by Cate Masters
“Would you like to put out the dishes and silverware?”
“Love to.” She hadn’t set a large table since she’d been a teenager. It reminded her what it was like to be part of a family. She hadn’t realized how much life she had missed out on, the simple joys.
Britt-Marie carried the linen and thread into an adjoining room. After bustling back, she slipped on an apron and pointed to a sideboard cabinet. “Everything’s stored in there. We’ll need bowls for the stew. Spoons, of course, and I’m making fresh bread.”
“It smells wonderful.” Melanie’s taste buds stood at full attention, ready to sample the delicious dishes.
Gina appeared at her side. “Put me to work.”
Though she liked taking a hands-on approach to her work, Melanie had no problem sharing the chore. “This way.” Using a good-natured tag-team method, they had the long table set in no time, fabric napkins folded by each place setting. “Nice job.”
Gina high-fived her. “Hey, I can be domestic. Sometimes.”
“Yeah, so can I.” She wished it were more often than once or twice a year.
Edo and Buck returned, covered in snow. Isa bounced to their sides and brushed the flakes from Buck’s shoulders, then held the fabric as he shrugged loose.
Supper had a homey and festive atmosphere. Britt-Marie and Edo did their chores so efficiently, they had them down to a science. Neither complained about their duties. The opposite, in fact—everyone appeared happy, a bit too much, as if Britt-Marie had added something extra in the stew.
Melanie wasn’t about to complain. Not when the good mood was contagious and made her feel wonderful. “This is delicious.”
His cheeks bulging as he chewed, Buck nodded. “Yes, very good.”
She pointed at him with a chunk of roll. “Dangerously good stuff. If I knew how to bake such tasty bread, my weight would double.”
Buck snorted. “Like you have to worry about your weight.”
Aw, he noticed. Though she knew she should hide the flush of pleasure from her crew, it had been way too long since any guy made her feel good about herself. Not an outright compliment, yet the way he said it touched her—with admiration. No lewd suggestiveness.
Britt-Marie stopped eating and stared at them, sitting side-by-side at the table. “Look at you two.”
Buck halted mid-chew. “What?”
The Sami woman nodded with a beatific smile. “You would make beautiful babies together.”
Whoa. Buck appeared as dumbstruck as Melanie. “Buck doesn’t want babies.” So much for not making assumptions. She’d broken her own rule, blurted the first thing that came to mind, then froze in horror. Why would she claim such a thing?
He sent her an are you crazy glance. “What do you mean, I don’t? You’re the one who’s too busy traipsing all over the world. Do you even have a home?”
“Yes, of course I do.” The condo held her furniture, her belongings. Her photos of Pete.
“Really,” he deadpanned. “Then tell me, when’s the last time you stayed there?”
“I…” Two months ago? No, she’d planned to, then decided against flying back. There’d been no real reason. Everything she needed, she carried with her. She’d made a point of not needing much of anything. Or anyone.
He pointed his spoon at her. “Ha. You can’t remember, can you?”
She didn’t hide her displeasure. “Don’t get cocky. You don’t know anything about me.” Only because he hadn’t asked. She’d gladly share details with him, especially after her brazen assumption about his personal preferences. For all she knew, he wanted a slew of babies. The image of him surrounded by Mini-Me Bucks almost brought a smile until Anakarina’s scowl loomed in her mind, sour enough to steal her appetite.
“I can guess plenty,” he muttered, scuffing the spoon across the side of the bowl.
She huffed. “Two can play that guessing game, Mr. Snarky.”
He blinked wide eyes. “I have zero snark. Nothing except the utmost professionalism.” He spoke coolly enough, but to the teenage girl, not her.
The teenager’s easier to impress. “Really. You treat all your clients with the same overbearing attitude? Butt into their personal lives?” How had this gone so wrong? Melanie wished she could rewind to when they first arrived and edit out the bad parts. Which was pretty much the whole visit so far.
All the while they argued, Britt-Marie smiled. “You see? Such passion, they have. They make enough fire to melt the cold. A necessity in Samiland.”
The girl groaned, rolled her eyes, and said Mama in a pained tone.
Heaving a sigh, Buck stared at his plate, immobile except for the knife twisting in his grasp.
Embarrassed? No, more like frustrated, like he had much more he wanted to say. Or miffed, possibly because he couldn’t speak his mind. Well, too bad. Maybe it would teach him not to poke his nose into other people’s business. Cute nose, though, especially when his nostrils flared like that. Less adorable were his lips, pressed into a thin, hard grimace. Why didn’t he say something? “If you—”
He rose abruptly, chair scraping on the wooden floor. “Please excuse me.” After a swipe of the napkin across his mouth, he dropped it and strode toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Horrified at her intrusion on his privacy, she clamped her mouth shut.
He snatched his coat from the rack. “To check on my team.” Each word punctuated his movements as he put on his jacket.
“Your dogs are fine.” He’d taken extra care to ensure as much, hadn’t he?
“I won’t know for sure,” he said, part snark and part pout, “until I check on them.”
“What about your dinner?” He’d hardly eaten. No one could endure harsh conditions the entire day without sustenance.
“I’ll eat later.” All pout now.
After he stepped outside and closed the door, an awkward silence fell over the room. Everyone looked to Melanie. Gina and Vic trained their handhelds on her. At least Hayden wasn’t filming, but his stare held a sort of sadness, like she’d hurt him. But how? He hadn’t even tossed a snide remark her way during the entire conversation.
She flashed a tight grin. “His dedication to those dogs borders on obsession.” She’d meant the comment as a joke, but even she heard the disappointment in it. “We can save dinner for him, right?”
Hayden tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard her right. Gina gaped.
Time to cover her tracks. “So he doesn’t go hungry. That was hard work, mushing all those hours. We can’t have him dropping over from exhaustion before nightfall and throwing us off schedule.” There, that should appease them.
Somehow, it hadn’t seemed to.
Britt-Marie made a noise of agreement and carried Buck’s plate to the counter, then placed a clean hand towel over top.
They’re still staring. Keep the conversation going. “We worked hard this morning.” Lame. Just said that. Why did they look at her as if she’d lost her mind? She flicked her index finger, the signal for the cameras to shift away from her. Neither did. Another flick, and Vic got the hint and aimed at the host. Gina slowly panned around the room. Whew. Awkward scene rescued, barely. What had gotten into them? And into me? The first inquiry, she could pass off as curiosity. It had gone way past into an interrogation that probed their tour guide’s personal habits.
Shift the attention elsewhere. “So, Edo. What’s on the agenda for this afternoon? The reindeer, right?” She knew perfectly well. Had studied the itinerary, but someone besides her had to fill the damn silence.
Edo nodded. “Yes, our reindeer. How we care for them.”
Britt-Marie said, “And a sleigh ride before dinner.”
Melanie could almost hear Hayden’s sarcastic whoopee, another sled ride after hours doing that very thing. They already seemed tired of such activities.
Not her. She loved every minute, and couldn’t wait to do more of the same again tomorrow. Fir
st, she had to find a way to smooth things over with Buck.
* * * *
Not until he’d spent a few minutes in the barn with his huskies did Buck regret his little scene. His stomach grumbled in complaint. Dammit, Britt-Marie’s stew would get cold, and his mouth still watered for that bread.
He’d burst out of the house like some idiot teenager. Real smart, with the No Boundaries crew filming away. After starting off the trip on the wrong foot this morning, he should have been more wary. He hadn’t been so careless in…ever. Only Day Two of knowing Ms. Melanie Michaels, and already he acted like he’d lost his head. Kenny’s warning came back to him: Think, and not with your little head.
The dogs’ soft breathing helped slow his pounding heart rate. He wished he could flop down and fall asleep as fast. Let everything go. Not likely, with his blood still at the boiling point. What had gotten into Britt-Marie meddling that way? She’d never made such suggestive comments before. He had half a mind to display his displeasure by taking back his gift. Don’t be an ass. He’d never have the heart, not really. Especially after seeing her pure joy, the way she caressed and cradled the linen. If only everyone could be pleased so easily.
Ms. Michaels probably required gifts with mind-blowing price tags. Items she didn’t even need, he’d bet. Her and her expensive, name brand, specialty clothing. Every item she owned was priced way beyond his budget, for sure.
“So boys and girls. Because I have no excuse to stay out here, I’d better go back.” He hated to trade the dogs’ den for the lions’ but Towson would tear him a new one if he learned of his behavior. Which he would, once the No Boundaries show hit the airwaves.
Yeah. Better get back. One last pat to the heads of the nearest huskies, and he rose and marched to the door. A blast of cold air hit him, and he hurried to secure the latch before the dogs caught a chill. His long strides became a jog until he reached the front door. Once inside, he subdued a shiver.
“How’s your team?” Melanie crossed her arms.
Angry at him? Did she think she owned everyone? A surge of heat through his veins took away his chill. This tour would prove to be one long lesson in self-restraint. “Sleeping like babies.”
“Your supper’s on the counter.” Melanie glared. “If you’re hungry.” She turned her back on him in what seemed a deliberate shunning, then joined the others in the sitting area.
The way she shifted her hips made him want to take hold of them. From there, it would be as easy as falling off a cliff. With about the same damage. “Um, yeah.” He’d eat while the others socialized.
Isa hurried over and set the covered dish on the table. “Would you like some milk?”
“Any coffee left?” He’d need the extra caffeine to get through the rest of the day.
The girl brought a steaming cup, and then slid onto the bench opposite him. “Are you in love with her?”
Where’d that come from? “Who?”
“Her.” Isa looked pointedly at Melanie.
He gulped from the mug, then choked on the hot contents burning his tongue. “I met her yesterday.”
She arched a brow. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Christ. Were females hard-wired to interrogate men? Prod at their innards to dredge up their emotions? “I thought I had. The answer is no.”
Her skeptical expression suggested she remained unconvinced. Enough about him. “How’s school?”
“Good. I can’t wait to go back.” An odd mix of enthusiasm and frustration.
He chuckled. “Wish I had felt that way when I was your age.”
“You hated school?” She sounded surprised.
“I wasn’t the best student.” Or the most popular. He wrinkled his nose before spooning more supper into his mouth.
She frowned. “But you’re smart.”
“And you’re extremely generous. Thank you for the delicious stew.” He dabbed the napkin at his mouth.
“Thank Mama. And Papa. He slaughtered the buck.”
Another gulp, and Buck washed away the nasty thought with coffee. Sometimes he hated his nickname, even if it seemed to impress clients. Certainly more than they would appreciate his real name—Joe. Bo-ring. But his given name was probably a more apt description. The most interesting personal facts about him included his sled dogs and his adopted country, and he couldn’t take credit for either.
Davved leaned his elbows on the table. “Are we going outside now?”
Another restless kid? “If our guests are ready.”
The boy called to the others in the sitting area. “Get your coats. We’ll show you our herd.”
The kid had a future in public relations. Or politics. As he rose, Buck clasped Davved’s shoulder. “If they’re rested, that is.”
He ignored Hayden’s wince as the cameraman stood.
“Absolutely.” Melanie stood. “I’d love to learn about your reindeer.”
The woman had incredible stamina, Buck had to give her that. Nonstop energy and cheer, she’d already grabbed her coat and handed Gina hers. Gina tossed Vic his parka. Hayden made no attempt to catch his, and he dragged it down from his head where it had landed. Isa’s laugh lightened the moment until Hayden’s scowl appeared again.
Outside, Edo and Davved harnessed reindeer to the sleigh and climbed to the front. Everyone else settled on the two bench seats facing one another. Buck made a point of sitting as far opposite as possible from Melanie, who faced the rear. Isa wedged between him and Hayden.
Along the way to the pasture, Melanie’s smile remained steady. Buck began to think her pleasantness was all for the camera until she said, “This is so cool.”
“What?” Isa turned to her.
“The reindeer, the sleigh, everything.” She swept her arm as if to capture the landscape. “You have an amazing life.”
Isa blew raspberries. “Amazingly sucky.”
“No way,” Melanie argued pleasantly. “Do you know how many kids would love to live here? Ride in a sleigh pulled by actual reindeer whenever they wanted?”
“Ugh, I hate it.” The girl winced. “Always the same thing, day after day. I want an exciting job like yours. Where are you going next?”
Hayden taunted, “Yes, Melanie. Where are we going?”
Glancing at him, Melanie’s expression soured until she turned back to Isa. “But you’re incredibly lucky to live such a different life.”
An exasperated breath, and Isa perked up. “Where were you before you came here?”
“Florida,” Hayden cut in. “Cave diving in Peacock Springs. Extremely tricky to photograph.”
Gina chuckled. “Underwater caves aren’t my favorite place to shoot. I’d go back to Bali any day though.”
“Bali,” Isa repeated dreamily. “I’ve always wanted to go there. Where else have you been?”
Victor shrugged. “Where haven’t we?”
All seriousness, Melanie angled toward the girl. “Traveling might look like fun on TV, but it’s actually difficult. We don’t get to enjoy the places we visit.”
“Yes, you do.” Isa sounded unconvinced.
“Not really,” Melanie said. “We rush to a place, film a show, and hurry to the next location. We can’t stop to sightsee, or visit historical or cultural sites. It’s always about the jump. Or the dive. Our lives are one hundred percent work, and zero fun.”
“Who cares about history anyway? Ech.” Isa made a sickly face.
“I do.” Melanie angled to face the girl. “And we haven’t been home to visit our families in a long time. Not even for the holidays.”
Buck’s heart went out to Melanie. Her description made her lifestyle sound pathetic.
Isa grunted. “Someday, I’m going to travel the world.”
“You have everything a person could want right here in Lapland.” Melanie’s soft voice tugged at Buck.
“There’s nothing here except cold and ice,” the girl argued. “I can’t wait to leav
e. As soon as I finish university, I’m going to travel like you.”
“You live in a unique world.” Melanie’s gaze traveled across the landscape. “You’ll never find anyplace like your homeland.”
“Good.” Isa crossed her arms.
The girl’s response deflated Melanie. Sadness filled her face, and she leaned back into the sleigh seat and stared up at the tall, snowy trees.
Such a puzzle. Why so passionate about Samiland when she’d arrived only yesterday? Of course he shared her love of the place, but it had taken him longer. Months. Had she come here seeking to escape the world too? A refuge from the harshness of civilization? Yes, he knew her television show brought her here, but he suspected she’d steered them in a northerly direction. Why?
The question stayed with him after Edo drew the sleigh beside the barn. Edo and Davved set to work doling out grain for the herd, and the animals strutted up to the troughs.
Buck paid particular attention to the way Melanie responded to the reindeer. Like a kid in Santa’s workshop. She touched everything—the herd, the dogs. And then stopped to take in her surroundings, a wide sweep of the landscape, breathing in deep like she wanted to inhale it. Keep it with her.
Wondering about her reaction kept him apart from the others and inside his head. A sensation of separateness, but including Melanie. A world of two.
Later that night, Buck settled down with the dogs in the barn. A blast of cold air and a creak signaled someone had entered. Edo, checking up on me again. He called out in Sami.
“Sorry.” Melanie stepped into view. “I’m a fast learner but not that fast.”
He scrambled to sit up. “I thought you were Edo.”
She shrugged. “I get that a lot.”
Funny. Another side to her he wouldn’t have suspected. Wonder how many other facets she hid?
She took a tentative step toward him. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier.”
Surprised again. “There’s no need.”
“Yes there is. I acted unprofessionally and I’m sorry.”
“Oh. You mean because of the show.” The only reason, dolt. “Yeah, forget it.” He’d try to do the same.
“I don’t care about the show. I mean, I do, sure, but I was rude and intrusive.”