Page 48 of Smoky Lake

Looking mildly offended, he shot her a frown. “Have I been acting like I’m married?”

“No. Sorry. Go on.”

“I’m not married. My job always kept me on the move. Hard to form a relationship like that, at least not one that lasts.”

“Did you try?” she asked tartly.

He gave a reluctant laugh. “That obvious, huh? Not really, no. I usually kept things about as casual as it gets.”

“A woman in every port, that kind of thing?”

“I have a few phone numbers in my contacts,” he admitted.

The shock of jealousy surprised her. A man as fit and good-looking as Gil McGowan would obviously have women swooning over him wherever he went. And that was before they knew all of his amazing qualities—protective, smart, caring, loyal. This was a man who’d spent his whole life watching over his brother.

Maybe not his whole life; let’s not forget the punching bag, she thought. Gil wasn’t just a human shield. He had strong emotions. He went deep.

“You’re the opposite of me, then. I married my high school boyfriend. We were a few years out of high school by then, but I’d only been with one other man in the meantime. I thought I’d be with him forever.”

He grunted, and she realized, with a fizz of elation, that he was feeling the same jealousy she had a moment ago. “Maybe you’ll get back together.”

“No. That won’t happen. I tried. He tried, sort of, in a half-assed kind of way. I’m not going back. The only reason I’d go back to Indiana is to see my parents, and maybe get my things out of storage.”

“Sounds like it’s really over.”

“Oh, it’s over. I think even John believes it now that we’ve signed the paperwork and it’s officially filed with the state of Indiana. Dissolution of marriage due to irreconcilable differences, meaning he’s an ass and I finally saw him for what he is. I just can’t believe it took me so long.”

“I can.” That soft comment made her swing her head to look at him in indignation.

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t give up on things easily. You’re determined. You’re persistent. I knew that when you landed on Smoky Lake in a floatplane. You’re loyal. Why else would you fly to Alaska to take care of your friend? You work hard, the way you did to be able to walk after your injury. You don’t give up on things when they get hard. I see you, Ani Devi. You might look sweet as honey, but you’ve got pure steel behind those gorgeous eyes of yours.”

He gave her a wink that sent a jolt of energy racing through her. I see you.

Rocketing down a highway in Alaska in a 1999 pickup, their location unknown to everyone else in the world, in pursuit of answers from a stranger… John would never have believed it. Neither would her parents. Even her friends would be surprised. But Gil…Gil saw her.

She threw her head back and laughed from the sheer wild miracle of it.

22

By the time they reached Fairbanks, it was time for some food. Gil was exhausted, though he tried not to show it. They found a small Indian restaurant that Ani judged to be semi-authentic.

“I’m no expert,” she warned him. “I’ve never even been to India. All I know is my grandmother’s cooking, and it spoiled me for anything served in an American restaurant.”

“What do I have to do to get invited to your grandmother’s house?” he joked. “I was posted in Delhi for six months and it was the best eating I ever did.”

“I can’t believe you’ve spent more time in India than I have,” she grumbled as she slid into the leather booth. The vibrant golds and saffrons and crimsons of the restaurant’s color scheme were the perfect backdrop for her dark hair and shining eyes. Then again, most things were, he’d discovered. “I’m going to travel to India someday, maybe after all this dies down.”

“All this?”

“When I first came to Firelight Ridge, Molly was in the middle of the whole Chilkoot mess. The next time, it was because Charlie got shot with an arrow. Now this weirdness with Victor. That one tiny town has more drama than a Bollywood movie.”

Gil hadn’t given any thought to what would happen after “all this” died down. His leave from the service was indefinite, but once he passed the physical, he could go back whenever he wanted. He was already fully recovered, but he’d intended to make an appointment closer to the end of summer, to maximize his rest time—and his twin time. But he could probably ace that physical right now.

Did he want to go back to work? Not really, he had to admit.

Maybe that phase of his life really was over. Maybe Lachlan was right about doing something less dangerous. Maybe he was ready for a different kind of existence, one that had room for…a woman.

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