Love in Alaska

by Tina Scott

  “Do you think I will?” Staying afloat didn’t seem too difficult.

  “No, it’s merely a precaution. I have a lot of experience on the water. You’ll do fine. But, just to be on the safe side, we’ll just take the one.”

  I scrutinized the kayak and realized it was a two-seater. “Oh?” Well, it wasn’t as though I’d be sitting on his lap or anything. It was perfectly fine. “What is this stuff?” I picked up a black fabric thing.

  “Those are skirts for the kayaks. They keep the kayak, and us, dry.” He knelt beside me and snapped the skirts in place. Then he helped me step into the skirt opening.

  “Here, take the paddle.” Storm’s words tickled my ear as he helped me hold the paddle correctly.

  His nearness sent a current of electricity charging through me that I worried Storm could feel. “Like this?” I squeaked, afraid to look at him.

  “Put your left hand here.” He put his hand over mine and slid it gently down the paddle.

  His hands were warm, but I shivered. “I think I’ve got it now.” I needed to get a hold of my emotions. Storm wasn’t interested in me, and I was only interested in him as a friend.

  “Give me the paddle.” He took it from me, spun it once in his hand, and then handed it back, paddle first. “Okay, now hold it correctly without my help.”

  I gripped the handle, held it the way Storm had shown, and then looked up to make sure I had it right. But his brown eyes were on me, and with a quick jolt of my heart, I averted my gaze.

  Storm coughed politely. I knew I’d blown it. He’d felt my interest in him, and it’d made him uncomfortable. Any sane person would be uneasy garnering the attractions of a complete stranger. Why did my life have to be like that? With as much cheer as I could muster, I asked, “That’s all there is to it?”

  “That’s it. I’ll help balance the kayak when we first push off, but you’re good to go.”

  I pushed my hair away from my face. “We’d better get inside and help Traci get things ready.” She was being overly helpful this morning, almost motherly. She was supposed to be busy working.

  Storm lent a hand while I stepped out of the kayak. With my eyes focused on him, my foot snagged on the edge, and I fell forward. He caught me in his arms, his warm, woodsy smell buckling my knees.

  “Oh, sorry,” I said, straightening. His full and perfect lips were mere inches away and just noticing them made my face heat. It was such a cliché moment he probably thought I tripped on purpose.

  Seemingly frozen in time, he murmured, “No problem.” He touched his nose to mine and then quickly moved away and stepped back. “I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself.”

  Yeah, only my heart. It pounded wildly.

  Nine

  Thank you for taking me out today,” I said as we headed up the mountain. It was kind of him to spend a whole day of his time off with me instead of Traci.

  “Think nothing of it. I love the opportunity to go kayaking. I haven’t been up here for ages.”

  Storm made pleasant conversation, putting me quickly at ease. At first, he talked about the weather and how he loved living in Alaska. Then, he asked, “How did your interview go?”

  “It went really well, and I appreciate your help the other night. Several of the questions they asked were ones you’d prepped me on. They seemed impressed, and I’m fairly confident they’ll offer me the job before I leave Alaska. In fact, my principal from Valley texted me the other day indicating they would. But, they’ll let me know either way by Monday or Tuesday.”

  “That sounds great. Traci says you’ll have to move though?”

  “Yeah, but it’s not like I own my own home, and I’ve been searching the Internet. There’s this great place where I plan to move. It’s got great amenities—a gym and a pool and a recreation room. They even have a committee who plans group activities for the complex. It’ll be a great way to get to know my new neighbors.” Thinking of the move put a leaden knot in my stomach, and I changed the subject.

  We discussed my work as a teacher, and I explained to him again my reasons for teaching. “I love being able to influence the future generation. I give them the attention and respect that many of them don’t get at home.”

  “Exactly,” he said. “I feel that by being a principal, I’m helping to make my community a better place. Kids are so great. They help keep me young, young at heart anyway.” Storm was easy to talk to, and it didn’t seem like more than a few minutes before he pulled off the road and stopped the truck.

  The river was well camouflaged behind a curtain of green. He led the way lifting the front of the kayak with the packs and paddles, and I held up the end. My feet padded almost silently against the soil, nearly black with fronds from decaying bracken and pine needles. We passed through waist-high ferns and bushes, and trees green with moss along the trunks.

  The swift river, nearly turquoise from glacier silt, was just over two kayaks wide. As he put the kayak in the water, a question entered my mind. “After we kayak down the river, how will we get back? It’s not like there’s a trail.”

  “There is a trail, you just don’t see it,” Storm said. “But, Traci is picking us up around two.”

  “Two?” It seemed to me that Traci might as well have joined us.

  “That’s almost six hours on the river. We don’t want to get so far away that we have no way home.”

  “Yes, of course. I didn’t mean to imply it wasn’t enough time. I’m grateful that you’re taking me out, and six hours is plenty.”

  “The river winds around, and we’ll stop a few times along the way. There’s some splendid scenery that you won’t want to miss.” Storm handed me a helmet.

  “Helmets?” I stared at mine.

  “Yes.” Storm put his on. “And life vests.” He handed me one.

  I put the life vest on over the bulky windbreaker, but the helmet transported me to a time when I’d tried getting Brad to join me in a cross-country biking excursion. He’d seen the helmet and walked away, refusing to allow one to mess up his hair. According to him, they were for sissies.

  “Let me help.” Storm took the helmet from my hands and placed it gently on my head. I reveled in each touch of his fingers. He took the helmet off and adjusted the strap, then replaced it and snapped it shut below my chin. “How’s that?”

  I wiggled my head and it stayed put. “It’s great.”

  “It looks cute on you,” he said.

  My heart beat wildly at the compliment, and in a moment of silliness, I posed.

  Storm was ready with his phone and clicked a picture, chuckling.

  “Hey!” I grabbed at his phone.

  He held it easily out of my reach. “Nope. It’s mine.”

  “What do you want my picture for?” I couldn’t imagine, but I quit trying for his phone, which had me standing dangerously close and gazing up to his brown eyes and mischievous smile. Being around Storm felt safe and comfortable, and my universe felt right when he was near.

  Without answering, he put his forehead to mine, our helmets clinking. “Thank you for coming here with me. It’s one of my favorite spots, but I haven’t been here in ages.”

  “You’re doing me the favor. I just wish Traci could have joined us.” I didn’t really, but it was the polite thing to say.

  He pulled away and steadied the kayak as I stepped into the small opening in the skirt like he had shown me earlier, then tightened it around my ribs. “We’ll be glad we have them and the helmets. This isn’t a white-water river, but it still gets brisk in places.” He got in, and then we pushed ourselves into the swift current.

  “The scenery is fantastic,” I said, knowing it was more than that. It looked as though we were the first humans to come here. We made easy conversation and we had a lot in common. Because of that, I didn’t understand what he and Traci saw in each other. But, who was I to judge?

  “See that?” He pointed to a clump of sticks high in a pine tree. “That’s an eagle’s nest.”


  A bald eagle soared in the sky. It dove down to the river ahead of us, grabbed up something in its beak, and then swooped up to the nest. I dropped the paddle onto the skirt and grabbed my phone from the pocket of my jacket. “That’s amazing!” I said, snapping several pictures.

  This was an intimate tour of Alaska where no other tourists came. Just Storm and me and our idyllic surroundings. A mile further downstream, I pointed. “Look! A moose.” A bull moose with huge wide antlers was at the water’s edge, eating the tall grasses. “Let’s get closer.” I beamed with the pleasure of finally seeing one.

  “We don’t want to get too close.” Regardless, Storm helped maneuver us to a spot where the current was less active. The moose looked up as if to pose, and I was able to get several good pictures.

  “Thanks.” I put my phone away and grabbed the paddle.

  After another half hour or so, Storm pulled us toward shore. “It’s about time for a break, don’t you think?” He winked. We both got out and pulled the kayak out of the water and near a clearing.

  Storm took my hand and led me to a pathway. The landscape was like nothing I’d ever dreamed of, but all I could think of was the feel of his hand with mine. The path, if it was man-made, hadn’t been used in recent years. It had grasses and weeds growing on it. He went to some bramble bushes. “Wild raspberries.” He picked one and put it to my mouth to eat.

  “Those are good. If we pick enough, I can bake us a pie when we get back.” I loved berry pie.

  “You bake?”

  I smiled at his surprise. “Sometimes,” I said. “My mom taught me.”

  “Let’s pick enough for a pie then. Just keep your eyes open because bears like berries and so do moose.”

  “We’re stealing their food?” I lifted my hand from the bush.

  “It’s okay. There’s more in these woods than they’ll ever eat.”

  “Let me get something to put them in.” I ran back to the kayak and put the lunch from one pack into the other, brought the empty pack, and little by little we filled it with berries.

  “That was fun,” I said as we walked back to the kayak. “But it’s a good thing I have this jacket on. Those bushes are thorny.”

  Storm helped me get settled and once more took care to strap my helmet. He seemed to always do kind things like that and I felt myself falling for him again, which was frustrating. Just being so near, I wanted to pull him into my arms and hold him there. But Traci’s image kept flashing in my mind, and I wouldn’t betray her trust.

  Storm paddled toward midstream. “You’re nothing like Lana.”

  “You’re ex?” I hoped not.

  “Yeah. She was high maintenance, and insecure as all get out.”

  I wasn’t insecure, was I? I swallowed back my guilt.

  “What about your ex. What was he like?”

  “He was a womanizing cheater who had a girlfriend on every corner.” Or restaurant.

  “What a fool,” he said.

  My heart melted. “Thanks.”

  “There’s a great place downstream where I’d like us to have lunch. You’ll love it there.”

  We were alone together in a vast, green wilderness, the water taking us swiftly past ancient pine trees dripping with moss, and underbrush almost as tall as me. As we were swept downstream, our paddles working in unison, I felt the strong connection with Storm.

  As we reached our lunch spot, the sky opened with rain. “Yikes!” I said. “We’re going to get wet and cold.” I jumped out of the kayak and helped tug it to shore, and then ran to the shelter of a tree, rubbing my arms and shivering. The windbreaker wasn’t water proof.

  Storm pulled a small plastic pouch from his coat. “Here,” he said. “I brought these just in case.” He flipped it open, shook it, and it turned into a rain poncho. He had one for both of us.

  With each kindness he showed, and against my will, another chink of my gray, lifeless covering lifted. He took my hand and guided me along a muddy trail, the rain pelting us, and I’d never been happier. The soil was black with decaying mulch from the surrounding plants. Hanging boughs above us dropped pearls of water to the mud below. The water skirted along gullies probably made a hundred years ago and going who knew where.

  We came to an area where another stream joined the larger river. Ancient trees made a canopy overhead, their roots gnarling above ground. He took a step, then held my arm. “There you go,” he said. “I don’t want you to slip and fall.”

  He didn’t know I already had.

  Water from the stream splashed downhill in a small waterfall, and the scene was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. “Thank you. I’ll remember this forever.” I pulled my phone out.

  He stepped beside me and put his arm casually around my shoulders. “So, I did good?” He grinned that smile of his, and I felt myself leaning toward him.

  Resting against his chest, I said, “You did good.” And then I realized what I was doing. “Um.” I coughed. “I’d like some pictures, do you mind being in one with me?” I cringed at my formal tone.

  “Only if you’ll let me take one too.”

  Trying to dissuade the intimacy I felt, I made a face. He clicked a shot. “Man, you’re fast! But now I get one of you.”

  We stood in front of the waterfall making faces and taking pictures of each other. It felt good to let loose. “One last picture,” he said. Putting his arms around me, he raised his phone and clicked.

  I could have stayed nestled in his arms forever but pulled myself away. “Let’s go have that lunch.” I hurried to our lunch pack.

  The rain slowed to a fine mist as we sat underneath a tree and ate. “I’ve never eaten a picnic in the rain,” I said. “It’s fantastic!”

  “You like it?”

  “I love it, and I want to do it again sometime.” I realized I probably never would.

  “Most women I know would be screaming foul.” He tipped his head sideways. “One in particular.”

  “It’s okay that you mention her,” I said. “How long was she a part of your life?”

  He told me about his on-again off-again relationship. “I was too young at first, but then this last time, I thought the time was right and that we’d settle down, get married, and have a family.” He gazed across the river toward the horizon. “When I discovered that she’d been secretly dating someone else, I didn’t take it very well.” He was quiet for a long time, and I pondered my breakup with Brad. Thinking of him didn’t hurt at all anymore.

  Eventually, the clouds passed over and the rain stopped. He stood. “I guess we’d better get back on the river if we’re going to meet Traci on time.”

  “Oh, okay.” Traci. My best friend. Storm’s future. I heaved an envious breath. “She’s been so busy with her mom’s business. It’s too bad she couldn’t come with us,” I said again. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the remorse of her non-presence. My remorse was directed toward her and Storm’s relationship.

  Storm’s jaw clenched, and he nodded. I was certain he wished Traci was here.

  We got back into the kayak, and our time to the meeting point went too quickly. I still had places I wanted to explore and time I wanted to spend with Storm, but it was for the best.

  Traci was waiting for us in Storm’s truck. She looked like she belonged. My first impulse was to kayak past, to pretend I hadn’t seen her, but Storm was already paddling toward shore.

  “Look! There she is.” I pursed my lips together, disappointed.

  We’d had a wonderful day, but my heart sank to the pit of my stomach, making conversation hard. It didn’t matter. Storm and Traci filled the silence with reminiscences of when they’d gone kayaking at this very place.

  “I’ve got an errand to run,” Traci said, insisting that I ride home with Storm. “I’ll see you back home.”

  It was weird and I kind of resented feeling like I was being babysat, but Storm hadn’t done anything, so I did my best to continue our pleasant day by expressing my appreciation and by continuing
our friendly banter.

  After helping to unload everything at Traci’s place, he handed me the lunch packs. “Don’t forget that you promised to bake me a pie.” He winked, then got into his truck and drove away.

  Ten

  My freshly baked pie sat on top of the stove cooling as I wiped the counters clean. “So, you can take the pie over there yourself, if you’d like,” I said casually. I’d made the pie with loving care, but Traci was Storm’s past and his future. I needed to respect that.

  “No. You take it.” Traci plopped onto the sofa.

  Her flippant attitude riled me. “I don’t understand you,” I said. “Why are you avoiding Storm? I’m a big girl. I don’t need whatever type of demented protection you’re offering.” My voice rose. “I know you like each other and it’s not going to hurt my feelings or ruin my life if you get together before I leave instead of after I step onto the plane. It would be a lot more honest than this.” I flailed my arms out and stomped from the room realizing that by doing so, I’d made myself a liar.

  Traci charged after me. “If you want honesty, I’ll give you honesty!” She grabbed my shoulder and I twirled to face her. “Storm and I are just friends! Just friends!”

  “Until I leave.” I clenched my jaw.

  Traci glared. “Are you kidding me?” She held her fists to her hips.

  “What?” What was her big deal? I was the one being lied to.

  “You really are the most obtuse person I’ve met. Storm has tried everything to get your attention.”

  “I am not obtuse! And, Storm was just being nice. You said so yourself.” After our kayaking excursion, he had spent even more time talking to Traci. It hurt a little, but hey, he’d never been mine to begin with. “You have so much history together, how can you deny it?” I shared a list of other things I’d noticed.

  Traci put her bag down, took hold of my arm, and walked me to the sofa. “I’m going to use short and simple words so you’ll understand.”