“We better get you outside, Graham Cracker.”
She traded her pajama bottoms for jeans and slipped on a jacket. Only when she reached the lodge’s back door did she wish she’d grabbed the waterproof one. Cody was right about the rainy day. At the thought of seeing him again, she started to smile. But she caught herself in time to keep it from fully forming.He’s not staying. No point in getting involved beyond the list.
As the morning sun began to illuminate the horizon, rain fell in steady sheets; not heavy but definitely more than a drizzle.
“Let’s make this quick, okay?” They raced out the door together, and Graham made quick work of things. For a dog who loved to jump in a lake and swim until he was ready to pass out, he hated getting rained on.
When they made it back to the room, Jenna’s phone was ringing. The temptation to chuck it into the ocean had never been stronger. “At least when we move into the cabin, no one will be able to reach us on this thing.” She considered ignoring her phone, but with the three missed calls right before it, Whitney would just call back again and again until she answered.
“Hello?”
“Thereyou are.” Whitney’s tone was as condescending as Jenna expected. Unlike the Evans clan, there was little to no actual love between her and her sister underneath the bickering. It made her yearn for Beth and Jerry to adopt her. “Is your phone broken or something?”
“No.” Jenna learned long ago that explanations were considered excuses, and Whitney was always eager to pick those apart.
“Then why didn’t you answer?”
Graham stood at the door, reminding Jenna she’d yet to towel-dry him off. The only thing he tolerated about the rain was the rub-down afterward. She grabbed a towel from the bathroom, smiling as he popped onto all fours and eagerly wagged his tail. “Did you need something?”
“Yes! Didn’t you read my texts?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Whitney, I don’t have time for the fifth degree. Whatever it is, spit it out. I won’t have much cell service the rest of the day.” Most of the items Cody suggested they complete today were local, but that didn’t mean Jenna needed to carry her phone. Or even leave it turned on back in the lodge room.
“You haven’t ordered your bridesmaid dress.” Whitney’s overexaggerated tone made Jenna roll her eyes. “Did you even get measured for it yet? I know we talked about you losing five pounds first—”
Jenna tensed, unsurprised that her sister would ever actuallylistento a thing she said. “I already told you, I’m not coming to the wedding.”
“Of course you are. Without you, we have an uneven number. You know I can’t stand odd numbers.” Typical Whitney, convinced she controlled the universe. Jenna wondered what kind of meltdown her older sister would have if she found out Jenna hadn’t put the trailer of her belongings in storage as they discussed, but drove it up to Alaska instead. The thought brought her a slice of malicious joy. “Now, if you put on some extra pounds that’s okay. Just tell her—”
Another call beeped through, and Jenna pulled her ear away. An odd flutter danced in her belly at Cody’s name on the screen. “I have to go. Grandpa gave me lots to do.”
“He’s gone, Jenna. This trip of yours . . . it’s not healthy.”
“Gotta go, bye.” She ended the call so she could answer Cody’s, refusing to let her emotions trigger from Whitney’s crappy and misguided comment.
“Did I wake you?” he asked, that suave honey-smooth voice filling her with warmth. Jenna couldn’t explain why she was having such a strong reaction to a man she’d known only one day. It didn’t help that he was kind, funny, and attracted people to him like a magnet. Or that he was incredibly easy on the eyes with his tall muscular frame and sea-green eyes that put anyone who dared to gaze into them in a trance.
“No, that honor belongs to my overbearing sister.”
“Well, in that case, you want to knock number one off the list and meet at Moosecakes for breakfast? I’d offer to pick you up, but I don’t want to get on Graham’s bad side.”
Thiswas exactly what was luring Jenna in. Cody’s charismatic charm and the way he was about her fur-child. “I thought I might leave Graham to nap in the room while we grabbed a bite. He’ll just mope in the truck with all this rain.”
“I’ll pick you up in ten.”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll meet you there.”
Jenna ended the call before Cody could object and immediately leapt from the bed. She was still half in pajamas, her hair was a bird’s nest trapped in a ponytail, and mascara smudged beneath her eyes. She wasn’t trying toimpressCody. That would be ridiculous. But considering there would be photos, she did want to look semi-presentable.
Graham groaned, stretching out on the bed.
She fished a treat from the backpack she’d stuffed full of his goodies before they started this road trip, and promised to be back soon. He’d made it two nights now without munching on a pillow—a nervous trait from his puppy days when he feared she would leave and never come back.
“Good morning,” one of the staff greeted cheerfully as Jenna came down the hallway. The woman with dark chocolate-colored hair pulled back into a high ponytail looked vaguely familiar, though Jenna didn’t recall having seen her at the lodge since she checked in. “I’m just finishing up a pan of white chocolate raspberry muffins if you’re hungry.”
