Read Online Alaska Heart by Christine DePetrillo - Free Book Online Page A

agree.”
    “You’ve seen him?”
    “Last night I had dinner at Ram’s Den. After Ram thoroughly entertained me, Dale came in and dazzled me as well.”
    “I’ll bet he was just as dazzled, dear.” Gwen rested her hand on my shoulder. “I’ll leave you to your work.”
    I studied the mug and drew in a deep breath, shaking my head. I took a sip of the tea and let the cinnamon-apple flavor relax me. I returned my attention to the book in my lap. Page after page brought the beauty of Denali to life. As I made my way through the other books, I furiously scribbled notes in my pad, consulted my outline, and composed a few paragraphs for the article. I went back to the shelves several times and lost myself in the facts and photos of magnificent Alaska.
    After two hours of steady reading and notetaking, I took a break and plugged my laptop into the library’s Internet access. I had one message from Evelynne and three from Meg.
    eseaton:
    Hope you arrived safely in Alaska. Send me your opening paragraphs when you have them. By this Friday at the latest. Ciao.
    Just like Evelynne. One minute she’s praising you and letting you have a primo assignment with a possible promotion attached, and the next she’s on your back with the deadlines. Such was magazine life.
    mpetrisi:
    I miss you already, you fart. Can’t believe you’re all the way over in Alaska.
    mpetrisi:
    Went out with Matt last night. Maybe I’m getting carried away, but I think I like him. Maybe it’s his butt I like. Don’t know.
    mpetrisi:
    Are you wearing flannel yet?
    I chuckled over Meg’s last message. I was wearing a flannel shirt. One that Meg wouldn’t be caught dead in. Definitely not a fabric she agreed with. I shot her off a quick reply.
    acormac:
    Am wearing flannel, but think you’ll be more interested in who else I’ve found in flannel. Didn’t go looking for him—not exactly anyway—but ended up finding Iditarod winner. Having dinner with him tonight.
    That ought to have Meg busting at the seams. I logged off and dove back into my research.
    Before I knew it, the fire had long since died, and my watch read 5:00. I’d gotten more done than I’d expected. Still, I wanted to take the books back to the resort with me. Old habit. I never left a library or bookstore empty-handed. Sorting through the pile, I chose a few and returned the rest to the shelves.
    I hauled my bag and the books back toward the circulation desk where Gwen was perched, pencil still in hair. As I approached, I caught sight of that baseball cap again. The one from the corner booth at Ram’s Den. A man was flipping through a magazine, his body facing away from me as it had been last night. The pad and pen lay beside him on a wooden table.
    I placed my books on the desk in front of Gwen and was about to go over to the man when a loud bark echoed outside the library’s front door.
    “Oh!” Gwen jumped from her seat. “Hold on one second, Alanna. I have to let one of our VIP guests in.” She scurried over to the door and pushed it open. Gypsy pranced into the library with the handles of a canvas sack between her teeth. She dropped the bag at my feet by the circulation desk and sat back on her hind legs. Angling her head at me, the dog raised a paw and rested it on my thigh.
    “Did you meet Gypsy the other night too?” Gwen asked.
    “Uh-huh.” I hesitantly reached out to scratch behind the dog’s ear and was delighted when the bright blue eyes narrowed to satisfied slits. When I stopped, Gypsy pushed her nose into my hand until I scratched her again.
    “She remembers you.” Gwen picked up the bag and dumped the returned books out onto the desk. “Smart dog, aren’t you, Gypsy?” She gave the dog a rub before stepping back behind the desk to check out my books.
    “She always return his books for him?” I looked back to the door just in time to see the man in the baseball cap leaving. Missed him again.
    “She does whatever Dale tells her to do. Even does