by Croix, J. H.
The boards on the deck were cool on the soles of her bare feet. It was early morning, just past seven. The sun was slowly climbing above the horizon, and a damp mist coated the grass. Drops of dew glinted on the grass where the sun touched. As she stepped out, the dog immediately walked over and circled around her legs, a bundle of softness and friendliness. After a brief inspection, she determined the dog was a female. She was lovely and sweet, her fur silky and luxurious against Hannah’s hands.
Hannah heard the sound of footsteps on the gravel road, moving in the rhythmic pace of a run. The dog’s ears perked, and she turned to face the road. Hannah guessed that the dog’s owner was running up the road. A tall, lean man crested the hill of the road, jogging at a fast pace toward the house. She waited on the deck while he ran toward them. As he got closer, Hannah realized it was Luke, the man she’d thrown a fish at a few days prior. The dog started to wag her tail wildly and ran off the deck to greet Luke when he reached the steps. Hannah bit her lip and sighed to herself. While she was perhaps in better shape than she had been when she ran into him at the beach, she hadn’t showered yet and had thrown on sweatpants and a cotton top. He came to a stop and tugged at the edge of his sleeve to wipe sweat off his brow, exposing a flash of a muscled abdomen. Despite the cool morning, he was dressed only in running shorts and a lightweight shirt. She guessed he’d been running for some time to work up a sweat in this temperature.
“Well, hey there, Jessie,” Luke said, reaching to pet the dog who came to his side. He looked up at Hannah with those deep green eyes. His gaze unnerved her. Her belly felt hollow for a moment.
“Hey, sorry about this one here,” he said, gesturing to the dog. “Jessie sometimes does her own thing when I take her running. She’s not actually my dog, but a stray that showed up a few weeks ago. Been keeping her until we can find her a home.”
Luke took a glance around the yard and brought his gaze back to Hannah. “Didn’t know this is where you lived. I live down the road a bit and usually run by here a few times a week. It’s been empty for the last two years,” he said.
Hannah wanted a chance to gather herself before responding. Luke brought flares to life in her, and she wasn’t ready to deal with it at this hour. She couldn’t simply not respond though. She took a breath. “Right. It’s my parents’ house, but they haven’t been here.”
She thought of what to say next. Two years and she still hadn’t figured out how to talk about her parents dying. Saying they hadn’t been here didn’t seem to capture why the house had sat empty. She forged on. “It’s not just that they haven’t been here. They passed away while I was away at grad school.” She stopped and looked down into Luke’s eyes. He strode forward just as she moved to walk down the two steps that led to the ground.
Something flickered in his green eyes, and then a rueful smile touched his lips. “Heard about your parents. Didn’t connect the dots just now. I’m really sorry.”
Hannah felt his warm hand engulf hers. Even when she was standing a step above him, Luke was almost eye to eye with her. She was used to being as tall, if not taller, than most men. She’d been relieved when she’d finally stopped growing at seventeen. When she’d started to sprout in junior high, it had seemed like she grew overnight and towered over her female friends. Truth be told, she did tower over them. Susie was a contrast, petite and barely five feet tall. The two of them had made an odd pair in high school—Susie, the tiny dynamo, with Hannah, the tall, not too elegant one.
Her hand warmed in Luke’s grasp. She wanted him to hold on and then thought it was crazy to wish for a strange man to just hold her hand. Her toes curled against the bottom step. The sun pushed past the tops of the spruce trees that had been shading the spot where she stood. A warm beam of sun streamed across them. She pulled her hand from his grip, feeling awkward.
“I mostly grew up here, but I stayed away to finish school after my parents died,” she said.
“My brothers and I bought a house just down the hill on Bay Ridge Road. I usually run up here most mornings. Nice spot here.” He caught her gaze. “Diamond Creek’s a small town. That’s how I heard about your parents. Again…I’m sorry.”
She searched his eyes, almost mesmerized by the green. She looked away, but not before she caught a sense of curiosity in his gaze. “It’s small, that’s for sure…and thanks…for understanding about my parents. It’s not easy to talk about,” she said. She looked down at Jessie, who’d moved closer to her and was rubbing against her legs.
Luke followed Hannah’s eyes to Jessie. “Don’t know where she came from. Started following me in the mornings when I went running and ended up camping out on our deck a few weeks ago. No one seems to know if anyone local had her before, and no one’s claiming her. She’s a sweetie, though. Been calling her Jessie. We’re scouting around for a home for her—not the best plan for us to have a dog when we spend so much time away fishing in the summers. Sorry she interrupted your morning. Every so often she wanders off.”
“It’s okay. I’m up early anyway. She seems like a sweet dog,” Hannah said and reached to pet Jessie again, her fingers slipping through the glossy fur. She looked over at Luke again. “I guess you’d probably like to keep running, huh?”
He nodded, his eyes holding hers, the green darkening. “Figured I’d see you around and probably will again,” he said. His eyes lingered for another moment before he turned to walk back toward the road. Jessie remained at her side. Luke whistled and Jessie took off, running to his side. She watched them go as he began to jog, silhouettes against the rising sun in the sky as it curved up along the hillside.
Luke jogged back down the hill that had led to the Grays’ old house. He’d been surprised to see someone there, although he had heard a few rumors that their daughter was moving back. He hadn’t realized that she was the friend that had been with Susie the other day. He glanced down at Jessie and smiled. She trotted alongside him, her tongue hanging out to one side, black and golden tail swaying with her gait. He hadn’t wanted to admit to Hannah that he’d let Jessie run around in the yard there a few times. The place where her parents’ house sat was about the halfway mark of one of his five-mile running routes. He sometimes took a brief walking break after he got to the top of that hill. Jessie would meander about the yard for a few minutes. He hadn’t thought much of it since the house had sat empty the entire time he’d lived in Diamond Creek.
He thought back to Hannah. He’d been startled to see her when he’d crested the hill. She was tall and lovely in an unconscious way, which he’d noticed at the beach the other day. When she’d stepped down to shake his hand, he’d realized she was only a few inches shorter than he was. At six foot four, he was used to feeling larger than he wanted to around most women. She’d looked slightly disheveled this morning, as if she’d had just enough time to toss on some clothes. She’d been barefoot, wearing thin gray sweatpants that clung to the curves of her long legs and flared at the bottom, swinging around her calves. A worn blue cotton shirt had hung softly from her shoulders. Her hair was a rich brown, long with curls at the tips, bangs brushed carelessly away from her eyes. And those eyes. A sky blue, almost ethereal. Luke sensed her to be a little shy, but then he didn’t know if he could get a sense of her from that moment in time—an unexpected encounter, at seven in the morning no less, and her just home after being away for two years.
He’d liked her feet, of all things. He laughed aloud, and Jessie looked up at the sound. He smiled down at her and kept on running. Hannah’s feet were long and slender, the arches high against the wood on the deck. Her toenails were painted a deep blue, adding a touch of whimsy to her overall appearance. He’d hoped he’d see her again after meeting her at the beach, and now wished he could have more than a passing encounter. He kept jogging toward home, the road curving in front of him. As he rounded a corner, a view of the bay opened up. The water looked calm this morning. A few clouds billowed in the sky.
Luke thought of his day ahead, which included a trip to the harbor to check on their boats. Another turn in the road, and the house he shared with his brothers came into sight. It sat back from the road at the base of a sloping hill. Spruce trees stood tall behind the house with a small stand of birch to one side and wildflowers along the edge of the small lawn in the front yard. He slowed to a walk when he reached their driveway, looking up when he heard his older brother’s voice.
“Where are those damn keys?”
Jared appeared to be talking to himself and hadn’t yet noticed that Luke and Jessie were coming down the drive. Jared stood in the garage. Their younger brother, Nathan, had left his truck parked halfway in the garage with the back end far enough out that the garage door couldn’t close. When Luke had noticed it on his way out for his run, he’d shrugged and figured Jared would be pissed when he got up. At twenty-eight, Nathan was careless. He was prone to haphazard parking on late nights. Of the three brothers, Luke was in the middle and often played to stereotype, functioning as the middleman between his younger and older brothers. Jared was a full seven years older than Nathan, with Luke in the middle—three years younger than Jared and four years older than Nathan.
Jared finally noticed him when Jessie ran up to his side as he leaned into Nathan’s truck. She licked his hand, Jared petting her head in return. He gestured to Nathan’s red truck. “Our little brother has managed another marvelous parking job. Just crooked enough that I can’t back out.”
Luke followed Jared’s eyes to the back of Nathan’s truck. He shrugged. “Not much to do about it unless we find the keys or drag his sorry ass out of bed. You try the house for his keys?” he asked.
“Yup. And everywhere else but his bedroom. Thought about waking him up, but honestly, he’s like molasses after a late night. Waking him up is more annoying than dealing with it myself. But if I don’t find the keys soon, I’ll have to.” He gestured to Luke. “Good run?”
“Yeah. My favorite time of day. Was up by the Grays’ old place. You know…the couple that we heard about that died in that plane crash on the way to Barrow not long before we moved here? Their old house has just been empty the whole time we’ve been here.”
At Jared’s nod, he continued, “Ran into their daughter by chance. Jessie took off ahead and was nosing around the deck. I actually met her the other day when we went dipnetting. Was interesting to meet her. Name’s Hannah.”
Jared lifted an eyebrow. “Old friend of Susie’s, right?”
Luke nodded. “Just interesting to meet her.”
Jared lifted his other eyebrow.
“What?” Luke asked.
The eyebrows stayed up. “Just curious that you find the need to tell me this now.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Around here, meeting someone new is news. Whatever.”
He shook his head and walked toward the door that led from the garage to the kitchen. He heard the door to Nathan’s truck close as he stepped into the kitchen. Jessie followed him in and immediately went to the water bowl they’d set out for her. Thirsty himself, Luke gulped down a full glass of tap water, then stared at the empty glass and thought of Hannah. His mind seemed to be on a pull chain to her. He wasn’t sure what it was about her, but he was drawn to her in a way that he hadn’t experienced before. He couldn’t deny that she was easy on the eyes. He could have looked at her all day. She had a soft beauty that she didn’t seem to notice. He was unfortunately aware of how many women thoroughly understood the superficial attributes they had and used them to their advantage. He’d been burned one time too many with women who seemed to think they could access his parents’ money through him.
He and his brothers had grown up in and around Seattle. While their mother had been a teacher, their father had run a successful engineering business that designed and manufactured parts for the aviation and aerospace industry. He had sold it at the height of its success. Their family wasn’t world-famous for their money, but they were well known in Seattle. Luke and his brothers were accustomed to plenty of attention from women. Hannah held herself at a distance, which was a change for him. His parents had a solid, down-to-earth marriage. They’d met long before his father started making good money and didn’t emphasize the material side of life. When Jared had started talking about moving their fishing business to Alaska since they often fished there anyway, Luke had jumped at the chance to live somewhere more grounded and less pretentious. He also thrived on the challenge of outdoor sports, skiing, hiking, and the like. Alaska offered that in spades.
Diamond Creek had turned out to be what he wanted. The starkness of the seasons in Alaska, coupled with the small community and distance from the rest of the world, brought most everyone down to earth. There were few, if any, class distinctions here. The range of connections and friendships crossed financial lines, political lines, and more. The small world of Diamond Creek was how he’d heard rumors that the Grays’ daughter might return. He knew she’d been a good friend of their accountant, Susie. He hadn’t heard much else about her, other than that her parents were deeply missed in the community, and their deaths rippled in the tiny town where friends still mourned them.
Luke looked out the windows that faced the bay. Their kitchen opened onto a living room and a wall of windows, floor to ceiling, that offered a view of Kachemak Bay, one of Alaska’s coastal jewels. Kachemak Bay was a bay off the Cook Inlet, which extended from the Gulf of Alaska in the Pacific Ocean to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. A winding highway traversed a branch of the inlet, Turnagain Arm, and led to the Kenai Peninsula. Diamond Creek was situated toward the southern end of the peninsula. The views along the highway were breathtaking. At points, it felt like one could touch the mountains that stood tall across the water while the road hugged the bottom of the mountains. A few glaciers were visible along the way, their eerie translucent blue ice an alluring beauty.
Diamond Creek and a few other communities were interspersed on the shores of the bay, which was a popular area for sportfishing, in addition to many commercial fishing businesses using the towns as launching points into Alaskan waters. Luke and his brothers had initially started their fishing business in Seattle. After a few ventures to Alaska and obtaining the necessary commercial permits to fish there, they decided to relocate since they collectively fell in love with the area.
The calm of the morning was gradually fading as the wind picked up, ruffling the surface of the water. Luke dimly heard Jared rummaging around in the garage and wondered when he’d give it up and go wake Nathan. For the most part, the brothers got along well and managed to play off one another’s strengths to handle their business. Despite Nathan’s careless attitude at times and his penchant for late nights in the summer, he was a hard worker and didn’t shy away from the less savory tasks of fishing. Jared’s patience with his bad parking was limited. But then, Jared tended to be impatient with anyone who didn’t take his methodical, organized approach to life. Luke heard a burst of profanity from the garage and then the distinct sound of an engine starting—the keys had been located. In a few moments, Jared came through the door that led to the garage.
Luke switched on the coffeemaker as Jared stepped into the kitchen. “Guessing you found those keys.”
Jared nodded. “Looked all over only to find them sitting on the seat of my truck. Think I might hide the keys from him one of these days.”
“Not a bad idea. When are you headed out?” Luke asked.
“Soon,” Jared said. “Thanks for the coffee. Got sidetracked looking for Nathan’s keys. What’s your plan for the day?”
“Planning to head to the harbor to check on the boats and make sure we’re geared up for our trip in three weeks. Did you get the list ready for shopping?”
“Yup, ready to go. Headed to town in a bit here to go to the bank and check in with Susie. Then parking myself in the office downstairs to go over our finances before next w
eek.”
Luke nodded and checked how close the coffee was to being ready. “Have to see if we can find a place for Jessie here. She’s great to have around, but we’ll be gone for three weeks on this trip. Any ideas?” he asked.
Jared shook his head. “Not off the top of my head. I’ll ask Susie, though. You know her. Knows everyone and their business.”
“That she does. I’ll ask around at the harbor again too.”
Seeing that there was enough coffee, Luke grabbed a mug to fill. A dash of cream, and he took a welcome swallow of coffee. “Well, I’m headed for the shower. If you’re gone before I’m done, leave that list for me. I’ll rouse Nathan and send him off to take care of it,” Luke said.
“Got it. Better you than me. I’m too annoyed with him right now,” Jared said.
At that, Luke walked out of the kitchen down the hallway that led to the bedrooms.
Chapter 5
A week later, Hannah woke with the sky barely light. Waking up in her old room was still soothing and strange. She took a shower and rummaged for breakfast. Seated at the kitchen counter that faced into the living room, she took in the view of the bay and mountains and soaked in the familiar sight of the yard. She pondered Luke and his green eyes. She said his name aloud and caught herself glancing sheepishly about the kitchen, as if anyone could hear her. As she was washing dishes, she heard the sound of a vehicle rumble into the drive. Looking out the window, she saw an unfamiliar green Toyota truck and watched as Luke climbed out. She was surprised to see him and curious, taking in details as he went to the passenger side of the truck to check on something. His wavy and careless almost-black hair curled along the edge of his collar. He wore faded jeans, worn leather boots, and a red windbreaker. He turned to look at the house and shrugged to himself before walking up the deck stairs to the kitchen door. She stepped out just as he reached the top of the stairs. She caught the flash of a dimple and his warm green eyes.
