The Alaska Sunrise Romances: A 9-Book Sweet Romance Collection

by Melissa Storm

  “Already?” he spat, unable to hide his irritation with the agent. He hoped Lolly knew he was angry for her rather than at her. “Didn’t you just meet with her for the first time last night?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “And didn’t she stand you up that night at Hunter’s Ridge?” he pressed.

  “She did, but—”

  “But what? It’s Saturday. The day was made for taking it easy and having some fun. The agent can wait a day. Can’t she? Besides, you probably still need time to have someone look over your contracts before you sign.” He knew all about the fun of legal documents from buying the vet clinic. That process had taken forever.

  She sighed. “You’re right. A lot is happening all at once. I could do with some time to take a step back and breathe.”

  “Yes, you could. Plus, with you being new to town, I’m betting you haven’t even seen the sites.” He quickly wracked his brain for the perfect date idea. What would Lolly most love to see?

  “The sites?” she asked, seeming surprised by his statement. “I see the sites every time I drive anywhere. It’s gorgeous here.”

  “Yeah, but have you gotten out of Anchorage at all? Have you seen the hot springs or Beluga Point?

  She gasped. “Belugas? Aren’t those whales? I’ve never been whale watching before, but it does sound like the perfect way to relax and enjoy the day.”

  “Well, we probably won’t see any whales since it’s not their migration season yet. But you’ll love it anyway. Can I pick you up in an hour or so?”

  She hesitated again. “But what about Timber? Can he come?”

  “It’s an hour’s drive. There’s no way he can manage without getting seriously sick. Do you have someone who can watch him for a few hours?” As much as he loved the old dog, he knew being stuck in a car with his vomit would ruin any possibility for romance. Add to that the poor dog would be miserable, and it was a definite no-go for Timber.

  Lolly hummed as she thought, then said, “Umm, I think so. But Oscar?”

  “Yeah?” He smiled, waiting for whatever it was she had to say. She’d agreed to come out with him to one of the most romantic spots in the entire state of Alaska. Nothing could break his newly restored spirits now.

  She dropped her voice to a whisper, almost as if she were afraid to speak the words too loud. “As cliché as this sounds, you know I’m just passing through, don’t you? I mean, Anchorage is your home, but I—”

  “Lolly, I know,” he said on a slow exhale. “But I still want to spend the day with you, if you’ll let me.”

  “Sure, let’s go see those whales,” she said, and he pictured her nodding. Maybe even smiling.

  He laughed. “There won’t be whales, but I promise it will be a day to remember.”

  Now to deliver on that promise, he told himself as they hung up. Maybe if he stuffed enough perfect moments into their remaining time together, it wouldn’t have to come to an end.

  Lolly no longer knew what she wanted from life. The thing she’d thought she wanted more than anything was stressing her out, while the thing she thought she needed to avoid at all costs was the only thing she longed for that day.

  “I’ll be back soon,” she told Timber. “I promise to take you on an extra-long walk when I’m home.”

  “Do you need anything while I’m out, Aunt Ann?” she asked after knocking softly on the old woman’s bedroom door.

  “Would you pick me up some takeout from Garcia’s while you’re out?” came the reply.

  “Of course, I will. Timber is here, but he shouldn’t bother you too much. Call if he or you need anything, okay?”

  She left just as quickly as she could, feeling like the worst niece and worst dog owner in the world. I’ll make it up to them, she told herself. It’s only for the afternoon. People leave dogs alone for entire work days, and Aunt Ann was all on her own for years. It’s okay to have a few hours to myself.

  Her worries fell away the moment she saw Oscar waiting for her in the driveway.

  “Lolly,” he said after she’d slipped into the passenger seat. “It’s good to see you.”

  She didn’t point out the fact that they’d seen each other a little over twelve hours ago. The truth was, it felt good to see him, too.

  He thrummed his fingers against the steering wheel, squinting out the window as he talked. “I don’t normally do this, but if I don’t, it’s going to bother me the whole way, and we need to be safe when driving, right?”

  Something naughty gleamed in his eyes, and before she could say a word, he’d leaned in and kissed her with the same fire they’d shared last night. Lolly had once assumed nothing could beat the exhilaration of a first kiss, but then she’d shared her second, third, fourth with Oscar—each more intoxicating than the last.

  She laughed and pushed him away. “If we keep this up, we’ll never get to see the whales.”

  “Point taken.” He pulled back but kept his gaze fixed on her a few moments before turning back to the road. She liked the blotchiness that lingered on his chin from their kisses and the look of adulation that flared behind his eyes even better.

  “There still aren’t any whales,” he said, turning away then shifting into drive and heading toward the highway. “You’ll see when we get there.”

  Close to an hour later, they pulled up to a small parking lot that sat nestled between a giant wall of mountain and a sparkling swatch of sea. Oscar had been right, too. While she enjoyed talking with him, it had definitely been a challenge to not be able to lean over and kiss him whenever she felt the urge. But now that they’d reached their destination, all bets were off. If she wanted to kiss him, well then, she would.

  As she got out of the car, the strong wind slammed the door back into her. Lolly’s hair whipped around her face, and she wished she’d known to wear it in a ponytail.

  “C’mon!” Oscar reached his hand out. When she took it, he took off fast, running with her to the end of the parking lot, then slowing down to carefully navigate the rocky cliff.

  “What’s with all the wind?” Lolly asked as he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “There used to be even more,” he pointed out. “But the glaciers are melting and temperatures are rising. It mellows the wind. If you’d have seen it twenty years ago, you wouldn’t even be able to believe how beautiful it was then.”

  “What was it like?” she asked as he bent to rest his chin on her shoulder.

  “The wind was so strong, you could lean into it and not fall. It was the closest thing on earth to flying.” He said it with such reverence and wonder that she felt a twinge of sadness at not having been able to experience it before.

  “I’ve always wanted to fly,” Lolly said as she looked out at the beautiful seascape before her.

  “Then fly. I’ve got you.” He tightened his grip on her waist and again urged her to fly into the wind.

  Fear settled in her stomach as she eyed the crashing waves below. What if she fell? What if she got hurt? That's exactly your problem, she scolded herself. Too much thinking and not enough doing. Why are you so afraid to live?

  She squeezed her eyes shut, raised her arms to her sides, and leaned toward the ocean. Wind continued to whip around them, but Oscar held her tight and steady, allowing her to fly.

  “I’m the queen of the world!” Lolly shouted, feeling that familiar rush she most often had after a performance.

  He laughed behind her but held steady, allowing her to lean even farther.

  “It really does feel like flying,” she exclaimed.

  “See? Even better than whales. Just like I promised.” Oscar helped her back to a standing position and took her in another kiss.

  Not just better than whales. Better than everything.

  It made her feel as if maybe she needed a new dream, one that wouldn't take her away from this land of magic and beauty—or the man who had opened it to her.

  Chapter 9

  “I don’t want to go b
ack,” Oscar mumbled into Lolly’s hair as they stood embracing on the cliff. The sea swirled furiously below them, and the wind pounded on them from every other angle. If they stayed right here, then Lolly wouldn’t have to move away. Their time wouldn’t have to be borrowed. They could become a part of the landscape, as strong and stable as the rocks that held fast against nature’s assault.

  “Me either,” she confessed. “I’ve never felt so invincible, like I’m part of something bigger than myself.”

  “When we were little, my parents would bring us here. My brothers would fight over who got to be Batman. I used to pretend I was Captain Planet.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead, refusing to let her go. “Sometimes I still do, to be honest.”

  “Wind. Water. Earth. Heart,” she said playfully. “All we’re missing is fire.”

  “I can take care of that,” he growled, giving her another searing kiss.

  “Stop or I really won’t ever want to go back.”

  “Then don’t.” He kissed her again. Would it be enough to change her mind? What about this kiss? Or this one? “Anchorage suits you,” he said as he pushed the windswept hair from her cheeks and held her eyes with his.

  “How can you say that when you don’t know what I’m like anywhere else?” She smiled, but it was a sad smile, acknowledging and reminding them both that he never would get the chance to know her in that way.

  It seemed like she wanted to say something important, but before she could, her phone sang in her pocket. “Always someone interrupting us,” she said wistfully before pressing the button to answer.

  Her smile grew increasingly dim as she nodded her way through the call. “Uh-huh… Yes… No problem… I’m on my way.”

  There’s reality again. No more dreamlike moments. No more eternities.

  Lolly stuffed her phone back into her pocket. “That was my aunt. She says Timber won’t stop howling, like he misses me or something, but he’s really loud and my aunt isn’t feeling well. She said her head is splitting open, and—oh, what was I thinking leaving him?”

  He grabbed her arm and forced her to look him in the eyes. “Lolly, you haven’t done anything wrong. He just needs time to adjust. He loves you already, and clearly he misses you. That’s all this is, so let’s go get him.” He couldn’t help but identify with the dog. He’d be howling too if he had perfection snatched away from him just as soon as he’d finally managed to catch it. Soon, he would be in that place, but it didn’t have to be today.

  “Thanks for saying that.” She sniffed and gave him a real smile today. “I feel like I’m always doing everything wrong.”

  “Nah, you needed to see this place, and you did. So, let’s go get Timber, and then if you’ll let me, I’d like to show you another great Alaskan staple.”

  Back in Anchorage and with Timber in tow, Oscar guided his date to the nearest coffee shack, a little white hut called the Coffee Cave.

  “I don’t get it,” Lolly said. “Why the Coffee Cave? What’s cave-like about it? It looks more like an old train car.”

  “If you think this one’s bad, make sure you stay away from the Red Eye and Yeti’s Breath.” He laughed at the twisted-up expression she made. “California has their food trucks. Alaska has our coffee shacks. C’mon, let’s order.”

  She studied the large wooden menu nailed to the side of the building, then said, “An espresso sludge bomb? Eat your heart out, Starbucks.”

  “It will be the best coffee you’ve ever had in your life, I promise.”

  “You’re a frequent customer of the Coffee Cave, are you?” She gave him a funny look, then a giant smile. He could get used to this—so, so used to this.

  “No, but believe me, we know how to do our coffee here in Anchorage.”

  “Hey, there. So, what are we having?” the woman behind the register asked as they approached her.

  “I want the sludge bomb,” Lolly answered at once.

  “Make it two,” he told the flannel-clad barista as he slid his card through the window.

  “You want those doubled?”

  “Sure, why not? Can you throw in a small flat white, hold the espresso, for the dog?”

  “Can dogs have coffee?” Lolly asked, lacing her fingers through his.

  “No, which is why I ordered him a warm cup of milk. Not the best thing for dogs either, but he deserves a treat.”

  Timber barked his agreement and wagged his tail so hard it slapped the pavement with a series of thuds.

  “Why do they call this a sludge bomb?” Lolly asked, before taking a long, slow sip from her drink. When she pulled back away, a dot of foam lingered on the tip of her nose.

  He laughed and kissed off the errant cream. “Why do they call you Lolly? Cool things always deserve cool names.”

  “Touché.” She gave him a quick salute with her cup, and they both broke apart in laughter.

  Beside them, Timber panted hard and happily as he lapped up his drink.

  “Come, let’s take a walk,” Oscar said, once the dog had finished.

  “Where to?” She stood again and hooked her arm through his.

  “Does it matter?”

  “Honestly… No.”

  There was the answer he needed. If neither the time nor the place mattered, then he’d prefer to keep her forever—or at least until the sun rose again. He looked up at the sky as he spoke. “Let’s walk until we’re too tired to take another step. Then we’ll get some more sludge bombs, regain our energy, and walk some more. What do you say?”

  “I can’t imagine a better way to spend my Saturday night.”

  I can’t imagine a better way to spend the rest of my life, he thought.

  The next morning, Lolly stretched in bed, a huge smile on her face. She’d dreamed of laughing and kissing and flying—the perfect way to end the perfect day. She and Oscar had stayed up late into the night, drinking one sludge bomb after the next and just getting to know each other. Even though they’d grown tired as the night wore up, they never ran out of things to say. It really had felt as if they could walk and talk forever and never grow tired of the other’s company.

  As for today, if she couldn’t write a love song now, she’d never find the words. This is as good as it gets, she realized feeling equal rushes of exuberance and sadness. This was as good as it got but having it would be temporary. Would she manage to find this again one day when she was ready, or did she have to choose between love and success?

  Don’t think about that. Just write.

  She padded over to her desk and took out a fresh composition journal and pen. Today she’d pour her words directly onto the page. No more of the silly you-ooo-ooo-ooh nonsense that came with trying to play it out.

  When I’m with you, I forget all the reasons to, she began.

  A series of loud pounds rattled the front door, and she jumped up to answer it before it could annoy Aunt Ann. So much for writing. She needed to let Timber out anyway. Who would be coming over on a Sunday morning anyway? Could it be Oscar? Oh, she hoped it was him and not some door-to-door something or another. But then again, why would Oscar be banging her door down? That didn’t feel like him at all.

  The moment she twisted the lock open, Kelley Lux pushed through the doorway and stormed inside. “Where were you? Why weren’t you answering any of my calls?” she yelled, her face red with rage.

  “I was here. My phone was on silent because I was sleeping.” Lolly reached around Kelley to shut the door, but not before Timber could slip out to do his morning business.

  “You were supposed to call me yesterday, or at least answer my calls! How are we going to get anywhere if you don’t take this seriously?” the agent huffed.

  “I do. I’m sorry. I just…”

  “What? What excuse is so good that you would ignore my calls all day? I had a meeting with a record label in London lined up. London! They don’t talk to just anybody, and now they definitely won’t be talking to you again. Reputation matters in this business. You can’t r
uin yours before we even have a chance to get started. Seriously, what were you thinking?”

  Lolly hung her head in shame. Kelley was right, right about everything. Why had Lolly been willing to risk so much for just a bit of fun? She hated to think of Oscar that way, but really, what more could he be? She’d made her decision long before she even met him.

  Kelley dropped onto the couch and crossed her legs, one foot tapping in agitation as she spoke. “I can’t want it for you. You have to commit to this, too. I’m not able to do my job if you don’t do yours.”

  Lolly sank down beside her. She wanted to cry or to scream or something, but she could only placidly agree. The agent had a point, and Lolly knew that. “You’re right. I’m sorry. What do you need from me today?”

  She quietly listened as the other woman spoke of stylists and producers and image consultants and relayed all the things that would have to be “fixed” about Lolly before Kelley could introduce her around. After about ten minutes of nonstop talking, she ended with, “Look, I know you’re new to all this, so I’ll give you a pass this time. Take a couple hours to get your head in the right place, then meet me at Allure at noon. Can you do that?”

  Lolly nodded so much, she felt as if her head was on a spring. “Yes, of course. I will see you there.”

  “Good.” The agent left again just as quickly as she’d first arrived.

  Lolly stood in the open doorway until the agent peeled out of the driveway and onto the next thing on her packed agenda. Is this really what being a singer is supposed to feel like? Lolly wondered. If so, I’m not sure how much I want it anymore. God put me on this earth to sing, but… Isn’t there another way? Shouldn’t my dream make me happy?

  She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, waiting for Timber to come running back around the house and join her inside. She had a lot to think about, not the least of which was how she could say goodbye to Oscar without breaking both of their hearts.

  A breeze swept by, reminding her of their time at Beluga Point. She half expected to feel Oscar’s arms wrap around her from behind. But, no, she was all alone. Not even Timber had returned as she’d expected.