“I doubt he’ll stay with me. He’s pretty stuck to you.”
Dawson glanced at the dog. “It’s too dangerous for him.” He headed toward the small room where they kept their outdoor gear.
River returned with a full body snowsuit and a pair of knitted wool socks. “You’ll need this. And the parka. And a scarf and double mittens.”
“You’re scaring me.”
“Alaska.” She handed them to Keely, who put on the gear, took off her fuzzy Prada boots, and pulled on the wool socks. “You’ll need the Sorels I loaned you,” River added.
“I guess I’ll trade you.” Keely handed her the boots. River looked them over, raised an eyebrow.
“I thought these were Uggs. Add a couple zeros.”
Keely shrugged. “The zeros don’t matter when it’s below freezing.”
“There’s the Alaska girl in you.”
She laughed, fighting the burr in her throat as she zipped up the snowsuit, then she put on the wool underjacket that River gave her.
“Layers will save your life,” River said.
She had no idea.
Keely zipped up the wool overcoat, then retrieved the boots by the door and laced them up.
River shoved a hat in her hands, one free of a pom-pom. “It’s called a tuque. You wear it under this.” She held up a fur hat. “Just like the old sourdoughs used to wear.”
“A sourdough?”
“An original Alaskan gold miner.” River plopped it on Keely’s head, then wound a knitted scarf around her face.
“I don’t think I can move.”
“But you’ll stay warm. Now, goggles.” River grabbed a set from a peg by the door. “These are mine. Trust me on this.”
Keely put on the goggles, then accepted River’s help to slip into the parka, and finally worked on glove liners. River fitted on her leather mittens.
“I should be in some Alaskan photo shoot,” Keely said, trying to laugh.
River smiled, although it, too, looked forced, sad. “Come back, Keely. You’re always welcome here.”
And now shewouldcry. She pulled River into a hug, and Nance came up behind her.
“Be safe,” Nance said. And hugged her too. “We’ll be praying. God has you in his hands.”
Right. She didn’t want to wonder where God’s plans fit into this. So much for what her heart wanted.
And that thought stood Keely up, made her draw in a breath. Five long days ago, the thought of staying here, in remote Alaska, to build a life seemed...
Well, unthinkable.
And now at least a part of her longed for it.
More, that’s exactly what her birth mother had done, wasn’t it?
So maybe Dawson was right ... maybe there was more of Vic inside her than she thought.
“We’ll make it,” Keely said, glancing over to Nance.
