Page 16 of Spring Breakup
The Chum Smoke Cabins were located in a meadow alcove. The slopes of the surrounding mountains were no longer directly beside them. The sight of their cabin seemed to pull Dean out of whatever daze he’d been in since they’d heard the avalanche. He freed his hand from Tyler’s.
As they reached the porch of their cabin, a huge gray dog bounded out of the woods and straight toward them.
Tyler shrieked at the sudden appearance, a testament to how jumpy he was.
A man on skis appeared directly behind the dog.
“Oh good, you guys are here. Brooks said she saw you walking into town this morning,” the man said.
“Wrangell?” Tyler asked. The man was familiar, but as he moved out of the trees and snapped his skis off, Tyler noticed an unruly beard and a manbun. So he wasn’t Wrangell, who had been clean-shaven the night before.
“You know him?” Dean said.
“No,” the man said, talking over them. “Wrong triplet.”
“Triplets. Wow.” Tyler hadn’t realized. “You must be Sarg? Wrangell was searching for you last night.”
The man whistled to his big dog, who trotted over and plopped down at his feet. “Yeah, well, he didn’t find me. He never does. He should have sent Brooks. Now they’re both stuck on the other side of that big, ugly slush flow. I’m Sargent, but don’t call me that.” He patted the dog’s head. “This is Iceworm.”
“Wait, wait,” Dean said. “Slow down. You and Brooks and—”
“Wrangell,” Tyler provided helpfully.
“Right. You’re triplets?”
“It’s not that interesting,” Sarg said mildly.
“What did you call the avalanche? A slush flow?” Tyler asked. “We just saw it on the road. Our friends are stuck on the other side.”
“Yeah. They happen during breakup season when the snow starts to melt and we get big rains, but we’ve never had one hit the road. Brooks asked me to check on you.” Sarg’s eyes lingered on Tyler, probably noting how utterly unprepared he was for Alaska. “You look safe and sound to me.”
“We’re fine,” Dean said, his melodic voice abnormally harsh. “Our friends are in town, though.”
The dog, Iceworm, padded over and bumped his head against Tyler’s leg, getting mud from Tyler’s pants on his snout.
“Well, no worries then. You’re well out of avalanche danger here at the cabin, and the town is as well. It’ll only be four or five days until you’ll see your friends again. Not bad for this part of Alaska.”
“What?” Dean and Tyler both said in alarm at the same time.
Tyler’s vision went wonky. “What do you mean four or five days?”
“It will take that long to clear the road. Which is pretty quick for remote Alaska. You’re lucky we’re on the road system, or it would be longer.”
“We’re stranded here. Without them?” Dean said.
Sarg smiled, and it transformed his rugged face completely. “Or you could look at it the other way around. They’re stranded there without you. You could drive back to Anchorage if you wanted. You’re getting the better deal. You have your luggage, a sauna, a hot tub, your vehicle. And each other.”
ChapterSeven
They saidtheir goodbyes to Sarg and Iceworm, who disappeared into the woods like Alaskan apparitions, and went inside.
Dean refused believe that man. Sargent.Sarg.
Four or five days! That was ludicrous.
Tyler made a beeline for the bathroom. He was stripping off his outerwear, which Dean had forgotten was covered in mud.
“Should I get you some clothes?” Dean asked Tyler through the door to the bathroom. If they were going to be stuck together for some unknowable amount of time, then Dean needed to be nice.
