This was a surprise to my mom, and, I guess, to me. I liked to do things on my own. I always had. Even though I wasn’t about to admit it to her, most of the time it was best I didn’t go on any long hikes alone. Katmai was off the road system, and there was no easy access.
“Yes, and you’ll be even happier to hear that it’s a guided trip. So if anything happens, I’ll be fine,” I said with a flourish.
My mother’s laugh was soft, and it twisted my heart because I could hear the worry tangled inside it. “I don’t know if happy is the correct word; I’m more relieved and grateful.”
“I love you, Mom. I always will. But sometimes you and Dad drive me insane.”
“Ditto,” she replied cheekily.
“Touché,” I teased. What was starting to feel like a heavy conversation was now lighter. “How is Rowan?” I asked next.
“We just talked last week, and she’s doing well.”
My sister and I had gone in opposite directions after growing up. I wanted more freedom, more wilderness, moreanythingwhere I felt like people didn’t have to watch over me all the time, while Rowan had gone urban. She’d gone to college in Juneau, medical school in Seattle, and taken a job at a medical center in Anchorage.
She’d never said as much, but in the back of my mind, I would always wonder if she’d wanted to become a doctor, consciously or unconsciously, because of me—her medically complicated little sister.
“She loves her job, you know. We wish she was a little closer,” my mom was saying.
“But you could move closer to her, Mom,” I pointed out lightly. “You and Dad aren’t young anymore.”
“We’re twenty minutes from the airport in Fairbanks. That makes for a quick trip. So when do you leave for Katmai?”
“Next month, I think.”
“Please call us before you go. Please also give us a time frame so we know when to expect to hear from you when you’re back.”
“Always, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you, Delly,” she teased, eliciting a laugh from me because I used to hate that nickname. I didn’t mind now.
I tapped the screen to end the call and crossed over to sit on the couch, tossing my phone on the cushion beside me. Leaning my head back, I let out a sigh. Absentmindedly, my hand traced the scar down the center of my chest through my tank top. I knew my parents worried—and they always would—but I was really okay now.
My stomach growled, and I lifted my head. My time at this rental was ending soon. I was still trying to decide whether to take Maggie up on her offer out at Heartfire Falls. While I’d agreed when I saw her at the café, I’d started to worry since. Accepting help from anyone didn’t come easy to me.
Of course, thinking about Heartfire Falls instantly brought Cole to mind. My cheeks puffed with a sigh as I stood, suddenly restless and antsy. Whenever I thought about Cole, zaps of energy started coursing through my system.
“It’s just a phase,” I said out loud to myself. “Maybe the more time you spend with him, the sooner it’ll fade away.”
My cynical, suddenly noisy hormones scoffed at me, all but cackling at my resolve. Relationships were not my thing. I didn’t have crushes.
Just then, my phone vibrated where it had landed on the couch. I glanced down and saw an unfamiliar number with the Alaska area code.
When I lifted the screen, I sawMaybe: Heartfire Fallsunderneath. Instantly, my lips curled into a smile. I slid my thumb across the screen. “Hello?”
“Adele?” a woman’s voice prompted.
“This is Adele.”
“It’s Maggie Silver.”
“Hi, Maggie.”
“I got your number from Janet. I hope that’s okay and it doesn’t feel like a violation of your privacy.”
“Oh no, that’s fine,” I said quickly. “It’s nice to hear from you.”
“I was calling because I know Cole invited you out to dinner. I thought maybe you could come out tonight and see those staff rooms while you’re at it.”
