Under an Alaskan Sky

by Jennifer Snow

  “Would it make you feel any better if I said no?”

  Damn, was his mood that obvious? “No. I’m glad she had a good day... It’s just a little weird, that’s all.”

  “It’s okay. I get it. This is going to take a while to get used to. You’ve had her all to yourself for a long time.”

  And he found he couldn’t help wishing it could stay that way. Selfish, yes, but their life had worked so well. Just the two of them. That’s why he’d been reluctant to get closer to Cassie. To let her in. He wasn’t sure what adding someone to their lives would do to the structure he’d built for himself and his daughter.

  And now Montana came along and threatened that foundation, and unlike the situation with Cassie, Tank couldn’t control it.

  “What did she buy?”

  “You’ll see.”

  “Well, thank you for not buying the makeup. I don’t think I’m ready for that quite y—” The last word evaporated as Kaia reentered the kitchen.

  In a dress.

  “Doesn’t she look pretty?” Montana urged in his silence.

  Kaia’s confidence visibly shattered as she got only silence from him.

  “I know it’s not really me...” Kaia said, tugging at the fabric at her waist.

  “It’s beautiful.” Damn, took his voice long enough to appear. And when the words did come out, they were hoarse.

  Kaia blushed. “Really? I didn’t think you’d like it.”

  “It looks great, sweetheart. The color matches your eyes perfectly.”

  Kaia smiled as she looked down at the fabric. “That’s what Mom said.”

  Montana smiled at him and their gaze held a little longer than he’d have liked. But common ground was good. As tense as all of this was, it was better that they got along. Especially in front of Kaia.

  Their daughter would never have to choose between them.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  TANK TUGGED AT the tie around his neck as he waited in the bank reception area. He hated dressing up, and it was kinda ridiculous, seeing how John Cartwright, the loans manager, was at The Drunk Tank at least four times a week, playing pool, and therefore knew this getup would be just for show.

  Didn’t matter. He was here on business. He was determined to look the part and secure the loan to buy out Montana’s share of the bar. Montana’s initial investment had been fifty thousand dollars. He was hoping she’d take an inflated payout of seventy thousand and sign the legal documents he’d had drafted years before.

  It was fair. She’d more than made back her investment over the last ten years. He’d calculated that he’d sent her almost three hundred thousand dollars. A seventy thousand lump sum would help her buy a place here in Wild River if she wanted...or allow her to invest... There was no reason she’d want to hold on to the bar.

  His only regret from the day before was not telling Cassie. He should have. Full transparency. But opening up wasn’t easy for him and he had a little.

  Baby steps.

  Admitting to her that he’d once been in love with Montana had been a risky move in light of recent circumstances, but while he liked to keep his past in the past, he’d never lie to her.

  He still couldn’t believe they’d finally done it. He’d had sex with his best friend. And it was mind-blowing amazing. Surreal almost.

  All these years, fighting his attraction, avoiding a commitment, he’d thought it was the only way to preserve what they had. He thought he’d feel regret or fear at the very least, but he didn’t regret it and he wasn’t afraid.

  Funny how it took Montana’s arrival, shaking up his world like a snow globe, for the pieces of his future to start falling into place. Some might still be floating in the air, but he was working on setting everything right again.

  “Tank? That you?” Seeing his buddy wearing a suit and tie had Tank grinning, as well. In a small, tight-knit community like Wild River, formalities were often silly, but they couldn’t all go to work in their usual camo and plaid, now, could they?

  “Hey, John, thanks for seeing me on short notice.”

  “Not a problem. Come on in,” he said, leading the way back into his office and shutting the door. “What can I do for you?”

  Tank sat and folded one leg over the other. The pant leg rose, revealing his bright coral-and-purple-striped socks, the only dress socks he owned—a joke gift from Kaia. On the bottom were the words “Bitch, I’m a Unicorn.” He’d laughed too hard after unwrapping them to be able to reprimand her for the unsavory language.

  Despite the socks, he forced his most professional demeanor. “I’d like to apply for a bank loan... I’m sure you’ve heard that Montana is back in town, and I want to buy her out.”

  John nodded, pulling up Tank’s account on his computer. “Do you have a lot of equity in the bar or your house?”

  “Not really. I just bought the house a few years ago. I was renting before that. The bar makes a profit every year, but nothing sizeable.” He could easily afford their modest lifestyle. They weren’t going without anything and they could afford a trip once a year, but he’d be paying off his mortgage for the next thirty years and retirement didn’t look to be an option unless he sold the bar eventually...

  “Okay... Let’s take a look at your financial health, as we call it.” He scanned Tank’s account. “You have the mortgage...a credit card...and a line of credit at eighteen percent interest...”

  “I have it, but I’ve never used it.” The ten-thousand-dollar line of credit was simply for emergencies. “We can close it if that helps my financial health look better.”

  “That’s an option, but let’s keep looking. Do you own any property or have any investments other than this savings bond for Kaia?”

  He shook his head. “No. I keep meaning to set up a retirement plan but...”

  “It’s like life insurance. Everyone puts it off until they can’t any longer.” He continued to look at Tank’s account. “How much of a loan were you looking for?”

  “I was thinking seventy thousand.”

  John frowned. “That’s a lot.”

  “I think it’s a fair price for the buyout.” Make her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

  “Have you talked to Montana about a reasonable price?”

  “Not yet. I wanted to make sure it would be possible, that I’d qualify for the loan first.” If he didn’t, there was no point in having the conversation with Montana. In fact, he’d have to keep hoping that she wouldn’t bring it up.

  “Okay...well, let’s fill out the loan application. I’ll have to run a full credit check, as well.”

  Tank nodded. “Yeah. Of course.” That part was a little scary. He hadn’t missed a bill payment in years, but in his earlier life he’d often struggled to make his meager salary stretch. How long could a few late payments stay on his report?

  “And we may need to consider shutting down the line of credit.”

  “Do it.” Whatever it took.

  “Okay,” John said, turning his computer toward Tank. “Here is the online application... Fill this out and we will see what we can do.”

  Tank sat forward. “Great.” This had to work. Before he could consider a real future with Cassie, he had to hope that his past didn’t continue to haunt him.

  * * *

  THE BIG FLASHY countdown clock across the street was down to its final minutes. North Mountain Sports Company would officially be open in twenty-six minutes and the line of people gathered for the grand opening celebration went all the way around the block.

  The only reason Cassie wasn’t stress-eating in bed right now was that she’d spent hours in Tank’s bed the day before, and as worried as she was about her competitor, her anxiety was temporarily overshadowed by sheer joy.

  She’d had sex with Tank. She’d fallen asleep in his arms. After an amazing experience together. He’d
opened up...and not just physically, but emotionally. He’d let her in. A little bit, at least.

  The day ahead might be challenging, but at least her heart wasn’t as conflicted as it had been twenty-four hours ago.

  Reaching for a new balaclava from a rack, she yanked off the sale tags and put it on, covering half her face.

  “Are we casing the place?” Montana asked with a laugh, entering the office.

  Cassie turned toward her, grateful for the fabric covering what had to be a guilty-as-shit look. Which was stupid. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Montana and Tank were a thing of the past. He’d been honest with her about his past feelings. He’d once been in love with Montana. But she believed him when he said he wasn’t anymore. She’d felt their connection the day before.

  “I don’t want anyone seeing me over there,” she said.

  “Everyone expects to see you there, and participating in their opening day event shows them that you aren’t afraid of the competition.”

  Cassie sighed, removing the face mask and smoothing her hair. “As soon as Erika gets here, we will go.” As annoyed as she was with Erika for interfering with her and Montana’s meeting with the mayor, she couldn’t wait to confide in her friend about her mind-blowing experience with Tank the day before.

  The door chimed as Erika entered, wearing a balaclava and one of Reed’s oversized coats, and any lingering tension between them evaporated. That right there was why no one could replace Erika Sheraton as her best friend. “Suit up, bitches, let’s do this,” she said.

  Cassie laughed. “I’ve decided to forgo the recon outfits and just walk bravely into the fire.”

  “Oh thank God,” Erika said, removing the coat. “It’s like sixty degrees out there today. And they say global warming is a myth.” She removed her face mask and hat and hugged Cassie. “I’m sorry I wasn’t being as supportive as I should have been.” She glanced at Montana. “I hear the jump site you two have selected is as safe as possible...”

  So Montana had filled her in. Good. Erika was still going to have her reservations, but it felt great to have at least half her support in this. “It is. And nothing’s been approved yet.” All of them were stressed and arguing over something that might not even be happening.

  “Well, I’m here to support you any way I can,” she said. “Even if it means putting my professional opinion aside.”

  “Thank you. That’s all I can ask for. Okay, let’s go before I change my mind,” Cassie said.

  They exited the store and headed left on Main Street toward the large crowd gathered. The entire sidewalk was packed in front of North Mountain Sports Company. Cassie had seen the crowds lining up since earlier that morning. This was a big deal. “There’s so many people here,” she said.

  “Don’t worry. Once locals realize these ‘grand opening sale’ prices are still double what they would pay online, and that their adventure packages aren’t worth the outrageous prices, this store will be a ghost town,” Erika said.

  Hopefully before the store had too much of an impact on SnowTrek Tours.

  “She’s right,” Montana whispered. “A store like this does well in Aspen, where tourists are prepared to spend more, but Wild River is not their usual clientele. From what I can tell, people here are not impressed with name brands. They want practical and functional.”

  “Thanks.” Cassie appreciated their attempts to make her feel better.

  As they stopped near the crowd, Mayor Morell appeared on the sidewalk on a raised platform in front of the store with two North Mountain Sports Company execs. Two people the community would never see again beyond that opening week. They’d already staffed the store and Cassie could at least appreciate the hundred jobs the store had provided the town. She’d be even more grateful if it didn’t ultimately cost her her own.

  “Hello, everyone! I want to thank you all for coming out to the grand opening event of Wild River’s very own North Mountain Sports Company store! Since Mr. Hartwell first approached us with the opportunity to have one of their locations here in Alaska, we’ve all been excited about what it will mean for Wild River’s economic growth and the increase in tourist satisfaction, so I want to be the first to welcome Mr. Hartwell and North Mountain Sports Company to our town.”

  A round of applause erupted around them. Cassie begrudgingly clapped along.

  “With no further ado, I’m going to leave it to the executives here, Mr. Ralph Harrison and Mrs. Kimberly Mitchell, to formally introduce the store’s brand, and then we invite you all inside to check it out.”

  More applause as the store executives stepped up to the microphone.

  “Hello, everyone,” Mr. Harrison said. “Thank you, Mayor Morell, for the warm welcome. We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of you already during the construction over the last few months, and I’ve been honored to have been accepted into the community. We know big box stores can create some anxiety within close-knit communities, but our goal at North Mountain Sports Company is simply to enhance...not detract from the vibrancy of the communities where we launch our brand.” He stepped away from the mic and Mrs. Mitchell stepped forward.

  “That’s right. We want to add value to your existing economy by providing more jobs and opportunities for growth, as well as offering something more. I think as you explore the store, you will clearly see our vision and what North Mountain Sports Company is all about.”

  Erika rolled her eyes next to her and Montana continued to pretend not to be eager to get a look inside. They really were good friends, and having them standing on either side of her gave her even more strength.

  “But before we open the doors, we have a special guest here to say a few words,” Mayor Morell said, taking back the microphone.

  Lance Baker appeared from behind a barrier and the crowd roared.

  “Should I know him?” Montana whispered.

  “He’s a professional snowboarder. Won gold at the Winter Games and the Olympics. He’s from Alaska, so he’s as close to a celebrity as we get,” Cassie told her.

  Montana nodded, turning her attention back to Lance. Gone was the steely, unimpressed look of solidarity. Replacing it was one of unconcealed attraction.

  Great. Even Montana was being won over by the company’s impossible feat of bringing in the local snowboarding god.

  And was he wearing North Mountain Sports Company gear? Logo’d ski pants and jacket, hat and gloves... Holy shit. It made sense now. They were his new sponsor.

  “Guess that solves the mystery of how they got him here,” Erika said, realizing it, as well.

  “Hey, everyone! Thanks for coming out. I’m happy to formally announce that I will be partnering with North Mountain Sports Company, designing a new brand of snowboards to launch next winter. I look forward to meeting everyone and I’ll be signing autographs on the first floor.”

  The crowd cheered and Cassie’s heart fell into her stomach.

  If Wild River’s golden boy said North Mountain Sports Company was the best, everyone would believe it. She felt ill. “Maybe we should go...”

  “No. We need to stay. We are not afraid of competition, remember?” Montana said, but Cassie suspected her desire to see this through stemmed more from wanting to meet Lance herself.

  Mrs. Mitchell appeared at the mic. “So, now we’d like to invite Mayor Morell to help us cut the ribbon and invite you all inside!”

  Mayor Morell picked up the ceremonial oversized scissors and held them on the ribbon. Mr. Hartwell and the other executives positioned themselves on either side for the promo picture, and then the ribbon was cut.

  “Alright, let’s check this out.”

  “I’ve already seen everything at the VIP event. You two go on without me,” Cassie said, but Erika and Montana refused to let her bail.

  “Head held high,” Erika said.

  “Smile,” Mo
ntana added.

  Head up, best fake smile plastered on her face, Cassie headed inside with her friends. They were swept along with the crowd as they walked through the first floor showroom.

  “Shit, those mannequins are creepy,” Erika said.

  Cassie laughed. “That’s what Tank said when he saw them.” A memory of their afternoon together had her cheeks flushing.

  Erika noticed. “Okay, we’re talking about those red cheeks later,” she whispered.

  Cassie nodded, not wanting Montana to hear. They might all be getting along. Friends even. But girl talk about Tank would be reserved for Erika alone. She squeezed her friend’s hand, grateful she was there.

  As they headed toward the women’s clothing section, Montana glanced over her shoulder before ducking behind a rack of skis and pulling Cassie and Erika with her.

  “What’s wrong?” Cassie asked, catching several skis before sending them all crashing in a domino effect. No one would believe her destroying the place was an accident.

  “Why is that guy watching me?” Montana said, motioning to the right of the rack.

  Cassie didn’t even have to look to know who Montana was talking about. She’d sensed Eddie following them throughout the store the moment they walked in. At first she’d thought nothing of it, but why else would he be in the women’s section of the store?

  “That’s Eddie,” she said.

  “Is Eddie a stalker?”

  Erika laughed. “No, he’s a cop.”

  “And he’s been following me because...?” Montana’s irritation was evident.

  “He’s been following you?”

  “Yes. I’ve seen him around town—the grocery store, the post office...and even at my apartment building once.”

  “Coincidence?”

  “No way. I’ve caught him watching me...like this.” She peeked around the corner. “He’s still there. Checking out women’s sports bras.”