The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska)

by Sarah Morgenthaler

  Zoey opened the door and pulled Graham to safety inside her room. She opened her mouth to tell him something but immediately lost all thought as his lips found hers.

  The kiss was soft, undemanding, giving her a chance to pull away. When she didn’t, choosing instead to lean into his hard, strong body, a noise of masculine pleasure rumbled from his throat.

  “Did I tell you I like your dress?”

  “You told me you like my Mickey Mouse sweatshirt.”

  “Good.”

  Then he kissed her again, and Zoey’s hands were in his hair, pulling him to her as she went up on her toes. Graham was tall, tall enough that he had to lean down to kiss her, an action that lasted only for a second. Strong hands slid down her rib cage, wrapping beneath her hips, then dug in. He picked her up, bringing her to his height.

  Her dress hiked up as her legs wrapped around his waist, heart racing as Graham took a step. Where he was headed, Zoey didn’t know, because the door swung open again, whacking them both.

  “Oops.” With an impish look, Lana swished past them. “Ignore me. Carry on.”

  “Is it just me, or did she deliberately show up right now?” Graham murmured into Zoey’s ear as he set her back down to her feet.

  “Trust me, it’s all you. I can’t turn around without accidentally running into the two of you getting all tryst-y with each other. Speaking of which…” Lana winked at Zoey. “Congratulations, love. I knew he would be the perfect thing to clean out the rafters.”

  Groaning, Zoey looked at Graham. “Please tell me she didn’t just say that.”

  “Which part is your rafters?” Graham asked curiously, earning himself a swat of Zoey’s hand.

  “Are you mad we wrecked your gala?” Zoey cringed. “I’m really sorry. Haleigh just really gets under my skin.”

  “Oh, that? That was nothing. A party isn’t a party unless someone calls a lawyer.” Lana didn’t seem bothered at all. With a dismissive flap of her hand, she moved to the wet bar in the corner of the suite and poured herself a drink. “Graham, I’m glad you’re here. You two left tonight before I could start the program.”

  Graham’s sharp eyes missed nothing. “I’ve never seen you drink brandy,” he noted.

  “It’s an easy swallow when I have some difficult news to share.” Taking a sip, she hummed in appreciation, then turned her eyes to Graham and Zoey. “Graham, you might want to sit down for this.”

  Folding his arms across his chest, his brow furrowed. “You’re not giving me warm fuzzies here, L.”

  The ring of his cell phone interrupted whatever Lana was about to say. Graham glanced at it, then frowned deeper, holding up a finger. “Sorry, ladies, I need to take this. What’s up, Jonah?”

  Standing at his side, Zoey could hear the officer’s voice on the other end. “I’ve got some bad news, Graham. I’m real sorry to be the one making this call.”

  Zoey watched the blood drain from Graham’s face, his fist balling at his side.

  “Who is it?” he asked quietly.

  “That moose that’s always hanging around your place charged some tourists tonight. Someone got hurt.”

  The tension in him didn’t ease, but he did inhale a tight breath. “Start with that next time, man. I thought it was Mom or Dad. Did he kill anyone?”

  “No, but they’re airlifting the husband to Anchorage. He hurt the guy pretty bad. Easton’s tracking the moose, and you know that only takes so long. We need to relocate him, but we thought…well…you might want to say goodbye.”

  Graham hung up, turning to them, clearly shaken. “Zoey, I’m sorry. I need to go. L, can you catch me up on your big news later?”

  “Of course, Graham.” Lana dipped her head in understanding. “It can wait.”

  Halfway to the door, Graham stopped. Turning, he gazed down at Zoey then reached for her hand, wrapping his fingers tightly around hers. “I’m sorry this is how our night is ending.”

  “Me too.” Zoey said quietly, “Do you want me to come with you?”

  Exhaling a hard breath, he nodded.

  “Yeah. That would be nice.”

  * * *

  The Tourist Trap still had people gathered in the parking lot—a fire engine and various trucks from volunteer emergency responders and Jonah’s police cruiser. Another squad car with two state troopers was parked near the building, and their flashing lights reflected off the diner’s windows.

  Graham pulled up as close as he could get, setting the truck in park.

  “You might want to stay here,” he said in a tight voice. “Sometimes the aftermath of these kinds of things are rough to see.”

  Jumping out of the truck, Graham strode right into the middle of the fray as if unfazed. But since his hands had clenched the steering wheel white-knuckled the entire drive down from the resort, Zoey didn’t heed his warning, following at a distance. Jonah met him, a hard look on the trooper’s face. Glancing at Zoey, Jonah turned back to Graham.

  “There wasn’t any damage to your place, but we’re going to be here awhile. Easton called, and he’s tracked the bull just north of Rick’s home. We’ve got a transport ready, but they need to tranq him before he gets somewhere more heavily wooded.”

  Graham nodded tightly. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

  Disappearing for a moment into his diner, Graham came back out with a paper take-out bag in his hand. When they got back in the vehicle, Graham was furious.

  “This shit right here is why I’m so over this place,” he snarled. Nearly crushing the paper bag in his hand, he thrust it her way to hold. “There was no need for any of this.”

  As the scent of freshly baked bread wafted from the bag, Zoey’s heart hurt for everyone. The poor people who’d been hurt, the poor animal who had just wanted to be left alone. And for Graham, who was driving twice the speed limit up narrow mountain roads, just for the chance to say goodbye.

  A text came through, and Graham tilted his phone to Zoey, unable to take his eyes from the road.

  “It’s Easton,” she read for him. “He says they darted Ulysses in the clearing behind Rick’s back pasture.”

  Without warning, he pulled off on the side of the road and got out. “We’re almost there. It’s faster to cut through here.”

  Trusting Graham knew where he was going, she followed him through the trees on a lightly worn footpath, struggling to keep up in her heels. Even with Graham’s hand on her arm, Zoey kept tripping in the underbrush until she finally took them off. Sore feet would be better than a broken ankle.

  Lights in the distance told her they were close, and Graham broke into a jog, leaving Zoey to follow at his heels.

  Easton stood over a massive, furry brown body, his tranquilizer rifle in hand. At his side, a grim-faced Rick and a second man in a Fish and Game uniform were spreading something out on the ground.

  “What is that?” Zoey asked quietly.

  “A sling to transport him. You can’t just stick a wild bull moose in a trailer. Especially not in a place as heavily wooded as this. You have to airlift them somewhere else.”

  The second man stood, then walked over to Graham. “Sorry to see you under these circumstances, Graham.”

  They shook hands, Graham’s voice quiet. “Yeah, me too.”

  “Too bad it had to end up this way. Shame someone got hurt.”

  Graham nodded tightly. “Zoey, this is Officer Marcus Garcia. He’s the one who gets called when stuff like this happens.”

  “Too many calls from Moose Springs.” Officer Garcia shook his head. “I might as well get a satellite station put in there.”

  Shaking hands with the young Fish and Game warden, Zoey murmured a greeting and stepped back, trying to stay out of everyone’s way. Between them, Graham, Rick, and Officer Garcia finished rigging the sling that would take Ulysses away. Easton remained where he was next to Ul
ysses, tranquilizer rifle at the ready.

  “Ash should be here soon. We have to move him before he wakes.” Easton rested his palm gently on Ulysses’s shoulder. “Took a ton of bricks to drop him. He’s a tough one.”

  Graham cleared his throat. “Yeah. Big weirdo wasn’t a wuss, were you?”

  Kneeling next to the big, furry head, Graham rubbed the moose’s massive nose. The animal was heavily sedated, but he moved a little when Graham touched him, huffing a breath against Graham’s hands.

  She wanted to touch him too, but this wasn’t the time. Not when Graham sounded wrecked at having to say goodbye.

  “We had a good run, didn’t we, buddy?”

  Ulysses huffed louder, his foot twitching.

  “It’s wearing off already.” Easton waved them back, then brought his rifle to his shoulder. The resultant crack of gunfire made Zoey jerk almost as much as Ulysses did, a large dart sticking from his shoulder. When her ears stopped ringing, she could hear helicopter blades chopping through the air, coming closer.

  “He’s a tough one, isn’t he?” Garcia murmured. “How many have you put in him?”

  “One more than I should have.” Easton grunted. “We need to get him on the sling.”

  “Just one second.” Graham looked around. “I need to…dammit, I forgot the bread in the car.”

  “I still have it.” Zoey handed Graham the bag. Giving her a desperately grateful look, he broke off a small piece, setting it next to Ulysses’s nostrils.

  “Here you go, big guy. I know it’s your thing, you perv.” His voice caught. “It’s gonna suck. Losing your home is going to suck real bad, but it’s better than the alternatives. Ears and eyes up, okay? I want to have lots of your pervy calves giving this town hell one day. Got it?” Leaning over, Graham rested his forehead against the moose’s own. “Keep breathing, buddy.”

  Rising to his feet, Graham’s voice hardened. “Let’s get him into the sling.”

  What followed broke her heart. It took all five of them to get Ulysses onto the sling, taking hold of his legs and rolling him onto his back, trying not to get caught beneath his heavy body as momentum caused him to land heavily on his other side. His neck twisted at a painful angle when his antlers caught on the ground, making Graham curse as he helped straighten Ulysses’s head.

  Officer Garcia took some pictures, making a verbal recording as he did so of the scene and the people there. Then the helicopter above them lowered to just above the treetops, running a cable down to them. Easton and Garcia hooked up the sling, then stepped back. Head and massive antlers hanging limp, Ulysses’s body was raised into the air, then flown off into the distance.

  The whole thing was awful, and Zoey couldn’t imagine how terrifying it would be for him when he woke up, somewhere completely new.

  “Can’t we go with him? Make sure he’s okay?”

  Garcia shook his head. “No. My partner and another Fish and Game warden are already en route to where they’re unhooking him. If they waited until we got there, he would wake up.”

  “How far is she taking him?”

  “To the base of that big mountain north of here,” Garcia said. “Mount Veil. Too far for him to come back and hurt anyone else. If he survives.”

  Wordlessly, Graham rose and walked away. Not sure what to do, Zoey followed, staying quiet as they backtracked to their truck. Graham drove them to the diner, which was blessedly empty of onlookers. Leaving all but a single light off, Graham went straight to the liquor shelf. She’d never seen him drink anything harder than beer, but Graham poured himself a shot of whiskey and downed it. Then he poured himself a second and threw that back too.

  “Is Ulysses going to be okay?” Zoey asked softly.

  “Fifty-fifty shot.” His voice was harsh, clipped, and angry. “Some get hurt in the move, and some don’t come out of the tranquilizers well. He’s an easy target until they wear off. He won’t know where to get water or find food or shelter. All because some piece of shit wanted to take a picture.”

  “It could have been an accident.”

  “No way. I know exactly what happened because I see this crap all the time.”

  “Graham—”

  “No. No, this is exactly what it’s like living here. Zoey, you don’t have to like it, but you are the problem. You, Lana, and all those assholes up there. You come here, you get your kicks, and then you’re gone. And screw whoever you hurt in the process. It’s all in the name of a good time, right?”

  Flinching at his attack, Zoey stood up straighter. “Graham, I know you’re upset, but that’s not fair.”

  Inhaling three deep breaths, Graham finally shook his head. “No. It’s not. You didn’t do anything. But I’m so damn tired of all the people who do.”

  Clearing his throat, Graham gripped the counter with white-knuckled hands. He walked away, then turned and slammed his fist through the wall. Right next to Barley the Biker Bear. “Zoey,” he rasped. “You don’t get it.”

  Except she did. At least as much as she could.

  “He was your friend.” Coming up behind him, Zoey wrapped her arms around Graham’s waist. “You lost a friend today. I’m so sorry, Graham. This wasn’t fair to either of you.”

  He turned, and the hand that had gone through a wall cupped her cheek as carefully as if she were made of glass.

  Zoey went up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s just a moose,” Graham finally whispered.

  “But he was your moose.”

  “You’re right, Zoey. He was my friend.” Leaning his forehead against hers, Graham closed his eyes. Then with a soft noise of surrender, he dipped his head down and kissed her. Just like last time, his lips were warm and soft, but this time, they tasted of whiskey, sweet and strong.

  Graham turned, pressing her back to the wall as he deepened the kiss.

  A picture frame got caught between her shoulder and his hand fisting into her hair. When the picture fell, Graham ignored it. He ignored two more that hit the floor when he hoisted her up with the strength of one arm, guiding her legs around his waist with the other.

  “This stops when you say so,” he whispered against her neck. “This doesn’t even start unless you say so.”

  Pulling his face to hers, Zoey crushed her mouth to his, a silent but clear reply. In response, Graham muscled her higher in his arms. But when she started to fumble at his shirt, he pulled back, abruptly releasing her back to her feet.

  “Not here, Zo. Not like this. Not some one-night stand.”

  “We’re not—” she started to say, but Graham shook his head, eyes pained.

  “But we are. All of this was never a good idea.” He braced an arm over her head, resting his forehead to hers. “I can’t, okay? This relationship, or whatever it is, is going to end with you walking away. Listen, gorgeous. You and me, this was a mistake. I like you so much, but, Zoey, all of this—”

  “A mistake.” Just because she understood why he was saying it didn’t make those words any easier to hear. “I should go.”

  He’d been drinking, and he’d been her ride. Even now, Graham wasn’t leaving her stranded. “I’ll find someone to drive you.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll call Lana to come get me. Or I’ll call a rideshare.”

  Ducking under his arm, Zoey took her wounded pride and tucked it into her pocket. She was hurt and still breathless from his kisses, but he was hurt too—more deeply than she was right now, for far more important reasons. Having her feelings hurt was nothing close to losing a friend forever.

  And if he could love an animal this much, Zoey had no illusions to how deeply this man could love another person if he gave his heart away.

  Graham was right. She was leaving in five days, and she needed to walk out this door. But even as she thought it, she hesitated at the doorway. Graha
m was watching her leave. The look he gave her…so helpless…so hopeless…broke her heart all over again.

  “He’ll be okay,” Zoey promised softly from the doorway. “And you will be too.”

  Chapter 14

  There would be no saving the dress.

  Between the hike through the woods, rolling a moose, and multiple encounters of the sexy kind with Graham that evening, the delicate layers of fabric had been ruined.

  “I’m sorry, Zoey.” Quinn held it up to the light as if better illumination would help her find some inch of fabric not damaged by the evening before. “We can have it cleaned, but this part won’t hold a stitch without unravelling more.” Turning the dress over, she pointed at the worst of the tearing. “And this can’t be stitched without it showing. If you want, I can try.”

  “It’s okay. I won’t waste your time.”

  Disappointed, Zoey accepted the dress back from the hotel’s expert seamstress. Quinn was a woman of many talents, including the ability to be truly crestfallen at Zoey’s misfortune. If Quinn couldn’t save it, it couldn’t be saved.

  Quinn’s domain was a tiny windowless office just off the main laundry rooms. For a resort this big, they kept their laundry machines running nonstop. Detergent, bleach, and heated Egyptian cotton mixed unpleasantly in Zoey’s nostrils, but Quinn seemed oblivious to the smell.

  “I wish there was more I could do for you.” With a wistful sigh, the hospitality specialist turned in her chair. “You looked so pretty in this last night.”

  Warmed by the unexpected compliment, Zoey sat down in the other chair in the small office. “Thank you. I didn’t see you there. I saw Diego, but I didn’t recognize anyone else.”

  “Oh, Diego is in training to be a butler. He and Grass are both in the running.” Lowering her voice conspiratorially, Quinn added, “I bet Hannah gives the job to Diego, even though Grass would be so much better at it. Mrs. Harris kept promoting all the out-of-towners over people from here. Hannah is trying to even things out. Which I’m completely in favor of, except have you noticed how Diego bares his teeth at everyone?”