Warming Trend by Karin Kallmaker

Author:Karin Kallmaker [Kallmaker, Karin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Lesbian, Contemporary, Romance, General
ISBN: 9781594931468
Google: 5XrCOAAACAAJ
Amazon: 1594931461
Publisher: Bella Books
Published: 2009-04-13T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

Driving into Fairbanks—even with obvious changes in the retail establishments on the edge of town—was laden with nostalgia for Ani. The gray highway wound alongside the Chena River, which was running high this year. Familiar side streets appeared around each curve. She knew where the highway was potholed, where there was a break in the trees for the breathtaking view of the wilderness to the south, and where the best burgers could be had for what a student could afford to pay.

“Hell, this is a long drive.” Lisa stretched in the seat. “Like driving from Key West to Orlando.”

“The terrain has maybe a bit more variation?” She loved driving through the canyons of granite cliffs. Her spirits lifted every time the mountains fell away to a meadow crusted with pines. Peonies clustered along the side of the highway and sprouted from the year-round snowbanks.

“True—that’s interesting, that the highway follows the path of an ancient glacier. When we leave can we stop on the drive more? The waterfalls were incredible.”

“Okay.” Ani didn’t want to think about the trip home just yet.

“The hailstorm was amazing. I’ve been through a couple of hurricanes, and that was equally impressive.”

“It’ll go back to eighty degrees in an hour—or the temperature will keep dropping and we’ll be at forty before sunset. You have to be prepared for either.”

Lisa peered down at her feet. “Thanks for the boots and stuff. They’re a little clunkier than the ones On the Rocks had.”

“Those were glorified tennis shoes, with Yak Trax for traction. These will actually take you up an ice facing.” Ani had to admit, her boots felt heavy on her feet, too.

“True. At least these are pretty.”

Ani hid her smile. Lisa was such a girl. Fortunately, the pretty boots were also good for all-purpose weather. Who was she to deny Lisa pink bootlaces?

“It’s a lot flatter here than in Anchorage. These mountains look puny next to the Chugach.”

“Well, we’re three hundred and fifty miles closer to the arctic, and have come up some in elevation. This basin was at one point a huge arctic lake and it’s fairly level. But the tallest mountain in North America is thataway.” Ani pointed north. “Denali—Mt. McKinley as it’s officially known.”

“I like Denali better.”

“Mt. Everest is native-named Chomolungma to the Tibetans and Sagarmatha to the Nepalese. I’ll take either of those names.”

“What do they mean?”

“Big beautiful mother goddess sacred place only fools try to climb.” Ani grinned at Lisa. “At least that’s my bet. Denali I know means ‘the great one.’”

“Okay—so why did you decide to study here instead of Anchorage? There are a bunch of glaciers around Anchorage, you said, and there you have lots of mountains right out your back door.”

“The Naomi is the glacier my father worked on the most. I spent a lot of time on it during my summers. Plus some of the professors in Fairbanks were more concerned than those in Anchorage with what my father knew than where he was born and his possible politics, so here is where we settled.

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