“But then you’ll have to leave everyone that matters to you,” Zoey said, not unkindly. “That’s a hard choice.”
“Yeah. Which is why I come home every night and secretly hope the hotel goes belly up and we all get our lives back.” Chuckling, Graham leaned back on his elbows, feet stretched out in front of them. He shot her a boyish look. “It would make one great bonfire up there, wouldn’t it?”
“I plead the fifth.” Playfully, Zoey added, “Jonah didn’t get all of my rap sheet.”
With a sigh of pleasure, Graham settled into his slouch. “I knew I liked you.”
Graham leaned over and lightly bumped his arm into hers. When he did it again, even softer, this time it was Zoey who leaned her head on his shoulder. Inhaling the scent of the evergreen forest around them, of cedar wood piled haphazardly about his yard, and of expensive shampoo on Jake’s coat. Enjoying the hard muscles beneath her cheek and the sweet soda on her lips.
Tilting her bottle his way, Zoey murmured, “To one day being left alone?”
“To one day being left alone.”
Clinking bottles, Graham gazed down at her, expression unreadable. Then he smiled gently and leaned into her just a little before taking a sip. “But not quite yet.”
Chapter 9
The next morning, Graham woke up with Zoey Caldwell overtaking his brain. Seasickness aside, he’d had far more fun with her than a guy had a right to, and he kept hoping Zoey would call him up, maybe demand a repeat of their breakfast date or save him from another day at work by dragging him back out to sea.
She didn’t.
Even though he hadn’t technically given her his number, Graham occasionally checked his phone to see if she called. She hadn’t. And yes, Graham had just seen her the night before, but still. He’d bothered her first thing in the morning to get breakfast. Was it too much to hope for Zoey to do the same?
Deeply disappointed by her perfectly acceptable behavior, Graham started his morning as normal. Working out in his shed, then ordering new summer clothes for Jake online. Staring at his log and making sure if any other lost tourists randomly appeared out of the woods, he wasn’t as terrifying as he stood rooted to the ground in artistic indecision. Checking his phone again to see if maybe he’d missed a call from her, Graham gave up and drove Jake to Ash’s place, where his pup could spend the day outside with her.
Then, when there was nothing else Graham could do to avoid it, he dragged himself in to work.
Easton was a creature of habit, so he showed up at the diner around lunch, giving Graham someone to talk to other than the strangers massing through the doors. The relationship worked well for them. Graham gave East food. East dragged the trash can out and made people pick up their crap. In between still checking his phone and grudgingly serving customers, Graham told Easton about his impromptu afternoon with Zoey.
“You. Went whale watching. Voluntarily.”
Easton’s voice rarely changed in tone, but his lifted eyebrow spoke volumes.
As he worked, Graham shrugged. “Zoey was all alone. I kept her company. It’s not a big deal.”
“Whale watching. On one of those overstuffed tour boats.”
Graham shoved a burger at the next customer, only half listening to the order being told to him. “It was miserable too. I can’t believe they convince people to give them their money. But she loved it, man. Like a kid at Christmas.”
Easton’s eyebrow climbed higher.
“Okay, judgy. Like you’ve never gotten roped into some stupid crap because of a woman.”
“Name anything I’ve done that comes close.”
Hmm, point to Easton, because Graham couldn’t. East kept his mortifying experiences close to the chest and not for general consumption. “Well, it’s not my fault you have the emotional range of a tennis shoe.”
And then she was there, the next customer in line, hair falling over her eyes and that one strand stuck between her lashes and her glasses.
“Hi,” Zoey said shyly.
Feeling his face split with the widest, stupidest grin, Graham nearly dropped a burger patty on the floor.
“Hey there, Zoey Bear. We were just talking about you.”
“Should I be worried?”
“Always.” He flipped a burger higher than normal, maybe to impress her. “So what’s on the menu today?”
“Umm, just a…” She glanced at the prices on the menu board, hand fidgeting in her pocket. “Just a dog please.”
“That’s all you want?”
Pulling her hand out of her pocket, she added softly, “And a water.”
“Wow, you’re really paying into my retirement today,” Graham joked. When he glanced up from his grill, he saw her face had gone a particularly unhappy shade of red.
Graham told her the price, watching as she counted out her change. The next customers in line shifted impatiently as she dug deeper into her pocket. Her flushed face went even redder as it became clear to everyone in the room that the two dollar and change meal was more than she could afford.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m not as hungry as I thought.”
“Hey, I’ve got this one,” Graham started to say, but Zoey already had turned on her heel, hustling out of his restaurant as fast as she could go. Head held high, even though everyone was looking at her.
“Take the wheel, will you?” Graham clapped Easton on the shoulder.
“What?” Easton gave him a horrified look as Graham stripped off his apron and lobbed it at Easton’s face.
“Flip twice, don’t let anything burn. This isn’t rocket science, buddy.”
“What about you?”
Graham was going after a girl.
* * *
Somehow, Graham’s teasing hit Zoey hard. Too hard. Like a punch in the guts when she already wanted to puke.
Abandoning the Tourist Trap, Zoey hurried across the parking lot, avoiding the eyes of the other customers joining the line. So focused on just getting out of there, Zoey almost missed the voice calling after her.
“Hey, Zoey. Darlin’, slow down.”
Hard pass on that. She just wanted to be away from all the people inside, even Graham. Still, he followed her as she paused just long enough to pull the keys out of her pocket with a shaky hand. So of course the keys hooked on the inside fabric of her pocket, turning it inside out and sending her money—what was left of it—flying.
“No, no, no.”
Dropping to her knees despite being in the middle of the parking lot, Zoey scrambled to catch her change, frantic not to lose a single dime more. Collecting them carefully, Zoey crushed the handful of coins to her chest, bursting into tears.
“This isn’t the safest place to take a pit stop. You should see how people drive around here.”
A heavy hand rested cautiously against her shoulder, but when she didn’t pull away from the man now kneeling on the ground next to her, Graham curled his arm around her shoulders and drew her into his muscled torso.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
His voice was soft, nearly crooning to her as she sobbed like an idiot into his chest. It was a good chest—a great chest, really—and designed to be cried into. But Zoey barely knew Graham, and her mortification only rose.
“I’m f-fine.”
A low chuckle met her warbled insistence. “Sorry, Zoey.” Graham kept her tucked to his chest. “For some reason, I’m not inclined to believe you. Was it me? I’m sorry. I never meant to come off rude. It’s been a long day, and it’s still the lunch shift.”
“It’s not you.” Valiantly, Zoey forced herself to pull it together. “They canceled my glacier tour today. Everything was refunded, and they said I could reschedule for later in the week if I put down another deposit, but when I went to get my purse, it was gone.”
“The little frog one?”
“Yes. And I’ve searched everywhere. I don’t even like reindeer dogs, but everything at the resort is so expensive, and—”
Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Zoey sniffled. “It’s so stupid. My coin purse had everything. I know I had it yesterday on the tour, because I kept checking. I didn’t want anyone to pickpocket my bag when I was distracted with the whales.”
When Graham didn’t say anything, Zoey bit her lip to force it to stop quivering. “I’m not like them. I know you think I am, but I’m not. I saved every penny I could for years to take this trip. Do you know how much ramen I ate? And not the good kind in the cup. The cheap blocks from the dollar store kind of ramen. My blood pressure is like ten points higher now from all the sodium.”
“That’s some serious dedication.” Using both thumbs, he wiped away her tears.
“I know, right? But I knew it would be worth it if I could just get here. Only it’s not. Everything isn’t what it was supposed to be.”
“What was it supposed to be?”
“Beautiful. Perfect. Fun. Not so expensive that I can’t even afford to eat reindeer dogs.”
“Ah, and here I thought it was my company you couldn’t resist.”
Rolling her eyes, she still couldn’t help relaxing a little as her stress eased in response to his joking. “Shut up.”
Dipping his head, Graham murmured into her ear. “I know you’re not like them. They drive me crazy, but you I like. Come on. Off the ground. You’re far too gorgeous to be down here.”
Slipping his hand through her arm, Graham stood, drawing her with him. “There. No one puts Zoey in a corner.”
“I’m literally in a parking lot with no corners.”
“Don’t make me dance with you.” His biceps flexed as he kept her close. “I might like it. Have you checked in your rental?”
“About ten times. It’s not there.”
“Do you mind if we check again?”
“No offense, Graham, but I’m an intelligent woman more than capable of looking under a seat.”
“True. But I have something you don’t have.” At her quizzical look, Graham waggled his fingers. “Longer arms. Where’s your rental?”
“Next to your truck. I couldn’t find anywhere else to park. But Ulysses was across the road. I don’t know if he’s still there.”
Taking her hand in his, Graham led her around the building, ignoring the gathering line inside the diner and the glaring faces watching them through the windows.
Sure enough, Ulysses was in full courting mode of the truck next to Zoey’s SUV, snorting and slobbering away.
“Buddy, my woman needs to check the car.”
Ulysses huffed, eyeing them.
“Come on, man. Catch me a break. I don’t want to get stomped on today.”
Abruptly, the moose spun, darting across the back parking lot and into the road. Gasping at the speed of his escape as much as the power of the massive animal, Zoey watched vehicles slow down for him. Ulysses ran alongside the road for several strides before cutting across, bolting for the protection of the forested mountainside.
“How fast was he going?”
“Maybe twenty-five, thirty miles per hour at the most. They’ve clocked ’em at thirty-five, but he’s like me. Too lazy to invest that much effort.”
Even as he said it, Graham opened her car door and started proactively searching through the driver’s side, checking the door pockets and under the seat.
“I already looked,” she said, defeated. “It’s not there. I drove you home, and—”
“And my dog was in your back seat.” Graham crawled in the back, wedging himself awkwardly so he could reach beneath the back of the seats. “Jake loves anything and everything he can get his cute little paws on. It’s as if he instinctively knows things are shiny, even though he can’t see them. Like…yep.” With a flourish, Graham lifted her sparkly green frog coin purse. “My dog hid it for a rainy day. Don’t feel bad. He buries my crap in the truck all the time.”
Zoey opened the purse, checking to make sure it was all there, not out of suspicion but from the need to reassure herself. Graham watched her counting with sympathetic eyes as she leaned against the side of the SUV.
“I can’t believe I spent all morning eating my heart out over this when I was sitting on it the entire time.”
“I’m sorry Jake caused you to be so worried. But everything’s better now, right?” he asked, cupping her face in his hands.
“Yeah.” Blinking rapidly at his kindness, Zoey stared at his chest, feeling so lost. So alone.
“Not really better, huh?” Strong fingers wiped away her tears.
“I just need to readjust my expectations.”
“Maybe. Or maybe you need to have this place cut you a break. Come on. It’s almost the end of lunch.” Graham led her back into the diner and flipped the closed sign. “All right, everybody out. I’m closed until dinner.”
“Finally.” Easton expelled a heavy breath from his place behind the grill, looking beyond ridiculous in an apron several sizes too small. Pointing a large finger at Graham, he growled, “You. Hire someone.”
“Yeah, but then they’d have to work for me. And I’d feel guilty about shoving everyone out the door.”
As Easton stalked out of the restaurant, muttering to himself, Graham turned to the other patrons. “Hey, this is not a drill, people. The Tourist Trap is closed. Please head to the closest exit in whatever disorderly fashion you prefer. If I hurt your feelings, remind me tomorrow, and I’ll give you a free…I don’t know…something.”
“Fries?” a hopeful patron asked.
“Sure, free fries. Just get out of my diner.”
Watching the grumbling masses shuffle out, Zoey shook her head. “I don’t understand how you stay open.”
“Neither do I.” Graham sighed mournfully as he prepped something behind the counter. “The harder I try, the worse it gets.”
“Most people would kill for a thriving restaurant.”
“Yes, but most people aren’t us.” Setting an iced tea and plate in front of her, Graham leaned on the counter between them. “And I know you don’t like them, but here. Eat something.”
“I don’t not like them. I just don’t like them. They’re growing on me.”
The reindeer dog had antlers like always, but this time, he’d drawn a little sad face on the reindeer. Despite her wet cheeks and puffy eyes, Zoey couldn’t help but exhale a soft laugh. She pulled her glasses off and set them on the table, scrubbing roughly at her eyes and wiping away the remains of her embarrassing meltdown.
“I’m sorry about out there. I kind of got all—”
“Real? Validly upset?” Graham came around the counter to sit next to her, dropping a basket of fries in between them. “Zoey, do you know how many times just this summer I’ve watched someone have a complete meltdown over something completely stupid? Like chipped paint on a sports car’s undercarriage after someone drove on gravel roads. Stupid. Complete freak-out.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel better, you’re doing a really good job at it.”
Zoey smiled at Graham. Or she smiled in the direction of Graham. Her glasses were still on the table. Unable to resist the allure of fresh fries, she let her nose guide her hand.
“Can I wear these?”
She guessed he had picked up her glasses. “You’re seriously the weirdest person I’ve ever met.”
“I’m not the one with a coin purse that looks like a bedazzled frog princess. How do I look?”
“I’d have to put them on to tell you.”
“You’re blind as a bat, aren’t you? I bet they couldn’t make contacts thin enough to fit this prescription in your eyeballs.”
“Now you’re just being mean. And I like my glasses.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Chuckling that low, warm rumble of his, Graham carefully set them back on her nose. “I like a lot about you, gorgeous.”
From past experience, Zoey knew her face was always a splotchy, reddened mess after she cried. But Graham’s eyes were sweeping her features, gaze lingering on her mouth.
“Your tour got canceled?”
She nodded. “Technical malfunctions with the boat.”
“That sucks,” he murmured. “You can’t come all the way to Alaska and not get to see the glaciers.”
“I guess I’m the special one.”
His lips curved. “Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.”
Graham picked up his phone. “Hey, Ash? It’s Graham. I need a favor.”
* * *
When Zoey had planned her dream trip to Alaska, she’d known from the beginning there would be certain things she’d never be able to do. As the helicopter tilted to the right, circling the glacier below, she couldn’t help but inhale deeply to slow her racing heart.
This right here. This was what she’d known would never happen.
“Pretty, isn’t she?”
A heavy headset protected Zoey’s hearing from the loud chopping of the helicopter propellers. Through the headset, she could hear Graham’s voice in her ear, a slight buzz distorting his words.
“How long has it been since we’ve been out here, Ash?”
With a casual shrug, Ash made a second, lower sweep over the river of solid ice, blues and iridescent rainbows reflecting across the surface of the glacier below.
“Since we’ve been here? Not since Jenna. Since I’ve been here? Last week.”
“Have you been sight-seeing without me? I’m crushed.” Graham’s teasing tone came through clearly, but when Zoey glanced over her shoulder at the man in the back seat of the helicopter, he gave her an amused look. “Jenna’s my cousin, in case you were burning alive with jealousy.” A warm voice came through the headset. “I know you have it bad for me.”
“Zoey, let me know if you want to leave him out here. I wouldn’t mind.”
The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska) Page 17
