Christmas on the Last Frontier (Last Frontier Lodge #1) (8 page)

Don’s eyes twinkled. “Well, damn. I wasn’t expecting that. I gotta say, I figured you were up here doing your own thing. I wasn’t so sure you meant to get this place up and running by Christmas.”

Gage nodded firmly. “I’m starting to wonder if I’m crazy, but that’s what I want. I figure I’d better. I told Marley I hoped to have it open by Christmas and now she tells me she’s posted it online.”

Don chuckled before his eyes sobered. “I wasn’t looking for work, but of all the jobs I did, I loved working at the lodge the best. I’d be happy to help out. I’m not as young as I used to be, but I’m not too old either. Your grandfather hired me on when I was a skinny, smartass teenager. Tell me when and I’ll be here. Nothing would make Sandy happier than this place being open again. Not to mention, it’ll give me something to do.”

Gage grinned and stuck his hand out for another shake. “You just made my day. I was about to sit down and go through the list of names I found in Gram’s desk and see if I could figure out if any of her old staff were still around. Having you here to help me figure things out makes me feel like we might be able to pull this off.”

Don shook his hand vigorously. “We’re gonna make it fun.” His eyes sobered and he glanced around. “I can help with getting the lifts up and going and all the outside stuff, but I’m not your guy for the kitchen and reception.”

“Any suggestions on who I can call?”

“I’ll start by asking my daughter. She was tied to her mama’s hip in the kitchen. She might not be up for it, but she can give us some ideas on who would be.”

Gage nodded firmly. “Perfect. Back to you, when do you want to start?”

Don shrugged. “Tell me when you need me. I haven’t worked much since Sandy passed away. Odd jobs here and there, but nothing else.”

“Tomorrow?” Gage asked hopefully.

Don laughed and stood, putting his baseball cap on as he did. “Tomorrow it is.”

Gage walked him outside and gave him a brief tour of the work he’d done already on the exterior. Don left with promises to return tomorrow and assess the condition of the slopes. Gage walked down the driveway after Don left and eyed the sign again. He’d put in entirely new posts yesterday and repainted the lettering on the sign. Last Frontier Lodge was legible now. He turned and looked down the hill toward Marley’s cabin, its bright red roof peeking out through the spruce forest.

The fury he’d tamped down and held in washed over him in a wave. He knew well that life wasn’t fair. He’d learned that lesson time and again. But to think Marley—sweet, sexy, Marley who’d somehow found a way to crawl through his defenses and flash a ray of sunshine inside his battened down heart—had been attacked and robbed. He could hardly stand to think it. He closed his eyes and took a breath—the cold, bracing autumn air rushing through him. He didn’t know how, but he’d find a way to make sure she never got hurt like that again.

Chapter 8

Marley stood up from the couch where she’d been planted for most of the morning, deep into work on one of her app projects. She’d sent it out for beta testing to a few trusted contacts before switching over to post an update on the lodge’s website. Gage had grumbled, but he’d allowed her to take photographs of the repairs he’d finished on the lodge for the purpose of posting them on the blog. She knew they needed to raise the profile of the lodge online, and she hoped using the blog to post cute updates would stir interest. True to his word, Gage was clueless in the online world. She’d been childishly pleased he went along with her plan for the photos. Once she finished posting the photos, she closed her laptop and forced herself to get off the couch. The cabin had a slice of a view of Kachemak Bay through a gap in the trees. The water sparkled in the sun, wind ruffling the surface. She walked to the door at the side of the kitchen and out onto the deck, which wrapped around the cabin.

Autumn was almost gone. She expected it to snow any day now. Every morning, the snow fell lower on the mountains across the bay. Living close to the ski lodge meant living fairly high up in the foothills that encircled Diamond Creek. Downtown Diamond Creek was a descent of over one thousand feet down to sea level. The hills around town could have a foot of snow, while downtown by the ocean may only have a few inches. A bracing wind blew through the trees. She breathed deep, invigorated by the sharp, cold air.

She turned and looked up toward the ski lodge. The buildings were visible above the treetops. In the distance, she saw a man on a ladder resting against the side of the main lodge. Though all she could see was a silhouette, she knew it must be Gage. Her breath caught and her pulse raced. The other night with Gage had taken her to a place she’d never been, and she could hardly stop thinking about him. She hadn’t seen him for two days afterwards by virtue of her mother cajoling her into a trip to Anchorage for shopping. She’d been somewhat relieved because she could barely behave normally around him, and thought perhaps a day or two away would set her head straight and get her hormones under control.

No such luck. Gage had texted and called both days. While his queries had mostly been mundane, he sent her heart wild when he commented that he hoped she wasn’t avoiding him. His voice had become gruff when he said this. Marley had squeezed the phone in her hand and forced herself to keep a straight face with her mother driving in the car beside her. She wasn’t avoiding him, but she also didn’t know what to do with her feelings. He’d blown her mind and body the other night. Any free moment, her mind wandered to thoughts of him. She wanted to ask him what he wanted, but she didn’t quite dare. She was afraid all he wanted was to take advantage of the chemistry that crackled like a livewire between them. It was discombobulating that a tiny corner of her heart wanted something more.

Replaying the moment in her mind, she flushed. Another gust of wind coasted through the trees, cooling her heated skin. With a whirl, Marley turned and went inside, snatching her purse and climbing in her car. An old friend had called her this morning about meeting for lunch. She quickly texted to confirm she was on her way. Beyond wanting to reconnect with friends, she needed something to get her mind off of Gage. She’d never experienced the way she felt with him and didn’t like how out of control it made her feel.

A short drive later, Marley walked into Glacier Pizza, one of her old favorites. The restaurant remained just as she recalled. A brick oven stove sat center stage with an open kitchen surrounding it. A counter with stools encircled the kitchen, and booths lined the walls. The restaurant was decorated almost as an afterthought with photos from locals and tourists adorning the walls. Various license plates from all over the country hung on a back wall.

She glanced around, her eyes landing on her friend, Ginger Sanders. Ginger was one of her oldest friends. They’d grown up together in the small world of Diamond Creek and stayed tight all through college. Marley had missed her dearly the entire time she was in Seattle. Ginger hadn’t noticed her yet and was busy perusing the menu. Marley strode over to the booth and tapped Ginger on the shoulder. Ginger’s head snapped up, and she squealed. With a leap, she stood and hugged Marley tight.

“It’s so good to see you!” Ginger stepped back, brushing her hair out of her face. “I hate that you’ve been here over a month, and I’ve been out of town the whole time. How are you?”

Marley swallowed at the sudden tightness in her throat. No matter how long it was between when they talked, it was as if no time had passed. She felt instantly comfortable. She met Ginger’s blue gaze and tears spilled down her cheeks. Being home for more than a visit was bringing up feelings she hadn’t known she’d buried. A decade away in Seattle, so often feeling a step out of rhythm with everyone there and never quite feeling like she belonged, had forced her to tuck her feelings away. Even when she visited Diamond Creek, she’d had to keep it light, reminding herself why she’d moved away—to make something of herself. Ginger’s bright blue eyes and her ever-present warmth and acceptance were merely one thing she’d missed dearly.

Ginger tugged Marley close again for another hug. When she stepped back this time, her eyes glistened. “Sit down and tell me everything,” she said, waving Marley into the booth.

Marley pulled her jacket off and sat down, tucking her jacket and purse to her side on the seat. She met Ginger’s eyes. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you. I didn’t think it would make me cry though,” she said with a wry smile.

Ginger giggled. “Hey, I’d have missed me that much too.”

Marley grinned and took a sip of the water waiting for her on the table. “So, what training kept you away for a whole month?”

“I was finishing up the advanced portion of my internship, so I can officially call myself a speech therapist. I’m so relieved to finally have it done!”

“I thought you were already a speech therapist. Isn’t that your job, or am I confused?”

Ginger giggled. “Yes and no. I had the degree and one of my two internships done, but to practice independently, I had to finish this. Technically, I have the same job, but now I’ll get paid more.”

Marley grinned and lifted her water in a toast. “Awesome! I’m glad you’re back now. It’s been nice to be home, but it felt funny without you around.”

Ginger rolled her eyes and brushed her hair behind her shoulders. Ginger’s hair was a glossy, rich brown that swung around her shoulders when she moved. With a huff, Ginger eyed Marley. “Try being me without you here for over a decade! You’re my bestie, and I only got to see you a few times a year. Go ahead and give me grief for being gone when you finally decided to move back, but you won’t get any guilt out of me.”

Marley shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel guilty. I just missed you.”

Ginger’s eyes sobered. “No worries. I’m so happy you’re here. Are you doing okay?” Her voice softened as she looked at Marley.

Marley had called Ginger the night of the robbery after the police left. Ginger was the friend she called when she needed to talk. With a breath, Marley met Ginger’s eyes. “I’m okay, just okay. I’m more glad than I can say to finally be home. I’d rather I finally decided to come home for different reasons, but I’m so relieved to be here.”

Ginger’s eyes coasted over her before she nodded firmly. “Okay then. I was all worried I’d need to be ready to convince you to stay here, but I’m not getting that vibe.”

Marley shook her head. “Nope. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I spent the time I did in Seattle. I made tons of connections and learned a lot. But I’m not a city girl. I don’t want to run a big tech company anymore. Trust me, I got a serious reality check on that. I just want to do some programming, keep up my work on app development and hopefully make enough with freelance work. You’re stuck with me now.”

Ginger’s eyes flashed when she grinned, quickly sobering again. “Because you know I’m not one to avoid things, how are you sleeping? Or better yet, are you sleeping?”

Marley had talked to her several times after the robbery, so Ginger knew she’d barely slept for days afterwards. “Much better. It helped a lot just to get the hell out of my old apartment. I also did what you suggested and saw a therapist for a few weeks before I moved. The police gave me a few names. I didn’t know if it would help for such a short time, but she gave me some things to do when my mind starts going in circles. Being back in Diamond Creek at the old cabin has also done wonders for my sleep.”

Ginger chuckled. A waitress approached and took their order. When she left, Ginger absently twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “Okay, so we got that out of the way. What’s this I hear about Last Frontier Lodge reopening? Rumor has it that’s actually happening. Rumor also has it that you’ve been seen on the premises with the new owner who is alleged to be all kinds of sexy.” Ginger tilted her head and arched a brow.

Marley fought her blush and completely failed, which led to Ginger’s mouth dropping open.

“Spill it,” Ginger ordered.

Marley wrestled with her thoughts for a moment and tidied the condiments. Ginger cleared her throat. Marley glanced up to find Ginger’s blue eyes pinned on her, her brow arching even higher.

“Well, I can confirm the rumors. Last Frontier Lodge is reopening, and I’ve been on the premises. The new owner is Gage Hamilton, and he might be pretty damn sexy.”

Ginger squealed. “Awesome! I can’t wait for the lodge to open. Do you remember how much fun we had there when we were kids?”

Marley nodded and started to speak, but Ginger kept going. “Who is Gage Hamilton and how did you meet him? You’re blushing like crazy, so you’d better fill me in on anything else.”

Marley provided a quick summary on Gage’s plans to reopen the lodge. When it came to filling Ginger in on exactly what transpired between her and Gage, she hesitated. She wasn’t purposefully trying to hide anything, but it felt so fresh, so new, and such uncharted territory for her, she wasn’t sure how to talk about it. But she desperately needed someone to talk to.

“Okay, you’re getting weird. What happened?” Ginger asked.

Marley shifted in her seat and fiddled with her fork, rocking it between her fingers. Their waitress arrived with their pizza, offering a brief distraction. After a few bites, Marley looked up to find Ginger waiting expectantly. Ginger knew her so well. They’d watched each other make it through high school crushes and been each other’s long-distance support for any and all relationship matters. Ginger had managed to get married and divorced already, keeping Marley busier on the side of emotional support. Marley, on the other hand, had all but ceased activity on the dating and relationship front once she finished college. She’d buckled down and worked crazy long hours. She’d never felt particularly comfortable in the dating scene, usually feeling awkward and out of place.

If anyone could give her advice, it would be Ginger. Marley took a breath and filled her in. By the time she finished, Ginger’s jaw hung open. Marley crossed and uncrossed her legs and took a bite of pizza to give her something to do.

“You’re telling me you had this crazy, hot night of sex and you only saw him once since then to take pictures of the lodge?” Ginger didn’t even try to keep the incredulity out of her tone.