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The minute she said that, my heart lunged in my chest, kicking up a racket against my ribs.
“You have a reaction to the idea of love, huh?” she pressed.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Lacey.”
She grinned. “It seems like Harley means something to you. No judgment, but you don't really do relationships. Not that I know of.” I stayed quiet, but I knew she had a point. I didn't for a long time because I had other priorities. “It’s just a vibe, but I think you and Harley might be a good thing,” she added.
“You think?”
“Yeah. You're not going to get scared away by an independent woman.” She nodded firmly in emphasis with that.
Harley exuded a sense of independence, of boldness, as if she dared anyone to question her. I thought back to the very first night I kissed her after she chased off a moose with a shovel and a rock.
“No, that doesn't scare me off,” I agreed.
“So tell Harley how you feel,” Lacey pressed.
“I can't exactly do that right now. Communication isn't that convenient here.”
“As soon as you get back then.”
I absorbed that. “This was an unexpected conversation,” I finally said.
“Deep moments with Lacey Haynes in the wilderness,” she offered dryly.
I burst out laughing at that. “Fair enough. When's the baby due?”
“Five months. Like I said, Quinn and I have to compromise sometimes. I told him this was my last trip, so I'll stick to it. I do lots locally, though. I do mostly management these days. I don't lead many hikes myself, but I like seeing places.”
“You've been here. Lots,” I pointed out.
“I know, and I love it. Every time I look at that…” She gestured toward the river. A brown bear was in the falls, and two were along the river's shore. She lifted her hand higher, gesturing to the mountain ridge in the distance. “It's Alaska. It never fails to take my breath away.”
“I know.”
We smiled at each other. A moment later, a raven flew past, the sound of its wings swishing through the air.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
GRANT
I thought about Lacey’s advice a week later. I’d had plenty of time to think. I missed Harley—a lot—and I knew I loved her. I just had to tell her.
The trip was going smoothly with the weather on our side. We were spending the last stop in Kodiak. There were brown bears, and then there were Kodiak brown bears. Kodiak brown bears were a unique subset. As one of the largest bears in the world, they had been isolated from other bears on the islands of the Kodiak archipelago for over 12,000 years. There was no other way to put it—they were fucking huge.
After we landed in Kodiak, I got the group set up at a local B&B in town, checked into my room, and then headed out for dinner. One of the perks of flying all over Southcentral Alaska was I had friends all over. Alaska was a big state geographically, but the way of life here tied its residents together. I didn't have to see the bartender at the local hangout very often for us to be buddies. The owner at the B&B knew me well. Nana felt like a grandmother to me even though I'd only seen her maybe once or twice a year in all the years I'd been flying. She always reached up and patted me on the head, which cracked me up.
“All right, now don't be late.” As if to remind me, she stretched up and patted me on the head.
I grinned down at her. She insisted on everyone calling her Nana. I didn’t know if she had another name.
“I won’t be late. I have an early flight out tomorrow.”
“Be careful walking into town. We've had some bear activity lately. Just so you know.”
“I’m always careful,” I replied.
It was a ten-minute walk into town. I had dinner and was walking back when I heard a human scream nearby. I picked up to a jog, fetching the bear spray I kept tucked in my cargo pants.
