by Ross, Carol
Emily pointed at the stage. “And these guys are great.”
“They are. They are going to be famous someday. I’m sure of it. They are the nicest guys, too—haven’t lost that hometown decency that I love about most of our guys.”
Someone grabbed Laurel’s attention, so Emily turned toward the bar to order a drink and found herself face to chest with Bering.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi.” She grinned up at him. “I’m surprised to see you here. Aren’t you supposed to be swimming in the bay tonight or something like that?”
He was clearly trying not to smile, though doing a poor job of it. “Our rally was canceled.”
“Really? That’s too bad. Why?”
“You are something else, do you know that?”
She grinned at him warmly and didn’t know what to think. There were sparks of attraction—maybe—in his eyes. “What does that mean?”
“You, I have discovered, are downright clever. And...” His voice trailed off as he folded his arms over his chest and thrummed the fingers of one hand against his biceps.
“Thank you—I think.”
“I’m not finished. You might not thank me when I’m done.”
“Uh-oh.”
“You are also sneaky and sly and underhanded, and clearly you are getting help from one or more traitorous townsfolk.”
“I like sneaky and sly. They both imply intelligence and ingenuity.”
“Both of which you obviously possess—in excess.”
His look was appreciative and Emily felt herself warm at the compliment, even though she still wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be such. “As to underhanded, how is this different than what you did to me—or attempted to do to me—at the winter festival?”
“Well...I have righteousness on my side.”
She scoffed. “I have economic growth on my side.”
“Which is fine in and of itself, but at what cost?”
He suddenly looked way too serious and Emily didn’t want to spoil the mood by engaging in a fruitless conversation. She skirted the subject. “You obviously have spies, too.”
“Emily, the whole town is on my side. This place is full of spies. Look around you.”
She did, but she didn’t see anything that hinted at overt surveillance. “Looks like everyone is having a really good time to me.”
“That they are—thanks to you.”
She cocked her head and looked up at him. “Even you?”
He bent his head until his lips were nearly even with her ear. Emily inhaled sharply as his warm breath caused a shiver to erupt along her skin.
“Yes, Emily, especially me...”
* * *
THE NEXT WEEK was more of the same. The Save Rankins Coalition held a meeting on Tuesday, which they opened to the public, and signed up new members. The rally was rescheduled and held on Wednesday evening, but it didn’t pack the same punch without the prominent guest speaker. And they took a double hit as the candle thing didn’t work out, either, because as Amanda had initially wished for, an unexpected snow flurry blew in. Bering told Emily that his cousin Shay had accused her of paying for some kind of a satellite snow machine to ruin the event. She told Bering to tell his cousin to be careful about giving her ideas....
Shay held a cheese-and-wine tasting at the Faraway Inn on Thursday, where, according to Piper Davidson, Bering, several other local businessmen, prominent citizens and a state representative mingled with the crowd and bashed Cam-Field’s environmental record.
But Emily packed her schedule even tighter than the Save Rankins Coalition. She did a presentation for the Women’s Club on Monday, one at the VFW meeting on Tuesday and a Q-and-A at the electric co-op on Wednesday. She and Amanda went around town dropping off stacks of new informational brochures on Thursday. And in between them all, she had appointments with citizens, lunch with the mayor and the planning commissioners, and dinner with the president of the Chamber of Commerce and two board members from the local Building Contractors Association.
Neither side planned anything for Friday because they both knew the Rotary Club dinner was scheduled for Saturday, and that tended to take up a lot of the town’s time and attention. Emily called that day an open house and invited townspeople to wander in at their leisure and look over the photos and literature. They were surprisingly busy and Emily felt as if the mood in the town was finally shifting solidly—in her favor.
CHAPTER EIGHT
EMILY AND AMANDA spent most of the day on Saturday, the day of the Rotary fund-raising, dinner at the office. The phones were eerily quiet, though, and email was nearly nonexistent. The whole town seemed to be abuzz with excitement. Emily had intended to run a few errands on her way home only to find signs on the grocery store, the drugstore and the bakery informing patrons that they’d closed early because of the event. The parking lot of the beauty shop, however, was overflowing.
Emily and Amanda went home to change and freshen up, and then arrived at the VFW hall a few minutes early, but it already appeared as if the whole town had indeed turned out for the event. The highlight of the night, she soon learned, was the fund-raising auction. A long series of tables running along one side of the room contained all the items and/or a description of the item to be auctioned. Community members, clubs and local businesses from all over the borough, and even the state, had made donations. Emily was impressed by the number and variety of goods and services on the roster: everything from exotic vacations and expensive excursions, to fishing and hunting equipment, Native crafts, a brand-new ATV and a gorgeous cedar-strip canoe, which to Emily looked more like a work of art than a boat.
Emily noted that some of the most enthusiastic pre-auction buzz seemed to be over two guided outings generously donated by James Guide and Outfitter Service. She moseyed over toward the display and picked up a brochure. Her brows raised in surprise as she looked at the retail price of one of his trips. Laurel hadn’t been exaggerating Bering’s success or his likely impact on the community. She had to admit that the wildlife excursions sounded kind of fun....
“Thinking of taking a boat ride?” the man beside her asked as he gestured toward the photo display.
Emily looked up and into the prettiest pair of green eyes that she’d ever seen on a man. A quick glance revealed that the rest of him was equally as attractive. “It sounds like a lot of fun,” she said. “Have you ever been?”
“Absolutely, it’s a blast.”
“Is it worth the price?”
“Totally. Bering is the best. The only thing better would be a sightseeing tour in my Cessna 185.” He handed her a brochure.
Emily introduced herself with an outstretched hand. “I’m Emily Hollings.”
“I know,” he said, gripping her offered hand. His face held an enigmatic grin. “ Jiminy Blackburn.”
Jiminy? She repeated silently. You’ve got to be kidding me. It was a good thing the guy was so incredibly good-looking. “Nice to meet you, Jiminy.”
He chuckled and said, “I know you’re thinking about the cartoon cricket.”
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t have been crass enough to mention it,” Emily said with a grin, appreciating his candor.
“Please call me Jim—or Cricket. Most of my friends call me Cricket, and I definitely think we should be friends. Nice article in the paper the other day,” he said, before she could comment. “I bet that got Bering all riled up.” He added a bark of laughter and looked absolutely delighted with the prospect.
“Thank you. Except that it wasn’t my intention to get Mr. James riled up—what I was trying to do is illustrate to the entire community the benefits of Cam-Field’s proposed presence here.”
“Hey, you’re preaching to the choir.” He placed one palm flat on his chest. “I’m on your side. And even better,” he said, lo
wering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper that to Emily felt a little flirtatious, “I’m on the tourism board and the town council. And seriously, I’d be happy to take you up anytime.” He gestured at the brochure she was still holding.
“Thank you,” she said. “I just may take you up on that one of these days. What are you going to be bidding on tonight, Cricket?”
“Emily—” he looked aghast “—I most certainly cannot reveal that information.”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“Because then you’ll bid it up.”
“Ah, I see,” she said with a chuckle. “Is that how this works, then?”
“It is indeed. Just wait and see how cutthroat this thing can be. People end up paying three, four, five—ten times—what these items are worth just to beat out someone else. Two years ago Mayor Calder was bidding on a two-week condo stay in Cancun when...”
* * *
BERING WATCHED THE EXCHANGE between Emily and Cricket Blackburn from across the room and heard the warning bell go off in his head. The biggest womanizer in the entire state of Alaska was standing way too close to Emily and undoubtedly plying her with his best lines. Bering felt an unfamiliar pang jab him as he watched Cricket reach out and touch her shoulder. And when he leaned over and whispered in her ear, Bering was overcome with the urge to walk over and scoop Emily up in his arms, and carry her out the door.
What in the world was wrong with him? He knew very well that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, so why did he feel the need to look out for her at the same time? Emily was tough; he knew that. He only had to think about how she’d bounced back after their first meeting as proof of that. She was also brave, taking on this town like she was—taking on him like she was. She was also clever and funny, and he liked how she constantly kept him guessing what she’d come up with next. She seemed to be making friends right and left if her socializing here tonight was any indication, not to mention the connections that had somehow enabled her to ferret out many of the coalition’s plans.
All of this combined made him wonder why she couldn’t see this situation in the way that he did. Was her job really that important to her? So much so that it blinded her to what was really important in life? Maybe that was the answer: maybe he needed to show her what really mattered....
He tensed as he watched his friend slide his hand around Emily’s elbow and guide her over to the next auction table.
* * *
EMILY COULD SEE right through the charming and handsome Cricket Blackburn. Although she found him witty and engaging, she deftly sidestepped his invitation to dinner. Even though she had no professional complications with this man, she just wasn’t interested. And from a business standpoint, a quick time-versus-benefit analysis said it would be pointless—he’d already revealed that he was on her side.
But if she were completely honest with herself, Bering was the real reason for her hesitation. If she was going to spend some time with someone in a manner unrelated to work, she realized, she wanted it to be him. She managed to untangle herself from Cricket’s attentions and was ready to head over to the bar to get a cold drink when she sensed a presence behind her.
“Having a good time?” A voice tickled the back of her neck as an arm reached around her holding a crystal flute of sparkling liquid.
Emily smiled and turned toward him, enjoying the pleasant tingle that his presence evoked.
“Wine?” he offered.
“Thank you. Bering, I was...” She started to say that she’d been looking for him, but as her eyes swept over him, it was like being blasted by a wave of icy wind. She inhaled a sharp breath. In his tailored slacks and button-down shirt, he looked much closer to the type of businessman she was used to dealing with. And she was suddenly struck by the unsettling notion that maybe he was more like that than she’d realized.
His hair was still long but he’d somehow managed to tame it, and his face was cleanly shaven. Emily wasn’t all that surprised to see that flinty hardness in his eyes that she’d become familiar with. In her experience, it meant that he was annoyed. Had she finally managed to get to him? Why did that notion cause her concern? It should make her happy, because if that was the case, it meant that he was worried about the progress she was making.
“See anything you can’t live without?” There was an edge in his tone that made her uneasy.
He tipped down the brochure clutched in her hands. She swallowed nervously and tried to muster a playful tone. “There is some really great stuff here. I’m interested in quite a few things, but you certainly seem to be the popular item here tonight.”
“Is that so?” he answered flatly. “I think I could make the same claim about you.”
She looked at him quizzically.
“Be careful with Cricket Blackburn, Emily.”
“What?”
“He’s a cad and a womanizer.”
It wasn’t what she’d been expecting. Emily felt herself grinning with both amusement and relief. “A cad?”
“Emily, I’m not joking. The man has very little respect for women. Look, if you don’t believe me, ask around.” He gestured around him as if the VFW hall was a courtroom full of witnesses.
“I’m afraid it’s too late,” she returned soberly.
Bering scowled down at her. “What do you mean?”
She shrugged and hoped it looked nonchalant.
“Emily...” Bering drawled with the same steely tone. “You’re not going out with him.”
“I’m not? But he invited me on an airplane ride and I already agreed to—”
“An airplane ride?” he interrupted tightly. “I just bet he did. Well, un-agree.”
“Bering, I can’t do that. It would be rude. Besides, as I’m sure you already know, he’s president of the tourism board, and if I can swing the favor of the tourism board...”
“Emily, this isn’t about Cam-Field. This is about you and—” He stopped in midsentence and Emily couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been about to add me to the end of that statement. That thought caused warmth to bloom from somewhere deep inside her.
“—and I want you to be careful.”
“Careful? You think he’d hurt me?”
“No, not exactly,” he said irritably. “We’re getting off the point here.”
“What is the point exactly? Is he a bad pilot?”
“No, he’s an excellent pilot. He actually flies clients for me sometimes. But he’s also a womanizer—that’s my point.”
“You mentioned that already.”
“Then listen to what I’m telling you.”
“I’m trying, Bering. But all I’ve heard is that he’s a womanizing cad, which I think is redundant.”
Bering huffed out an exasperated breath. “Emily—”
“He said you were a friend of his.”
“I am.”
“Can’t wait to meet the rest of your friends.”
“Emily, he is a good friend of mine. That’s a fact. But it’s also a fact that he’s known for his callous disregard for women’s feelings.”
“Callous disregard?” Emily snickered through her hand.
“Emily,” he said again with obvious and forced patience, “I can see that you’re not taking me seriously here, but all I’m trying to do is look out for your best interests....”
“Is that what you’re doing?” A spike of happiness shot through her as she realized that if he was looking out for her then he wasn’t letting this business get to him like she’d feared.
He shrugged. “Yes, I’m warning you about him and—”
“Bering,” she interrupted and to her surprise he stopped talking. She looked around them to make sure no one was listening. She crooked her finger so he’d bend toward her. “What I was going to say before you in
terrupted me is that all I agreed to do was to give a presentation to the tourism board.”
Was that a blush she saw rising up his neck? Hmm.
“Oh,” he said.
“But thank you for trying to watch out for me. I really do appreciate it.”
“Um, yeah, I...”
“Bering, I’m so glad that we can be civil in the midst of all this—”
“Civil? Emily, I want—”
The look on his face, the tone of his voice, had Emily holding her breath....
The sound of Amanda calling out to her took the place of whatever he was going to say. She turned her head and waved, held up a finger to let her know she’d be right there. But when she turned back, his face was a mask of steely composure. She wanted to ask him what he wanted, but she knew the moment had passed.
“Let me walk you to your seat. The auction is about to start.”
* * *
A COUPLE HOURS later, Emily had purchased a haircut (for herself), five swing-dance lessons (for Amanda) and a five-course fish dinner for two from the Cozy Caribou (she was thinking of inviting Bering). And now she was seriously considering bidding on one of Bering’s wildlife excursions. It would make a perfect birthday gift for her brother, Aidan.
Aidan would like Bering, she decided as her mind wandered toward her half brother, and he’d love it here in Rankins, too. She hadn’t spoken to him in weeks, and she’d only received a few emails, which wasn’t all that unusual for him when he was on one of his research expeditions. But she always missed the contact, and she would have loved to have had him to talk to while she’d been going through this whole ordeal with Jeremy and Franklin.
Aidan was her only family member that she felt even remotely close to. And they hadn’t even grown up together. He had been raised by his bohemian mother on the southern coast of Oregon. His mother had seen to it that he visited often, for Christmas, two weeks every summer and for the occasional long weekend. Emily had been allowed to visit him in Oregon, too, and one time when she’d been in high school on her spring break. He’d been in college in Hawaii at the time, studying plant life on the Big Island. It had been one of the greatest times of her life: hanging out on the beach with her cool big brother, hiking, snorkeling and playing in the surf.
