Falling Fast, Contemporary Romance (Last Frontier Lodge Novels Book 4) (14 page)

He glanced around the room. Gage was seated on one of the bar stools, looking more tired than usual likely due to the monumental life change of having a newborn baby to help care for. Marley was beside Don, helping him adjust Holly’s head in the crook of his elbow. Delia was busy wiping down tables while she reviewed the menu with Harry who walked alongside her jotting down notes in a small notepad he kept in his pocket at all times. Cam was coming to love the easy camaraderie here. Ivy’s prodding about settling down somewhere rose in the back of his mind. He wasn’t quite ready to think about that yet.

The phone behind the bar jangled. At the moment, no one was staffing the bar because there was no need. Harry strode away from Delia and snagged the phone as it rang a second time. After a pause, Harry quickly recited the hours for the restaurant and took a name for reservations before hanging up. He glanced to Gage who was seated at the far end of the bar, talking with Marley and Don. Harry took a few steps until he was across from Cam at the bar. “So, what’s the word on the backcountry course? Is it a go for tomorrow?” he asked, his voice low.

Cam nodded. “All set. Don gave it the green light. You and Delia can have the front desk start letting guests know.”

Harry grinned. “Good work. It’s nearly impossible to surprise Gage, so this’ll be fun. Pretty sure he didn’t think the course would be ready for another few weeks.”

Cam chuckled. “I’ve noticed he’s hard to surprise. He’s a planner.”

Harry stepped away. “That he is, but Delia said Marley didn’t tell him about ordering the signs, so he still thinks he has to take care of that.” Harry grinned as he headed for the kitchen.

A while later, Cam returned to his room and peeled off his clothes for a shower. Ginger had been dancing at the edges of his thoughts all day. It had taken all of his discipline to get up and leave her bed this morning. The only thing that drove him was his strong work ethic. He’d never in his life blown off work.
 

Whatever was happening with Ginger was unsettling. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, which was a first for him. While he hadn’t had time for serious relationships with his busy travel schedule, he’d dated here and there. No woman had ever gotten to him the way she did. He couldn’t resist her, yet he worried things were moving too far, too fast.

He considered Don’s comment about her divorce. He couldn’t help but wonder about what happened. He’d meant it when he told Don he wouldn’t make any false promises. The problem was he didn’t know what he wanted, or what she wanted. Meanwhile, the attraction between them was a raging fire that couldn’t be contained.

After he dried off and changed into a comfortable pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, he decided he’d swing through the kitchen and bring a tray up to his room. He wasn’t sure he was up for company tonight and definitely wasn’t sure he was up for running into Ginger. To be more accurate, he desperately wanted to encounter her, but he had no idea how to contain his feelings to the point it rattled him.

After a quiet dinner with the news rumbling in the background, he snagged his phone off the coffee table by the couch and called Ivy. She picked up right away.

“I was just about to call you,” Ivy announced by way of greeting. “I swear I think we have a telepathic connection.”

Cam grinned. “Maybe so. How’s it going?”

“Let’s see, I studied, graded papers for a class I’m teaching and wrote another research paper today. That’s basically my life everyday. How’s life on the last frontier?”

Cam thought for a minute and realized the answer was…good. In the early months after Eric died, he’d worried he’d spend the rest of his life half-lying about how he was doing. His grief was still like a giant bruise on his heart, but its pain was easing bit by bit. Life wasn’t perfect, but he could actually say things were pretty okay.

“Life on the last frontier is good.”

“Really?” The hope in Ivy’s voice squeezed his heart.

“Yes, Ivy. Things are good.”

Ivy was quiet for a beat and then her next question flew out. “What’s happening with that woman you mentioned?”

He didn’t even bother to hold back his groan. “Really, Ivy? All I said was I thought she might be interesting. It’s not like we’re about to get married. I’m only committed for this ski season right now.” Ivy’s question bumped up against his own uncertainty. He hadn’t thought beyond this winter and certainly hadn’t considered anything even in the neighborhood of a relationship. He didn’t need his wishful sister to pin her hopes on something he didn’t even know if he wanted, much less if he was ready for.

“I know you’re only there for this season right now, but that could change. You could use a place to call home. You’re like a rolling stone.”

He swallowed his sigh and leaned his head back on the couch. “I know you’re worried. How about you let me enjoy the winter? I’m not so sure it’s a great plan to be looking to put roots down this far away from Mom and Dad.” While their parents were still keeping busy and showed no signs of slowing down, ever since Eric died, Cam worried about them and worried he needed to find a way to be closer.

Ivy didn’t bother to hold back her elaborate sigh. “Mom and Dad will be fine no matter where you are. The flight isn’t too long anyway. They’ve always said they don’t plan to retire in Utah anyway. It’d be silly for you to plan your life around where they are now when that’s probably not where they’re going to be in the next five years or so.”

“You’ve got a point, but ease up on the pressure, okay? I’m enjoying the work here, and Diamond Creek is beautiful. Did you get a chance to see when you might be able to come up for a visit?”

Ivy wisely let the topic drop about him settling down somewhere. “Oh right. I checked the semester calendar, and I have a few days free during the March break. I’m not sure if that will be the same time Mom and Dad get up there, but I’m coming either way.”

“Perfect. Tell me when, and I’ll book your flight.”

“When are you going to stop trying to pay for everything for me?” she demanded.

“When you’re not working and trying to finish your graduate degree at the same time. I fully expect you to support me in retirement as payback.”

He could practically see her rolling her eyes. Ivy worked her tail off to keep her student loans as minimal as possible. Their parents did fine, but they weren’t swimming in cash to cover all of Ivy’s academic expenses. She was brilliant, so she got scholarships both at the undergraduate and graduate level, but those only covered tuition. He and Eric made pretty good money over the years they raced. They also had few expenses beyond travel, so he had plenty saved up.

Ivy finally laughed. “Fine. You can buy these tickets, but if you stay there, I’m buying the next trip.”

“Deal. Now it’s your turn. You’ve been on me about dating, so what’s the scoop for you?”

“There is no scoop. I read, research, write and teach. There is no time in my schedule anywhere to meet anyone, much less to go on a date.”

“You know, for someone who goes on and on about how important it is for me to find someone special, you’ve got all kinds of excuses for yourself.”

“I know, but they’re legitimate. I’m not avoiding, I’m seriously too busy.”

“Fine. But when you’re done with school, we’ll be revisiting this topic unless you back off of me.”

He hung up to the sound of Ivy’s laugh.

***

Ginger ducked her head down as she walked quickly across the parking lot. Today was clear and bright with a bracing wind whipping off the bay. She was meeting Delia for lunch and coffee at Misty Mountain Café for the coffee date she’d promised her. She had two favorite coffee places, Misty Mountain and Red Truck Coffee, but only Misty Mountain was open in the winter. She appreciated that detail because it allowed her to be loyal to Misty Mountain in the winter and Red Truck Coffee in the summer. Another gust of wind blasted across the parking lot, and she broke into a jog. When she reached the door, a couple conveniently walked out and she slipped right past them into the toasty warm café.

She pushed her hood back and glanced around. When she didn’t see Delia, she took a few steps to stand at the back of the line. Misty Mountain was rarely anything other than busy. The café was inside a renovated Quonset hut, one of many scattered throughout Alaska and leftover from the days of World War II when Alaska had been used as strategic base. The owners had turned the utilitarian half-circle of corrugated steel into a lovely space. Decorative timber beams crisscrossed the high ceiling with colorful curtains and tablecloths adding warmth to the space. Artwork adorned the walls.

Ginger pulled her mittens off and tucked them in her coat pocket. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Delia right behind her. Delia grinned. “Hey! Sorry I’m a few minutes late.”

Ginger glanced at the clock above the door. “I didn’t even notice,” she replied with a shrug. “You’re the punctual one. I’m the one who’s usually skidding in somewhere late.”

Delia laughed and nudged her on the shoulder. Ginger turned to see the cluster of customers in front of her had cleared out, and it was her turn to order. She perused the chalkboard menu quickly. “I’ll have the house coffee and a bagel with salmon cream cheese.” She turned to Delia. “I’m buying, so go ahead and order.”

Delia started to shake her head, so Ginger turned to the young woman at the register. “Just make that two of everything.”

“Sometimes I forget how stubborn you can be,” Delia grumbled though she graciously gave in to Ginger’s insistence on paying.

They stepped away from the counter to wait for their coffees. “You cook all day every day, so I figure you shouldn’t be buying food somewhere else. It’s a small treat, so shut up about it,” Ginger said. She scanned the room and noticed a couple getting up from one of the tables by the windows. “You mind grabbing that table?” she asked, gesturing toward it. “I’ll wait for our coffee and bagels.”

“Got it,” Delia said over her shoulder as she headed to the table. Delia being Delia, she immediately tidied the table and wiped it down with a napkin. Ginger laughed to herself when she saw one of the waitresses run over and thank Delia when they grabbed the neat stack of dishes to cart away.

A few moments later, Ginger set their coffee and bagels on the table and slipped into the chair across from Delia. She immediately took a welcome sip of coffee and sighed. “So good. I forgot to pick up coffee beans at the grocery store over the weekend and ran out yesterday. I had to get through the entire morning at school on the shitty coffee from the break room.”

“If there’s one huge advantage to my job, it’s that there’s always amazing coffee on hand. I ordered a new espresso machine, and it’s insane,” Delia said, her eyes widening for emphasis as she took a bite of her bagel.

“You’ll have to make me an espresso next time I’m up there, so I can test drive it for you.”

Delia chuckled. They ate quietly for a few minutes. Ginger considered that she’d been more absentminded than usual the past few days, most likely because Cam was crowding her thoughts. After another few sips of coffee, her brain sharpened enough she felt like she could focus again. Delia set her cup of coffee down and leaned her elbows on the table. “So, I noticed Cam stayed somewhere else the other night,” she said without preamble.

Ginger felt heat rush into her face. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. The whole thing was so ridiculous. She was deep into Cam, but so skittish about it, she wanted to hide it. “Did you now?” she countered.

Delia arched a brow and took another swallow of her coffee. “Don’t be silly. I can guess where he was.”

Ginger sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Fine. He was at my place last night.”

Delia started to smile, and Ginger held a hand up. “Don’t go getting all excited. I don’t know what the hell is going on with me, or with us. This whole thing is crazy.”

Delia’s smile faded. “What’s so crazy about it?”

Ginger looked away, staring out the window. The wind scudded across the bay, ruffling the surface of the water. A few boats were visible, and the snow-capped mountains were bright against the blue sky. Her chest felt tight with anxiety and uncertainty. This was why she’d thought it was perfectly reasonable to never have a relationship again after her divorce. She hated these feelings—the confusion, the vulnerability, the worry about how someone else felt about her. She never, ever wanted to watch her self-worth get flushed down the toilet when someone else’s rejection of her made her question everything about herself. When she looked back at Delia, Delia’s warm blue eyes were waiting. Her understanding was so evident, it made Ginger want to cry. She took a shaky breath and wrapped her hands around her coffee mug, the warmth anchoring her.

“It’s crazy because this wasn’t supposed to happen. After everything fell apart with Tony, I decided it was best to stay single. Marley said that was crazy, but it didn’t seem like it to me. I can honestly say I haven’t been interested in anyone at all. It was easy-peasy. Until Cam showed up in town,” she said with a rueful smile.

Delia laughed softly. “Cam’s hard not to notice.”

Ginger threw a hand up in exasperation. “Tell me about it. It’s so damn annoying that I had to go and start falling for a guy who has half the women in this town drooling over him. You should’ve heard Becky in the break room last week. Then, she saw him sitting beside me when we were up at the lodge the other night, and she asked all kinds of nosy questions after that.”

Delia almost spit her coffee out with a laugh. She snagged her napkin and wiped her mouth. “I know all about that problem. Maybe Garrett’s not your cup of tea, but it drove me crazy at first to try to deal with how damn handsome he is. He doesn’t even notice it, but everywhere we go, women are eying him. It’s not a jealousy thing, but it’s just…a thing. Even now, sometimes I can’t believe a guy like him would want to be with me.”

“Are you kidding?” Ginger asked, incredulous Delia was so oblivious to how amazing she was. “Garrett’s lucky to have you. You’re one of the best people I know, you’re an amazing mother and friend, you’re smart and independent, and on top of it all you’re beautiful.”