became more animated. “Maybe he’ll be scared for life of clipboards wielded by women pilots?”
“You got it. Listen, I’m going to have Oscelot drive you home, and I want you to take tomorrow off. I’ll fly Rickson’s group to Camp Five and take Danziger along as copilot. This has been a rough start for you. Come in Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m., and we’ll schedule you to fly supplies into some of the camps and get you used to our air space and landmarks.”
Storm sat up straight in disbelief. “Then I still have my job?” she asked.
“Yes. If you want it.”
“I do…very much. It means a new start in my life….”
“I know,” he said, his voice growing softer, “and I think I’m beginning to understand why. I’ll see you later. Just get some rest?”
Chapter Five
STELLA EYED THE tally of flights flown by the pilots while Storm leaned against the wall, reading the passenger log for her next flight. The secretary frowned and looked up.
“You know, honey, you’ve been working your tail off this last couple of weeks.”
Storm looked up absently, her mind lingering over the data in her hands. “What? Oh, the missions? Isn’t it like this every hunting season?”
“Sure,” Stella replied, putting down the tally sheet and jabbing her index finger at the figures. “But look here. You’ve flown almost one-third more than our most seasoned pilots.”
Storm shrugged and managed a half smile. “I think Jim is trying to find out whether I can stand the pressure that goes along with the territory.”
“He’s never done that with his other pilots.”
“They weren’t women,” Storm corrected.
“Humph! If you ask me, that’s ridiculous! You’ve proven yourself many times over. And look at you. Why, you must have lost ten pounds. Young woman, you’re going to get sick if you don’t speak up. Talk to Dan. He’ll ease the load. This just isn’t fair.”
Storm only half heard Stella’s anxious words. Although she didn’t want to admit it, the squabble with Rickson might have colored Jim’s judgment of her ability. She sighed deeply, laid the report aside and stared out the window. Trees in brilliant hues of red, orange and brown stood in startling contrast to the green of spruce and pine forests covering the slopes above Anchorage. A pain squeezed her heart as she thought of Jim. Did she ever stop thinking about the man? He was a menace, a weaver of spells upon her, and she felt terribly unsure of herself with him.
Ever since the incident with Rickson, she’d seen very little of Jim. Apparently he’d changed his mind about having her fly everywhere with him. The last two weeks had included a lesson about where all the camps were located as well as the continuous task of hauling group after group of hunters into the interior of the Alaskan wilderness. She’d flown with almost everyone—but never with Jim.
She hadn’t been bothered by another hunter and was beginning to feel more at ease around the men.
Maybe Jim was right. She couldn’t handle every situation, but she could certainly handle most of them.
“Do me a favor, honey, will you?” asked Stella.
Storm turned. “Sure.”
“See that door across the way? That leads down a winding hall to a little storeroom, where I keep our office supplies. I’m running low on computer print cartridges. Will you get me a few? I can’t leave ‘cause an important call is supposed to be coming through for Mr. Bradford.”
Storm nodded. “Be happy to. I have an hour before the next bunch of hunters comes in.”
“Ahh. If I were organized, I’d have the cartridges here, but it won’t take you long,” Stella chortled.
Storm joined her laughter. Knowing Stella’s methods of organization, she conceded it would take at least five minutes of rummaging even to find the supplies in that messy back room.
It actually took her twenty minutes. Gripping the small box of cartridges in her right hand, she began threading her way back down
“You got it. Listen, I’m going to have Oscelot drive you home, and I want you to take tomorrow off. I’ll fly Rickson’s group to Camp Five and take Danziger along as copilot. This has been a rough start for you. Come in Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m., and we’ll schedule you to fly supplies into some of the camps and get you used to our air space and landmarks.”
Storm sat up straight in disbelief. “Then I still have my job?” she asked.
“Yes. If you want it.”
“I do…very much. It means a new start in my life….”
“I know,” he said, his voice growing softer, “and I think I’m beginning to understand why. I’ll see you later. Just get some rest?”
Chapter Five
STELLA EYED THE tally of flights flown by the pilots while Storm leaned against the wall, reading the passenger log for her next flight. The secretary frowned and looked up.
“You know, honey, you’ve been working your tail off this last couple of weeks.”
Storm looked up absently, her mind lingering over the data in her hands. “What? Oh, the missions? Isn’t it like this every hunting season?”
“Sure,” Stella replied, putting down the tally sheet and jabbing her index finger at the figures. “But look here. You’ve flown almost one-third more than our most seasoned pilots.”
Storm shrugged and managed a half smile. “I think Jim is trying to find out whether I can stand the pressure that goes along with the territory.”
“He’s never done that with his other pilots.”
“They weren’t women,” Storm corrected.
“Humph! If you ask me, that’s ridiculous! You’ve proven yourself many times over. And look at you. Why, you must have lost ten pounds. Young woman, you’re going to get sick if you don’t speak up. Talk to Dan. He’ll ease the load. This just isn’t fair.”
Storm only half heard Stella’s anxious words. Although she didn’t want to admit it, the squabble with Rickson might have colored Jim’s judgment of her ability. She sighed deeply, laid the report aside and stared out the window. Trees in brilliant hues of red, orange and brown stood in startling contrast to the green of spruce and pine forests covering the slopes above Anchorage. A pain squeezed her heart as she thought of Jim. Did she ever stop thinking about the man? He was a menace, a weaver of spells upon her, and she felt terribly unsure of herself with him.
Ever since the incident with Rickson, she’d seen very little of Jim. Apparently he’d changed his mind about having her fly everywhere with him. The last two weeks had included a lesson about where all the camps were located as well as the continuous task of hauling group after group of hunters into the interior of the Alaskan wilderness. She’d flown with almost everyone—but never with Jim.
She hadn’t been bothered by another hunter and was beginning to feel more at ease around the men.
Maybe Jim was right. She couldn’t handle every situation, but she could certainly handle most of them.
“Do me a favor, honey, will you?” asked Stella.
Storm turned. “Sure.”
“See that door across the way? That leads down a winding hall to a little storeroom, where I keep our office supplies. I’m running low on computer print cartridges. Will you get me a few? I can’t leave ‘cause an important call is supposed to be coming through for Mr. Bradford.”
Storm nodded. “Be happy to. I have an hour before the next bunch of hunters comes in.”
“Ahh. If I were organized, I’d have the cartridges here, but it won’t take you long,” Stella chortled.
Storm joined her laughter. Knowing Stella’s methods of organization, she conceded it would take at least five minutes of rummaging even to find the supplies in that messy back room.
It actually took her twenty minutes. Gripping the small box of cartridges in her right hand, she began threading her way back down
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