Beth might have been joking about finding real men on the last frontier, but Graham and Yanoo were real men. They were the type of men who were willing to give back and take responsibility for being guardians of their community. So unlike the suits and ties Courtney came in contact with daily, men so self-absorbed and power hungry that giving back wasn’t part of their vocabulary.
Rachel had been right, however, about Tiki’s father being a man of few words. When Graham introduced them, Yanoo had said hello, nothing else. Courtney had caught Yanoo watching her several times, checking her out, sizing her up. Not that she blamed him. He was Graham’s best friend. He had to be puzzled why Graham had never mentioned her before.
At least she’d be gone by the time Yanoo and everyone else found out the truth. And Courtney was thankful for that. She’d enjoyed meeting Graham and Rachel’s friends. They’d made her feel right at home. She doubted she would have received such a warm reception if they knew the circumstances behind how she’d been invited.
And that thought sent her gaze right back to Graham.
If he looked any better, Courtney couldn’t have stood it. Faded jeans. A red chamois shirt that made his ink-black hair look even darker. Shoulders so broad they should have been illegal.
He was all male and muscle.
All yum and no yawn.
Courtney fanned herself again and quickly looked away.
She searched for the little imp who had placed her in such a precarious situation. She found Rachel talking with her cute friend and Tiki’s pretty mom, Hanya, who was an older version of Tiki with her dark skin and eyes and her exotic features. Hanya had been much more talkative than her husband. In fact, Hanya had seemed genuinely happy to meet Courtney.
“Enjoying yourself?”
Courtney turned to find Peg, a glass of red wine in each hand, smiling at her. Peg was still a beautiful woman, tall and slender, her snow-white hair wound into a bun on top of her head. Her eyes had a perpetual twinkle in them, and Courtney noticed they were the exact color of the turquoise jewelry Peg was wearing.
“Thank you, Peg,” Courtney said, accepting the glass Peg offered. “I’m having a great time.”
“Sit with me a minute,” she said, pointing to an empty table not far from where they were standing. “I haven’t had time to say more than two words to you all evening.”
Courtney followed Peg, thinking that though Peg and her husband, Hal, were in their seventies, they were still full of vim and vigor and didn’t appear to be slowing down one bit. Nor did their love for each other seem diminished in their golden years.
Courtney hadn’t missed the open displays of affection they’d exhibited toward each other, with a hug here and a pat there every time they crossed paths in the crowd. She also hadn’t missed the silent looks they gave each other—looks that said I love you without any words.
That was the type of love Courtney wanted someday.
A type of love Courtney feared she might never find.
“Rachel tells me you’ll be leaving on Monday,” Peg said once they were seated.
“Yes,” Courtney said. “I only flew in for the weekend for Graham’s birthday.”
“I love Rachel and Graham like my own,” Peg said. “And I’m so glad you came, Courtney. Graham and Rachel need someone like you in their lives.”
Her comment caught Courtney off guard.
“I—Well, I certainly appreciate your vote of confidence, Peg, but I’m too far away to be much of a presence in their lives. And Graham and I are only friends.”
“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, right?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I’m old, but I’m not blind, Courtney. You’re crazy about Graham. I see it on your face every time you look at him.”
“Attracted to him, yes,” Courtney admitted. “But I haven’t known Graham long enough to be crazy about him.”
“Nonsense. I knew I was in love with Hal the minute I laid eyes on him.”
“And did Hal feel the same way about you?”
Peg shrugged. “It didn’t matter how Hal felt. I knew he was the one I wanted. And I made up my mind nothing was going to stop me from having him.”
“And you obviously succeeded.”
“Of course I did. I simply let Hal chase me until I caught him.”
Courtney laughed.
But Hal had walked up behind Peg just as she was finishing her sentence. “Are you telling stories about me again, my love?”
My love.
Courtney sighed.
Where Peg was lithe and thin, Hal was a robust man, not overweight, just big-boned and still rugged-looking despite his age. It had crossed Courtney’s mind when she first met Rachel’s adopted grandparents that she wouldn’t have picked them out to be a couple. Peg was more refined and graceful; Hal unconventional, his gray hair trailing down his back in a long braid.
“I heard my name,” he explained as he sat at the table with them. He sent his love a teasing smile when he added, “I hope you aren’t complaining to Courtney like you have been to everyone else tonight because I won’t take you to Seattle for the summer.”
“For your information,” Peg said, “I was telling Courtney I fell in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you.”
“And made me the luckiest man alive,” he said, kissing Peg on the cheek, then excusing himself.
Courtney looked across the table at Peg when Hal disappeared back into the crowd. “I hope you realize men like Hal don’t exist anymore.”
“Don’t you dare brag on that old poop!” Peg warned. “I’m upset with him right now.”
“About the trip to Seattle?”
Peg sighed. “Yes. Hal is refusing to take the summer off.”
“You could always go without him.”
“I could,” she agreed. “But it wouldn’t be much fun attending my fiftieth anniversary party without my husband.”
“Fifty years,” Courtney said in wonder. “You have my congratulations and my admiration. Not many marriages make it long enough to celebrate a golden wedding anniversary these days.”
“I agree,” Peg said. “That’s why our kids insist on throwing us a party.”
“And your children are in Seattle?”
Peg nodded. “Hal and I are both from Seattle. We moved here ten years ago when we retired from teaching. Our kids threw a fit, of course, but it had always been Hal’s dream to live in Alaska. We spent one entire summer looking for a place to land. When we arrived in Port Protection, we knew we’d found home.”
“How many children?”
“One daughter and two sons,” Peg said. “And the three of them have given us eight wonderful grandchildren. It makes so much more sense for us to go there than all of them trying to come here.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, why is Hal refusing to go?”
Peg rolled her eyes. “The store, of course. Hal doesn’t want to close for the summer. Everyone in town would have to travel to Point Baker for all of their supplies.”
“And there isn’t anyone you could hire to keep the store open?”
“We’ve tried to find someone, but people in Port Protection make their living during the summer. Everyone in the job market already has a summer position lined up.”
“Will Hal at least agree to close long enough to attend the party?”
“Yes,” Peg said. “But I don’t want to go to Seattle only for the party. We aren’t getting any younger. We need to spend some quality time with our family. And you can’t do that during a quick trip.”
Courtney couldn’t think of anything to say.
Peg’s face suddenly brightened. “You don’t happen to be in the market for a summer job, do you, Courtney?”
Courtney laughed. “I doubt Hal would hand the store over to a complete stranger.”
“Hal wouldn’t have any say in the matter if you want the job,” Peg declared. “Besides, the store has never been our livelihood. We use
it as a business expense to offset our taxes.”
“Sorry, Peg,” Courtney said. “I have a full-time job waiting for me in New York.”
Peg reached out and patted her hand. “I was only half teasing, dear.” But the twinkle in her eye was back when she added, “Still, it didn’t hurt to ask. You know, in case you need a good excuse to stay in Port Protection for the summer.”
“So Graham can chase me until I catch him you mean?”
“It’s something to think about.”
Peg gave Courtney’s hand a final pat and left the table. Courtney reached for her wineglass. She couldn’t keep from sending a wistful glance across the warehouse again. As if he could sense she was watching, Graham suddenly looked up from the shot he was about to make at the pool table.
He winked.
Courtney flushed hot all over.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
Graham tried to hide his grimace as Rachel and Courtney walked toward him, singing and each holding one side of a large tray filled with forty frosted cupcakes. The flames on the candles resembled a small bonfire, yet another reminder that he really was that old.
It took him three attempts to blow all forty of the candles out, but the crowd cheered for Graham anyway. And the minute the crowd descended on the cupcakes, Graham was wise enough to step out of the way.
Peg’s cupcakes were famous in Port Protection and no one intended to be left out.
“Great party, huh, Dad?” Rachel asked a few minutes later, licking at the icing on her cupcake.
“The best party ever,” Graham told her. “You really outdid yourself, pumpkin. On the decorations. The food. Everything.”
“It’s the least I could do for my tottery old father.”
“And your tottery old father greatly appreciates it,” Graham assured her, sliding his arm around his daughter’s shoulder.
“Did you make a wish when you blew out your candles?”
“I’m well past my wish-making years, Rachel.”
“I knew you’d say that,” Rachel said. “So I made a wish for you.”
She darted off before Graham could ask—not that he couldn’t guess what Rachel’s wish for him had been. And that knowledge caused him to look around for Courtney. He found her over where the band had been playing, flanked by the grinning-from-ear-to-ear Barlow twins.
She’d looked amazing in her little black dress the night before, but Courtney looked even better tonight in jeans and a pink sweater. Hot pink is what Rachel called the color, and this was one time Graham had to agree with his daughter’s favorite adjective.
Hot described Courtney to a T. She was too hot to ignore, but too hot to handle. The exact reason why an old dog like him should stay out of the chase.
Plus, Graham wasn’t willing to follow Courtney to New York City, and he was smart enough to know that’s what it would take if they did hook up as Rachel so aptly put it. A woman like Courtney would never settle for a ho-hum life in Port Protection. Stalemate, because he’d never go back to a hectic life in the city.
Courtney reached out to wipe a bit of icing from the corner of Mark’s mouth with her napkin. The poor guy melted right before Graham’s eyes.
For one split second, Graham was jealous.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”
Graham jumped at the sound of Peg’s voice. “Who?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Graham Morrison. You were staring at Courtney as if you could eat her with a spoon.”
Graham frowned. “You’re wrong. It isn’t like that between us.”
“And don’t give me that ‘we’re only friends’ speech Courtney gave me earlier. A woman like Courtney doesn’t fly all the way from New York unless she’s interested.”
“You don’t know the whole story,” Graham mumbled.
“I don’t need to know the whole story. The way you two look at each other says it all. And if you’re half the man I think you are, you’ll do something about it before Courtney loses interest.”
Peg walked off and Graham gazed across the warehouse again. Two other single men had joined her group of admirers.
His first instinct was to go over and rescue her, but Graham held back. It was already after ten and the party was breaking up. People were collecting their things, saying goodbye to their neighbors.
Besides, it didn’t appear Courtney needed to be rescued. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying all the male attention.
Graham fought off another pang of jealousy and turned his back on the whole scene. That’s when he saw Rachel hurrying toward him, Tiki right behind her.
“Tiki and I are leaving now, Dad. Peg said it was okay if I took the decorations down first thing in the morning.”
“Leaving?”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Dad. You gave me permission last week to spend the night with Tiki after the party.” She turned to Tiki. “Isn’t that right, Tiki?”
“Yes. I was standing right there.”
Graham didn’t remember Rachel asking any such thing.
And even if he had, things had changed.
“That was before I knew we were having a guest for the weekend,” Graham reminded her. “Tiki can spend the night with us.”
“But, Dad,” Rachel whined, “Courtney won’t mind if I sleep over at Tiki’s. I’ll go say goodbye to her now.”
“Rachel come back here,” Graham called out, but Rachel and Tiki were already running in Courtney’s direction.
Graham swallowed, hard.
He and Courtney could not go back to the lodge alone.
Not when all he’d been thinking about all night was how much he wanted Courtney in his bed.
“SORRY,” COURTNEY said after Rachel finished her sleepover speech, “but I think under the circumstances it would be best if Tiki spent the night with you.”
Rachel’s smile turned into a frown. “What’s wrong with you and Dad? Are you afraid to be alone together?”
Graham arrived just as Rachel asked the question.
Courtney looked over at him. “Are you afraid to be alone with me, Graham?”
The look he gave her said he understood her meaning. “Nope. Are you afraid to be alone with me, Courtney?”
“Of course not.”
They both sent Rachel a smug look.
“Oh, forget it!” Rachel huffed. “We’ll go see if Tiki can spend the night with me.”
When the girls walked off, Courtney looked at Graham and said, “I hope I didn’t overstep my bounds by asking Tiki to spend the night.”
“Not at all. I thought you were backing up my suggestion.”
Courtney laughed. “If we both suggested the same thing, maybe Rachel’s right. Maybe we are afraid to be alone together.”
He didn’t deny it—but only because he didn’t get the chance.
Peg approached to give Courtney a goodbye hug. “Please come visit again soon, Courtney.” Before she let Courtney go, she whispered, “And in case you change your mind, my job offer still stands.”
Good lord, what was it with these people? Did they all have matchmaking on the brain? If she could have handled the embarrassment, she would have assured everyone she didn’t need encouragement. She’d fallen for the guy already.
Peg pointed a finger at Graham. “And you. You remember what Mother Peg told you.”
Despite Peg’s insisting they didn’t have to, they spent the next thirty minutes helping her get things back in order. On the way to the lodge—Rachel, Tiki and Broadway well ahead of them—Courtney said, “Am I wrong? Or was I the subject of whatever Peg told you to remember.”
“No, you’re right,” he said. “Peg was trying to play matchmaker, too.”
“I thought so,” Courtney said. “Peg offered me a job for the summer running The Wooden Nickel.”
Graham threw his head back and laughed.
His reaction ticked Courtney off a little.
“Why do you find that so funny?”
“You?” he said and laughed ag
ain. “Putting your career on hold to run a general store in outback Alaska for the summer? That isn’t only funny, Courtney, it’s ridiculous.”
“Well, I disagree,” Courtney told him, even though she didn’t. Taking a summer job in Alaska or anywhere else was ridiculous. But it still irritated her that Graham thought it was ridiculous. That could only mean Graham didn’t want her to stay.
He stopped walking and Courtney did the same. The dim glow of the solar lighting along the railing of the boardwalk gave her enough light to see his puzzled expression.
“You can’t be serious,” he said. “You’d really consider running The Wooden Nickel for the summer?”
“Are you implying I couldn’t do the job?”
“Of course not.”
“What then?” Courtney asked. “That I don’t have the guts to call my mother and tell her I’m taking the summer off?”
Now he really looked confused. “How did this suddenly become about your mother?”
“Good question,” Courtney admitted and resumed walking.
When he caught up, he said, “I upset you, and I’m sorry. The only reason I found Peg’s offer funny was because you just landed that big account. Taking months off to run a general store seems ridiculous to me. That’s all. It’s none of my business what you decide.”
Okay, he’d put her in her place. Though the fact that Graham didn’t care where she spent her time hurt a little, Courtney looked over at him and said, “Forgive me for overreacting just now?”
“Sure,” he said.
They walked a little farther before Courtney said, “I guess when you mentioned my career, it reminded me how soon I have to go back to reality. It’s been nice these past two days. No responsibilities. No fires to put out. No disgruntled clients. Right now running a general store sounds like a dream.”
“We all have our dragons to slay, Courtney,” Graham said. “Even here in Port Protection.”
Courtney wanted to ask what Graham’s dragons were.
But she didn’t.
They walked in silence after that, Courtney pretending not to notice the full moon winking at them through the thick forest as they strolled along the boardwalk, or that the entire setting was achingly romantic. But by the time they reached the lodge, Courtney was grateful she and Graham had both insisted that the girls stay with them.
Dad’s E-mail Order Bride Page 8
