River looked around, then held up the pan to hide their conversation. “Hekissedyou.”
“In the woods.”
“Even better.”
“River. Please. We have such different lives.” Except right here, right now, they didn’t feel so different.
Only because she was living in a Hallmark movie.
Keely stared out past River into the main room.
Dawson sat with Griffin and Landon and a few other men at a long table.
“And,I’m your friend.”
No, he was herhero. Her Alaskan, flannel hero. He and his trusty dog.
But she couldn’t bring them back to her apartment in New York City like a souvenir, right?
“I had no business kissing him.” She looked at River. “It won’t happen again.”
“Well that completely breaks my heart,” River said. “Maybe you should write that song. ‘Northern Light Tears.’”
“That’s a terrible title.”
River started to hum ... then, “Under the glow of the aurora, I ... found my heart? But in the cold of Alaska, our worlds were ... far apart?”
“Your beats are all off.”
“Can you do better?”
“Please.” Keely turned her voice singsongy. “I was a melody, a pop star in the spotlight, you were the snow, silent in the moonlight...”
“I’d call him more of a storm. You’ve seen those blue eyes.”
“Fine.” She switched to the melody again. “You were thestorm, calling through the night.”
“Not bad. It’s catchy.”
“No. We need something like this.” Keely grabbed a wooden spoon, held it up, and cleared her throat.
And then, magic. The song started softly, almost haunting, and then grew as she gave it strength.
Caught in the blizzard, your laughter was my warmth
Your eyes like the city lights, mine were the north
Snowflakes fell like secrets in the frosty air
Alaska’s winter whispered, but life’s never fair ...
River backed up to lean on the counter, and a couple of kids moved over to listen. River folded her arms. “That’s not bad.”
“I love improv. I did some open mic songs back in college, when I was just getting started.”
“Got any more?”
Funny. She might just be getting started. “Me, the hustle of New York, with dreams as wide as day. Our worlds collided magically, in the most surprising way.”
