Melting His Alaskan Heart (7 page)

“I want to start something, all right. A tab wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Iris rolled her eyes and absently scratched her temple with her middle finger, spun around and sashayed to the other end of the bar.

A wide grin covered Trent’s face and Carly was mesmerized by the look of merriment in his eyes. She’d seen something similar in Ethan’s eyes when he’d looked at her through the cracks of his knight mask a few nights ago. A pinch knotted in her belly.

The weight of Ethan’s business card suddenly felt heavy in her purse. He was just a phone call away.

Carly decided to put her investigative talents to work and do what she did best; be nosy. She asked Trent, “So, I guess you know Iris?”

“No, not really.” Trent drank his beer, never taking his eyes away from the bartender.

“Do you make it a habit to flirt with every woman you meet?”

“No. Not all women.” He finally looked at her. “I’m not flirting with you.”

“Well, now I think I’m offended.” Carly couldn’t keep the smile from her face.

“What would be the point? It’s obvious Ethan and you have something going on.”

“Ethan and me? I didn’t even know I was talking to
Ethan
at that party. Well, until later.”

Trent shrugged. “It’s the most I’ve ever seen Ethan talk. Not that I’m around him much, but once in a while he hangs out with the team.”

“I was trying to get an interview with Dane, and I made no secret of it.”

“Credit to you for being upfront about what you wanted.”

Kudos to her. She took another sip of her soda but desperately wanted something stronger.

Trent did the same and leaned closer to her. “If you want my advice, which you didn’t say you did, the only way you’re going to get to Dane is through Ethan.”

“What about you? You could get me to Dane.”

Trent leaned back and put his elbow on the bar. “Nope. No can do.”

“And why’s that?”

“I’m not going to send snoopy reporters on his trail. What kind of friend would I be?”

“I’ve been called worse than snoopy, but okay. Maybe you’re the one I should be interviewing.”

“No one is interested in me.”

For a guy clearly full of himself, she found the off-handed comment interesting. “Why not? You’ve got more assists than anyone else on your team. You are the reason Dane looks so good. You’re the one who sets him up with all those goals.”

“Impressive.” He nodded and took a swig of beer. “A girl who knows her team stats.”

“I’m a sports journalist. It’s my job.”

“Nope. No one wants to read about me. Dane is the one you want and if I were you, I’d give Ethan a call. He’s the only way you’re going to talk to Dane.”

Great. The big picture suddenly became as clear as ice. Hockey rink ice. She was going to have to call Ethan.

E
THAN LOCKED
up this apartment and heard his cell phone chime. He looked at the caller ID. It was from Gold Creek. That meant it could his brother, Zak, or his sister-in-law, Sabrina. They handled the day-to-day operation of the lodge.

He answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

“I got a call from a woman asking for your number,” his oldest brother said. Ethan was surprised he didn’t sound sarcastic when he told him. It wasn’t like he got calls from women very often—as in none, ever. “Didn’t know if it was some kind of prank, so I took her number and told her I’d have you call her. Said her name is Carly.”

Ethan’s shoulders tensed. He didn’t think he would see or hear from Carly again, but something like hope resounded in his brain, despite knowing better. “Oh, yeah? Did she say anything else?”

“So I take it this is someone you know?” There was Zak’s trademark sarcasm he’d expected.

“Yes.”

“Interesting. Mom’s going to love this.”

“It’s just business,” Ethan assured him. “She wants to interview Dane.”

“Oh, she’s some reporter? Well, they are getting more inventive, at least, working their way to him via you. Great. Do you want her number?”

“Yes. Text it to me. Is Travis on schedule to pick me up at ten?”

“As far as I know,” Zak said. “Mom’s already here.”

“So no one is staying at the lodge except the family this weekend, right?”

“I’m not sure if Fiona is going to make it. I think she has class. But the weather looks good, so hopefully it won’t be too cold to skate.”

“All right. See you soon.” Ethan hung up and contemplated returning Carly’s call.

Rather than let himself dwell on it, he looked at the text from Zak and immediately dialed the number.

Carly’s voice answered on after the first ring. “Hello?”

Ethan nearly lost his nerve, but sucked in a deep breath and said, “Hello. It’s Ethan Forrester returning your call.”

“Thanks for calling me back, Ethan.”

She sounded professional, but her voice still sent memories of their night together crashing through him. She called because of Dane. It certainly had nothing to do with him. He needed to remember that. “No problem. What can I do for you?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t had much luck on my own speaking with Dane. I have no one to ask for favors. I’m out of options. My boss really wants this article, and well, I was wondering if you’d help me out.”

“I told you I would.”

A long pause sat heavy between them. “I do make it a habit of going through the proper channels. I called Dane’s agent, but he was no help. I’m sorry to be bothering you.”

“You aren’t bothering me.” But if she called to talk about his brother as he suspected, the
n,
by God, she was going to have to ask. He wasn’t going to offer up his brother on a silver platter.

“Well, you said you could get me an interview with your brother….so I’m asking.”

Ethan knew how the phone call would go, so why did a part of him wish she’d called to talk to him instead of his famous brother? He knew better than to let any kind of foolish fantasy enter his thoughts. “I’m actually packing up to head to the airport. You’re welcome to join us. I’ll see that Dane gives you an interview. And when you’re done, Travis can fly you back to Anchorage.”

“You’d do that for me?” she asked in a disbelieving tone.

“I said that I would make things right.”

“So you did,” she said quietly.

“Can you meet me at Merrill Field in half an hour?”

“Um, yeah, I think so. That’s pushing it, but yes.”

“Do you skate?”

“As in hockey skate?” she asked. “Yes.”

Ethan was surprised, but since she was a sports journalist, maybe he shouldn’t be. “Then bring your skates because we’ll play hockey on the lake.”

“Sounds great. See you soon. And…Ethan?”

Another long pause sounded on the phone. “Yes?”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Ethan hung up the phone and reminded himself this was strictly business. Carly’s trip to the lodge wasn’t to spend time with him, only to get an interview with his brother. The faster he got this over with, the better off he’d be.

He called Zak back. “Let Travis know he’s got two passengers to pick up and make sure you have another room ready for Carly Hughes.”

“So you’re bringing a guest?” Ethan heard the implication in his voice.

“It’s not like that. Trust me. She’ll probably stay one night and fly back to Anchorage.” He hung up and didn’t care what random thoughts cooked in Zak’s head. Ethan would set him straight soon enough. Carly would arrive at the lodge for her interview with Dane, then she’d leave. Simple as that.

CHAPTER 8

Carly packed her bag, which included her hockey skates. Ethan may have been telling her to bring her skates in jest, but he probably didn’t know she grew up with two brothers on a lake in Massachusetts, so she knew quite a lot about hockey. From the time she could remember, she’d tried to keep up with her brothers, but when she inevitably couldn’t, she resorted to reporting on their antics instead.

Her brothers and their friends would humor her by pretending to hoist the Stanley Cup over their heads and give her an interview about their come-from-behind win. Those early years had given Carly the inspiration to write about sports.

She waited inside the small airport terminal wondering what to make of Ethan Forrester. No matter how hard she fought to forget their night together, Ethan kept intruding into her dreams. His full mouth, his gentle hands, his playful demeanor. She didn’t regret what happened. She couldn’t.

While waiting for Ethan, she watched small planes land and take-off. She felt a bit anxious about flying in a propeller-operated plane instead of a jet. All she knew about Gold Creek, Alaska, was that it was a very small town in the interior of the state. Therefore, she assumed it had a very small runway, too.

When she saw Ethan approach her, her anxiousness soared to new heights but it had nothing to do with airplanes. Like so many Alaskans, he wore jeans and a fur-ruffed parka, along with a ball cap with the Forrester Lodge logo on the front.

“I wasn’t sure where to buy my ticket,” she said. “What airline are we flying on?”

“We’re on Tundra Air, but no need for a ticket. My brother is picking us up.”

“Your brother is a pilot. Travis, right? But you all own the lodge?”

Ethan raised a brow over the unscarred eye. He should know a journalist remembered details like that, at least a journalist like her. “Yes, Travis, and yes, we’re all part-owners of the lodge.”

“All three boys are going home. Will your sister be joining us, too?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Is this a family get-together?”

“Dane couldn’t spend Christmas with us because of his schedule. So when he’s free, we get together. But now that we’re into mid-January, Fiona might not be able to attend because of her classes. We do the best we can.”

Guilt pressed heavily on her shoulders. She couldn’t intrude on them. “I’m not sure about imposing on your family like this. Surely there must be another time or place for me to talk to Dane.”

“Nope. I’m afraid not. Besides, Fiona probably won’t be there, so it isn’t the entire family.”

“But—”

“Do you want an interview with Dane or not?”

“Well, yes, but flying across the state to do it seems rather extreme.”

“You’re the reporter.”

“I’m not a reporter, I’m a journalist.” Which wasn’t completely true—she just felt compelled to argue with him for whatever reason.

“Okay, a journalist, but either way, don’t you have to do whatever you need to do to get the interview?” His tone wasn’t friendly; in fact, far from it.

Why did Carly have the sense that his words carried another underlying meaning…like even if sleeping with a guy was necessary to get an interview, she’d do whatever it took? “What exactly are you saying?”

“I’m just saying, sometimes you have to go to extremes to get what you want, right?”

She wanted to argue with him, but clearly she had gone to extremes just by attending the fundraiser to track Dane down. Perhaps he wasn’t completely wrong, but something in his tone didn’t sit right with her; however, she decided to let it go. “Yes, I suppose so. Should I book a flight home at least? For later today or tomorrow?”

“You’ll have to stay the night tonight, but you can probably leave the next day.”

“What time will I be meeting with Dane?”

“I haven’t told him yet.”

“He doesn’t know I’m coming?”

“Nope.”

“But how do you know he’ll speak with me?”

“Because he owes me.”

F
LYING OVER
G
OLD
C
REEK
, Carly had imagined it bigger. Gold Creek didn’t even have a stoplight. In fact, they only had one road going through the middle. The Forrester Lodge stood a little outside of town next to the frozen lake. They landed at two in the afternoon just before the sun set for the day. Ethan wasn’t talking. He introduced her to Travis on the runway in Anchorage, then stared out the window during their entire flight.

Travis eased her nerves about flying in a small plane and pointed out the sights along the way. They passed over the Chugach Mountains and now had a beautiful view of the Brooks Range. They taxied to a stop and Travis shut down the engine. “The Aurora forecast is good for tonight. And with clear skies, we should be good. We’ll head to the hot springs and watch the Northern Lights from there.”

“Hot springs? I didn’t know you had a hot springs.”

“Didn’t Ethan tell you to bring your swimsuit?” Travis asked.

“No, I’m afraid he didn’t.” Carly glanced at Ethan.

He only shrugged.

Travis said, “I’m sure you can borrow one from my sister-in-law. You’re about the same size as her. Everyone is going to be anxious to meet you. This is the first time Ethan has brought a lady friend to the lodge.”

“Oh, it’s not like that,” Carly answered quickly.

Travis gave her an intense look, not so different from Ethan’s. It was easy to see they were brothers. Travis was about an inch shorter, but had the same blue eyes and the same brown hair, although Travis had his cropped short. They also shared the same confident walk and demeanor. They disembarked from the plane and Travis pulled Carly’s bag from the luggage compartment and asked, “What’s it like then?”

“Um.” Carly looked to Ethan for a sign of how to explain their relationship. “We’re just friends.”

Travis glanced from Carly to Ethan and back again. “I wasn’t making assumptions. I did say
lady friend
.”

“Ah, yes, yes, you did.” Carly smiled and wanted to kick Ethan in the shin. Since the man rarely spoke, apparently she was supposed to wing it on her own.

The tension thickened between them. Carly wanted to make sure Ethan told his family the reason she was here—to get an interview with Dane. That was it. But why should she be the one to say it? Ethan could damn well do some of the talking.

Instead, he silently walked behind her and Travis as they trekked through the snow from the runway to the lodge. The snow crunched beneath her feet as the sun slipped under the horizon.

To heck with it, if Ethan wasn’t going to explain their relationship, neither was she. “So.” She glanced at Travis, deciding the next phase of her plan was to ignore Ethan. “I’ve had a hard time seeing the Northern Lights from Anchorage.”