He stopped her with a kiss. “I’m damn glad you’re safe from Spyros. I’ll pick you up at your cabin tonight after I get off work. Because you’ll spend the night at mine.”

He strolled out of the coffee shop, leaving her staring after him.

He’d kissed her—right there in front of everyone. Like he was claiming her. Like a lover.

A lover. Oh, God, she couldn’t have a lover. Even if she did love him—and she really shouldn’t. Talk about a stupid thing to do.

A chair scraped as Sarah sat down at the table. “You look like he slapped you instead of kissing you. Are you all right?”

Audrey swallowed as she met the woman’s concerned gaze. “I—”

“We’ve been worried about you, but you looked like you were doing all right. Until today.” Sarah took her hand and gave it a squeeze “Something’s wrong. Let us help, Julie. Whatever you need, we can help.”

God. Friendship. Without even realizing it, she had actually made a friend. The tears filling her eyes made her blink.

“No, no, don’t cry. Just tell me what’s wrong.” Sarah’s grip turned painful.

Audrey smiled and brushed the wetness from her eyes. “Not wrong—something went right. I have a story to tell you. First of all, my name isn’t Julie. It’s Audrey.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Leaving Audrey puttering around in his kitchen, Gabe stepped out onto his deck to check the grill.

The beauty of the early evening stopped him for a moment. The lake was peaceful, a shimmering reflection of the cloudless, blue sky. The trees and grass along the banks were brilliantly green. A pair of bald eagles performed a dance over the water.

The dry, clear days of late spring were the most beautiful time in Alaska.

Then, he laughed. He loved the appearance of termination dust—the first snowfall to whiten the mountains and signal the end of summer.

What about the unworldly quiet of a midwinter night? The glow of a full moon on a snow-covered forest? The intense cold that could steal a man’s breath?

Or summer as the purple-pink swathes of fireweed reigned over the meadows and roadsides. When the beginning salmon runs attracted the bears with their bumbling cubs.

Yeah, he liked all the seasons.

Especially at Mako’s old cabin where wilderness surrounded him on all sides.

Yet…he was happy here.

The scent of the grill wafted to him. The alder wood had died down to the perfect embers for cooking.

Voice a low rumble, Bull strolled across the inner courtyard with Caz. Hoping for scraps, the chickens clucked as the men passed. Bull held the platter of salmon fillets he’d been marinating. Being a health nut, Caz had prepared a huge green salad.