“Are you all right?”

“What?” I jumped at the male voice, but the upturned car blocked my vision.

“Are you okay?” The stranger came into view: curly dark hair and long eyelashes framing chocolate-brown eyes.

His warm smile swept over me like a balmy breeze. 

I caught my breath as I took in his strong jawline and cleft chin.

Towering above me, he sported a five o’clock shadow. “Are you hurt?”

“I don’t think so.” Adrenalin flowing, I felt no pain, but I took inventory, inspecting my limbs for blood or protruding bones. “Just shaken and a little sore.”

“Understandably. The police are on their way. Do you want to wait in my truck?”

Wary of hopping into a stranger’s car, I searched his face but, reading only concern, relaxed. “I’d appreciate it.” Then I surveyed the steep snowbank and regretted not wearing boots.

He reached across the bank, palm up.

Using his fingers as leverage, I jumped the piled snow and followed him to his pickup.

“The first step’s a doozy.” He opened the door and again held out his hand.

“Thanks.” Shivering from the cold, I pushed off from his palm and hoisted myself onto the front seat.

He hopped in the driver’s seat and turned on the heater full blast, redirecting the vents. “Adjust the temperature however you like.”

“This is fine.” As the shock wore off, reality hit. No boots, gloves, or hat. Aware of my vulnerability alone in the mountains without the car’s heater, I took a deep breath. “Glad you came by when you did.”

“I was in the right place at the right time.” His gaze caught mine. “What happened?”

“I swerved to avoid a family of javelinas and spun out.” Frustrated, I stifled a groan. “I can operate an M2 Bradley but can’t drive on ice.” 

“Don’t beat yourself up. Ice grabs the wheel.”

I ventured a smile, grateful for his support as sirens screeched in the distance. Then turning toward the flashing red, white, and blue lights on the horizon, I recalled another of my grandmother’s axioms: “Every event leads to the next.” So, where’ll this one steer me?

****

No Texas twang. He leaned against his truck, listening to the inflection of her voice as the police questioned her. She’s not from here. He checked her Colorado plates before checking her out.

Despite the puffy vest, her figure beneath was lithe and slender. Her tight jeans emphasized her derriere’s curves, and she moved with a dancer’s grace. She wore her tawny brown hair in a pixie cut that emphasized her haunting eyes. No makeup, her face was bare except for the freckles on her button nose.

Interest growing, he waited for the police to finish. Then when the wrecker arrived, he joined her. “Can I give you a ride into town?”

Her green eyes probed his. A blink later, she nodded. “I’d appreciate it.”

Guess I passed muster. He helped transfer her luggage, then climbed into his truck and followed the wrecker.

“You mentioned an M2 Bradley.” He side-glanced. “Are you in the military?”

“I’m stationed at Fort Carson.” A pink blush tinged her cheeks. “Sorry, habit. I just mustered out.”

“That’s an Army installation, right?” His ears perked for confirmation.

“Yup. I belonged to the Fourth Squadron.”

“Fourth Squadron?” Barely taking his eyes from the road, he glanced her way. “Isn’t that the only Tenth Cavalry Regiment unit still in active service?”

“Yes.” Her eyes widened. “How would you know such military minutia?”

“My great-great-grandfather served in the Tenth Cavalry Regiment.”

“You’re kidding…”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “He was stationed right here at Fort Lincoln.”

“When?” She came to attention.

“The late 1870s or early 1880s…” Despite the icy patches, he stole a glimpse. “Why?

“Because my great-great-grandfather was stationed at Fort Lincoln in 1879.”

“What was his name?”

“Ben Williams.”

“Seriously?” He pulled off the road to watch her expressions. 

“Yup.”

Leaning his head against his headrest, he chuckled as he studied her features.

“What’s so funny?” A cautious smile fluttered across her face.

“Ben Williams was my great-great-grandfather, too.” 

“No!” Her full lips formed an O.

“Yeah.”

“So, we’re third cousins?”

“Kind of…” Mid-nod, he recalled his family’s history. “Actually, he’s my adoptivegreat-great-grandfather, so we’re third cousins on paper only. He raised my great-great-grandmother, Ma--”

“Marianna.” She nodded. “My grandmother mentioned her often.”

His gaze connecting, he paused a beat. “What are the odds?”

“In fact, I have her journals in my suitcase…” She jerked her thumb toward the back seat. “Grandma was the family historian. She…” Her voice caught. “She left me her collection when she passed away.”

“I’m sorry.” The words were automatic, but when her eyes bunched, he wished he had offered more than a cliché.

“Thanks, but it’s been years since I last saw her.” Swallowing, she pressed her lips together. “I’ve been deployed in Afghanistan.”

“Wow.” Who’d have guessed? He took a second look, unable to imagine her in combat. Nothing about her was fussy or frilly. Still…His gaze becoming a stare, he offered his hand. “By the way, I’m Lucas Kaylor, but everyone calls me Luke.”

“Maeve Jackson.” A quick smile lifted the corner of her lips as she shook hands. 

“Maeve.” He rolled the word over his tongue, liking the sound. “What’s it mean?”

“She who intoxicates.” She dimpled.

He again caught himself staring, broke the gaze, and started the engine. “The wrecker’s out of sight. Why don’t we continue this conversation while we catch up?”

“The driver said he’s taking my car to Smitty’s.”

“The garage is just a few miles up the road”--he gestured with his chin--“next to the fort.”

“Fort Lincoln…?”

She spoke with such reverence, he did a double take.

“When I was a kid, Grandma filled my head with so many tales about Fort Lincoln that it sounded like some fabled kingdom in a storybook.” Her eyes dancing, she laughed. “In a few minutes, I’ll set foot in this mythical utopia.”

He tilted his head to glance from the road. “Fort Lincoln is a beautiful place, but I wouldn’t call it utopia.”

“Still, it’s like being transported to Mu or Atlantis--places you’ve read about but don’t believe exist.” Her cheekbones rose in a whimsical smile. “Thinking in those terms, the name’s magical.”

“When you put it that way, maybe so.” Her jade-green eyes mesmerizing, he blinked to break the gaze. Keep your eyes on the road. “What brings you here?”

****

“Thought I’d stop on my way to El Paso, spend a day or two looking around, and maybe find my roots.”

“You found me, cuz.”

Cousin, huh?Taking in his rugged good looks, I studied the man beside me. Tendrils of dark curls dipped artlessly on his smooth brow as if finger-combed into place. When he took his eyes from the road, his gaze was direct, and his warm, coffee-brown eyes--fringed with impossibly long lashes--were captivating. Maybe third cousins technically but not by blood.

“What are the odds of strangers learning they’re related?” His jaw widened into a grin. “Such a coincidence.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.” I shook my head. “I’d call our meeting a concurrence of events. Synchronicity.”

“You’re splitting hairs.” His jaw stiffening, he turned toward me. “What’s the difference between coincidence and synchronicity?”

“Coincidence implies luck. Synchronicity is an arrangement of events. Nothing happens by chance. Something caused us to meet.” I pressed my lips together. “My grandmother had a saying. ‘To everything, there is a purpose.’ ”

He took his gaze from the road and smiled. “And sometimes, coincidence is just dumb luck.”

“I disagr--”

“Here we are.” He turned off the road by a sign reading Auto Repairs While You Wait. “And there’s Smitty.” He pointed to a paunchy man in overalls.

Already? So close to town. Only a few more miles, and I would’ve avoided the accident…Frustrated with myself, I swallowed a groan, then turned toward Luke. “Thanks for the lift.”

“My pleasure.” His brown eyes glistened in the afternoon sun.

Why was I so confrontational? Dumb…dumb…dumb. My chin dipping, I mumbled into my chest. “Didn’t mean to argue.”

“Not argued, debated.” His lips curled into a slow smile.

Despite my burning cheeks, I couldn’t resist returning his smile.

“You own this car, Miss?” Wiping his hands on a rag, the man approached us.

“Maeve, this is Smitty, the best mechanic in town.”

“You might not be smiling when I tell you the damages.”

“Not good, huh?” Grimacing, I jumped from the truck and followed him.

“Until I get it on the lift, I can’t be sure, but for openers, you’re looking at a new exhaust system, oil pan, alternator…and possibly transmission and steering.”

“Ouch.” My shoulders stiffened. “How long will repairs take?”

“Depends on what I find.” Smitty shrugged. “But this being the weekend, you can count on at least three days for the parts to be delivered.”

“Hopefully, the damages aren’t as bad you suspect.”

“Time will tell.”

Taking a deep breath, I searched for the positive. “I’d planned to spend a day or two here, anyway, researching…”

Smitty took his phone from its holster. “What’s a good contact?”

I gave him my cell number.

“Then you’re staying in town?”

My options were sparse.

“A hotel’s just down the street.” Luke pointed. “Near the library if you want to research while you’re here.”

“Good to know.” Once again indebted, I nodded my appreciation. “Thanks, cuz.”

“You’re related?” Smitty’s brow puckered as he looked from one to the other. “Not much family resemblance…”

“You might say we’re distant relations.” I caught Luke’s gaze.

“Third cousins.” His arms crossing over his broad chest, he winked. “Barely kissing kin.” 

Smitty gave me another once over. “I’ll call when I know the damages.”

“Fair enough.”

“Can I drop you at the hotel?” Luke straightened his spine. “Your bags are still in my truck.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m holding you up.” I winced. “You must’ve been on your way somewhere when you stopped…”

“No worries, but”--his lips curled in a leisurely smile--“I did promise to deliver the masa tonight. My aunt’s making tamales.”

“And I kept you.” I shrank into my vest. “Please give her my apologies, and just point me toward the hotel. If it’s down the street, I can manage my bags. Thanks, you’ve--”

“Trust me, five minutes won’t matter. I’ll drive. Besides, it’s starting to snow again, and sundown comes early in the mountains.”

I glanced at the surroundings. With the Lincoln Mountains as the backdrop, the sky had faded from brilliant blue to dusky twilight. Stars glimmered in the early evening’s velvet canopy, and--sure enough--fluffy snowflakes wafted through the crisp air.

This scene could be one of Grandma’s tales come to life. I breathed in the beauty.

“Ready?”

Luke’s voice roused me from my reverie. “I can’t help admiring the view.”

“No place like it.”

Watching the sun lose its grip behind the mountains, I shook my head. “No wonder our families settled here.”

His warmth radiated as he smiled, opened the truck door, and held out his hand. “Summer Swallows Hotel is at the other end of town.” 

“Thanks.” Again, pushing off from his palm, I hopped into the front seat. “What’s the story behind its name?”

“The way northerners wintering in the south are called snowbirds, in the 1800s, people escaping the heat were called summer swallows. A mile high, Fort Lincoln has one of the balmiest summers in Texas.”

The passing storefronts’ façades grabbed my attention. “The buildings look like something from the old west. I feel we’re riding through a time warp into the 1880s.”

Signaling a left turn, Luke nodded as he waited at the courthouse’s intersection.

The clock tower chimed five times, and I turned toward the sound, glimpsing the structure’s octagonal turret. “What a charming building, especially its pink stonework.”

“The material is rhyolite tuff, a local volcanic stone.” He turned onto a driveway. “Here we are--Summer Swallows Hotel, also constructed with tuff.”

The two-story, pink-stone inn sported wide porticoes with white railings on both levels. A heart-shaped wreath adorned the front door.

“It’s so welcoming.” As I stepped from the truck, the Texas Historical Commission plaque caught my gaze. “This place was built in 1880?”

“Some folks say Quanah Parker stayed here.”

“In this hotel…?” I glanced at the structure, reevaluating the events that had led me here. Then Luke caught my gaze. If I hadn’t had the accident, would we have met?

“And if you want to explore local history, the library’s only a few steps away.” He pointed to a limestone building across the drive.

“Talk about convenient…” For the first time in five years, my time’s my own. And with no orders or assignments to interrupt, I can research to my heart’s content. A vague sense of mission began to gel.

“Let me grab your bags from the back.”

“I’ve got ’em--”

“Too late.” His arms weighed down with my luggage, he laughed. “Why don’t you get that box?”

“Thanks.” Knowing the bags’ weight, I breathed a sigh, grateful for someone to share the load. It’s been a while…

I lifted the box of journals, recalling the past five years’ self-reliance, and my grandmother’s adage echoed through my mind. “If you constantly have to prove yourself, you’ve forgotten your value.” My arms full, I struggled with the doorknob.

But Luke propped open the door with his leg, in addition to carrying my luggage.

“Chivalry’s not dead.” Impressed, I rewarded him with a bashful smile.

“Ma’am.” Speaking in an exaggerated cowboy drawl, he pretended to tip his hat.

Inside, the open fireplace welcomed me with the tangy scent of mesquite. Its cozy dry heat shook off the early evening’s chill as it embraced me.

Painted a cheery yellow and white, the old-fashioned wainscoted hall with its ten-foot, tin ceiling offset the front desk’s dark wood. Sturdy antique furniture graced the lobby, and a winding stairway rose to the second floor.

“Mamie”--Luke called from behind me--“have you got a room for family?”

The gray-haired woman greeted us with a cordial smile. “Sure do for any family of yours.”

“I’d like you to meet my long-lost cousin, Maeve.” He set down my bags. “This is Mamie, the unofficial town historian if you need help researching family genealogy.”

“Glad to meet you.” I set the box on the desktop and held out my hand.

“Let me know if you have any questions. Always glad to help.” Mamie grasped my hand in a firm shake. “How long are you staying?”

I glanced at Luke before answering. “Depends on what Smitty finds and how soon the parts are delivered, but at least three nights.”

“Car trouble?”

“More like javelina and ice trouble.” I snickered, annoyed by the accident.

“The longer your stay, the better.” Mamie passed a key to Luke. “Why don’t you put your cousin’s luggage across the hall in room 117, while I check her in?”

As I finished registering, Luke returned with the key. “I have to drop off the masa, but--”

“Oh, sorry to keep you so long.” Reluctant to say goodbye yet resigned, I muffled a groan. “Thanks again for your help. I’m so glad we met.”

“Actually”--wearing a silly grin, he rubbed his chin--“I was going to ask what you’re doing for dinner. Figured I’d drop off the masa and get back about the same time you’ve settled in your room.”

Well, now…cousin or date? Caught off-guard, I gazed into his eyes. “I don’t have any plans…” I shrugged. “Sure.”

“Great.” He flashed an easy smile. “Meet you at the front desk in a half hour.”

“Sounds good.” My pulse accelerating, I returned a cautious smile, excited at the prospect of seeing him again yet self-conscious and out of my element.

His broad back to me, he strode away in his tooled leather boots and thigh-hugging jeans. Then just before shutting the door, he turned and caught my gaze. 

The heat rose to my cheeks as my blood pressure spiked.

“Cousins, huh?” Her eyes twinkling, Mamie chuckled while she pointed to the X and handed me the pen. “Sign here.”

“Third cousins…by adoption.” Uncomfortable at being caught flirting, I mumbled. “We just met this afternoon.”

“What a coincidence…”

I shook my head at the woman’s ironic tone. “Everything happens for a reason.”

“Whatever the reason, you couldn’t meet a nicer guy.”

“Really?” My ears perked. “How do you know Luke?”

“We’ve met at Chamber of Commerce meetings.” Mamie’s smile warmed. “He’s got a head on his shoulders.”

“Chamber of Commerce…so he owns a busin--”

“It’s a blizzard--not flurries!” The door opened, and a couple burst inside, along with a blast of frigid air. “I’m not driving twenty-four miles through the mountains. In. The. Snow!” 

“We have reservations.” The woman slammed the door. “In Alpine!”

“Do you have any rooms available?” The red-faced man turned toward Mamie.

“You’re in luck--one’s left.” After greeting the couple with a magnanimous smile, Mamie gave me a wink. “Excuse me.”

“No worries.” Carrying my box of journals, I crossed the hall into my room and nearly tripped as a red rubber ball rolled in my path. 

Where’d that come from? I glanced up and down the hall but saw no children or open doors. I toed the ball against the wall, pushed open the room’s door, and flipped on the lights.

In addition to the high, pressed-tin ceiling, the room sported tall windows, draped with pleated, double-layered fabric that faced the town’s main street.

Snug inside the room, I peeked at the swirling snow outdoors. Then I set the box on the Victorian desk as I eyed the two sumptuous queen beds, swathed in bleached white linen.

Undressing, I stepped into the contemporary bath, its fixtures updated, except for the vintage pedestal sink. And after a quick shower, I caught myself smiling in the mirror as I slipped on jeans and an angora-wool sweater. What’ll tonight bring?