Page 5

The SUV jostled, pulling my gaze from the baby blue-painted coffee shop, as Aiden lumbered behind the wheel and slammed his door shut. After turning the key and firing up the engine, he shifted in the seat to face me.

“All set?” I offered a reluctant nod. His lips pressed in a tight line before responding. “That’s not super convincing, Aspen.”

I should not love the way his deep voice sounded when he said my name.

Clearing my throat, I forced a smile. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“Ready for…?” he asked, running a hand across his lips as he studied me with a curious look in his searching eyes. It took me a second to realize he was seriously asking me, as if he could tell I was lost, just winging this whole adventure, which I totally was.

I blew out a breath, my smile turning genuine. “Everything, I guess. For a fresh start, a new adventure, and a new me.”

A dimple popped on each cheek as Aiden’s smile grew. “Well, then, it’s a good thing you chose Anchor Bay.”

“Why is that?”

“Because that’s why we all came here.”

I arched a brow. “And you found it here in Alaska?”

His eyes sparkled. “Anchor Bay, yeah. Every damn day, Aspen. Every damn day is something new and exciting, and, after meeting you, I know today will be no different. You’re going to shake things up around here. I can see it now.”

With that, he shoved the gearshift into First and pulled out of the parking spot.

Brows furrowed, I studied his profile as we exited the lot, only turning to look out the window as we drove down the main street.

What in the hell did he mean by that?

I wouldn’t bring anything new or exciting to the table. It was probably a line he told all the resort guests.

Yeah, that had to be it.

Which really sucked, because I desperately wanted it to be true.

2

AIDEN

The drive to the resort was quiet, though I didn’t mind, which was odd for me. I hated silence. It allowed my mind to wander, for all the mistakes I’d made and thousands of past regrets to force their way to the forefront of my mind, making me relive them over and over again.

Yet with the woman sitting in the passenger seat, who was as unique as her name, I didn’t need to ramble on about the town’s history or make casual, meaningless conversation to keep the uncomfortable silence away like normal. I felt at peace. Something that, lately, even downtime with Miles couldn’t create. Maybe because most of my regrets and mistakes revolved around my best friend.

How we were still friends after everything was 100 percent due to his forgiveness and understanding.

“Do you have a lot of hikes and things like that planned while you’re here?” I asked, shooting a look at Aspen out of the corner of my eye.

Fuck, she was gorgeous. Not in a flashy, look-at-me kind of way. Her beauty seemed to radiate from the inside out. The way her dark gaze kept sliding my way signaled that she thought I was attractive too.

Or she was worried I was a serial killer ready to make a skin suit out of her soft, fair skin. I wasn’t, but considering the mysterious deaths and disappearances that had happened in the last year, maybe she should be more wary of strangers.

A bolt of worry had my stomach twisting at just the thought of Aspen in danger, all because she chose Anchor Bay for her vacation. The idea of her going out into the woods, hiking on the long, treacherous trails alone, had me gripping the wheel harder than necessary.

“Nothing yet.” Leaning to the side, she pressed her head against the window. “This was kind of a last-minute decision, so I have no plans. Though I’d love some suggestions on close trailheads and the best trails with views.”

“Most people spend months planning out their trip to Alaska, or at least need that long to gather all the gear required for the climate and terrain.”

She shrugged. “I’ve worked for a fairly popular outdoor magazine for the last five years, so I already had all the hiking gear and recently did research on Anchor Bay as a place for us to spotlight. It was easy to throw everything into a bag and leave. I just needed to leave him and my job fast, so no time to plan out exactly what I’d be doing here the next several days.”

My ears perked up.