Praise for USA TODAY bestselling author
Jennifer Snow’s Wild River series

“Heartwarming, romantic, and utterly enjoyable.”
—New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster on An Alaskan Christmas

“This first title in the Wild River series is passionate, sensual, and very sexy. The freezing, winter-cold portrayal of the Alaskan ski slopes is not the only thing sending chills through one’s body.”
—New York Journal of Books

“Set in the wilds of Alaska, the beauty of winter and the cold shine through.”
—Fresh Fiction on An Alaskan Christmas

“Jennifer Snow’s Alaska setting and search-and-rescue element are interesting twists, and the romance is smart and sexy.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will enjoy the mix of sexy love scenes, tense missions, and amiable banter. This entertaining introduction to Wild River will encourage fans of small-town contemporaries to follow the series.”
—Publishers Weekly

“An Alaskan Christmas drew me in from the first page to the last. I tried to read slower so that I could savor the story and feel every emotion. I reveled in every nuance, felt the cold, the wind and snow, and loved the small town and the mountains... I can’t wait to return to Wild River.”
—Romance Junkies

Wild Alaskan Hearts

Jennifer Snow

Dedication

To the amazing art department at Harlequin—thank you for all the beautiful covers for this series!

CHAPTER ONE

NICK HAD ACTUALLY unfriended her. And blocked her, judging by the slightly ominous disappearance of all his posts and comments from her social media sites. He’d even untagged himself from their photos together. Alisha Miller had been able to view her ex-boyfriend’s Facebook profile long enough to see him change his status from “In a Relationship” to “Single,” and notice that he’d “Liked” the Wild River Single Professionals dating page.

That hurt, but it was probably his intent, and how could she fault him for it? The breakup had been 100 percent her fault.

Who mixed up their current boyfriend’s birthday with their ex’s? Worse—who planned a surprise birthday party on the completely wrong day? She’d barely had the word “Surprise!” out of her mouth before the look on Nick’s face made her realize the mistake. The sound of her apartment door slamming behind him had made it perfectly clear that things were over.

If only one of their friends could have prevented the mix-up... But Nick was a transplant to Wild River, so her friends had become his friends over the months they’d dated, and therefore, no one—not a close buddy of his or family member—could have prevented her massive blunder.

Alisha sighed as she shut down the site and tucked her phone into the pocket of her scrubs. Getting dumped had been overdue actually. How many times had she messed things up and Nick had let it go? Even the sweet, patient, smart, successful lawyer had his breaking point. It was disappointing because she and Nick were compatible on so many levels. He was everything she claimed to look for in a man.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t Arron.

She’d thought that after all this time, she’d have moved on. Healed from the breakup before this one. But Arron Bosch had somehow weaved his way into her heart so deeply that even a steady, reliable relationship with Nick hadn’t been able to shake him loose.

Alisha left the break room at Wild River Community Hospital and suppressed a yawn as she headed toward the maternity ward. She paused in the hall outside the baby room and the familiar tug at her chest felt even stronger this time.

She wouldn’t call the sensation the result of longing or a ticking clock—it was more a foreboding sense of not being sure whether she wanted children of her own. In three months, she was turning thirty, and she’d never felt the pressure to get married and start a family even when it seemed everyone around her was blissfully betrothed. But her lack of desire one way or another was worrisome. She’d heard of the inexorable biological clock and she’d expected it to be ringing or at least sending warning signs anytime now...

But nothing.

The babies were beautiful, precious, adorable. She could cuddle one or all of them for hours. But it was also just as easy to hand them back. Indecisiveness over something so big was the scariest part. How could she plan her future if she had no strong feelings when it came to something as important as children?

She continued down the hall and pushed through the door to Room 43, where her best friend, Cheryl Kingsly, was breastfeeding her new baby girl. Her second child in less than two years. Cheryl and her husband, Mitch, wanted a big family and they wanted the kids to be close in age. Cheryl and Mitch had a plan.

“How’s Mom and baby Rose?” she asked quietly as she tiptoed toward the bed.

Cheryl was already showered and dressed, and looked fresh as a daisy only twelve hours after delivering the perfect little girl. Cheryl was a personal trainer and Alisha suspected she’d be back in the gym with her clients, baby Rose strapped to her chest, doing squats in record time.

“We’re doing great. She’s latching like a champ,” Cheryl said with a smile as she swaddled the baby and put the sleeping child into the plastic crib next to the bed. When she turned back to Alisha, she frowned. “You don’t look so great though. Everything okay?”

She was a terrible liar and Cheryl could always tell when something was up, so she said, “Nick has officially banned me from his life. I’ve been erased on social media now.”

After the birthday incident, he’d refused to answer her calls and texts. He’d sent Mitch to collect his personal things from her apartment. Just a week earlier she’d been thinking his next move would be to bring all of his items in, as his own apartment lease was coming up for renewal. But there had been no opportunity to explain or apologize, and it killed her that at this point, she was concerned more with clearing the air and removing the awkwardness between them than with actually getting back together.

Since the breakup, she’d had to reluctantly admit it was for the best. Still didn’t stop her from missing him or the life they’d been sharing. But expecting him to still want to be her friend would be selfish.

Cheryl offered a sympathetic smile and said, “Look, I know you wanted Nick to be the one...but you can’t force these things.”

Right, but if Nick wasn’t the one when he was absolutely perfect in every way, how would she ever find the one? An anxiety attack threatened, so she calmed herself by staring at the peaceful, sleeping baby.

“I didn’t have to screw things up so badly though. I still can’t believe I made such a crazy mistake. I know when Nick’s birthday is. He’s a Scorpio. It was one of those perfect things where the stars—the actual stars—aligned. We were astrologically compatible.” It wasn’t something she put a ton of stock in, but it certainly helped. “I don’t know how I got the two dates confused.”

Cheryl eyed her. “Because you’ve never gotten over Arron.”

Alisha opened her mouth to argue but then slammed her lips shut again. No sense trying to bullshit Cheryl. She paced the room and resisted the urge to scream. Arron infuriated her. Any thought of him, any mention... The fact that he didn’t infuriate her as much as he should infuriated her. “How could I? There was never any closure.”

“What did happen between you two anyway? I was away at that yoga teacher training when things ended. You never did tell me. It was all kinda crazy, intense...then boom! Over.”

Boom! Over. That pretty much summed it up. “Things were crazy and intense.” Arron was one of those exciting men who swept a woman off her feet with the promise of life being a continuous adventure. He was a free-spirited free climber who was essentially living life one challenging mountain to another. As an adventure guide for SnowTrek Tours, he was living the life he’d always wanted.

Alisha had met him on a rock climbing team building exercise with the hospital staff and had fallen hard and fast. Their sense of adventure had been in sync. She loved to climb and surf and ski and all things outdoors that provided an adrenaline rush.

Arron had been one hell of an adrenaline rush.

She took a deep breath and continued. “Then his twin brother, Langdon, died of a brain aneurysm and Arron was devastated. He seemed lost and depressed one minute and almost manic the next. He quit his job at SnowTrek, sold off everything in a matter of days, bought an old Volkswagen sleeper van and decided to travel the world.”

He didn’t exactly ditch her. He’d asked her to go with him, and the memory of that moment continued to haunt her. At the time she’d thought he was asking the impossible. She had a career, an apartment, friends, family and a life in Wild River. They’d only been seeing each other three months. Giving it all up had seemed impulsive. His actions had appeared to be on the brink of reckless and the whole thing had terrified her. She had been unable to go with him and he’d left...but they’d never really ended things. They’d never talked about what happened next for the two of them. If there was a way to make things work...

“There was never any real closure.” After he drove away, she’d never heard from him again. Pain and pride had prevented her from reaching out.

“Well, maybe it’s time you get that,” Cheryl said in her best life coach tone. Twelve hours after childbirth and she was already back in action as Alisha’s best friend and sounding board.

Alisha’s heart raced. She wasn’t sure she wanted advice right now. Especially when it was obviously the right advice, which was notoriously difficult to follow. “How?”

“Call him. Right now. Say the things you didn’t get to say and then tell him it’s officially over.” Cheryl’s instructions made it sound so easy.

Alisha stared at the ground as she mumbled, “I don’t even know if I still have his phone number.”

“Bullshit.”

She sighed. “Okay, so maybe it’s still on my speed dial.” Another thing that had pissed off Nick. The guy deserved a medal for sticking it out as long as he had.

“Well, do it. Like pulling off a Band-Aid.”

Yeah, a sixteen-month-old Band-Aid that was likely covering an open wound.

Could she really do that? Call up the only man she couldn’t stop thinking about, dreaming about, reminiscing about...and finally close the door on a relationship she obviously never wanted to be over?

Unfortunately, it seemed like it might be the only way she could ever move forward.

HIS THIRTIETH FREE CLIMB, to mark his thirtieth birthday, had to be epic. So, naturally, Arron Bosch was back in his hometown of Wild River, Alaska. Or more accurately thirty minutes outside town, staring up at the base of Denali Diamond. This mountain had always eluded him, with its menacing height and dangerous terrain, and while the goal wasn’t to climb to its very peak, this free climb would be one of the very few attempted on this rock face.

This had been the plan for almost five years. The pact he’d made with his twin brother, Langdon. They’d been working their way up to this climb. Training for it, preparing for it. To mark their thirtieth birthday, they’d tackle one of the world’s most formidable mountains with the most challenging climb of their lives.

Langdon was gone, but Arron was determined to fulfill the promise. A way of honoring his brother’s memory. He’d spent the last sixteen months traveling the United States, climbing peaks from California to Colorado to Maine. Alone, in his old sleeper van, living on his savings and picking up an odd job here and there, he’d made his way from north to south, from east to west and now back home again.

He stared up at the mountain in front of him. This was it. He was ready.

No harness, no safety net. Just him and the rock face.

He took a deep breath, checked his gear and started his climb. His muscles were ready—he’d been endurance training for six months. His mind was ready—razor focus could mean the difference between life and death. Sound decisions, careful calculation, never taking a foothold or handhold for granted. There was a spiritual element to these climbs, a connection to nature, a respect for the danger these skyscraping mountains could evoke.

This climb would take over forty hours, so he paced himself as he went higher and higher. There was no rush. The goal was to complete the ascent, not break any records. And he wanted to enjoy it. His climb path would take several days and he’d be portaledge camping after the sun went down.

About two hours and two hundred feet from the bottom, he paused and took in the breathtaking view of the valley below and the snow-covered mountain peaks in the distance. Rivers and lakes reflected the sun’s warm glow and midafternoon shadows fell over the forest areas. This sight never got old. Wild River had some of the best experiences and scenery in the world. Surreal majesty enveloped him as he continued the trek upward, letting his mind and body come together as he pushed through the more difficult aspects of the challenging climb.

This was living. And he was determined to do as much living as possible. Langdon had taught him the importance of not wasting a single moment.

His twin brother had been the adventurous one growing up—the daredevil, the wild child. Arron had been more afraid to try new things, but his brother always refused to do something if Arron didn’t do it too. Langdon had helped him overcome his many fears, and after they both graduated college with matching physical education degrees, they’d moved to Alaska to operate their own free-climb clinics in partnership with SnowTrek Tours.

They were twins. They were brothers, so naturally they were close, but they were also best friends because they respected one another. They’d had each other’s back.

Unfortunately, there was no fighting the brain aneurysm that had taken his brother’s life. Langdon had led a life of activity, geared toward good health and body positivity. The one day he was at home with a minor head cold, chilling in front of Netflix, he’d died suddenly, without apparent cause. The autopsy report had shocked them all. How could someone so healthy, so full of life, just die?

Arron’s life had changed in that split second. He hadn’t known what to do. Fear unlike any he’d ever experienced had gripped him, making it hard to breathe, hard to focus, hard to sit still... He’d needed to escape the pain, so he’d left for the road trip of a lifetime, hoping to find peace in a world without his brother.

Whether it had been the right thing to do...maybe he’d never know, but lately he’d found himself second-guessing his decision more than he’d like.

The sound of a ringtone came from his backpack—one that he hadn’t heard in sixteen months. He attempted to take the next step upward but lost his footing. He frantically reached higher to try to steady himself against the rock face, but the ledge above him was too narrow. Without a firm grasp, his fingers slipped, and the one hand holding his body weight gave way.

A second later, he was free-falling.

CHAPTER TWO

ALISHA YAWNED AS she headed toward the locker room. Her last twenty-four-hour shift for the week was over, and she was looking forward to three days off. She needed time for self-care. An at-home spa day and maybe a new hairstyle would help her rebound from the breakup...and get her head on straight to prevent any more impulse dials to ex-boyfriends. As soon as she got home, she was deleting contact details for all former flames from her cell phone.

Thank God Arron hadn’t answered her call. What the hell would she have said?

Cheryl was right—she did need some kind of closure if she was going to move on with her life. But maybe that closure had to come from within. Maybe the fact that they hadn’t found their way back to each other after so much time was enough.

Did she really need to hear him say he didn’t love her?

The thought made her stomach drop. She changed quickly, grabbed her purse and headed out of the locker room. Pizza, cheap Chardonnay, pajamas and a face mask held the cure to all her problems. And maybe she’d grab some cleansing herbs from the apothecary store on Main Street to reset the balance in her apartment.

As she approached the front doors, she waved to the staff at the triage desk and paused to rearrange the stack of magazines in the waiting room. For three days, this place would not be her problem. She’d unwind and relax and not give work a second—

The emergency doors swung open, and the sight of a stretcher being rolled in had her moving toward it. She wasn’t sanitized or dressed to deal with the patient, but her oath as a nurse prevented her from simply leaving the hospital when she might be needed. “What do we have?” she asked one of the paramedics.

“Male. Late twenties. Climbing accident,” he said. “Several broken bones for sure. Internal bleeding and concussion suspected.”

Alisha glanced at the man. “Is he unconscious?”

“Induced. He was in a lot of pain.”

She walked alongside the stretcher as they made their way down the hall toward surgery, and when she looked at his face, really looked this time, her heart stopped. The man she’d been trying to call an hour before was now lying there severely injured.

Fate had the worst sense of humor.

It was irrational to be mad at someone on a stretcher, but damned if she could control the feelings of rage flowing through her at the sight of Arron lying there damaged and broken. She wanted to yell at him for getting hurt. But in the next instant, she had to resist the urge to grab him and hug him in relief that it wasn’t so much worse. Her stomach felt queasy as she forced a calming breath and tried to take in the situation as a professional caregiver and not a woman seeing the love of her life for the first time in months under terribly unfortunate circumstances. It was nearly impossible.

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “Thirty.”

The paramedic frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Not late twenties. He’s thirty. His birthday was a week ago today.”

IF HE COULD just feel his toes, he’d know he was okay.

Unfortunately, Arron couldn’t feel anything at all as he lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. The last thing he remembered was reaching for the rock face just barely wide enough for his fingertips, then free-falling. It was every climber’s nightmare. Reaching for the mountain and feeling nothing but air.

The monitor next to him beeped and he slowed his breath. He was no stranger to hospitals, but that didn’t mean they didn’t stress him out. Between him and Langdon, his parents has been back and forth to the hospital dealing with broken bones and concussions at least once a month. There wasn’t a bone in his body that he hadn’t bruised or fractured at one point.

Unfortunately, the last time he was here hadn’t been for one of his injuries. The day Langdon was taken in and pronounced dead on arrival was etched in his memory, and the sights, sounds and smells of the hospital made his chest ache. He couldn’t determine how long he had been here. He felt as though he’d slept a long time.

The door opened, and Dr. Sheraton entered the room. He forced a relaxed smile as he asked, “How bad is it?”

“Not bad. Horrible,” she said. He’d never been under her care before, but he’d heard the young head of surgery didn’t exactly sugarcoat things. She was supposedly working on her bedside manner. If this was progress, he’d hate to have been a patient before.

“What’s broken?” he asked.

“What’s not?” she replied with an annoyed look. “Femur, wrist, ribs...”

“Okay, I get it, I’m basically Humpty-Dumpty.”

She frowned, not getting the joke.

“Anyway, I’m alive, so that’s a good thing.”

“You may not feel that way once the morphine wears off,” she said, checking his vitals.

Wow.

The door opened again and Alisha entered. His tongue seemed to swell in his mouth at the sight of her. She was dressed in her pale green hospital scrubs, her blond hair in a braid down her back and her face free of makeup but full of unconcealed concern. He struggled to find a breath. He hadn’t seen her in sixteen months. Sixteen long months.

At least not in person. He’d cyberstalked her quite a bit. Whenever his heart could handle the sight of her with another guy anyway. When the photos of her and some guy named Nick had started to appear on her social media, he’d hoped it was just a fling, a rebound, revenge even for the way they’d left things, but then he’d realized that was all just ego. As months went by and the two seemed to fall more and more in love, he realized Alisha had found the real thing...and it wasn’t him.

And now here he was lying there at her mercy.

“Hi,” he said dumbly.

“Hello,” she said coolly, barely glancing his way, then turned to Dr. Sheraton. “Mrs. Dorsey is ready for her foot surgery. I’ll finish filling in the chart.”

Dr. Sheraton nodded, and then, forcing what was obviously fake enthusiasm in the presence of a coworker, she touched his leg gently, briefly. “You’re going to be fine.”

“Thanks, Doc,” he mumbled. After the door closed behind her, he turned to Alisha and whispered, “She wasn’t that nice before you came in.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t earn him the laugh he’d been going for. In fact, her body language suggested she was pissed at him. This reunion wasn’t exactly ideal. He hated that this was the way they were seeing one another for the first time in forever, but he couldn’t help being happy to see her.

“She’s the best surgeon in this hospital,” Alisha said. “You can thank her for the fact that your hand will continue facing the right direction once the bones set and heal.”

Was there a new tough love policy at Wild River Community? Maybe he couldn’t expect sympathy when his accident was due to extreme sports. Or maybe he just couldn’t expect sympathy from his ex-girlfriend. He cleared his throat. “How are you?”

“Not in a hospital bed,” she said, avoiding his gaze as she wrote down his vitals in his chart.

Her skin was smooth as silk and her beautiful emerald eyes had him craving that they’d look his way. But she seemed intent on doing her job with as little interaction as possible. “How’ve you been, I mean?” If this was the only time he’d get to talk to her, he didn’t want to waste it.

She closed the folder and turned to him. “I’m good. Great, actually.”

He nodded. “Good. I’m happy to hear that,” he said awkwardly. Then something hit him. “Wait, you were calling me.” He remembered now what had caused him to lose focus. His phone ringing. Her ringtone.

She shook her head quickly. Too quickly. “No... I don’t think...”

She was lying. She always licked the side of her upper lip when she was lying. “You were. When I was climbing.”

She winced. “I don’t recall that.”

“Should we check my cell phone?”

She stared at her shoes and shrugged. “Must have pocket-dialed you,” she said lamely.

He wasn’t buying it. After over a year of no contact, he’d thought she had deleted his phone number. The prospect of calling and having her not know who it was had been the only thing preventing him from reaching out. That fear of having been forgotten.

He knew she was dating someone, and it was obviously serious, so out of respect, he’d let things just lie...but now, seeing her again, he knew he was far from over her. And suddenly he wasn’t so okay with the way they’d just left things. Suddenly there was so much he wanted to clarify, so much he wanted to say.

Unfortunately, the right words refused to come to mind.

And she used his silence to change the subject. “Dr. Sheraton says they’d like to keep you in for a few days...”

He shook his head and immediately tried to get out of the bed. “No can do. My health insurance expired, and I suspect I’ll be paying for my reset bones until they’re six feet under, so I have to check out.”

Her mouth gaped. “You do what you do and you don’t have health coverage?”

“I usually don’t fall,” he said with a wry grin. He’d tried to get insured, but no company would touch him without insanely high premiums. He slowly inched toward the edge of the bed, scanning the room. This would be challenging, but what choice did he have?

“Wait. No. You can’t be on your own yet...in your van...” She reached out to steady him when he nearly fell out of the bed.

Can’t be on my own... His heart raced as his mind reached an illogical conclusion. It was worth a shot. He shrugged casually. “Okay, you’re right. I guess I’m rooming with you while I recover.”

Her head shot up. She rapidly blinked several times as though her brain was trying to process what he’d just said. “Um...no. Why would you assume that would be okay?”

“I fell because of your call. So, technically this is your fault and you feel guilty.”

“No, I don’t. You shouldn’t have had your cell phone on you.”

“If I hadn’t, I’d still be lying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the cliff.” His cell phone’s screen had been shattered, but miraculously it had still worked to dial 911.

She winced.

He waited, watching her battle with her common sense and her emotions. He knew she’d agree. She was far too caring to allow him to be on his own, and his closest family was five hundred miles away. Her chest rose and fell in a deep sigh.

“Fine,” she said, pointing a determined finger at him. “You can stay with me until you can take care of yourself, but not a second longer.”

“Deal,” he said, trying and failing to hide his pleasure.

These would be the slowest healing injuries he’d ever had.

CHAPTER THREE

THIS WAS A huge mistake.

Just seeing Arron again had knocked the air from her chest. Letting him stay in her apartment was going to be torture. It was a nine-hundred-square-foot space with one bedroom and one bathroom... Oh my God, how had it not occurred to her until this very second that she would have to help him into the shower?

He’d be bathing with his underwear on for the next few weeks.

She should never have agreed to this. But he was right. He had nowhere else to go. He couldn’t live in his van in this condition. And she did feel responsible for what happened to him.

Damn, she never should have made that impulsive call. He could have gotten hurt far worse...or...nope, she wouldn’t think of the worst-case scenario.

The current scenario—that he was her roommate indefinitely—was bad enough. And the idea shouldn’t be giving her butterflies like fluttering little beacons of hope in the pit of her stomach. Nothing would happen between them.

She unlocked the door and wheeled him inside with the chair she’d borrowed from the hospital.

As the door closed behind them, she fought to steady a breath. Memories of the last time they were alone together in her apartment flooded back...

“I need to get away,” he said, pacing the living room. He was a mess. Unshaven, with dark circles under his eyes, his fauxhawk a mess, and wearing the same clothes he’d worn to Langdon’s funeral three days before. He smelled slightly of booze and she knew he’d basically been living at The Drunk Tank. She’d wanted to give him space and time to deal with his grief, unsure how much support was too much or not enough in a new relationship. Her heart had ached for him, but she was so terrified of the difference in the man standing in front of her.

She’d usually seen him so casual, so carefree...and this wound-up, on-edge version of him was someone she didn’t even recognize. Losing his twin brother had him unraveling, naturally, and she was desperate for him to reach out, grab hold of her for comfort. Not push her away and claim he needed even more space. Not insisting on being with him the last several days had been a mistake.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked carefully. Maybe a short vacation would give him time to grieve. It obviously wouldn’t be a fun getaway, just time to decompress, process and learn to start moving on. She could take a week off and go with him.

“Anywhere but here,” he said, running a hand through his hair.

“We could go to a beach somewhere...or to a cabin in the mountains?”

He shook his head. “I’m talking longer than a week.”

She swallowed hard. “How much longer?”

He collapsed onto her couch and stared up at her, his expression so full of pain she could barely breathe. The look in his eyes pleaded for her to understand what he was about to say.

“A while,” he said, suddenly calm but eerily somber. “I gave notice on my apartment. I just can’t be there...”

The one he and his brother shared. Again, she understood. “You could stay here. With me.”

He looked like he didn’t understand, and that hurt. They’d been dating only three months, but the relationship had been going so well. She’d hoped the next step would be moving in together eventually and not under these circumstances, but sometimes life gave you a new set of rules. “Not move in or anything,” she said quickly, ignoring the jab to her heart. “Just until you feel better and find a new place.”

He stood and paced again. “I’m not sick, Alisha. This isn’t something I’m just going to recover from. Langdon is gone.”

“I know. I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this... I just mean I’m here. Whatever you need.” She was desperate to help him, any way she could. Langdon had been his only family and she didn’t want him to navigate this hollow despair by himself. Every day at the hospital she witnessed the pain of losing loved ones. This one was tragic and sad and it didn’t make sense. People needed help to process that kind of loss.

He turned toward her and a look of hope glimmered in his eyes as he took her hands. “I bought a van. I want to travel around for a while.”

He bought a van? When? “What about work?”

“I already told Cassie I need time off...indefinitely.”

He had? He’d planned this road trip and discussed it with his boss before telling her? She’d thought they were closer than that.

“Come with me.”

“Come with you where?” He was losing it and she understood, but he needed to think clearly about the huge life decision he was making. And asking her to make.

“I don’t know yet. Anywhere. Everywhere.” He seemed almost delirious.

“What about my job?”

“Take a leave of absence.”

She’d just gotten promoted. She was just settling into the new head nurse position. She loved her job and her life... Traveling around the world had never even crossed her mind. While she wanted to be with him, especially in his time of need, he needed to know how impulsive this idea was. She took a deep breath. “Arron, I think you need to take a few days. Think about this when things don’t feel as heavy.”

“When things don’t...” He shook his head and released her hands. “Alisha, Langdon and I were closer than brothers. This...”

“Is complete shit, yes, I know.” She reached out and touched his arm. “Sweetheart, I know. But I just think you’re not thinking clearly right now.”

He tensed. “Maybe not. But if I don’t get away from here for a while, I’m not going to recover from this.” He paused and stared at the floor. “Langdon had such big dreams, you know. So much he wanted to do. So much he won’t ever get a chance to do. I feel like I owe it to him to try to live life to the fullest.”

His words hurt more than they should have. It was impossible not to internalize them. She wasn’t enough. A life here with her wasn’t enough. She struggled not to make it about them—about her—but she was about to lose a person she desperately loved. Unless she went with him...

“So, what do you say? Will you come with me?” he asked, his gaze pleading.

The second of deliberation had felt like a lifetime. Give him up or derail all of her life plans for a man she’d been dating for only three months. Her heart wanted to say yes, but common sense had her shaking her head. It was too much of a risk to take. “I’m sorry, Arron...” she said over the lump in her throat.

He nodded slowly and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his dress pants and cleared his throat. “It was a long shot. Take care, Alisha.”

The loud slam of the door as he left had instantly made her reconsider, but it was too late.

She blinked as her apartment door shut behind them now and she turned to face Arron. He was staring at her expectantly, so obviously she’d missed something. “What?”

“I said, I hope your boyfriend won’t mind me staying here.”

She eyed him. That hadn’t seemed to bother him when he suggested this idea. And it really didn’t seem to bother him now, based on the mischievous glint in his eye. It was tempting to let him think she was still in a relationship, but her heart refused to lie.

“I don’t think that will be an issue. We broke up.”

SHE WAS SINGLE AGAIN.

He hadn’t expected that. Was that why she’d called him? She wanted to try again? Reconnect? Despite his broken bones, he couldn’t be too upset about his accident right now.

Maybe it was fate. If not for the call and the fall, who knew when they would’ve been in this situation? Together again. Alone.

He swallowed hard, realizing just how alone they were.

The last time he’d been in this apartment, he’d been on the verge of a breakdown. Then the compounded impact of losing her and his brother in a matter of days had him plummeting into despair so deep he hadn’t thought he’d ever recover. She’d been his family and he’d felt the sting of her refusal as rejection. But it hadn’t taken him long to realize she’d been right to say no. They’d only been dating a few months...and his request had been the unfair demand of a grieving man.

Unfortunately, that realization had come too late.

“I’ll set you up in the bedroom,” she said awkwardly, placing her purse and keys on the kitchen counter.

“No way. I’ll take the couch.” He wouldn’t survive sleeping in her bed, with the smell of her on the pillow and sheets, remembering the last time he’d been with her...

She hesitated, but then nodded. “The pullout is actually more comfortable and it’s closer to the bathroom anyway.” She placed his bag on the floor next to the couch and he reached for her hand.

She flinched at his touch and he dropped his hand. “You still didn’t tell me why you were calling,” he said.

She cleared her throat and released a deep breath. “I was calling to tell you that it was officially over. You and I. That I’ve...moved on,” she said, her voice strong and full of conviction.

And damned if he didn’t believe it. And damned if it didn’t hurt more than the crash at the end of his free fall.

CHAPTER FOUR

OF ALL THE nights for a thunderstorm...

Lying in her bed, Alisha stared at the ceiling, listening to the rolling thunder as the lightning illuminated her bedroom. Storms like this were her favorite.

Arron’s too.

Sitting on her front porch under a blanket with him, watching the storms rage against the beautiful mountain in the distance, had been part of some of the best nights of her life. Every new storm after he’d left had brought back the memory of him, creating a bigger hole in her heart. She’d never been able to watch them with Nick, feeling as though it would be betraying Arron in some way. And maybe forcing her to admit that her feelings for Nick couldn’t be as real as she’d wanted them to be if a storm caused her to wish she were with someone else.

Had Arron thought of her wherever he was when the sky opened up like this?

Was he awake now? Was he listening to it too? Remembering different nights...a world ago?

She sighed, rolled to her side and shut her eyes tight.

Telling him she’d moved on had been her only choice. She refused to allow him to think that she was still in love with him, pining over him, allowing her comparison of what they’d had together to destroy new relationships. They weren’t meant to be together. She’d followed the old adage, “If you love something, let it go,” hoping Arron would come back to her, and he hadn’t.

Her phone chimed with the distinct sound she’d set up for Arron’s notifications, and her heart thudded in her chest. Reaching for it, she read the new message:

You awake?

Should she ignore it? Pretend she was sleeping? Not let him know that these storms still meant something to her? That they reminded her of nights falling in love with him? That would be the best idea. No good could come from reopening the past.

She put the phone aside and pounded her pillow before repositioning her head. She tossed and turned. This bed was seriously uncomfortable. Sleep was impossible. In the morning, she was buying a new bed. And new pillows and blankets. She shut her eyes, slowly counted to ten and ignored the pull of the text message.

What if he needed something? Her vow as a nurse prevented her from ignoring a person in need. She sat up and reached for the phone.

I’m awake. Do you need anything?

That’s a loaded question, he replied.

Her pulse thundered in her veins. Right, maybe she should clarify...

Water? Bathroom break?

Dots appeared as he was typing.

Just thought it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good storm.

Oh shit. She took a deep breath. Nothing good could come from getting out of bed to go watch a storm with her ex, who was quite arguably the love of her life but would be leaving her heartbroken again soon enough.

Then again, nothing good could come from lying here thinking about him, wishing she was watching the storm with him. Either way, she would be heartbroken.

Grabbing her blanket, she got out of bed. Checking her reflection in the mirror quickly, she left the bedroom.

He was waiting by the front door in his wheelchair. How was he getting around so well on his own?

“I’m only doing this because you’re right, it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good storm,” she said.

“Yeah, me too,” he said, but she could hear the emotion in his voice, and a new storm brewed in her chest.

She opened the door and they made their way to the front porch. She helped him onto the two-seater and sat next to him, draping the blanket over them. Their legs were touching and the small source of contact had her pulse racing. Familiarity washed over her as they sat in silence, watching together...remembering.

Regretting?

She was certainly regretting lost time, a lost connection. But he hadn’t come back until now. He hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. It couldn’t have been clearer that he’d moved on, as well. But maybe now that he’d had his time exploring the world, now that he was back...with her...maybe...

A clap of thunder snapped her out of it.

Damn, why was she doing this to herself?

If Arron had loved her, he would have told her. In the three months they’d dated, she’d heard versions of “I love you.” I love spending time with you. I love the freckles on your neck. I love that we have a lot in common... But never I love you.

She hadn’t said it either, but she’d been about to, before his life had taken a dark turn.

Next to her, he cleared his throat. “Colorado has the craziest lightning storms,” he said. “You would have loved them.”

She tensed at the mention of his adventures. “Were you there long?” she asked politely but tightly.

“A month. I climbed Longs Peak and Lizard Head. Incredible experiences,” he said.

In another world, another situation, his adventures would sound exciting, intriguing, fascinating. She’d want to hear about them. But the path he’d chosen over her, over them, wasn’t something she could get enthusiastic about. “That’s great,” she mumbled, staring off into the distance as a lightning bolt lit up the sky.

“Driving through Ohio and Wyoming, I saw some pretty fantastic storms, as well. Some nights, I’d climb up to the roof of the van and lie there for hours.”

That sounded amazing, and the fact that she could have been there experiencing it too made her stomach twist and turn. How much had she missed by not going?

“I met a team of storm chasers in Texas. They were following a tornado—”

She cleared her throat. “Can we just watch the storm? In silence?”

He seemed surprised but then nodded. “Of course.”

Unfortunately, now she was left with her own regretful thoughts.

HE WAS MESSING this up.

He’d just wanted to break the awkward silence, ease the tension that had been simmering between them since they’d left the hospital, but he was making things worse. Of course Alisha didn’t want to hear about his journey when it had meant the end of the two of them.

“Sorry... I guess I’m just not sure what to say,” he said.

She heaved an exasperated sigh.

Shut up. Got it.

Still... He had to say it. “I missed you.”

She scoffed and his head whipped around toward her. “You don’t believe me?”

“I thought we weren’t going to talk.”

“I just think if we’re going to be living together...”

“We’re not living together. You’re staying here for a few weeks. Max.”

He nodded. “Okay...since I’m staying here, I thought we should clear the air a little. So this isn’t so awkward.”

“I’m not awkward.”

“I beg to differ.”

She turned to face him, her expression even more intense than the electricity blazing through the night sky. Maybe he should have respected her request for silence. “Okay, you want to clear the air?” she asked.

“That’s why you called, wasn’t it?” he challenged. No turning back now, and he was curious about what she’d been planning on saying. Sixteen months was a hell of a long time to prepare a speech. One she deserved to deliver if it would make her feel better.

She nodded. “Yes. Okay. Here it is.” She took a deep breath. “I was falling in love with you and life fell apart and you left. It’s been over a year and I’m completely over it.”

Bullshit. He could tell she was still struggling with feelings for him. Maybe they were no longer love, but there was definitely the same chemistry, the same spark there had always been. The way she’d looked at him in the hospital had told him everything he’d been longing to hear on those lonely nights when all he could think about was her. Even if she’d convinced herself otherwise.

“When someone is truly over something, they don’t need closure,” he said.

She flushed. “Fine. You want me to admit that I’ve thought of you a few times?” She shrugged, but it looked anything but casual. “Sure, I thought of you. But the biggest memory I have is of you leaving and never hearing from you again.”

“I needed to get away. I know that’s hard to understand.”

She shook her head. “Nope. Not at all. You’re an adventure seeker. You live for excitement and new challenges. New scenery. It was just a matter of time.”

“So you think you have me all figured out, huh?” She didn’t have a clue if that was what she thought. She was right about the adventure-seeker part, but he’d had no intention of going on those life-changing trips alone.

“You’re thirty years old and live in a sleeper van and coast through life one adventure to another. There’s not much to figure out.”

Her casual dismissal of who he was hurt. But he knew it was just a defense mechanism. It actually gave him hope. “My sense of adventure was what originally attracted you to me.”

“Yes, but...it...”

“Gets old,” he finished.

She sighed. “I just need more stability, more predictability. Someone who stays in one place for a while.”

He turned in the seat and moved closer. His face just inches from hers. “How are those guys working out for you?”

She swallowed hard. “They are... I mean, things...”

“So good, then?” he asked with a small grin as he moved even closer.

She lifted her chin defiantly. “As a matter of fact, it was good.”

“So why did you break up?” he asked, running his thumb along her jawline and down the side of her neck. How he missed kissing that neck...

“We weren’t right for each other,” she said, and her chest heaved.

“He was a bad kisser?” he asked, moving even closer.

Alisha’s eyes dipped to his lips and she licked hers.

Thank God. The reaction, the confirmation he’d been hoping for. “Do you want to be reminded of what a real kiss feels like?” he asked. His tone was light and flirty, but his heart was pounding. So many nights in his van he’d dreamed of this moment. Fantasies of being with her had plagued him mercilessly.

She closed her eyes, and for a split second, he thought she might lean in. But then they snapped open again. “Are you seriously trying to kiss me right now?”

“I was thinking about it.” Not anymore. He reluctantly moved back. “Sorry, I was going off a vibe...never mind.”

“Are you high?”

He stiffened. Damn, was he really reading things wrong? Was she over him? His ego had him retreating. “I don’t know. You’re the one in charge of my meds,” he mumbled.

She stood and grabbed the blanket. “Well, looks like the lightning has passed.”

So had the moment he’d obviously imagined.

CHAPTER FIVE

“WHY ON EARTH won’t this baby poop?” Cheryl sat on the edge of the hospital bed, looking ready to promise baby Rose a pony if she’d just have a bowel movement already so they could go home. “With Darcy, it was like ten hours from the first contraction to sending us on our way. I’m losing my mind here. I want to go home.”

“I know...” Alisha tickled the baby’s tummy. “But we can’t rush these things, you know. They have to happen naturally. In due course. When people are ready for them. I mean, sure, sometimes things can take you by surprise, but those aren’t necessarily the best moments, you know...”

Cheryl stared at her like she had eight heads. “We’re not still talking about poop, are we?”

She sighed. “Arron tried to kiss me last night.”

Cheryl blinked. “Arron. Tried. To. Kiss. You?” She looked seriously confused. “In a dream?”

Alisha needed to catch her friend up on the latest developments.

Three minutes later, Cheryl sat dumbfounded. “So your call almost killed him.” She looked sheepish. “Apologize to him for my part in that, by the way... And now he’s staying with you. You told him you don’t have feelings for him anymore, even though you absolutely do. And then he tried to kiss you?”

Alisha nodded. “During the lightning storm.” That part shouldn’t be left out. She’d been weakened by the moment. She’d almost let her guard down. Every minute since the almost kiss, she’d yo-yoed back and forth about whether rejecting it had been the right thing. The jury was still out, but she’d gone back to bed frustrated and even more confused. She’d escaped the apartment that morning before he’d woken up, to come talk to Cheryl.

Who looked even more confused now. “Right...okay. Um, why?”

“Why what?”

“Why didn’t you kiss him?”

“Why would I have kissed him?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve been so insanely in love with him for over a year that you sabotaged a great, mature, stable relationship with a lawyer!” Her usually zen best friend exploded.

“Okay, I’m gonna blame that outburst on post-baby hormones,” Alisha said, but then she sighed and collapsed in the chair next to the bed. “I know. You’re right. There is quite literally nothing in the world I’ve wanted more than a kiss with Arron since...the last time he kissed me. But I can’t go down this path again. I know this isn’t permanent. The minute he can drive, he’ll be hitting the open road and I’ll be left in the dust.”

“How do you know?”

“Because it’s who he is.” She still couldn’t believe he’d tried to engage her in conversation about his travels. As though it shouldn’t bother her to hear about how great he’d been doing out there, alone, without her. Not once regretting his decision to leave.

A woman likes to hear that there have been regrets!

“You love that about him though,” Cheryl said gently, opening Rose’s diaper and taking another peek.

“I love his spirit. I don’t love that he lacks the support structure for a lasting relationship.”

“A relationship according to your rules,” Cheryl said.

She frowned. “I think it’s more like societal rules. People who decide to settle down, settle down. Living in a van is not exactly settling down. In fact, it’s most probably the opposite of settling down.”

“Do you want kids?” her best friend asked, surprising her.

She hesitated. “Someday. Maybe. I think. I don’t know yet.”

“Do you want to buy a house?”

“Again, maybe someday, but I’m more focused on saving money right now...” Her mother was an investment adviser, and she often said there were just as many downsides to investing in a home in the current climate as there were benefits. She eyed Cheryl, knowing where this line of questioning was leading.

“So, what’s more cost-effective than a van with no rent?” Cheryl said with a grin.

“Cheryl, come on! You’re telling me that you would actually consider that nomadic lifestyle?”

Her friend didn’t even think about it. “Five years ago? Yes. With Mitch? Absolutely.” She stood and picked up the baby as she started to cry. “Look, I think settling down means letting your heart stop wandering to other hearts. To settle on one heart for life. It doesn’t have to mean in one place or one house or one country even.”

Damn, she’d never thought of it that way. She cleared her throat, hating that Cheryl’s words were ringing so loudly in her mind. “I don’t know.”

“You love him. You’ve always loved him. And if he does leave again, you’ll still love him. So, what’s worse? Loving him and not being with him? You’ve tried that already. Or trying this new life and being with the man you love?”

Okay, so her friend had a point, but... “He hasn’t exactly asked me to go with him.”

“He tried to kiss you though, right?”

She nodded.

“So, maybe next time—let him,” she said with a grin, gently bouncing baby Rose on her shoulder.

Alisha sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose. “I think you might have poop in there.”

Cheryl released a sigh of relief as she set the baby back in the plastic crib and tore open the diaper. “Yes!” She gave a victory dance. “I never thought I’d be so excited to change a dirty diaper. Let’s go home.”

Home.

Could Cheryl be right? Was home really where the heart was? Or was that just another adage that wouldn’t apply to her?

HE HAD TO GO. Staying with Alisha while he recovered was a big mistake.

If last night was any indication, his long-repressed feelings for her were unreciprocated. He’d gotten his hopes up when she’d joined him to watch the storm, but trying to kiss her had completely backfired. He’d been caught up in a moment, and showing her how he still felt had seemed easier than vocalizing it. She’d shut that down, and despite the blow to his ego, kissing her was all he could think about. Better to leave on his own terms before she kicked him out.

With his good hand, he threw his clothes into his bag and then struggled to reach his shoes on the floor, nearly toppling the wheelchair over in the process. A wheelchair he’d need to bring back to the hospital immediately so he wouldn’t be charged for borrowing it. He wasn’t sure how he was going to pull this off exactly...

A key turning in the lock had his heart racing. Shit. He’d been hoping to make a clean getaway before she got back. Their last goodbye had already left a deep scar on his heart. Would he survive saying goodbye to her a second time?

The door opened and the smell of expensive aftershave hit him before a guy walked in. Dressed in a suit and tie, tan leather shoes, dark hair gelled neatly to one side and clean-shaven, the man had to be Nick—the lawyer. The one he’d seen in all of Alisha’s photos. The one she’d broken up with.

Nick jumped back, seeing him. “Jesus. Who the hell are you? And why are you in my girlfriend’s apartment?”

“Ex-girlfriend’s apartment,” Arron said tightly, feeling his spine stiffen. “Why are you here?”

Nick’s eyes narrowed as he studied him. “Holy shit, it’s you.”

Obviously, Alisha had told her most recent ex about him. That made him uneasy. Had she said good things? Or bad things? Given the way their relationship had ended and her frosty reception to him the day before, he would put his money on bad things.

“I’m Arron,” he said in the awkwardness.

Nick shook his head and gave a wry laugh. “Unbelievable. Actually, no, it’s not...”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, man. I’ll be out of your way in a minute. I just stopped by to grab my golf clubs.” He walked past him toward the closet.

Arron had no idea what to do or say, so he busied himself with tying his shoe with one hand. He kept one eye on Nick as he grabbed a jacket and a baseball glove from the closet, as well.

It was hard to believe that Alisha had dated them both. He didn’t think he’d have anything in common with this man.

Nick was a buttoned-up professional who spent his days in an office and his free time on a golf course. Arron would rather die than do either of those things. Nick was polished and put-together...and Arron was tattooed and a mess most of the time.

She’d claimed to want the stability that Nick presented, so what had happened to tear the two of them apart? Had Nick broken things off? Was that why Alisha seemed completely against any thought of reconciling with him?

More likely, it had everything to do with Arron not being what she wanted.

Nick shut the closet door and started to leave but paused and turned back to glare at him. “I just need to know one thing—did she know you were coming back? Is that what happened?”

“Um...no. I had a climbing accident and kinda guilted her into letting me stay with her while I recovered.”

Nick scoffed. “I’m sure she was more than happy to accommodate.”

Arron’s jaw tightened. He had no idea what the guy was implying, but he didn’t like his tone or the way he was talking about Alisha. “I don’t think she is, actually. I was just going to leave.”

Just then, Alisha entered the apartment and sighed, glancing back and forth between the two of them. She held out a hand to Nick. “Key, please.”

He removed the apartment key from his key ring and dropped it into her hand.

“Thank you. You can go,” she said, gesturing to the door.

Unfortunately, Nick didn’t seem to be done just yet. “I can’t believe that you threw away everything we had for this guy.” He jabbed a thumb in Arron’s direction.

Arron frowned, too intrigued by the meaning of the man’s words to be fully insulted.

Alisha looked uncomfortable as she shifted from one foot to the other. “Seriously, Nick. Get out.”

“I’m leaving.” Nick turned to him. “You missed one hell of a birthday party, man.”

Arron frowned. “Excuse me?”

“The surprise party she threw for me...on your birthday. June third, amiright?”

Arron blinked, and one look at Alisha’s flushed, embarrassed expression confirmed the truth of Nick’s words. She held the door wide open and motioned Nick out of the apartment. Then she closed the door and avoided Arron’s gaze as she went to the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I can make something...”

“Is it true—what he just said? Did you mix up our birthdays?” he asked, wheeling the chair into the kitchen.

She looked away and waved a hand. “Simple, stupid mistake. Don’t read anything into it.”

He pushed his body out of the chair and hopped on his good leg toward her. “I’m going to read everything into it.”

She sighed in exasperation. “It was nothing.”

“It caused your breakup.”

“Fine.” She placed her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders. “Maybe I wasn’t completely over you, and it...interfered with my relationship with Nick.”

His heart raced and a new hope surged as he moved toward her. “I never completely got over you either. That ill-timed attempt at a kiss last night was something I’ve wanted for a very long time.”

She swallowed hard. “You were the one who left, remember? You ended things by driving away. I was here all the time.”

He sighed. “Langdon’s death hit me hard. I couldn’t grasp the fact that he was really gone. I thought if I got away, I wouldn’t feel it as bad, you know.”

She nodded. “Well, you went to all four corners of the earth. Couldn’t possibly get much farther away than that.”

“It didn’t work. The pain of losing Langdon didn’t fade...” He paused. “And neither did the pain of losing you.” He took her hands in his and stared into her eyes.

“Then why didn’t you come back?” Her cool facade dropped and he saw the hurt and disappointment and questioning in her expression. It killed him to see it, but it also reconfirmed what he’d been hoping—that things maybe weren’t as over for her as she claimed.

It was time to confess the truth. It might be the only way to move forward with her, the only way to get a second chance. He released a slow, deep breath. “I did. About three weeks after I left.” He paused. “You were already dating Nick.”

Alisha’s mouth dropped open and he felt the energy shift between them, as realization seemed to dawn on her that maybe all of this hadn’t been completely his fault.

ALISHA FELT ILL. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot as she stared at the man she’d always longed for.

He’d come back and he’d thought she’d already moved on. Technically, she had. Nick had been a good friend at first, a shoulder to cry on, and then it had led to something more... Or at least she’d desperately tried to force it into being something more.

She had no idea what to say. No way to really explain what had happened. The reality was she had fallen quickly into Nick’s arms, seeking comfort, desperate to replace Arron in her heart with someone else so that she wouldn’t feel so damn hollow.

But how did she tell him that?

Instead, maybe she could show him how she felt. Moving toward him, she steadied him against the kitchen counter and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her entire body tingled with the familiar sensation of being pressed close to him. The scent of his woodsy cologne enveloped her and she realized how much she’d missed that smell. She swallowed hard and licked her lips as her gaze flitted back and forth between his eyes and full, deliciously tempting mouth. “So I’m thinking about kissing you. I’m going off a vibe... Stop me if I’m reading the signs wrong,” she said, moving closer.

His one good arm wrapped around her body, drawing her closer. His breath against her skin was warm and his gaze burned with desire. “There won’t be any argument on this end,” he murmured against her mouth.

She stood on tiptoe and leaned her head back, closing the gap between their faces. Arron’s head lowered toward hers and she closed her eyes as their mouths connected.

A deep, happy sigh of release escaped her as she clung to him tight, deepening the kiss that she’d been craving for so long. How she’d refused it the night before, she had no idea. She should definitely win some kind of medal for self-control. Right now, she had none. She wanted to kiss him and hold him and touch him and never let go.

Being in his arms felt like home. Cheryl was so right about her heart settling on his. There was no questioning whether the relationship was right. There was no need to second-guess or wonder if he felt the connection too.

He separated her lips with his tongue and held her closer, as though he too was struggling with not being able to get enough. She could stand here kissing him all day...

Out of breath, he reluctantly pulled back, and the smile on his face made her heart soar. She’d missed that smile so much. Seeing the look of happiness on his face that mirrored the happiness in her heart had her almost floating. The weight of all those months of missing him and longing for him and denying her emotions drifted away in that incredible moment.

“That was quite a kiss,” he said, holding her tight.

“We had a lot of time to make up for,” she said.

And for now, she refused to think about how much time they had together before they once again found themselves at a crossroads with a decision to make.

CHAPTER SIX

Two weeks later

HIS SOUL HAD always craved adventure. Spontaneous, unpredictable, impulsive...all traits that he didn’t even try to deny. But no matter how far he’d traveled the past year, how high an adrenaline rush he’d found or how breathtaking the scenery around him, he’d been unable to erase Alisha from his thoughts, from his heart. He’d missed her every day and he’d have traded it all for her.

Knowing she was with someone had made it easy to stay away. Now, how could he possibly leave, knowing that she’d never gotten over him either and the connection he’d felt to her a million miles away was real and strong, and she’d felt it too?

He’d wasted more than a year looking for something, anything, that made him feel as alive, as happy, as complete as being with her did, and he’d be damned if he lost it again. Lost her again.

The last two weeks had done more than just heal his body; they’d healed the deep wound in his chest that sorrow had created. His brother was gone and he’d always honor his memory, but Arron was being offered another shot at love and he’d be a fool to let anything stand in the way.

Picking up his cell phone, he dialed the familiar local number and smiled when a female voice answered.

“Hello. Thank you for calling SnowTrek Tours. How may I help you?”

“Hey, Cass, it’s Arron.”

“I was hoping I’d get a call from you,” she said, sounding genuinely happy to hear his voice.

“Yeah, well, I heard you might be looking for a free-climb guide.” Cassie had never partnered with anyone else, telling him that the job would always be his if and when he ever wanted it again. Her trust in him and Langdon to ensure the safety of her clients had meant a lot to them, and he didn’t take it for granted now.

“As soon as those bones of yours heal, the job’s all yours,” she said. “And, Arron—welcome home.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. Not in a long time had he felt like he was in the right place. But Wild River was home and it was time to start putting down roots.

ALISHA TOOK A final deep breath, then hit Print on the staff room computer. She stood, gathered the letter from the printer and headed down the hall to the hospital CEO’s office.

This was the right decision. She didn’t question it for a second. Her footsteps felt light as she made her way down the hall.

The last two weeks had been everything she’d always wanted. Being with Arron was the future she’d do anything for. No matter what that looked like. They’d agreed to take things one day, one recovered bone at a time. And to not talk about what happened next or where things were headed.

They both knew they wanted to be together. And they both trusted that this time they’d figure it out.

This was the right decision.

Knocking once on the open office door, she entered as Grant looked up from his desk. “Hey, how’s my favorite nurse named Alisha?” he said.

She laughed at the old, familiar joke he used on everyone. “Be careful. One day you’ll hire a duplicate name and that joke will backfire.”

He laughed. “Good point.” He gestured toward the chair across from him and she sat. “What can I do for you?”

She slid the letter across his desk. “I’m requesting a leave of absence.” It even felt right saying it. She’d thought it would be harder to take time off, to take this leap of faith, but it wasn’t, and she saw it as a good sign. No matter what happened, this was the right decision for her life right now.

“Oh...” Grant didn’t seem bothered, just surprised. No doubt he was, since she hadn’t even taken a sick day in four years.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Healthwise? You’re good?”

She nodded. Healthwise, she was better than ever. Being blissfully in love and spending every available moment wrapped in the arms of a man she was crazy about did wonders for the psyche. “I feel perfect.” She paused. “I just thought maybe I’d do some traveling. See the world.” Her excitement rose in her chest at the thought of something she should have done sixteen months ago.

But there was no room for regrets. Only new adventures awaiting.

“That’s wonderful,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “Where are you headed?”

“I don’t know,” she said with a small smile as she stood to leave. Wherever the wind and a certain tattooed, blond-haired man decided to take her.

HER NEW TRAVEL pack on her back, Alisha opened her apartment door later that evening. Her heart raced in anticipation of seeing Arron and telling him the news. Since making the decision, she’d gotten more and more excited about what lay ahead. Being with him was what she wanted, and it no longer mattered if that was here in Wild River or halfway across the world.

The sight that met her inside her apartment was one she’d never have expected in a million years. Tea lights flickering all over the room, the table set for two with wine and flowers, and the sound of soft, romantic music playing made her mouth drop.

“Welcome home,” Arron said, appearing in the kitchen. He wore a pair of new, form-fitting jeans and a black Henley that hugged his body in a way that had her mind on things that didn’t involve any clothing at all. But he’d obviously gone to some effort to make a nice evening, so she’d be patient.

“You cooked?”

“Close. It’s takeout.”

She laughed. “Even better.” She set the backpack down against the wall. Her news could wait. “What’s the occasion?”

Arron took her hands in his and led her to the couch. He sat beside her and stared into her eyes. “I have something I want to tell you.”

Her heart beat so loudly she thought it might explode. This was it. The moment where he told her he planned on leaving soon. He was healed enough...

“I’ve decided that you’re right,” he said.

She was? About what?

“I mean, I always knew you were right,” he said with a grin. “But I’m finally brave enough to commit to this...us...life here in Wild River. A solid, stable life. No more living in a van and coasting from one odd job to another.”

Her mouth gaped. He what?

“This is what I want. Being with you. I tried to ignore the feeling of emptiness in my gut for so long, but it never went away. Knowing you were happy with someone else was the only thing keeping me from coming back,” he said, emotion evident in his voice. “But now I’m here and you’re here and I don’t want to mess this up again. I don’t want to lose this.” He gripped her hands tight in his and she returned the reassuring squeeze.

He was saying everything she’d always longed to hear. He was giving her what she’d always wanted. But now she knew that it didn’t matter as long as they were together. “Arron...”

“Wait. I’m not done,” he said. He took a deep breath. “I’ve applied for my old partnership with SnowTrek Tours again and Cassie’s accepted. I can start leading free-climb tours as soon as I’m capable.”

Her chest ached. That had to have been a hard call for him—going back to the career he’d shared with his brother. And he was doing it for her. For them. “Arron...that’s incredible. Really, it is, and I’m...speechless about all of this.”

He pulled her closer. “I love you, Alisha. Being with you is what matters. It’s what I want and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work.”

Her breath caught in her chest. He loved her. He’d actually said the words this time, not a variation of them, and she knew he meant them. She loved him too...

She laughed through tears of happiness burning in her eyes as she picked up the backpack. “I was coming home with news of my own. I put in for a leave of absence at the hospital. I was going to tell you tonight that I’m ready to leave this solid, stable life behind and go with you to the far corners of the world.”

He looked surprised and slightly overwhelmed. “You were willing to do that? For me?”

“Yes! I love you, Arron. I always have. You are a part of me, so ingrained...and I don’t want to be without you. So, if that’s here or anywhere else, I’m ready.”

He pulled her into his chest and held her tight. She breathed in the scent of him, savoring this moment that couldn’t possibly get any better. “I can’t believe you were willing to do that,” he whispered into her hair.

She glanced up at him. “So, what do we do?”

He took a deep breath. “Well...you did buy a new backpack... It would be a shame not to use it.”

“I’m listening...” More than that, her heart was open to any and all possibilities.

“You’ve put in your time-off request already and I don’t have a start date at SnowTrek...”

“Right. Technically, neither of us is tied to Wild River for the next little while...”

“So why don’t we travel the world for a few months—” he took her face between his hands and kissed her gently “—then come back here and continue making a life together?”

She nodded. “I like the sound of that a lot.”

“Then it’s a plan,” he said. He kissed her long and deep, full of passion and love. A kiss that held the promise of a future she’d thought they’d lost.

She hugged him tight, her heart at ease, knowing she wouldn’t have to let him go.

Not now. Not ever.

ISBN-13: 9780369719102

Wild Alaskan Hearts

Copyright © 2021 by Jennifer Snow

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