Charlotte swallowed hastily. “You weren’t joking about your eggs. Are you sure you aren’t a professional chef?”
Heat built under my skin, the compliment warming me more than it should have. “Nope,” I said, lowering my head and stabbing a forkful of my own eggs. “But I’m glad you like them.” I ate quickly, willing my bear to behave itself.
Charlotte turned back to her food. “I’m really glad I passed on that muffin.”
For the next few minutes, we ate in companionable silence, the clink of cutlery the only sounds in the kitchen.
“What will you do today?” Charlotte asked after a moment.
Try to convince you to leave town.
I set down my fork and wiped my mouth with my napkin. “This place keeps me busy.”
She waited like she expected me to elaborate. When I didn’t, she blinked at me behind her glasses. “With…?”
Reluctant humor threatened to pull a smile to my lips. She was a nosy little thing. “Laundry and cleaning,” I said. “If the weather holds, I might do some work outside.”
She tilted her head, curiosity in her brown eyes. “Do you like it?” She glanced around the kitchen. “Running a bed and breakfast, I mean.”
I didn’t have much choice. The bed and breakfast had belonged to Rex, the former alpha. The place didn’t get much use since Bear Cove rarely entertained visitors.
“I don’t mind it,” I said. “Bear Cove doesn’t offer much in the way of job opportunities.”
“Do you ever think of moving?”
I stood and carried my plate to the sink. “Can’t say that I do.”
Silence stretched as I ran the tap. Wood scraped. Footsteps echoed, and Charlotte appeared behind me with her plate in her hand. “I can help?—”
“I’ve got the dishes,” I said, taking the plate from her. “I’m sure you’ve got work to do.”
Her smile faltered, and I kicked myself for sounding gruff. Before I could apologize, she stepped back. “Thank you for breakfast. I should get going.”
I bit my tongue so I didn’t tell her she really shouldn’t. “Be careful, Ms. Mills. Alaska isn’t Colorado.”
Her smile returned, but now it was cool. “I’m tougher than I look, Mr. Antonovich.”
“Beck,” I said before I could think better of it. “We’re not formal here.”
Some of the ice in her expression thawed. “Beck,” she said softly. “And, please, call me Charlotte.”
“All right, Charlotte.”
She held my stare a beat longer. Then, with another nod, she turned and left the kitchen. A few minutes later, the front door opened and shut. I watched from the window as she crossed the parking lot, a military-grade backpack on her shoulders and a pair of hiking poles in her hands. Morning sunlight set her hair on fire. She didn’t look back as she disappeared into the trees.
My phone buzzed. When I dug it from my pocket, the screen showed an incoming call from Everett.
“Hey,” I said, putting the phone to my ear.
“Talked to Cal,” Everett said. “He’s catching a flight to Seattle this afternoon.”
Satisfaction spread through my chest. “Good.”
Everett lowered his voice. “I saw your scientist leave.”
“She’s not—” I cut myself off before I could say Charlotte wasn’t mine. “She’s got sophisticated equipment. And she’s smart.”And curious. And beautiful. And a serious problem.
“What’s your plan?” Everett asked.
