by Croix, J. H.
He was relieved and frustrated that he had a guide trip today. He would be busy, and busy was good for his frame of mind. He also wanted to see Hannah again as soon as possible, and the weekend couldn’t come quickly enough. Knowing that he’d be out fishing for a few weeks, he didn’t want to miss what time he had. But that was the reality of fishing for a living. He finished his coffee and went downstairs to get ready for the day. Not long after, Jared joined him, and they set out for the harbor.
He sensed Jared glancing at him as he drove.
“Well?” Jared asked.
“Well, what?” he asked in return.
“You’re a little out of it this morning. Heard from Cammi that you were at dinner with Hannah at the Boathouse last night. Ran into her when I went by the store last night. Funny you didn’t mention it,” Jared said.
Luke looked over at Jared and caught him grinning. “So I had dinner with Hannah. That supposed to mean something?”
“Only when you keep it to yourself,” Jared said with a chuckle.
Luke rolled his eyes. “Just remember I can give as good as I get and the tables always turn.”
“Just thought I’d point out that you’ve been working on a long spell of dating lightweights. Hannah seems a little…well, like she might be beyond your type.”
Luke shifted down, rolling to a stop at a corner, and turned to Jared. “Lightweights, huh?”
Jared nodded. “Exactly. Pretty women that fall for you but don’t mind that all you want is a few dates and a tumble between the sheets. Not that I know Hannah much, but that’s not the vibe she gives off. Maybe you should think about something other than a little fun.”
Luke shifted the focus as he turned onto the main road that led into town. “Let’s talk about pots calling kettles black. You’re the master of casual dating. Half the women in this town pine after you. Find it interesting that you think it’s time for me to think about something other than a little fun.”
“Fair enough, fair enough,” Jared said with a shrug, unperturbed. “Relationships aren’t my thing. Too messy. Up to you and Nathan to produce the grandkids that Mom and Dad want. The sooner you do, the less pressure on me.”
Luke choked on a laugh. “Already planning children for Nathan and me? Is there anything you don’t plan? Never mind. Cut me some slack, or I’ll recruit Mom and Dad to harass you more about those grandkids.”
Jared looked horrified. Luke pulled into the parking lot at the harbor. The early morning sunlight glinted across the surface of the water, smooth and glassy in Otter Cove. Despite the fact that it was not yet six o’clock, the parking lot was filling up. Summer in Alaskan communities was short and intense; the long days crammed into a few short months were filled with activity from early dawn to late dusk. Some of the larger fishing boats were being readied for fishing runs, while smaller guide boats would be filling with tourists and heading out to the bay within the hour for a full day of fishing. Luke looked toward Iris, their commercial boat. The boat sat quietly in her slip. Just beside Iris sat their smaller guide boat—basically a large utilitarian motorboat. They didn’t do guiding full-time, but it brought in extra cash in between commercial runs and kept them from having to worry too much during years when the commercial runs weren’t as profitable.
They quickly got to work. Luke sorted fishing gear, while Jared did a quick run-through of the mechanicals and electronics to make sure the motor and all else was running smoothly for the day. By the time they were ready, they had about fifteen minutes to spare. Luke offered to make a quick coffee and food run, to which Jared quickly agreed.
Luke walked into Misty Mountain Café and ordered two large shots in the dark, the house coffee dosed with a shot of espresso. He grabbed some savory rolls and two hearty sandwiches. While he waited for the coffees to be ready, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to find Susie smiling at him.
“Good morning there, Luke,” Susie said.
“And to you,” he said with a nod. He wondered if Susie knew he’d had dinner with Hannah. The rumor mill was like a brush fire in Diamond Creek. He braced himself for questions, teasing, and the like.
Susie didn’t hesitate. “Heard you had dinner with Hannah last night. I’m trying to decide if I should be offended that neither one of you said a word to me about it.”
He sighed and met Susie’s gaze head-on. “Just dinner, Susie. When did I have to start reporting to you when I have dinner with someone?” he asked.
“When you have dinner with my best friend who just moved back home, that’s when,” she said with a flash of protectiveness in her eyes.
He felt caught between wanting to get out of the conversation and wanting to ask Susie about Hannah. Of the long list of things he loved about living in a small town, the sense of community was high on that list. That said, he barely tolerated how that sense of community could feel as if it were turned against one when friends wanted to know what was going on and when rumors raced in tight circles. In larger communities, it was much easier to lay low and wait to show one’s hand. It was nearly impossible, if not completely impossible, to do so in a community the size of Diamond Creek. He tried to remind himself that Susie was curious because she cared, not because she was nosy. He knew she’d missed Hannah while she was gone and considered her as close as family.
“Okay, here’s the thing. I like Hannah, so I asked her out to dinner. Not much else to say.”
Susie looked at him for a long moment, and her eyes softened. She tended to be brash and assertive, but she had a softer side that occasionally surfaced. “Got it. Here’s my thing. I’m glad you asked Hannah out to dinner. I have a hunch about you two,” she said and paused when Luke raised his eyebrows at that. She wagged her finger at him with a shake of her head, her brown curls bouncing. “Of course, now I’m feeling protective and want to make sure you’re not planning to treat her as casually as everyone else you’ve dated around here.”
She held up a hand when he started to respond. “Not that I’m saying you were anything other than aboveboard with everyone. You made it pretty clear you just wanted casual, and that’s what you’ve gotten. I realize you can’t promise me you’ll marry her and live happily ever after with only one date under your belt, but maybe you can think about the fact that she’s a pretty awesome woman who hit a rough patch the last few years. I don’t know why I thought you’d be good for her given your dating history of nothing but casual. I think there’s more to you than that,” Susie said with a pointed look.
Luke took in her words and tried to ignore the defensive feeling that rose. Just then, his name was called, indicating that his order was ready. Susie followed him while he picked up his order. In tacit agreement, they made small talk while they were near others waiting in line.
When Luke was adding cream to his coffee, he continued, “Maybe I keep things casual, but it doesn’t mean I’m a jerk.” As he spoke, he realized that from Susie’s view, he might be one if he unintentionally hurt Hannah. A wave of discomfort rose when he realized he felt protective toward Hannah as well.
Susie gave him a speculative look before speaking. “You’re a decent guy, so I hope you act like one. You’ll hear about it from me if not. Before you take off, though…I’m having a dinner party this weekend, kind of a welcome-Hannah-back-to-town gathering. Can you and your brothers make it? I was thinking of Saturday.”
“I’ll be there,” he said and decided against mentioning that Hannah had already told him about the dinner party. “Jared and Nathan should make it, but I don’t know offhand if they have plans.” Luke looked at the clock. “Gotta run. See you Saturday if not sooner.”
He lifted a coffee in good-bye and headed back to the harbor. By the time he got there, about half of their customers for the day had arrived. Within a half hour, the boat was full, and they were ready to leave the harbor.
The day alternated between passing in a blur
and stalling while they sat and waited for the halibut to bite. Luke was thankful that they had a chatty group for the day. Making conversation with the tourists about Alaska and learning about their various lives kept his mind from dwelling on Hannah. They returned to the harbor with everyone on board catching their limit. The day ended with him and Jared helping customers fillet their fish or sending them over to Fish Factory, the local business that provided full services for freshly caught fish, including filleting, slicing fillets to selected weights, flash freezing, and vacuum-packing the fish. Once they had sent off their happy customers and their fish, he and Jared hosed down the boat.
As Luke drove home, he felt tired to his bones. A long day on the water did that, even when he loved what he was doing. He caught sight of Hannah’s truck at the grocery store and thought about coming up with an excuse to stop. He elected not to when he considered the teasing he might have to endure from Jared. By the time Luke and Jared got home, they both headed for showers and tried to beat each other to the kitchen for whatever food could be found. They were saved when Nathan showed up with pizza.
Nathan held it aloft as he came through the front door. “Here you go, guys. Meant to call, but figured you’d eat whatever I brought home.”
Jared sighed. “Thanks, man. Was about to arm wrestle Luke here for the last of the chips. How is it that Luke just went to the store the other day and there’s hardly anything left?”
Nathan rolled his eyes as he set the pizza on the kitchen counter. “We eat a lot. Maybe we should get a bigger fridge.”
Luke laughed. “Not a bad idea, not at all. Hand me that pizza.” He hooked his finger over the edge of the pizza box and dragged it closer. “By the way, ran into Susie this morning when I went for our coffee and food. We’re invited to a dinner party at her place on Saturday. Told her I couldn’t make promises for you two, but I’ll be there,” he said.
With a wink to Nathan, Jared asked, “Wonder if Susie’s friend Hannah will be there?”
“I’d bet on it. Heard you had dinner with Hannah. Trying to keep secrets?” Nathan asked.
Luke took a bite of pizza and shook his head. “So this is how it’s gonna be? Just dinner, dude. Since when is that a big deal?”
“Just a hunch,” Nathan said with a grin and a shrug, catching Jared’s eye.
Luke looked at his brothers, both looking back at him with grins. He sighed, shook his head again, and focused on eating his pizza. He knew the more he reacted to their teasing, the more he’d hear. That’s how it was in their family. He also knew if the tables were turned, he’d be enjoying either brother’s discomfort. Jared and Nathan spent the rest of the night occasionally trying to get a rise out of Luke. They spread out in the living room to watch the late night news and shows.
Chapter 10
Hannah pulled at the weeds in her mother’s old flower beds. They were choked with weeds, mostly chickweed and horsetail. The chickweed was easy to break free, but the horsetail was another matter. Bright green with the appearance of a horsetail poking out of the ground, horsetail grew in swaths and took over if unchecked. She had learned from her father that the weed was ancient, the plant’s eons on earth evidence of its hardiness. The roots ran deep and were strong and interconnected. She cursed its strength. She’d been weeding for about an hour, and her arms were wearing out.
She heard the sound of a car and looked up to see Susie’s faded blue Subaru pulling into the drive. Pushing up from her knees, she stood and pulled off her gardening gloves. Knocking them together to shake the dirt free, she walked over to greet Susie. Jessie came running from where she’d been napping in the yard nearby.
As Hannah approached the car, she saw that Susie wasn’t alone. Cammi climbed out of the passenger side. Jessie raced to Cammi’s side, and Cammi leaned over to pet her.
Susie called out, “Hope it’s okay that we just stopped by. We’re headed to Anchorage for a one-day marathon shopping run tomorrow and thought we’d stop to see if you needed anything.”
“I’m more inclined to just admit we needed an excuse to stop by,” Cammi said. “Seeing as I’ve seen you only once since you came home after over two years and you happened to be on a date with Luke Winters last night, I’m feeling nosy.”
Hannah paused as she reached the car. “Nice to see you too, Cammi. Am I going to get the third degree here?” she asked. It had been two years since she’d had to put up with friends who paid attention to what she was doing and asked nosy questions. As annoying as that could be, it was nice to know she mattered.
Susie leaned over to check one of her tires. “Yes, you will get the third degree. I admitted I sent Luke and Jessie to you with more than one agenda in mind, so now you have to tell us how dinner went.” She stood back up, her brown curls falling in their usual disarray around her face. Her eyes twinkled when she spoke again. “We haven’t had a chance to gossip about your love life, or lack thereof, for two years, so we’re making up for lost time. This is the point where you invite us in for coffee.”
Hannah sighed and smiled simultaneously. “I don’t see how I can escape, so I might as well as invite you in.”
She walked over, gave them both hugs and gestured for them to follow her inside while Jessie ran ahead to the house. Susie and Cammi made themselves comfortable at the kitchen counter, complaining about the summer tourist traffic and the slow start to warmer summer weather while Hannah got coffee going.
Once Hannah turned on the coffeepot, Susie jumped in. “So, you went to dinner with Luke? What does that mean?”
“It means I went to dinner with him,” Hannah retorted.
“Oh, don’t be all mysterious about it. I like Luke, and like I said, I have a feeling about you two,” Susie said.
“Fine. I like him, so when he asked me out for dinner, I said yes, and we had dinner. That’s about all there is to tell right now.”
Cammi piped up. “Just dinner? We want more than that.”
“Not much to say when we’ve only had one date. I should be the one pumping you two for information, not the other way around,” Hannah replied.
Susie looked at Cammi. “We don’t have a ton to tell you about Luke. He and his brothers, Jared and Nathan, moved here about two years ago, not long after you moved to Massachusetts. They had already started their commercial fishing business in Seattle and moved the business up here when they came to Diamond Creek. Luke’s the middle brother. Of course, if you’ve met them all, you’ve noticed they’re handsome as all get-out, so they’ve been drooled over since they’ve been here. The local joke about their business, The One that Didn’t Get Away, is that it applies only to fish because none of the women here can catch any of them.” Susie said with a grin.
Cammi picked up where Susie paused. “Well, we didn’t drool over them, but most everybody else did. All three have kept it casual. Jared’s probably dated the least, only once in a while have I heard he was seeing anyone. They’re all outdoorsy types, but that’s not exactly news in Alaska. Luke could probably give you a run for your money with hiking and skiing. He’s known for pushing limits—he ran Mount Marathon last year, and you know how grueling that is. Jared seems to run the show as far as what happens with the business. Nathan is the wildest. He’s always seeing someone and can be found at the bar a few times a week, but he’s known as a nice guy too.”
Susie chimed in again. “We got to know them when they hired me to do their books. Aside from you and a few others, you know I pretend to avoid the rumor mill, so I can’t give you much more than Cammi did. As for business, they run a tight ship. Their business is sound. I met their parents last summer when they were up for a month or so. Nice people. Seem like a close family.”
Hannah looked over at Susie and Cammi and felt tears well. Silly as it seemed, it was heaven to sit here, drink coffee, and be nosy about some guy she had dinner with. She hadn’t allowed herself this luxury while she was away.
“I won’t pretend it isn’t annoying to have you two show up at my door asking about a date I had just last night. But it’s nice to be back with my friends who care enough to be that nosy.” She brushed an errant lock of hair off her forehead.
Susie came around the counter and hugged Hannah. “We’re damn glad to have you home. And it’s fun to drop in and be nosy. We probably wouldn’t have bothered if you hadn’t been gone so long. I’ll take every excuse I can manufacture to see you.”
Cammi squealed, ever sentimental, and walked over for another hug too. “We missed you, sweetie.” She turned to look at Susie. “Did you mention your dinner party for Saturday?” she asked.
“Yup, told her about it the other day,” Susie said, picking up her coffee cup again. “Luke already told me he’d be there,” she said with a wink.
Hannah looked down at Susie, who was close to five feet tall, a good foot shorter than Hannah. She’d always been amazed at the contrast between Susie’s petite physical size and outsized bold personality. Susie barreled toward life and tended to pull others along in her wake. Hannah was realizing how much it would have helped her to have Susie by her side during the darkest days after her parents died. She could have used her forceful personality and unwavering support. She was grateful to be back in Diamond Creek with Susie back in her life.