Love in Alaska Read online

  They were beginning the interview process, and I was first on their list to call. I looked at my watch, that was surely a lie since it was nearly six there. I didn’t call her out on it though. She wanted to schedule a time for my video-interview. We were going on that camping trip in two days. “How about tomorrow?” I chewed my nail. Was that too soon?

  “Tomorrow?” She sounded totally taken aback. “Well, yes, of course. Tomorrow.” I heard papers rustling on her end. “How about ten in the morning?”

  I thought about it. Ten there would be nearly eleven here. I could do it. “That sounds perfect.” Perfect for who I wasn’t sure. She gave me the information I needed and hung up.

  “Gaah!” I shoved my phone into my bag. I needed to go home and prepare. What would I say? What questions would they ask? I ran to the Northern Star Tours building to get Traci. Storm had joined her, and the three were in there yakking it up. “Traci!” I shouted as I entered. “I’ve gotta go. The state called. I’m interviewing tomorrow!” I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say. What will they ask?” My heart was beating a thousand times a minute. Maybe I was sick. I felt my heart, worried.

  “You’ll be fine for a few more hours. I can’t leave yet.” She indicated the man behind the counter. “Marcia, this is Conner. We were all friends growing up. They’re taking me to meet a couple of the other business owners. We’re talking about doing a co-op-type of thing where we advertise for each other.” She turned back to him.

  I stared at her in shocked disbelief. How could I respond to that? I was having the most important interview of my career tomorrow, and she wanted me to ‘wing’ it?

  “I’ll take her.” Storm leaned toward Traci, his hand on her shoulder, and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and beamed in response, and then he patted the counter. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  He walked toward me, and as he neared, my heart started flittering. And for a whole different reason than my anxiety over the interview.

  “Relax, you’ll do great.” Storm massaged my shoulders. His fingers, confident and in control, felt miraculous on my neck and shoulders. He led me down the boardwalk, but I was going to pass out, I knew it, and I leaned against him melting into him. He smelled nice, not that I was sniffing, but I took a deep, calming breath. The corner of my lip turned up. And then I realized he was talking to me. “Huh?” Was I an imbecile, or what?

  “I said, from the way Traci’s bragged about you, I know you’ll have a great interview.”

  “Thanks.” I chewed on my fingernail. “What kinds of questions do you think they’ll ask?” I unfortunately hadn’t given it a thought, and now I didn’t have much time to think about it or to prepare.

  “Here we are.” He went to the side of his truck and opened the door. “If you’d like, I can help.

  Did he mean it, or was he just being nice? Of course, I wanted help. And Traci, my best friend in the world, had flaked out on me. I decided to take him up on his offer.

  “That is so kind of you. I’d really appreciate it.” Sheesh, I sounded so awkward. I’d have to do better than that by interview time tomorrow.

  Five

  Remembering Traci’s advice that I needed to let loose and live more in the moment, and regardless of her interests, I clasped Storm’s hands before he entered Traci’s home. “Thank you for this.”

  “It’s my pleasure, really. Except I know how Traci would like you to move to Alaska too.”

  He came in and sat on the sofa. I got on my phone, searching the internet for interview questions and found a great site geared toward education. “Here. Ask me some of these.”

  I sat on the sofa beside him. His body, a warm haven next to mine, caused shivers up my arms and neck. I leaned toward him, pointing to topics that I thought were important. Goose-bumps chased up my arms. I told myself that a chill in the air was the cause. Either way, Storm didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he was just being polite. After I’d given a half a dozen clumsy answers, he requested that I put my phone down.

  “I have experience with interviews,” he said. “I don’t need to look at a list.”

  That’s right. As co-owner of a business, he probably did a lot of interviews. “Okay.” I nodded.

  “This first year as principal at Homer Elementary—you’ve probably seen my school as you drove to the spit—anyway, I’ve done a lot of interviewing this first year. Our teachers tend to stick around until they retire, but I still have classroom aids and other staff coming and going regularly.”

  “Wait, what?” I stared at him not quite knowing what to say. “You’re an elementary school principal?” I didn’t even know what to think or how to feel. Why couldn’t I find a good-looking, single, elementary school principal in Fresno?

  “Yes,” he said, but I was too stunned to respond. After a moment of silence, he smiled bemusedly. “Well, you’re the one getting the interview. Let me ask more questions.” He rested his arm casually on the sofa behind me. “What do you feel is most important when it comes to improving the graduation rate?”

  Okay, I could do this. I sat up straight. “Family support.” That brought up several other questions. Then, he got a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and asked, “What do you feel are your strengths that will benefit you in this position?”

  “That’s easy. I love children. I want to be a part of their lives and their learning. I like to surprise them by looking for the good in every child. Some kids have it rough at home—like I did after my dad ran out on us. I had a teacher who was a great influence on my life.” I put a hand to my cheek and froze. What was I thinking telling a near stranger my personal details?

  “No, it’s okay,” he said. “It seems that you’ve allowed the experience to make you a stronger person. I bet it’s given you a lot of compassion toward students with less than stable homes.” He rubbed my shoulder and then coached me back into our practice interview.

  “It’s important that we make the learning process as comfortable as possible for those with less than ideal backgrounds. I like to help them realize that they’re smart and they can achieve greatness.”

  “I love kids too,” he said. “When I get married, I’d like to have a few of my own.”

  That was interesting. Traci didn’t want kids. How were the two of them going to work through that issue?

  “What are you thinking?” His eyebrows dipped in question. “Why do you look at me like that?”

  I shrugged. “It’s none of my business.”

  He put his hand to my shoulder, his warm fingers shooting electricity through my veins. “Do you not want kids of your own?”

  “No, I love kids. I want my own. I’m getting a little old for that option, but it doesn’t stop the desire.”

  “Who says you’re old?” He looked me up and down, a slim smile on his face. “How many kids do you want?”

  “Only a half a dozen.” I smiled at his shock. “I’m kidding, but actually, I’ll have as many kids as I can. Who knows?” It felt good to have my dream of motherhood acknowledged. Storm awakened in me the realization that it wasn’t too late for a family.

  “Do you want girls or boys, or does it matter?”

  “I’d like some of both. My main concern is that they’re healthy. I do everything I can to stay fit now, and I’ll work even harder to ensure my babies are as healthy as they can be.”

  “What kinds of things do you like to do on your days off?” He sat forward facing me, his hands clasped and resting on his knees. “What are your other interests?”

  I regarded him skeptically. These weren’t the types of questions they asked on a job interview, but I’d humor him. Rubbing my finger across my lips, I made the mistake of looking at his and lost my train of thought. “Um.” I chewed my lip, embarrassed. “What was the question again?”

  He chuckled. “What other interests do you have outside of work?”

  “Well, like Traci said. I like the outdoors. I’ve entered a few marathons, nothing big—5K
and a 10K. I entered a bicycle road race once for charity, but I placed in the bottom quarter.”

  He seemed genuinely impressed, but I shrugged it off. “Anyone can enter a race. You have to be good to win. I just did it for the experience and to earn money to help end child hunger.”

  “Well,” he said, “perhaps anyone can enter, but not everyone does. You put yourself out there. You do things that you love without winning as your end-goal. I admire that.”

  Storm helped me to see myself as stronger and smarter than I’d ever given myself credit for. I wasn’t a loser or broken, and I wasn’t too old.

  I moistened my lips. “In interviews, the interviewee gets to ask questions too.” I raised my eyebrows, questioningly.

  “Go ahead.” He rubbed his neck, his hand moving down to his chest, and I wished it was my hand there instead.

  “What do you consider as the best thing about being a principal?”

  “The kids’ faces light up when they see me. There’s no better feeling in the world, I think, than to know I have their trust and a modicum of their love.”

  “I feel the same way about my students.”

  “I also enjoy the camaraderie at our school between the staff. Most of us have worked together for a long time. They’re like my second family. The community support here in Homer is awesome.”

  He made me envious with the high regard he had for his staff and the area. It sounded like a wonderful place to work and to live. Our conversation took on a less formal tone and we talked about everything—his family moving to Juno. His three siblings, and how I’d always wished I had a close-knit family.

  I glanced at the clock. Traci was still M.I.A, and I tried not to worry. “Thank you so much for your help. I feel better prepared.” Traci was lucky to have him, but it was after nine and I needed to let him get home. I stood to walk him to the door.

  “I didn’t mind at all.”

  I hadn’t realized how close we’d been sitting until he stood. But he was there, a breath away, and searching my eyes. “I know this sounds corny, or like some pick up line, but it’s true. You seem familiar. Have we met before?” The corner of his mouth lifted.

  My first thought was to kiss the upturn of his lip, but that was ridiculous. I’d only known him a couple of days, and Traci would be ticked. “Have you ever been to Fresno?” I lifted my eyebrows.

  “No. I went to University of Alaska for college and came back to Homer after graduating. After a year, I went back for my Master’s. Have you been to Alaska before?”

  “No.” I stepped closer. “I’ve lived in California my whole life.” I shrugged a shoulder. “I guess we both just have familiar faces.”

  “Can I take you out for a bite to eat?” He rubbed his hands on my arms. It startled me with how pleasant that felt. Remembering Traci, I glanced down.

  “Oh, sorry.” He dropped his hands. “I’m being too forward.”

  “No, dinner sounds great.” Seeing him around a waitress would tell me a lot about him, and I could pass the info on to Traci. Going out would be good for me. But, then I thought about actually being in a restaurant. I couldn’t put myself through that trauma tonight. “I don’t know. I’m a little worried about Traci. She hasn’t come home yet.”

  “Don’t worry about her. She and Conner and I go way back. They’re probably catching up like we did the other day. Don’t expect her before the sun goes down.

  “Two?” My brows furrowed. What was going on with my friend? I glanced at him worriedly. “You’re okay with that?” Storm must be extremely secure in his relationship with Traci.

  “Sure. Why not?”

  I must have totally misread her posture at the boardwalk. I shrugged. “I don’t know if I feel like going out, but maybe we could make something here?” I smiled tentatively, hoping he would agree.

  “That sounds good, actually. I eat out a lot, and eating in would be kinda nice.” He gave me a charming grin and touched my arm as we went to the tiny kitchen.

  “This is going to be interesting.” We didn’t both fit in the kitchen standing sideways. How was I supposed to concentrate on making something edible when he had every nerve in my body tingling in overdrive? “What should we make?” Traci and I had purchased enough groceries to last a month.

  “I’m not picky. I’ll eat just about anything—Oh, I’m sorry.” He appeared shocked and apologetic. “I don’t mean to say that your cooking won’t be fantastic, it’s just that I like a variety of foods.”

  “Hamburgers are quick. What do you think?” I pressed my lips together to hide a smile.

  “I love hamburgers.”

  I pulled the ground beef from the refrigerator and added some to a bowl. Then, I got out some spices and added to the meat.

  “What would you like me to do?” He was standing right behind me and his warm breath tickled through my hair. I was going to need to be stronger.

  “Can you go see if there’s any gas in the grill?” Traci and I hadn’t even checked. “Otherwise we can just cook them in a frying pan.” While he went outside, I got the condiments ready and settled my nerves. Storm and I could be friendly, but that was all. I would not betray Traci.

  Storm leaned against the kitchen door-frame. “The grill works perfectly,” he said. “And it seems as though the tank is full.”

  “Do you mind preparing and cooking the burgers, then? I’ll make us some fried potatoes and roasted vegies.” That was time consuming and I’d have to hurry. Storm formed the patties while I grabbed a couple carrots, a beet, and an onion, and peeled and chopped, and got them ready and in the oven. Our time working in the kitchen together—it was like we were a couple. The electricity when we touched was almost palpable.

  Storm glanced down at me, his eyes sparkling. “The burgers are ready for the grill.” He wedged past me and took them outside.

  At that moment, I knew that he knew that I liked him, and he was amused. I envisioned him going to Traci and telling her, “Your friend has a crush on me. It’s so cute!” Ug! I needed to get control over my emotions. But there was no time to waste. I was hungry, and I hurriedly got out two potatoes and started peeling. The burgers would be done soon, and it would be no good to serve cold meat with warm vegies. Just then I peeled off a knuckle and let out a yelp of dismay.

  Storm ran in. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  “Oh, I was peeling the potatoes and missed.” I showed him my knuckle, and the blood started down my arm.

  “Let’s get you fixed up.” He took me to the sink and gently washed the wound.

  He was so kind, and he smelled so nice, but the sight and smell of blood always made me a little light-headed. My knees started to wobble.

  “Whoa,” he said, and scooped me into his arms. “We can’t have you falling.”

  “I’m alright,” I whispered, and rested my head on his shoulder. I was more than alright, though a tiny twinge of guilt told me I shouldn’t be.

  Storm took me to the sofa and placed me gently down, then grabbed a tissue from the table, pressing it to my wound. “Do you know if there are any bandages?”

  “Mm, mm.” I shook my head.

  “Well, we’ll just have to keep it elevated until it decides to quit bleeding.” He sat beside me and lifted my hand.

  He was so kind. Nothing like Brad, and I leaned forward, my eyes on his soft and inviting lips. I felt the rise and fall of his chest below me, and I leaned in for a kiss. I’d be forever content with just the one, and Traci would never know.

  I pulled back with a jerk. “You need to check on the burgers! And, and, the vegies need stirred.” I jumped up and hurried to the kitchen. What was the matter with me? I was a horrible friend.

  Six

  T raci was up, she had showered, and it sounded like she was in the kitchen. I twisted in bed, tired of lying there and yet guilt held me bound. Life was safer inside the covers. And in truth, the down comforter was divine. Perhaps if I waited, Traci would take off like she had before. The thick cur
tains held out any trace of daylight, but I heard the birds celebrating another day on the other side of the window.

  What was I thinking? A day spent indoors in Alaska seemed a crime. After all, I hadn’t kissed Storm and wanting to kiss someone wasn’t the same. I threw the covers aside and hopped into the shower. This would be a good day. There was no reason to see Storm until the kayaking trip. I’d be over myself by then.

  After I dressed and dried my hair, I went into the kitchen. Traci was sitting at the table with her computer and busy at work. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked.

  “I’m glad you’re up.” Traci closed her laptop. “I wanted to go to town, and I thought you’d be interested. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, mind if I get a bit to eat first?” I got a bowl of cereal. It wasn’t much but it’d tide me over until lunch.

  “So, how’d your interview training go with Storm last night?”

  “Oh, that.” I looked away, took a bite of cereal, and contemplated what to say. “He helped a lot. In fact, I forgot all about the interview.” The interview?! My heart skipped, and I looked at the kitchen clock. “Oh, my heck! I’m supposed to meet with them in ten minutes!” I jumped up and tossed my bowl in the sink. “I haven’t put on nearly enough makeup and I need to brush my teeth, and—oh, I forgot what to say! I need to change.” I ran from the kitchen and to my room, screaming out my frustration. I’d been so focused on Storm and the almost-kiss that I’d forgotten everything else.

  I changed into a nice-ish outfit that I’d brought in case we went someplace fancy, applied more makeup and brushed my teeth, then stared at myself in the mirror. This face would have to do. I grabbed my notes and walked into the living room.