Lying on this bed with the sightline of the bright blue Alaskan sky was like lounging on a cloud. Cadence wasn’t sure she ever wanted to leave. The spot felt magical. As if she’d been transported to a peaceful place where hard decisions and unrealistic expectations didn’t exist. Just a few minutes more, and then she’d get to work on all those emails.
Her eyelids blinked heavier and heavier until, with what she could only assume was jetlag finally catching up with her, they fell closed.
“Cadence?”
Somewhere, miles and miles away, someone faintly called her name.
“Cadence, are you up here?”
The voice echoed oddly, as if the person was in a tunnel. She spun to locate the voice, but all she got was dizzy from the blurry images rushing by her as if she were in a fast car staring out the window.
“Cadence.”
The ground beneath her shook, startling her. Her eyes wildly fluttered open, landing first on the blue of the sky before seeking out closer objects. Like the corner posts of the bed. The blue checkered shirt. A woodsy, very masculine scent surrounded her like a fog. “Ford?” Wiping sleep from her eyes, Cadence scooted backward until she was sitting on the bed.
“Sorry to wake you.”
He sat inches from her, on the edge of the mattress. She bet his feet could touch the floor, though. Hers would simply dangle over the edge and force her to hop down. “I didn’t realize I fell asleep.”
“I wanted to ask how you like your steak before I throw them on the grill.”
“Steak?” Cadence’s stomach growled at the mere thought, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since Willamina’s Big Dipper. She wondered what time it was, but the bright sky would be no help. Not in Alaska in the summer. The sun never really set, that much Cadence did remember.
“Rilee’s working on potatoes, so it won’t be too long. Don’t want to overcook yours if you like it bleeding.”
Cadence shook her head. “Not bleeding or mooing. Medium.”
“Got it.” He sprang to his feet with ease, his height more noticeable now that he stood beside the corner bed post. She should stop staring at his broad shoulders. Or his dark beard, but she couldn’t stop thinking about brushing her fingers over it. “Dinner’ll be ready in about twenty minutes.”
“Right.” Her hand slid across the silky comforter and into her phone, reminding her why she came up here in the first place. “I’ll be down after I answer a few work emails. Seems I can’t get a signal anywhere but up here.”
“Patty had Wi-Fi,” he said. “I’ll make a call.”
“It’s that easy around here?”
At the doorway, Ford gave her a wink. “I know a guy.”
Her heart still fluttered oddly in her chest after he disappeared down the hall. Cadence would never try to deny that she found Ford attractive. What woman with two eyes and a heartbeat wouldn’t noticethat? But nothing would come of it. She’d be gone in a couple of days.
Unsure how long it would take Ford to get the Internet connection restored, Cadence decided to browse her messages before heading downstairs. Hiding up here for a few minutes had nothing to do with the funny pitter-patter of her heart. Nothing at all.
Cadence let out a sigh at the number of times Janine emailed. Each notification required her to work on her vacation, whether she wanted to or not. Tomorrow morning, she could seek out the library and knock out a few of the to-dos.
The last text was the one that caused her pause.
Sophie: I wish I could come see it.
The message was separate from the group text she started earlier.
How wonderful would it be if the three could reunite here once more, before they put the property on the market? Relive old memories, reminisce about their summer, and most of all, find that bond they’d shared here. They didn’t live close to one another. They weren’t close anymore, period.
Cadence started to type out a reply, but she deleted her words so many times she finally gave up and hit the call button.
“Hey,” Sophie answered. “How’s Alaska?”
“As beautiful as I remembered.” Of her sisters, Sophie was the easiest to talk to. She never jumped to conclusions the way Tessa tended to. She was patient and careful with her words. That didn’t make it easier for Cadence to find the ones she was looking for. “I wish you could come see it, too.”
A squeal echoed in the background, along with faint music. “Sorry, Caroline gets excited about her favorite movie.”
