Wild Ride

by Tiffinie Helmer

  Wild Ride

  (Alaska Wild Nights Book 5)

  Tiffinie Helmer

  Copyright © 2018 by Tiffinie Helmer

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  * * *

  Edited by Adam Mclain of amclain.com

  Cover design by Kelli Ann Morgan of Inspire Creative Services

  Created with Vellum

  For my very own Wild Man of Alaska.

  * * *

  We met at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks back in 1985. One look, one dance, and one kiss (yes, during that first dance—come on, Journey was singing I’ve been Waiting For a Girl Like You--cut me some slack), and I was smitten. Then after a few months of dating, he told me I was his everything.

  * * *

  That was it. I was a goner.

  * * *

  We’ve been married thirty-one years, and I’m more in love with him now than I was back then.

  Thank you, Mike for the great man that you and for all you do for me and our family, and especially for picking me out of the crowd and asking me to dance.

  * * *

  Life with you has been one hell of a Wild Ride.

  Love you, babe.

  Acknowledgments

  My heartfelt thanks goes out to my Facebook Street Team, Tiff’s Wild Readers, for their continuing support and creative suggestions for my fictional town of Heartbreak, Alaska.

  Special mention goes to the following: Heather Horrocks, Tonjua Hayes, Melanie Magnusen, and Kelli Zimmerman.

  You guys ROCK!

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  About the Author

  Also by Tiffinie Helmer

  Prologue

  “Wild Card certainly made a beautiful bride,” Luke Waterman commented, taking a sip of his beer where he and Jack currently sat at the Pump House. “How you threw together a wedding in a week is beyond me. I wouldn’t have the first clue where to start.”

  “I just did what I was told. The girls pulled off the magic.” Jack Wilde beamed at the memory. His baby girl married to a great man, a cop no less, and already pregnant with his first grandchild. He should have known his Wild Card would surprise them all. She’d been the biggest surprise of his and his beloved wife, Nicola, when they found out they were going to have another child when they thought they were finished growing their large family.

  Now if he could get the other girls to set a date and get them hitched. He didn’t believe in long engagements. He needed to do something to spur them on to choose the dates. He’d hoped Zoe’s wedding might do the trick. But he’d yet to hear anything from those three.

  With four down, he needed to turn his focus toward his boys. And since Luke had four girls, two of marriageable age, he’d set up this meeting at the Pump House to put his plan in motion. First, he needed an update on Derek, Luke’s middle child and only son, now that he’d come out of the closet. “How’s things with your boy?”

  “Better. I’m coming to terms. I see it now, looking back on his childhood. He played with Barbies more than his sisters ever did. The missus had just said that it was him exploring and not to worry about it. When it comes down to it, he’s my son, and I love him. I want to see him happy no matter who he’s attracted to. Hey, any of your boys swing the other way? What about Brey? He’s a musician.”

  “Sorry, Luke, they’re girl crazy, the lot of them. Are you okay with Derek moving to New York and not working at Tall Tales Taxidermy?”

  “That was actually harder to deal with. I’d always dreamed of handing down the business to my son. But again, the missus pointed out that I have four daughters, and one of them might want to take it up. Guess we’ll see.”

  “That was a stunning wedding dress Derek designed for my girl.”

  “Wasn’t it? I’m not much into clothing and fabrics unless you’re talking flannel and blue jeans. How he thought to add red panels to the skirt and have it work is beyond me.”

  “According to Zoe, the red was for Trip. It’s his favorite color and has special meaning for them both, though they refused to tell me why.”

  “You’re probably better off not knowing.”

  “Agreed.” Jack moved his beer aside and leaned forward, lowering his voice, “So, I’ve been thinking. Did you see how Dare and Gabriella reacted to each other at the reception?”

  A glint entered Luke’s eyes, and he leaned forward too. “It was hard to miss. Dare couldn’t take his eyes off her. You know they dated on and off in high school. I can’t remember why they broke up.”

  “I was wondering that too. She’s turned into a beauty, your girl. When did she move back? I thought she was managing a resort in Kauai.”

  “Just last week, a day before the wedding. Life in Kauai turned out not to be for her. She’s buying the old Hamilton Place down by the lake and opening a bed and breakfast. She’ll give Todd Ellis a run for his money, and Heartbreak could use an inn since the only choice of accommodations is currently Heart Springs Eternal.”

  “That’s a great idea. It’s sad, the disrepair the Hamilton Place fell into. I had hopes the new couple that bought it last year would have her sparkling again. I’m glad Gabi’s doing something about it. And you’re right, Todd Ellis could use the competition.”

  Avery Dawson, owner of the Pump House and engaged to Jack’s daughter Wild Cat, slapped his hands down on the table. “All right, you two, who’s in your crosshairs now?”

  “What?” Jack blustered, looking guilty. “We’re not—”

  “Don’t even bother denying it.” Avery stole a chair from the neighboring table, turned it around, and straddled the seat. “I figure I should be part of this if you’re setting up one of my future brothers-in-law. After all, I’m kind of an accomplice since the Pump House seems to be your dedicated headquarters.”

  Jack shared a look with Luke.

  Luke shrugged. “He does have eyes on most of the Heartbreakers in town, this being the only watering hole.”

  Jack considered the possible ramifications. Having Avery in on the plan might be extremely helpful, if he didn’t give anyone a head’s up. “You can’t warn anyone, gotta promise to keep it under your hat.”

  Avery held up three fingers in the Boy Scout promise. “You have my word. Now, who are you setting up?”

  Jack glanced around the pub, found the coast still clear, and keeping his voice just above a whisper, said, “Dare and Gabriella.”

  “They’d make a handsome couple,” Avery said.

  “And beautiful grandbabies,” Jack added. “Hey, have you and Wild Cat—”

  “Don’t bring up us having kids. We want a few years together first.”

  “I was going to ask if you had set a date yet?”

  “Not—”

  “Why the hell not?” Jack interrupted, narrowing his gaze.

  “I was going to add that there’s been more discussion, what with Zoe’s and Trip’s recent wedding.”

  “’Bout time.”

  “You do realize how exp
ensive it will be if all your girls get married in one year?” Avery pointed out.

  “What’s money if not to spend it on your kids?”

  “So, how are we going to get my Gabi with your Dare?” Luke asked, bringing them back to the subject at hand.

  Avery stood. “I don’t think that will be a problem. Look who just walked in together.” Avery slapped both men on the back. “You’re off to a good start with this one.”

  Chapter 1

  Ryder Wilde answered the phone, wanting to toss it into the nearby lake. “What?” he barked.

  “What’s crawled up your ass?” Dare, his identical twin, asked.

  “This damn phone won’t stop ringing, and I have shit to do.” He was still behind schedule on the log home that caught fire over a month ago. At least he was out of the cast from the broken leg he’d sustained when a log beam had fallen on him. It still burned his ass that the arsonist hadn’t been found and the trail had gone cold.

  “I’ll make it quick then,” Dare said. “I need a favor. A twin favor.”

  They hadn’t swapped twin favors in years. “Who we pulling the wool over?”

  “Gabi.”

  Ryder stiffened at the mention of Gabriella Waterman. “That didn’t go over well last time we tricked her.” It had been back in high school, and Ryder still regretted his part in that charade.

  “I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. We had a great first date, well, first date in six years. I had to cancel the last one, and if I cancel this one, you know she’s not going to give me a third.”

  “Why can’t you be here?”

  “I’m in Chatanika selling Fox Maiski a dog sled. This kid is going places. He’s been running dogs since he was ten. He’s only eighteen now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he sweeps the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod next year. Anyway, I lost track of time, and there’s no way I’ll make it back for my date with Gabi. Plus, I want some time with this kid and his dogs, and it’s been forever since I caught up with his uncle, Lynx.”

  Ryder took off his safety glasses and tossed them onto the table saw. Damn it, he knew better than to agree to this. It spelled nothing but trouble. “Where and when?” Good thing it was summer, and Dare had cut his hair and trimmed his beard down to stubble, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Gabriella would take one look at him and know he wasn’t Dare.

  “She just bought the old Hamilton Place. I was to meet her there for a private tour. I’d planned to pick up a picnic basket dinner from the Pump House. It’s already ordered and waiting for you. Be at her place at six.”

  He glanced at his watch. Shit, that only gave him an hour to gather his tools, rush home and shower, pick up the food, and then drive down to the south side of Mistress Lake. “And you couldn’t have called earlier?”

  “Like I said, time got away from me. Oh, and take Dad’s truck. You pull up in yours, and the cat will be out of the bag.”

  “You owe me for this.” And Ryder would make sure he paid.

  He hung up and informed his crew that he was leaving early for the day. His days were ten to twelve hours long in the summer, taking advantage of the longer days and good weather. Amongst the ribbing and being called a slacker, he slammed his truck door and headed home.

  This was the last thing he should be doing. He knew better than to spend any amount of time around Gabriella.

  She and Dare had been sweethearts in school, while Ryder had silently craved her from a distance. He’d done his best to not let Dare know he coveted his brother’s girl, but he got stupid around her and did things he regretted like kissing her the last time he and Dare had pulled this stunt.

  He parked in the driveway of the converted barn that he shared with Dare, located behind the Wilde Family log home, calling himself every fool name he could think of.

  He showered, grabbed a flannel shirt of Dare’s, and used his cologne. Trading trucks with his dad—who asked too many questions—he headed to the Pump House to pick up the preordered dinner.

  Avery was at the bar drawing a draft when he walked in. “How’s the leg? I see the cast is off.”

  “Doing fine. Aches a bit when I’m on it too much.” Crap, he was supposed to be Dare tonight. “How’d you know it was me and not Dare?”

  “While you both look the same in summer, what with Dare cutting his hair and shaving that wild beard of his, you still have a bit of a shuffled-gait when you walk.”

  Avery was too damn perceptive. “I’m here to pick up the picnic order Dare called in.”

  “I thought he had a date with Gabi.”

  “He does. I’m just helping him out.”

  Avery narrowed his eyes in thought but called back to the kitchen for the takeout order, which Dare had already paid for. At least he’d done that much, Ryder thought.

  “You two aren’t up to something, are you?” Avery asked.

  “What? Us? What makes you think that?”

  Avery shrugged. “Aren’t twins always up to something?”

  That was true enough.

  “Plus,” Avery continued. “I’ve never seen you this cleaned up unless you have plans with the opposite sex.”

  “Hey, I’ve been known to shower on a regular basis.”

  “I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say ‘regular’,” Avery joked.

  A waitress brought a basket out from the kitchen and set it on the bar.

  “An actual picnic basket?” Ryder raised a brow in surprise.

  “Got the idea from Trip when he ordered one for a date with Zoe. I thought it made for a great summer menu idea. They’ve been selling well. No one wants to be inside when the weather’s this good. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” Avery entered the kitchen and returned with a six pack of beer. “Just brewed a batch of wild raspberry beer. On the house. I’d just like some feedback. I’m attempting to brew beer that appeals to more women. Gabi’s opinion would mean a lot.”

  “I’ll give it to Dare since he’s the one seeing her.”

  “Right.” Avery gave him a knowing look. “Have a good time.”

  How did he know?

  Ryder hoped to God Gabriella didn’t catch on. But then, she hadn’t seen him since she’d taken off for Hawaii. At Zoe’s wedding, he’d done his best to avoid her, paving the way clear for Dare.

  He grabbed the beer and the basket, said his goodbyes, and headed to the old Hamilton House. It was a three-story log home done in Victorian style. It shouldn’t work, but it did. Now, in its rundown state, it looked more Gothic than Victorian. It had been built over a hundred years ago by Clarence Hamilton, who had struck it rich in the gold fields of Heartbreak. It had been through multiple owners since then, each putting their stamp on it over the decades.

  Ryder had always admired the architecture. The house had been built to last, though she was in dire need of some serious tender, loving care. He’d love to get his hands on her.

  He parked next to a shiny blue Tacoma. Grabbing the beer and the basket, he started up the wide-planked steps to the covered porch, coming to a halt when Gabriella drifted out of the house wearing a sundress in a large floral print that would be perfect for Hawaii. Here in Alaska, it made her look like an exotic flower. Strappy sandals showcased her delicate feet and purple-painted toenails. Her shoulder-length, sun-kissed blond hair swayed in the slight breeze coming off the lake. When she smiled at him, her sky-blue eyes lit up, and he swore his heart stuttered to a stop.

  Those eyes of hers bewitched him, always had. Baby-blue irises sprinkled with flecks of silver were outlined with a dark ring of sapphire. He could drown in them if he weren’t careful. And he needed to be careful here.

  Very, very careful.

  One look at her, and he wanted her like he’d never wanted another woman. It was an ache that started deep in his soul and spread out through his body until he actually trembled. “Hi, Gabriella,” he greeted in a husky voice.

  She tilted her head to the side in a come-hither gesture that had Ryder swallowing
hard, while blood pooled into his nether region with devilish anticipation.

  “I thought you were bringing your husky Eska?”

  “Uh…” He couldn’t very well do that when Eska was with Dare in Chatanika. Dare tended to take the husky everywhere with him. She’d been the runt of his last litter and couldn’t keep up with the other athletes on his sled dog team. She’d stolen Dare’s heart instead and was treated more like a person than a pet. “Last minute change of plans.”

  “That’s too bad. I was looking forward to meeting her. Well, are you just going to stand there?” she asked. “Aren’t you going to kiss me hello?”

  Chapter 2

  It only took one look and Gabriella knew the man before wasn’t Dare Wilde but his twin brother Ryder. Him calling her Gabriella in that gravelly voice sealed it. He was the only one who called her Gabriella instead of Gabi. And no one said her name like he did. It always washed over her with a dark sort of pleasure. If that hadn’t convinced her, the way his green eyes heated and drank her in would have. In all her years, no man had ever looked at her like Ryder did, as if he were a starving man craving a meal.

  She couldn’t believe they’d swapped places with her again. She should call him out, and almost did, then she decided to play along and have a little fun at his expense. She’d deal with Dare later.

  How far would Ryder take the ruse this time, she wondered.

  While she’d always enjoyed Dare, and they did have a lot of fun together, it was Ryder who intrigued her and sent her pulse racing. But other than one memorable night in high school, he’d never treated her more than a casual friend. In fact, he seemed to go out of his way to avoid her. Just like at Zoe’s wedding when she caught his eye, hoping enough time had passed for him to finally make a move. He’d made a move all right. As far away from her as he could get without leaving the reception.