An Alaskan Blessing by Belle Calhoune

Author:Belle Calhoune
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2024-05-23T17:41:01+00:00

Chapter Nine

The previous night a wintry storm had blanketed Serenity Peak with a few feet of the fluffy white stuff. Ryan loved snowstorms, even minor ones such as this latest squall. There was nothing more beautiful than freshly fallen snow coating the mountains and the trees. He enjoyed all the activities snow brought—sledding, skiing, snowboarding and snowmachining. He was really looking forward to tonight’s aurora borealis watch. For what felt like the hundredth time, he wondered if Skye would make an appearance.

Ryan and I are not a couple. And honestly, we never will be!

Just remembering Skye’s harsh words made him cringe. He knew that she hadn’t meant for him to overhear her conversation with Cici, but he’d felt incredibly awkward in the aftermath. He couldn’t even look her in the eyes. They had both left Northern Lights without exchanging another word between them. He still wasn’t sure which one of them had been more embarrassed.

Of course they weren’t dating, yet he still felt wounded by her acting as if the idea was as likely as her going to the moon for a lunar landing. He shouldn’t feel hurt, but he was. It made him realize that despite the recent thawing in their relationship, she still didn’t think well of him. Ouch!

He shook off thoughts of the encounter and focused on getting ready for the town event. Although he loved being a state trooper, Ryan relished the opportunity to dress in regular clothes tonight rather than his uniform. He put on a pair of dark cords, a gray sweater and his favorite hunter green parka. By the time he arrived at the lookout spot at Serenity Mountains, a sizable crowd had already gathered.

Ryan was meeting up with his best friends, Brody and Caden. The Locke brothers were fraternal twins. They were quite different in appearance, despite their twin status. Caden was taller, with a more rugged build, while Brody’s height hovered at around five-ten. Their warm brown skin tones were their only similarity.

“Hey, stranger,” Ryan said as he greeted Brody. “Where have you been hiding?”

“Judah has been keeping me busy on the boat,” Brody answered, chuckling. “If I didn’t love fishing so much, I might pick an easier profession.”

As a member of his uncle’s crew, Brody woke up early and worked grueling hours out on Kachemak Bay. Brody was hardworking and loyal, which made him one of Judah’s favorite workers. Caden was a pilot, having just earned his wings.

“Where’s Caden?” Ryan asked, looking around the area. He spotted Autumn and Judah talking to a group of friends across the way and waved at them.

“He had a last-minute gig out of Homer,” Brody explained. “He’s probably not going to make it back in time.”

“I guess we’re all busy,” Ryan said. He missed the days when they could all hang out together with no heavy obligations in their lives. But that was a part of becoming an adult, of growing up. “We need to make plans to get together, maybe use our snow machines.

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