“I saved myself this time, Alex. I delivered Cal to you and your team face-down on the tarmac.” She planted her hands on her hips. “And … used you? How on earth did I use you? I was nothing but a mistake to you. If it weren’t for my plane crashing, you would have already offed yourself.”
Alex huffed. “Well, that’s just great! Thanks for throwing that in my face.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Besides, I understand why you were going to do what you planned, even if it was stupid.”
Alex spurted out a laugh. “Is that an apology? At least I wasn’t engaged and sleeping with the rescue worker!”
The circle of men gawked in their direction. “Oh, for crying out loud,” Irene said. “We could do this all day.” She turned and stormed toward Cal’s SUV, clicking the fob as she approached. She called over her shoulder, “Tell them to put my bags in the terminal. I’ll get them later. Bye, Alex!”
Yes, she was being stubborn, but she needed to calm down. And there was somewhere far more important for her to be. She had to go check on her mother.
When she was feeling more grateful, she’d seek out Alex. Until then, she had seventeen years to make up.
Chapter 24
~ Alex ~
Alex watched Irene storm off. Then turned for his plane.
He tossed a look over his shoulder at Sheriff Wheelan. “You coming with me, or you hanging out here for a while?”
Wheelan looked from Alex to Irene. “Aren’t you going after her?”
“Nope!” he popped the word. “I promised to bring her home safely. I did my job.”
Wheelan shook his head. “Damn, Alex. Here I thought some woman actually got her hooks in you, but you’re still the same player you’ve always been.”
Alex shrugged. “You coming?”
“Nah, man. This is the biggest bust in my life! I’ll find my way back to Falcon Run. Thanks for the tip on Landrum. Imagine me, a small-town sheriff, taking down a major meth dealer.”
Alex offered Wheelan a nod and headed off to his plane. He didn’t care if anyone knew who really took down Cal, but he hoped Wheelan would give the Midnight Sons a thumbs-up. He may have gotten Cal off his back, but he still had money matters to think about.
Sam would be home next week, and Alex needed a plan, something to offset the fact that they lost Old Betsy, along with all the other tales Sam would hear about.
Alex took off from Saint Paul and never looked back. Instead, he set his sight on the horizon. The weather would be nice soon. In four months, more than half a million people from around the globe would be visiting Denali.
Cal Landrum was not only out of the illegal drug trade, he was also out of the charter business, which meant there was an opening. A big opening.
Despite how Alex felt about Irene’s clear, “Bye, Alex,” she’d been right when she said people would pay for excursions. With Cal behind bars, there was a huge hole in the tourist trade.
“That’s it, Dad!” Alex looked out at the heavens, at the clear skies now that he was away from Saint Paul and nearing Anchorage. Erik, Sam, and Daire needed official licensing, but they all knew how to fly. He’d taught them all. Vince had already taken all his courses and had his pilot’s license.
We’ll still run the search and rescue, but with Cal out of the picture, we can charter planes and helicopters. Glacier tours. Whale watching. Northern lights …
It would work.
“And how are we going to pay for the extra planes and helicopters, Alex?” They weren’t the first words out of Sam’s mouth, but it was the first real conversation they’d had. Sam had been home for a day, and after all the hugs and settling in, the team — all six of them with Nora now — sat down for a meeting.
Alex resisted sighing at Sam’s negative reaction to his idea. “You don’t think the bank will loan us the money with our track record? Who knows Alaska better than us? Who would tourists trust as much as a tried and true rescue team to take them on adventures?”
“I’m not saying it’s not a great idea, Alex. But without collateral, the bank isn’t handing over millions of dollars. Sure we’d have the aircraft as collateral, but they’d want a huge down payment, and there are a lot of other expenses to think about. The house is already mortgaged. What else do we have?”
Vince cleared his throat. “How ’bout my house? I can’t see that I’ll move back there any time soon. Since Karen left me high and dry, it would cost a fortune for me to replace all the furniture, appliances, and kitchen utensils. Hell, Mom cooks better anyway. Why would I want to live in an empty house when I have all of you?”
Sam shook his head. “That’s how you were going to try to get your boat back, Vince. I won’t allow that.”
“Maybe …” Nora started, but Sam lifted a hand, cutting her off.
“I know what you’re going to say, Nora. And we appreciate it, but you can’t stress yourself out. Not with being pregnant.”
Nora sighed.
Alex smiled at Nora. She was always in his corner, even when Sam wasn’t. “Thank you, Nora. It’s okay. It was just a thought.”
“It’s a good thought, Alex,” she said. “I like it, and I think it might be doable.” Sam lifted his eyes instead of rolling them. And Nora smacked his arm. “Stop being so negative, Sam. It’s a good idea. You mentioned the two of us leading hikes, so why couldn’t we make an entire business out of it?”
“Because you’re pregnant.”
“Oh my God.” Nora threw up her hands. “You can be so bullheaded sometimes. You were in the same office as the doctor and me. Weren’t you listening? The doctor said I can continue the activity I already do. No, I can’t go into a ring, but since I’m accustomed to exercise, he said I could keep going as long as I’m comfortable.”
The table of men fell silent as Nora lectured Sam. No one ever stood up to Sam as Nora did. Alex tried not to smile, but he liked it … he liked her.
A pang stabbed his chest. He missed Irene. Determination and stubbornness were two of the qualities he liked most about Irene. She didn’t fall at his feet. She didn’t say what she thought he wanted to hear. She spoke her mind.
But it had been more than a week, and he hadn’t heard from her —
“Okay, okay,” Sam’s words cut through Alex’s meandering thoughts. “Fine! Alex, if you really want to do this, go for it. But … you’re heading this up.” Sam narrowed his eyes, drilling Alex with a fatherly stare. “I’ll keep up with the rescues, so you can work ’round the clock on a proposal to present to the bank. If I need you for a rescue, I’ll let you know. Otherwise, no messing around. If you want to do this, we’re going all in.”
Sam turned to Vince. “And no, we will not be touching your house. I’ll talk to Mom, and if she’s in, I’m sure we can get another loan.”
Their mother Claire was still CEO. Even though she didn’t get involved with day-to-day rescues, she kept her eyes on the books. Alex could only hope that she would be on his side.
The door creaked open. “I’m in!” Claire said. She approached the table, squeezed Alex’s shoulders. “I love this idea. Alex, get with me when you’re ready, and we’ll work on a website design, tours, and prices. We’ll take this to Dan, and he won’t be able to say no. We’ve paid back every loan we ever took out. He’s not going to say no.”
Alex stared up at his mother, then his brothers, and then Nora. They had faith in him. More faith than he’d ever had in himself. But he had faith in himself now. And for whatever faith he lacked, he’d believe in his team. Believe in what his father had seen in him. What Irene had seen in him before she’d learned the truth about his weak spirit.
This would work. He would make it work. Along with his family, he would save the Midnight Sons, and more importantly, make his father, mother, and even the man in the mirror proud of him.
~ Irene ~
Irene stared down at the bound pages and the accompanying contract.
She’d done it. Well, she wasn’t fini
shed yet. She had to make one stop before she finalized the contract.
She shoved the document into her satchel, scooped up her purse and keys, and headed to the door.
After locking the front door of her condo, she inhaled the cool salty air. The weather was a perfect forty-eight and sunny. She loved sunny days in Anchorage.
Choosing to spend the last three months in Anchorage had been dangerous … dangerously close to Alex, that is. So many days she’d wanted to drive the short two hours to Alex’s house.
But she couldn’t. Alex had needed this time. She had needed this time.
It’d worked — for her. She still wanted him as much — more — than she had on Middleton. Whether he still wanted her, she couldn’t be sure, but he’d done other things. She’d been watching from afar, waiting to see if Alex would try to end his life or try to improve it. The Midnight Sons had been all over the news. And she hadn’t heard of anything bad happening, so maybe the publicity had helped some.
She, of course, had needed the time to write. And write she had.
Irene uploaded the e-file her agent had sent, and then used her text-to-speech app to listen for any changes. She could listen to at least a third of the story during her drive.
Two hours later, she pulled onto a side road. Even in April, plowed snow still lined the streets in Falcon Run. She checked the address on the mailbox, then pulled into the long circular driveway and hopped out of her SUV.
The two-story house sat on several acres, with a barn off to the side. Multiple mini cabins sat behind the house, next to a lake.
For just a moment, Irene closed her eyes, imagined five young boys playing hide ’n’ seek, dirt biking, sledding … She imagined Alex as a twenty-something, sneaking young women into the cabins after dark. Then an expression she didn’t want to see bombarded her thoughts. Alex coming home after losing his father. Having to tell his mother and brothers that he was gone.
No, she didn’t hold any ill will against Alex for considering suicide to make up for the wrong he felt he’d done to his family. What she did hold against him was his inability to understand her situation …
Still, she had to do this.
Irene rolled her shoulders and walked up the front stoop. She knocked on the door, waiting patiently.
Dogs barked. A “hang on” sounded behind the door, along with a “stay.” The door cracked open and a familiar face poked out. “I said, stay!” Vince, the fair-haired brother inched his way out of the front door, shoving two furry heads back in the process. “Irene!” He stuck out his hand. “Um … what brings you to Falcon Run?”
Irene accepted his hand. “Hi, Vince.” She stared down at the envelope in her hand. “Is … Alex home?”
“He’s at a meeting.”
Irene bobbed her head. “Of course. I just thought that maybe on a Sunday … he might be available.”
Vince sighed. “I’m sorry.”
Irene handed him the envelope. “Well, when he returns, will you give him this?”
Vince took the large envelope. “Sure.”
Irene shrugged. “I guess that’s it, then.”
“I’m sorry, Irene. If it’s any consolation, Alex is doing really well. He’s just super busy with the new business.”
New business? “I’m glad. Just give him that please. He can call me if he has any questions.”
Vince nodded and Irene turned to leave. She stared up at the house one last time, then shrugged and walked down the steps.
She opened her car door at the same second the house door swung open with a thwack, hitting the iron railing.
“What the hell is this?” Alex asked as he charged down the steps.
“Oh, you’re home?” Irene offered sarcastically.
Alex stopped two feet from her, then shoved the manila folder at her. “I don’t need your charity.”
“It’s not charity, Alex. It’s yours. If you sign off on the book, that is. If you don’t, my publisher will just change the name of the Midnight Sons to something else.”
Irene moved to enter her car again, and he stopped her. “And the check just happens to be for 1.8 million?”
Irene stared down at his hand latched around her arm, and he removed it. “It’s what I asked for. What you needed, right?”
Alex shook his head and blew out a breath. “I don’t need anything from you, Irene. We’re making it. I actually came up with a great idea that’s helping the business. Actually, you gave me the idea.”
“I did? Well, I’m glad I could be of some help.” She waved him off. “So, read it if you want or not, and the check is yours if you sign off. If not, like I said, we’ll still publish it. It’s a good story. It’s my story. And I don’t care if you wanted anything from me. You did save my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful. Even if you turned out to be the world’s biggest jerk! I stupidly thought that if you knew the truth you might accept me.”
Irene yanked the car door open so she could get out of there before she did something stupid. Like cry in front of an uncaring … un … everything. How could she have fallen in love with him?
Alex threw the folder down and turned her to look at him. “I’m a jerk? I saved you … several times. And you did nothing but give me a hard time, made me fall in love with you, and then broke my heart by not telling me you were engaged to someone else. How am I supposed to accept that you’re engaged?”
Irene bit down on her lip. “I’m not engaged, Alex. I haven’t been engaged for more than a year.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Then why … why did that man say that? Why did you turn down my suggestion that we get together once we were back on the mainland?”
“When you called the local news and gave them my name, the first thing they did was contact my station — the news station my ex owns. He said that because he’s a publicity hound. He would never miss a chance to get his name on the news.” Irene shook her head. “And I turned down your suggestion because of the cancer …”
Alex shook his head. “What do you mean? What about it? I saw the scar on the back of your head. I read in the news how you took a sabbatical after your operation. I don’t understand.”
Irene heaved a breath. “Even after surgery, the survival rate is only fifty percent over the next five years, Alex. That’s why I couldn’t commit to you, to a life —”
Alex pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers.
In seconds, she felt lightheaded and weightless, as if she might drift away if he weren’t holding her so tightly. Without breaking the kiss, he ran his hands through her hair, down her back, over her arms.
All the hurt she’d felt minutes earlier melted away. She lifted her hands to Alex’s chest, pulled him closer.
Alex finally slowed his lips. Instead of just kissing her, his lips moved against hers, forming words. “I love you, Irene. I haven’t stopped. Please tell me you love me, too.”
“I love you, too, Alex, but —”
He pulled back to look at her. “No buts. If I only have five years with you, I want to make every second count. How dare you steal the last three months from us, making me think you were engaged?”
“Alex.” Irene stared up at him. He was even more handsome than she’d remembered. “There’s more, Alex. I can’t have kids. I can’t —”
“Irene,” he smiled, “you can’t talk me out of loving you no matter how hard you try. Whatever road we have together, fine, as long as we’re heading in the same direction, I’m all in!”
Irene smiled through happy tears. “Okay then. I’m all in too.”
Alex wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her to the house. “Good. Come meet the family.”
Irene leaned against him, feeling completely at ease. He wanted her … just as she was. She stopped. “Alex, the manuscript! That’s still 1.8 million dollars.”
Alex waved his hands. “Meh! It’s just money. We’ll get it later. My mom is probably drooling behind the window, begging to come out and meet you.
”
As they approached the house, first two dogs, then several people, a woman about fifty-something, Alex’s mother she presumed, and a face she knew well, Nora Molina, stepped onto the front porch. Then several men followed the women outside.
Irene smiled. A year ago, she had no one at her hospital bedside. Now she had reunited with her family and possibly gained Alex’s large family.
At first, she’d thought that she lost her life when she’d received her cancer diagnosis. But it turned out that she’d not only gotten her life back, but she’d gained a new life in the process.
Epilogue
~ Vince ~
Vince Kolya rested a hand on his brother’s shoulder as he raised his mug. Alex’s officially announced fiancée, Irene Rose, stood on Alex’s other side, an arm around his waist.
Daire hopped off his barstool and tapped his glass, signaling it was time to get the party started. “Yo! Listen up!” He tapped a few more times, waiting as the drunken chatter diminished.
Vince waited as his other brothers, mother, and nearly everyone else at Grizz’s followed suit, lifting their mugs. “To Alex and Irene!” Vince announced in a sing-song voice.
“To Alex and Irene!” The chorus of congrats circled the bar like a human wave at a football stadium, reminding Vince why he loved his small town. No matter what was going down, his fellow dive-bar devotees would ban together.
Vince draped his arm around Alex’s shoulders. “An engagement party… Why didn’t I think of that? I thought your drinking buddies and woman only shared wine and song at a wedding reception. Now you get two parties.”
Alex stared up at him. “Is that why you got married at nineteen, Vince? For the party? I thought you just couldn’t stand being alone even for one night.”
Vince cracked his neck. His family—Alex included—knew damn well why he’d married Karen. Karen had been wild and crazy, the first woman who’d challenged him since his high school sweetheart. The night he’d met her had been the first time in fourteen months that he hadn’t drunk himself to sleep. Yeah, he and Valery—his first and only love—had been young, but they’d made plans. He’d truly thought that they would be together after high school. Valery had ripped out his heart when she’d left him high and dry, no explanation. But then, Karen had taken what little was left of his soul. Not so much his heart, as he’d never given Karen his heart, but she’d taken everything else he owned, right down to his tattered undershorts.
Alex's Atonement (Midnight Sons Book 2) Page 25