“What does that mean? What kind of women come here?”
“Old women.”
“Old women?”
“You know. The kind who take retirement cruises.”
Sammi sat back in her seat and laughed harder than she had in ages. “Good one, Jake. Sometimes people surprise you.”
“You’ve been an interesting surprise today, Sam.”
“Hopefully not too horrible.”
“Quite the opposite. I enjoy discussing my home. I hope you got the information you needed.”
“Yes and no. There’s a running joke at the magazine that I overresearch.” She thought of the many pranks that had been done at her expense.
“So you like your job?”
“Getting paid to travel and take pictures is every photographer’s dream.”
“You like excitement?”
Images of the tsunami began to flood her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “It depends.”
Jake must have sensed she didn’t want to discuss this anymore. “Where should I take you?” he asked her.
“Drop me off at the rental shop right over there.”
Quicker than she wanted, he had her luggage at the door of the store. He opened her side of the truck.
“Thanks for your help.”
“You’re welcome, Sam. I’m sure I’ll see you around at the Fourth of July festivities.”
“Really?”
“Really. I live near Nels and we all tend to run into each other from time to time.” Jake gave her a devilish smile, swung back into the truck and drove away.
Chapter Two
Two hours later, Sammi still hadn’t found transportation to Craig. All flights, cars, buses and charters were booked for the next two days. It was the same story everywhere. “It’s the Fourth of July, Miss. All amenities are booked unless you’re willing to pay high premiums.”
Money! The cursed thing she never had. Before she’d left the Maldives, the magazine had finally wired her the amount of money she’d lost in the tsunami. Between paying back Max de Roussillac, her mother’s new husband, and booking a flight to Alaska, she would have to be careful till she got paid again. Who knew when that would be?
Sammi hated hitchhiking, but it seemed that would be her only way to cross the thirty-one-mile-wide island. She’d hitchhiked through Europe and parts of Asia, always carrying Mace for protection. Hopefully, she could find a nice family on vacation driving by who would be willing to help a stranded female.
Hefting her heavy backpack, she headed to the highway and started walking along the shoulder while she waited for a car. What an incredible world! It felt like a wild wonderland where the second you stepped off the road you could get swallowed up in nature. There were lakes and streams hidden behind trees, with eagles flying around as if it was an everyday occurrence. Of course it was normal here, but not to her.
Towering hemlocks, spruces and western cedars surrounded her. The rain forest floor was alive and green. Birds soared and little mouselike creatures—the voles Jake had told her about?—dived into their burrows when they heard her footsteps. It was beyond beautiful.
Suddenly a black-tailed doe came into view with her fawn, pausing to take a drink at a small creek. Sammi lowered her things to the ground. After she got out her camera, she began snapping shots of the family.
While she was taking pictures, she heard an old truck roaring down the highway. The sound reminded her of the loud V-8 engine trucks that would come to the vineyard bringing hired help, especially at harvest time. When it rolled to a stop behind her, her adrenaline began to kick in. The deer pranced away at the intrusion, and Sammi reached for the Mace tucked into her jeans.
“Take it you didn’t call ahead of time even to book a scooter.” The chief ranger!
Relief, exhilaration and excitement filled her all at once. She turned around and looked at her rescuer. He was so handsome. She couldn’t believe how attracted she was to this life-size Boy Scout.
“A scooter?” Sammi was trying to picture herself on one. She’d probably tip over. In the end she couldn’t stop one corner of her mouth from lifting.
“Is that a smile I see?” His voice was full of mirth. “For such a world traveler, you seem to be very unprepared for this interview.”
Sammi stood up and began walking toward him at a brisk pace. “You’re not catching me at my best!” She hated not looking professional. Hopefully, he wouldn’t figure out her true agenda before she’d met her grandparents.
Jake shook his head. “Temper, temper.”
AS SAM DREW CLOSER Jake raked a hand through his hair, feeling more dirt. All the while he cursed himself for not having taken a shower back at the station in Hollis. This woman was a fun diversion from his regular duties in the park. At the moment he didn’t know if that was good or bad, but he didn’t really care.
Though a professional photographer, Sam could easily be in front of the camera herself. She had to be one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Talk about irresistible, with silky blond hair hanging halfway down her back and a fringe of bangs framing her angelic face.
Those eyes…The intense, deep sapphire-blue drew him in. He definitely wanted to get to know this sassy little thing better.
And that walk. She was going to stop traffic in Craig, especially in those hip-hugging jeans. Now that they were just a foot apart, he realized she barely came to his shoulders. Though she was tiny, she had curves in all the right places. He lowered his head to look down at her, waiting for her to say something.
“What are you doing out here, Chief?”
Jake took a relaxed stance and folded his arms. “I was driving when I noticed some gear on the side of the road. Typically a bad sign.” He pretended to shiver at the possibilities. His voice quieted. “There are bears out here, you know.”
“I’m aware of that. We discussed it on the ferry. You told me they tend to stay clear of busy places.”
“True, but I thought I’d check out the situation, anyway. As chief ranger, I’m sworn to protect women stranded on the side of the road.”
Sammi shook her head. “Is that in the oath you take?”
“The real question is, why didn’t you tell me you didn’t have a ride?”
“I just figured there had to be some type of transportation.” She held up her palm. “Stop. I know. I’ve heard it a hundred times today—it’s the height of the tourist season. But I’ve hitchhiked all over the world and I’ve been fine.”
“You’re a crazy woman, Sam Danbury.”
“You have to be, in my business.”
Jake let out a sigh. “I’ll take you to Craig. All you had to do was ask.” He walked to his truck and put her bag in the back. “Climb in. The door’s open.”
“Thank you.” Sammi reached in her purse and pulled out more than enough money to cover gas expenses.
“What’s that for?” Jake eyed the cash warily.
“Gas money?”
He shook his head going around to the driver’s side. “Up here it’s an insult to pay people for hospitality. Besides, I was headed in that direction anyway.”
Sammi climbed in, relieved she was on her way. After a minute she said, “How do you ever get used to this beauty?”
“I hope I never do. I grew up here. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve learned to appreciate it.”
“What a childhood you must have had,” she said in a soft voice.
“A boy’s dream.” He took a calming breath, still having a hard time getting over the picture of Sam alone on the side of the road. For some reason he already felt protective of her. It had to be the ranger in him.
“Jake…” Her voice broke through his thought processes. “Jake?”
“What?”
“Can this truck handle ninety miles an hour? We’re going pretty fast.” Sam looked worried, but her smile was dangerous. She was the kind of girl who could get to a guy.
He patted the steering wheel. “This
baby may be old, but she can take it.”
“All right then.” His passenger leaned back and looked out the window, taking in the scenery.
“Speaking of luck, do you always get in the car of anyone who will pick you up?”
“No. Just big Boy Scouts like you.”
“We rangers have our dark sides.” His voice had dropped an octave.
Sammi’s heart began to pound. “What do you mean?”
“We might tell someone a hike isn’t that hard. To us it isn’t, but…”
Sammi started laughing. “But you have to go out and find them once they’re lost on some rugged trail, right?”
“Yeah. But it’s a good way to introduce tourists to the real Alaska.”
She couldn’t stop staring at his chiseled face, emphasized by his dark coloring and lazy smile. “You’re horrible.”
“Absolutely, and once in a while I might get to help out a good-looking stranded woman.”
At that comment Sammi could see there was more to this ranger than met the eye. Men didn’t really fit into her life or her job, not to mention the fact that she was here to find her grandparents. Jake could definitely complicate her time up here.
He relaxed back in the seat as he drove. It was time for Sammi to change the subject. “Tell me—how is it that you know the Engstroms?”
“My dad and their deceased son, Chris, were best friends growing up.”
The revelation startled Sammi. In her research she’d discovered that Craig was a small town. Most of the people on the island knew each other, but what were the odds of her meeting the son of her father’s best friend?
She’d never been one to look for signs or believe in fate, but maybe for once her father was looking out for her. Was it possible?
You’re going crazy, Sammi.
In the pictures she’d found in the journal, Jake’s father must have been the boy standing next to her dad.
“Sam? Have you heard a word I’ve said?”
“What?”
Jake eyed her curiously. “Are you okay?”
“I’m tired. I just flew in from the Maldives.”
“They just had that tsunami.” He sounded concerned.
“I know. I lived through it and photographed the destruction. Very sad.” Sammi reached up to rub her eyes.
“How are you dealing with all of that?” he asked in a low tone.
“Me? I’m fine,” she lied. It haunted her day and night. Between her mother’s deception about the existence of her grandparents, and now the tsunami, she didn’t think she could ever be whole again. “Please forgive my rudeness. I guess I’m more exhausted than I realized. Tell me what you were saying.”
“Since my dad is one of the Engstroms’ only connections to Chris, our family has spent a lot of time with them. We—I—have a brother who lives in San Francisco,” Jake added. “We became the Engstroms’ adopted grandchildren. That’s why I’m so surprised that Nels would let anyone near him now.”
His revelation sent a shudder through her body. “What do you mean, he doesn’t let anyone near him?”
“Ever since his son died tragically, he’s never been the same. He doesn’t like to talk to strangers.”
“How sad. I’ve lost loved ones, too. It can be very painful.” Sammi was silent for a moment. “So you have a brother in San Francisco. I’m from California. St. Helena, not San Fran. I grew up on a vineyard. My mom’s an artist and we lived a very simple life in the country. I prefer towns to cities.”
It was so hard to think her grandfather was still suffering after all these years. What if the knowledge of Sammi’s existence could have helped? Why had her mom assumed keeping everything a secret had been the right thing to do?
Lost in thought, Sammi didn’t realize the truck had come to a stop. “What’s wrong?”
“Black bears.”
Sammi stared out the front window at the large, furry animals. She longed to get out her camera and capture the magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. But for some reason she couldn’t move just yet. “What do you do in these situations?”
He leaned closer to her. “Feed them.” His voice had gone real quiet.
“What kind of food?”
“Tourists.”
She blinked. “You!”
Her companion smiled and winked at her. Sammi looked around the cab for something to throw at him. It seemed an empty bag that had held jerky was all she could find. She tossed it at him, making him laugh.
He caught it and said, “A bag of jerky would bring a black bear after you faster than you could scream for help.”
Quicker then a flash, he reached in back of him and grabbed a rifle. Rolling down the window, he shot off two rounds. The sound sent the bears scurrying into the woods.
“See—bears sometimes are on the road. That’s why I don’t leave women walking along the shoulder, snapping pictures.”
Sammi felt like a fool. “Next time I do a trip like this again, I’ll make certain I’m better prepared.”
Jake started up the truck again and continued their drive along the scenic route. She turned to look out the window once more. After a few minutes she got a little nerve back and glanced at his strong profile. Oh, boy, she was in trouble!
He was simply too attractive. It felt natural to be sitting with him, listening to old rock songs as he maneuvered the truck through this paradise. It was comforting to be looked after for once, even if only for a couple of hours. What would it be like to have a man like Jake in her life? But those were dreams she didn’t dare entertain. Her job didn’t allow her to have romantic relationships.
Focus! You’re here to learn about your dad and meet your grandparents. Not to become involved with Ranger Rick.
To get her mind off her feelings, Sammi decided to continue interviewing him. He seemed amenable. For the rest of the trip she learned that he conducted studies on the indigenous fish of Alaska for the National Forest Service, be they in streams and lakes or in the Southwest Passage.
The time flew by. Before long they drew near to Craig. Sammi could see the small islands connected by causeways that made up the small fishing town. From what she’d learned, Nels lived just outside of the community.
Jake pulled onto a gravel road heading around a cove. Three homes loomed ahead. Two were built on stilts near the sea; the other was higher up the green mountain.
His truck came to a stop at the first one. “Here we are.” The white clapboard house was charming in a run-down kind of way. “There’s Nels’s old fishing boat moored at the dock. Looks like he’s waiting to give you that interview.”
She followed Jake out of the truck and walked up the flight of stairs, where he rang the doorbell. Her heart was pounding wildly.
An older couple answered the door. They were the people from the pictures in her dad’s journal, and they seemed excited to see Jake.
Sammi experienced a thrill to discover that both her grandparents were alive. She’d read everything her dad had written about her grandma Marta and grandfather Nels many times. She couldn’t believe this moment had finally come.
Her grandma spoke first. “Who’s this, Jake?”
Before he could answer, Sammi said, “I’m your granddaughter, Samantha Danbury.”
Chapter Three
Sammi’s declaration might as well have set off an explosion. Both Jake and Marta started flinging questions at her so fast she couldn’t have answered them if she’d wanted to.
As the situation escalated, her gaze remained fixed on a pair of blue eyes that looked just like hers. Nels Engstrom didn’t say a word, but the look of acceptance on his face astounded her.
He was a fit man with gray hair who looked to be in his mid-seventies. His face, weathered from his years at sea, wore a smile that would put a child at ease. Sammi judged him to be around five foot nine or so, but it was hard to tell, especially when he stood next to Jake, who seemed larger than life in every way.
Her grandfather stepped awa
y from the others and reached out to her. Sammi could feel a lump in her throat, and blinked. “Would you like proof who I am? I have a birth certificate and pictures with me.”
When Jake and Marta saw what was happening to her, they both stopped their questions. Sammi could feel all eyes on her. She’d found her dad’s family. This was the moment she’d dreamed of all her life.
Nels’s smile got bigger. His eyes began to swim in tears. “I don’t need a birth certificate to know my own granddaughter. You’re the spitting image of your father when he left us.”
Sammi’s whole body trembled. She couldn’t stop the flood of her own tears. He knew she was his granddaughter!
“Samantha? Can you come and give your grandpa a hug? That’s what all our other grandkids call me.”
She walked slowly into Nels’s arms and sobbed on his shoulder. If her father hadn’t died, she sensed this was what it would have been like to be loved by him. Yet along with her joy, she felt anger over missing out on twenty-three years of knowing her grandparents.
Obviously not one to be ignored, her grandmother got in on the moment. She was petite, like Sammi, in both height and stature. Marta had pretty features and silver-blond hair, pulled back in a bun. She wore a colorful apron over her clothes.
She grabbed Sammi’s shoulders and looked her square in the eye. The inspection became more intense as her hands moved to Sam’s face. “You look like my Chris in your eyes and in bone structure, but when you smile you’re a knockout, dear. Who’s your mother? How come we didn’t know about you before now? Did our Chris know he had a daughter?”
Her questions sounded so sincere, her voice so emotional. Marta was hurting as much as Sammi. Tears misted her grandmother’s green-flecked eyes.
Mom, you’re the reason for this.
This was going to be so much harder than Sammi had thought. How did you tell people your mother had lied to you all your life? The woman you’d loved, who’d raised you. The woman you’d trusted beyond all else…
Sammi fought a new onslaught of tears by digging her fingernails into her palms until they hurt. “It’s a long story.”
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