Alaskan Summer

by Marilou Flinkman

  He pulled the hooks from the salmon’s mouth and held it up for Laurette to see. “This your first?”

  “Yes.”

  Her look of astonishment made him smile. “You’re a born fisherman. Time to get the hooks baited and catch some more.” He dropped the salmon into the cooler. “I can’t let you outfish me.” Ryan couldn’t resist putting his arm around her shoulders. Her upturned face and glowing countenance made it hard to resist kissing her.

  What’s wrong with me? he scolded himself, turning away to pick up the net. I work with this girl. I can’t be treating her like a girlfriend.

  Why not? he countered. I’m attracted to her.

  And she’s going to leave at the end of summer.

  “Will you show me how to bait my hook?” Laurette asked, interrupting his warring thoughts.

  Bending close to Rette, showing her how to maneuver the small baitfish onto the hook, he pushed his conflicting thoughts aside. He soaked up her excitement. When she looked up at him, he thought he read the same feelings in her eyes.

  Could it happen? Could she care for him?

  The baited hooks went back into the water and they let out their lines. Ryan smiled to himself seeing how hard Laurette concentrated on her fishing pole.

  Before long she had another fish. He stood by, coaching her. This time when the fish jumped, it spit the hook out. “You can’t catch them all.” She looked so sad he wanted to kiss her more than ever.

  Behave! his conscience screamed. She’s too nice a girl to have you romancing her. You have no future that could include a girlfriend.

  “Let me try to bait the hook myself,” Laurette begged.

  Ryan backed off. He handed her a herring and watched her struggle to follow the directions he had given her the first time. She was determined; he’d give her that.

  “Is that okay?” She held the line and baited hook up for his inspection.

  “Go for it. Put your line out eighteen pulls.”

  He had the trolling motor going and his own line in the water. He watched as she carefully counted the pulls from the reel to the first eye in the pole.

  Laurette stood at the stern. “What’s that mountain over there? It looks like Fuji in Japan.”

  “It’s Mt. Edgecumbe. Everyone thinks it looks like Fuji. Would you like to climb it sometime?”

  “No, I’ve never climbed a mountain,” she protested.

  Ryan chuckled. “It’s an easy hike. Have to take a boat to the island. There’s a cabin there, and the path starts right behind it. We could do it in a day.”

  “I’ve done a little hiking, so I think I could manage.”

  “We’ll keep an eye on the schedule and see when we could get some time off—hey, fish on!” Ryan grabbed his pole and started reeling his fish in. “Think you can net this?”

  “Will you make me swim home if I miss?” Laurette teased.

  “No. Just do your best.” As the fish came closer to the boat, he explained when to dip the net in front of the salmon. After he guided the fish into it, he helped Laurette pull net and fish into the boat.

  “We’re a great team!” she shouted, giving him another high five.

  They ate their sandwiches in between catching fish, but part of Laurette’s got tossed overboard in her excitement to get to her pole. Then she stepped back so Ryan could net her fish and knocked his can of pop over.

  “You’re dangerous,” Ryan teased. Her glow of pride when he held up her catch made him laugh. “But you sure can fish.”

  “It’s getting late!” Laurette exclaimed, looking at her watch.

  Ryan didn’t want the day to end. “I suppose we should be starting back. Think you could steer us toward the harbor?”

  “If you point the way.”

  They brought the fishing lines back into the boat and stowed the gear. Ryan pulled the trolling motor up, secured the bracket, and came back to the driver’s seat to start the outboard engine. He motioned Laurette to get in his seat and take the wheel, then showed her how to operate the controls. He pointed to a rock formation and spoke in her ear. “Keep heading for the rocks.”

  He went back to the stern, where he started cleaning the fish. He kept an eye on Laurette and made sure she kept them headed in the right direction.

  “Want me to take over?” he shouted, coming up behind her.

  She smiled, slowed to a stop, and took the engine out of gear, then slid over to the passenger seat. Ryan took them back to the harbor.

  “Will you hold the boat at the dock while I go get the truck and trailer?”

  Laurette nodded.

  He had launched and trailered his boat by himself enough times that he never worried. He didn’t need to. Laurette seemed to know exactly what to do to help him. They soon had the boat secured on the trailer in the parking lot, ready to go.

  Laurette took the bag of fish he held out to her. “Can you cook as well as you catch?” he asked, grinning.

  “To prove it, Ruth and I will have you over for dinner.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “It’s been a wonderful day. Thanks for taking me fishing.” Before he could react, Laurette stood on tiptoe and brushed his cheek with her lips.

  His mouth went dry and his heart raced. He mutely watched her slip away and head for her truck.

  NINE

  Laurette drove toward home, marveling once again that even though the sun still shone bright, it was after 10:00 p.m. Ryan still has to take his boat home and clean it. He’ll be tired tomorrow. Thoughts of Ryan sent her spirits soaring. She felt her face heat at the remembered kiss. Will he think me too forward? He’s my coworker. I’d better be more careful, she cautioned herself.

  She entered the quiet house and put the fish in the kitchen sink. “Better get these packaged and put away,” she muttered. “I’ll save this nice fillet to cook for Ryan.” Laurette felt she worked efficiently for someone who’d had no idea what a fresh-caught salmon looked like a few hours ago. When the fish had been packaged and put in the freezer, she stretched and decided on a quick shower before bed.

  Tired as she felt, sleep did not come at once. Thoughts of Ryan raced through her mind. The day had indeed been special. She’d never had a companion like him before.

  Is he more than a friend? Sighing, she pulled the covers up and prayed silently until she fell asleep.

  ❧

  Being around Ryan at work did not become a problem. They were so busy, they didn’t have time for personal talk.

  On Sunday, when Laurette returned from an errand, Debbie put down the phone and handed her a message. “Tyler has a meeting with a cruise director, and Ryan left this.”

  Take time for church. We can handle things until you get back.

  Ryan

  Looking up from the note, Laurette asked, “Where is Ryan?”

  “Had to pick up some freight and take it out in the company boat,” Debbie answered.

  “His message says I can take a couple hours off for church.”

  Debbie looked puzzled. “Never knew Ryan to worry about church before.” She shrugged. “Go ahead. I can handle things here.”

  ❧

  The service had started, but Laurette spotted Diane and slid into the seat beside her.

  Diane smiled and patted Laurette’s hand. “Nice to see you,” she whispered.

  After church, Diane coaxed Laurette to go with her to pick up the children from Sunday school. “They’d love to see you,” she said.

  Soon the children scampered around her, vying for Laurette’s attention.

  “They get lonesome in the summer. Tyler is hardly ever home, and when I’m not teaching, they don’t get to go to day care or school. Maybe you could come by the house for lunch.”

  “I should get back, but I would like to talk to you about Ruth, and John is gone again.”

  “Is she getting worse?” Diane grabbed David and pulled him back from playing in the dirt in the parking lot. Turning to Laurette, she asked, “Can’t you co
me by the house for a few minutes?”

  Laurette agreed and followed Diane home. She shouldn’t be away long, but she needed to talk to someone about Ruth.

  Over cups of tea and the din of two excited children, Laurette told Diane about Ruth’s latest mishaps. “I worry about her. She’s so dear, but I can’t be there all the time.”

  “Let’s keep praying for her. She should be able to stay at home as long as she doesn’t do something drastic.” Diane smiled. “And as long as you stay there.”

  “My job with SAM will end in the fall. I don’t know what I’ll do then. My parents will expect me to come back to Washington and find a job.”

  “You could get a job teaching at our church school.”

  “I majored in biology. I do plants, not children,” Laurette protested. “And I don’t really have a reason to stay in Sitka.”

  Diane raised her eyebrows but said nothing. “How was your fishing trip?”

  Laurette felt the excitement rush through her as she told her friend about the day with Ryan. “I hope I can go again.”

  “I’m sure he’ll manage to take you out fishing again. How about checking your schedule and you and I going out to lunch next week? You need to see more of Sitka than Crescent Harbor.”

  “That would be great, but I should get back to work now or I won’t have a job. Call me later about lunch?”

  ❧

  She saw Ryan in the office when she got back. “Sorry I took so long. I went home with Diane and the children.”

  “No problem. It’s hard on her in the summer, and it seems the head office is asking Tyler to be on the road more and more often.”

  “Which means more work for you.”

  “We all help with what has to be done. Especially you. I’m not in this alone.”

  Laurette felt her face burn at the compliment. “When can you find time to come for that salmon dinner?”

  “You ever cooked salmon?”

  “No, but I’m sure I can learn. Maybe Ruth will be able to tell me what to do.”

  Laurette laughed at Ryan’s look of concern.

  “You’d better get a cookbook. Better yet, does she have a barbecue? I can come cook for you,” Ryan offered.

  “Sounds good. Name the day.”

  The phone rang and Debbie shouted for Ryan. He gave Laurette a quick hug as he went by her on the way to the next office and the waiting call. “I’ll get back to you.”

  His touch sent tingles down her spine.

  ❧

  It was after seven before Ryan left the office. Too tired to cook, he’d stuck a frozen meal in the microwave and plopped down in the one easy chair in his small living room. Wrinkling his nose, he put down the TV dinner and drank a quart of chocolate milk. Lying back in his chair, he listened to music. He always turned on the stereo as soon as he came through the door. Mozart drifted on the air and soothed his weary mind.

  He looked at the clock. “Too late to call Mom.” It surprised him, but he wanted to talk to her. She’d given him the money to buy his own place. It wasn’t much, but it was home. She’d also insisted he keep the organ so he had an instrument to play. And he’d never told her he played at the Dockside Hotel.

  You didn’t want her to know how much you miss the baby grand, his conscience reminded him.

  It’s time I did something different with my life. Laurette was right when she said I should stop being bitter. It’d be nice to have a future with her. He heaved himself out of the chair. Before he could think about her seriously, he should be able to offer her something. He didn’t think his run-down trailer was her style. He stuffed the uneaten TV dinner in the garbage, picked up a bag of dirty laundry, and headed out the door. I don’t even have a washing machine. He paused at the door and went back to pick up his Bible. He could at least read while he did his laundry. The door banged behind him.

  ❧

  Dinner was over and Laurette had read until Ruth started to fall asleep. As long as she knew whether it was day or night, she did okay. “Hard to tell,” Laurette muttered, looking out on bright daylight as the clock neared nine thirty. The phone interrupted her thoughts.

  “Hi,” Diane greeted Laurette. “Called to make a date for lunch. Time you played tourist and went sightseeing.”

  “You know, I haven’t even been to the Russian Church yet.”

  “We’ll do that, and the kids will want to climb to Castle Hill. David likes to see the cannons.”

  “How far do I have to climb?”

  “If the kids can do it, you can. It’s just a path up to where Baranof’s castle used to be. Take your camera.”

  “Okay,” Laurette agreed. “My mother keeps asking for pictures, and I haven’t taken a roll of film since I’ve been here.”

  ❧

  Diane came by the office the next day, and the children climbed all over their father. “Do I have to give Laurette the afternoon off to get you guys to let me work?” Tyler teased.

  “Yup!” David announced. “I want to see the cannons.”

  Tyler tossed his son in the air before putting him down and mussing Katie’s hair. He escorted his wife and children to the office door, where he gave Diane a quick kiss. Laurette followed the rowdy children down the hall. They grabbed her hands and hurried her down the steps.

  After sandwiches at the coffee shop, the group headed for St. Michael’s Cathedral. “I read about the fire in 1966 and how the townspeople saved the icons,” Laurette said.

  “They don’t have chairs in this church,” David told her, still clinging to her hand.

  “Are you going to be like some of the tourists and stand in the middle of the road to take a picture?” Diane asked with a smile.

  “Think I’ll just buy a postcard.” Laurette stopped to snap a picture of Katie and David in front of the church.

  The walk to the castle was short and the view at the top well worth the climb. When David ran to climb onto a cannon, Laurette called, “Stand on this side of the gun so I can take your picture.”

  “You handled that well,” Diane commented. “Saved me having to holler at him not to climb on it. You’re good with children.”

  I wonder if Ryan likes children. The thought came to Laurette unbidden.

  The afternoon went quickly. When dark clouds started to move in, Diane said, “We ought to get back to the office before we get wet.”

  “Will Daddy be there?” Katie asked.

  “I don’t know, sweets. He may have been called out to a ship.”

  “Let’s go see.” Laurette took the little girl’s hand and started down the path.

  Drops of rain started to fall before they got back to Southeast Maritime. The children raced up the steps to the second floor. “They should sleep well tonight,” Diane quipped.

  Squeals of delight echoed back to the women as they started down the hall. Turning into the office, Laurette saw not Tyler but Ryan squatting, with David hanging over one shoulder and Katie on his knee. The look of joy on his face sent a quiver of delight through Laurette. He does like children.

  When he saw the women, Ryan stood up, taking David’s hand and holding Katie in his other arm. “Did you have a nice afternoon?” he asked.

  Laurette couldn’t speak. Emotion overwhelmed her.

  “We got in just ahead of the rain,” Diane said, pointing to the window where water cascaded down the pane. “Is Tyler here?”

  Ryan’s expression became serious. “Afraid not. He had to go to a city council meeting.”

  “At least he’s in town.”

  His gaze turned to Laurette. “Did you see the sights of Sitka?” he asked quietly.

  She nodded, still not trusting her voice.

  David wiggled to get free, breaking the spell when Ryan let go of his hand. He gently set Katie on her feet and grabbed David to roughhouse with him.

  “The children miss you, Ryan. I wish you would come by the house more often,” Diane said.

  “You know how summer is,” Ryan said, swinging Dav
id by his arms. He laughed when the child squealed and begged for more.

  This can’t be the sullen man who met me at the airport. Laurette marveled at the difference and wondered what was causing it.

  “I’ve got to get these wild ones home,” Diane said.

  “I’ll help you get them in the car,” Ryan offered.

  His smile sent Laurette’s emotions awry. She had difficulty forming the words to thank Diane for such a nice afternoon.

  “We’ll make a date for you two to come to dinner,” Diane offered as she coaxed the children out of the office and down the stairs.

  David and Katie went willingly when Ryan scooped one under each arm and carried them down the stairs. They giggled all the way.

  Laurette stood mesmerized by this man she thought she knew.

  TEN

  Laurette stood in the doorway listening to the echoes of the happy children. Is he changing, or am I just getting to know Ryan better? He isn’t at all the kind of man I thought he was when I came here.

  Debbie hollered from the other office. “Could you answer the phone for me? I want to clean the coffeepot and wash the cups.”

  “Sure.” Laurette shook away her thoughts of Ryan and went back to work. She picked up a stack of faxes.

  “Anything important?”

  She looked up at the sound of his voice. “I haven’t read them all yet.” She perused the rest of the faxes while he hung his wet jacket over the back of a chair. “Nothing urgent,” she said when she’d finished.

  “You got your rain gear with you?” he asked.

  “It’s in my truck.” She heard the wind howl around the corner of the building. “We were lucky to have the afternoon so clear before this hit.”

  “You want more coffee?” Debbie asked, coming back with the clean coffeepot and cups. Her expression indicated she hoped his answer was no.

  “No thanks. About time to call it a night. We’ll take care of those in the morning,” Ryan said as Laurette put the fax messages back on the desk.