“I’d love that. What time?”
“We eat at six sharp. I know you came out to the trails, but do you know where the main entrance for the resort is?”
“If I stay on the road that took me to the trail, will I find it?”
Maggie’s laugh filtered through the call. “You sure will; just keep going. So, we’ll see you at six?”
“I’ll be there.”
“When you come through the entrance, the main guest area is beyond that. Just keep walking toward the back into the kitchen. I’m sure you’ll see one of us.”
I heard a noise in the background, and Maggie added, “I have to go. Some guests just arrived.”
“Oh, of course, thank you for calling. I’ll see you later.”
She ended the call quickly, and a bemused smile curled my lips as I looked down at the phone. I liked Maggie. So what if Cole unsettled me? It would be nice to make friends.
When I drove out to Heartfire Falls a while later, I knew I was headed in the right direction when I saw the beautiful driftwood sign mounted on a barn. It had been painted to look like a waterfall with the colors of the sunset. About a decade ago, much of the outskirts of the forest near Willow Brook had burned in a fast-moving wildfire. This resort had been nothing but ashes with its destruction all over the state news reports. While Alaska was geographically sprawling, the small population shared a kinship due to the isolation, so any area that experienced that kind of impact was felt all over the state.
The new resort looked as if it belonged here, built on a small rise with a central lodge and two flanking wings. It was situated with a view of a valley and a glacier in the distance. Along one of the mountainsides, a wide stream wound downhill, and I guessed that led to the famed falls on the property.
Just as Maggie said, the main entrance opened into a large slate-tiled entryway. Through an open arch was a beautiful common space with several areas for guests to relax—couches, an area with a puzzle on a table, and a section with bookshelves. Guests were gathered in clusters, chatting and relaxing.
Beyond that, what appeared to be the common dining area came next with a sign pointed into the kitchen. That’s where I found Maggie. She was talking with a woman with brown hair twisted into a haphazard bun.
Maggie glanced over, a smile breaking across her face the moment she saw me. “You made it!” She clasped her hands together before crossing to me and pulling me into a hug. “Hi, Adele.” When she stepped back, she glanced toward the womanbeside the counter. “This is Chloe. She’s our admin whiz around here.”
Chloe dipped her head, her smile warm. “Nice to meet you. You let me know if you need anything, and I’ll make it happen.” Her voice had a subtle Southern twang, and she had a warm, easy quality to her.
“Nice to meet you. This place is beautiful,” I said.
“The beauty still shocks me on the daily,” Chloe commented. Her gaze flicked to Maggie. “I’ll be back in a few—just going to check if we have any late messages in the office.” With a wave, she walked briskly out of the kitchen.
Maggie gestured for me to follow her. “Come with me.” She led me through another set of doors into what appeared to be a more casual space. “This is the family kitchen.”
A boy, who looked to be in that awkward middle school age, all arms and legs, was placing a platter on the table. “This is Tommy, Haven’s son,” Maggie said.
Tommy looked like the entire collection of Silver brothers. “I met you briefly at the Fireweed Winery,” I said, remembering. “Do you cook for the resort?”
Maggie beamed. “Tommy cooks for the family, and sometimes he helps in the guest kitchen. We’d have him run the whole show, but he’s too young.”
“I want to be a chef someday, so I cook for the family,” Tommy added.
“That’s awesome. So, what’s for dinner?”
Tommy swung his arm toward the table. “That’s our appetizer platter. If you want the cheese sticks, move fast because fried cheese is really good.”
I burst out laughing. “Cheese is amazing. I live for it.”
Tommy grinned. “The actual meal is grilled salmon with a Brussels sprout casserole, sort of like green bean casserole.”
“Haven and Lincoln caught some fresh salmon on one of their excursions today with guests. We love spring because that’s when the salmon runs start. Wespoil ourselves around here with salmon,” Maggie added.
“Fresh salmon is”—I brought my fingers together and blew a kiss—“chef’s kiss. One of the advantages of living in Alaska.”
Just then, the door swung open behind us. I knew it was Cole before I even turned to look. He came in with a cluster of his brothers, along with Kendall and Elsa. As I glanced through the group, I tried to remember who was who. I recognized Asher, because I’d seen him more recently.
“Haven?” I asked as one of them stopped beside me.
