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Chapter One
Tish
I rested my elbows on the railing, letting my gaze arc over the river below. The water seemed almost ethereal, impossibly blue water fed by a melting glacier. I slowly inhaled, savoring the crisp, cool air. I could’ve sworn the air here was fresher than any air I’d ever breathed in my life.
It felt as if I was in the middle of nowhere with mountains towering in the distance. I could almost forget about the narrow two-lane highway behind me. Considering that I’d been born and raised in a city, it really did feel rather nowhere-ish. Alaska, the land of fresh starts, at least for me.
I was the only person at this little viewing rest stop. The railing was tall, higher than my waist. Glancing down, it was obvious why. Below was a rocky cliff that angled almost straight down to the edge of the river. Part of me wanted to strip off my clothes and dive into the water below.
Holding my arms wide, I twirled in a half-circle and let out a joyous greeting. The sound of my voice echoed back to me. “Hello-hello-hello-o-o-o-o!”
“Hello,” a man’s voice came from behind me.
I shrieked and spun around. Standing before me was a man so handsome and rugged, it was as if Alaska had delivered him up to me on a platter. He had rumpled, dark blond hair with flickers of gold in it that glimmered under the bright sunlight from above. His eyes were silvery-gray. Tall with broad shoulders, he wore a faded navy-blue T-shirt that clung lovingly to his muscled chest, paired with well-worn black jeans and black leather boots.
“I didn’t see you here!” I yelped.
“I gathered,” he said dryly. “It’s worth saying hello to the world here. I’ve done it myself.” His lips kicked up in a half grin that sent my belly tumbling into a spin.
I wasn’t sure why, but there was something a little familiar about this man. I mentally thumbed through my recollections, wondering if I’d met him somewhere before. That made no sense though. I was in the middle of almost-nowhere Alaska, and it was the first time I’d ever been here.
When my eyes shifted toward the truck that must’ve pulled up while I was staring at the river and the mountains, I noticed that he had Alaska license plates, so he had to be local.
I didn’t get a bad feeling, but I sure hoped he was safe. I didn’t know what I would do if he wasn’t. I’d already discovered cell phone reception was seriously spotty in Alaska.
I managed to smile back at him, feeling my cheeks heat as he took a few steps closer. He approached me almost as if he were aware that maybe I was feeling cautious.
“Have you ever been to Alaska?” he asked.
I noticed his eyes flick toward my vehicle, the trusty little SUV I’d had for years. I gestured toward it. “As you can see, I’m from Washington. Seattle, to be specific.” Abruptly, I realized I was giving personal information to a complete stranger. My hand flew to my mouth.
“I promise I’m safe.” He held both hands up in mock surrender. As he let them fall, he added, “Although, with the world we live in, you probably shouldn’t believe me.”
I shrugged. “Well, there’s not much I can do if you’re not a nice person. Since you’re from Alaska, tell me, am I going to be glad I’m moving here?”
This man, whose name I didn’t even know yet, smiled slowly. My belly did a full-on tumbling routine, complete with an internal cheer at the end. “Alaska is amazing.”
Tingles raced over my skin. “That’s good to hear.”
I realized I was just smiling at him like a foolish girl. I didn’t even have anything else to say because my brain couldn’t even seem to fire off a complete thought, much less have a casual conversation like a normal person.
The moment of quiet was broken by a piercing call in the air. I didn’t recognize the sound and glanced around. “Eagle,” the man said.
He pointed, and I followed the direction of his hand to see a large bird cutting through the sky, maybe twenty feet away. Unbothered by our presence, the bird landed on a tree nearby, carefully tucking its massive wings in place before turning and pinning us with its intense gaze.
My breath hitched in my throat and I pressed my palm to my chest as I looked back at the man. “Wow,” I breathed.
Another smile unfurled slowly across his face and heat spun through me, sending tiny sparks scattering everywhere. “Wow is right,” he said.
His voice was a little low and rumbly. It made me feel funny inside. As I stood there, staring at this stranger, I experienced a startling kinship with him. It was an easy connection, one where it felt like we understood each other even though I didn’t even know his name.
I started to feel a little lightheaded, the heat from those scattered sparks cooling rapidly. I could feel the plummeting drop of my blood pressure. “Oh, no,” I muttered. I knew what was coming.
I heard his voice from a distance. “Are you okay?”
Chapter Two
Griffin
