Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska (20 page)

He glanced slightly right, toward the peaks of the Alaska Range visible in the distance. “Some days you can actually see Mount McKinley.”

She sighed again. “Wow.”

He remembered the time he’d brought Debbie up here on a night when the full moon lit the mountaintops like a spotlight. He’d pointed out a shooting star, told her to make a wish…and she’d responded with, “How do you expect me to see
anything
with those stupid mountains in the way?”

Yeah, Sam was different, all right.

“Maybe we’ll bring your brother Bill up here, introduce him to Forever.”

She shook her head.

Before he could ask why, she shrugged. “I’d just hate to stand there, looking out at that magnificent vista, beside somebody who might not get it, y’know?”

The corny line from some old black and white movie pinged in his memory, and it took all the willpower he could muster to keep from asking her where she’d been all his life.

Bill had decided not to rent a car after all, thinking he might get more out of the visit if he hiked, like Sam did, through town. He’d grown a strange little beard, and Sam did her best to pretend she liked it as much as he did. She generally disliked facial hair, with one rare exception in Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. Sam grinned at the comparison, because with the scruffy fuzz on his chin, Bill could have passed for Johnny’s brother.

“Do you mind if we head into town,” she asked as he loaded his bag into the back of Olive’s car, “so I can shop for some wheels of my own?”

“Not at all. I think it’s quite wise, little sister, to get some advice from a car guy.”

She handed him the keys to the Jeep. “Better get used to it,” Sam told him, “because you’ll be drivin’ it home.”

He climbed in behind the wheel, and as he adjusted the seat and mirrors, said, “You’re calling it ‘home’ already?” Bill chuckled. “Mom’s not gonna be happy to hear that….”

“Then don’t tell her.” And regretting her terse tone, Sam grinned. “It’s so great to see you.”

“You, too, sissy.”

No one on earth was allowed to call her that except Bill. “So how is everybody?”

“Fine, fine. Except that they miss you, of course.”

“Good.”

He gave her a quizzical look.

“Maybe that’ll inspire them to come see me and get a taste of this amazing place for themselves. Those pictures I’ve emailed just don’t do it justice.” Sam pointed. “Take this exit and head north.”

“Do you already know what kind of car you want?”

“I haven’t the foggiest notion.” Sam laughed. “Surprised?”

“Only that you’ve gone this long without one.”

“Well, like I told you on the phone, North Pole is a great little town. Everything is just a short walk. But that won’t be nearly as much fun once the cold weather sets in. Besides, Olive will want her car back when she gets home from her honeymoon.”

“So you plan to sit out the winter here, do you?”

“Of course.” She looked at him, hoping to discern his attitude about that. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“You’re as cold-blooded as an amphibian, for starters.”

“Comedian.”

“Well, it’s true. I’ll bet you say ‘I’m freezing!’ ten thousand times between October and April. And it’s nowhere near as cold in Maryland as it is in Alaska.”

Since she couldn’t argue with that, Sam said, “We have furnaces here, too, y’know. And fireplaces, and wood stoves and—”

“
We
?” Bill shook his head. “Hoo boy, Mom really
isn’t
gonna be happy, is she?”

Sam winced. “I wish you’d quit saying that.”

“Sorry. Guess it’s true what they say.”

“What?”

“The truth hurts.”

On the heels of a deep breath, she asked, “Is that why you’re here? To talk me into going back to Baltimore?”

Bill gave her shoulder a gentle brotherly punch. “No, I’m not here to drag you back to Baltimore.” And shaking his head, he added, “I’ve been in Alaska—what, twenty minutes?—and already I can tell that’d be near impossible.”

“So you admit you guys were wrong, then?”

“When we said you’d never last out here, you mean?”

Sam nodded.

“Maybe we should wait until you’ve survived your first winter to point fingers.
If
you survive your first winter.”

“Silly me. I thought you’d be on my side.”

“This isn’t about ‘sides,’ Sam.”

“I suppose not.”

He gave her arm a playful jab. “Be fair. Would you have stood up to them if the shoe was on the other foot?”

He’d made an excellent point. Her brothers almost always formed a united front, and to disagree with one of them was tantamount to disagreeing with all of them, which amounted to an invitation to full-out verbal warfare. “Not on your life,” she admitted, returning the gentle arm punch as they spotted a car dealership just inside the Fairbanks city limits.

Within minutes, Sam had spotted the perfect vehicle.

“Won’t your friend think you’re a copycat?” Bill asked as she inspected the Jeep.

“Olive’s is maroon, and this one’s red.” But even as she said it, Sam knew that a degree or two in shade variation was nil in a guy’s mind. “And hers is an older model,” she added.

It took less than an hour to cut the deal that made the SUV her very own. “Let’s celebrate,” she said as they waited for the salesman to drive the car around front. “I’ll buy you lunch at the best eatery in North Pole.”

“Let me guess…the restaurant that gave your job to some wet-behind-the-ears teenager?”

“No way.” She laughed. “Though it might be fun to introduce you to the guy who owns the place, watch him squirm when I introduce him to my overprotective big brother…”

“Oh fine. Get me beat up on my first day in Alaska….”

She dangled the keys to her new car in front of his face. “Just follow me. And don’t worry. If anybody in town picks on you, I’ll take care of ’em.” Sam shook a fist in the air and laughed again.

In no time, it seemed, she found herself sitting across from her brother at a table at Dalman’s, ordering coffee and burgers with fries.

The waitress delivered squatty glasses of water. “So who’s this handsome fella?” Cora asked.

Sam didn’t fail to notice that although the question was for her, Cora’s eyes never left Bill’s face. “My brother Bill,” Sam said, “who’s visiting from Maryland.”

“Love the beard,” Cora said, winking.

Sam couldn’t wait to get him alone, so she could tease him for blushing like a schoolgirl.

“Back in a jiffy,
Bill
.” Cora wiggled her eyebrows and gave a flirty little wave as she walked away.

“What’s up with
that
?” he asked when she was out of earshot.

“What?”

He hadn’t taken his eyes off Cora. “I thought men outnumbered women three to one in Alaska.”

“So?”

“So with all those guys to choose from, why’s a girl like that flirting with
me
?”

“Oh, I dunno…maybe because you’re one of the best-looking guys in the restaurant?”

“Maybe I need to call the school,” he said, laughing, “see if the principal will let me come back to work a few weeks late. Or not at all.”

“I’d love that, but I don’t think Susan would.”

Bill’s expression darkened. “Susan is one of the reasons I needed to get away.” Eyes downcast, he fiddled with the napkin holder. “I saw her with a guy. She said he was just a friend, but I know better.”

“How?”

Brows furrowed, he met her eyes. “Friends don’t kiss like that, that’s how.”

Sam stopped his fidgeting by wrapping her hands around his. “Aw, Billy, I’m sorry.”

“No biggie,” he said, plucking a napkin from the holder. “It was only a matter of time.” And shrugging, he added, “Guess I wasn’t the guy of her dreams.”

Bill laughed good-naturedly, but Sam wasn’t buying his upbeat attitude. Not for a minute, because he’d taken each of his three long-term relationships seriously. More seriously than his girlfriends had, and it had cost him, every time. “Have you told the family?”

“Do you see ‘Idiot’ stamped on my forehead?”

“Been there, done that,” she said. “No way I’d want a repeat of their advice.”

“If you wanna call it
advice
.”

Their quiet laughter was interrupted by a deep voice. “Well, well, what have we here?”

Sam hoped her annoyance wasn’t visible. “Dan. How have you been?”

“Good, good.” He studied her face, then said, “Gonna introduce me to your new beau?”

Brother and sister shared a chuckle before Sam said, “Bill, meet Dan Brooks, the guy who fired me before I had a chance to show up for work in his hotel restaurant. Dan, my big brother, Bill.” She grinned and added, “The prize fighter.”

Dan’s brows rose high on his forehead and the hand he’d extended in greeting froze in mid-air.

“My sister, the kidder.” Bill shook Dan’s hand. “Some might call what I do for a living ‘fighting,’ but I call it ‘teaching.’ ” And after a hearty handshake, he went back to pressing accordion pleats into the paper napkin.

Cora showed up with their meals. “You wanna give a girl some room, Danny boy?” she said, frowning as she moved him aside with a well-placed hip bump. Flashing a bright smile at Bill, she added, “Some guys think ’cause they have a few bucks in the bank, they own the world.”

“Spoken like the proverbial woman scorned,” Dan countered.

The waitress dispensed the food and laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Looks to me like the good Lord was watchin’ out for you the day this guy gave your job to his nephew.”

As much as Sam agreed, she had no intention of getting involved in whatever dispute had inspired the angry interaction between Dan and Cora.

“Women,” Dan said, grinning. “Can’t live with ’em…and can’t live with ’em.” Then, “Good to meet you, Bill. And good to see you again, Sam. Say hey to Bryce for me.”

“Looks like North Pole has all the relationship drama of the big city,” Bill teased once Dan had left. “So how
is
Bryce?”

She felt the heat of a blush creep into her cheeks and hoped Bill was too busy putting catsup and mustard onto his burger to notice. “Fine.”

“You always were a terrible liar.”

“What!”

“Oh, give me a break, Miss Starry Eyes. If you like the guy, why deny it?”

“I’m not denying it. Or admitting it. I don’t know what I feel about him, if you want the truth.”

“Tell me about him.”

If he was bored during her recitation of Bryce’s finer qualities, Bill didn’t let it show. Then, realizing how she must have sounded, going on and on about Bryce, Sam changed the subject. “I wish you could stay a month, so you could see the Yukon Quest sled dog race. I hear it’s ten times more grueling than the Iditarod.”

“Find me a job, and maybe I’ll stay.”

Sam remembered that before she left Baltimore, Susan had applied for a teaching job at Bill’s school. If the principal had hired her, it was no wonder Bill had lost his enthusiasm for work.

“So how are things at that Christmas shop of yours?” he asked.

Sam blinked, uncertain what to make of the abrupt turn in the conversation. “I’ve accomplished a lot, but there’s still more to be done.”

“I think Cora hit the old nail on the head.”

“When…”.

“When she said the good Lord knew what He was doing, putting you in charge of Rudolph’s instead of running Dan Brooks’ restaurant. I haven’t seen your eyes light up this way about anything in years.”

She opened her mouth to ask “you think so?” when he added, “…except when you’re talking about your boss, that is.” And using a french fry as a pointer, Bill said, “And unless he wants a serious butt-kicking, he’d better treat you right.”

“Love you, too, Billy.”

“So when do I get to meet this marine of yours?”

“He’s not
mine
,” she reminded him. Then, “I’m making your favorite for supper—”

“Lasagna?” He rubbed his palms together. “I haven’t had any decent Italian food since before you steered that big ugly RV west.” He popped a fry into his mouth. “Is your, ah,
boss
going to join us?”

Sam shrugged. “He’s invited. Hard to tell whether or not he’ll show up.” And giving in to impulse, she reached across the table and grabbed his hands. “You’ll like him. You two have a lot in common…but I’ll let you figure that out tonight.”

“If he shows up, y’mean.” Bill sat back. “I have to admit, kiddo…Alaska—or somebody who lives here—becomes you.”