by J. H. Croix
His experience with Cristina had given him a cynical view of relationships. The person he’d thought he’d fallen in love with was not who she was at all. He’d kept his distance from women since then and had been relieved to move away from Seattle. At thirty-two, he sometimes thought maybe he wanted what his parents had. While they’d be the first to say their marriage wasn’t perfect, their acceptance of each other, love beyond the surface, and sustained commitment was what he looked toward. That said, he wasn’t sure it was for him. He was pretty comfortable with his life as it was—light, easy relationships without the risk of making another miscalculation about a woman.
Luke locked up the boat’s cabin and checked the moorings by habit before leaving. As he walked back to his truck with Jessie trotting at his heels, his phone rang. Hannah was on the other end, letting him know she could meet him to pick up Jessie. Through the brief drive home, he stroked Jessie. He’d miss her presence, despite the fact that she’d only been with him for a few weeks. He trusted Susie’s opinion, which is why he’d driven straight to Hannah’s after Susie suggested he ask Hannah about Jessie. Now, he kept wondering more about Hannah. He wanted a chance to get to know her despite his misgivings about why.
When he arrived back at the house, Jared was still downstairs in the office. Jared explained that Nathan had gone on a coffee run because he’d been too impatient to wait for Luke to return. Jared shrugged. “You know Nathan—if he thinks he needs coffee, or anything else, it’s gotta be right then. So did you have a chance to drop things off at Iris?”
“Yeah. Just came from the harbor. Hannah’s on her way over in a bit to pick up Jessie. Gonna miss this girl,” Luke said and knelt beside Jessie to hold her close for a moment. “But glad Susie found her a good home. Hannah’s up at her parents’ old house by herself. Jessie will be good company. Nice place for Jessie too. Plenty of room to run around and off the busy roads.”
A car door slammed outside. Through the window, Luke saw Hannah climbing out of the red truck he’d seen in her driveway.
Jared had followed him to the window. “So that’s Susie’s long lost friend. Hmm.”
Luke didn’t respond and started walking upstairs. He met Hannah at the door, just as she was about to knock. Jessie slipped past him and circled Hannah excitedly with yips and barks of greeting. Hannah looked up while petting Jessie. “Well, she seems happy to see me. How are you?” she asked.
“Just fine. Been running errands. How about you?” he asked.
“Fine as well. Also running errands. I’m excited about Jessie. I can take her on some of my favorite walks.”
Luke gestured for Hannah to come in. The home he shared with his brothers was a timber-frame house with exposed beams and wide-open common spaces. The main entrance had a small curved deck reached with a set of stairs. The house was built into a hill with the main entrance on the upper floor. There was a larger deck that ran the length of the house on the back. The entire back of the upper floor was a wall of windows and sliding glass doors looking out over the bay and mountains. The upper floor contained most of the common spaces with a living room, dining room, and kitchen area. The living room had a beautiful gray soapstone fireplace. The stone retained heat for hours and kept the house warm in the winters. There were three bedrooms upstairs off a hallway to one side. The stairs that led downstairs were off to the opposite side of the living room. What was intended to be another family room downstairs was their office. There was one actual desk with tables and file cabinets lining the walls. Jared used the desk while Luke and Nathan had their laptops placed haphazardly on the tables. Luke headed toward the kitchen area and looked to see if there was anything to offer Hannah.
Hannah had stopped by the kitchen counter and was taking in the view of the bay. “I missed this view so much. I can’t believe I forgot what it was like to see this every day. You have a great view here—wide-open. We have more trees at my parents’ place.” She flinched. “Well, there’s no ‘we’ to speak of. I hate it that little things like that trip me up every day.” She shook her head. “I keep trying to get used to it. Anyway, my point was that the view is lovely here. You and your brothers have a nice place.”
“We like it. Plenty of space for the three of us, and our office is downstairs. And there is that view.”
As he spoke, Jared came up the stairs. “Here’s my older brother.” He gestured to Jared. “Jared, this is Hannah, and Hannah…Jared. Hannah’s here for Jessie.” Turning back to Hannah, he said, “Let me get Jessie’s stuff. Haven’t had a chance to do that.”
While he grabbed the few items they had for Jessie, Jared and Hannah chatted in the kitchen. Luke returned to the kitchen area with Jessie’s stuff in a bag and joined them at the kitchen table as they bemoaned the traffic that came with the explosion of summer tourists. Jared asked Hannah what she planned to do now that she was back, which Luke had been wondering himself.
“When I left, it was for graduate school. Before that, all I’d ever done were after-school jobs at a few stores in town and waiting tables in the summer. I worked throughout college, but also just waiting tables. While I was getting my graduate degree in environmental science, I took a job with a nonprofit that advocated for preservation. They focused on wetlands mostly. My plan for here was to feel out my options with the state and fed jobs. With my degree, it’s possible to hook up with one of the environmental management agencies. Since my parents’ house is paid off and I inherited a little money, I have a grace period before I have to get too worried about finances.”
“That’ll buy you some time,” Jared said. “Since you grew up here, you know how it is. So many people have several jobs going all at once or at different times of the year. We do guiding trips for recreational fishing in between our commercial runs. Come winter, snow removal to keep the cash flowing.”
She nodded and caught Luke’s eyes. “Yeah, that’s how it’s always been here. There’s a seasonal nature to some of the work, so people have hodgepodge jobs. My dad was an exception because he was a biologist and was busy year-round. My mother was a teacher at the high school and ran a small landscaping business in the summer. I’m flexible, so I’ll play it by ear.”
Hannah remained for another half hour. Luke found himself quieter than usual, caught up in watching her. She had subtle expressions and a soft warmth. He wanted to break through that wall of reserve around her, wanted to know if she felt the same spark he did, and then wondered what the hell he was thinking. He caught Jared looking at him with a knowing expression and looked away. He didn’t know that he wanted to think too much about the fact that for the first time in years, he was more than just casually interested in someone, nor did he want to suffer through Jared’s teasing about it. As Hannah got ready to go, she asked if he was sure he wanted Jessie to go with her now.
Jessie lay sprawled on the kitchen floor. “Much as I’d love for her to stay, she’d be abandoned for weeks at a time.”
With that, he walked Hannah to the door and outside with Jessie. Jared followed them to the door and said good-bye. Luke walked to Hannah’s truck and encouraged Jessie to hop in, which she did without hesitation.
“Your canine copilot now—a good one.” He couldn’t look away from the blue of Hannah’s eyes for a moment. He spoke again without thinking. “Maybe we could get together for dinner before I head out on this trip?”
She looked surprised, her blue eyes widening. She held his gaze, a question and a shade of wariness in her eyes. “Maybe we could,” she said slowly. “You have my number. Plus, I’m counting on visits for Jessie.” With that, she stepped into her truck, started it, and put it into gear with a quick wave when the truck started to move. The dust from the driveway lifted around Luke as he stood watching her drive away. He heard the crunch of gravel behind him and then Jared’s voice.
“My hunch was correct. You like her,” Jared said and started to laugh when Luke pretended to cuff him on the chin.
“Maybe I think she’s interesti
ng. Cut me some slack. I don’t hound you about women even though every single woman in this town and then some has been slobbering over you while you play it cool and distant,” he said.
Jared clapped him on the back and followed him back in the house. “I’ll cut you some slack for now. In the meantime, while you were starry-eyed with Hannah, I took a call about a small guiding trip in two days. Think you can take the trip with me?”
Luke spent the rest of the afternoon working around the yard and contemplated when the timing was right to call Hannah for dinner. This thought was repeatedly interrupted with wondering what the hell he was thinking. The last time he’d been this interested in someone, it had been Cristina, who’d shown him clearly that his judgment was poor when he let his hormones have a say.
Chapter 7
Hannah sat with Susie at Misty Mountain and sipped a cup of coffee. They had taken to meeting for coffee every few days. With two years to catch up on, she savored the time. Jessie had been with her for a week, and now she couldn’t imagine not having her. It was early, but the sun was already well above the horizon, full into another long Alaskan summer day. She thanked Susie for sending Luke her way with Jessie, which elicited a wide grin.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“Well, I thought you might like Jessie since you mentioned missing Grayson, but…Luke’s a friend, and I had a sense you two might click,” Susie said with a laugh.
“Cut it out, will you? I just got back here, you know. I haven’t exactly been thinking about men lately.”
“My point precisely. Maybe you should think about them. When’s the last time you went on a date?” Susie asked.
Hannah wrinkled her nose and eyed Susie. “Last time I went on a date, if you want to call it that, I chased Paul, that guy I met in Boston, to Costa Rica. Costa Rica was lovely, but he wasn’t. A few days into our trip, he was shacking up with someone else at the resort. Left me with a hotel bill I couldn’t afford.”
Susie gave her a considering look. “Forgot about that little jaunt. It was hard to keep up with you for a few years there.”
Silence fell between them. Hannah knew that while Susie may have been more tolerant of her wild streak than her parents had, Susie had also worried about her choices when it came to men after what happened with Damon. They’d been right to question, but she couldn’t admit it at the time. She’d tried to convince herself she could heal her broken heart and shattered confidence by skating on the edge of risk and almost purposefully choosing men that she knew from the outset didn’t care. Then she couldn’t be surprised. Her parents’ death had catapulted her in the opposite direction. Since then, she’d walked a tightrope of responsibility, completing her graduate program with honors, holding down a job at the same time, and saving every penny she made beyond what she needed for bills. Men were not on her radar.
Susie studied her with concern. “If that was your last date, that was right before your parents died. I’m sure you hate me pointing out the obvious, but…you’ve pretty much shut down since they died.”
Hannah held her silence. She knew Susie was right, but she didn’t want to talk about it now for fear she’d end up in tears in the middle of Misty Mountain.
Susie let her off the hook. “Luke’s nice. That’s all. Even if you’re just friends, he’s a good friend to have. His brothers are nice too. Well, Nathan’s nice enough. Jared, the older one, is kind of a tight ass, seriously detail oriented. But that doesn’t matter because you like Luke even if you won’t admit it. I was thinking of having a dinner party this weekend. It’s time for you to see a few more friends. The Winters brothers will come, and you can bring Jessie. What do you think?” Susie asked.
Hannah hesitated before answering. “Well…I don’t know. It’s been nice to ease back in town slowly. And now you have me nervous about Luke. I hate being set up. You tried that several times in high school. Did it ever work out?”
“Well, that’s only because they weren’t the right guys. My judgment has improved. Just relax if you can. I know it’s been a rough patch since your parents died, but every time I turn around, someone’s asking me about you. Everyone knows you’re home now. If it’s not my party, someone else will expect you to show up at theirs. This way, it’s on your terms.”
“You mean, your terms,” Hannah said with a laugh. “If it were anyone other than you, I’d say back off. But you might be right. I’ve been holing up at the house too much except for when I see you and take Jessie for walks. Name the date, and I’ll be there. But you’d better not push this Luke idea of yours.”
Susie just grinned. After Susie left for the office, Hannah took Jessie for a walk on the beach. Gulls circled overhead, and the occasional eagle passed by. Boats pulled out of the harbor, the low rumble of motors carrying across the water. Jessie raced in and out of the water fetching sticks. The walks anchored Hannah back to Alaska and to Diamond Creek. She took in the salty tang of the air and the rush of ocean breezes with hints of fish and seaweed.
Jessie had fit into Hannah’s life seamlessly. While it had been over two years since she’d been here, she quickly found herself readjusting to rhythms that echoed from the past. Rising early in the cool gray dawn, she went for walks along her road and a few nearby trails. It was coffee and breakfast either at home or with Susie in town. She had gradually encountered other old friends, some warmer than others. She had a few bridges to mend, but figured she had time. It was unsettling at times to be home without her parents there, but not as painful as she’d feared. Her distance had helped her accept their absence on some level. There were moments when she was pierced with the loss, particularly as she made her way through the house and tried to make sense of what was there. Some of their belongings were easy to discard, but others were wrenching. She couldn’t bring herself to empty the coat closet yet. Perhaps because she had been so used to what was held there—a jumble of jackets, boots, and the odds and ends of daily life. One of her father’s favorite baseball caps sat on the shelf, faded and worn. Susie had come by a few times to help lug bags and boxes to the local thrift store. Hannah had rearranged the office area upstairs and made it her own. She still slept in her old bedroom, as it felt the most comfortable for now.
Hannah watched Jessie race along the shore, yipping at gulls swooping above her. At Hannah’s whistle, Jessie quickly ran over to her, following her back to her truck. The beach she’d chosen today was reached by a trail off the harbor parking lot. As she entered the lot, Luke was walking into the lot from the harbor side. Jessie ran over to him and leaped in the air. He laughed and allowed Jessie to circle and rub against him. Hannah followed Jessie over to say hello. One look into Luke’s green eyes, and she thought maybe Susie had a point. She again noticed she was almost eye-to-eye with Luke. She was used to being taller than many men. He was actually taller than she was, which was a nice change.
“Nice to see you. Jessie looks happy. How is she settling in?” Luke asked.
“Oh, she’s been great. I can’t imagine life without her now. She goes with me everywhere. I’m sorry for your sake that you couldn’t keep her,” she said.
Luke knelt down and ruffled Jessie’s neck, Jessie leaning into his hands. His dark hair was tousled, and Hannah once again felt the urge to brush the hair out of his eyes. He had a rangy, athletic build. He didn’t look like someone who went to a gym, but rather someone whose daily life kept him fit. She pegged him to be in his early thirties. He had laugh lines around his eyes, and his dimples winked with every smile. She watched his hands stroking Jessie. They were long and lean, like the rest of him. Luke gave Jessie a final pet and stood again. Jessie sat at Hannah’s feet and looked up at both of them.
“No need to be sorry. You’re glad to have Jessie, and I can feel good knowing she’s in a good home. How have you been settling in?” he asked.
Hannah shrugged. “Okay. I’ve had my moments, but mostly I’m just so glad to be back. Jessie’s great company. It’s about time I started figu
ring out the work situation. How have you been? Aren’t you and your brothers headed out soon?”
He nodded. “Another week and a half. Just busy getting organized. What do you think about grabbing some dinner tonight? Can’t say I didn’t warn you I’d ask,” he said.
She froze for a moment. A voice inside cautioned her to take it slow. But she knew circumstances would force things to go slowly with Luke leaving for a few weeks. She said yes before she allowed herself to think more.
The yes sat there all by itself for a moment, and Hannah wondered if she’d sounded strange. Then she braved a glance at Luke again and saw a vanishing dimple.
“Any preferences? May be one or two new places that came on the scene while you were gone. If there is such a thing as a scene here. Any old favorites?” he asked.
“I like just about anything. Now that I’m here, I’ll have time for old favorites. Take your pick. Should I meet you there? I could bring Jessie. It’s cool enough for her to wait in the truck while we eat. Maybe we could walk her after dinner,” she said.
“Sounds good. How about we meet at six at the Boathouse Café? They just opened last summer and close up shop during the winter. Great seafood and a ton of other stuff. It’s on the other end of Harbor Drive, right by the bay where the old Pat’s Diner was,” he said.
Hannah agreed and watched Luke depart before she loaded Jessie into her truck. She thought about calling Susie, but wasn’t ready for the teasing just yet. While she drove home, she began to dwell on whether or not dinner with Luke was a good idea. By the time she got to the house, she had to order herself to stop worrying. It was just a dinner. Going from the extreme of casual flings to nothing had left her in a state of confusion about how to navigate this.
