Northern Fascination (5 page)

“Oh, really? Then what would it make me, considering we never exchanged more than a couple of words in high school?”

How well she remembered those words. “Misguided, for sure, since you turned down the opportunity to escort me to Homecoming.” It felt good to say that. The wind gusted down the street and she resumed walking, this time in the opposite direction. She was cold and she had on suitable clothing, but still, the wind cut through her coat. He must be freezing. Even annoyed with him, she couldn’t help but feel concerned. They needed to get inside soon. “Oh…just never mind. But we’re going to do some damage control right now.”

“How’s that?”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him out into the street, toward the bed and breakfast. “Before I introduce you to anyone, we’re going to find Merrilee and set the record straight. It’s already too late but the sooner we nip this in the bud, the better.”

“By all means, if that’ll make you happy.” Snow frosted his hair and she wanted to reach up and sweep it off. She shoved her hand in her pocket instead.

Ridiculously, what would make her happy was if he said he’d come all this stinking way to see her, but that wasn’t happening. “Happy’s a stretch, but it’ll do for now.”

They walked in the front door of the bed and breakfast, Jenna closing the door behind them. Merrilee and Bull, in the airstrip office that was the back half of the building, looked up.

“Hey, Jenna,” Bull said, enveloping her in a quick bear hug. Ever since she’d made the decision to stay last year, Bull and Merrilee had kind of adopted her. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have plenty of parents but it was nice to have a pair that weren’t marrying and divorcing almost as frequently as they changed their underwear. “So, this is your friend, Logan? Nice to meet you.”

“Pleased to meet you, as well.”

While Bull shook his hand, Jenna shot Logan an I-told-you-so look. “Logan needs to talk to you guys,” Jenna said.

Bull and Merrilee exchanged their own look. “Sure thing,” Merrilee said. She peered closer at Jenna, “Are you upset, honey? In the year I’ve known you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you angry. Not even when you found out what a bottom-feeder Tad was.”

Jenna forced a smile. “No. Logan just needs to set the record straight.” She might’ve dragged him over here but she’d let him tell Merrilee—that was, after all, why he was here.

That earned her another questioning look from both Bull and Merrilee.

“Okeydokey, then. Why don’t we sit over here?” Merrilee said moving to the sitting area in front of the television. Dwight had apparently left for the day, since both rockers near the woodstove sat empty.

Jenna peeled out of her coat, gloves, hat and scarf. The pot bellied stove kept the room nice and toasty.

“How about a cup of coffee first?” Jenna asked Logan. “You could probably use something to warm you up.”

“Sure, but I’ll get it.” Logan moved toward the coffeepot. He was obviously a man comfortable with being in charge. He glanced back over his shoulder. “Anyone else?”

Everyone declined. Merrilee and Bull settled in the armchairs, which left Jenna to share the love seat with Logan. Jenna sat and traced the flower pattern on the brocade fabric of the loveseat’s arm with her fingertip. She was pretty sure it was a peony.

Merrilee talked while Logan poured. “So, have you had a chance to see much of the town?”

Behind her, Jenna heard Logan’s shoes sound on the wood floor until he got to the braided rug that defined the seating area.

“Only what I saw on the way to Jenna’s and back here.”

Jenna wasn’t surprised that Bull sat silently, merely observing. He was a man of few words, which was just as well considering Merrilee was a woman of many. Bull didn’t talk a lot, but when he did, people listened.

Logan sat next to Jenna, the cushions shifting with his weight. He was close enough that she could smell his aftershave and a primal longing swept through her. He sat farther on the cushion’s edge, leaning forward, his forearms braced on his spread knees, holding the coffee cup between them. She noticed his hands were broad. Once again her pulse raced at his nearness, even though she was thoroughly, and as Merrilee had pointed out, very uncharacteristically, put out with him.

“I appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me,” Logan said. “I do know Jenna from back home. We went to high school together and it’s great to see her again. But reconnecting with her…” Was that what they were doing, reconnecting? “…is just a side benefit to my trip.” Jenna hoped she managed not to wince because it stung to hear herself referred to as a side benefit, although anything more would’ve just been foolishness she supposed. She didn’t miss Merrilee’s glance her way. “I’m with Jeffries Mining Consolidated—”

A look passed between Merrilee and Bull before she cut Logan off. “You’re here about the gold?” A faint frown creased her brow. “I could’ve sworn…” she said under her breath, as if musing aloud. She shook her head and put on a smile. “So, what can we do for you?”

His face, turned toward Merrilee, offered Jenna a side view of the faint frown that wrinkled his forehead. “You are obviously aware of the gold.”

Merrilee’s laugh wasn’t unkind. “Of course we are.” She smiled, shaking her head. “We’re not rubes, you know. Billy Sisnuket, he’s the local shaman, told me all about it when I decided to build a town here.”

“He told you about it twenty years ago?”

“Sure did. We are sitting smack dab on top of a gold mine. Isn’t that cool?”

Jenna noticed Logan hadn’t touched the coffee at all, he’d simply held the mug cupped in his hands. He must’ve been freezing. It was also impossible not to notice how his hair teased at the back of his collar and the width of his shoulders.

“We do think it’s pretty cool, which is why we’d like to buy the town.” A smile curved Logan’s mouth, or at least the half she could see. “Of course, we’ll want to keep the airstrip and the restaurant.” Jenna listened as he outlined meeting with property and business owners individually to work out details. He finished up his spiel and sat looking expectantly at Merrilee.

“Okay,” she said, her hands folded in her lap.

“I believe your charter doesn’t specify who can and can’t sell property.”

Jenna, along with everyone else in the room, knew that if he’d come to make an offer, he knew good and well what was and wasn’t specified in that charter. It was a matter of public record and his company would’ve thoroughly researched it.

“No. I left where I was because I didn’t want anyone telling me what I could or couldn’t do. That’s the way I set my town up.”

Jenna smiled. Tad had no idea what he’d set in motion.

“I figured the whole ‘do unto others’ business was applicable,” Merrilee continued. “We’re set up as individuals but we do vote as a town on what kind of business is set up.”

Yep, Jenna’s spa had to be voted on by everyone and she’d been happier than a clam when it passed. She didn’t think she’d realized just how much she wanted it until just before it had been approved. Sometimes it was scary to allow yourself to want something so much, she thought, glancing at Logan.

“Considering how popular brothels were at one time in these parts, we thought a town vote was important, although there’s nothing wrong with a woman making a living if that’s how she chooses to do it.” She winked at Logan.

Logan smiled and leaned back, as if to show how relaxed and comfortable he was with the conversation. But Jenna could literally feel the tension inside him. “Everyone here will be able to retire in comfort after this,” he said.

“Is that a fact? I’m sure that might appeal to folks in other parts. But I have to tell you, Mr. Jeffries, we’ve discussed the possibility and we’re not selling.” The subject had come up at a town meeting and the decision had been unanimous.

“I think once you take a look at the proposal, you’ll reconsider. It’s very generous.” He raised his cup to his lips and sipped. “Good coffee, by the way.”

Merrilee nodded. “It comes off of a little ole island in the Hawaiian archipelago. I grind it fresh every day.”

“Delicious.” Jenna wanted to snicker at Logan’s faintly bemused expression. Obviously, he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “As far as the airstrip and restaurant, we’d like to buy it from you then hire you and your husband to run it. That’s a real win-win situation,” he continued, as if he couldn’t believe Merrilee’s words.

Merrilee waved her hand in the air. “I haven’t time to discuss it now. I’ve got to get back to work.” She stood and Bull followed suit, leaving Logan no choice but to stand as well.

“I understand,” he said. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an electronic gadget. “When would be a good time for us to schedule an appointment?”

“Don’t you worry about an appointment. I’m always either here or there. You go out and acquaint yourself with everyone. Bull brought over a coat for you to borrow until your luggage arrives. You can’t be running around out there like that.” She patted him on the arm. “We don’t want you getting sick.”

Bull nodded toward the wall behind Merrilee’s desk. “It’s the brown jacket with the plaid lining hanging over there.”

“Thanks. I appreciate the loaner.”

“Anytime.”

“Do you feel better?” Logan said, turning to Jenna while Merrilee and Bull crossed the room. “Are you still upset or are you okay to show me around?”

Jenna wasn’t exactly sure how she felt. She needed a little time when he wasn’t sitting right next to her to sort it out. She did know, however, that she didn’t want to get up and walk away from him.

“Yes, I’ll show you around. We’ll check out the spa—”

“Which I’m fully prepared to buy.”

She merely smiled and continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “—another time. You might’ve eaten but I’m starving and there are always people to talk to at Gus’s.”

“Gus’s sounds like an excellent place to start.”

That’s what Jenna thought, too. Logan was about to discover some things weren’t for sale.

N
ELSON LOCKED THE CLINIC
door behind him, stepping out into the enveloping darkness. He glanced in the direction of Gus’s. He should go down and check out Jenna’s friend. He’d also find some of the crew, Skye and Dalton, Clint and Tessa, Sven, Bull’s nephew, Dirk, who’d arrived a month ago, and Teddy gathered for dinner and conversation. Or if they weren’t there, they would be soon.

Instead, he turned away from where the light spilled out of Gus’s, illuminating the white snow blanketing the ground. He needed to talk, but he didn’t feel social. He would meet Jenna’s friend tomorrow.

Besides, none of them would understand his dilemma, not even Jenna. She’d listen and she’d sympathize but she wouldn’t truly get it. And he couldn’t talk to anyone in his clan, it was too risky. He was tempted to confide in his cousin, Clint, but Clint wouldn’t truly understand, either. Being half white and half native, Clint possessed a measure of freedom Nelson would never know.

He’d never felt so alone, so out of sync with himself. The crunch of icy snow beneath his feet seemed to echo in the evening’s silence. In the distance a wolf howled. There was no answering howl. The wolf stood alone as well.

Nelson opened the door and climbed into his truck. Cranking it, he sat and waited for the engine to heat while he considered his next move. He did not want to go home to face the four walls of his cabin that seemed to hold no answers for him. So where was he to go?

Once his engine warmed, he started driving away from town, in the opposite direction of his village which lay beyond Good Riddance. He’d go to Mirror Lake, the thermal lake that never froze and was a year-round haven for the mighty eagle. Clint had received his message at Eagle Lake. The raven had brought its message to Nelson but many questions remained. Perhaps Nelson, too, would find clarity there tonight.

L
OGAN WATCHED THE REST OF
the room watch him and Jenna as she led him to a large empty table on the far side of the restaurant. There was certainly nothing subtle about the residents of Good Riddance.

“People will start showing up soon. We’ll sit here so you can see everyone as they come in,” Jenna said. She nodded in the direction of the farthermost pool table. “Rooster McFie’s always looking for someone to take on in a game of pool. I’ll hold the table if you want to play.”

It wasn’t hard to see how the man had come by the name of Rooster with his shock of red hair, squinty eyes and bright red beard. “I’ll pass.”

“Joey and Jack wouldn’t mind starting a fresh game of darts if you’d rather do that,” she said.

“Really, I’m fine. All I want is to have a drink and take a look around.”
And sit across from you.
He didn’t add that bit but it was the truth. Jenna was like a magnet, pulling him closer, and the hell of it was, he didn’t know why. Sure, she was pretty, but there were a lot of beautiful women in the world. But there had always been something about Jenna that had set her apart.

“Okay, then,” she said with a slight shrug.

The waitress who’d served him at lunch, Teddy, came over to their table. “What can I get for you?” she asked with an easy smile and a knowing look at him and Jenna. Her glance, however, settled on him.

“Scotch. Neat, if you will.”

“Sure thing.” She turned to Jenna. “The regular?”

“That’d be great. Teddy, this is Logan Jeffries. Logan, Teddy Monroe. Teddy’s moving to New York in a few months to pursue an acting career.”

See, right there, one dream funded, Logan thought. The waitress would have more than enough money to live in the Big Apple for a while. “Congratulations. New York will be quite a change.” And that qualified as the understatement of the year.

“No kidding. But I’m more than ready for it.” She eyed the two of them once again. “We’re glad to have you here. I hear you’re a friend of Jenna’s.”

Jenna was right. The news had made it all over the one-street town already. “I am. We went to high school together but—”

Jenna cut him off with a smile. “Logan’s here to buy the town.”

“Right,” Teddy said, her look proclaiming she didn’t believe it.

He opened his mouth to speak but once again, Jenna beat him to the punch.

“His family owns a mining company.”

“Oh, yeah? Ah.” Teddy snapped her fingers. “It must be the gold. All right, then. I’ll be right back with your drinks.” She turned on her heel.

“Hey, can I have some pretzels, too?” Jenna said.

He was used to people asking his advice and direction. He was not, however, used to being talked around as if he was invisible. Or worse, having someone speak for him as if he was incapable of stringing a sentence together. Nonetheless, he held his tongue and let the ladies chat. Soon enough Teddy would be quizzing him about the particulars of the buyout.

“What about carbs?” Teddy said, quizzing Jenna about the choice of snack instead.

“I’ll work it off in Zumba. I’m starving.”

“True enough. Be right back.”

That was it?

First, Merrilee Swenson had played him like a Stradivarius. Obviously she was positioning herself as not being interested in order to secure top dollar. Apparently her strategy was to make him wait, even before he threw the initial offer out on the table. And now this waitress was taking the same tact. It stood to reason, she wasn’t rolling in cash if she was waitressing. And she was about to move to one of the most expensive cities in the world, yet she’d totally blown him off. Obviously the entire town was in on the conspiracy. No worries, he had plenty of time and the company had plenty of money.

In the meantime, what the hell was Zumba? He quirked an eyebrow at Jenna. “Zumba?”

Jenna laughed. “It’s a cardio-dance workout set to Latin music. We all get together a couple times a week at the community center and exercise. I guess you could call it our fitness club.”

A few moments later, Teddy came back with their drinks. “Here you are. One Scotch neat and a side of water, just in case.”

“Thanks.”

“Pretzels,” she said, depositing a basket between them, “and one white-wine spritzer.”

Jenna snagged one of the pretzels. “Thanks. I was just explaining Zumba to Logan.”

Teddy turned to him. “Oh, you should come. It’s so much fun! It doesn’t matter whether you get all the steps or not.”

“I don’t—”

“Really, you should at least try it,” Teddy interjected. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever complete a sentence again. “We have some guys that come regularly. Petey—”

“He’s a prospector and Donna’s boyfriend,” Jenna added. “You met Donna on your way into Curl’s.”

“Tall?” Maybe if he limited himself to one word, he could get it all out.

“Right.” Teddy nodded, grabbing the conversational reins again. “Anyway, you’d never guess it but Petey can flat out bust a move.”

“I’m not much of a dancer,” Logan said. He didn’t think it came with the Jeffries genetic packaging.

“You might be and just don’t know it. Jenna’s a good teacher.”

“Ah, you’re the instructor?” Even if he were aiming to
bust a move
with Jenna, it wouldn’t be in a community center with a roomful of people and Latin music blaring.

“More like the leader. I just stand in front of the class and give everyone someone to follow.”

“Don’t let her fool you. She’s good. You should see her salsa and cha-cha.”

Another one of those blushes climbed Jenna’s neck and face and Logan couldn’t help but tease her. “Well, maybe I’ll have to stop by to check it out, strictly as an observer.”

She laughed, shaking her head, a challenging look in her eye. “You show up, you’ve got to participate.”

Not even to seal the town deal.
He grinned. “Fortunately for my two left feet, I left my cha-cha shoes at home.”

From across the room, a man called out, “Hey, Teddy, I’m parched over here.”

“Hold your horses, Jack. I’m coming.” Laughing, Teddy turned. “I’ll check back with you guys in a few.”

Logan realized with a start he’d been having fun. Chasing on the heels of that nugget of insight came the thought that he’d nearly forgotten what fun was actually like. It wasn’t part of his daily routine. He wasn’t sure if it had ever been.

He raised his glass in Jenna’s direction in a mini-toast and she did the same. His gaze held hers for a fraction longer than he’d intended and the laughter in her eyes became something totally different, a wariness combined with attraction.

“Hey, sweetie,” a big man with an equally big voice said, shattering the moment. Pulling out one of the empty chairs at their table, he made himself at home. “Sorry to interrupt.” The blond giant’s expression wasn’t in the least contrite. “But we need to talk about what we’re going to do in your bedroom.”

Logan was pretty damn sure the guy was her builder, or else he was just into the tool-belt look. Still, there was something about the bear of a man that left Logan itching to knock the smug expression right off his face.

Jenna laughed, rolling her eyes. “Sure, Sven.” The Nordic name fit perfectly. Sven looked like the proverbial Viking minus the horned helmet and armor. “I want you to meet a classmate from back home, Logan Jeffries. Logan, Sven Sorenson, the most awesome builder in these parts. He’s doing a great job on my place.”

Ah. Okay. That
was
the connection. Logan hadn’t forgotten for a second that Jenna had told him earlier that there was no man in her life. Although he still found that difficult to believe.

“You must’ve just gotten in today,” Sven said as they shook hands across the table. Logan noticed the other guy’s easy smile didn’t falter.

“This afternoon.”

The other man nodded. “That explains a lot. Now I know why Jenna wouldn’t even give us locals a fighting chance. And now I know why Ms. Diligent here didn’t bop down to check on her new digs this afternoon.”

So Jenna had kept all the men at arm’s length? Interesting. He’d bet top dollar they’d been lined up from here to Anchorage. And now this Sven thought Logan was the reason she’d kept to herself? Logan noticed she avoided even glancing his way, keeping her attention focused on Sven.

“Don’t be silly,” she said.

“Uh-huh.” Sven looked from Jenna to Logan and then back to Jenna. “I see the way the lay of the land.”

“Maybe I wasn’t interested in you because you’re obnoxious,” she said to her builder, who was obviously a friend as well as a business associate.

Sven looked at Logan. “And here I thought that was part of my charm. Damn if I can figure women out.”

“I hear you,” Logan said. The one across from him in particular. He revised his initial impression. Sven was okay.

Jenna rolled her eyes at the two of them. “Seriously, Sven, Logan’s here because he wants to buy the town.”

“Cool.” Sven eyed him appraisingly and beneath the good-humored facade Logan glimpsed the business man. “You must have some deep pockets there.” Finally. “Do you want the spa finished if you’re buying the town?”

Before Logan could answer Jenna jumped in. “See? He’s obnoxious, just like I said. He doesn’t even live here.”

Sven looked at Logan, held up his hands and shrugged. “Yet.”

Damn. He was the one person who’d shown any enthusiasm and the guy wasn’t even a citizen.

“What’s the problem with my bedroom?” Jenna said, sipping her drink.

Logan settled back in his chair while she and Sven discussed the construction snafu. Funny, he’d always been attracted to Jenna in high school but he had to admit, he’d also pegged her as something of an airhead. But now listening to her discuss the construction with Sven, Logan saw a competent business woman. It made him want to know more about her and what made her tick.

And that was all well and good. Just as Rome hadn’t been built in a day, Good Riddance wasn’t going to be bought out in one, or even two. He was going to have plenty of time to get to the bottom of his fascination for this woman before he wrapped up his business and headed home.

E
LLIE
L
IGHTFOOT HEARD THE
engine’s hum in the distance. Surely no one else was coming out to Mirror Lake tonight. She glanced over her shoulder. A faint glow on the other side of the rise signaled headlights. Clearly someone
was
about to interrupt her solitude.

She considered getting out of the water but the warmth felt heavenly and she hadn’t gotten her full swim in yet. She loved the juxtaposition between the warm water and the crisp cold of the fall evening air. A quarter moon sliced the star-littered sky.

Her tent was pitched on the other side of a boulder so it wouldn’t be visible to whoever was coming and she’d just stay close to the lake’s edge and tread water. Hopefully the intruder wouldn’t stay long. In all the years she’d been coming to Mirror Lake for her winter swims, no one else had ever shown up. Still, she didn’t feel any sense of threat

The engine died and a door slammed. Chugach, her malamute, raised his head. “It’s okay, boy,” Ellie said in a quiet undertone to the dog. Whoever it was came alone. Damn. Her jeep. Her visitor would’ve parked close to it and would know someone was here.

The instant he topped the rise leading to the lake, Ellie recognized Nelson Sisnuket. Ellie’s breath caught in her throat, the way it did every time she saw Nelson. She had dated his cousin, Clint, for a period of time because both Clint’s grandmother and her parents had pushed the relationship. However, it was Nelson who caught her eye. She’d admired him since she’d returned from getting her teaching degree at University of Alaska.

Nelson, however, didn’t seem to realize she existed. To him, she was just another member of a neighboring clan. And now it didn’t matter because she was Clint’s former girlfriend. Their clans would take a dim view of her seeing Nelson, who had to be above reproach. As a shaman-in-training, he was held to a higher standard.

“Ellie?” Nelson called into the night. No doubt he’d recognized her vehicle.

“Over here.”