to hide
what he was really thinking.
“Sure. Why?”
“Jake thinks the only good music is eighties rock.”
“I think you two sound like a pair. I’d like to meet him one
day.”
“That should be easy to arrange.”
* * *
S ASHI HADN ’ T REALIZED how fast they’d climbed out
of Ketchikan proper until she saw lights popping out of the fog. “Where’s the
apartment I’m going to be staying in?”
“It’s actually right around the corner.” They took a hairpin
turn and she could see trees and lush green shrubbery poking through the fog.
Also a big wood-sided house came into view. He pushed a button on a remote, and
the garage door opened. He pulled into an enormous space—she saw a speed boat on
one side along with a Porsche and tons of sporting equipment.
Perplexed, she asked, “Do I live in this person’s house?”
“You’ll stay in the mother-in-law apartment. It’s located on
the main level.”
“Do you know the owner of this house?” She wrung her hands.
“Are they trustworthy?”
“I know him and he’s very trustworthy, but you’ll have to make
that decision yourself.”
Sashi was getting annoyed at the game. “Who is he?”
Cole flashed her a crooked smile. “It’s me. Did you think I’d
let you go recuperate anywhere? Joe owns some property up the road. His daughter
and son-in-law have built a home on it while he lives in a trailer out back.
Mary comes down and helps me keep this place clean and cooks some meals, so I
don’t live just on energy bars.”
“You sound like me. I forget to eat half the time.” She
laughed. “It’s also a great way to eat on the cheap.”
He slipped briefly into doctor mode. “I’m thinking it’s a
low-calorie way for a dancer to eat.”
“Hey, I’m naturally skinny. And living in the Big Apple is
pricey, Doc.”
“I’m watching you, New York.”
She eyed him seriously. “Go ahead! My parents are amazed at
what this body can pound.”
“Listen, Mary and Joe want you to know you can always stay with
them when I can’t be here. Joe adores you. I think if he were younger, he might
take you for a wife.”
“Now you’re teasing me—Joe only likes Tlingit women.” She
twisted in the seat to face him. “How could you have kept all these plans a
secret from me?”
She felt hurt that he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her,
and she didn’t know how she was going to get over her feelings for him when
she’d be living in such close proximity to him.
“Come on, Sashi. I couldn’t go around the hospital and announce
I’m having you live with me. It wouldn’t sound good. But I have a surprise for
you inside the house, so cheer up. You’re out of that hospital now. Let’s go in
and celebrate.”
Cole opened her door and carefully picked her up. Sashi put her
arms around his neck, savoring the feel of being warm and protected. She
couldn’t believe how relieved she was that she was going to be staying with him.
No matter what kind of relationship they had, at least he wasn’t leaving her
alone in Alaska.
She rested her head against his neck. All her anxieties were
slipping away. In fact, she was beginning to feel sleepy. Cole opened the door
with ease as he carried her into the dark house.
From out of nowhere she heard a whisper, then, “Welcome home,
Sashi!” The lights came on and she looked around to see at least twenty people
in Cole’s living room. Surprised, she instinctively clung more tightly to
Cole.
He looked down at her. “Welcome home, New York. Since you don’t
have your family, I thought I’d invite mine over to welcome you.” The joy on his
face was so genuine, it made her heart soar.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. She then turned her head
and surveyed the room. “Joe, Mary, Mac.... I’m afraid I don’t know the rest of
you. But I want to thank all of you for coming here to welcome me. It means a
lot.” Her eyes began to tear up.
The room erupted with voices all talking at once.
what he was really thinking.
“Sure. Why?”
“Jake thinks the only good music is eighties rock.”
“I think you two sound like a pair. I’d like to meet him one
day.”
“That should be easy to arrange.”
* * *
S ASHI HADN ’ T REALIZED how fast they’d climbed out
of Ketchikan proper until she saw lights popping out of the fog. “Where’s the
apartment I’m going to be staying in?”
“It’s actually right around the corner.” They took a hairpin
turn and she could see trees and lush green shrubbery poking through the fog.
Also a big wood-sided house came into view. He pushed a button on a remote, and
the garage door opened. He pulled into an enormous space—she saw a speed boat on
one side along with a Porsche and tons of sporting equipment.
Perplexed, she asked, “Do I live in this person’s house?”
“You’ll stay in the mother-in-law apartment. It’s located on
the main level.”
“Do you know the owner of this house?” She wrung her hands.
“Are they trustworthy?”
“I know him and he’s very trustworthy, but you’ll have to make
that decision yourself.”
Sashi was getting annoyed at the game. “Who is he?”
Cole flashed her a crooked smile. “It’s me. Did you think I’d
let you go recuperate anywhere? Joe owns some property up the road. His daughter
and son-in-law have built a home on it while he lives in a trailer out back.
Mary comes down and helps me keep this place clean and cooks some meals, so I
don’t live just on energy bars.”
“You sound like me. I forget to eat half the time.” She
laughed. “It’s also a great way to eat on the cheap.”
He slipped briefly into doctor mode. “I’m thinking it’s a
low-calorie way for a dancer to eat.”
“Hey, I’m naturally skinny. And living in the Big Apple is
pricey, Doc.”
“I’m watching you, New York.”
She eyed him seriously. “Go ahead! My parents are amazed at
what this body can pound.”
“Listen, Mary and Joe want you to know you can always stay with
them when I can’t be here. Joe adores you. I think if he were younger, he might
take you for a wife.”
“Now you’re teasing me—Joe only likes Tlingit women.” She
twisted in the seat to face him. “How could you have kept all these plans a
secret from me?”
She felt hurt that he hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her,
and she didn’t know how she was going to get over her feelings for him when
she’d be living in such close proximity to him.
“Come on, Sashi. I couldn’t go around the hospital and announce
I’m having you live with me. It wouldn’t sound good. But I have a surprise for
you inside the house, so cheer up. You’re out of that hospital now. Let’s go in
and celebrate.”
Cole opened her door and carefully picked her up. Sashi put her
arms around his neck, savoring the feel of being warm and protected. She
couldn’t believe how relieved she was that she was going to be staying with him.
No matter what kind of relationship they had, at least he wasn’t leaving her
alone in Alaska.
She rested her head against his neck. All her anxieties were
slipping away. In fact, she was beginning to feel sleepy. Cole opened the door
with ease as he carried her into the dark house.
From out of nowhere she heard a whisper, then, “Welcome home,
Sashi!” The lights came on and she looked around to see at least twenty people
in Cole’s living room. Surprised, she instinctively clung more tightly to
Cole.
He looked down at her. “Welcome home, New York. Since you don’t
have your family, I thought I’d invite mine over to welcome you.” The joy on his
face was so genuine, it made her heart soar.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear. She then turned her head
and surveyed the room. “Joe, Mary, Mac.... I’m afraid I don’t know the rest of
you. But I want to thank all of you for coming here to welcome me. It means a
lot.” Her eyes began to tear up.
The room erupted with voices all talking at once.
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