Page 12 of Under the Northern Lights

Laying her phone on the table, she walked over to her slightly mangled carry-on.

Lifting its handle, she wheeled it carefully over to the full-size bed with its rustic pine log headboard.

Careful to keep the wheels just over the edge of the mattress so as not to get any dirt on it, she set the compact suitcase atop the buffalo plaid quilt.

She struggled with the broken zipper but finally managed to open it the rest of the way.

Sifting through her somewhat damp clothes, she gathered up her shower items and then walked over to look through the bag holding her purchases from town.

Her choices were limited. At least until her clothes dried, which she intended to lay out around the room before leaving for dinner.

She was just about to head into the bathroom when her cell phone rang. Pausing what she was doing, she hurried over to grab it. She brought the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Are you at the airport?” her best friend asked on the other end of the line.

“No. I’m on Conley Island and will be staying here tonight.”

“Conley Island?”

“It’s a short flight here from Juneau. I had a very kind man offer me one of his family’s cabins for the night.”

“Aurora,” Emmy gasped. “That kind man might not be as kind as you think. At least I know you’re alive,” her best friend grumbled on the other end of the line.

“He is,” Aurora retorted with a grin. “So stop worrying.”

“Hey, I watch all those cop shows. I know how convincing those kidnappers can be when they prey on beautiful young women.”

“No one is preying on anyone here,” Aurora replied. “But thank you for the compliment.”

“You’re welcome. So let me get your text straight.

You missed your flight and then met a guy in a diner who offered to fly you off into the wild blue yonder.

You then accepted, without so much as a background check on this Alaskan version of Captain Kirk who flies a plane instead of a really cool spaceship. ”

Aurora couldn’t help but laugh, despite appreciating her friend’s concern.

“His name is Gage. And no, I did not run a background check. Glady, the owner of the diner we were in, suggested I stay at his family’s retreat.

I highly doubt a woman who’s created a longtime eatery in Juneau is going to risk it all to send her customers off with serial killers. ”

“Ha!” Emmy replied. “That shows how much you know about criminals. The accomplice is there to throw people off the trail.”

“Emmy, I’m an experienced traveler. I’m here on Conley Island of my own free will.

Oh, and still breathing, in case you missed that fact,” Aurora countered.

“Seriously, I do appreciate your concern, but Gage Weston is really charming. The retreat is very real. I’m actually standing in one of their very adorable guest cabins. ”

“Okay. So, you’re still breathing. Tell me all about this Alaskan Captain Kirk.”

Aurora rolled her eyes. “He pilots a floatplane, not a spaceship. His family has owned this part of the island since before Gage was born. He has one younger brother named Reed, who I met when we arrived at the docks, and a younger sister named Julia, who I will be meeting at dinner this evening. Speaking of which, I hate to rush you off, but I need to shower before heading up to the main lodge for dinner at five thirty. Can I call you later?”

“How about tomorrow?” Emmy replied. “I have a speed dating event I’m leaving for in about thirty minutes.”

“You just got home.”

“You’ll never find Mr. Right if you don’t put yourself out there.”

Aurora nodded in silent agreement. “I can’t believe you signed up for another one after the last disastrous one you and I went to.”

“Hey, we were newbies. This time around, I know not to ask the man I’m getting to know if he’s ever had his face painted without first explaining that I’m an artist who does a lot of work with paints and canvas.”

“And if the man assumes something incorrectly,” Aurora added, “like that you do face paintings at birthday parties and such, you will not be immediately offended.” And dump a glass of water over the attendee’s head.

“I learn from my mistakes,” Emmy told her. “Have you?”

“Ben wasn’t a mistake. Thinking we should get married was.” Aurora glanced at her fit watch. “Emmy, I hate to rush you off, but I have less than an hour to get showered and be ready to go by the time Gage comes back to get me for dinner.”

“Hmm ... sounds like a date. Is your pilot cute?”

Aurora rolled her eyes. “He’s not my pilot. But Gage is ruggedly handsome and thoughtful. He doesn’t want me getting lost on my way to the main lodge, so he’s going to walk me there. Nothing more. Besides, I’m not looking for a relationship right now. You know that.”

“Sometimes relationships find you,” her friend replied. “Enjoy your meal, and stay in touch so I know that you’re okay.”

“I will,” Aurora replied. “Talk to you soon.” Disconnecting the call, she tossed the phone onto her bed and then headed for the shower, Gage’s smiling face shoving its way into her thoughts.

The cabin door swung open. Aurora stood there, her hair clean and wavy as it spilled over the tops of her shoulders.

A hint of mascara accented her already thick lashes.

Gage couldn’t help but grin when his gaze came to her dinner attire.

Oversized sweatpants rolled up at the cuffs, and the sweatshirt she’d bought with the tiny floatplane embroidered on it.

“Hi.”

She smiled. “Hi.”

“Too early?” he asked.

“Nope. Your timing is perfect. Let me grab my coat and my camera bag, and we can go.”

He moved to sit on the porch rocker while he waited.

Moments later, the door swung open again, and Aurora stepped out to join him. “All set.”

Gage pushed up out of the rocker and joined her as they stepped down off the porch and onto the path that ran in front of the cabins. One way leading to the docks and the other up to the main lodge.

“I was able to reschedule my flight for tomorrow. It leaves a few minutes before eight o’clock in the evening.

You can fly me back to Juneau at whatever time works best for your schedule.

I can find things to do there if we need to go earlier in the day, or I can spend time here taking pictures of the island until it’s time to leave for Juneau. ”

“We probably need to leave here about three to make sure you arrive for your flight on time. Good news is the weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow.”

“That works for me.”

“It’s still light out now,” Gage said as they traversed the path, “but coming back after sunset this path can be a little dark, despite the path lights we’ve run along the walkway.

We keep the lighting dim on purpose, allowing just enough to guide guests along, but not so much that it washes out the night sky above. ”

“I’ll bet the stars are pretty amazing out here at night,” Aurora said as her gaze lifted upward. “Even through the treetops.”

He nodded. “They are. But there are places to see them without anything blocking the view. Like on the deck behind the main lodge. Or from the docks. And from late August through late April, there’s a chance you could see the Northern Lights coloring the night sky.”

“I hear they’re breathtaking.”

Walking nearly shoulder to shoulder with her along the narrow path had almost the same effect as far as Gage was concerned.

Especially with the faint scent of vanilla and cherries teasing his nose and his senses.

“Pictures don’t even come close to doing the Northern Lights justice,” he told her as they moved away from the cabins.

“No offense to your photography skills.”

“None taken,” she replied with a grin. “My parents say the same thing.”

“Oh, that’s right. Your parents lived and worked in Alaska for a while.”

“They did. Mom and Dad got to see the Northern Lights on several occasions and say they never failed to take their breath away. I hope to see them myself someday.”

“They are pretty amazing,” he agreed with a nod. “Unfortunately, we’re not expecting a geomagnetic storm tonight. Just a cloudy night sky. You’ll want to be careful going back to your cabin this evening. There are a lot of trip hazards in the dark. Roots, rocks, etcetera.”

“Noted,” she told him as they continued onward up the winding path. “I’ll even use the flashlight on my phone to help light my way back.”

“I didn’t mean to imply we’d be sending you back to your cabin on your own after dinner.

” What if she got lost? Or ran into a bear?

Or a coyote? “Reed can walk you back. That is, when you’re through taking pictures.

” Better his brother do it than him. Aurora made him feel things he hadn’t felt for a very long time.

Not since he’d first started dating his ex, and look how that relationship had turned out.

Emotions were better off left uninvested.

“Bears are actively foraging for their winter hibernation. That means you can see them during daylight hours and at night. If you happen to cross paths with one, my brother will know how to handle the situation. Reed can even take along a flashlight from the house to help light the way.”

“When you put it that way ... ”

Gage smiled down at her and then looked away as he caught sight of the lodge in front of them. “Well, here we are,” he announced as they left the wooded trail and moved into the open, landscaped area that fronted the main lodge.

“This is so much bigger than I expected it to be,” Aurora said in surprise as they approached the lodge’s wide front porch. The cedar log siding fit perfectly with the surroundings. Stone-wrapped pillars lined the oversized porch.

“I have a big family,” Gage replied as they made their way up the steps. “And don’t forget we have guest rooms in there as well.”