When they reached what was obviously his bedroom, she paused at the threshold, feeling very much like she was trespassing even though he hadn’t closed the door. But since Trouble walked in ahead of her, she took that as a sign that she could follow. Hey, Gabe, your dog made me do it. She couldn’t help laughing to herself as she imagined using that excuse should she be discovered snooping. Somehow, she didn’t think Gabe would buy it.
He was a tall guy, but she was still surprised to see what appeared to be a king-size bed dominating the space. As with the rest of the house, his personal domain was neat and clean. No dirty clothing lying around anywhere. His bathroom contained a shower and a Jacuzzi tub. There were also double sinks, with his toiletries arranged near the first one. She inspected the contents as if it would tell her something she didn’t know about him. He appeared to like Axe products because the deodorant and the shaving gel were both that brand. He kept his hair buzzed so short, she doubted he really needed the comb sitting to the side. She picked up a bottle of cologne and held it up to her nose so she could savor the intoxicating scent she recognized from the card he’d sent her. She hadn’t given much thought to men’s fragrances before Gabe, but now she’d always be a fan of Fahrenheit by Christian Dior. As far as she was concerned, it fit him perfectly. Subtle, sexy, and oh so manly. If she thought it had been arousing from afar, it was nothing compared to getting a whiff of it on the man himself. She might love the scent, but it was the combination of it on his skin that she found heady. She felt certain it wouldn’t be the same with anyone else.
Trouble, having obviously lost his patience, licked her hand. That seemed to be his unspoken way of saying, Can we move along, please? She put everything back exactly as it had been and retraced her steps. She unpacked her suitcase and kept out an outfit for the day before putting away the rest. She hated for it to appear as if she were moving in, but she also didn’t want what little she’d brought along with her to wind up a wrinkled mess. At some point, she would need to make use of the laundry room she’d seen off the kitchen.
One thing that was very different and somewhat unexpected was the silence. Apart from the sound of Trouble’s feet tapping along behind her in every room, the house was utterly quiet. Chris and Nicole’s house was large, but not as secluded as Gabe’s cabin. And not hearing Kaylee’s incessant chatter was . . . heartbreaking. She already missed her beautiful niece, but it was the silence that was almost deafening.
* * *
• • •
After a shower, Sara dressed in jeans and a sweater, then found her boots sitting neatly in the mudroom. She also spotted a leash, and her new canine friend barked in approval when she reached for it. “I take it you’re up for a walk, huh?” He took the lead line in his mouth, apparently indicating his agreement, and she fell head over heels in love with him in that moment. He’d stolen her heart in a more direct way than his owner, but the end result was the same. She was smitten with another Randall, and this one wasn’t shy about his feelings. Although they took the form of slobber more often than not. She hoped Gabe was a little less exuberant with his affection. Please, you’d take him any way you could get him. She couldn’t argue with that. She’d gladly pat his head as well if he wanted to hump her leg. She couldn’t help it; she giggled at that silly thought. She had to hope this was one time the intelligent dog at her feet couldn’t read her thoughts. Because if he could, he was going to have some interesting things to tell his master tonight. But until then, they were going to go outside so she could get her first real look at the landscape—hopefully a glimpse that didn’t end with her lying on a shrub, flailing around like a fish out of water.
As she stepped carefully off the porch with Trouble at her side, Sara couldn’t help stopping and staring. Wow. Somehow, she’d never imagined how beautiful Alaska was. It was like being transported to a white fairytale world. The snow looked like diamonds trickling through the air as the wind shook it from a nearby tree. Magical. If asked for a one-word description, that’s what she’d say.
She was no stranger to snow, although nothing like the level of what they had here. Yet she had mostly viewed it as a nuisance. Something that made travel hazardous, thereby making her life harder. But the hustle and bustle of Charlotte was nowhere to be found in this serene setting. The dazzling landscape could almost make you lose sight of the cold temperature.
Trouble began digging in the snow and soon came up with a stick, which he promptly dropped at her feet. Gabe had mentioned that she could let the dog off the leash as long as they were in the backyard, so she did just that before bending to pick up the stick. “Not exactly subtle, are you?” She laughed as she tossed it a few feet away and watched him bound after it. They played until her teeth were chattering and she knew it was time to go back inside. “We’ll do it again tomorrow,” she promised her new furry friend as she scratched his ears and put him back on the leash. Neither of them wanted to leave the beauty of the outdoors, probably for different reasons. To Sara, it was the first time she’d felt at peace since Gabe’s surprise visit to North Carolina. Maybe it was simply wishful thinking, but something about this place felt right to her. Almost as if she’d come home after a long journey. I’ve been reading too many romance novels. That warm feeling lasted for another two minutes until she had a reality check she had not been expecting.
* * *
• • •
Gabe wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see when he walked in the door that evening, but Sara and Melanie sitting in the living room had never entered his mind. He’d texted her before he left work and offered to bring home something for dinner. But she declined, saying she’d eaten a late lunch and wasn’t hungry. He’d managed to block her out of his mind for the most part while he worked. Jason had given him a few odd looks, but hadn’t questioned him. They’d known each other long enough to understand when they could push the issue and when they should back off. His sister was another situation altogether. Jennifer had had thirty years of experience on how to read Gabe. He’d called her after he left North Carolina, needing to keep his head out of all things Sara. Jennifer had, of course, pried more information out of Gabe than he’d hoped. She knew how disappointed he was, but she also suggested that there were always two sides to every story, and that Gabe was quick to draw conclusions—something that made him an excellent soldier but which sometimes caused him to be unyielding and implacable. That had saved lives. Even my own once.
His apprehension had begun to return on the drive home, and seeing Melanie here was about the last thing he wanted. Hell, on a good day, it was at the bottom of his list. Trouble, he noticed, had once again aligned himself with Sara and had his head in her lap, while she stroked his fur absently. The only indication he gave that he was glad to see Gabe was the thumping of his tail. Sara, though, dazzled him with a warm, welcoming smile. One that had his insides firing in all directions. Until his eyes landed on Melanie. Then it was more of a crash-and-burn feeling.