A Baby in Alaska by Heidi McCahan

Author:Heidi McCahan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-11-07T19:21:34+00:00

* * *

Rylee had made good on her promise.

Sam stood in her family’s backyard. The Maddens’ Fourth of July party was not at all what he’d expected. Somehow he’d envisioned Rylee’s siblings, their spouses and kids. The usual holiday cookout menu of hamburgers and hot dogs, and maybe some brownies and ice cream for dessert. Instead, there had to be over a hundred people gathered. Had the whole town turned out for this?

Tiki torches staked in the ground at various intervals around the perimeter of the property burned bright in a desperate attempt to keep the mosquitoes away. The evening sun crept toward the mountains, spilling its golden rays across the emerald-green water of the bay. Sam tipped his head back and admired the wispy clouds edged with shades of pink. Coral and orange streaks like brushstrokes swept across a pale blue canvas, creating the perfect canopy for their holiday celebration.

Folks clustered in small groups across the lush green lawn. Kids bounced on the trampoline in front of a smaller house nestled in the woods. An impressive fire blazed in a pit, orange and red flames licking the wood. Children and adults ringed the fire, holding sticks freshly whittled from the willow trees nearby. Marshmallows on those sticks hovered over the flames and the sweet aroma of melted sugar hung in the air.

Rylee made her way across the lawn. Their eyes met and his pulse quickened. She wore a red V-necked sweater, jeans that flared at the bottom and white sneakers. She must’ve done something different with her hair because loose curls bounced against her slender shoulders as she walked toward him.

“Hey, Sam.” She stopped beside him and smiled. “Are you having a good time?”

“The best Fourth of July party I’ve seen in quite some time.” He grinned and took a sip of his soda.

“Wow, that’s high praise.” She turned and surveyed the crowd. “My parents love hosting this party every year. It’s become one of our favorite traditions.”

“Did you happen to see Silas when you were inside?”

“Oh, yes.” Rylee turned back to face him. “He’s having the time of his life. Mia’s holding him and all the ladies are gathered around, fawning over his long dark eyelashes. It’s safe to say he’s the life of the party.”

“Oh, good.” Relief left his lips with a gusty breath. “After that boat ride today, I wasn’t sure he’d ever smile again.”

“Did he take a long nap this afternoon?”

“Three hours and fifteen minutes.” Sam punched the air with his fist. “I savored every single minute of silence.”

Rylee’s smile turned empathetic. “That poor little fella. He must’ve been worn out.”

“Yeah, that makes two of us. Should I offer to buy Captain Henry lunch at The Tide Pool or something? I feel awful about how that all went down.”

She offered a dismissive wave. “Don’t worry about it. He’s probably had cantankerous passengers on board before.”

“But they had to leave the flotilla because of me.”

Rylee pressed her hand against his forearm. A pleasant warmth zinged along his arm and bloomed in his chest.

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