Page 23 of Thaw of Spring (Knife’s Edge, Alaska #2)

A mka handed off another breakfast platter to Nixi. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thanks for covering this week.”

Nixi grinned, a spark in her blue eyes. “I like it here. Who knows? Maybe after I win that fifty grand, I’ll come back and do some influencing. I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

“Great idea.” Amka forced a smile. Her head still throbbed at the base of her skull—last night’s tequila hadn’t done her any favors. “This would be a good place for that. You could pick up shifts here part-time.”

“I’d like that.” Nixi spun off toward the far table, plates balanced in one hand. She moved like she’d already claimed the place. She definitely had too much energy for this early, but the customers loved her.

Lucas Landom pushed away from the bar with his to-go bag already in hand.

“One of these days, you need to try something else,” Amka suggested.

The tanker chief grinned. “Maybe I will. So long as it looks and tastes like a breakfast burrito.” Humming, the man strode across the bar and right out the door.

Daisy stepped out of the kitchen, flushed, a damp rag in her hand, watching him go. “He’s a good-looking dude, but nobody knows a lot about him.”

Amka shrugged. “Maybe most writers are like that?”

“Dunno.” Daisy looked back at the kitchen door. “It’s hotter than sin in there.”

A flicker of unease hit Amka. She turned, opened the kitchen door, and leaned inside. Rudolph stood at the grill, pink in the cheeks, humming low. He didn’t look up.

“You drinking water?” she asked.

“Don’t start.”

She scanned the counter. The water bottle was full, unopened. Of course it was. “If that’s not gone when I’m back, I’ll stand here and watch you drink it.”

He grunted, but she was already shutting the door.

Mumbling about the stubborn fool, she reached beneath the bar and took out two ibuprofen to suck down with her own water.

Her jaw still ached from clenching it all morning.

Her chest felt tight. Her legs, restless.

Last night hadn’t gone away. Not the kiss.

Not the way Christian had looked at her after, like he’d lost control and wasn’t sure he wanted it back.

He wanted her. She knew it now. Not just a maybe.

Not curiosity. That kiss had said everything he hadn’t.

And she’d felt it. Low in her stomach. Hot between her thighs.

She still felt his mouth on hers. Her body wouldn’t calm down.

Her skin was jumpy and her lips burned. She’d pressed her fingers there twice this morning like it might shake the memory loose. It hadn’t.

She didn’t want to be thinking about him. Not while she was working. Not while eggs were burning and toast needed butter. But he was in her system now. In her mouth, her skin, even her bloodstream.

While she was still engaged to a jackass. Even if she wasn’t, Christian had been more than clear that he wasn’t the staying type. Sure, they could burn up the sheets, if she ever got free of Jarod, but what then?

Then she’d be left with a broken heart.

Her phone dinged and she glanced down at a reminder. Darn it. Rudolph was due for his blood pressure refill. She’d meant to check with the pharmacy yesterday and forgot. She made a mental note to call it in before lunch. The man wouldn’t say a word until his heart threatened to quit on him.

The bar was finally quiet with only a handful of stragglers nursing coffee or staring into phones.

Over by the pool table, the steady tap-tap-tap of a calculator filled the silence.

The insurance rep in the corner booth hadn't looked up once. Helene had scraped her shiny dark hair into a too-tight ponytail and now had a pile of folders spread around her like she was planning to gut a fish with paperwork. Every once in a while she’d look up at Amka with a thoughtful glance.

Amka sighed. She did not destroy her storage building for the insurance, darn it. But who had planted that explosive?

Daisy stepped up beside her, wiping her hands on a rag. “Wild breakfast rush.”

“Yeah. But it’s slowed down since most of the locals headed out to fish.”

“Reports of the new dead guy has everyone twitchy.” Daisy crouched behind the bar and pulled out a pale-pink folder. “Special delivery. Prenup, will, and your LLC information, which includes an operating agreement with Ace.”

Amka blinked. “That was fast.”

“I had a gut feeling time mattered.”

“It does.” Amka flipped through the documents, hope finally zipping through her. She signed the prenuptial agreement as well as the LLC and operating agreement before reaching for the will.

Daisy raised a hand. “Hold up. I need witnesses. Nixi?” she called.

Nixi hustled their way and plunked her tray down at the bar. “You have more information on the dead body?”

“Nope. Nothing.” Daisy shook her head. “Will you witness Amka signing her will?”

Nixi pulled a pen from behind her ear. “Sure.”

Daisy glanced toward the end of the bar. “Amka, I don’t want to use Ace since you’re going into business with him. Just to keep things clean.”

Ace, black coffee in hand, kept scrolling through his phone. He hadn’t asked for a drink all morning, except for more coffee.

Daisy turned toward the fireplace. “Hey, blond dude. You by the fireplace.”

Steve looked up from filming himself talking about fishing lures. He broke off and wandered over, his gaze alert.

“You’re a witness now,” Daisy said. She looked at Amka. “Okay, sign.”

Amka did so and then watched as Nixi signed as a witness before tucking her purple pen on her ear beneath her purple hair.

Steve signed with a flourish and then looked over at Nixi. “Nice footage yesterday of that secret fishing hole with the hidden walk toward those waterfalls.”

“Thanks.” Nixi rocked on her heels, stretching her calves. “The locals are really helpful around here.”

Steve snorted. “Sure, when you look like you do. I haven’t had much luck with the old guys showing me hidden gems.”

Amka tucked the papers back into the pink folder, pleased to almost have her affairs in order. Just in case.

Steve nudged Nixi’s elbow as she hopped on one heel, a swirl of apron brushing her thigh. “Hey, what about us collaborating? I’ve got a dozen ideas.”

Nixi spun her tray, smirking. “How many followers do you have?”

“Almost two hundred thousand,” he offered with a cocked eyebrow.

“Not bad,” she replied, leaning in toward him. The woman could seriously flirt. Amka should take lessons from her. “I’ve doubled that.”

He grinned, the bar lights flickering off his pale roots. “We’d own the feed together.”

She laughed, a warm sound that echoed between them.

Daisy stepped in front of the bar. “You two can collaborate later. Right now, I need pictures of your driver’s licenses.” She tugged her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.

The two dug out their IDs, and Daisy snapped photos. “Thanks.”

Steve leaned close enough Amka smelled his woodsy cologne. “Doesn’t a will need notarizing?”

“Not in Alaska. It’d help, but we don’t have a notary. I’ll probably become one when I get the chance.” Daisy handed back the IDs. Steve tucked his into a back pocket, and Nixi brushed his arm as she grabbed her tray.

Amka motioned to Ace. He slid off his stool. Bruises and stitches lined his jaw, but his eyes caught hers. He didn’t move except to reach for the pen. “Ready to sign the incorporation documents?” she asked.

“Yep.” He signed and gently placed the papers on the bar. “Looks like we’re in business.”

Amka slowly relaxed. She hadn’t been entirely sure he’d stick to the plan. Especially after he and Christian had come to blows the previous night. “Are you ready for this?”

Ace met her eyes without hesitation. “I’m in.”

She let out a slow breath and turned to Daisy. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll get you copies, but you know that Jarod has to sign the prenup as well, right?”

“Yeah.” Amka didn’t care. After she met with the bank, she wouldn’t be financially worth much.

For now, anyway. Real hope stirred in her chest about her new venture.

Maybe Christian had knocked some sense into Ace the night before.

She glanced at the stitches above his eye, the bruising along his jaw. “Sorry about that,” she murmured.

Daisy snorted. “No doubt he deserved it.” She tucked the file folders beneath the bar and moved to collect dirty dishes from over by the dart boards.

“I did deserve it,” Ace said easily. “Was my brother bruised at all?”

“Yeah. His knuckles looked bruised, and I think he’s due for a solid shiner. But I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” It had surprised her when Brock had picked her up from Christian’s cabin that morning. And Brock had seemed genuinely surprised to discover that his brother had built a cabin.

He’d stood for a long moment, looking up at it like he was calculating sniper angles. “Perfect defensive positioning,” he’d muttered.

She hadn’t thought of that. Apparently defensive positions mattered to Christian. She focused back on Ace. “If you can financially meet me halfway, our new building could have a third story we could use as rental. The tourists need more places to stay.”

Ace scrubbed both hands down his face, jaw tight. “I can meet you halfway financially.”

“You can?” she asked, not quite hiding the surprise.

“Yeah. I don’t spend money on much. Once you tell me what you’re putting in, I’ll match it.”

She might just hug him. “Great.” Her fingers tightened slightly on the counter.

This had been in motion longer than anyone knew.

She’d already asked the banker, Peter Rentzing, to start running the numbers months ago—right around the time Jarod had forced her into that engagement.

She hadn’t told a soul. But she’d had a feeling.

Something in her gut had whispered that she’d find the right opportunity, and when she did, she needed to be ready.

Now she had a partner. One she genuinely liked and wanted to help.

Ace sauntered off toward the far corner where the TV showed a PGA tournament somewhere warm. Palm trees, clean fairways. A fantasy.

Amka leaned down for her coat. “I’m heading to the bank,” she called out. “Be back in an hour.”

“Hey.” Ace turned away from the television. “Wait a minute. I’m your escort.”

“Ace, I think I can make it down the street on my own.”

He gave her a broad, almost sunny grin. “Sure. If there’s not a sniper waiting to pick you off at high noon. It’s doubtful, I know, especially since the troopers have been patrolling your street continually. But I’m on Amka duty.”

Amka duty? She rolled her eyes. “We have to find that sniper.”

“We’re working on it,” Ace said grimly.

She had Osprey men around too much these days. “Fine, but that means we’re holding our first corporate meeting today.”

“Fine by me. Why are we going to the bank?”

It was a fair question from her new partner.

“Okay. So, I’ve been working with the bank to secure funding for a project, and now I actually have the real estate to do it.

I’d planned to mortgage the bar and my house for my future, and now we just need to wait for the insurance money.

I’d like to get everything in place.” And maybe get Jarod uninterested in her.

“Thinking ahead, huh? When we’re at the bank, we can check how much I’ve got in there too,” Ace said, pulling the door open with a creak. “Might surprise us.”

“Maybe we should build a couple buildings,” she said. “And buy another plane.”

He huffed. “Let’s not get cocky. I don’t know if we’re rolling in that kind of cash.”

She arched a brow. “Let’s find out.” It was time she concentrated on her life and built something to last, even if she was on her own. Well, as soon as she got out of this situation with Jarod.

Now the town was buzzing with the news that two local kids found a body near Rascal Mountain. Christian had gone off alone to track the killer. She’d fought herself from calling him all morning. He wasn’t hers to worry about, no matter how many times he’d kissed her.