The Snow Bride, page 14
“Five times?”
“I just can’t seem to get it right.”
“Perhaps you haven’t found a man who’ll love you the way you deserve to be loved,” Pete suggested.
She could have kissed him for that remark alone. “No, it’s my own fault. I keep marrying the wrong man.”
“Maybe it’s time you found the right one.”
Good idea, but Chloe seemed to have difficulty making the distinction. “They’re not as easy to find as you might think.”
Pete got up and perched on the ottoman, gazing up at her. “Perhaps you’ve been looking in the wrong places,” he said.
Seeing him there, his face so full of adoration and concern, Chloe was beginning to think he might have a point. “Tell me about you,” she said, sorry now that she’d brought up the subject of her five failed marriages. “How did you end up in Alaska?”
“I was working on the pipeline, same as Addy and Palmer.”
“But that was finished twenty years ago.”
“Even longer now, but I liked Alaska and I drifted around from town to town, seeking a little corner of my own. A friend of mine had this store and wanted out. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I’m happy here— except for one thing.”
“Yes?” she breathed softly.
“I need someone to share it with.”
“Oh?”
Pete leaned closer to her. “Now, I realize we haven’t known each other long….”
Chloe checked her watch. “We’ve been together all of forty minutes.”
“That’s long enough for me. I’m positive you and I could make each other happy. Very happy.”
“Oh, Pete.” Chloe’s hand fluttered to her throat. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know you’re a good mother.”
“I try, but Jenna’s actually the capable one.”
“Reid’s in love with her.”
Her daughter had more men than she could handle, it seemed. “Reid, that big burly man who stood outside and ignored her?”
“That’s him.”
“Oh, dear, and how does Jenna feel about him?”
Pete shrugged. “Can’t say. I don’t know her nearly as well as I do Reid, but they spent three days together and…well, she seems smitten.”
“This could be a problem.”
“Why? It seems to me you’d be more inclined to stay in Snowbound if your daughter was here.”
“Stay in Snowbound?” Chloe repeated, shocked by what he was saying.
“I can’t let you go, Chloe. Not yet.”
Her heart melted. “You’re very sweet, and I have to admit that after my divorce from Greg, I’m feeling low and unloved. But you can’t possibly expect me to live so far from civilization.”
“You have to stay, because I think I’d shrivel up and die if you left me now.”
That was one of the most romantic things anyone had ever said to her. Chloe smiled softly. She was flattered…and tempted…but she needed more than such a tiny town had to offer. And how could she cope with all this snow and cold? She was a California girl!
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
“It isn’t that. Let me be honest, Pete. This isn’t the right place for me. And you and I…” She shook her head. “After a while we’d get on each other’s nerves. I’m speaking from experience here.”
“If you stay with me, I’d make it worth your while,” he said eagerly.
Chloe couldn’t help being curious. “Exactly how do you intend to do that?”
He gave her a smile that warmed her from the inside out. “Let me show you,” he murmured in a sexy voice.
Whew. Chloe sipped her tea, and thought it best to change the subject before she succumbed to his undeniable charms. “I’m worried about Jenna. You don’t really think she’ll leave with that Dalton idiot, do you?”
“I doubt it.”
“Good.” But Chloe did have doubts. Over the years she’d experienced more than one lapse in good judgment. Until now, Jenna had been sane and sensible, but this flight to Alaska was completely out of character. She seemed to be following in Chloe’s footsteps, which was a frightening prospect. Especially for Chloe.
“More tea?” Pete asked.
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough.”
“I haven’t.” Pete knelt and once more stared up at her with adoring eyes. Slowly, sadly, he shook his head. “You must stay. I don’t think I can bear it if you leave now.”
Chloe giggled with sheer delight. It’d been so long since a man had given her this much attention. And oh, how she needed it.
“You think I’m just flirting.”
“Of course you are.”
“Don’t be so sure…my love.”
Chloe blushed. “I should go and see what’s happening with Jenna.”
“Now? Do you have to?”
“I’m afraid so. My daughter might need me.”
“What about my need for you?” Pete asked.
Chloe smiled and on impulse leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
Pete’s hand went instantly to his jaw. “I won’t wash my face for a week.”
Chloe smiled again. She’d been doing a lot of smiling in the last hour.
“Allow me to escort you to your daughter, then,” Pete said. He offered her his hand and helped her up from the chair.
Arm in arm, they left the store and walked into what remained of the daylight. “It’ll be dark in a couple of hours,” he told her.
“That soon?”
“In Alaska we have very long nights.”
“That would bother me,” Chloe interjected.
“Not if you had someone to cuddle with. Then you’d barely notice.”
This man made her feel sexy again—sexy and alluring. She dared not listen to his flattery, though; otherwise she’d fall into his bed and, worse, his life. That was a mistake she’d already made five times.
“I wonder where Jenna went,” she muttered, glancing around.
“I’ll check the café.” Pete bounded next door, returning a few minutes later. “She’s not there.”
“Is Dalton?”
“Yes, and he doesn’t seem to be in the best frame of mind.”
That was good news, anyway.
“Could anyone tell you about Jenna?”
“Not to worry, she can’t be far.” Pete guided Chloe toward the ranger station.
Jim stepped out from his office. “We’ve got another plane coming in.”
“Another?” Pete asked. “Who?”
“I can answer that,” Chloe said confidently. This was the moment she’d been waiting for since her arrival.
“You know who’s coming?” The question came from Reid, who’d joined Jim.
“Brad Fulton,” Chloe announced joyfully.
“The business tycoon?” Jim looked as if he had trouble believing this.
“Her former boss?” Reid asked.
Chloe nodded, resisting the urge to crow in triumph. “It’s Brad, all right. He’s going to ask Jenna to marry him.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Did you see that?” Jenna cried as she followed Lucy into the cabin. “Reid actually punched out Dalton. Of all the stupid things to do!”
Lucy giggled. “I wasn’t there for the full show, but it did seem to me that Dalton swung first.”
“He did.” Jenna blew out an exasperated breath. “But Reid should’ve ignored him. Dalton wasn’t even close. In fact, his swing was downright pitiful.”
“Dalton got what he deserved,” Lucy said, grinning, hands on her hips.
“I suspect you’re right,” Jenna muttered. “Do you, by any chance, still have feelings for Dalton?”
“No way.” Lucy shook her head. “I’m so over him you wouldn’t believe it. I learned a harsh lesson because of him. I can honestly tell you that when I look at Dalton Gray I don’t feel anything but contempt.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “I’ve said more than I intended. You need to make up your own mind about him.”
Jenna mulled over what she’d seen. “Reid was looking for an excuse to fight.”
“Yes, I know and I apologize for that,” Lucy said.
“The animosity between them has nothing to do with me. Or rather, I’m just the latest…object of contention.”
Lucy turned around to face her, leaning back against the kitchen counter. “True, but it doesn’t discount the fact that my brother and Dalton both want you.”
“Sure they do—as a trophy.” Jenna was under no illusions about this.
“It’s much more than that,” Lucy said with quiet certainty. “At least for Reid.”
Suddenly exhausted, Jenna sat down. This hostility between Reid and Dalton was bad enough, but she had other problems. “Do you happen to know where my mother is?”
“She’s with Pete at his store.”
Jenna groaned. “That’s not good news.”
“What are you worried about? Pete’s an old darling.”
“That, my friend, doesn’t reassure me,” Jenna said. Her mother had a weakness for men. In fact, she seemed to be addicted to them—addicted to male attention and to that first, giddy flush of being “in love.” Which meant she and Pete were both craving what they thought the other could provide. “I’d better find her,” she said grimly.
“Let them be,” Lucy advised. “You’ve got enough on your plate without worrying about your mother.”
“Someone has to,” Jenna insisted. “And who other than me.”
“Find her then, and bring her here for tea.”
Jenna was halfway to the door when she hesitated. “No, you’re right. If Mom hasn’t figured out men and marriage by this point in her life, nothing I do is going to save her.” For far too long, Jenna had been in the business of rescuing her mother, only this time, she had troubles of her own.
Lucy carried the teapot over to the table and Jenna sat down.
“So,” Lucy said, pouring them each a cup. “This hasn’t turned out the way you planned, has it?”
Jenna sagged against the back of her chair. “Not at all.” Even now, this was a little difficult to admit. “The fact is, I don’t like Dalton. I thought I knew him. When I agreed to meet him, I thought we shared something special. But I can see that we don’t.” So much for her illusions. She gave a resigned shrug. “I believed he was sensitive and artistic and—” She was interrupted by an indelicate snort from Lucy.
There was a brief silence.
“How long did you and Dalton e-mail each other?” Lucy asked.
“Four months.”
“And on that basis you decided to quit your job and come to Alaska?”
Jenna lowered her eyes. “It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?” As she looked back on the decision, she realized this was something her mother might have done. In fact, Chloe had said so in no uncertain terms. Jenna had always viewed herself as different from Chloe—more practical, anyway—but she was forced to acknowledge that they were more alike than she would’ve believed possible.
“Not ridiculous exactly,” Lucy said thoughtfully. “I don’t know you very well yet, but this doesn’t seem typical of you.”
“It was—it is crazy. I knew it even when I made the decision to move.”
“So why did you? Aside from Dalton, I mean.”
“I felt like I had to get away from Los Angeles and—” She paused to stare down at her tea. “I was turning into a frump.”
“A frump?” Lucy repeated as though she’d never heard the word before.
“My entire life revolved around my job with Fulton Industries and Brad Fulton. I was his executive assistant, and for a long time I was in love with him. Naturally I would’ve died rather than let him know that.”
“Was he married?” Lucy sounded worried.
“In a manner of speaking. Brad’s married to Fulton Industries. I finally figured out that if he hadn’t noticed me in all those years, he probably never would. I was afraid I’d end up dedicating my entire life to him, and later I’d be some pathetic spinster who’s always carried a torch for her boss. I want a husband and children. A family. It seemed I was constantly taking care of Brad and my mother, and there just wasn’t anything left for me.”
“But if you’re looking for a husband, why choose to meet a man over the Internet?”
“I didn’t. That just sort of happened.”
Lucy frowned.
“I met Dalton in a poetry chat room.”
“Dalton reads poetry?” Lucy’s eyes widened with disbelief.
“Somehow, I doubt it. That was all part of his deception.” In retrospect, Jenna could see that he’d been lurking at the site, seeking someone naive and trusting. Like a true predator, Dalton had recognized her weakness and gone in for the kill.
Heaven only knew what might have happened if she hadn’t run into Reid.
“What are you going to do now?” Lucy asked.
“I…don’t know.”
Lucy leapt up, throwing both arms around her. “I do. Stay here! Make Snowbound a two-woman town.”
“But what kind of work could I do?”
“Oh, I think we can come up with something. If you’re as valuable an employee as I suspect, Fulton will keep you on. You could work for him via the Internet.”
The idea appealed to Jenna, although she wasn’t sure she could ask Brad Fulton for any favors. “There aren’t any jobs here?”
“Sure there are. Jake would like to take a day off now and then, and you could work for him. I help him out occasionally. No reason you shouldn’t do that, too.”
Jenna would need more income than part-time work could provide; still, she was tempted. “Where would I live?”
“At first you could stay here with Jim and me.” Jenna dismissed that out of hand. Jim and Lucy were recently married and expecting a baby, and Jenna refused to intrude on their lives.
“Just for a few days,” Lucy said. “You’d be our house-guest, and once everything died down, we’d wait for Reid.”
“Wait for your brother?”
Lucy grinned. “You’ll see what I mean soon enough.” Jenna had a fairly good idea of what Lucy was talking about. She wanted Jenna to hang around town until Reid made up his mind about her. Forget it. Jenna wasn’t about to put herself in a situation where she’d be dependent on the whim of a man. Any man. Especially after years of watching her mother do exactly that. “No,” Jenna said, “I’m returning to California.”
“But you can’t!” Lucy told her. “You just can’t.”
“I don’t see any other alternative. Dalton’s a waste of time and Reid—” What could she say about Reid? She felt weak and disoriented just thinking about him. They’d only met a few days ago; they were essentially strangers. No, she couldn’t stay in Snowbound and she had nowhere to go except back to the life she’d always known.
“Reid isn’t the type to chase after a woman,” Lucy warned her.
Jenna had already guessed that. “No, I don’t suppose he is.”
Lucy began to pace in agitation. “This isn’t right! It just isn’t right. You and Reid should have a chance to see if you want to be together. And I need a friend. I’m not letting you go, and that’s all there is to it.”
Jenna loved the determination she saw in Lucy’s eyes, but it didn’t solve her problems. Her bags were packed and once she retrieved her mother, she’d send Dalton on his way. As soon as he was gone, Jenna would ask Reid to fly her and Chloe back to Fairbanks. From there, the two of them could book the earliest flight home.
Home, she repeated. The word echoed in her mind, hollow and meaningless. Home to her boring, mundane life. Back to being a spectator on the sidelines of life when she so desperately yearned for love and adventure.
“Where are you going?” Lucy asked when Jenna started toward the door.
“To talk to Dalton.” She offered her friend a brave smile. “It’s time I told him to get out of here.”
“Good riddance,” Lucy said, giving her a thumbs-up.
Jenna returned the gesture.
“After that, you’re going to talk to Reid?” Her look was hopeful.
Jenna nodded, but the subject of her talk with Reid wouldn’t be what Lucy assumed. She opened the door and stepped outside. A buzzing noise attracted her attention, and she shaded her eyes against the sunlight as she stared into the skies. She wasn’t the only one watching the approaching plane.
“I wonder who that is?” Lucy said, joining her. She, too, shaded her eyes. “Good grief, I can’t remember the last time we had this much traffic.”
As the plane drew near, Jenna recognized the logo and gasped. Her legs nearly went out from under her. In an effort to keep her balance, she grabbed hold of Lucy’s arm. “No,” she breathed, hardly able to trust her eyes.
“You know who it is?” Lucy asked.
Incapable of speaking, Jenna merely nodded.
“Am I supposed to guess?”
“It’s Brad Fulton.”
“Your former boss? The one you said you were in love with?”
Again Jenna nodded.
“Oh, boy,” Lucy muttered, sounding depressed. “I guess I’d better get used to the idea that you’re leaving Snowbound.”
“Who’s that?” Palmer asked Addy.
Both men stood outside Jake’s Café and studied the plane. “No idea,” Addy said. Life in this town had turned mighty interesting ever since Reid brought Jenna here. For many years, Addy hadn’t had much use for women. Snowbound had done just fine without ’em. Then Jim had to go and get married; Addy had figured that would ruin everything. He’d been against it and tried, with Palmer’s backing, to talk the park ranger out of getting hitched. Jim, however, wouldn’t hear of it. Reid wasn’t any help, either, seeing that the intended bride was his sister.
The day Jim brought Lucy to live in Snowbound, Addy was convinced their way of life was over, but he’d been wrong. It took a big man to admit he’d made a mistake, but Addy was willing to own up to his. Unfortunately, that was a weakness of Palmer’s, who’d jump into a lake full of ice before he’d confess he’d been wrong.
But even Palmer had to admit that Lucy’s arrival had been a boon to them all. She didn’t say a word about how often they bathed. Nor had she asked questions that were none of her business. Women he’d been with in the past—the distant past—were notorious for wanting to know everything about him. Lucy hadn’t pried into his private affairs and he appreciated that.
