Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska (12 page)

“From who?”

Sam resisted the urge to say “whom,” because he was the teacher—and because she needed his support right now. “From Mom and Dad and
all
the boys.”

“Uh-oh. You sure I wanna hear this?”

“It’s no big deal, really. But before I tell you, you’ve
got
to promise you’ll keep it to yourself.”

“Okay. I promise.”

“Are your fingers crossed behind your back?”

“Gimme a little credit!” A mischievous chuckle punctuated his remark. “I outgrew that years ago.”

She heard the smile in his voice and relaxed. A little. “Remember that chef’s job I came here for?”

“Of course. We all thought you were out of your ever-lovin’ mind. Some of us
still
think that…”

Sam ignored the obvious reference to the family’s belief that she’d fail. “Well, the day I showed up for work, the hotel manager informed me that the owner had given the job to his nephew.”

“What? That’s just crazy!” Bill hesitated then added, “And I’m pretty sure it’s illegal, too. I hope you threatened to sue them for every cheap nailed-down lamp in the place!”

“How like you to get your neck hairs bristling in my defense,” she said, giggling. “But honestly, everything turned out great. I found another job that pays the same salary
and
comes with a fully furnished apartment. I love this place, and I really,
really
like the work, too.”

She hoped she hadn’t sounded too enthused tacking on that extra “really.”

“Doing what?”

Every muscle tightened as she considered what her parents would say if they heard she’d used her college degree to sell crafts in a gift shop. “You promise this is just between us, right?”

“I give you my word. If this was a video conference, you’d see me standing here with my hand raised in the Boy Scout salute.”

“Which hand?” she asked, grinning.

“Sam, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll sic Mom on—”

“I’m managing an adorable little gift shop, and it’s such fun it almost doesn’t seem like work at all. Everybody here is wonderful, from the people who live in North Pole to the tourists who come in, and—”

“Now I see why you made me promise to keep my big mouth shut. If Dad finds out you’re a lowly sales clerk, he’ll flip his lid!”

“I hate to sound disrespectful, but Dad needs to get over himself. There’s no shame in working as a sales clerk. I clocked plenty of hours at Wal-Mart while I was in high school, and I didn’t hear him complaining when all my other ‘lowly sales clerk’ jobs paid for most of my college tuition. It’s an honest way to earn a living.”

The silence on the other end of the phone told Sam that Bill was likely getting ready to tell her a couple of things—supposedly for her own good. Before he could, she added, “Besides, I’ll have you know this job comes with a ton of responsibility. All the management stuff I learned in school is coming in handy. So when you tattle on me to Dad, you be sure to tell him
that
.”

“I’m not going to tell Dad or anybody else, kiddo. You can count on me. Honest.”

“Really?”

“Really. So my baby sister is the boss of things, is she?”

“You could say that.” Technically, Bryce was the boss. And until Olive left, his aunt outranked Sam, too. But Bill would find that out soon enough. “So when can you be here?”

“I’ll have to let you know. Soon as I can get reservations.”

“Super! And I have a sofa bed in the living room, so you won’t need a hotel room…”

“You’re sure I’m not putting you out?”

“Are you kidding? It’ll be great having you all to myself for a couple of weeks. Like the old days, when you’d take me fishing and dole out advice about boys.”

“Yeah, those were the days all right,” he said. “So is it true what they say about Alaska—that there are a million guys for every girl?”

“Men outnumber women, that’s true,” she answered, laughing, “but the odds aren’t anywhere
near
that good.”

“Good, ’cause if any of them come sniffin’ around my little sister, they’ll have me to answer to.”

She thought of Dan Brooks asking her to have dinner with him…in Paris. Didn’t the guy realize how inappropriate an invitation like that was, or that if word of the invitation had gotten out, every tongue in North Pole would have wagged for weeks? “Aren’t we all lucky, then, that nobody is sniffin’?”

“What? Pretty little thing like you? I would’ve bet you’re exhausted from beating ’em off with sticks. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your big brother, either.”

“When you get here, I’ll give you a big hug just for saying that. I hope it’ll be soon…”

“I’ll make some phone calls in the morning, let you know what I find out. You sure you’re okay with having me underfoot for ten days?”

Of everyone in her family, Bill had always been the type who liked going places and doing things all by himself. It’s what had inspired him to enlist in the army and sign up for a tour of duty in Iraq. No way she’d have to worry about how he’d entertain himself while she worked. “I’ll ask around, get a list together of things you can do while I’m at the shop.”

“Okey doke. Soon as I have an itinerary, I’ll give you a holler.”

“Good idea. That way I’ll know when to pick you up at the Fairbanks airport.”

“Uh, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather rent a car so I won’t have to borrow yours.” He chuckled. “Oh, wait. I forgot. You sold yours.” Then, “What
are
you driving around town? Surely not that big clumsy RV you bought before you left home…”

“You’ll be happy to know I don’t need a car. My apartment is right upstairs from the shop.”

“So how do you buy groceries and get to the dentist’s and stuff like that?”

“Everything I need is within walking distance.” A fact—for now. Once winter set in, she’d be in a pickle for sure if she couldn’t find a dependable vehicle, because she’d never survive schlepping around town in subzero temperatures and knee-deep snow. But Bill didn’t need to know that.

“Talk to you tomorrow, kiddo.”

“Okay, and remember…let
me
be the one to tell the rest of the family about this job situation, okay?”

“When have you ever known me not to keep my word?”

She could think of dozens of instances when he’d tattled on her—after promising not to—but if Sam hoped to keep him on her side, they’d have to remain safely in the past. “I’ll say a bunch of prayers that you’ll get a reservation for day after tomorrow…and have a safe flight…and find the perfect car at the rental counter.” As much as she loved North Pole, it didn’t feel quite like home yet, and the prospect of having her brother around for nearly two weeks took control. “I can’t wait to see you, Billy!” she blurted.

“I love you, too.”

The timer beeped, as if to punctuate their good-byes, and Sam half-ran, half-skipped to take her pizza out of the oven.

After finishing her pizza, Sam rifled through her closet in search of something to wear to dinner at Olive’s. Half an hour later, she decided on a denim skirt and pale pink blouse, partnered with dangly earrings. Though she’d never been into rings or bracelets, Sam more than made up for it with an extensive collection of necklaces. The silver one resembled the earrings enough to look like a set. She wondered what Bryce would wear tonight. Maybe that white, Western-styled shirt he’d had on when he joined her and Dan at breakfast…the one that showed off his big, broad shoulders and accented his trim, flat stomach…

What would he look like, she mused, if he’d let his dark hair grow out just a little? Would it be straight and shiny, like Bill’s? Or thick and curly, like her own?

The question made her picture Tom Selleck, who in his fifties was even more handsome than he’d been at Bryce’s age. Sam figured Bryce was the kind of man who’d age gracefully, just like Tom, and a tiny portion of her heart hoped she’d be around to see for herself.

“Oh, good grief,” she said, aiming for the shower. “Where on earth did
that
notion come from?” Sam decided to distract herself with the delectable aroma of peaches and cream shampoo, because if she allowed nonsense like that to pop into her head, only the Lord knew what silly thing she might say later at Olive’s!

The idea made her giggle as she adjusted the water temperature and lifted the lever that diverted water to the shower head, because how funny would it be if she blurted, “I’d sure love to be around for your fiftieth birthday.” Why, a crack like that might build enough tension inside Bryce’s head to cause the strap of his eye patch to snap!

Sam felt more than a little silly harboring such thoughts about him and tried to figure out why romantic notions about him kept tickling at her heart. Maybe his ex-soldier status was to blame. Bryce had performed a truly heroic deed that day on the battlefield and had paid a hefty price. What red-blooded American woman wouldn’t have a gratitude-induced crush on a guy like him? And it didn’t hurt that, instead of looking scary and intimidating like the pirates in old movies, Bryce looked downright sexy in his eye patch.

Sam stepped into the tub and under the shower spray, hoping to wash away the big fat crush she’d developed—like it or not—on her tall, dark, and handsome boss. She’d jumped into a relationship with Joey without paying a bit of attention to her brothers’ “Look before you leap” warning. After months of crying herself to sleep, Sam had come to terms with the fact that while her ex-fiancé had been the source of enormous heartache and disappointment, she had no one but herself to blame, because she hadn’t prayed to ask what
God
had in mind for her.

If
she ever got involved again, it would be after seeking the Lord’s guidance. And something told her that He didn’t have her too-quiet, too-serious, too-bossy
boss
in mind for the job!

Bryce was halfway down the stairs when he saw Sam on the landing. It only took a quick glance to tell him she’d never get her door locked—not while trying to balance that huge foil-covered plate on the palm of one hand. “Hey,” he said, climbing the stairs two at a time, “let me help you with that.” He stopped on the third step from the top and relieved her of the tray.

“Thanks,” she said, smiling. He got a whiff of something girlie, but whether it was flowery or fruity would remain her secret, because no way he intended to ask her. She turned toward the exit then, and as Sam tucked her keys into her purse, he couldn’t help but notice two tiny dimples in each knee peeking out from the hem of her denim skirt. Couldn’t help but notice that her pink blouse brought out the rosy glow of her cheeks, either. Bryce decided then and there it wasn’t going to be easy keeping his distance from her. Not if she insisted on looking and smelling like this all the time!

He led the way into the tiny entry and changed the subject. “Weatherman said it might rain. I can wait if you want to grab a sweater or something…”

He watched her eyes widen and did his best not to react. “I know it isn’t a long walk from here to Olive’s,” he added, hoping his practical suggestion would take his mind off those long, lush eyelashes, “but this time of year, the temps drop at night, so…”

On the heels of a sigh, she shrugged. And joining him in the entry, Sam said, “So tell me…how long does it take greenhorns like me to learn stuff like that about Alaska?”

“Greenhorn,” he inserted, “is what they’d call you in Texas. Here, you’re a
cheechako
, the Chinookan word for ‘newcomer.’ ” He didn’t add that it also meant “tenderfoot.”

She treated him to a moment of her musical laughter. “See what I mean? Guess I oughta pray there’s enough empty space in my head to store all the things I don’t know!”

Grinning, he held the entry door as she added, tapping her temple, “Based on our little kitchen conversation not so long ago, you probably think there’s more than enough space up here for new information.” Another giggle. “Let’s hope the Lord will beef up my memory, then, so that every lesson will stick!”

Obviously, she’d decided against bringing a sweater. No matter. If it was cold or raining when they headed home, he’d let her borrow his jacket.

When they headed home.
Bryce repeated the phrase a time or two and smiled, liking the way it sounded. He liked it so much, in fact, that when she offered to relieve him of the tray, he shook his head and smiled wider. “I don’t mind carrying it.”