An Alaskan Christmas

by Jennifer Snow

  Erika wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

  “You wouldn’t say that if you were out in the middle of nowhere, cold at night and your bladder was about to explode.”

  “That’s the thing—I would never be in that situation. I can’t believe all this outdoors stuff is your idea of fun,” she mumbled as she readjusted the weight of the heavy camping gear in her arms. How her tiny friend was going to carry all of this into the mountains, trudging through deep snow up her knees, Erika had no idea. The last-minute corporate booking for the excursion had been disappointing. She’d been hoping to have more girls’ nights, but now Cassie would be away for several days.

  Cassie had invited her to tag along as a tour guide in training, but this adventure, Erika had declined. Camping in the summertime was not exactly her thing—winter camping had zero appeal.

  “So, I’ll be gone for five days. Make yourself comfortable...and if you need anything, just call Reed.”

  Not even if she was on fire.

  Putting distance between them was her plan. If she could stay away from him, she couldn’t be tempted by whatever insanity was taking hold. “I’ll be fine.” She handed her friend the tent and sleeping bag, then wrapped her arms around her body, shivering as she stepped from one booted foot to the other. The temperature had dropped several degrees in the last few days and the thick, heavy clouds threatened snow. Without the mountain sun warming the ground, everything was covered in a thin veil of frost.

  Pretty. But cold.

  Cassie hugged her quickly. “Thanks for your help. I’ll see you in a few days.”

  “Bye. Be careful and have...fun?” She couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to do one overnight in the woods in this mind-numbing cold, let alone four.

  “You really should try this sometime. You’ll see, it’s not that bad.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  Cassie laughed and waved as she climbed into the van and drove away. Erika hurried back up the stairs and inside the condo.

  Now what?

  She’d eaten breakfast already and cleaned up the kitchen. Another day shopping didn’t appeal to her. She could go to the spa a block away and indulge in some well-overdue pampering, but getting a last-minute appointment might be tough and she wasn’t sure she could relax anyway.

  Sitting on the couch, she reached for her laptop and logged in to her remote desktop. The hospital board might be able to force her out of the office, but they couldn’t stop her from responding to emails. She scanned the newest ones first. Several patient results from the lab that she noticed Dr. Penders was cc’d on as well, so no need for her to review... Delete. The announcement for the annual staff Christmas luncheon—delete. She never attended. She never had time. She’d hear the nurses and interns and other doctors laughing and having a good time in the staff lounge, but she’d always breezed past on her way to another emergency. This year, she wouldn’t even be there to ignore the festivity.

  An email from Darren caught her eye and she opened it.

  Hi Dr. Sheraton,

  Sorry, I opened my big mouth and got you in shit with your dad. Hope the vacation is going well. I wasn’t sure if anyone had reached out to you yet regarding the clinical trials, but we’ve received the approval.

  Oh, and I decided not to go through with the transfer request.

  Hurry back,

  Darren

  Closing the email, she scrolled through the rest, but there was nothing from her father.

  Unbelievable.

  She shut down the connection and closed the laptop, resting her head against the couch cushion.

  Feeling Diva’s weight next to her a second later, she opened one eye and peered at the dog. Her pink sequined leash was in her mouth and she danced in a circle, wiggling her fluffy tail.

  A walk it was.

  “I can’t believe you let her make you wear this,” she said, attaching the blinged-out leash to the matching collar. “Don’t you have any self-respect?”

  Diva licked her face.

  “Gross. We’ve talked about the licking,” Erika said, standing. In the last few days, she and Diva had silently come to some sort of understanding. The dog was adorable—especially when she fell asleep at the oddest times—but they still weren’t at the licking phase yet.

  Excited paws danced around Erika’s feet as she slid into her coat, hat, scarf and mittens. She nosed her pink booties hanging on the bootrack to dry and Erika shook her head. “No. You’re a dog. Let’s go.” She opened the door and followed her down the stairs. “Lead the way.”

  The dog headed right...in the opposite direction of The Drunk Tank.

  Good. Not like she could go into the pub with Diva anyway, even if she did want to see Reed. Which she absolutely didn’t. Nearly two days without a sight of him wasn’t bothering her at all. Reed and his kiss had been the farthest thing from her mind. She and Cassie had been bonding, and she looked forward to her friend’s return so they could continue rebuilding their friendship. She hoped for more shopping on Main Street, night skiing on the slopes, dinner at the Meat & More Grillhouse—Erika’s treat—and more peppermint fudge and chick flick marathons.

  But while Cassie was away, how could she stay busy enough to avoid the temptation to visit the bar?

  Reed was impressed by her. It was the only thought on repeat since the night before. Weird. He had an odd way of showing it. She wondered if he’d noticed they weren’t at the bar last night. Or cared.

  She shook her head and sucked in a big, fresh, cleansing breath, hoping the icy chill entering her lungs would cool her body from the heat flowing through her thinking about her friend’s brother.

  Turning her attention to the mountains in the distance, which surrounded the village, she stopped to appreciate how beautiful they actually were. She could see them from Anchorage, but rarely in her day-to-day life did she get an opportunity to stop long enough to take in the beauty around her. Her body and brain were constantly shifting from one thing to another. Here, things were different. Still early in the morning, the stores were just opening and the village was starting to come to life.

  Watching as Diva gracefully dodged every puddle as she strolled along Main Street made Erika laugh. The husky had a serious complex—she really did believe she was a six-pound poodle, not a forty-pound beast.

  Only her friend would adopt a pet as unique as this one.

  As they rounded the corner near the coffee shop, she saw the search and rescue cabin across the street. The small structure attached to the fire department was painted red and yellow, and the Wild River Search and Rescue logo was painted above the door. The fire station’s garage door was open and inside were fire trucks, the S & R van, several snowmobiles and rescue equipment. About twenty kids lined up outside the cabin door.

  Diva yanked her in their direction.

  She hesitated. The dog wouldn’t harm a flea, but that wasn’t her only concern. Reed could be inside and she was hell-bent on sticking to her avoidance plan. But at Diva’s persistent insistence, she jogged across the street as the crosswalk lit up.

  “Diva!” A little girl wearing a camo-colored ski suit rushed over to them as they approached. “Hi, girl,” she said, bending on one knee to shower the puppy with attention. Her dark brown hair fell into her face and she pushed it back behind an ear with a gloved hand.

  The dog practically purred. She pranced and her tail wagged like crazy as she did circles around the little girl, tangling her legs in the pink leash and pulling Erika closer. She jumped off the ground, desperate to be picked up.

  “You two know one another?” Erika asked.

  “Yeah... Diva’s uncle works with my dad,” the little girl said, laughing as she stepped free of the leash.

  Erika smirked. She wondered how Reed would like being referred to as uncle to a canine. Though they all seemed crazy
over this dog, so he probably wouldn’t mind. “What are you guys lined up for?” She looked toward the entrance, where more kids gathered inside.

  “The Hug-A-Tree program. I’ve taken it already, but now I volunteer to help out,” she said proudly.

  Erika had seen posters around town for the safety-training program for kids. When she’d attended Wild River Elementary, her class had participated in a similar wilderness preparedness field trip, but she’d been sick that day and missed it.

  “Have you taken it?” the kid asked.

  “No... I haven’t.”

  “Then you should,” she said, taking Diva’s leash and heading toward the door as the last kid in line disappeared inside.

  Erika reached for it back. “Oh no. Diva can’t go inside.” Her gaze fell on the building and she strained to see inside. Was Reed in there?

  “Sure she can. Cassie brings her by all the time. We’re training her for the Alaska dog search and rescue team.”

  Ha! The only thing this dog could track down was the day spa.

  “Come on,” the little girl said.

  “Well, I’m not a kid...”

  She shrugged, and Erika realized she was the same little girl she’d seen in the pub the first night she arrived. Tank’s little girl who Cassie babysat. She seemed a lot older than her nine years. “The program is for everyone. Backwoods safety is everyone’s responsibility,” she said. “If you’re going to be spending time here, you really should learn some basic survival skills.”

  “I’m a doctor.”

  “But you wouldn’t want to have to use your skills on yourself, right?” she said as they reached the door.

  Smart-ass had a point, but Erika wasn’t really in a hurry to go trekking through the mountains anyway. Skiing was about as adventurous as she planned to get. But noticing Tyler checking off names on his clipboard inside, she started to rethink it. With Cassie gone for five days, she was going to go crazy. That heli-ski trip he promised might keep her busy for a while and distract her from thoughts of Reed. She hadn’t run into him since the day of the rescue, so now might be her only chance to see him again, without purposely seeking him out. She removed her mittens and tucked them into her coat pockets. Taking off her hat, she smoothed her flyaway strands. “Okay. I’ll take the course.”

  “Great. I get five bucks for everyone I recruit, so tell them you’re with me—I’m Kaia.”

  “And here I thought you were concerned for my safety,” Erika said with a laugh. The smile died on her lips as she entered the classroom and saw Reed among the group of search and rescue crew members leading the program. She turned to glance at Tyler, but he’d yet to notice her. Talking to him with Reed there would be weird, though it shouldn’t be. It wasn’t like they were going to act on the odd tension between them. Sure, they may have a physical chemistry, but they couldn’t be around one another five minutes without arguing.

  Though the angry sex in Mr. & Mrs. Smith didn’t look all that bad... And those two were trying to kill each other.

  “Actually, you know what...” She turned back toward the exit and checked her watch for effect. “I can’t stay.” She reached for Diva’s leash but the puppy tugged it in the opposite direction.

  “You should.”

  Reed’s voice behind her made her heart race. She forced a polite smile as she turned, and Tank’s daughter took off across the room with Diva. Fantastic. “Why’s that?” Was it possible that he got better-looking every time she saw him? Faded jeans that hugged his thighs and the black T-shirt with the search and rescue logo stretching across his chest had her mouth actually watering. Given the choice between the peppermint fudge and his pectorals, she’d be hard-pressed to make a decision.

  Neither one was healthy for her.

  He shook his head slowly. “No reason. Everyone should know the basics about backwoods safety, that’s all.” His blue eyes seemed to penetrate straight to her soul, and the fact that he cared about her safety had her feeling slightly faint.

  “I’m not planning to venture too far from the village.”

  “Are you planning to visit The Drunk Tank again?”

  So he had noticed that they hadn’t come in the night before. “Cassie’s away for a few nights. I don’t usually drink alone.”

  “Sit at the bar. With me,” he said.

  Her pulse raced. “Oh...um...” Jesus, where was her tongue?

  “Reed, all of the registered kids are here,” Tyler said, coming up to them.

  Thank God for the interruption, she’d forgotten how to breathe.

  “Good...okay,” Reed said, looking annoyed by the guy’s sudden presence.

  “Hey, Erika, how’s your vacation going?” Tyler asked her.

  “Great!” she said, cringing at the overly enthusiastic response. He was wearing the same outfit as Reed—jeans and search and rescue T-shirt—yet the sight of him didn’t have the same effect on her.

  Damn.

  But actually that was a good thing. That meant Tyler was safe. Someone she could spend time with while Cassie was away and then leave in two weeks without anything getting complicated. Purposely avoiding Reed’s gaze, she added, “I was serious about the heli-skiing... If you have time...” Her flirty smile was one she didn’t use often, so she prayed it didn’t make her look psychotic.

  Tyler smiled. “Definitely, I’ll make reservations...” Then, after a quick glance at Reed, he shook his head. “Sorry... I, uh, forgot I’m pulling double shifts at the station for the next...week?”

  Reed cleared his throat.

  “Two weeks. Sorry, Erika... You really should check it out, though—it’s an amazing adrenaline rush,” he said, before walking away.

  Erika glared at Reed. “What’s your problem?”

  “No problem. You’re my sister’s best friend and I told her I’d keep an eye on you while she was away.”

  What was she? Six? She raised an eyebrow.

  “Not keep an eye on you like you’re a child...just if you need anything.”

  There were definitely far too many implications in that solitary word. Anything. She could think of a few things she needed, but she’d been hoping to get them from no-strings-attached Tyler, not complicated-as-all-fuck Reed.

  “Tyler’s just not...the right person to take you heli-skiing,” he continued.

  Silence followed, and if he expected her to ask him to take her, he’d be waiting a long time. Tyler might not be the right person to keep her company while she was on vacation, but she already knew spending time alone with Reed was just dangerous. Like, stupid dangerous.

  “Reed, we’re ready to get started,” an older man said from the front of the room as another volunteer, dressed head to toe in a tree costume, came into view.

  Kids cheered and Reed hesitated for a brief second, causing her heart to rise in her throat. “Anyway, you should stick around for this,” he said and walked away.

  With Diva napping, lying on her back with all four paws in the air next to Kaia, it didn’t look as though Erika had much choice. She took a seat at the back of the room on a wooden bench along the wall.

  “Hey, everyone, have you all met Woodsy?” Reed asked the group as he wrapped an arm around the tree.

  “Yes!” the chorus of kids called out.

  “Great, well, with Woodsy’s help, we are going to go over the most important rules for backwoods safety...”

  He was really great with the kids.

  How many other roles and responsibilities did he have as a lead member of the search crew? When did he ever have time off? Between the bar and his volunteer position, she figured he must clock in as many hours in a day as she did. Maybe that was why he was single. Too busy to date? It didn’t seem likely that the women around here would let him use that excuse, though.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw several moms paying
real close attention to the demonstration, as well.

  No doubt, Reed had his pick of women, so why was he flirting with her? Was he flirting? Or was it simply his promise to Cassie that had inspired his invite for her to hang out at the bar?

  This was exactly why Erika didn’t do relationships. Who had time for all these games and second-guessing? Not her.

  “What’s the first thing you should do if you realize you are lost in the woods?” Reed asked the group.

  Several tiny hands shot up in the crowd.

  “Yeah, you. What’s your name?” Reed asked a little boy in the front row.

  “Tim.”

  “Okay, Tim. Whatcha got?”

  “Try to find your parents,” Tim said.

  “Nice guess, and I’m glad you said that. Who else thinks that is the right answer?” He surveyed the crowd, but his sweeping gaze didn’t include her.

  Almost all hands went up, including her own before she could stop herself.

  Luckily no one seemed to notice.

  “Come on up here, and I need a few other volunteers...” Reed selected several other kids from the crowd and with their help, he set the stage. Parents at a campground. Kid lost, out of sight...and how he might head in the wrong direction if he started wandering.

  “So, we see that’s probably not the safest thing we could try,” he said. “But it was a great suggestion, Tim. Anyone else have an idea?”

  Tank’s daughter raised her hand when no one else did. “Hug a tree?”

  “Exactly!” Reed said. “So, everyone let’s practice. On three...hug a tree!”

  Thirty kids rushed toward Woodsy on Reed’s count, and Erika hid a grin as the guy inside the suit went wide-eyed as the wind was knocked from his lungs on impact.

  “Stay with your tree. Make yourself as big as possible by lying down on the ground. Helicopters circling overhead have a better chance of seeing you if you lie down.”

  And fan out your limbs... Wave them around when you see the helicopter... Erika’s heart pounded, a long-repressed memory spiraling back.