Love in Alaska

by Tina Scott

  “Do you mind if I use your computer? The screen is bigger, and they gave me an access code for the interview.” I had it on my phone.

  “Sure.” Traci clicked off of what she was doing. “Where would you like to sit, the living room or the kitchen?”

  “Which do you think is best?” I glanced through my notes from last night. Seeing them and remembering my answers helped me to feel a little more prepared. Traci set the computer in the living room, and I logged on right at the appointed time.

  There were five people on the other side of the screen—three women, so hopefully that would be in my favor.

  I sat up straight and introduced myself, after which they each took turns with their own introductions. The questions were easy at first, nothing unexpected. Some were questions that Storm and I had discussed specifically. That brought a satisfied smile to my lips. My preparations had helped.

  They asked my philosophy on education, what I believed their strengths were and what I felt the state could improve upon, and, if I got the position, what three things would I do first toward improving the graduation rate.

  Then, they asked for my strengths and weaknesses. I remembered Storm’s eyes, and how intently he watched as I’d gone over those very traits. Lastly, they asked about my goals, or rather my ten-year plan. That was more difficult because I didn’t have a complete plan, I just wanted to be an asset in guiding and helping children to succeed.

  After about forty-five minutes, the interview was over. I’d done it. The interviewers had seemed genuinely impressed with some of my ideas. They’d jotted the answers to my questions down, and I felt as though I had them eating out of my hands, so to speak. I logged off and then went in the other room to find Traci.

  “I think you’re looking at the next member of the State of California’s Student Achievement Think-tank.” I squealed like a kid, and Traci came and gave me a hug.

  “I knew you could do it!” She picked up her bag. “Are you ready to celebrate by going into town?”

  “I am, but first let me change. I don’t really want to wear this all day.” I went and changed into a nice pair of jeans and put on the new top and scarf I’d bought at the boardwalk. And then we were out the door.

  We drove to the main part of town, and I stayed in the car when she got out to network with other businesses. Traci seemed good at it, and she came back with several brochures and promises of sending tourists her way. By twelve-thirty, I was famished. “Can we stop for lunch somewhere?” My stomach growled.

  Traci chuckled. “I guess we’d better.” She stopped at a bakery where we had gourmet elk-meat sandwiches. Afterward, Traci talked to them about her mother’s business. On our way out the door, she said, “I think I’ll take you to Bishop’s Beach. We’ll have fun there.” We got into the car, and her phone rang.

  Traci answered, listening for a moment and looking pleased. “Yeah, that sounds great,” she said. “We always had such good times there. That’s a fabulous idea. Five-thirty? That’s a little early—oh, that’s right. Okay, five-thirty it is.”

  All the time she was talking, I was sitting next to her and wanting to grab the phone to see who was on the other line. But, maybe she had another business opportunity.

  “That was Storm,” she said after she hung up. “He wants to take us out to dinner, to Cups.”

  “Cups?” What a weird name for a restaurant. “At five-thirty?”

  “Yep. We want to get there before the dinner crowd. You’ll love it. Storm and Conner and I used to be regulars.” She glanced at me, misreading my concern. “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time for the tide pool and a nice walk around the beach first.”

  As we drove, my mind was on Storm. He was the perfect guy—good-looking, kind, polite. Why hadn’t Traci mentioned that he was the elementary school principal? Had she felt insecure, thinking I’d be interested if I knew? I realized that while we were still in California, she had begged me to move to Alaska with her. She hadn’t mentioned it once since.

  Bishop’s Beach was a huge marsh near the ocean. It was low tide so there was a lot of sand and rocks on the beach and was perfectly fine for walking on. I searched in every part of the ocean for a whale, hoping for that good luck Traci had promised. Across the bay, misty clouds still clung in patches to the trees, but the ocean held no visible signs of wildlife.

  Some people had parked their trucks right on the beach. A man and a boy were throwing sticks in the water for their dog. Another couple walked with their dog along the water’s edge. I strolled to a log, sat down, and pulled out my phone to take pictures.

  Traci sat beside me. “That was pretty nice of Storm to help you with your interview.”

  “Yeah. His help made all the difference.” I explained how some of his questions had been asked by the hiring group.

  “Storm’s nice that way. He’s always doing nice things for everyone.”

  Was that her way of telling me that I was nothing special to him? I nodded. “I noticed,” I said although I really hadn’t. But, she knew him better than me. “You were sure gone a long time last night.”

  Traci rested her arms on her knees. “I hadn’t wanted to share this, but my mom isn’t good at marketing. She relied too heavily on repeat business and word of mouth. She needs the income, but her bookings are down forty-percent.” She picked up a pebble and pitched it into the water. “I’m here to save her business. After you head home, I’ll move in with Mom and then rent out the place we’re staying in. We’re calling it, Pine Hill. Storm even made a wooden sign to hang on the porch so guests will know they’ve found the right place. He’s been an absolute hero in helping me with contacts and other ideas. He was planning on taking me out last night to a few other businesses—some of the restaurants that stay up later—and he has a contact with a great marketing plan.”

  “I hadn’t realized it was that serious. I’m sorry I snagged Storm away from you.” I had ruined Traci’s date. I felt horrible.

  Seven

  As we drove toward the restaurant, I wondered about the name, Cups. Was it a coffee joint, or what?

  “Luckily, it’s a week night. This place is packed on weekends,” Traci said as the restaurant came into view.

  “Oh, the name ‘Cups’ is literal.” I peered at the uniquely ornate building. Mustard yellow with forest green trim, the place could be straight out of Alice in Wonderland’s imagination with its mosaic-trimmed corners and large, decorative tea cups protruding from the front gable.

  Storm was leaning against the wooden rail near the door, waiting for us. The sight of him couldn’t help but please me. Even though he and Traci were moving their relationship forward, Storm would always have a place in my heart.

  “Look who’s waiting,” I said. The only problem was, it looked like Cups was a real restaurant and would probably have real waitresses. Anticipation niggled as I walked from the parking lot to the restaurant, Traci’s conversation going completely unheard.

  The front door, an invisible barrier, held me back. I stood, watching my friend, watching Storm, and taking it all in, my feet unmoving. But, I had to do this. Every waitress in the world was not responsible for my broken heart. I barely even knew Storm, and besides, he was spoken for. So, what did it matter?

  “Are you okay?” Storm put his warm hand against my arm, waking my every nerve to reality.

  “Huh? Yeah, I’m great,” I said, my heart jumping excitedly.

  “Your earrings and scarf are nice.” He barely touched my back, but the heat from his hand radiated throughout my body. “Did you get them on the spit?”

  “Yes.” It was kind of him to notice. Together we walked into the restaurant where Traci was already waiting. She gave me a concerned frown but didn’t say anything.

  I lifted a shoulder apologetically. If Storm was nice to everyone, why was she so surprised that he was nice to me?

  “Storm!” A waitress hurried toward us and gave him a quick hug. “It’s great to see you.” She glance
d toward Traci and me.

  My internal alarm sounded, like fingernails to a chalkboard. I turned away, taking a deep breath and gaining control of my shaking. My feet itched to take me away, but I stayed.

  “Alice, this is my good friend, Traci John, and her friend, Marcia Williams. Traci is moving back home, and Marcia is visiting from Fresno.”

  Alice extended her hand, welcoming us and guiding us to our table. I relaxed after that. Apparently, Alice was three years younger than Traci, but her brother, Brandon, had been on the receiving end of the squirrel prank. I guessed that’s the way it was in a small community—everyone knew everyone else and they were all connected by the golden thread of history.

  It was that feeling of connection, of belonging, that I needed. At that moment, I longed for a history with someone in a similar way in which Storm and Traci and Alice enjoyed. I had it to a certain degree at my school, but with teachers moving in and out, it was never quite the same at the beginning of each new year. At my apartment complex, Traci and I were the longest residents, and now it would only be me. Some tenants barely stayed for a six-month lease.

  Midway into dinner, I got another text from Colleen. “No need to call. Just wanted to share the good news. I heard from Brenda, at the state. You’re sure to get the job. I’ll miss you at Valley, but we’ll keep in touch.” I tamped down a smile. For double the salary, I’d make my own history.

  I watched the way Storm and Traci interacted. They made a great couple. And, every time Storm paid attention to Traci, it gave me confirmation that I was right, and that Storm liked her more than she realized. They had history together and that would make their relationship sweeter over time. I didn’t want to ruin my friendship with Traci by getting in their way for a temporary fling. After all, I was leaving in a week.

  Throughout the course of the evening, Storm did and said nice things to me as well. He pulled the chair out for me, and even asked the waitress for a new fork when I accidentally dropped mine, which showed me Traci was right. Storm was nice to everyone. I wasn’t special.

  Traci put her hand on Storm’s shoulder. “Part of the reason Marcia came to Alaska with me is because we never got to celebrate her birthday this year.”

  That wasn’t entirely true—I mean, we hadn’t celebrated, but that wasn’t why I’d come to Alaska.

  “They give free birthday brownies here,” Storm said, and signaled the waitress. “Marcia is here to celebrate her birthday. Can you get her one of your gourmet brownies a la mode?”

  “Sure thing,” she said, and hurried toward the kitchen.

  I gulped back my appreciation and rubbed my cheeks, trying to wake myself up. This guy was too good to be real.

  I liked Storm more than was good for me. Other than Brad, I had never known a guy with such great manners. But, come to find out, Brad’s manners were all for show. What I needed to discover was Storm’s true identity. What kind of man was he when no one was watching, and, what kind of man was he in a crisis? That was the true test of character.

  

  The next morning, I went to the kitchen and made pancakes for breakfast. Traci had been through a lot and she deserved something good to eat. When they were finished, I called to her, “Hey, Traci, I made pancakes!”

  She came into the kitchen looking as though she had something on her mind.

  “What’s up,” I asked.

  Traci leaned against the wall. “What was with you at dinner? You were so quiet there at the end. And, what was with you standing in the doorway. You were blocking people from coming in or out.”

  I got the plates out and put them on the table. I hadn’t blocked anyone, and I wondered if she was just upset that Storm had been so kind. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, I hadn’t realized.”

  Feigning ignorance was all I could do. I didn’t dare express my feelings regarding Storm. By all accounts, he was a great guy. We had great conversations and had a lot in common. But, he was spoken for.

  She came in and sat at the table clasping her hands in front of her, and I knew there was more coming. “Okay, spill the beans,” I said. “What’s really bugging you?”

  “Well, as you know, my mom’s business needs a bit more work than I’d anticipated. I mean, she doesn’t have an interactive website, new pictures, or any upgrades.” She paused and glanced at me, seemingly checking for my reaction.

  Did she want to cancel tomorrow’s outing?

  “What I’m saying is, I really don’t have the time for the overnighter. I should focus on the business. That’s what mom’s paying me for—or will be eventually.” She put a hand out, stopping me from commenting. “We’ll still go on the glacier trip. We’ll just take the water taxi like everyone else and it’ll just be for the day. Do you mind?”

  “No, of course not.” I leaned forward, determined not to show my disappointment, my arms resting on my knees. “I told you before, I’m willing to help. Let me do something. The pictures from my phone have good resolution, I can go with you and take pictures if you’d like.” I handed her the plate of pancakes and put syrup on the table.

  “I already have the pictures.” She waved a dismissive hand. “I don’t want you to miss out on seeing the sights and having a good time just because I need to work. Storm ended up with a huge booking on Wednesday, but he took the next day off instead. He’s volunteered to take you out kayaking—and we’ll totally still go on the sight-seeing cruise to Seldovia.”

  I pressed my fingers against my lips, pondering the situation, my thoughts returning to Storm. Being alone with him could pose a huge problem for Traci and me. After all, she was trusting me to behave myself with someone who was dear to her. I needed to figure out my feelings, so I’d know how to combat my responses.

  Did I have some forbidden love obsession that attracted me to him because he was unavailable? Were my feelings toward him merely gratitude for his kindness? Maybe he was just rebound guy and none of this was real. I smiled. That was it. I was merely attracted to him because he was virtually the first guy I’d talked to since Brad.

  He was a friend—and in less than a week, I’d never see him again. Even though he didn’t even know he’d done anything, it was good of Storm to be so great and help me get over Brad. Now, if I moved to Sacramento with a new position, I was also free to move on to a serious relationship.

  Regardless of all my questions and my seemingly perfect answer. One question overrode them all. How could I ever spend the whole day with Storm and not fall in love with him?

  Eight

  My heart flipped in anticipation as I waited for Storm. When he finally arrived on our doorstep, I hurried to answer the door.

  “Your personal tour guide at your service,” he said with a bow and a smile that set off the butterflies in my stomach. This was not the reaction I had with most of my friends, and I knew then I’d been lying to myself. I liked him.

  “I’m almost ready,” I said breathlessly and motioned for him to come in. The doorway was too narrow, or perhaps it was because I stood in the way, but his arm grazed mine as he breezed past. I pressed a hand against my heart and followed him to the kitchen. What was I doing liking him? My heart was a traitor. Besides, the minute I got on the plane, Traci had all but openly confessed they’d hook up. Then, it would just be awkward if I ever saw her again. I gulped back the pain of that thought and walked to the kitchen.

  “I forgot Mom had these packs,” Traci said, lifting one. “If you fall into the river at least your food will stay dry.”

  “Wait.” I frowned. “Is this dangerous? I thought you didn’t do extreme sports. You can die from the cold water, right?” I rested my hands on the counter, waiting for her response.

  “For an outdoorsy type, you sure worry a lot.” Traci put a sports drink in each pack.

  “Have you not been in a kayak before?” Storm took the twist-tie off the bread.

  “No.” That was part of my worry.

  Storm leaned his elbow against the counter and looked
at me. “How about I give you a quick lesson after we get our lunches ready?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “I’d really appreciate that.” I chewed my fingernails feeling unusually contemplative and distracted and even a little upset with Traci. This was her fault. If she didn’t keep needing to work, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be tempted by him.

  We finished packing lunches and waters and a few emergency supplies, with Traci chatting away like a magpie. Storm kept up with her conversation, but I caught him glancing my way on more than one occasion. We took the packs to Storm’s truck and put them in the back seat.

  “Don’t forget your wind breaker.” Traci ran outside with the one she was loaning me, a bulky red jacket with a hood wadded up around the collar. “The kayaks are in the backyard waiting to be loaded,” Traci told Storm. “Bring one out front and give Marcia a lesson.”

  When Storm left, Traci said with a wry smile, “Learn a lot while you’re out there today.”

  I frowned. She was so weird.

  Storm emerged from the back gate with the kayak on his head like an oversized hat. I went out the front lawn to meet him for the impromptu lesson. There were dark clouds on the horizon. “Do you think it’ll rain?” I asked as he set the kayak on the lawn.

  “Probably. What of it?” He held his hand out. I enjoyed too thoroughly his warm palm against mine as he helped me step into the kayak. “Surely you don’t want to cancel on the possibility of rain?”

  “No. Absolutely not. I just wondered if it’s wise to go out on the water if it’s raining,” I said, trying to distract myself from his nearness.

  “We need the rain. Besides, if you’re waiting for perfect weather, you’ll be waiting a long time.” He held my arms, showing me how to balance in the water, and I thought maybe I’d forgotten how to breathe.

  “The most important thing is to learn to keep your balance. It can be dangerous falling into the water in Alaska even in the summer. It’s important to learn what to do and how to react if you tip the kayak over.”