“Life mate?”
Tyler mentally kicked himself. He always forgot to use the human term. “Uh, sorry. I mean his wife. It’s, um, a term we use for marriage up here sometimes.”
“Gotcha,” Kat said, seeming satisfied with the answer. She watched Tyler dicing for a few more moments, and then kept talking.
“It’s really lucky that you happened to be out there today.”
“Yeah. Actually, me and a few of my, um, buddies are all building cabins out by Ryker’s cabin. We all kind of wanted to live together out on the edge of town there. We can’t start building the cabins until the snow melts, which won’t be until the end of this month or early in June. But I need to clear a few trees from the middle of the lot where my cabin will be. I decided to do that this morning, since I didn’t have any clients scheduled for today besides you. You were actually really close to Ryker’s cabin when the wolf attacked you. That trail you were on runs through the forest right behind his place.” Tyler didn’t add that the reason he had decided to work on the cabin this morning was that he couldn’t stop thinking about her and had wanted to burn off some steam.
“Sorry about having to cancel the personal training session,” Kat said, glancing down at her bandaged leg. “I guess it will probably be a few weeks before I can reschedule.”
“Yeah, about that—why exactly did you feel the need to go for a run before the training session?” Tyler asked. He rummaged around in a cupboard until he found some olive oil, and he started heating some in a pan to sauté the onions and brown the ground beef. He checked the water and it was boiling nicely now, so he grabbed a big handful of spaghetti and cracked it over the pot, giving it a vigorous stir before replacing the pan’s lid.
Kat looked down at her feet and seemed embarrassed.
“I was feeling self-conscious about how out of shape I am. I thought maybe if I ran in the morning I’d be more pumped up and ready for a workout with you. I dunno.”
Tyler frowned as he scraped the onions off of the cutting board and into the sizzling olive oil. “Let me ask you something, Kat. Do you really want to go work out at the gym all the time? Or is that literally just something you’re doing because you think it will help you win your ex back?”
It was Kat’s turn to frown. “I mean, winning my ex back has a lot to do with it. But I need to get in shape for me, too. Look at me,” she said, finally looking up to meet Tyler’s gaze. “I’m so fat and disgusting.”
Tyler stared her straight in the eye. “No,” he said firmly. “You’re not fat and disgusting. You’re beautiful. Stunning, actually. Whatever man let you go was an idiot. He doesn’t deserve you.”
Tyler held Kat’s gaze as the tears filled her eyes again and threatened to spill over. The only sound in the room was the popping of the onions as they jumped around in the hot oil. Tyler needed to stir them or they might burn, but he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to be the first one to look away. Kat needed to know that she was beautiful and perfect, just the way she was. After a few more moments, she glanced down at the floor and shrugged. Tyler turned to stir the onions and put the ground beef in the pan, using a spatula to break it down and stir it around.
“I’m surprised to hear you questioning my decision to do personal training,” Kat said. “Shouldn’t you be totally gung-ho about it no matter what? I mean, if nothing else, you’re losing out on money if I decide not to do it.”
“I don’t need the money,” Tyler said. “I train because I enjoy it. And I’m all for my clients getting healthy and in shape. But you seem to have this idea that personal training will magically get you in perfect shape, which will magically help you win your ex back, and that’s not the case, Kat.”
Kat frowned. Tyler couldn’t tell if she was angry or annoyed, or both. He decided to just press forward with his unsolicited advice anyways.
“Look, you’ve been through a lot. Life has handed you a really crappy hand. You shouldn’t be worried about looking perfect or fitting into your skinny jeans right now. You should be worried about your mental well-being and happiness. You should be finding things that bring you peace, and joy. And I’m not so sure that working out in a gym is what you want.”
Tyler checked the meat and the pasta. Both were done. He turned the burners down to low and dumped the pasta sauce into the pot of spaghetti to warm it. Kat looked up at him like she might cry. He didn’t want to make her cry, but he did want to encourage her to think about what would make her feel happy and fulfilled. Seeing the pain in her eyes broke his heart in two. He reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair back behind her ear, letting his finger graze across her face just a little longer than necessary. Her skin was smooth and a light, peachy-cream color. It offset her blonde hair and blue eyes beautifully. She could not possibly have been any lovelier in his eyes, no matter how many reps she did on the weight machine.
Finally, she sighed, and managed to swallow back her tears. “I don’t want to do a bunch of stuff in the gym. I want to run, out in the fresh air. Today’s run was so cleansing, for my body and my mind. I felt like I was sweating away my worries and cares. Well, until the wolf showed up. I guess I’m not going to be going on any more runs through the forest. And running on the treadmill sounds dreadful.”
Tyler started pouring the ground beef and onion mixture into the pot with the spaghetti and sauce. “I tell you what. If running in the fresh air is what you want, then I’ll run with you. Just tell me when you’re feeling up to it, and I’ll go with you. Every day, if you want. You’ll be safe running with me. No wolf will attack, trust me.”
“Will it be at the same charge as your personal training rate?” Kat asked.
“No, Kat. This wouldn’t be personal training. I would just be your running buddy. I won’t charge you. I’m just offering to do this for you as a friend. You came here to find yourself. If running will help you clear your head and do that, then I want to help with that.”
Kat hesitated for a few moments, but then a smile broke out across her face. “Are you sure? You really don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“How can you be sure we won’t be attacked by wolves?”
Tyler shifted his eyes away uncomfortably at this question. He knew wolves would smell his bear and be smart enough to stay away from him. But he couldn’t explain this to Kat. “I’m sure,” he said. “There’s safety in numbers.”
Thankfully, Kat seemed satisfied enough by this explanation. He grabbed two plates and scooped a generous helping of food onto each one.
“Do you want to eat on the couch?” Kat asked. “We could see what else is on TV?”
Tyler agreed, and they took their plates to the couch. Tyler set his down on the coffee table and then grabbed them each a glass of water while Kat flipped through the channels. She finally settled on the channel playing a marathon of Friends reruns. They ate in silence, but Tyler was painfully aware of how close Kat was sitting next to him on the small couch. When she finished her food, Tyler took their plates to the sink and then returned to sit next to her again.
He had no idea what was happening on the television screen. All he could think about was the sound of her breathing just inches away from his ear. His inner bear struggled to convince Tyler to make a move on her. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Not now. He would spend time with her over the next few months, and help her get the most out of her vacation. He would run with her, and show her the best places to kick back and relax during Glacier Point’s short summer. If he ever saw a hint that she would be willing to stay here permanently, then he would reconsider whether he should try to win her over. But he could only show her who he really was if he knew for sure she was interested in more than a summer fling. Right now, the only guy she seemed truly interested in was her crazy ex back in Nebraska.
Tyler heard Kat’s breathing turn slow and even, and he looked over to see that she had fallen asleep. Her head had fallen sideways onto her shoulder, and her mouth hung slightly open
. He watched her for a few moments, feeling slightly creepy but unable to tear his eyes away from her gorgeous face. Finally, he leaned over and gently kissed the top of her head. He felt a fiery heat shoot through his body as he made contact with her. He inner bear roared, and Tyler knew he had to leave before he made any rash decisions. He got up slowly, and gently laid Kat down on her side, putting a blanket over her.
In the kitchen, he found a pad of paper and a pen, and then wrote her a quick note.
Kat—you fell asleep and I thought I should let you rest. There’s ice-cream in the freezer if you want dessert. Feel better, and let me know when you’re ready to start running. See you soon, Tyler.
Tyler placed the note on the dining room table, and killed the lights in the cabin. Then he forced himself to walk out the front door and leave, when all he really wanted to do was to snuggle up on the couch and fall asleep with Kat in his arms.
Chapter Six
Kat’s heart had leapt in her chest when she felt Tyler kissing the top of her head. She thought for sure that this would finally be the moment he made a definite move. She had convinced herself that Tyler was growing interested in her. All night long, he had been sending signals. A meaningful gaze here, a brush of her hand there. When she awoke from dozing on the couch to realize he was gently kissing her head, she had felt a rush of excitement. But then nervousness overtook her. She froze, and pretended to be asleep.
Was she really ready to do this? To admit that she was giving up on her ex-fiancé? To let herself fall in love with this sexy Alaskan hunk? Before Kat could sort out her thoughts, Tyler had gone to the kitchen. She cracked one eye open to peek at him, and saw him writing a note, which he left on the small dining room table. Then he left.
Kat sat up, then hobbled over to where the note lay. She read it several times, trying to decode any hint of romantic intentions. But his message was decidedly platonic. “Have some ice-cream, feel better, see ya around.” Maybe she had been misreading his signals all night. He wasn’t interested in anything romantic with her. He was just a really kind guy who was concerned about his friend who was recovering from a wolf attack.
Kat sighed in frustration. Tyler had friend-zoned her. And who could blame him? She spent the majority of their time together talking about how she wanted to win back her ex. It didn’t exactly make her sound like someone who was interested in a relationship. Kat went to open the freezer, where she found a carton of ice-cream as Tyler’s note had promised. She pulled it out and grabbed a bowl, then scooped out several generous spoonfuls from the strawberry side. She took a bite and savored the sweet, berry goodness.
Today had been a brief moment of weakness in her plan to win Ethan back. She would get back on track tomorrow. Her leg would need to heal before she could go for a run again, but she would start working on her sightseeing list. She had also brought a stack of novels with her to Glacier Point, many of which she had been meaning to read for quite some time. She had plenty of things to keep her busy.
Plenty of things to keep her mind off of Tyler Cox.
* * *
As May turned into June, the temperature in Glacier Point finally rose above freezing. It would stay that way until about mid-September. As the snow melted away, the locals parked their snowmobiles permanently for the summer and switched to using cars or bicycles to navigate the town’s streets. Parkas and heavy jackets gave way to shorts and t-shirts, and the mood of the residents was jubilant. The warmer weather brought an influx of tourists, and the formerly sleepy businesses came alive. The majority of their revenue would come from the few short months of summer vacationers, who were eager to see the midnight sun and the “raw Alaskan beauty” that their guidebooks had promised them.
Kat didn’t have to worry about being tempted to spend too much time with Tyler. He spent so many hours working that he barely had a moment to breathe. The gym ran specials to attract summer visitors, convincing them that they could jumpstart their health by getting some training done in the few short days they spent in Glacier Point. Kat found it hard to believe that anyone would buy into the idea that a three day gym pass would help you get into shape, let alone that people would actually want to work out while on vacation. But the tourists seemed to eat up the idea, and there were days that Tyler spent upwards of twelve hours at the gym. When he wasn’t there, he went to work on the new cabin he was building. It had to be completed before the snow returned, so he had to stay diligent about making progress.
Kat tried to schedule a run with him, but gave up after he rescheduled for the third time. She had to accept that Tyler was busy. He had been a great friend to have around before the tourists arrived, but now he was working nonstop. Besides, Kat now constantly met new people on the streets and in the pub. She got invited on tours and out to dinner with her new friends almost every day. Kat had almost managed to push both her ex and Tyler out of her mind. She was having a grand old time by herself. Who needed a man? Not her!
Of course, when she came home from the pub one night to find Tyler sitting on the doorstep of her cabin, holding a bunch of delicate blue wildflowers in his hand, she thought her heart was going to leap right out of her chest. The butterflies in her stomach started flapping wildly. So much for being over the idea of him.
“Hey, you,” he said with a grin as she approached. He looked tired, but happy. His violet eyes sparkled in the bright, 11 p.m. sunshine. Kat still couldn’t get over how strange it was to not see the sun set for weeks on end.
“Hey,” she said, returning the smile, and then gesturing to the bouquet in his hands. “What’s this?”
“These are ‘I’m sorry’ flowers,” he said, handing her the bunch, which was tied with a piece of straw-colored twine. “I’ve completely dropped the ball on going running with you.”
Kat shrugged. “It’s okay. I know you’re busy.”
“No, it’s not okay. I am busy, but I told you I would help you while you were here. It’s already halfway through June, and we haven’t been on a single run, which is entirely my fault. I got caught up in worrying about building the cabin, and I let it eat up all my free time instead of keeping my promises to a certain lovely lady. That needs to stop. I’ve enlisted my buddies Eric and Alan to finish up the cabin for me. They have nothing better to do anyways. I want to spend some time with you before you head back to Nebraska.”
The mention of heading back to Nebraska twisted Kat’s stomach up into knots. She was dreading going back at the end of August. She felt like there was nothing left for her in the Midwest. She had no family there anymore. The longer she was here the less she cared what Ethan was doing, and the less she missed him. She had a job to go back to at the newspaper, if she wanted it. That was about it. But Kat didn’t want to spend all of her time in Glacier Point worrying about leaving. She smiled brightly at Tyler and admired the flowers. They were gorgeous.
“These are really nice,” she said.
“They’re forget-me-nots. Alaska’s state flower. I hope you haven’t forgotten me, even though I’ve been an asshole and disappeared into the black hole of work.”
Kat gave Tyler a patient smile. “You haven’t been an asshole. I understand you’ve been swamped. I can’t believe how many tourists are here right now. It’s like a totally different town from a month ago.”
Tyler nodded. “It is crazy. The sad thing is that most of them only stay a few days, so they can check seeing the sun at midnight off of their to-do list. But there’s so much beauty around here besides just the midnight sun. There’s so much goodness to take in. You miss a lot of it if you’re only here for a couple of days.”
“You’re right. I’m glad I’m staying several months. I’ve already been on several tours and seen some amazing nature around here. We even saw a polar bear on a jeep tour I went on the other day! Can you imagine? A real, live polar bear out in the wild!”
“A polar bear? Really?” Tyler said, his eyes darkening. He didn’t seem impressed by Kat’s sighting. In fact, he seemed so
mewhat disturbed. “What did he look like?”
“Um, like a polar bear. Huge. Big claws. White fur.”
“What color were his eyes?”
“I think they were black? I don’t exactly remember.”
“Hmm.”
Kat frowned. Tyler was being really weird about this. “The tour guide said we were really lucky. I guess it’s really rare to actually see a polar bear.”
“He’s right,” Tyler said, still looking troubled.
“Anyways,” Kat said, wanting to change the subject. “I’m glad I’ve had a chance to do so much around here.”
“Of course,” Tyler said, seeming to snap out of it. “You should definitely take advantage of the time. But back to the whole running buddy thing. Are you still interested? I’ve blocked off my first morning appointment for each day for the rest of the month. Any day that you want to go for a run, I can take you out.”
Kat hesitated. She felt like she was even more out of shape than she had been when she first got here. Numerous dinners out and days spent on the seat of a tour vehicle for hours were quickly catching up with her. All of her jeans were starting to feel a bit snug. Which, of course, meant she should go run with Tyler. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to embarrass herself by huffing and puffing along next to him.
Tyler spoke up, as if he had read her thoughts. “Look, if you’re worried about looking like you’re out of shape in front of me, then don’t be. Trust me, I’ve seen it all. I’m not here to judge. I’m here to help you reach your fitness goals, whatever they might be. And if you enjoy running, you shouldn’t pass up the chance to do some runs on the trails around here. There are some absolutely beautiful spots.”
“Okay,” Kat said. “Does tomorrow morning at 8:30 work for you?”
“Works great,” Tyler said. I’ll swing by here and we can take off running right from your front door.”
“Sounds good. Do you want to come in?”
Bearing the Midnight Sun (Ice Bear Shifters Book 3) Page 4