Frozen Hearts

  An Enemies-To-Lovers Sweet Rom-Com

  Ellie Hartwood

  Copyright © 2022 Ellie Hartwood

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Printed in the United States of America

  Frozen Hearts

  by

  Ellie Hartwood

  Chapter One

  Joanna Olsen dragged her broken suitcase through the crowded arrivals terminal, creating a screeching, cringeworthy racket. Only one wheel remained on the ancient Samsonite after it tumbled off the carousel.

  “Stupid. Old. Bag.”

  She’d been on the ground for fifteen minutes and was already attracting the annoyed glances of passersby. Not that she cared. Just shy of six-feet, Joanna was accustomed to unwelcome appraisals. She blew a wayward golden lock off her face. After nearly eleven hours in the air, her sleek French knot had morphed into more of a rat’s nest.

  “Who are you calling an old bag?”

  Joanna spun around. “Auntie Rose!”

  The women hugged fiercely. Joanna took in the scent of her well-padded aunt. Peppermint and pine needles. Oh, how she’d missed her.

  “Welcome home, baby girl.”

  Joanna loved the moniker. Few people still thought of her that way. A corporate honcho wouldn’t do well to be called ‘baby girl’ by her employees.

  Rose’s face turned serious. “How are you, Jo?”

  Joanna’s shoulders slumped. “Muddling through.”

  Rose put an arm around her. “We’ll get through this together.” She eyed the offending suitcase. “Let me carry that thing. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard.”

  Rose was sixty-five and even more independent than her niece. Seven years her father’s senior, Rose was the only family Jo had left.

  Joanna pulled the bag handle out of her aunt’s grip. “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

  “Suit yourself. Can’t tell you how happy I am to have you here for two whole weeks.”

  Joanna smiled even as they both knew darn well this wasn’t a vacation. She’d come to liquidate her father’s assets. It was a stretch to take so much time off to fly on what felt like a journey halfway across the globe. New York to Alaska. Same country but a world, and over a decade, away. Alaska moved to its own clock.

  Fifteen years after leaving home she still triggered those blank stares when people heard where she grew up. Sitka? Never heard of it.

  To Joanna, that was a darn shame. Sitka was one of the most beautiful places in the world. If you excluded the winter months.

  Well, even then.

  As long as you didn’t venture outdoors much. Alaska in winter was wild and dangerous. Even deadly. But then again, so was the rest of the world. Joanna had learned that the hard way.

  “Ready to go home?” Rose asked.

  Joanna pulled the bag outside and into the brilliant sunshine, never a guarantee in Sitka. The prominent peak of Mount Verstovia welcomed her home. At nine thousand residents, Sitka, located on Baranof Island, was the most populated of the archipelago. It wouldn’t turn dark until ten p.m.

  Joanna took a deep breath in. “I should call Kevin, tell him I arrived okay.”

  “Is that the boyfriend?”

  “Yep, we’ve been discussing when to get engaged. I have the feeling he’ll be waiting at the airport for me when I get back to New York with a ring.”

  “How exciting!”

  Joanna fished her cell out of her bag, made the call. When it went to voicemail, she said, “Hey Kev. I arrived in Sitka. Sorry I missed you. Call when you’re free. Remember we’re four hours behind you.” She dropped the phone back into her bag, addressing Rose. “Can we stop at the store? I’d like to start taking inventory.”

  Auntie Rose hesitated. “You've had a grueling trip. Why don’t you freshen up, get some shut-eye? I’ll drive you over there in the morning.”

  Joanna was too tired to argue. “Sure, Auntie. Whatever you say.”

  ***

  Jared Jenkins wiped down the last of the life jackets and dropped it in the bin with the others. Today’s group was better than most. Ten well-behaved college students on summer break. Five tandem kayaks for a half-day tour of Crescent Bay. It would cover the month's expenses.

  Jared glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes. Jo should have landed by now. Knowing he’d be out most of the day, he’d begged Rose to take Jo home rather than directly to the store as he knew she would want. He needed time to get the store in order before she showed up.

  Jared let his mind wander back to the last time he’d seen Joanna Olsen. They were on the dock, tears streaming down her face as she boarded the ferry, his own heart breaking in two.

  He had never expected her to stick around the island after high school. Most of their graduating class hadn’t, heading to college in Anchorage or Seattle. But Jo was one driven woman. She had applied to schools all across the lower forty-eight, settling on NYU in New York City. It had thrown him for a loop. So much so, he’d done something so egregious he still cringed when it came to mind. He shuddered thinking how she would react to seeing him again. Especially under the sad circumstances. He needed to brace himself.

  One thing he remembered very clearly. When Jo got mad, she was a force to be reckoned with.

  Jared turned off the shop’s lights, hoping by some miracle things would go better than expected when the sun came up in the morning.

  Chapter Two

  Jared let himself into his second-floor walk-up, situated perfectly above the Ice Café, Sitka’s most popular hangout for teens, tourists, and local coffee aficionados. It was the only place on the island to get a hand-crafted brew that wasn’t from a Seattle-based chain.

  Petunia welcomed him with a jump and lick on his chin. A blue-eyed, five-year-old husky, Jared had adopted her from the local shelter. Before the new building had been finished.

  Jared tossed his keys onto the kitchen table, breathing in the lingering scents of coffee and fresh baked croissants. “Ready for dinner?”

  Petunia followed him into the kitchen, watching with deep interest as he filled her bowl. “Chow down.”

  He grabbed a Sam Adams from the fridge and dropped onto the sofa, digging between the cushions for the remote control.

  The apartment was small—a one bedroom, one bath with a tiny kitchen and eating nook. The living room had just enough room for a sofa, fifty-inch television and desk with a wheeled chair. The apartment’s location—a stone’s throw from his job—boasted a jaw-dropping view out the front window, fair trade-off for the snug quarters.

  Not that it mattered. He rarely entertained, the last time being a short-lived after-dinner drink with a woman he’d met at the store. A California transplant, she’d come in for a kayaking sunset tour of the bay. He thought they’d hit it off. That was until he learned the class was a gift for her twentieth birthday. Even for him, a thirteen-year gap was a stretch. No way he could relate to the musings of a college-age woman. He’d driven her back to her hotel, sent a polite text and never gave it another thought.

  For years, he’d managed to put thoughts of his high school girlfriend in a special mental Do Not Open folder. He’d been an ass the last time they saw each other. Last month, when Joanna’s father Ted died in a climbing accident in Ecuador, he’d left a message on Jo’s voicemail, not caring that he was choked up throughout the call. She never called back. Joanna was a woman scorned and he had yet to pay the price for it.

  Jared flicked through a few channels, then gave up. Joanna Olsen was on the brain. He swallowed the last of the beer, kicked off his shoes and lay down, allowing his mind to wander back in time, cracking open the mental file.

  Jo was the tallest girl at their grade school. And the most beautiful. Not that he would have ever admitted it back then. Growing up, it was him, Jo, Amanda and Aaron. They had called themselves the Fearsome Foursome. For a good while, anyway.

  Jared’s phone buzzed in his jeans pocket. He took it out and glanced at the screen. Speaking of the devil. “Hey Aaron.”

  “She here yet?” Aaron Hoffman’s voice was a mix of macho and jokester.

  Aaron knew Jo nearly as well as he did, Amanda maybe more. Even Aaron knew a storm was coming. “Yup. Rose sent me a warning text.”

  “Batten down the hatches,” Aaron said with only a bit of amusement.

  “I’m sure it will be fine.”

  Aaron let out a sarcastic laugh. “And here I was calling to give you your last rites.”

  “You’re a regular riot. Maybe she’s changed.”

  “Not according to Mandy. But of course to her, that’s a good thing. Those women are attached at the hip, even if they do live on opposite ends of country.”

  “How’s Amanda doing?”

  “Six weeks left until I’m a daddy, bro. It’s surreal.”

  “Let’s just hope it’s a boy. Picturing you playing tea party wearing a tiara is making my head explode.”

  “Don’t let Mandy hear you say that. She’s wishing
for a girl. I’ve started on the competitive prayers.”

  Jared didn’t even have to ask. “You’re joking.”

  “Nope. If I win, it’s a boy. Offspring I can relate to.”

  “Makes sense. You’re third generation lumberjack.”

  “Correctamundo. The last girl in the Hoffman family was treated like a princess.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Not when said princess wears her harness gear over a pink tutu.”

  Jared laughed heartily.

  Aaron said, “Seriously though, I’ll be thrilled with either gender as long as it’s healthy.”

  “Very mature.”

  Aaron said, “Just don’t tell Mandy I said so.”

  Jared signed off. He would take Petunia out for a walk then grab a good night’s sleep. He would surely need it. To prepare for battle.

  ***

  Joanna opened her eyes, momentarily disoriented. Bright sunshine spilled into her bedroom. Auntie Rose’s house was on the edge of town, the views of the pier unobstructed. A flock of seagulls cried loudly as they hovered above the water, appearing suspended in motionless flight. A fishing trawler chugged past, its crew surveying the morning’s take.

  “You’d love this summer morning, Dad,” she said into the empty room, her voice still heavy with sleep.

  She wondered if somewhere, somehow, her father could hear her.

  Joanna knew she was still mired in the stages of grief. The denial had passed. She was stuck in the anger phase. Her father’s only child, her mother had left when she was three to go find herself. She hadn’t seen her since.

  “How could you leave me too?” she whispered. To Joanna, her father had risked—no, lost—his life for a stupid climbing challenge. Didn’t he realize he would be leaving her behind?

  It was going to be a tough day.

  Joanna leaned over, unplugged her phone and checked for messages, surprised to find none. There was only one bar at the top of the screen. With all the advances in technology, large swaths of the island remained with poor cell reception. Many of the locals were fine with being off the grid. It was one of several reasons people came to Alaska to begin with.

  Two weeks without reliable phone and internet service would be impossible. She had a career back home, people relied on her even when she was on vacation. If that’s what this could be called.

  Joanna shoved the blanket aside, her feet touching the plush carpeting, her toes sticking between the thick pile. It was the same comforting feeling from her childhood. Aunt Rose’s house was old but well-loved and meticulously tended to. She grabbed a shower, gearing herself up for the day. But first, she needed coffee.

  She reached into her still-packed suitcase for her ratty NYU sweatshirt, relieved to be free of her usual business attire, and plodded down the stairs.

  Auntie Rose was seated at the kitchen table, reading the Sitka Sentinel. She looked up, smiling. “Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well?”

  “Like a log. Nothing like Alaskan air.”

  Rose put down the paper and made to stand. “Care for some coffee? I just brewed a fresh pot.”

  “Thanks but I’ve been dying to go back to the Ice Café.”

  “The Ice Café?”

  Jo made a face. “Yeah, I think you’ve heard of it. You know, our favorite breakfast spot? Barbie’s shop?”

  Rose sucked in her lips. “I don’t know. Maybe we should drink here at home.”

  “No chance. I’ve waited fifteen years to have one of Barbie’s chocolate croissants. You’re either with me or stand down.”

  Rose laughed. “Same girl I know.”

  “New York has only made it worse.”

  Rose came to her, brought her into her arms. “You get better and better with each year. We need more strong women in this world.” She gave her a squeeze. “I’ll grab my jacket.”

  Chapter Three

  Twenty years after its grand opening, the Ice Café underwent a rehaul. It was a perfect mix of Alaskan wild and sixties upbeat. One wall was covered in an elaborate mural of Alaskan wildlife. The tables were black with colorful splashes of paint. A swordfish hovered above the coffee bar.

  Joanna grabbed the only available table, delighting in the new décor. Barbie had set up several tables outside to maximize—and monetize—the view. She was something else. A self-taught businesswoman, she’d never finished high school. Some people were born with a knack for finance. Barbie was a firecracker. A woman ahead of her time, she started a business in Sitka, what was then a little known enclave on Baranof Island along the Inside Passage. It was now the go-to place for cruisers on their land excursions. She had expanded twice.

  “Jojo! Is that you?”

  Joanna jumped to her feet, allowing Barbie to pull her in for a hug. A woman in her early sixties with a smart cut of salt and pepper hair, Barbie was as fit as Jane Fonda, with a reputation of enjoying the company of younger men. She smelled of fresh coffee grounds.

  “How are you, honey?” Barbie asked, her face registering concern.

  “I’m doing great.”

  “Really?”

  Joanna’s eyes watered. “Maybe not so great . . . but I am trying.”

  Barbie put a hand on Joanna’s face. “That’s my girl. Rose told me you were coming. I’m really glad you’re back home.” Then, “Look at you, all grown up, your hair in a professional upsweep.” She scanned Joanna’s figure. “You need some meat on those bones.”

  Rose took a seat next to Joanna. “Hey, Barbie. How about two cappuccinos?”

  “Sure, I’ll be right back.”

  Joanna said to Rose, “When Dad died, I couldn’t fathom dealing with the store. Kevin put out some feelers.”

  “Feelers?”

  Joanna nodded. “I can’t manage it from New York. As of last week I have an offer on the table. From ROI. Before entering into a deal, I need to make sure the store is in good shape. I’ll check the books and the inventory, get it ready for sale.”

  “Recreational Outlet? They’ve been gobbling up all the small businesses in town. Final Frontier Outfitters is the last privately held outdoor adventure outfit left in Sitka. You can’t sell to them.”

  Joanna frowned. “I know it’s hard, Auntie Rose but I have no choice. I can’t be here to watch over the store. I really appreciate that you’ve taken care of so many of the details, especially since the funeral. But I can’t expect you to keep doing that and it’s too challenging to control a business from so far away.”

  Barbie hurried over, carrying a tray with two coffees and pastries. She looked at Joanna with a wide eyed expression. “Did I hear you say ROI wants to buy Final Frontier?” She seemed about to say something but then gave her head a small shake, as if telling herself to stop. “I brought you gals some chocolate croissants. They’re just out of the oven. She turned and walked away.

  Joanna said, “Nothing remains a secret here for long.”

  The women bit into their croissants, moaning in unison. The dough was buttery and flakey. Joanna said, “Most definitely worth the wait.”

  When they finished eating, Joanna said, “Let’s go to the store and get started.”

  ***

  Jared hurried out the back door of the building. He would love an espresso but there was no time. Somehow, he had overslept. He was halfway to his truck when the smell of chocolate croissants wafted toward him and he changed his mind. No way Joanna would be at the store before him. She had just gotten off a long-haul flight and would be exhausted. He turned around and went into the café entrance.

  “Hey, Barbie.”

  Barbie cleared a plate from one of her tables and looked up. “Good morning, Jared! I see you’re running late. The morning rush is about to happen. I’ll have your drink ready in a jiffy.”

  She got to work on his espresso in a takeaway cup. “Guess who was just here moments ago? You’ll never believe it.”

  Uh-oh. “Joanna Olsen?”

  Barbie chuckled. “How did you know?”

  “This is a small town. Word gets around fast.”

  “True words.”

  Relieved that he had missed a head on collision, Jared tossed a five on the counter and made a beeline to his pick-up truck, praying he’d arrive before Joanna did.