And sure, okay, yes, she wanted Dodge. Had always wanted Dodge. But that didn’t stop the what-ifs from churning in her heart. Didn’t stop her from fearing that one day she might hurt him again.

And then he’d leave, just like before, taking all of her with him.

Nope, nope, nope. She would not end up like her father.

Besides, Dodge didn’t exactly say he was staying for good.

He had a job, a future that didn’t include her, and she had to get used to that. Which meant no kissing, thank you.

Even if she longed to curl her arms around him, draw close to that solid frame and hold on.

She closed the cabin door behind her after the tenth time she’d opened it to the darkness, searching for him.

He’d been gone over an hour.

She added another log to the fire, glanced at the dwindling pile. The cabin had turned toasty warm, and she was walking around in her fleece jacket, a pair of fleece pants, and her wool socks.

To her guess, the temperature had dropped into the single digits, maybe now even into the negatives.

She should have never left Peyton alone. She hired Echo because she needed a guide, because frankly, no one should be out alone in the Alaskan bush.

Echo got up again and went to the door. She grabbed her jacket, slid her feet into her boots, and donned her cap. She pulled the jacket around her and stepped outside.

Overhead, the northern lights waned, dissolving into the sky, leaving behind a scattering of stars, a waxen moon. The night bore mysterious sounds, the wind, a crack of a tree.

Dodge, where are you? Come back.

As if summoned by her worry, she spotted a light out on the lake, a tiny spot of hope.

He had come out of the faraway forest and now headed up toward the ridgeline where he could ascend to the cabin.

Please.

She watched until he disappeared out of view, then went back inside to warm herself. She’d already cleaned the dishes, and now put on water to heat up some cocoa.

It was just coming to a boil when he walked in the door. Snow-caked and stiff, he pulled off his helmet and set it near the door, then freed his hands from his snowy mittens, working them, blowing on them.

“What did you find?”

Dodge brushed the snow off his coat, a light dusting from his ride.