Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Apparently Nixi thought so, too. She leaned into him. “I’m so glad we found each other on this trip. I know you’re in the middle of that live video with those guys from New York. Go back and do that, and I’ll meet up with you later. Right now, I think I’ll jump over to the Green Plate. I heard they have homemade chicken noodle soup today.”
“It’s fantastic soup,” Amka agreed, concern filtering through her. “I hope we haven’t been overworking you.”
“No.” Nixi waved the thought away. “I just forgot to eat.” She pushed to her feet and nudged Steve back the way he’d come. “I’ll go out the back door.” She winced. “Please keep this totally embarrassing moment between us. I don’t want any of the other influencers to see me losing it. That actually might make for a good post.”
Steve grimaced. “You’re not wrong. Okay. I’ll go cover for you. How about we meet up tomorrow morning for a sunrise post? We could catch some spectacular footage.”
Nixi stretched up on her calves. “That’d be great. I think you have a great eye for posts. You’re going to grow fast.”
Steve patted her arm, his lips curving. “Thanks. I’m definitely seeing the draw of this kind of lifestyle.” He turned to Amka. “If you change your mind about that interview, let me know. I’d love to reveal your identity. The woman the hot-bodied Alaskan rescued.”
Amka paused. “Now that you bring it up, why hasn’t anybody identified us? All of you know our names by now.”
Nixi snorted.
Steve flushed. “Let’s just say that Alaskan threatened death, and nobody thought he was joking.” He pushed open the door and returned to the bar.
Amka studied Nixi’s still pale features. “Christian threatened everybody?”
Nixi walked across the cozy room, her normally graceful movements stilted. “Boy, did he. I wouldn’t post his name, or yours, for any amount of prize money.” She opened the door and looked over her shoulder. “I’m sorry about this. I’ll be back to work tomorrow.”
“No worries.” Amka wanted to remain in that room and not deal with the insurance adjuster. Or try to keep herself from gaping at Christian like an awkward teenager lusting after the hot and mysterious guy in class. But she had to be a grown up. The fact that he’d protected her from more publicity she didn’t want only made more butterflies wing through her abdomen. Enough of that. Smoothing back her hair, she moved back into the bar and found Helene waiting for her.
Just great.
While Amka couldn’t seem to banish these feelings about Christian, she didn’t have to allow any additional stress into her life. “I’m done talking to you without a lawyer,” she said to Helene.
The woman sat back. “I’m not a cop.”
“I don’t care.” It was too bad Daisy had the afternoon off. “I’m done.” She forced a smile. “Can I get you a drink?”
Helene huffed out a breath. “Fine. I’ll take a mimosa.”
So the woman wasn’t going to leave the tavern. Just fantastic. Amka poured the champagne and orange juice, sliding the glass across the bar.
The door opened and a young blonde woman with wide brown eyes walked inside, a green puffer coat encasing her. Definitely a tourist. Locals considered the spring weather a new heatwave. Visitors found it downright cold. “Hi.” She moved toward the bar. “Um, a nice lady named Flossy told me I could find the sheriff here.” She looked around the tavern. “Does your sheriff drink during the day?”
Not since he’d accepted the sheriff job. “Just coffee.” Amka lifted her head and cocked it toward the woman. The four Osprey brothers had paused their discussion when the door had opened, so she kept her gaze on Brock.
He kicked back his chair and stood, heading her way, looking Alaskan tough in jeans and a dark T-shirt with his badge clipped at his belt. It had taken a nagging Flossy to get him to wear it, and it looked natural on him.
Christian followed, unsurprisingly. He’d been eyeing the door for a while.
“Hi,” Brock said to the woman.
“You’re the sheriff?” She stuck her hands in her thick jacket.
Brock sighed. “That’s what they tell me.”
The woman blinked, looked at him, at Christian, then back to Brock. “Um, okay.”
Yeah, they were something to see. Tall, dark, dangerous and more than a little harshly handsome.
“Can I help you with something?” Brock asked.
“I’m gone.” Christian nodded at Amka and walked outside.
That’s it? I’m gone? Amka barely kept from rolling her eyes.
The blonde brushed hair out of her eyes. “Hi. I’m Lorrie Warner? My husband was, ah—” Tears gathered in her eyes.
“Yeah.” Brock gently took her arm. “Eli Warner. We’ve been expecting you. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” She turned slightly and looked around the tavern as if wanting to escape the conversation. Poor woman. Her shoulders slumped. “What now?”