Maui Winds

by Edie Claire

  Please… Stop.

  She couldn’t help it. Her eyes began to water. She’d been doing all right the past few weeks. Well enough. Decent. Fair. Things could be going so much worse than they were. She could have heard nothing at all from Wolf. But instead, she had gotten texts from him. Twice. That wasn’t so bad, considering that he was primitive-camping at the ends of the earth. He’d sent her a picture and he’d sent her a text. He was still thinking about her, and that was what mattered. The waiting was harder than she’d expected, yes. But she had no reason to feel sad on a day like today. Today was Maddie and Kai’s day. She would be happy for them.

  She searched the crowd for someone she knew and caught sight of Lachland. He had a pretty blond woman standing next to him whom Ri assumed was his wife, and he was having a jovial conversation with Ben Parker, the oceanographer Ri had met her first day on Maui. Ben had a smartly dressed brunette on his arm whom Ri certainly hoped was his wife, because the way the woman looked at him, he would be in trouble if she weren’t. Ri took a step toward the group, then stopped herself. They all looked so happy.

  A middle-aged giant of a man walked up to Kai, said something in his ear, and clapped him on the back. The two men laughed loudly and their deep, mellow voices rumbled all the way to Ri’s ears. Maddie’s father, no doubt. And that would be Maddie’s stepmother smiling beside them. Kai seemed to get along well with his future in-laws. That was nice.

  Mom and Dad would like Wolf, too.

  Ri turned abruptly and walked away from the crowd. She was ashamed of herself, but her tear ducts were nearing the fill line and she couldn’t be seen. She found a large tree near the far corner of the park and sat down on the ground, heedless of getting her nice slacks dirty. She leaned against the tree trunk facing away from the revelry and lowered her face to her phone. Before she even knew what she’d done, Wolf’s last text was back on her screen again.

  I miss you.

  Ten days. It had been ten days since those three beautiful words had popped into her life in the middle of a dolphin watch, nearly causing her to somersault overboard in her excitement. Her immediate response was still there right below it.

  I miss you, too!

  Since then, there’d been nothing.

  She assumed he’s gone out of range again. She didn’t know what else she could assume. He missed her, and he wanted her to know it. But… what?

  She had already been searching online for job opportunities in Alaska. She was a dreamer, after all, and advance planning was her specialty. If Wolf wanted her to come, she would be there. If he wanted her to wait for him, she would wait. All she needed to pull the trigger was a clear understanding between them, some kind of commitment she could count on.

  But he had to give her that. And it had to come from him, of his own free will. She thought she could wait as long as it took, but this slow drip of life blood was more painful than she’d imagined. She thought she understood him. She thought she understood how it would happen. He would leave, and he would miss her, and after he mulled it over a while, he would take some action. That’s why, when the text finally came, she’d felt so giddy with joy. She’d been right all along! It was happening!

  Then there was silence.

  She didn’t know what to think. But the other possibility, the raw, percolating fear that his feelings for her would dim over time, had slowly become her constant, gnawing companion. She refused to acknowledge that fear. She wouldn’t accept it. But nor would it go away.

  I miss you.

  “He meant it,” Ri whispered to herself, hugging her phone to her chest and fighting to keep her eyes dry. “He meant it just days ago. Now stop.” She shut her lids and conjured an image of Wolf on the road to Hana. He’d been nervous as a cat the whole way. He kept trying to clench the door handle with his splinted hand, but he couldn’t get his fingers around it, so he’d wound up sticking his left hand in the drink holder on the truck console, gripping it until his knuckles went white. And all the while he’d been pretending to be cool as a cucumber. Ri chuckled to herself. He was such a cautious soul. It was a part of his nature. She let out another sigh, then opened her eyes. “He’s afraid,” she said out loud. “He’s a wuss, but you love him anyway, so deal with it.”

  “Who’s a wuss?”

  Ri’s head shot up. It was Wolf’s voice, but it wasn’t Wolf. It was a man in a suit, nicely groomed and spiffed up for a wedding. He had crept silently behind her and was standing not two feet away, smiling at her devilishly with a twinkle in his clear blue eyes. “Surprise?” he said uncertainly.

  It was Wolf. He was here. Ri’s brain twisted itself into a pretzel. He could not be here, and yet he was. Her optimistic heart yearned to rejoice, but her rational side fought the impulse. He was here… but “here” was at Maddie and Kai’s wedding. She could not necessarily conclude anything from that. Could she?

  The conflicting thoughts flitted through Ri’s brain at light speed. The doubt, the recognition, the joy, the caution. In real time she simply scrambled up, flung herself forward, and clasped her arms around his neck.

  She said nothing. All she did was hold him. His own strong arms wrapped around her waist, molding her tightly to his chest. She felt both his hands caress her back and realized that no bulky splint was poking at her. He smelled of… well, he smelled like an airplane. But Ri didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything. She never wanted to let him go.

  “You feel so good,” she murmured after a while.

  “So do you,” he whispered back.

  “I thought you couldn’t afford to come back here,” she mumbled, still holding him.

  “I couldn’t,” he answered. “The ticket was a gift. From my stepmother.”

  A pleasant warmth flooded Ri’s soul at the sound of those words, though in her present happy haze, their significance wasn’t clear to her.

  “I’ve missed you, Ri,” he said softly.

  She smiled into his shoulder. “I was hoping you would.”

  He pulled back just enough to look at her. “You called me a wuss just now. Either that, or you were talking about some other guy. But considering what else you said… I hope you were talking about me.”

  Ri studied his face. “Do you? I’m a pretty scary woman, Wolf. I don’t give my heart away easily. I never have, and I never will. But I always play for keeps.”

  He held her gaze levelly. “I know that,” he replied, his voice low. Then his brow furrowed defensively. “And I am not a wuss.”

  Ri grinned at him. “No?”

  “No,” he growled back at her, tightening his grip.

  Ri reveled in the solid feel of him. He looked handsome in a suit, but strange. She liked him better in his sexy work duds with his hair all shaggy. “Prove it,” she taunted, her lips inches from his.

  He smiled wickedly. “I would enjoy kissing you very much. But it wouldn’t prove anything, except that you’re the most incredibly desirable vixen I’ve ever seen and you’ve been driving me to distraction ever since I met you, which you already know.”

  Ri’s grin broadened.

  “So how about this instead,” he continued, setting her back from him. She felt the distance between them like a cold wind, but when he took both her hands in his and looked at her purposefully, her body began to warm again. “You said you want a relationship. I want that, too. I don’t know how to make it happen because my doctoral work means I have to spend long chunks of time out in the field. But whatever I can do, Ri, I’ll do it. If you’re willing to work with me, there’s got to be some way.”

  Ri’s soul overflowed with joy, and she closed the distance between them with a pounce. She pressed her lips to his and circled her arms tightly around his waist. Her hands began to claw eagerly beneath his jacket, and what happened after that got hazy. She couldn’t begin to say how much time passed, and she suspected Wolf couldn’t, either. But the next thing either of them knew, Ri was reclining against a pine tree with two shirt buttons undone and Wolf was s
tanding next to her rubbing his biceps with a frown. “What the hell?” he snapped.

  “Excuse me?” a female voice protested hotly.

  Ri scrambled up to see a vision of loveliness straight out of a fairy tale. Maddie’s gorgeous red hair cascaded from her head in a sea of bouncy curls, spreading over her bare shoulders and down around the bodice of a simple, yet elegant white satin wedding dress that looked like it had been plucked straight from the centerfold of a brides' magazine. Or perhaps, given Maddie’s voluptuous figure, another magazine entirely. Her striking face stared at both Ri and Wolf with a mixture of fury and amusement that was impossibly confusing.

  “What was that for?” Wolf said resentfully, gesturing to his arm. Ri blinked in surprise. Had Maddie actually hit him?

  “Would you have preferred I throw a bucket of water on you?” Maddie shot back, barely concealing a laugh. “That was the leading suggestion.”

  Ri looked out beyond Maddie’s shoulder, and all the blood in her body pooled at her feet. Only a couple hundred people were staring at them. Staring at them, grinning, and snickering.

  Oh. My. God.

  “This is my wedding day, you know!” Maddie continued, her mouth twitching with a smile even as she berated them. “In case you’re not familiar with how it works, the honeymoon doesn’t start till afterward. And it’s generally a bride-and-groom thing.”

  “We’re sorry,” Ri and Wolf said at the same time.

  Maddie’s gray eyes flashed with humor as she looked from one of them to the other. “I’m not,” she whispered conspiratorially. She turned away, then whirled back and hissed another whisper at Ri. “Button up!”

  The bride strolled off to take her place. Ri buttoned her top and Wolf adjusted his jacket. “Is your arm okay?” Ri asked with concern.

  “It’s fine,” Wolf assured. Then he chuckled. “You know, I always suspected she could be dangerous.”

  “She could have tapped you on the shoulder or something first!” Ri protested.

  Wolf smirked. “Um… I think she probably did. More than once.”

  They shared a knowing glance.

  Ri wondered how long weddings lasted.

  “I suppose we should find some seats,” Wolf suggested.

  “I suppose so,” Ri agreed.

  Wolf cleared his throat. “But I do need an answer, still.”

  Ri lifted an eyebrow. “An answer?”

  He eyed her sternly. “Don’t toy with me, woman. I’m not cheap. If you want this hot bod of mine, I expect a clear commitment. In words.”

  The corners of Ri’s mouth drew up slowly. She laced her fingers through his. Standing next to him without touching wouldn’t work anymore. “I do want you,” she said softly. “And I do think we can work it out. Somehow.”

  “Come to Alaska, then,” Wolf urged. “When your internship is over, I mean. You can find marine biology work there. I can help you.”

  Ri’s smiled deepened. Strains of wedding music, played by an odd assembly of ukuleles and a harp, carried over the island breeze. Her mind filled with images of breaching beluga whales, orcas, Steller sea lions, and sea otters. She saw snow-capped peaks, dark lonely roads, and a tent with a super-insulated sleeping bag for two.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  Epilogue

  Anchorage, Alaska, February 2017

  “Frieda!” Ri bounced in the open back door with the dogs jumping at her heels. “Frieda! Are you here?”

  She rounded the corner into the kitchen and nearly collided with a plump woman in a flour-spattered apron. “Oh, I’m sorry! But I’m so glad you’re home! I’m losing my mind. The letter came!”

  “Well now, calm down,” Frieda said with good humor, wiping her hands on her apron and then pulling it off. “What did it say?”

  “I don’t know!” Ri exclaimed. “I haven’t opened it yet. I can’t! I need help for these things. I was going to wait for Wolf to get home today, but I don’t know exactly when he’s coming and I don’t have that kind of patience.”

  Frieda laughed. She steered Ri to a chair and sat down opposite her. “Well, have you called your family yet?”

  Ri met her friend’s eyes with gratitude, then shook her head. Frieda understood Ri’s need to stay connected, even as she forged a new life in a new place. “My parents are on a plane right now, going to the West Coast to visit my aunt. And my sister’s at work.” She set the envelope down on the table in front of her. Her hand trembled slightly as she pushed it toward Frieda. “I want you to open it.”

  “Me?” Frieda asked, surprised.

  “Oh, please?” Ri begged. “I hate opening things like this. Mei Lin always used to do it for me. Particularly when the letter’s thin, because that’s usually bad news.”

  Frieda studied the envelope. “Oh, I don’t think that necessarily means anything,” she insisted. “You said before that they might let you know about the assistantship separate from your acceptance into grad school, right?”

  Ri nodded nervously. Acceptance into the master’s program at the University of Fairbanks was all she had a right to hope for. She had saved enough money to start in the fall either way, thanks to a decent paying job with the state fisheries department and Frieda’s letting her live over the restaurant. But snagging one of the highly competitive assistantships would be a goldmine for her. Not only could she be with Wolf most of the year in Fairbanks, but she could afford to visit him more often in the field as well. Having her savings as a nest egg would make their lives easier all around. Including advancing their wedding plans.

  “Just rip it open and skip all the intro stuff,” Ri begged. “Read it to yourself and then tell me the verdict. In plain English. Without the mumbo jumbo. Please, Frieda?” The women were holding hands across the table.

  “Oh, all right!” Frieda relented. She gave Ri’s hands an encouraging squeeze, then picked up the letter. Ri took a deep breath. Next to her own mother and sister, she’d come to care for Frieda Markov as much as any woman alive. They were alike in so many ways it was scary, and they had become friends almost immediately, with no need of urging from Wolf or anybody else.

  Frieda tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. She readjusted her glasses on her nose to read the print through her bifocals.

  Ri’s heart pounded.

  Frieda looked away from the paper and smiled at her. “You got the assistantship.”

  “Oh, Frieda!” Ri shouted, scraping her chair against the floor and jumping to her feet. “Really? I really got it?”

  “You really did!” Frieda jumped up with her and the two women hugged. The dogs barked excitedly. A door opened. “What’s all this?”

  Ri let go of Frieda and looked up. Wolf and his brother stood in the doorway, laden with heavy coats, backpacks, and gear. Ri flew into her fiance’s arms, just barely giving him enough time to drop his backpack from his shoulders and catch her. “Whoa!” he laughed. “What’s happened?”

  “I got the assistantship!” she cried. “It’s a free ride!”

  “Oh, Ri!” he exclaimed, hugging her tightly and giving her a spin. “That’s fabulous! Congratulations!”

  The dogs were going wild. Wolf kissed her soundly, then set her down. “Sorry. Just a second.” He greeted Suka and Tog with his usual enthusiastic rubdown, then pulled Ri back into his arms again. “Now, tell me about it.”

  Ri hastily explained.

  “That’s awesome, Ri,” Bear congratulated as he moved both his and Wolf’s stuff out of their way. “Hey, bro, does this mean you’re going to start paying me for flying your ass all over the state?”

  “I already pay you!” Wolf shot back.

  “Yeah, but now I’m thinking of asking for a raise,” Bear replied.

  “Knock it off, you two!” Frieda ordered. “This is Ri’s day to celebrate. Bear, take my keys and go pick up your dad. His truck’s in the shop.”

  Bear pretended a scowl. “I just flew—”

  “Oh, quit your bellyaching,” Frieda
reprimanded. “Didn’t I put out a nice spread for Amanda’s folks last weekend?”

  Bear smiled lazily. “Indeed you did.”

  “Then pick up some brisket too, while I finish this pie and make a salad. And hurry. We’ll all be good and hungry by the time you get back.”

  Bear offered his stepmother a salute, then leaned in and kissed Ri on the cheek. “Good to see you, future sis,” he said cheerfully. “Congratulations. You deserve it.”

  “Thanks, Cub,” Ri returned, smiling back.

  Bear grabbed a set of keys from a peg by the back door and walked out, and Frieda excused herself to go check on her pie.

  Wolf took Ri’s hand and pulled her into the far corner of the family room. Suka and Tog pranced circles around them with every step. “Together again,” Wolf said in a husky whisper, drawing her fully against him. “And alone.”

  Ri laughed. “You call this alone?”

  His beautiful blue eyes gazed into hers. Ri no longer had any doubt that he loved her. And as much as it was possible for anyone to know anything, she was certain now that he always would.

  “Work with me,” he suggested.

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed Maui Winds! In the next book in the Pacific Horizons series, Glacier Blooming, you’ll experience the misty rainforest of Southeast Alaska with Ri’s sister Mei Lin, who is attempting to get her mojo back after a truly terrible time in Texas. (Skip ahead now to read an excerpt.) If this is the first book you’ve read in the Pacific Horizons series, you may want to go back and start at the beginning with Alaskan Dawn. If you’d like to read the entire series at an affordable price (including a special bonus scene for Alaskan Dawn), please check out Edie Claire Collections on my website.