by J. H. Croix
After class, I was chatting with Cammi and Daphne when Daphne said, “You should come.”
“Come to what?” I asked.
“The grand opening.”
“Reopening,” Cammi corrected, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Now that it’s been a few months, and I’ve had time to put my stamp on Misty Mountain, I’m doing a grand reopening this weekend.”
“We’ll all be there,” Elias said as he stopped beside us.
“Of course, you will,” I teased.
Elias curled his arm around Cammi’s shoulders, speaking to the room at large, “Anyone you know, round them up.”
When Diego and Flynn meandered over, Daphne smiled between them. “Flynn’s coming.”
“If you didn’t notice yet, Flynn goes anywhere you want him to go,” Diego teased with a warm smile.
Daphne’s cheeks went a little pink as her gaze arced over to him. “You’ll be there, right?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “Wouldn’t miss it. Plus, you told me I had to go.”
Daphne rolled her eyes. “I hope you’re going because you want to be there.”
“Of course. I know there will be amazing coffee. I also hear there will be alcohol and your food. I wouldn’t miss it,” Diego said firmly.
When Daphne cast me a questioning glanced, I chimed in, “I’ll be there.”
Chapter Four
Diego
I wanted to linger after yoga class. Hell, I hadn’t even really wanted to go to yoga class, but I went because it meant I got to see Gemma. Gemma in a fitted tank top and leggings sent lust sizzling through me. I wasn’t certain, but I thought she avoided me a little during the class, only giving me two gentle corrections.
That’s how ridiculous I was. There I was, hoping I’d need her help during class, anything to get me close to her no matter how brief. As we were walking out to the parking lot, Daphne asked, “Did I hear your sister was coming up to Alaska to stay for a while?”
I slid my gaze to her and nodded. “I figure with Elias at Cammi’s place all the time, she can have his bedroom. That okay?” I looked to Flynn as we collectively paused in the parking lot beside his truck.
“Of course,” he replied. “As long as it’s okay with Elias.”
“As long as what’s okay?” Elias asked when he stopped beside us.
“My sister is coming up to stay. Can she stay in your bedroom?”
“You’re at Cammi’s all the time anyway,” Grant observed with a sly grin.
Elias glanced to Cammi. “That okay with you? That means I’ll really be at your place all the time.”
Cammi smiled up at him, her cheeks pinkening slightly. “Yes.”
“Might as well make it official and just move your stuff out of the room,” I teased.
“I’ll definitely clean it up for your sister,” he countered with a laugh rustling in his throat. With that, he waved and left with Cammi. I climbed in my truck, following Flynn’s truck home.
Grant rode back to the resort with me. “Feeling all mellow?” he asked as I turned onto the highway that led us out of Diamond Creek.
I chuckled. “Actually, I am. I thought it was a joke when Flynn wanted us to go to these classes because Daphne asked him, but after a day of sitting in a plane, it feels good to stretch out.” I kept my silence on how good it was to see Gemma.
“Agreed.”
“This view still hasn’t gotten old,” I commented, looking ahead to the mountains rising in the distance with the waters of the bay glittering under the setting sun to one side and the lush greenery of the Alaskan forest on the other.
“It never does,” Grant replied. “I’ve been here my whole life, and I still love it.”
We fell quiet after that. One of the things I liked about hanging out with Grant was he didn’t mind silence. I was feeling relaxed and loose and soaked in the view on the stunning drive home. Living in Alaska sometimes felt like living in a postcard.
Walker Adventures, the resort Flynn owned with his brother and sisters was roughly twenty minutes outside of Diamond Creek, down a long gravel road. It was far enough out that if you didn’t know Diamond Creek was nearby, you could imagine you were completely isolated. As the crow flew, you were. The little town gave us an outlet, and also made this resort’s booming business possible. People could come for the wilderness expeditions and go to town for shopping, food, and the summer crowds.
“Wonder what Daphne’s got lined up for dinner,” Grant commented as I rolled to a stop in the parking lot outside the main resort.
“No matter what it is, it’ll be delicious,” I replied as we climbed out together and crossed the parking lot.
Grant chuckled. “That’s a guarantee.”
We climbed the stairs to the large building. The resort was a three-story octagonal shape. The main guest area was spacious and offered several areas for gathering. One area had a fireplace with seating around it, another had a large flatscreen television mounted on the wall with more seating, and yet another area had bookshelves and seating.
There was only one guest room on the main floor, in addition to the living room area, the kitchen and dining area, and the family’s private apartment. The upper floors were all guest rooms. Winter was a little quieter, but once we hit spring, it was like horses taking off for a race. We were full speed ahead with guests flowing in and out every week. In addition to leading hikes and other outdoor activities, the resort offered private sightseeing flights daily from spring through early winter. We continued flying during winter, but the pace was much slower.
With Flynn leading the group, there were currently seven pilots. Flynn, Grant, Elias, Gabriel, Tucker, Nora, and me. Tucker’s sister, Aubrey, had her pilot’s license and would be joining us at some point. Flynn had recently bought another plane and absorbed the operations from a local pilot, giving us even more customers. We rotated between taking guests out for scenic flights, which were pricey, and also providing transport for goods and mail amongst several communities in the area.
As a pilot, it was pure heaven—amazing views and never boring. I loved it. Coming out of the Air Force, I couldn’t have imagined landing a job like this. It turned out that being one of Flynn’s closest friends was a blessing in more ways than one.
It wasn’t always easy though. Flying in Alaska was definitely high on the risk quotient between the weather and small planes. Just last autumn, Flynn and Elias had been in a small plane crash. They’d come out okay, although Elias had broken his ankle badly and been on crutches for a bit. I would take the risk, just for the peace of mind it gave me to be doing what I loved in such an incredible place.
Once we were inside the resort, we encountered guests milling about in the common area. Grant and I cut straight through into the kitchen. The dining here had gone from decent to fantastic over the last year. Daphne had come out for a stay at the resort last fall. She was a true chef, like big-time back in Atlanta. Flynn could be a hell of a boss with the chefs, and she’d stepped in to help after another one quit. Conveniently, she and Flynn fell in love and she stayed in Alaska. He had enough sense to give her full rein of the kitchen, so we all benefitted.
Cat, the youngest of the Walker siblings at seventeen, was hard at work at the stove when we entered the kitchen. I stopped beside her, peering down. “Oh, that smells freaking great. Do you need some help?”
Cat quickly stirred some vegetables with strips of beef in the pan as she glanced to me. “Do you want to check the rice? Daphne’s got something going in the oven too.”
Crossing over, I checked the rice steamer. The rice was done, so I set to work seasoning it. Daphne came hurrying out of the pantry with her auburn hair up in a bun. She smiled over at me. “Thank you! You’re a godsend, Diego.”
I’d always loved to cook. Daphne trusted me enough to help out now that she’d learned I had a clue in the kitchen. Not much later, I was sitting with the staff at the island counter, while Daphne served the guests at the massive dining table
by the windows. When the crowd was thinner, staff would sometimes sit over there. When Daphne didn’t serve dinner for the guests, staff lounged at the table for dinner, drinks and lazy chatter.
I leaned back in my stool and let out a sigh. “Damn, that was good.”
Cat smiled over at me. She shared the same coloring as Flynn and Grant, gray eyes with dark blond hair.
“That stir fry is good stuff. I taste ginger in there,” I added.
Cat’s ponytail bounced as she nodded. “Good guess.”
Nora smiled at her. “You’re a blessing for Daphne. Flynn and I can’t cook.” Of the Walker siblings, Nora was the only one with brown hair and brown eyes.
Grant cast a sheepish smile. “Me neither.”
Cat ducked her head, her cheeks flushing with her smile. “I love cooking, and Daphne’s the best teacher.”
“What’s the schedule tomorrow?” I asked Nora.
She’d been working on it earlier. She pulled her laptop closer on the counter and opened it, tapping a key and bringing the screen to life. “We’ve got two delivery trips for mail and groceries, and we’ve got four scenic flights scheduled for guests.” She glanced to me, her eyes taking on a gleam. “You should take that group of women. One of them has her eyes on you.”
“I’ll pass then,” I replied quickly.
Nora’s brows hitched up. “You’re a professional flirt.”
I shrugged. “Not in the mood for flirting right now,” I said lightly.
Tucker caught my eyes from where he sat across from me. “Dude, what gives?”
“Nothing, how about I take one of the deliveries?”
“One of them includes a rescue dog being adopted, so we’ll be transporting it over,” Nora offered.
“I’ll take that one. The dog can ride in the front with me,” I offered.
Nora tapped it into the schedule. Conversation carried on, and conveniently, no one teased me about my choice not to take the flight with a group of women guests here. I wouldn’t call myself a player, but I was definitely a flirt. Yet, at the moment I only had one girl in mind: Gemma.
I wasn’t prone to focusing on one woman like that, and I had my reasons for it. I didn’t want to question it right now though. I was impatient to see Gemma at the grand opening for Cammi’s new café tomorrow night. Lately, those of us out here were getting rounded up time and again for the needs of our friends’ newest loves. Cammi had the best damned coffee in Alaska, so I was going to support her no matter what.
Of course, the coffee wasn’t what had me wound tight with anticipation. That was all Gemma.
Chapter Five
Gemma
I crossed the parking lot in front of Misty Mountain Café, pausing to spin and look behind me. I was still soaking in every view to be found here. This little coffee shop was situated on a slight hill off of Main Street in Diamond Creek with enough elevation to offer a view of the mountains and a slice of the bay in the distance.
I was still getting accustomed to the long days here. It was June and the sun wouldn’t set until after ten p.m. It was evening now, and the sun was only beginning its slide down in the sky. Sunset lasted for hours here in the summer. At the moment, there were the early glimmers of a watercolor sky and the fading brightness of late afternoon.
Turning back, I glanced at the new sign on the café. Cammi must’ve had that mounted at some point during the day today. I smiled. The renovated Quonset hut was adorable. Windows had been cut into the sides of the structure, and the front, where the door was on the long end of the cylindrical shape, was all windows. Walking inside, I glanced around at the artwork hung on the walls in the already crowded space milling with customers and guests. In addition to her incredible coffee, Cammi had partnered with Daphne for baked goods and updated the sandwich menu.
As I glanced around, a voice came from over my shoulder. “Hey, Gemma!”
Turning, I found Susie Winters smiling at me. Her brown curls bounced and her matching brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile. I’d met Susie through Cammi, encountering her occasionally at the coffee shop in the short time I’d been in town. Come to think of it, almost everyone I’d met so far had either been from students coming to my yoga classes, or people I met here.
“Hey, Susie, how’s it going?”
“Good, good,” she said quickly. “Doesn’t it look great?”
“It does, and I love the new sign outside.”
Susie’s husband, Jared Winters, approached, looping his arm around her waist. “You’ve met my husband, right?” Susie asked.
“Just once, good to see you again,” I responded with a nod to Jared.
“If you haven’t been out fishing yet, you need to go,” Susie added.
Jared’s grin shifted from her to me. “Just let Susie know if you’d like to go, and you can hitch a ride on one of our trips.” I knew from Susie that Jared and his two brothers ran a fishing charter business.
“I’ll make sure to do that,” I replied.
Susie was drawn away into another conversation, so I threaded my way through the crowd to say hello to Cammi who was standing by the counter. “Love the sign,” I commented.
“Jessa painted it. She’s the one who does the tables too,” Cammi explained, gesturing over to a table nearby.
I looked in that direction, seeing a woman with wavy brown hair standing beside yet another handsome man. Alaska was crowded as far as the rugged, handsome man quotient went. Outdoorsy was definitely the vibe.
The tables here were whimsically painted and fun. Cammi explained to me they served as a way to show off Jessa’s artwork, which she sold out at one of the galleries near Otter Cove Harbor.
“I need to get out to the galleries one of these days,” I commented.
“You should. Would you like coffee or some food? I even have wine and hard cider tonight,” Cammi said with a smile. “And it’s all on the house.”
“I’ll take a few of those,” I said, pointing to a cluster of pastries on a tray. “A small glass of the cider would be nice too. I’m driving, so I can just have a taste.”
One of Cammi’s staff poured me a glass and passed over a small plate. Cammi was already swept into another conversation. I was scanning the room to see who else I knew when I heard a voice low at my shoulder. “Hey, Gemma.”
A prickle raced down my spine the second I recognized Diego’s unmistakable voice—warm with a hint of gruffness. Turning, I found him looking his usual delectable self. His dark hair was slightly rumpled, but then that always seemed to be the case. His green eyes stood out against his sun-kissed skin. The man’s chiseled jaw and cut cheekbones were too much.
His eyes searched mine briefly, and I thought I recognized an answering flare of heat in his gaze. “Hey,” I said, a little breathlessly.
“You tasting Delia’s cider?” he asked
I peered down at the glass in my hand. Looking back to him, I replied, “Um, I’m not sure.”
“It must be hers. Cammi’s serving from the brewery tonight, and they only bottle Delia’s. You’ve been up to the Lodge restaurant, right?”
I shook my head and took a swallow of the cider, savoring the fresh apple flavor that slid across my tongue. “I keep meaning to get up there, but I haven’t yet.”
Diego held my gaze for a long moment. “I’ll take you then. The food is excellent, and you can meet Delia. The lodge gives you another pool of customers for your yoga classes. There are plenty of staff between the restaurant and the lodge itself.”
“Is it busy during the summer? I thought it was a ski lodge.”
Diego held his finger up when a waiter passing by with a tray asked if he wanted anything. He took several of the small finger sandwiches and his own glass of cider before returning his focus to me.
“It’s primarily a ski lodge,” he explained after a swallow of cider. “During the summer, they run hiking trips and function as a regular hotel. They send us plenty of business for our flight service.”
>
“Aren’t they your competition?”
I took a bite of a pastry, closing my eyes and letting out a little moan at the flavor. It was filled with brie and a burst of cranberry flavor. “Oh, my God, that’s good.”
When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me intently. “You could do that again,” he murmured.
While nothing he said was inappropriate, there was a naughty hint to his words. It felt as if sparks scattered over the surface of my skin. Trying to play it cool, which I was utterly terrible at, I commented, “You should taste one.”
He took one, while I enjoyed another. After a moment, he nodded. “Very good. To your question, the ski lodge isn’t really competition. They cater to a different type of tourist. Sure, they are Alaskan tourists, but the people that book there want to be close to town. The people that stay with us are more after the pretending as if they’re in the middle of nowhere vibe.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at that description. “Pretending? Aren’t you all pretty far out there?”
Diego finished another bite, and I found my eyes lingering on the motion of his throat when he swallowed. Good Lord. I even thought this man swallowing was sexy. This wasn’t even sane. Heat prickled over the surface of my skin, and my pulse hummed along.
Oblivious to my internal state, he stayed on topic. “You’ll have to come out there. It’s only twenty minutes away from town. It does have the feel of being isolated though. More than half the drive is on a gravel road. It’s pretty high end and a really nice place. Plus, we have Daphne’s cooking. As you can see from her sandwiches, we’ve got it good.”
“Oh, is there a restaurant there?”
Diego chuckled. “No. That would be nice though. It’s a restaurant grade kitchen, but we only serve the guests there.”
