“I get being angry, but after so long, it feels childish.”

“A broken heart takes a long time to heal.”

“But I apologized. And I’m here, still here.” Which made her want to cringe.

Maybe she was a fool. Because deep in her heart she’d thought that someday Dodge would return. The fear had crossed her mind, more than once, that he might find someone else, but . . .“You’re the only woman I’ll ever love.” Yes, he’d said that. Hadn’t even denied it.

So, she’d had good reason to believe that someday they might end up past this. And then, she’d finally accept his marriage proposal.

Her dad picked up his bread, smeared mayonnaise on that too. Sighed. “I know it’s because of me.”

She frowned at him. “Dad—”

“No. I know something happened, Echo. Something you’ve never wanted to talk about, but one minute Dodge was practically the son I never had, helping you run your team, planning for the Iditarod, him hoping to start his own pilot service, and the next . . .”

“The next he’s sitting in the Copper Mountain town jail for assault.”

“No, next you’re upstairs trying not to let me hear you cry.” He made a face. “I knew it was because you didn’t want to leave me—”

“It wasn’t because of you.” She didn’t mean to say it so abruptly, but, “He asked me to marry him, Dad. I was eighteen, and I just . . . I freaked out.” She pushed her bowl away. “He had our lives planned out, and I . . .” She looked out the window, toward the darkness. “I didn’t know what I wanted.”

“You wanted to leave. And he wanted to stay.”

“I wanted the freedom to figure it out before he had us building our own cabin and making babies in the woods.” At least that was the story she was telling herself.

Her dad’s lips tightened, and he nodded. “You’re more like your mother than I thought.”

Her breath caught and she stared at him, her mouth open. “Wow.”

“I didn’t mean it like you’re thinking. Just . . . you’re smart, like Effie. And yes, you deserved a chance to figure out what you wanted.”

“I wouldn’t have abandoned my husband and my child for a life in the Lower 48.”

“She’s in Anchorage.”

She had nothing for her father’s words.

“She started a practice there.” He looked away. “I was so angry, Echo. I should have told you, but she—”

“She walked out on us.” Echo folded her hands over her chest. “I don’t want to know anything about her.”

And just like that, she got it. Why Dodge hadn’t replied to her letters. He didn’t want to know anything about the person who’d torn him asunder.