Page 3 of Santa's Mistletoe Playbook

He figured she’d be surprised about the sudden change of plans, not alarmed. “It’s only for a week or so. I’ll manage his patient load until he gets back.”

“But Bryson—” she started, and he noted panic in her eyes. “I had already—already…” she trailed off, shaking her head.

He leaned toward her. “Can you be ready to go the day after tomorrow?”

“What? In two days? But—this was supposed to be a surprise—I have reservations for a vacation B&B in Sedona!” she blurted, tears pooling.

“For when?” He wished she would have checked with him first.

No, don’t cry!He hated it when she cried.

“For Christmas! I have a deposit on it and everything.” She shook her head in disbelief. “The last place I want to go is Alaska in the mother freaking winter, especially for Christmas! I was counting on going next summer.”

He’d always teased her about the stark contrast to their upbringings. He grew up next to wilderness in Alaska; she was a devoted desert rat from Phoenix who loved her cozy, warm temperatures.

“If it were any other time, sure, but not when I have a fantastic time planned for us,” she mumbled, a tear dribbling down her cheek.

“Oh baby, don’t cry.” Bryson leaned over and slid his arm around her. “I’ll make it up to you. I’ll take you somewhere beautiful, like the Grizzly Den Resort, up in the mountains. We’ll get a room with a view of Mt. Denali.”

“You know I’m a fair-weather girl. I don’t even like going to Flagstaff to go skiing,” she groaned.

“I know.” He duck-paddled inside. “If you do this one thing for me, I promise I’ll make it up to you. We’ll go to Sedona for Valentine’s Day.”

She gave him a wary look. “You mean it?”

“I mean it.” Bryson touched her forehead with his. “Honey, the two weeks will fly by, then we’ll be back home in Scottsdale.”

“Two? You said one,” she countered. “Will we stay with your parents?”

“They’re spending Christmas in Belize, but they’re letting us stay at the house and use their vehicles.”

“So, I won’t get to meet them. You already talked to them?”

“I had to see if this would work out.” He leaned in for a light kiss.

“Okay, but…” Her expression was doubtful.

“But what?”

She lifted her chin and steadied her gaze on his. “Promise we’ll do something special for Christmas.”

“Thanks, baby. I promise.” Promising a time commitment was like tossing darts at a moving target in his field of newborn deliveries.

He loved Danni, so he’d find a way to make it work.

CHAPTER THREE

DANICA

“That was the worst flight I’ve ever had in my life!” Danica squeaked out as she and Bryson made their way down to baggage claim at Anchorage International Airport. Her stomach still roiled. “All I saw were killer icebergs leering at me each time the plane pitched and rolled.”

He chortled. “We landed in strong Turnagain winds blowing a snowstorm across Cook Inlet. You should be in a commercial fishing boat during one.”

“No, thanks.” She shuddered at the thought of him freezing on a boat in this icy ocean. He’d always been proud of the fish money he’d earned that helped him through medical school.

“Fun, huh?” Bryson smiled, brushing back his auburn hair. “You get used to it when you grow up here.”

“So far, I’m not convinced.” Danica eyed the offending, blowing snow outside. “Did you call an Uber?”

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