I didn't even want to think about that. The idea of Grant being with someone else right now elicited a pang of jealousy. I hadn't even felt jealous when I caught my last boyfriend screwing my roommate. I’d been more upset with her than my boyfriend.

  “I'll talk to him when he gets back. There's probably no way to reach him.”

  “Hmm.” Cat shrugged. “You'd have to ask Nora if there’s a way to radio him. Don't be stupid,” she said as she stood. “I like to think you're smarter than me, and here I am lecturing you on your relationship with Grant.” She chuckled as she shook her head.

  “I appreciate your perspective,” I finally managed.

  She laughed. “Well, have a good day. I'm hanging out here. If I go over to the lodge, I'll want to help.”

  “Makes sense. How's your play going?”

  “Great.”

  “When are the performances?”

  “Three weeks. I'm super nervous, but I'm also excited.”

  I grinned. “I think it's cool.”

  “I've never done anything like this, so I hope it goes okay. Everybody has to start somewhere.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Harley

  Everybody has to start somewhere.

  Cat’s words repeated in my thoughts later on. I had to start somewhere with Grant right now.

  Where was I going to start? My mind spun back to when I decided to come up to Alaska.

  I didn't want to stay in my apartment because, well, my roommate had been bonking my boyfriend. Just to reiterate, it didn't break me up all that much. It taught me who I couldn't trust. Between that and my older sister’s boyfriend hitting on me, well, it was safe to say I was skeptical about romance.

  I'd thought with Diego here, it would be fun to visit Alaska. After arriving here and experiencing it—so breathtaking, so beautiful, and welcomed into the family at the resort—I thought I could have a fresh start. I didn't have to have a life that felt defined by who and where I'd lived before.

  I sighed as I drove into town that afternoon because, sure, I was in a new location, but I was still the same old me. I was proud of how I'd grown my business and grateful that I could do it anywhere in the world. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d boxed myself in. I told myself I didn't need to overthink this.

  I stopped by the grocery store. With Cat at play practice most nights and Grant gone for two whole weeks, I needed some basics. I was making my way through the cracker section when I felt someone stop beside me. Glancing over, I instantly recognized Layla. She happened to look toward me at the same moment and smiled. “Oh, hi.”

  “Hi,” I replied.

  Layla was one of the women Grant hooked up with. I had no idea if that had stopped.

  “You’re Harley, right?” she asked.

  I kept a polite smile pinned on my face and nodded. “Yeah. You’re Layla, right?”

  “I'm friends with Grant,” she replied as she nodded. She was quiet for a moment and appeared to be considering her words. “I ran into him just the other day.”

  “Mmm,” I replied vaguely, unsure what else to say.

  “He mentioned he was leaving for a two-week trip for work. You work at the resort too, right?”

  I nodded again, gritting my teeth because Grant even told her he would be out of town. “Yeah, I don't fly the planes, though.”

  “Oh, cool. I used to be closer to Grant, but I think he's involved with someone.” She didn't even seem bothered.

  I wanted to scream. More than that, I wanted to be nosy, which I wasn’t about to do in the grocery store in front of her. I simply made another vague humming sound and shrugged.

  “Grant's a good guy. He should settle down,” she said, almost as if she were talking to herself.

  “Mmm.” That was my go-to in this convo. Blessedly, my phone rang, and I practically snatched it out of my purse. “I need to take this,” I said quickly. It was my sister. I didn't have to take it, but it would get me out of this conversation.

  “Good to see you,” Layla said with a wave before she grabbed a box of crackers and made her way down the aisle.

  I stayed put, answering the call. “Hey, Terese.”

  “Hey, how's it going?”

  “Pretty good. Just shopping.”

  “What's the status?”

  “On what?”

  My sister’s sigh was audible. “You had an appointment with your doctor. You were starting your medication. How’s that going?”

  “Everything's fine.” It was. Quinn said it would be, so I was going with that.

  “Diego mentioned you had another episode.”

  “Oh my God. Is that why you’re calling?”

  “Yes,” my sister retorted sharply.

  “It's no big deal. That day I had low blood sugar. I'm fine, okay?”

  My sister was quiet before she said, “Okay, I get it. You've always been the tough one.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Defensiveness sharpened its claws.

  “Just that you're the youngest and always need to be tough.”

  I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see me. “Whatever. Anything else you need to know?”

  I grabbed a box of crackers and began making my way toward the cheese section. “I wanted to check on that and let you know Aunt Sherry passed away.”

  “Oh no! I'm sorry. I didn’t even know she was sick. Is this a surprise? I saw her just last summer when I went down for a visit.”

  “I think she was just old,” my sister said. “I thought you should know.”

  “Should I come down for the funeral?”

  This was our aunt who didn't have any kids. She was everyone’s favorite aunt even though we didn't see her too often because she lived over an hour away from where we’d grown up.

  “If you want. I'm going to call Diego after this. I'm guessing he won't be able to make it because I know how busy his flight schedule is in the summer. Let me know if you decide to fly down. We'd love to see you.”

  “All right. I will. Thanks for calling.”

  “Love you,” she replied.

  “Love you more,” I returned. We hung up laughing. That was shorthand for us.

  After I finished up at the grocery store, I decided to stop by Misty Mountain Café. I didn't like admitting it, but too much time alone wasn’t helping me. I considered going to visit my family for my aunt’s funeral. I wanted to see them and honor her, and it might get my thoughts off Grant. My brain was looping in circles around him. I told myself I didn't need to be jealous of Layla, but it was kind of ridiculous that he saw her at a fucking bar and told her he would be gone for two weeks. Yet he couldn’t bother to tell me. It felt like a betrayal, and I felt childish for even thinking that.

  When I walked into the café, it was busy, which was good. Cammi was my friend, and I wanted her to be busy. I was glad to see she was working the counter. She flew through the orders for the customers ahead of me. It was only a few minutes before I was at the register.

  “Hey!” she said with a bright smile.

  “Hey, I figured I could grab an afternoon coffee.”

  “You should go to yoga class tonight,” she suggested.

  “I should?”

  “Gemma's doing a new heated yoga class. I can't wait.”

  “Oh. I've heard of that. I've never done it, though.”

  “I love sweating,” Cammi said. “Maybe because I've grown up in Alaska and even the summers here aren't that hot.”

  I chuckled. I ordered, waiting while Cammi prepped my coffee. “So you must be on your own at the staff house then with Cat busy with the play and Grant gone for two weeks.”

  I paused. “How do you know about Grant being gone?” I asked.

  “He mentioned he would be gone on one of those longer trips,” she said slowly. “Elias mentioned it too.”

  I felt my nostrils flare when I took a breath. “Everybody knew but me,” I finally blurted out.

  “Are things okay with you two?”

  “We had an argument. It's no big deal. I think it's for the best.”

  “What's for the best? That you had a fight?”

  I rolled my eyes. “No, that Grant’s gone for two weeks. He couldn't even bother to tell me. I think that's sort of like a roommate respect thing.”

  Cammi studied me quietly. “Hang on.” She passed my coffee over the counter and spun around, pushing through the swinging door into the back. A moment later, a teenage girl came out, dusting her hands on her apron and rinsing her hands in the sink. She turned and smiled at me expectantly. “Can I help you?”

  “Oh, I've already got mine.”

  Cammi appeared behind her. “Come in the back. Let’s chat.”

  “The back?”

  “Yeah, I own the place.” She gestured for me to come behind the counter.

  I slipped through the opening when she lifted a portion of the counter where it was hinged and followed her into the back where I'd never been. My gaze arced around the space. Even back here, it was cheerful and warm. There was a wide stainless-steel table in the middle of the room.

  “What are you making today?” I asked.

  “Oh, I do all the prep in the morning. Sit.” She patted a stool.

  Once I was seated, she sat on a stool beside me. She took a swallow from a mug on the table. Setting it down, she commented, “I needed a break. You want some pizza?”

  Before I could reply, she hurried over to one of the ovens and peered inside. “I'm making mini pizzas.”

  “I love pizza. It's a balanced meal,” I teased. She grinned and slid out a pizza. “Ooh, is that pepperoni?”

  “Yup, I’ve got this and a few veggie options.”

  A few minutes later, I glanced over. “Cammi, everything you make is good.”

  Her blue eyes twinkled with her smile. “What's up? You're upset because Grant hadn't mentioned he was going out of town.”

  I finished chewing. “It would’ve been nice to know.”

  “What was the argument about?”

  I sighed, knowing I’d have to explain. “I have this heart thing.” I quickly summarized, ending with, “It’s not a big deal. Totally treatable. Anyway, he got mad at me because he thought I was covering it up. I just learned from Cat the other night that health things are a sore spot for him.”

  Cammi nodded sagely. “Because their mom died from an undiagnosed condition. I think he feels bad because he was off at college in Anchorage.”

  “That’s not his fault,” I protested.

  “Well, of course not,” she said, lifting a hand and letting it fall. “But grief doesn't always make sense. Grief is emotional, old patterns, and all that. Logic doesn't play into it. Elias thinks Grant really likes you.”

  “How would he know?”

  “Elias is pretty perceptive. He's quiet but dangerous.”

  “Dangerous?”

  She giggled. “He’s a softy, but he picks up on what's going on. Apparently, the guys had drinks at Sally's the other night, and one of Grant's usual pickups wasn't getting anywhere even though she tried.” I shouldn't have felt a little thrill at that, but I did. “How do you feel about him?”

  I finished off a slice of pizza. After swallowing, I shrugged. “I didn't think I would really fall for him. I thought we would have a little fun, and that would be that.”

  “What's your history with relationships?” she asked.

  “Huh?”

  “You know what I mean. I was burnt like a crispy marshmallow when I met Elias. But if it's the right person, you can get past it.”

  “I don't know. The last guy I was dating screwed around with my roommate. Before that, my older sister’s boyfriend hit on me when I was sixteen. He was over ten years older,” I offered with a grimace. Cammi’s eyes widened. “Look, that was creepy, but my sister dumped him, and I wasn't heartbroken about my ex. In short, though, I learned who I couldn't trust.”

  “Them,” she offered succinctly. “You seem like a person who doesn't let your guard down easily.”

  I instantly felt prickly inside even though I knew she had a point. “What do you mean?”

  “We're all different people, and we all have different experiences. You seem very independent. I don't mean that in a bad way. The world is a hard place for women to live. That alone is enough for a woman to be guarded, and that doesn’t take into account assholes like your ex or creeps like your sister’s ex.”

  I thought maybe it was just that. Layered into the mix with me being the youngest in my family, I’d felt like I spent my childhood fighting to show that I was tough, not the one who everybody told what to do. It’s possible, just a little bit, that I was stubborn and hated everyone always babying me.

  I realized Cammi was waiting for me to say something. “I suppose I am independent.”

  “When it's right, it feels right. And this might seem weird, but when it's right, it's also scary.”

  “What do you mean?” My pulse kicked up a notch.

  “Not scary in a bad way. Because it matters. It's one thing to like someone and have it not work out. It’s another thing to love someone.”

  I knew precisely what she meant. What happened with the last guy I dated had stung my pride, but it didn't break my heart.

  “Grant’s one of the good guys.”

  “I know.” I sighed. “I wish he’d told me he would be out of town.”

  “Did you give him a chance to tell you?”

  Her question felt barbed even though I knew she didn’t intend that. I felt heat rise in my cheeks. “Maybe not,” I muttered.

  Cammi smiled warmly, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder. “He'll be back, and you can talk then.”

  Someone called her name from the front. “I should probably get back out there.”

  “You should. Thank you,” I said as we stood together.

  “For what?”

  “For being my friend.” She smiled and gave me a quick hug.

  As I drove toward the lodge, I decided I might as well go to my aunt's funeral. Grant was gone, so I would just be twiddling my thumbs.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Grant

  I leaned on the railing of the walkway, the sound of rushing water filling the air. I had flown a group out to Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park & Preserve. This area became famous due to the live video showing the massive brown bears who fed on the salmon here. Of course, it was also a place of breathtaking beauty. I'd seen my fair share of bears and preferred to stay at a comfortable distance at all times.

  “Hey, Grant,” a feminine voice reached me.

  I turned to see Lacey Haynes approaching. “Hey, Lacey, what are you doing out here?” I asked.

  “What do you think I'm doing out here?” she countered when she stopped beside me.

  I smiled at her. Lacey was a kick-ass wilderness guide and married to Quinn Haynes. “I thought you were pregnant,” I commented.

  “I am,” she replied with a grin. “But I can still hike. This is my last trip before I stay put in Diamond Creek.” With her auburn hair and sparkling green eyes, Lacey had an earthy beauty to her. “How long are you here?” she asked.

  “Oh, I've got a whole tour group. We're stopping here for a night, and then I'm flying them to another stop. They’re fishing and doing all the things, so a few more puddle jumpers.” Puddle jumper flights in Alaska were the short flights people took all over the wilderness since most of the state was only accessible by boat or plane.

  “Flying over here isn't really a puddle,” she offered.

  I chuckled. “True.”

  She rested her elbows on the railing, and we watched a brown bear snatch a salmon in its jaws.

  “So how are you and Harley?”

  Lacey’s question startled me. “Excuse me?”

  “Aren't you two a thing?” She waved her hand in the air.

  “What do you mean ‘a thing’?”

  “Oh my God, Grant. I think you know what I mean.”

  I pressed my tongue into my cheek as I shook my head. “Okay, fine. I guess we were involved. Then we had an argument. I'm not really sure what our status is right now,” I answered honestly.

  “What was the argument about?”

  “Are you always this nosy?” I asked.

  “Grant, we're in the middle of freaking nowhere. The group I brought over is out hiking for the day, and I'm just here killing time. We might as well discuss something juicy.”

  I chuckled. “Fair enough. Well, she's got this heart problem, and she hasn't really kept me up to speed. It's possible I overreacted.”

  “It's possible? That means you overreacted,” she deadpanned.

  I bit back a sigh.

  “Is it because of your mom?” Lacey grew up in Diamond Creek, so she knew my family’s history.

  “Maybe I worry about medical stuff more than the average person.”

  “Yeah. Like Quinn.”

  “Uh, he's a doctor,” I pointed out dryly.

  “Not like that. I have MS, so he worries extra about me. Your mom died of a heart condition that nobody knew she had, so you worry a little extra about people you love. Once something like that happens, it's kind of a thing.”

  I stared out over the river, watching as a bear leaned down and snatched a salmon out of the water, eating it right there by the shore. “I guess you have a point,” I finally said.

  “Does Harley know that?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “She's independent,” Lacey offered.

  “How well do you know her?” I returned.

  She shrugged. “Takes one to know one.”

  I chuckled. “Ah, I see.”

  “Quinn and I have been together for years. He’s still not happy with my job choice.”

  “Didn’t he used to do guiding trips with you?”

  “He still does here and there, but he prefers for me to stay close to home. I don’t always do that, and he’s learned to live with it. We have a plan for emergencies, and my MS is under control. But I get it. Some of us just have that streak, and the people who love us have to deal with it.”