Read Online Melting His Alaskan Heart by Rebecca Thomas - Free Book Online Page B

day.”
    “What time will I be meeting with Dane?”
    “I haven’t told him yet.”
    “He doesn’t know I’m coming?”
    “Nope.”
    “But how do you know he’ll speak with me?”
    “Because he owes me.”
----
    F LYING OVER G OLD C REEK , Carly had imagined it bigger. Gold Creek didn’t even have a stoplight. In fact, they only had one road going through the middle. The Forrester Lodge stood a little outside of town next to the frozen lake. They landed at two in the afternoon just before the sun set for the day. Ethan wasn’t talking. He introduced her to Travis on the runway in Anchorage, then stared out the window during their entire flight.
    Travis eased her nerves about flying in a small plane and pointed out the sights along the way. They passed over the Chugach Mountains and now had a beautiful view of the Brooks Range. They taxied to a stop and Travis shut down the engine. “The Aurora forecast is good for tonight. And with clear skies, we should be good. We’ll head to the hot springs and watch the Northern Lights from there.”
    “Hot springs? I didn’t know you had a hot springs.”
    “Didn’t Ethan tell you to bring your swimsuit?” Travis asked.
    “No, I’m afraid he didn’t.” Carly glanced at Ethan.
    He only shrugged.
    Travis said, “I’m sure you can borrow one from my sister-in-law. You’re about the same size as her. Everyone is going to be anxious to meet you. This is the first time Ethan has brought a lady friend to the lodge.”
    “Oh, it’s not like that,” Carly answered quickly.
    Travis gave her an intense look, not so different from Ethan’s. It was easy to see they were brothers. Travis was about an inch shorter, but had the same blue eyes and the same brown hair, although Travis had his cropped short. They also shared the same confident walk and demeanor. They disembarked from the plane and Travis pulled Carly’s bag from the luggage compartment and asked, “What’s it like then?”
    “Um.” Carly looked to Ethan for a sign of how to explain their relationship. “We’re just friends.”
    Travis glanced from Carly to Ethan and back again. “I wasn’t making assumptions. I did say lady friend .”
    “Ah, yes, yes, you did.” Carly smiled and wanted to kick Ethan in the shin. Since the man rarely spoke, apparently she was supposed to wing it on her own.
    The tension thickened between them. Carly wanted to make sure Ethan told his family the reason she was here—to get an interview with Dane. That was it. But why should she be the one to say it? Ethan could damn well do some of the talking.
    Instead, he silently walked behind her and Travis as they trekked through the snow from the runway to the lodge. The snow crunched beneath her feet as the sun slipped under the horizon.
    To heck with it, if Ethan wasn’t going to explain their relationship, neither was she. “So.” She glanced at Travis, deciding the next phase of her plan was to ignore Ethan. “I’ve had a hard time seeing the Northern Lights from Anchorage.”
    “Yeah, I’m sure. Too much light pollution. You’ll see them in a whole new way now.”
    She certainly understood remote in a whole new way now, too. “Was that a dog mushing team I saw as we were landing?”
    Travis glanced to Ethan as though he might answer her, but when he didn’t, Travis said, “Yes, that’s Vince Merritt’s team. Have you heard of him?”
    “Actually I have. He was a top ten finisher in the Iditarod last year.”
    “Yes, he was.” Travis said, “So you’re a sports journalist?”
    “Yep.” They trudged through the snow a few more steps before they approached the Forrester Lodge. Carly glanced up at the enormity of the huge logs and deck that stretched out across one side. “Wow, this place is incredible.”
    “What kind of stories do you write about, as a sports journalist ?”
    “Human interest stories mostly.” If Ethan wasn’t going to join the conversation and explain her presence here, neither