Page 46 of Hunter

Hunter

I’m up bright and early the next morning because I want to be standing on the bow as we arrive in Skagway.

From a distance, I can make out the Skagway Ranges, the jagged, white-capped mountains standing tall at the far north end of town. Downtown Skagway comes into focus next—streets, businesses, restaurants, and stores I know like the back of my hand. We head for the Railroad Dock, the smallest of the cruise ship docks, and as we get closer, I get the best surprise—my sisters, Harper and Parker, are waiting to meet the ship.

I wave at them like crazy as they jump up and down with glee.

“Hunter!”

“Hunter, you’re here!”

It’s good to be home, and I’m especially relieved to see Harper. Something felt off last night as Isabella and I said good night, and I know Harper will make sense of it for me if I lay it all out for her.

“Hey!” I yell to Parker. “Why aren’t you working?”

“I am!” she calls back. “I’ve got a Chilkoot hike at eight. Came into town for a case of bottled water and convinced Harp to come with me to the dock.”

“Lucky me,” I tell Parker, winking at her.

“Hey!” yells Harper, putting her hands on her hips. “What about me? I’m giving up an hour of sleep! That’s a big sacrifice for a new mama!”

“Got time for breakfast on me?” I ask Harper as the ship pulls into its allocated slip for anchorage.

“Sure!” she says. “Glacial Coffeehouse? I think it’s the only spot open this early.”

“Perfect!”

Parker turns to Harper to say goodbye, then looks back up at me. “See you at dinner?”

“Of course. Later, Park!”

As my middle sister heads back to her car, I turn around and find Rick Jones behind me, eyes trained on Parker’s retreating ass. He holds a paper coffee cup near his lips, a light smile on his face.

I look back at Parker walking to her car in flip-flops, denim cutoff shorts, and a red windbreaker. Her legs are long and tan, and her blonde hair is up in a ponytail that swings back and forth as she walks. The thought of Rick Jones going near her makes me feel sick.

“Don’t even think about it,” I growl.

“Hey…is she over eighteen?” He glances back at Parker appraisingly, then smirks at me. “Looks like she is.”

I poke him in the chest, my voice as menacing as I can make it. “You go near my sister, I end you. Got it?”

“Sure thing, killer,” he says, taking a sip of his coffee. “Whatever you say.”

“Fuck you, Jones,” I say, knocking into his shoulder on purpose as I pass him.

“Fuck you, Stewart,” he mutters under his breath.

I take the stairs two at a time to the first deck, champing at the bit for the deckhands to lower the pedestrian gangway. As I step off the ship into the bright sunshine, Harper smiles wide, waving me over. I pull my sister into my arms, happy to be home.

“Harper! How you doing?”

“I’m good!” she says, pushing me away, but hooking her arm through mine. “But I’m also starving. Buy me breakfast. I only have an hour before Joe needs to get ready for work.”

As we stroll up Broadway, I look back at the ship to see if Rick’s tracking our progress, but he’s nowhere to be seen. He had better stay away from my family.

“Who are you looking for? Isabella?”

“Ha!” I say, shaking my head at her. “You want to talk about Isabella, huh?”

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