Alaska Heart

by Christine DePetrillo

  “Sorry, Mama,” he said.

  “It’s okay, baby.” She ruffled Riley’s hair. “So, how about it? Alanna, you too.”

  I looked at Dale over the rim of my glass, and he looked back at me expectantly as did three pairs of little brown eyes. “I’m game. Thank you, Selia.”

  “No, thank you,” she said. “Finally, another woman will be around. Do you know what it’s like having to hang around with this crew of manly men?” She flung her hand out indicating Dale, her husband, and her boys. “Not to mention Dad and Uncle Jerry too. A gal can only take so much.”

  Jake leaned over and kissed Selia on the cheek. “Aw, stop. You love us all to pieces.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Selia rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the love she had for all those men in her life. She had a wonderful family.

  One that was surrounding me and sucking me in like quicksand.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Satiated by wings and sangria, I sat back in my chair and took a good look at the assembled crowd. In addition to Dale’s relatives and Vince, I had been introduced to several of his elementary school, high school, and college teachers, all of whom had praised Dale as a model student. I met his Boy Scout troop leader, who claimed he taught Dale everything he needed to know about surviving in the wild. The fire chief told a story of Dale rescuing a kitten from a rabbit snare, and the family doctor remembered every stitch and broken bone he had tended.

  Everyone I met knew Dale. I mean, really knew him. It made me realize how impersonal a city like New York could be. I could walk down the street back home and not know or make eye contact with anyone. Dale couldn’t do the same in Fairbanks. And it wasn’t because he had won the Iditarod. These people gathered in Ram’s Den knew him long before his win. Knew him and loved him.

  I didn’t stand a chance.

  “There’s that dopey grin again.” Dale slid into the seat that Noah had abandoned.

  “I’m enjoying myself.” I tilted my head to look at him.

  He pressed a warm kiss to the back of my hand, and its power shot to my hidden depths.

  “I can’t wait to take you home with me tonight,” he whispered into my ear as he traced its edge with his thumb.

  I swept my gaze around the immediate vicinity. Selia and Jake had taken the boys to the restroom in an attempt to “de-sauce” them, which left Dale and I alone at our table.

  “Who said I was going home with you tonight?” As if I had a choice. If he kept caressing my ear, I’d be begging him to take me home.

  “I don’t know about you, but I slept like crap last night without you in my bed.” Dale slid his hand down my neck and shoulder, along my arm, and rested it on my thigh under the table. “I missed you.”

  “When you say shit like that, I have to go home with you.” I poked him in the chest.

  “All part of the plan, Gaia-girl.” Dale kissed my cheek. “I can’t wait to have you naked beneath me, calling my name, wanting more.” He breathed the words into the curve of my neck, and if his friends and family weren’t in the tavern, I would have stripped down naked right there on the spot and surrendered to him. My body itched to have his fingers combing over me.

  “My room at Moose Point is nice, but it’s missing the perks your house offers.”

  Dale looked to his hand still on my thigh. “If you packed your stuff and stayed with me until you have to…you know, leave, we could get more time in together. I don’t want to pressure you, but this whole thing between us, whatever it is, has a time limit on it. I don’t want to waste possible moments with you if I don’t have to. I’m selfish like that.”

  He pulled his hand off my leg and fiddled with the brace on his other hand. He was so damn adorable, I wanted to tear into him. Reaching over, I lifted his chin with my index finger. When his eyes met mine, they were so green, so deep. I opened my mouth several times to reply, but everything about him distracted me. The coppery stubble around his mouth and chin. The seductive curve of his lips. The broad, yet welcoming span of his shoulders. All of it was perfect, and he was offering all of it to me.

  “Would there be more blueberry syrup in the mornings if I stayed with you?”

  “There would be anything your heart desired if you stayed with me,” Dale replied.

  “Anything?” My heart pumped a little faster as I thought of the possibilities.

  “Anything. I aim to please.”

  “Count me in then.” More of Dale wouldn’t be too much of a burden. It’d be more like a dream. “I do have to get my article done though.”

  “Sure, sure. No problem. I can stay out of your way while you’re working and be completely in your way when you’re not.”

  The devilish smirk on his face made my pulse explode in my veins. I scanned the room, looking for the doctor I’d met earlier. Surely the human body couldn’t be this turned on all at once.

  “Attention! Attention!” Ram’s voice boomed over the microphone he had set up along the far wall of the tavern.

  “Oh, boy,” Dale said. “Here we go. C’mon.” He tugged at my sleeve. “I think we can still sneak out without anyone noticing.”

  I swatted his hand away. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re going to accept the praise and adoration of everyone here tonight. I know it won’t be easy, but you’ll manage.”

  The dimple in his cheek flashed. “You don’t know the embarrassment my father is capable of conjuring here.”

  “All the more reason for me to stay and watch.” I laughed at Dale’s attempted frown. “C’mon. You deserve attention.”

  “I want attention. Your attention.” Dale drummed his fingers on his knee. His other foot tapped against the floor to an unheard rhythm.

  “Wait a minute.” I grasped his wrist to stop his movement. “Are you nervous?”

  His whole body went still as he sat straighter in his chair. “Nervous? No, I’m not—”

  “Yes, you are. This is something I didn’t expect. Mr. Iditarod doesn’t like public recognition.” Around us, people took their seats and quieted down. Ram waited at the microphone with the governor at his side.

  “I like it fine.” Dale’s foot tapped again. “I can’t trust Dad to not blabber on and on though.”

  “About you,” I said. “You can’t trust him not to put the spotlight on you.”

  “He’s going to put the spotlight on me.” Dale exhaled. “And I’m only nervous because he didn’t run his plans by me. I don’t know what to expect. He could have a slideshow of baby pictures ready for all I know.”

  “That would be wonderful. I’ll bet you were adorable.”

  “Not helping, Alanna,” he whispered with a half-smile. “Not helping at all.”

  “I’ll help you plenty later,” I whispered back. “Help you out of your sweater, your pants, your underwear. Help you into bed, into me…”

  Dale pushed his chair closer to mine and draped his arm around my shoulders. “I’m going to hold you to that promise of help.” He twirled a finger around the end of my hair and nipped at my ear.

  “A huge thank you to all of you for coming out tonight to celebrate with us,” Ram began, causing Dale to shift away from me and pay attention. Ram’s eyes were twinkling with pride as he stood in front of the microphone. “As you all know my one and only son, Dale, is this year’s Iditarod winner.”

  Thunderous applause echoed throughout the tavern, and Dale stood to bow to the crowd. Laughter sifted into the applause, and it was easy to see why they loved him. Clean cut, as Vince had said. Humble as well as humorous. Gentle and passionate. All of those contained in one outstanding package.

  “C’mon up here, son,” Ram said, his face bright with pride.

  Dale weaved through the tables until he came to stand next to his father. Though their coloring differed, the way the two of them stood was identical. Strong legs, long and solid, spread apart about hip distance. Arms folded across their chests, chins level in confidence. Eyes making contact with various faces in the tav
ern, lips curling with humor.

  A chorus of “Uncle Dale” from Mick, Riley, and Noah rose in volume as the clapping subsided. More laughter and pointing to the adorable triplets followed until the crowd finally settled down for Ram to continue.

  “Not only is Dale the winner, he’s also the youngest Iditarod winner to date. A monumental accomplishment at any age, Dale has achieved it sooner than any of his predecessors. Finishing in record time with no injuries to his dog team, he has only himself to beat next year.”

  Another round of uproarious applause rode on Ram’s words. Dale nodded in appreciation, a flush on his perfect cheeks. Though he didn’t seem nervous, he wasn’t entirely comfortable being in the limelight and listening to his father’s praise either. The modesty only made him more attractive. Once we got to his house tonight, I was going to attack him. There’d be no stopping me. Not that Dale would try.

  “In honor of Dale’s accomplishment and with the help of Dale’s Iditarod sponsors, we here at Ram’s Den are going to be expanding.” Ram let that news sink in.

  Murmurs of surprise flitted amongst the patrons, and Dale looked as if it were the first he’d heard about such plans.

  “I’ve kept this tidbit hush-hush until now,” Ram continued. “But…” He pointed to Vince who stood by a covered easel.

  On Ram’s signal, Vince unveiled the easel to expose a drawing.

  “What you see here, folks,” Ram said, “are designs for tables and booths, a real stage, plus a dance floor to be added to the existing tavern. We’re going to be bringing in local bands on the weekends, and the new room will be called The Dream Big Room in honor of Dale’s big dreaming and big winning. This picture will hang on the wall in the new room.”

  Ram pointed to Violet on the other side of him who also stood beside a covered easel. She unveiled hers to show a framed picture of Dale and Gypsy in front of Dale’s sled. The same shot I’d seen on the poster my first day at Moose Point. The picture, I’ll now admit, that had made me go looking for Dale.

  The audience clapped, and soon everyone was on their feet, their applause nearly bringing down the walls.

  “You’re all going to spend your Friday and Saturday nights with us,” Ram said, throwing his arm around Dale’s shoulders. “Sunday through Thursday are up for grabs too.”

  Laughter flooded through the tavern. Such a happy sound. Dale tossed his arm around Ram’s shoulder, and several camera flashes followed. The two of them looked so close, not just father and son, but friends, partners. Dale didn’t look so nervous anymore. Instead, the love he had for his dad beamed from his face. My eyes watered as I watched them.

  Ram stepped back to the microphone and held his hands out for the crowd to sit.

  “The governor would now like to say a few words.” The governor took Ram’s place at the mic. After Ram’s announcement, her speech was about as animated as watching grass grow, though her message was well intended. Something about following your heart and living as if every day was a step toward something important. Good advice. The governor presented Dale with a plaque on behalf of the city of Fairbanks, and he received his official Iditarod trophy. Armed with both of these, Dale approached the microphone.

  “Thank you. Your support makes all the difference. And Dad…I don’t know what to say about the expansion plans besides I’m honored and hope it does inspire others to dream big. Not everyone has someone like you to help them see that big dreams are possible.” Dale stopped and gave Ram a huge hug. They looked like two bears embracing.

  “I accept this plaque and this trophy for all of you, for all of Fairbanks. I also have to mention my dogs, especially my lead dog, Gypsy. Without her leadership and obedience and without the hard work of every dog on my team, winning would be impossible. The dogs are the real athletes, but until they figure out how to make thank you speeches, I’ll be happy to accept your congratulations myself.”

  Chuckles fluttered through the bar, and I was now completely enchanted. Adding well spoken, good-natured, and fair to his list of commendable qualities, Dale was well on his way to being the perfect man. The perfect man for me.

  I had officially fallen for him. Too soon. Too fast. Dale had wormed his way, pretty much effortlessly, into my heart.

  My heart. The piece of me I’d taken offline while I tried to make a name for myself at Gaia. Dale had rebooted my heart, probably with his first email now that I thought about it. Hadn’t I already decided to like him after reading his comments? Hadn’t he already captured my interest with his clever responses and funny jokes online? Seeing him in person—and shit, the view was unbelievable—only tossed me further over the line between friend and something more. Something I’d needed to help me make the most out of life.

  “Hey.” Selia’s voice so close beside me jarred me from my thoughts. “You okay?”

  When I turned to look at her, her hazel eyes were full of concern. She rested her hand on my forearm.

  “Yes. I’m okay. Why?”

  “I don’t know,” Selia began. “You look…far away.”

  “I am far away. From New York.”

  “You know what I mean,” Selia pressed. “You’re either thinking these people are nuts to get so excited about a stupid sled race, or…” She paused, and a slow smile, not unlike Dale’s and Ram’s, slid across her lips. “Or you’ve let Dale catch you in his net, and now you don’t know what to do about it.”

  I looked back to Dale who was trying to make his way back to the table, but was stopped by further congratulations and pats on the back. He took the time to talk to each person, laugh at their jokes, listen to their stories.

  “Uh-oh,” Selia said, her eyes extra-wide now. “You in the net, girl, ain’t ya?”

  I nodded. “For as long as I’m here, I’m in the net,” I said. “But I only have a week left. I’ve got to go back to New York. I have a job there. Friends. A life.”

  “Do you have love there?” Selia sat back in her chair, but had to get up when Dale arrived. I didn’t get a chance to answer her question as she corralled Mick, Riley, and Noah into their seats for dessert. Jake pulled her into the seat beside him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He squeezed her close, and she planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek. They looked at each other in that way soul mates do.

  I didn’t have anything like that in New York.

  Dessert—chocolate peanut butter pie—did wonders to cloud my thinking even further. Not only was I pining for sex with Dale, now I also rode a caffeine buzz and thought of love.

  “One final treat for tonight,” Ram began at the mic again. “Our own Violet and Vince will perform for us with their band, Quiet Psychotiks. Put your hands together for them, will ya?”

  “Violet and Vince have a band?” I said, leaning toward Dale.

  “Yeah. They kick ass, too. Hard rock, my favorite,” Dale said, his voice strained. “My dad hates their music.” His eyes looked a little misty.

  “He’s letting them play for you.”

  Dale nodded as he took my hand. “C’mon.”

  “Where are we—”

  He pulled me to my feet and zigzagged through the guests already crowding around the makeshift stage. We slid between people to get a position directly in front of Vince and Violet. Vince had an electric guitar slung around his neck, and Violet was at the mic. A burly guy sat behind the drums, an unusually tall girl sported a bass guitar, and a completely bald dude stood ready at a keyboard.

  “We’d like to congratulate our buddy, Dale, on his win, although he’s always been a winner to us.” Vince pointed a finger at Dale who pointed a finger back. “We’d also like to thank Ram for letting us play though he’s referred to our music as ‘disturbing’ on several occasions.”

  An opening screech on the electric guitar sent Violet into an angry rant about “being who you wanna be.” Her voice was just a touch bluesy, and Vince was magic on the guitar. I dug the tune and soon found myself looped inside Dale’s arms as we danced together. The movement
s had enough gyration, rubbing, touching to stimulate and seduce. When their set ended and Dale pulled me against him, I could hardly refrain from wrapping my legs around his waist.

  “I think it’s time to go,” he whispered.

  “I’ll second that.” I had a little trouble catching my breath.

  Some people had left while the band was playing, and others made their way toward the doors now that the music had ended.

  “Let’s say good-bye to my family.” Dale led me back to the table where Ram sat with Mick on his lap.

  “Dad, once again, you’ve proven to be Father of the Year.” Dale reached out his hand, and Ram accepted it.

  “You keep giving me reasons to celebrate. What’s a father to do but throw a fitting shindig?” Ram held his hands out to his sides.

  “What’s a shindig, Pop?” Mick asked.

  “A heck of a good time, Micky.” Ram mussed his grandson’s hair.

  “Can we have a shindig on Sunday, Pop?” Riley asked, coming to stand beside Ram.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Alanna’s coming!” Noah chimed in. He ran over and took my hand.

  “Then we’ll certainly have ourselves a fine shindig.” Ram winked at me.

  “I’m always in the mood for a shindig,” I said.

  “Bet you got them all the time in New York,” Ram said.

  “Yeah, but they’re nowhere near as fun as this was.” Dale’s entire family smiled in one synchronous movement. They looked like a painting. I committed the image to memory. For when I was back home in New York. Alone.

  Chapter Eighteen

  It only took moments for me to gather my stuff in my room at Moose Point. Even though I told Dale that I’d meet him at his place, he insisted on following me to the resort.

  “I’m not letting you out of my sight,” he said.

  If someone had said that to me in New York, I’d most likely be calling the police or getting a restraining order. Here in Fairbanks, however, pure desire made Dale say such a thing. Desire and perhaps the instinct to protect me from a killer.