Some sparks last forever.

But once burned...

World traveler Dr. Scott Willingham is known for being calm and levelheaded—except where Volta Morgan is concerned. In the ten years since they parted, Scott still can’t forget her. Now he’s come to Alaska to find Volta and finally let her go, only to find their attraction is stronger than ever. Can Scott leave her behind one last time...or has he truly found a place to call home?

BETH CARPENTER is thankful for good books, a good dog, a good man and a dream job creating happily-ever-afters. She and her husband now split their time between Alaska and Arizona, where she occasionally encounters a moose in the yard or a scorpion in the basement. She prefers the moose.

Also By Beth Carpenter

The Alaskan Catch

A Gift for Santa

Alaskan Hideaway

An Alaskan Proposal

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Sweet Home Alaska

Beth Carpenter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09744-4

SWEET HOME ALASKA

© 2019 Lisa Deckert

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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“To good times and quesadillas.”

Scott clinked his mug against Volta’s. “This is an excellent IPA.”

“Told you.”

“My patient says you should always listen when a smart woman gives advice.”

“He sounds like a wise man.”

He watched her bite into one of the quesadilla wedges. Her face morphed into an expression of bliss.

“Mmm.” She swallowed the bite. “Try some.”

It all felt so familiar.

But here she was, eleven years later, as smart and funny as ever. Not that she hadn’t changed. She’d grown and matured. Become more confident. All those changes had only made her more perfect. More Volta.

And once again, he was going to have to leave her behind.

But tonight, he was going to enjoy his time with her.

Because the memories they’d made in these last couple of weeks might have to last him the rest of his life.

Dear Reader,

I’m so glad you’ve joined me for this fifth book in the Northern Lights series. It makes me happy to share my home state of Alaska with you.

Alaska is beautiful, but it has its own set of challenges. Alaska has about the same population as the city of Seattle, but the people are spread out across a state larger than Texas, California, Montana and Massachusetts combined. Most of the municipalities in Alaska (86 percent) are not connected to the road system. When emergencies happen, it can get tricky to get sick or injured people to hospitals.

Volta is a flight-certified emergency medical technician. That means she might be flying across the state at a moment’s notice to help someone who’s in trouble. Volta is also a mother, and, as if life weren’t complicated enough, the doctor she’s paired with is a man she once loved. Good thing Volta knows how to handle emergency situations.

Research is a delightful part of an author’s job, and when I was working on this story, I had the opportunity to meet a few of the dedicated people who work emergency flight response. It’s an understatement to say I was impressed by their training and preparation. I sleep better knowing that if my loved ones get into trouble, there are people like them who are ready to help.

Thank you for reading my story. I love to connect with readers. You can find me at Beth Carpenter Books on Facebook or @4bethcarpenter on Twitter. Or drop by my website, bethcarpenterbooks.blogspot.com, and while you’re there, you can sign up for my newsletter.

Happy reading!

Beth Carpenter

To the first responders: EMTs, nurses, firefighters, police, pilots and all the others who are there for us when we’re at our most vulnerable. Thank you.

Special thanks to Sarah Smith Ransom, who patiently answered my questions about emergency flight response in Alaska and invited me in for a glimpse of the planes, equipment and facilities they use. She shared a great deal of information about the challenges of handling medical emergencies in a huge state with few roads. Any mistakes in the story are mine.

Also thanks to Kathryn Lye, my editor, for helping make this book the best it can be.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS NEVER a good sign when your normally unflappable pilot suddenly started swearing. Volta looked up from the patient stats she’d been going over with her partner, Bridget, who stared at her in wide-eyed alarm. They peered out the windows. They were still fifteen or twenty minutes from their destination, but the sky ahead was clear. The engines were running smoothly. The wings were still attached. “What’s wrong?” Volta asked Mike through her headset.

“Mount Spurr erupted,” he growled. “Once we land in Sparks, we’re grounded until further notice.”

So, nothing wrong with the plane. That was the good news. The bad news was they had a woman in her thirty-fifth week of pregnancy with dangerously high blood pressure waiting to be transported, and they weren’t going to be able to get her to a hospital. Worse, Volta knew the patient. Lori was the school secretary and also assisted Daniel, the volunteer health aide at the Sparks village clinic. Lori’s husband, Paul, taught secondary school and coached basketball.

Last time Volta had seen Lori was at the hospital in Anchorage when Lori was on her way to an ultrasound. She’d joked to Volta that they’d timed her due date for June 2 so that she and Paul wouldn’t have to miss a day of school. But now Lori’s blood pressure was spiking, a major complication. And on top of that, Lori was expecting twins.

Mike must have been having similar thoughts. “At least that doctor is there.”

“What doctor?” Bridget asked.

“You know. The one who I’m supposed to start flying around with to all the villages next week for some sort of study. He came into Sparks by an air taxi yesterday, and the dispatcher mentioned he’d probably want a ride back with us. Doesn’t look like any of us are getting out today, though.”

“I guess not.” Regardless of why he was there, Volta was glad Lori was under a doctor’s care. Daniel did an excellent job, but preeclampsia was tricky. “What kind of doctor is he?” Hopefully not the academic kind, but Mike did mention a study.

“Something about prenatal care.”

“That sounds promising.” Volta breathed a little easier. “How long do you think we’ll be grounded?”

Mike shrugged. “Depends on how long the volcano keeps blowing, and the direction of the wind. Last time, about twenty years ago, it was two days.”

Two days. Assuming the doctor could get Lori stabilized, two days was doable. In three days, however, was her daughter Emma’s eighth birthday party. Volta wasn’t going to miss that even if she had to hitchhike home, which, considering they were fifty miles from the road system, would be quite a feat. She hoped it didn’t come to that.

Emma would be fine sleeping over with her grandparents until Volta could get back. Since they still had ten minutes before landing, Volta did a quick scan of her calendar. Tomorrow was the PTA bake sale, and she’d volunteered to bring four dozen cookies. Mom would be willing to step in, but her antisugar stance meant what she called a cookie wasn’t what most people would consider a treat. Volta’s brother’s girlfriend, on the other hand, was an excellent baker. Volta set a reminder to call Sabrina later. She returned the phone to her pocket and picked up the fax Daniel had sent when he requested transport.

Mike’s voice came through their headphones again. “Look west.” Volta and Bridget glanced out the window, where a tall gray cloud was forming.

“Ash plume?” Bridget asked.

“Yep. We’re not going to beat it by much.”

Up ahead, the tip of the cell tower over Sparks came into view. Shades of yellow green signaled spring on the tundra. A braided river hugged the south edge of the little community and twisted off to the west. It looked peaceful, as though bad things could never happen there, but they did, and that was when they called in people like Volta, Bridget and Mike.

A few minutes later, Mike landed the plane, the tires bouncing once on the airstrip before rolling to a stop. Mike turned and taxied back to the center of the strip to a parking area. Up ahead, a battered Chevy Suburban rattled along the gravel road between the village and the airstrip. It pulled to a stop beside the plane.

Mike and Bridget climbed out of the airplane and attached a ramp to the door. Volta shoved the portable incubator down the rails. Mike and Bridget picked it up and carried the equipment to the SUV, where Mayor Libby was waiting with the tailgate open. “Glad you’re here.”

Thanks to her good judgment, as well as being related to maybe 25 percent of the local population, Libby was unofficial mayor for life in the village of Sparks. She oversaw everything while running the combination post office, general store and makeshift diner next to the clinic. She also opened her home as a sort of bed-and-breakfast for the occasional visitor and was a one-woman chamber of commerce. And her Suburban doubled as the village ambulance. “Load her up.”

Mike and Bridget loaded the incubator, while Volta jumped down, moved the ramp and closed the door to the plane. Everyone climbed into the SUV. Volta hurried to join them. She slammed the passenger door closed. “How’s Lori doing?”

Libby put the car in gear and started it with a jerk. “She’s in labor. According to that visiting doctor, she has pre-something—”

“Preeclampsia.”

“Right, and so he says she’s got to deliver now. Sounds like she’s close. You might not be able to fly her out until afterward.”

“Unfortunately, we’re not going to be able to take her at all, at least not today,” Mike told her. “Spurr just blew.”

“What, when?”

“About twenty minutes ago.”

“Augh. I knew they’d had rumblings, but I thought it had quieted down. I was over with Lori and Paul and didn’t hear the warning. I’ve got to get back to the post office and find out what’s going on.” Libby whipped around a corner and headed toward the clinic. “Good thing we have a doctor in town. Seems a shame, though. Lori’s been on bed rest for a month, trying to keep from delivering early. But I guess that happens with twins.”

“Twins?” Mike hadn’t read the patient stat sheet.

“That’s right. We’re all eager to see if they’re identical or not. Paul and Lori wanted to be surprised.” Libby pulled up between the clinic and the post office. “I’d better go see what’s up with that volcano.”

“I’ll get a progress report,” Bridget told Volta. “Can you and Mike get the incubator?”

“Sure,” Volta said.

She and Mike carried the portable unit through the door of the clinic while Bridget disappeared into the second room, where they could hear Paul’s voice: “That’s it, babe. You’re doing great. Ouch—”

Volta chuckled to herself. She’d been on the receiving end of some of those hand clenches during labor. Lori was one of the gentlest people Volta knew, but sometimes it took a lot to make it through those big contractions.

“Hi, everyone. Bridget Hickel, flight nurse. Bad news, I’m afraid,” Bridget announced. “Mount Spurr blew its top, and we’re grounded.”

“The volcano erupted?” Daniel’s voice.

“Yes. We were already two-thirds of the way here, so we kept on coming. Unfortunately, we’re not flying out again until the ash cloud is gone. But we did bring an incubator. They’re carrying it in now.”

“Where do you want it?” Mike asked Volta, swinging his end around to fit it into the waiting room.

“Let’s set it here for now,” Volta suggested, nodding toward a clear space against the wall. “It sounds pretty crowded in the exam room.”

They set the unit on the floor. “I’ll head over to Zeke’s and see what he knows,” Mike told Volta. “Unless you need me.”

She’d forgotten Mike’s cousin operated an air taxi service out of Sparks. “I don’t think so since we can’t fly, but I’ll call if we do. Thanks, Mike.”

Volta headed toward the exam room, but before she reached the door, another voice drifted out, reassuring and calm. “Good job, Lori. Not much longer now. Try to relax for a minute. Slow, easy breaths.”

Volta stopped in her tracks. She knew that voice, deep and smooth, with just a bit of drawl. But it couldn’t be. The owner of the voice she knew was working on the other side of the world. No doubt this was some other baritone-voiced doctor from Texas. The voice continued, “You’re at a ten. Doing great. Next contraction, you’ll be able to push.”

Dilated to ten? Libby was right. They wouldn’t have been able to get Lori to the hospital in time to deliver anyway. Good thing they’d brought the incubator as a precaution. Volta entered the room. Everyone looked her way. Paul was wedged into a corner beside Lori, holding her hand. Daniel was on the other side, monitoring her blood pressure. Bridget had moved into position to assist the doctor at the foot of the bed.

A surgical mask covered most of the doctor’s face, but he stared at Volta, his eyes wide in shock. Familiar brown eyes. It had been eleven years, but she remembered every detail. She knew if she got closer, she would be able to distinguish the little flecks of green sprinkled through the brown. What in the world was Scott Willingham doing in Sparks, Alaska?

From somewhere far away, Daniel’s voice made itself heard. “Dr. Willingham, Volta Morgan, flight paramedic.”

Scott tugged the surgical mask from his face. “Volta?”

She met his eyes. “Small world, huh?” She turned away to flash Paul a smile and touch Lori’s hand. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay.” Lori blew out a long breath. “The doctor says I’m almost ready.”

“He should know. Dr. Willingham has delivered a lot of babies.” At least that was what she’d gathered from the Doctors, Education and Medicine for All website. DEMA was always posting photos of him somewhere in the world, holding a newborn baby.

Scott stared at her as though he were glimpsing a ghost. She didn’t blame him. That was exactly how she’d felt when she’d heard his voice a few moments ago.

“You two know—” Bridget started to ask, but Lori suddenly sat up with a grunt as a contraction started.

“Okay.” Scott was back to his take-charge voice. He pulled the mask over his mouth and moved into position. “This time I want you to push. The first baby is in position. Volta, could you take over Daniel’s post? He can handle logistics since he’s most familiar with the room. Bridget, please have an aspirator at the ready. Paul, hang on. Okay, Lori, now push!”

Lori gave a mighty groan and raised herself off the bed, puffing her cheeks out. Volta watched the monitor. Lori’s BP was high, but it wasn’t spiking out of control.

“Good, good.” Scott always had such a soothing voice. “A little harder if you can. We’re making progress.”

“Come on, Lori, you can do it.” Volta laid a hand on her arm. “Push.”

“I’m trying!”

“I know. You’re doing great,” Volta assured her.

A minute later Scott sat back. “Okay, contraction’s over. Good job, Lori. Now rest.”

Daniel handed Volta a moist cloth. She used it to wipe the sweat from Lori’s forehead and distracted her with a little meaningless chatter. Almost before Lori could catch her breath, the next contraction hit, and they all jumped into action.

Ten minutes later, Scott lifted a wet bundle. “It’s a boy.” The baby squirmed, a good sign, and let out a cry of protest at the bright lights and sounds. Scott handed the baby to Bridget and cut the cord. Bridget carried the tiny child to a table to clean him up.

Volta peered over her shoulder. The baby was small and on the skinny side, but for a premature twin, he was well developed, with a healthy color. Paul stared. “He’s so little.”

“Not that little for a twin,” Scott said. “We’ll want to keep him in the incubator for a bit, but right now, why don’t you hold him?”

Bridget wrapped the tiny baby in a soft blanket and handed him over. With a look of wonder, Paul accepted the baby into his arms. Lori craned her neck to see, and the baby stared back at her with solemn blue eyes. Suddenly, Lori stiffened as another contraction hit.

“Okay, Lori,” Scott said. “It’s time for the second act. Get ready. Push!”

It took several more contractions, but fifteen minutes later, the second baby was born. But this one didn’t squirm. Bridget handed Scott the aspirator. He cleared the mucus from the baby’s throat and rubbed the baby’s back.

Lori reached for Volta’s hand, and Volta squeezed it, but she was ready to run for the prenatal ventilator waiting outside the door with the incubator. An eternity passed in the next couple of seconds, but then the baby sucked in a breath and let out a cry. Volta closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer of thanks.

Scott smiled. “You have a girl. A beautiful little girl.”

He beamed down at the tiny baby in his hands. Scott must have delivered hundreds of babies, but he seemed as excited as if these twins were his first. This really was his life’s purpose. It had taken Volta a long time to accept that.

As Volta watched Lori and Paul’s new little girl, images of Emma as a newborn flashed through her mind. She’d been twice the size of the baby Bridget was swaddling, but no less a miracle. Emma had been born with a red face, a thatch of dark hair and a voice that left no doubt of her opinion on the whole procedure. Almost eight years later, she still held strong opinions and expressed them enthusiastically. Volta was so grateful to have her daughter. Something that wouldn’t have happened had Scott not quit their relationship.

Scott handed the baby off to Bridget so that he could deliver the placentas. Bridget cleaned and wrapped the baby and carried her to Lori. “Meet your daughter.”

Lori held the baby and smiled down at her. “Hi, little one. You gave us a scare. Don’t ever do that again, okay?”

According to the numbers on the monitor, Lori’s blood pressure was already down a few points, and now that she had delivered, she should be back to normal soon. Volta relaxed for the first time since she’d arrived.

Scott pulled down his surgical mask. “Paul, you have a beautiful family. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Paul seemed to be trying to figure out how to shake hands while holding the baby, but Scott just laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

“You concentrate on that baby. He and his sister are your top priorities from here on out.” He rested his hand on Lori’s shoulder and leaned over to admire the other twin in her arms. “You did well today, Mom. We’ll bring in that incubator to make sure the babies stay warm and we’ll keep an eye on your blood pressure, but y’all will be fine.”

Lori beamed. Scott shook hands with Daniel and Bridget, and finally he turned to Volta. “Thank you for pitching in.” His eyes caught hers and held. “Why don’t we step into the other room and see about that incubator?”

CHAPTER TWO

SOME OF SCOTT’S colleagues at DEMA called him Dr. Chill. The more chaotic his surroundings, the calmer he got. Three weeks ago, he’d performed a cesarean delivery in a tent during a tropical storm while the lights flickered and then went out, leaving him to finish the surgery by lantern. A month before that, he’d hiked seven miles over a mountain for a breech delivery. Neither of those circumstances had tested his ability to remain calm. But when Volta had walked into that room, his heart rate skyrocketed.

He’d known she lived in Alaska. In fact, Volta was the main reason he was here. A local health organization had commissioned help from DEMA to study the quality of prenatal care in the rural areas of the state and give recommendations on how it could be improved. Ordinarily, Scott chose assignments where he could work directly with the people who needed medical care, but he’d volunteered for this assessment project in Alaska because he wanted to see Volta one more time.

He’d tried to forget her. After all, he was the one who broke it off. Few marriages survived the sort of life he’d chosen, and with his background, he was a particularly bad risk. Just like his father, Scott was the sort of man who focused on a job and forgot to eat and sleep and spend time with his family. Volta deserved so much better than that.

Once he realized their relationship was beginning to feel serious, he’d pulled the plug, and he’d never seen Volta again.

Scott’s life had turned out exactly the way he’d planned. He’d been with DEMA for ten years now, one of only a handful of full-time doctors ready to go wherever and whenever he was needed. Most of their medical staff consisted of volunteers who took a week or two off from their regular practices to volunteer with DEMA, but Scott worked year-round delivering babies and performing surgeries. And yet, even after all this time, Volta still appeared in his dreams.

He smiled to himself. She’d never liked the name her electrician dad had given her, but it suited her, with her electric-blue eyes and high-wattage smile. Not to mention the way his skin used to tingle when she touched him.

He’d figured he would go to Alaska, get a good start on the assignment and then take a day or two off and find Volta. Once she looked him in the eye and told him she’d moved on and was happy, her memory would quit haunting him. At least, that was the plan.

But instead, she’d just walked into the room while he was in the middle of a delivery. In a tiny clinic in a tiny village in an enormous state. Volta. He followed her into the waiting room, quietly shutting the door behind him. She turned back to look at him, her bright blue eyes focused on his face. So many things he wanted to tell her. So many questions. What was she doing in emergency response instead of physical therapy? Did she ever think about their time together in Hawaii? Was she happy?

In fact, he didn’t ask any questions at all. Instead, he opened his arms. After only the slightest hesitation, she rushed into them. And suddenly it was years ago, he was holding Volta in his arms, and for a moment, all was right with the world.

* * *

VOLTA CLOSED HER EYES, her cheek nestling into that familiar hollow between his shoulder and his chest, just as though it hadn’t been years since she’d last held him. She breathed in the clean scent of citrus from his aftershave. It felt so good. But she couldn’t do this. Eleven years ago, he’d broken her heart. She’d worked hard to recover, and now she had her dream job and a wonderful daughter. Scott didn’t belong in her life.

She stepped away and looked up with what she hoped was a simple smile. “Scott. What in the world are you doing here?”

“I’m on assignment with DEMA. I’m studying prenatal care in rural Alaska, but when Lori went into labor, Daniel asked me to take over the delivery. What are you doing in Sparks?”

“Doing my job. I’m a flight paramedic for Puffin Medical Transport, based in Anchorage.”

“When did you go into emergency response? Last I knew, your plan was physical therapy.”

Volta shrugged. “Plans change.”

“You enjoy your job as a paramedic?”

“I really do.”

“I’m glad. So, tell me about yourself. What have you been up to for the past few years?”

“Oh, the usual. Work mostly. Nothing like what you’ve been doing with DEMA. I saw in the last newsletter that you were in the Caribbean during that tropical storm last month.”

“You follow DEMA?”

“Um, sure. They do good work.” She wasn’t going to admit that she was from time to time looking for news of him.

“You know, you used to talk about seeing the world, and your skills could be invaluable to DEMA. If you were interested—”

“No,” she said, too quickly. She smiled to cover her nervousness. “I’m settled here in Alaska. My family is here.”

“You’re married?”

“Not anymore.” At his questioning look, she added, “I’m a widow. How about you? Are you married?” she asked, trying to avoid that awkward conversation where people felt compelled to ask about the details of her husband’s death.

He shook his head. “Never in one place long enough.” He paused. “But that goes with the job.”

At least he’d been honest about that. An insecure part of her had always wondered if his explanation of how he couldn’t maintain a relationship with his job was just an excuse to brush her off. She’d met Scott when he was still a resident, working in a hospital in Hawaii. She was going to college then, studying kinesiology, with plans to become a physical therapist. They’d met, oddly enough, at the botanical gardens in downtown Honolulu. Oddly because neither of them was in the habit of taking off from their busy schedules for things like walking through gardens.

But Volta had hardly left her dorm room for three days, working on a research paper. She’d turned it in and decided to spend the afternoon outdoors among the tropical flowers. Scott was there, de-stressing after a rough day at the hospital. They’d fallen into conversation under a plumeria tree, which led to dinner, which led to more dates. They both knew it was only temporary. Volta was a sophomore, after all, and Scott would join DEMA as a traveling doctor once his residency was finished.

But Volta’s heart failed to get the message. She fell hard for Scott Willingham, and from the tender way he treated her, she thought he loved her, too. Despite knowing his plans, Volta came to believe that love would triumph, that somehow they would find a way to be together. She was wrong.

Toward the end of the semester, he’d called it quits. He said it wasn’t fair to lead her on, that he wasn’t the kind of man who could balance work and marriage, especially in his sort of career. Devastated, she’d limped through her finals and then dropped out of college and gone home. To Alaska. Where she belonged.

Where she’d never expected to run into Scott. “Is it everything you thought it would be? Working for DEMA, I mean?”

“Yes and no. I love being able to help the people who need me most, but sometimes it’s a finger in the dike. And I never stay anywhere long enough to get to know my patients. It can be lonely. But I feel like we do a lot of good, not only in emergency situations but in setting up programs for ongoing improvements in health care.”

“DEMA doesn’t usually work within the US, does it?”

“Not to give medical care, but I’m here as a consultant. Have you heard of Leo Travert?”

“The billionaire aviation guy in Oregon who died last year?”

“Yes. He got his start in Alaska, as a bush pilot.”

“I heard that somewhere. But what does that have to do with you?”

“Well, when Travert lived in rural Alaska, his wife died in childbirth, due to complications that might have been avoided if she’d had better access to prenatal care.”

“How sad.”

“Yes. But in his will, he left a great deal of money to start a foundation with a mission to improve prenatal care in rural Alaska.”

“That’s great news.” Anything they could do to make medical care more accessible was a step forward. In many of the villages, medical services consisted only of a volunteer health aide.

“A lot has changed in the years since Travert lost his wife, but the infant mortality rate in the bush is still twice that in the cities. The focus of my study is to learn about what care is available now, and how the Travert Foundation can help fill in the gaps. The chairman, Ransom Goodman, was a good friend of Travert’s. He hired DEMA because of our experience in dealing with hard-to-reach populations.”

“So you’re in Sparks to see how a village clinic works.”

“Yes. I’ve already learned a lot from Daniel and Libby about the setup here. I’ll need to get a feel for the facilities around the state before I can make specific recommendations, but I have some ideas.” He gave a sheepish smile. “I’m not sure how to incorporate volcano eruptions into my recommendations, though.”

“Some things you can’t anticipate. You just have to take them as they come.” Like the realization that the attraction she’d felt when she met Scott at the botanical gardens was still there, tugging on her heartstrings. But she could ignore it.

Scott shrugged. “You’re right. No use worrying about what can’t be changed. Let’s get this incubator going.”

Together they carried the incubator into the exam room and set it up, further crowding the small area. “I need to examine my patients,” Scott said. “Bridget, could you stay with me, please? The rest of you can wait in the other room.”

Daniel nodded and slipped through the door. Paul handed his son to Bridget and watched her carefully tuck the baby inside the incubator. It was only after Bridget had taken the other baby from Lori’s arms and snuggled her beside her brother that Paul kissed his wife and left, with Volta filing out behind him.

Paul crossed the waiting room to stand beside Daniel at the window. Volta followed. The landscape had transformed since she arrived. Outside, a fine gray powder had coated every surface, and more drifted from the sky in a parody of a snowstorm. Across the street, a woman with a bandanna tied around her face made her way home from the washateria, huddling over a basket of laundry in a futile attempt to keep the ashes out.

“It looks like another planet,” Paul commented.

A few minutes later, Scott joined them. “Everyone is doing fine. Paul, your wife would like your company. Bridget has volunteered to stay here with you for the time being and suggested the rest of us get some lunch.”

“In that case, I’ll head home and have lunch with my wife,” Daniel said. “Call me if you need me.”

“Wear a mask,” Volta suggested. “You don’t want to breathe that stuff.”

Daniel nodded and pulled on a surgical mask before he slipped outside and started up the street. Paul returned to his chair beside Lori’s bed, and Volta could hear them murmuring to each other.

Scott turned to Volta. “Are you ready? Libby said something about a special treat. I can’t remember what she called it.”

Volta chuckled. “Akutaq?”

“Right. What is it?”

“People sometimes call it Eskimo ice cream. It’s basically whipped fat—some use shortening but she uses caribou fat—sweetened and mixed with berries. She first got me to try it a couple of years ago.”

Scott’s eyes crinkled in amusement. “Did you like it?”

Volta waggled her hand in a so-so gesture. “It’s not terrible. Very rich.”

“Is this Libby’s test to see if I’m open to new experiences?”

“Probably. She seems determined that anyone who spends time here needs to taste it. I think she figures if you won’t try her food, why should she trust your judgment?”

“She has a point. Sharing food is a bonding experience.”

“Yes.” She and Scott used to love trying out the different cuisines of the Hawaiian Islands. Scott had given her her first taste of poke, a raw diced fish she still craved from time to time. And then there was their favorite restaurant. “Remember that little noodle place over by the college?” As soon as she said it, she regretted bringing it up. The last thing she should do was talk about their history together.

But Scott smiled. “I’ve never found yakisoba as good anywhere else.”

Volta’s phone rang. She checked the screen. “It’s my mom. Why don’t you head on over and I’ll be there in a few minutes?”

“I’ll wait.”

Volta nodded and answered the phone. “Hi. I was just about to call you. You heard about the volcano?”

“Yes, they put out a bulletin. Where are you?”

“I’m in Sparks, and it looks like we’ll be here for the night at least, possibly more. Are you okay keeping Emma?”

“Of course. They’re not sure if they’ll have school tomorrow. It depends on how the ash falls over the next couple of hours. Anyway, Emma will be fine with us. We’re going to paint birdhouses this afternoon.”

“That sounds fun. Say, I ordered her birthday cake a month ago, but would you mind calling the bakery to verify?”

“All that sugar.” Volta could almost hear her mother shaking her head. “Are you sure you want to serve cake?”

Volta laughed. “Mom, it’s a birthday party. Absolutely, we want cake.” Volta was in middle school when her mother had decided to cut sugar out of their diet. In mutual rebellion, Volta, her brother and her dad used to sneak to the bakery during Mom’s tai chi class on Saturday mornings and indulge in the most sugar-laden treats they could find.

“I could make cookies for the party,” Mom offered.

Volta rolled her eyes. What her mom called cookies were more like organic hockey pucks. She couldn’t imagine any of the children at the party would eat them. On the other hand, the party was at a reindeer farm, and they might make a good substitute for alfalfa pellets. She’d have to ask her friend Marissa, who ran the farm, if Mom’s cookies would upset the reindeer’s digestion. “Sure, Mom, but we’ll have birthday cake, too. And you’ll be happy to know, we’re also having fruit and vegetable trays.”

“Well, that’s something, I guess. Here, your daughter wants to talk to you.”

“Mommy?”

“Hi, sweetie.”

“Grandma says you probably can’t come home tonight because of the volcano.”

“I’m afraid she’s right. We flew into a village, but we can’t fly back out until the ash is out of the air.”

“Why?” One of Emma’s favorite questions. Sometimes, Volta felt as though she’d earned an advanced degree just from looking up the answers for Emma.

But this one she knew. “Because volcanic ash is made up of tiny, tiny little rocks, and if the rocks get into the engines on the plane, they could make the engines stop running and then the plane couldn’t fly anymore.”

“Oh. Will you be back for my birthday?”

“I should be. It’s not until Saturday, and I imagine the volcano will have gone back to sleep by then, don’t you think?”

“Maybe somebody should sing it a lullaby.”

Volta laughed. “Or read it a bedtime story?”

“Yeah, like the one about the moon.”

“That’s a good one.”

“Everybody’s coming to my party. Madison wasn’t sure she could because she had a piano lesson, but her mom says she can skip it just this once because she wants to see the reindeer at the farm.”

“I’m glad she can make it.”

“Ryan’s so lucky he gets to live on the reindeer farm all the time. With horses.”

“You’re lucky, too. You get to live at our house, and sometimes at Grandma and Grandpa’s, and sometimes with Leith.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. Uncle Leith said Sabrina wants to take me to that new movie. With the princesses.”

“That will be fun.”

“The bake sale at school is tomorrow.” A gust of wind rattled the window and sent ash swirling.

“I know,” Volta whispered, “but don’t tell Grandma because she’ll want to make cookies.”

“Grandma’s cookies are awful,” Emma whispered.

“Grandma says they might not have school tomorrow, so I’m not sure whether they’ll have the bake sale. I’ll call Sabrina and ask if she’ll make a batch of cookies. If school is open, she can drop them off and if not, she can freeze them until they reschedule.”

“Sabrina makes excellent cookies.”

“She does.” Volta looked over at Scott, still standing at the window. “I need to go. Be good for Grandma, okay?”

“Okay. I love you to infinity.”

Volta smiled. “I love you to infinity plus one. Bye, Emma.”

“Bye.”

Volta put the phone in the pocket of her flight suit and pulled a mask from the supply cabinet. “Are you ready to brave the ash?”

Scott turned toward her. “Sure. Everything okay at home?”

Volta nodded. “It’s all under control.”

“Who’s Emma?”

She felt an odd reluctance to share her personal life with Scott, although there was no reason for him not to know about Emma. Besides, Libby was sure to ask about her. “Emma is my daughter. She’s seven.”

“A daughter. Somehow I didn’t imagine you with a child.”

She wouldn’t have thought he’d imagined her at all. She’d always assumed once he broke up with her, he’d gone on single-mindedly with his life plan. Volta stuck her head into the exam room. “Dr. Willingham and I are going to Libby’s for lunch. Can we bring you something back?”

“A sandwich?” Paul requested.

“Sure. Lori, are you feeling up to eating yet? Maybe some soup?”

Lori dragged her eyes away from the baby snuggled up against her chest. “Okay.”

“Bridget?”

“I’ll wait until you get back and take a turn. Did I hear something about akutaq?”

“That’s the rumor.”

“Tell Libby to save me some.”

Volta grinned. “Okay. See you in a little while.”

She returned to the reception room, where Scott was staring out the window. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” He turned toward her. “And I’ve seen a lot.”

“I’ll bet you have. You were in the Philippines after that earthquake. Was it as bad as it looked in the photos?”

“It was. Conditions made it difficult to get clean water and supplies to the people who needed them. I lost some patients there.” He let out a breath. “I don’t like losing patients.”

“It never gets easier.”

“No, it doesn’t. But we didn’t lose anyone today.” He grinned. “Volcano or no, today is a good day.”

“Absolutely. Let’s go get some lunch.”

They both pulled on masks, and Scott followed Volta next door. They slipped inside the store and quickly shut the door to seal out the swirling ash, jangling a strip of sleigh bells.

The usually bustling building appeared to be deserted. They were wiping their feet on the rug when Libby appeared from the door leading to the mailboxes.

“Where is everyone?” Volta asked her.

“I sent them all home before the ash got here. Did Lori deliver?”

“A boy and a girl,” Volta reported. “Both healthy.”

“That’s wonderful. And how is Lori?” Libby looked at Scott.

He hesitated, probably weighing how much information he should be sharing, but he must have decided Libby counted as family. “Tired, but happy. She’s going to be fine.”

“That’s good news. You know, Dr. Willingham, it’s funny. You told me yesterday that you hadn’t planned to visit Sparks until next week.”

“That’s right. I finished with personal business more quickly than I expected, so I decided to get a head start on this assignment.”

“It’s no accident you were here when Lori needed you. I’m convinced there is an unseen hand that guides us to the places we need to be.” Libby included Volta in her smile. “And it brought you both here today. Even with the volcano.”

Tiny goose bumps rose on Volta’s arms. Unlike Libby, Volta was not the sort to go looking for signs and omens, but here she was, in a village in the Alaskan bush, in the same room as a man she used to love. Was it fate?

No. They’d burned their bridges long ago. Their lifestyles were never compatible, and now Volta was rooted here in Alaska, raising her daughter, which meant they were further apart than ever.

And yet being in the same room with Scott was dredging up memories. Memories of laughter and fun. Of swimming in the ocean and building castles on the beach. Of feeling his arms around her when he kissed her good-night under swaying palm trees.

“Volta, aren’t you hungry?” Libby was ladling something from the slow cooker she always had going beside the microwave.

Volta jumped. “I’m sorry, Libby. What’s in the pot today?”

“Salmon chowder. And those little crackers you like.”

No wonder everyone in Sparks loved Libby. Two months ago, when Volta was in town to help with an immunization drive, she’d mentioned in passing she liked oyster crackers. Libby never seemed to forget anything. “Chowder sounds fabulous, thank you. But let me take something for Paul and Lori first. He said he wanted a sandwich.” She crossed to the cold foods case.

Libby joined her and reached for a sandwich. “Paul will want ham and cheese, barbecue potato chips and baby carrots.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “The doctor seems to know what he’s doing.”

“Yeah, Scott’s great.”

“Scott?” Libby looked at her speculatively.

“Dr. Willingham,” Volta amended quickly. “I’ll take a bowl of chowder for Lori.” Volta ladled the soup into a paper bowl and snapped on the lid. “Please put them on the tab with mine.”

“Nobody’s paying today. We’re celebrating.” Libby looked toward Scott, who was pouring a cup of coffee. “So, you and the doctor—”

“I’d better take this to Lori before it gets cold. I’ll come back for mine in a little while. Thanks, Libby.” Volta grabbed the food and headed toward the door.

“Don’t forget your mask,” Scott called.

“Right.” Volta stopped to juggle the food items. Scott set down his coffee and came to hold them while she pulled up her mask. “Thanks.”

“Hurry back. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

That was exactly what Volta was afraid of.

CHAPTER THREE

SCOTT WATCHED VOLTA practically sprint out the door and across to the clinic. Something Libby said seemed to have spooked her. Or maybe it was him.

He wasn’t sure where he stood with Volta. She’d looked stunned to see him in the delivery room, but who wouldn’t given the same circumstances? Afterward, she hadn’t hesitated to come into his arms for a hug. But then she’d drawn away, and an invisible curtain of awkwardness seemed to fall between them.

She looked good in her snug flight suit, her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. Not much different than she’d looked when she was in college. A beautiful woman.

A beautiful woman with a daughter. Why was that such a surprise? Did he think nothing would have changed in Volta’s life in the last eleven years?

“Doctor, come eat your chowder before it gets cold,” Libby said. “I’m sure Volta will be back soon, and you can have a second bowl with her.”

He sat down across the table from Libby and tried the chowder, made with sockeye salmon, savory vegetables and evaporated milk, of course. Over dinner last evening, Libby had explained that—because of transportation costs—fresh milk in the villages ran four times the price of milk in Anchorage. They’d discussed alternative ways for pregnant and nursing women to get calcium and vitamin D. Libby was a font of knowledge about the challenges of health care in remote villages. They really should have hired her for this study.

“Good soup,” he told Libby.

“Wait until you taste my akutaq. I had to fight off my grandkids to save you some.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Libby took a drink from her coffee. “I thought last night you said this was your first time in Alaska.”

“It is.”

“Then how do you know our Volta?”

He took his time with another spoonful of soup before answering. “I knew her in Hawaii.”

“Volta was in Hawaii? I thought she grew up in Alaska.”

“She did, but she was in college in Hawaii while I was doing my residency at Royal Honolulu Hospital.”

“Hmm.” Libby was clearly not satisfied with that answer. “And you were friends, in Hawaii.”

“Yes.” Much more than friends, but that was between him and Volta.

“I never heard about that. You kept in touch?”

“No.”

“But you came to Alaska to reconnect with her.”

“I came to Alaska on the assignment we talked about yesterday.” And maybe partially to find Volta. Maybe mostly to find Volta. But officially, he was here on assignment.

“Hmm.” Libby clearly wasn’t buying it.

Scott felt as if he’d already said too much, so he asked, “How long have you known Volta?”

“For about three years. Daniel does a health fair and a vaccination clinic every year, and Volta has helped with two of them. She stays overnight with me when she does. We’ve become friends.”

It sounded like they’d only spent a handful of days together, but some people didn’t take long to get to the heart of a person. Libby seemed like one of those people. “You know her daughter?”

“Emma?” Libby smiled. “We’ve never met, but I’ve heard so many stories, I feel as if I know her. Volta has her hands full with that one.”

“Oh?” Scott started to ask more, but Volta chose that moment to return from the clinic.

“Susie and Sadie have arrived, and they’re giving Lori and Paul child-rearing advice.”

Libby shook her head. “Those sisters of mine are so excited about another pair of twins in the village, Lori will never get rid of them.”

“I suspect she’ll be glad for the help over the next few weeks. She’s breastfeeding, and preemies are notorious for not sleeping more than two hours at a time.” Volta sat down at the table next to Scott. “Her BP is down another five points.”

“Excellent. Here, let me get you a bowl of Libby’s chowder.” He was determined to keep Volta in place long enough for at least one conversation. He would have preferred a private conversation, but he’d take what he could get.

“We were just talking about Emma,” Libby said. “Show him a picture.”

“Nah, I don’t want to be one of those parents always shoving photos in people’s faces.” Volta dipped her spoon in the chowder.

“I’d love to see a picture of your daughter,” Scott insisted.

Volta ate another spoonful of chowder. Libby and Scott watched her and waited. She shrugged, pulled up something on her phone and passed it to Scott. “This is Emma.”

He studied the photo of a dark-haired little girl hugging a German shepherd with one arm and holding a little terrier with the other. Her eyes were brown, not blue like her mother’s, but her pointed chin and the arch of her eyebrows were all Volta. So was her gleeful smile. The same smile that used to make his heart feel lighter.

“She’s cute. Are those your dogs?”

“No, Tal is my brother Leith’s dog, and the little dog belongs to his girlfriend, Sabrina. If Emma had her way, our house would be overflowing with animals, but my job doesn’t lend itself to taking proper care of pets.”

“I sympathize with Emma,” Scott said. “I’d love to have a dog, but I never know where I’m going to be from week to week.”

Volta gave him a little smile. “You’ve never had a dog, have you?”

“No. The closest was my neighbor’s dog when I was a kid. I spent a lot of time over at their house, playing with their animals.”

Libby looked at the photo and chuckled. “I had a brother, three sisters and all sorts of cousins. When we played outside in the summer, our neighbor’s dog used to climb over his fence to join us and our dogs. When the neighbor would discover him missing, he’d take him home, but the next day the dog would be back. Finally, he gave us the dog and got one of those wienie dogs that couldn’t jump the fence.”

Volta laughed. “Your parents didn’t mind taking in an extra dog?”

“They hardly noticed,” Libby replied. “Cousins and friends and dogs were always coming and going. At supper time, they counted heads and fed whoever was there.”

“Don’t tell Emma,” Volta told her. “She’s lobbying for a horse now, and if she heard your story she’d probably try to sneak one into our garage and hope I didn’t notice.”

The pilot who had flown Scott into the village yesterday stepped into the store and pulled a bandanna down from his face.

“Hi, Mike. What’s the word?” Volta asked.

“It’s looking better. The volcano has gone quiet. There’s still ash in the air, but unless Spurr puts out another plume, it should settle overnight. If it does, we’ll be clear to fly by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Good news,” Volta said, her voice relieved. Was it Scott’s imagination that at least some of that relief was to be able to get away from him?

“Do you need a bed tonight?” Libby asked Mike.

“Nah, I’ll camp out with Zeke. You’ve got a full house with Volta, Bridget and the doc.”

Mike pulled the bandanna up and sauntered outside.

“Now for the akutaq.” Libby scurried off to the cold foods case and returned with a bowl of purplish froth. She spooned a generous portion into a paper bowl and set it in front of Scott. “Volta?”

“Just a taste. Save some for Bridget.”

She gave Volta a small portion and turned inquisitive eyes toward Scott.

He dipped in his spoon and tasted the concoction. “Mmm. Blueberries and raspberries?”

“And a few salmonberries.” Libby smiled her approval at his culinary taste. “I use caribou fat.”

Scott took another bite. “It’s good. It reminds me a little of kaymak with honey.”

“What’s kaymak?”

“It’s kind of a soft cheese made from water buffalo milk. Very rich, but not as rich as this.”

“Water buffalo milk?” Libby blinked. “How unusual.”

Volta looked down, but not before Scott caught a glimpse at her amused grin. “I’ll check on Lori and let Bridget have a lunch break,” she said, getting up from the table. “And maybe run the aunties out. Lori’s probably ready for a nap.”

Scott spent the afternoon at the clinic. The twins were doing fine, nursing well and sleeping, and Lori’s blood pressure was slowly improving. The clinic didn’t have much lab testing, but Scott was used to working in less than optimal conditions and was confident Lori was on the mend. He and Daniel spent the afternoon brainstorming ways to improve prenatal care.

Sadie and Susie had each claimed a baby to hold in the waiting room while their mother rested. Scott approved. Such tiny babies had little fat stored, and while the incubator would keep them warm, Scott preferred body heat and human contact when possible. The aunties took turns crooning to the babies. Paul and Lori were going to have a fight on their hands to claim them back.

Bridget had volunteered to spend tonight in the clinic, and so Volta had taken over Lori’s care for the afternoon. He could hear her in the exam room talking and laughing with Lori and Paul. Once or twice she darted in and out of the clinic, fetching items for her patients, but she never seemed to have time to stop and talk with him.

By late afternoon the wind had died down, and while ash still blanketed every surface, it was no longer floating in the air. That seemed to be the signal for everyone in the village to stop by the clinic to bring gifts and admire the babies. Daniel moved the babies into the incubator partly to keep the crowds from breathing on them, but that didn’t slow down the party in the reception area.

About five thirty, Libby came into the clinic. The crowd parted like the Red Sea to let her through. She took Scott’s elbow and said, “Show me these babies you delivered.” It was a royal command.

Scott led her to the exam room, where Lori was nursing one of the babies. Volta was rearranging pillows to support her back and arms. Volta greeted Libby before stepping out into the lobby to make room. Libby laid her hand on Lori’s shoulder as she smiled down at the tiny baby in her arms. “Is this the girl?”

“Yes.”

“Look at those beautiful eyelashes. Let me see her brother.”

Scott opened the portable incubator so that Libby could see the baby’s face. Libby ran a finger over his cheek. “He looks like his father.”

“You think so?” Paul asked.

“Oh, yes. He’ll play center on the basketball team one day.”

Paul grinned. Libby passed her hand over the soft patch of hair on the other twin’s head. “This one will be a fine player, as well. A point guard, I think. Have you named them?”

“Not yet, but we have some ideas.”

Libby smiled and turned to Paul. “You’ll find stew and casseroles in your refrigerator when you’re ready to go home. I’ll have a talk with Susie and Sadie about boundaries. Is there anything else you need?”

“Um, no. Thank you.”

Libby smiled again and gestured for Scott to follow her out. On the way through the lobby, she summoned Volta, as well. Once they were outside away from the others, she whispered, “Are they really all right? They’re so tiny.”

“Yes,” Scott assured her. “They’ll grow fast.”

Libby closed her eyes and whispered something before smiling up at Scott. “All right, then. I’m going home now. Dinner will be ready in about an hour.”

“I’ll help cook. Just let me get Daniel or Bridget to cover,” Volta said.

“No, my kitchen’s too small for two cooks. Bridget is having a nap at my house. We’ll let her sleep. I’ll see you both in an hour.”

At six, Daniel ran all the guests out of the clinic, including Sadie and Susie. After another quick exam, Scott left Daniel in charge until Bridget came to take a shift. Volta hugged Lori. They waved goodbye to Daniel and made their way to Libby’s cabin. Volta opened the door and walked in, calling out, “Something smells scrumptious.”

“Caribou goulash.” Libby stuck her head out of the kitchen at the back of the cabin. “Could you set the table, please?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Volta went to a rustic corner cupboard and pulled out plates and silverware.

Scott crossed to the kitchen. “Anything I can do to help?”

Libby thrusted a bowl of rice into his hands. “Put this on the table.” She followed behind with a platter of meat with vegetables and a red sauce.

Bridget climbed down the ladder leading to the loft and greeted them. “Everything all right at the clinic?”

Scott gave her a medical update. They all sat down at the round table. Libby reached for each of their hands. “We have so much to be grateful for today. Let’s say our thank-yous.” They bowed their heads. “We give thanks for this food, for the birth of two beautiful babies and for bringing Scott, Bridget and Volta here today. Amen.”

Scott opened his eyes. Volta sat across the table from him, looking even lovelier since she’d let her shiny dark hair down to fall in waves over her shoulders. It all felt so familiar. How many meals had he and Volta eaten together, talking, sharing and laughing?

Tonight might well be their last meal together. So he would enjoy it, would linger and tell funny stories to make her smile. And then, he would ask to be alone with her because he had some things to say to Volta before they parted again. Maybe forever.

After dinner, Bridget excused herself and headed for the clinic to relieve Daniel. Volta insisted on washing the dishes, so Scott insisted on drying, but Libby stayed to put the dishes away. Then the two women fussed over getting sheets and blankets for one of the cots in Libby’s loft and loaning Volta some sweats to sleep in. Scott noticed that of the three cots left in the room, Volta chose the one furthest from his. He was starting to wonder if fate was playing with him, dangling Volta in front of him without ever giving them a minute alone.

He reached into his pocket for his cell phone to check his email. When he pulled out his phone, something else came out of his pocket and skidded across the wooden floor.

Volta picked it up. A grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. “You’re still carrying this around.” She examined the tiny silver horseshoe.

“A little extra luck never hurts.” The charm was the only thing he owned that had belonged to his mother. He’d told Volta the story of discovering it wedged in a crack in a drawer. It must have fallen off his mother’s charm bracelet. One of his few memories of his mother was of that bracelet jingling when she would dance around the house. Volta knew all about that, too.

She handed him the charm, but then she withdrew to her side of the room, still in conversation with Libby. Eventually, Libby climbed down the ladder and disappeared into her bedroom, and Volta couldn’t avoid him any longer.

Not that she didn’t give it a valiant effort. It was only eight thirty, but she gave a big yawn. “Wow, long day. You’re probably exhausted.”

“In fact, I’m feeling a bit restless. Now that the ash has settled, it’s nice outside. Why don’t we take a walk?”

“I don’t really feel like walking.”

He blew out a breath. “Then just sit down with me for a few minutes. Talk to me. Please.”

“I—” Volta’s phone rang, and she snatched it from her pocket. “I need to take this.”

“Of course.”

“Hi, Emma. What’s up?” Volta listened for a little while. “Uh-huh. So school isn’t canceled tomorrow? Sabrina said she’d do cookies.” There was a pause. “That sounds fun. Is she picking you up after school? Because if she is, I’ll need to call in and put her on the approved pickup list.” Volta got up and paced around the room. “Yes, I can do that. It looks like we’ll be able to fly tomorrow so unless something changes, I’ll be back in town. Tell Grandma I said it’s fine for you to go with Sabrina.” After another long pause, Volta laughed. “All right. You should get to bed, sweetie. I love you to infinity.” She listened for a moment and smiled. “Okay. See you tomorrow. Good night.”

She dictated a reminder to call the school tomorrow and pocketed the phone. “My daughter.”

“I guessed. Big plans?”

“Tomorrow is a half day at school, and my brother’s girlfriend wants to take her to a movie afterward. She’s excited.”

“She sounds like a busy kid.” Good; they were talking. Maybe if he eased Volta into a conversation, she wouldn’t run away. “You mentioned she was asking for a horse before.”

“Yeah. We went to visit friends on a farm. They have two horses and let Emma and their son, Ryan, ride them around in a corral. She loved it. I’ve registered her for a two-week session of horse camp this summer. It was expensive, but she’ll love it. It will be her birthday present.”

“Horseback riding made a world of difference to me.”

“How old were you when you started riding?”

“Nine. That was when my father married Gayle. She had horses, so we moved to a property where we could keep them, and she taught me to ride competitively. It was great. Of course, when their marriage broke up, she took her horses with her.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Thankfully, one of our neighbors let me ride his horses in exchange for stable chores. He was good to me. In fact, in high school he got me an after-school job as a riding instructor.”

“Once horse camp is over, I’m not sure horses are in the cards for Emma. I did some checking and it costs a fortune to keep a horse in Alaska. We’d be better off with sled dogs, which I’d better not say out loud or Emma will want them, too.”

“Do they rent riding horses in Anchorage? Maybe we could all ride together.”

“Thanks, but no.” Volta answered quickly.

Well, chitchat wasn’t working. Maybe the direct route was better. “Can we talk about Hawaii?”

Volta’s eyes darted around the room as though she were getting ready to make another excuse, but finally she sighed. “Let’s go out on the porch.”

They climbed down the ladder from the loft and tiptoed outside. Scott sat on a rustic bench. Volta perched on the other end. The landscape didn’t seem so weird at night, the moonlight washing out the ash and displaying only the undulations of the land.

Volta broke the silence first. “What did you want to talk about?”

He decided to cut to the chase. “I never got the chance to say I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For the way I ended our relationship.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, the way you ended it? Didn’t you want it to end?”

“No. I mean, yes, it had to end. But I’m sorry I broke it off so abruptly.”

“Oh, so, I had to go, but you should have, what? Dropped a few hints first? Let me fall even deeper in love with you before you said goodbye?”

This was going from bad to worse. “When I asked you out, I never thought it would get serious.”

“Well, it didn’t for you, did it?”

“That’s just the thing. It did. That’s why—”

“Don’t.” She stood up and paced to the corner of the porch, then turned to face him. “Don’t give me that stupid line about how you broke up with me because you loved me. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now.”

But he did love her. How could he make her understand? “I was a few months away from starting my career with DEMA. You still had five more years of college and grad school to go. I couldn’t ask you to—”

“You didn’t ask me anything. You informed me of your decision.”

“I watched a marriage go down the tubes because my father devoted all his time and energy to his career. And he lives in Houston, whereas most of the time, I don’t know where I’ll be next. That’s no basis for a marriage.”

“So when you said you didn’t want to see me anymore, you were just looking out for me. Protecting me. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“It’s so good you were there to make that decision for me. After all, you were a doctor. I was only a college student. I guess my opinion was irrelevant.”

“Volta, no. I never...” He shook his head. “It wasn’t that I thought I was smarter than you. Just that I’d lived with my father. And I’m enough like him to know I can get caught up in work to the exclusion of everything else.”

“And you didn’t want to have to feel guilty about that. It sounds like you broke up with me for your own convenience, not for mine.”

“Volta...” He’d made a hash out of this one. He’d only wanted to apologize, make her see why he’d had to hurt her. “I’m sorry.”

“Yes, you’ve said that. It doesn’t really matter, though, does it? We broke up and I went home. I got married. I have a daughter. I have a career. Congratulations. You saved me from whatever terrible fate awaited me if I’d stayed with you.”

For someone saying she’d moved on, exactly as he’d hoped she would, she was surprisingly sarcastic. He wanted to ask if her marriage had been happy. If she would have preferred her original career choice of physical therapist. But it really wasn’t any of his business.

“You’re right. I made my choice. What I have to say now doesn’t matter.”

“Well, then. Let’s get some sleep. With any luck, tomorrow we can fly home.”

Home. She spoke with such certainty of where her home was. Scott didn’t have a home. Certainly not in Houston, where he’d grown up. After a couple of days there with his father last week, he’d been itching for an excuse to leave.

He loved working all over the world, but once in a while, it might be nice to have a place to come home to. But as Volta had pointed out, he’d made his choice.

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING after breakfast, Libby handed Scott a handmade baby afghan and sent him and Volta to deliver it to the clinic. “Good morning,” Bridget greeted them at the door. “Daniel’s here.”

“Good morning yourself. How did it go last night?” Volta asked.

“Good. No problems to speak of. Lori’s feeding one of the twins now.” She yawned. “I think I’ll get a nap in until Mike says we’re ready to go.”

“Good idea,” Volta said.

Daniel was in the lobby, working on his laptop. He greeted them and waved them through to the exam room. Scott knocked on the door frame and entered at Lori’s invitation. Volta followed. Lori was sitting up in bed, smiling down at a sleeping infant. “He passed out halfway through breakfast.”

“That means he’ll be demanding the other half in an hour or so,” Scott predicted.

“Libby sent this for you.” Volta took the blue blanket from Scott and handed it to Lori. “She says she’s working on a pink one.”

“Aw.” Lori pressed the blanket to her cheek. “Everyone has been so good to us.”

“You’ve been good to them, taking care of everyone at the school and helping Daniel. And look at these beautiful babies. Have you come up with names yet?”

Lori looked at Paul. He grinned. “We have. We’re both so grateful to all of you from yesterday.” He took the sleeping baby from Lori. “We’ve named this one Daniel Scott Vaughan.”

“Daniel Scott. I love it!” Volta said.

“I’m honored.” Scott ran his hand over the baby’s head. “And I’m sure Daniel is, too.” He turned toward the other baby, sleeping in a bassinet beside the bed. “And what are you calling her?”

Paul and Lori exchanged glances. “Well, Volta was holding my hand—”

“Oh, no, no, no.” Volta cut in. “I’m flattered, but please don’t do that to another innocent little baby. I’ve never forgiven my father.”

Lori laughed. “We were thinking Morgan Bridget Vaughan. We’d call her Morgan.”

Scott vaguely remembered Daniel introducing her as Volta Morgan. Her married name. It would take some getting used to. She was still Volta Jordan in his mind.

“Morgan.” Volta crossed to the incubator and looked down at the baby. Color rose in her cheeks. “She looks like a Morgan Bridget. I’m sure Bridget was over the moon.”

“She was.”

The baby girl woke up and yawned. Volta picked her up and cuddled her. “Hi, little Morgan. You’re a sweetheart, aren’t you?” She brought the baby to Lori. Lori rearranged a shawl over her shoulder and brought her daughter to her breast. The baby made happy little noises as she nursed.

Volta laughed. “What an appetite. By the time you bring them to the tournament in December, the babies will be so big I won’t even recognize them.”

“What tournament?” Scott asked.

“The high school teams play in the state tournament in Anchorage every year after Christmas,” Paul explained. “For the last three years, Volta has been letting the whole team from Sparks camp out in her living room.”

“It’s fun,” Volta said. “Besides basketball, we take the kids to a movie and the mall. They have a blast.”

“Sounds like a good tradition.” Traditions were something missing from Scott’s life. He loved his job, but he didn’t have connections like this. Even his coworkers were constantly changing. “Well, Daniel promised to go over some statistics with me this morning, so I need to head in that direction, but I’ll do one more health check before we all get on the plane.”

Volta sat in with Scott and Daniel, going over infant mortality and complication rates in rural Alaska and discussing how to mitigate some of the dangers. It was obvious Volta and Daniel had discussed the subject before and they both had suggestions Scott intended to include in his report.

Bridget stopped in at the clinic a little before two. “Mike says they’re lifting the flight ban. He’s checking all the equipment, so let’s load up.”

“Okay.” Scott gathered up his notes and shook Daniel’s hand. “Thanks for all your help. It was invaluable.”

“Anytime.”

Scott and Bridget went to do a final check of Lori and the babies and get them ready for transport. Mike stepped into the clinic. “They’ve cleared us, and the plane is good. Let’s boogie before they change their minds.”

Everyone worked together to transport the incubator holding the two babies into Libby’s SUV. Lori followed along behind, supported by Volta and Paul. Libby drove them all to the plane and waved her goodbyes.

They got the babies’ incubator loaded onto the plane and Lori settled comfortably on the patient bed. Paul kissed his wife and strapped himself into a seat, near Volta and Bridget. Scott found himself sitting in the front beside Mike. Once they were in the air, the pilot turned chatty.

“Did you get what you needed from Daniel?”

“Yes, Daniel is very knowledgeable. He tells me I’d be better off taking someone local with me on the rest of my visits to help smooth the waters and show me the ropes. Do you know anyone in your company who could do that?”

Mike glanced over his shoulder. “Volta would be good. She’s always volunteering to help with events in the villages, so they all know her.”

“I’m not available next week,” Volta said into her headset. “I’m doing that transport to Boston on Monday.”

“Jaci would take it, I’ll bet,” Bridget said. “She’s got a boyfriend in Boston now. You should ask if you can switch.”

Volta was silent. When he looked back, Volta had muted her mic and was whispering something to Bridget. Scott decided to table the subject for the moment. “What river is that?” he asked Mike. The rest of the trip, Mike pointed out the sights. They hardly heard a sound from the back of the plane.

They landed at the airport and taxied to their headquarters. Ash covered the ground here as well, but only a dusting compared to what had fallen in Sparks, and the runways had been cleared. An ambulance was waiting, and the team efficiently handed off to the paramedics. Volta gave Lori a hug. “Take care of yourself and those two precious babies.” The crew jumped in, closed the doors to the ambulance and drove away.

Bridget and Volta walked toward the door to the Puffin facility adjoining the hangar. Scott followed them into the offices. The two women disappeared upstairs and returned a few minutes later in street clothes.

Bridget stretched. “I could go for some coffee. Anyone want to join me at Kaladi’s?”

Volta checked her watch. “Thanks, but I need to get home. Next time.” She started for the parking lot.

Scott grabbed his bag, made his excuses to Bridget and hurried to keep pace with Volta. “Will I see you again?” He couldn’t let their relationship end on that conversation they’d had last night.

She shrugged. “If you’re using Puffin, we might cross paths.”

Might cross paths? “Why don’t you want to fly with me to the villages?”

“It’s just—I don’t know—awkward.”

“Why? We’re both professionals. Clearly, you’ve established relationships around the state. I don’t see why we can’t work together on this project.”

She walked several more steps before answering. “I don’t know, Scott. I’d have to think about it.”

“Fair enough. We’ll talk Monday?”

“If you want to see me before I fly out to Boston, I’ll be at the 7 a.m. meeting at Puffin.” She reached into her pocket. “Oh, no.”

“What?”

“I just realized I left my car keys lying on the top of Libby’s dresser.”

“Oops. Do you have another set at home?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll drive you to get them.”

She shook her head. “I’ll take a cab.”

“I have a rental car right here. By the time you catch a cab, I can probably get you there and back.”

“Well—”

He laughed. “Hey. I’m a very good driver, according to the driving examiner who tested me last week in Houston.”

“You had to take a driving test?”

“I’d let my license expire more than a year ago, so yes.”

“Don’t get home much, huh?”

“Not much.” He stopped at a white compact and pressed the fob to unlock the doors. “Are you going to let me take you to get the keys, or are you going to hike back across the parking lot and catch a taxi to prove—what—that you’re self-sufficient? I already know that.”

She gave a wry smile. “I’d appreciate a ride. Thank you.” Volta slid into the passenger seat and gave him directions.

It wasn’t long before he pulled into her driveway. If someone had turned him lose on the street and asked him to find Volta’s house, this one with creamy yellow siding, crisp black shutters and a teal blue door would have been his first guess. Gray ash lightly coated the grass out front, but someone had hosed off the steps, sidewalk and driveway. Short pink tulips lined the walkway between the driveway and the front steps. On the porch, blue-and-white pillows with pictures of dragonflies rested against the back of a wooden bench. It looked like the definition of home.

“I’ll grab the keys and be right back.” Volta punched a code into a box, and her garage door rose. She disappeared into the garage and the door closed behind her. Scott got out of the car to enjoy the sunshine while he waited.

An old Land Cruiser pulled up to the curb in front of the house and a girl slipped out the back door. Scott easily recognized her from the photo Volta had shown him, although now her hair was twisted up in an elaborate braid. She started toward him, but a man got out of the driver’s side and called for her to wait.

He shut the door and walked toward Scott. A German shepherd jumped down from the car and moved close to Emma. This must be Volta’s brother with the dog.

“Can I help you?” he asked, clearly suspicious about a stranger in his sister’s driveway. His eyes were the same bright blue as Volta’s.

“Hi. I’m Scott Willingham.” Scott paused for a second to see if the name registered, but it was clear Volta’s brother didn’t recognize it. “I flew back from Sparks with Volta.”

“Oh. I’m Volta’s brother, Leith Jordan.” He offered a hand, and Scott shook it.

The little girl popped up, with the dog beside her. “Hi, I’m Emma.” She had wide brown eyes and her mother’s bright smile. Those eyes, combined with the braided crown of hair and how she danced across the grass, made Scott think of an elf. A very cute elf.

He smiled. “Hello, Emma. I’m Scott. I gave your mom a ride from the airport.”

“I’m almost eight,” Emma told him.

“Eight? Wow.”

“My birthday is tomorrow. We’re having a party at the reindeer farm.”

“No kidding. I’ve never seen a reindeer.”

“You haven’t? Reindeer are cool. You should come to my party. Lots of grown-ups will be there. It’s at two at the reindeer farm.”

“Emma,” Volta called from the porch.

“Mommy!” The girl flew toward the house while her mother ran down the steps. Volta dropped to her knees and wrapped her daughter in a hug. The smile on her face was pure joy.

After a moment, the girl stepped back and twirled around. “Mommy, look. Sabrina braided my hair.”

“It’s beautiful. How was the movie?”

“Funny. And we had popcorn.”

“Sounds like you had a good time.” Volta looked past her daughter toward Scott, and her smile lost some of its wattage. She stood. “Scott, I really appreciate the ride, but my brother is here now, so he can take me back to the airport to pick up my car.”

“I don’t mind,” Scott said. “My hotel is near the airport, so I’m heading in that direction anyway.”

“Thanks, but Leith can take me. Right, Leith?”

“Uh, sure.” Her brother seemed as mystified as Scott about why Volta seemed so flustered.

Scott had been counting on the ride back to the airport to press his case about working with her. “So, we’ll talk Monday about those village visits?”

“Yes. Sure. That’s fine.” She took a step forward, past her daughter. “Goodbye, Scott.”

“Goodbye.” Scott nodded at Volta’s brother. “It was nice to meet y’all.” He got in the car and backed out of the driveway. When he looked up, Emma had walked down the steps and was watching him. She waved, and he waved back before driving off.

Clearly Volta adored her daughter and her job, but he sensed something missing. He needed to spend more time with her, to earn her trust so she would be honest with him. Until he was sure she was happy, he wasn’t ready to let her go.

CHAPTER FOUR

“AND WE PAINTED BIRDHOUSES. Grandma painted hers green with little flowers on it, but mine has people.” On the drive back from the airport to fetch Volta’s car, Emma filled her mom in on everything she’d missed while she’d been grounded at Sparks. “And we read a story about a girl and a horse. It was really good.”

“I’ll bet.” Any book or movie that included a horse was a hit with Emma. Ever since she’d taken Emma to the reindeer farm and she got to ride with Ryan, she couldn’t get enough of horses. Fortunately, the miniature plastic herd she’d collected didn’t eat, because Volta’s paycheck didn’t run to stable fees and feed bills. “Are you excited about your party at the reindeer farm?”

“Yeah! Livy got me a present. She won’t tell me what it is, but I think it’s a horse. Rafe might come, too.”

“Who’s Rafe?”

“He’s in my class. He’s new. He looked sad yesterday, so I invited him.”

“That’s sweet, but you need to ask me before you invite more people.”

“Why? It’s my birthday.”

“Because when people are planning parties, they need to know in advance how many people are coming to know how much food to make and everything. I already told Marissa at the reindeer farm how many to set up for.” Not to mention the cake she’d ordered and the goody bags she and Emma had assembled last week. Shoot, did they have enough goody bags? She should probably pack a couple of spares. “You didn’t invite more kids besides Rafe, did you?”

“No.” Emma sighed, as though refraining from inviting everyone she’d come in contact with in the past two weeks had taken a terrible toll. It probably had. “Will Marissa be mad if there’s an extra person?”

“No, I’m sure it will be fine.” Leith’s car pulled into the driveway behind her. “Let’s go get your stuff from Uncle Leith and carry it inside.” Leith handed over Emma’s purple duffel bag and her stuffed dog. Poor Rufus was starting to look a little worse for the wear, but Emma wouldn’t go to sleep without him.

“Thank Sabrina for taking Emma to the movie,” Volta said to Leith.

“Sabrina had a blast. I would have gone, too, but you know, princesses.”

Volta laughed. “Well, thanks for helping me pick up my car. And thanks for driving Emma home. Emma, what do you say to Leith?”

“Thank you, Uncle Leith,” Emma sang out and ran to give him a hug. “Tell Sabrina I had fun.”

Volta and Emma waved goodbye. Volta grabbed the duffel and carried it into the garage, pressing the button that closed the door on the way. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Macaroni and cheese,” Emma said immediately.

Volta laughed. “You always say that. I’ll bet you had Grandma make you mac and cheese already.”

“Yes,” Emma said. “Grandma likes to make macaroni and cheese with me. I helped grate the cheese, and I stirred the milk, and I mashed the bread crumbs with a rolling pin. Grandma says I’m going to be a good cook when I grow up.”

“I don’t doubt it, but let’s try something else tonight. We have chicken in the freezer. Let’s make a chicken stir-fry.”

“Can we use sesame seeds?”

“Yes, and we have broccoli, too.”

“Broccoli?” Emma asked, her voice heavy with suspicion. “Do I like broccoli?”

“Sure you do. Broccoli looks like little green trees. Remember?”

“Oh, yeah. I like little trees.”

Volta set Emma’s duffel at the bottom of the stairs. She put supper together while Emma set the table. Once they’d eaten and loaded the dishwasher, Volta announced it was time for a bath. “When you’re in your pajamas, we can read some stories.”

“Can we read about a horse?”

“We can read anything you want,” Volta promised.

Emma opened her bag and pulled out her pajamas. “Oh, my birdhouse. I forgot to show you.” Emma held up the wooden birdhouse she’d painted a cheery pink with three human figures and an animal along the side.

Volta pointed at the smallest figure. “Is this you?”

“Yes.”

“And this one with the blue dress is me?”

“Yes, because you like blue.”

“So this one must be Uncle Leith.”

“No, a girl and her mommy and her daddy and her horse.”

“Her horse?”

“Yeah, she had a mommy and a daddy and a horse. They’re a real family.”

That nagging sense of inadequacy pricked at Volta. “Real families come in all shapes and sizes, Emma. Just because your daddy died doesn’t mean we’re not a real family.”

“Well.” Emma peeked up from beneath her eyelashes. “If I can’t have a daddy, I should at least get a horse.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” Emma tried the puppy-dog eyes.

Volta chuckled. “Nice try, but we’ve talked about this. Horses are very expensive.”

“Ryan has a horse.”

“Ryan lives on a farm. We live in Anchorage.”

“We could keep the horse in the backyard.”

“Our backyard isn’t big enough for a horse to live.”

“We could move to a farm.”

“No, we couldn’t, Emma, because I’m not a farmer. I’m a paramedic.”

Emma shrugged. “Maybe Grandma and Granddaddy will get a horse for my birthday.”

Volta shook her head. “No, sweetie, they’re not going to get you a horse. We have no place to keep one. I’m sorry, but that’s how it is.”

Emma frowned. “When I grow up, I’m going to live on a farm and have lots and lots of horses. And my friends can come and ride with me, and I’ll ride the prettiest horse of all.”

“Sounds like a plan. But right now, it’s bath time. Do you want to take some of your horses swimming with you?”

“I’ll take the Arabian and the Clydesdale.” Emma started down the hall, but she stopped after two steps to send back a parting shot. “But someday, I’m going to get a real horse.”

* * *

SCOTT WOKE UP restless on Saturday morning. He’d already written up his notes from his visit to Sparks and had nothing else scheduled until Monday. His plan had been to use this weekend to locate Volta and decide how to approach her, but their accidental meeting in Sparks had taken care of that. In theory, he could check it off the list, but it didn’t feel finished. In fact, it felt distinctly unresolved. He needed to convince her to accept that position as liaison. But he couldn’t do anything else about it for two more days.

Spare time was a luxury and he hated to waste it. He looked out the window. A heavy rain last night had washed the volcanic ash away. Scott decided he needed a nice, long run. Ordinarily, his exercise routine involved a few push-ups and crunches plus whatever running or hiking he could fit in wherever he happened to be.

On the recommendation of the front desk clerk, Scott headed down the coastal trail. Plenty of locals seemed to have the same idea. As he ran, he passed dog walkers, bikers and skaters. Across the inlet, snow clung to the top of a long mountain range. The air smelled of damp earth and sunshine.

Eventually his stomach reminded him it was getting close to lunchtime. He’d passed a soup and sandwich place that looked promising. After he’d changed and eaten, he would decide what to do with the rest of the day.

Scott returned to his hotel, showered and pulled on a pair of jeans. He was digging through his suitcase looking for a clean shirt, when he came across a carved wooden elephant. It had been a gift from the husband of a grateful patient after a breech birth.

He ran a finger over the intricate pattern of the blanket on the elephant’s back carved into the kadam wood. The elephant almost appeared to be smiling. It would be a good toy for a child. And he happened to know a child who was having a birthday today. And she had invited him to her party.

No, he couldn’t do that. He set the elephant on the desk, pulled on a Henley shirt and headed out for lunch. The soup and sandwich place was packed, so he got his to go and sat on a bench in the town square while he ate it. Empty flower beds lining all the walkways suggested this would be a colorful showcase during the summer. On his way back to the hotel, he passed a gift shop. On impulse, he went inside and bought tissue paper and a gift bag.

Back at the hotel, the front desk clerk waved when Scott walked in. “Enjoy your run this morning?”

“I did. Great trail.” Scott paused. “Do you happen to know anything about a reindeer farm?”

“Oh, sure. It’s one of the big tourist attractions in the area.” He came out from behind the desk, selected a card from a nearby display rack and handed it to Scott. “It’s not far. Just take the highway past Eagle River and then exit and take the road north for a couple of miles.”

“Is it the only one?”

“Only one I know of. I took my nephew there once. It was fun.”

“Thanks.” Scott looked over the brochure. Why not?

Thirty minutes later, he spotted the welcome sign with a picture of reindeer and a sleigh, made the turn onto a gravel drive and followed it until he reached a parking area near a white farmhouse. He parked, but he didn’t get out. He probably shouldn’t be here. A verbal invitation from an overexcited almost-eight-year-old was hardly a binding contract.

But he’d been jumpy all morning, thinking about Monday, wondering if Volta would agree to work with him. He had his suspicions she was just humoring him, and that when Monday arrived, she’d tell him no and take off to Boston.

She was excellent at her job and seemed to enjoy it, and to be on good terms with the people she worked with. She obviously adored her daughter. He sensed a sadness there, too. An emptiness that echoed the empty places in his own life. But she’d been married and then her husband died. Of course, a part of her would be sad.

And what if she was sad? What did he think he could do about it? It wasn’t as though he was going to recruit her to join him at DEMA. Not when she had a child in elementary school. Still, he would appreciate her help on this study.

A small SUV pulled up beside him and two little girls hopped out, carrying wrapped packages. They jumped up and down, urging the woman with them to hurry. “Come on. We’re late. We might miss the reindeer.” The woman followed them across the parking area toward a red barn. Beside the barn, a group of reindeer hung their heads over the fence, watching the people arriving.

Should he or shouldn’t he? Why not? He was here. The worst that could happen is someone would ask him to leave. And the best? He wasn’t even sure.

He grabbed the gift and headed toward the barn. A chalkboard outside read Happy Birthday, Emma, so he was in the right place. He stepped up to one of the reindeer near the barn. The deer nudged his hand, and so he scratched her forehead, which seemed to please her.

Scott hadn’t lied when he told Emma he’d never seen a reindeer. He had seen gazelles and wildebeests and oryx in Africa, and barking deer in Indonesia, and pudus, the tiny Peruvian deer, but never reindeer. He had to admit, their antlers were impressive. And they were surprisingly gentle. No wonder Santa Claus chose reindeer as his favorite transportation.

A bearded man in a red polo stepped out of the barn and greeted Scott as he walked toward the gate. He picked up a couple of halters from a rack nearby and slipped inside the reindeer pen. The reindeer Scott had been petting immediately left him and went to nudge the man, who offered her a treat and slipped the halter over her head, buckling it behind her antlers.

Scott stepped inside the barn into a whirlwind of activity. A group of children were gathered around one blindfolded child who was attempting to hit a star-shaped piñata with a stick. Someone was raising and lowering the piñata, and the other children were shouting encouragement. “Go, Rafe!”

After three misses, another boy stepped up for a turn. He settled into a classic batter’s stance and swung wildly at the piñata, his momentum carrying him in a complete circle that sent the other children scattering and almost took out a nearby table. A corgi gave a sharp bark. A man with a weathered face caught the boy by the shoulders and pointed him in the right direction for another try.

Past the piñata, a group of adults stood watching and laughing. Volta was at the center of the group, snapping pictures of the children. She wore a simple blue shirt over jeans, her hair tucked back from her face. Scott stopped where he was and watched her expression change, so familiar, especially when she laughed. Beautiful.

“Hi, it’s Scott, right?” Volta’s brother had come up beside him. “Did you need to see Volta for something about work?”

“Hi. No. Nothing in particular. I hope it’s okay that I came.”

“Sure, it’s fine. Emma invited you. Help yourself to sodas or water on the table over there.” Beside the drinks table, a grinning boy shook a can of soda. “Oops, excuse me.” Leith hurried over to intervene.

Scott edged his way toward the group of adults. Volta was tying the blindfold onto Emma now. She handed her the stick and spun her around a couple of times. Another woman in a red polo herded the rest of the children a safe distance away before calling, “Okay, go.”

Emma took a swing with the pole. Whoever was manipulating the piñata jerked it upward. Emma completely missed but made an impressive whizzing noise as the stick cut through the air. The piñata lowered again in preparation for her next swing, but instead of winding up, Emma immediately swung back in the same arc and knocked a limb off the star, and a few pieces of candy tumbled to the ground.

The kids squealed and three of them dived on the candy. Someone grabbed the stick from Emma’s hand before she could take another swing and take out a crowd of children while she was at it. She jerked off the blindfold, but the other kids had already grabbed all the candy. She turned to her mother.

Volta pointed at the piñata. “There’s a lot more stuff inside. Christy, I believe it’s your turn.”

“Go, Christy,” Emma chanted. “Knock out the candy.”

Volta blindfolded the girl, spun her around and gave her a little nudge in the direction of the piñata. One good whack and the bottom fell out, sending the rest of the candy flying. This time all the kids made a mad dash for the candy, scooping up handfuls.

Volta handed out paper bags. “You can put your goodies in here to take home later.” She pointed at a table that held markers and stickers. “Go write your name on the bag and decorate it.”

Once the kids were convinced they’d found every last piece of candy, they drifted toward the table. An older woman standing in front of Scott chuckled. “I’ve seen bears at Katmai that weren’t that competitive. You’d think they were starving.”

Volta laughed and turned toward her to comment, but her laugh died in midstream when she spotted Scott. The older woman turned to him. “Hello. I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Dawn Jordan, Emma’s grandmother.”

“Scott Wi—”

“Scott and I know each other from work.” Volta came striding to them. “Scott, what are you doing here?”

“You came!” Emma rushed over to him. “You really did want to see the reindeer.”

“They’re spectacular. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Pretty soon, we’re going to pet the baby ones and then we’re going for reindeer rides. You can pet the reindeer, too. Right, Mommy?”

“Um, sure.”

Emma leaned closer and whispered, loud enough for her mother and grandmother to hear, “They have horses, too, but we can’t ride them because there’s only two, and that’s not enough for the whole party.”

“Oh,” Scott said. “That’s too bad. But the reindeer are awesome.”

“Hey, kids. We’re going to do pin the tail on the reindeer now,” the woman in the red polo called. Scott realized it had a sleigh embroidered on it.

“Go on over with Marissa,” Volta told Emma. “I’ll be right there.”

Emma skipped away. Her grandmother looked at Scott and then at Volta. When neither of them answered her unspoken question, she said, “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Scott. I’m going to go watch Emma and give you and Volta a minute to talk about...whatever it is you’re here to talk about. Excuse me, please.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Mrs. Jordan,” Scott said quickly.

As soon as she’d stepped away, Volta grabbed Scott’s elbow and dragged him to the far corner of the barn, away from everyone. “Once again. Why are you here?”

“Emma invited me.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Scott shrugged. “I wanted to see you again.”

“Why?”

“I want you to work with me as liaison.”

“You came to my daughter’s birthday party to talk me into working with you?”

He tried for a disarming smile. “And to see the reindeer.”

“Really?” She tilted her head. “You wanted to see reindeer? You’ve been everywhere.”

“Nowhere with reindeer. Not until now. By the way, why didn’t you let me introduce myself to your mother?”

“Why? Because my dad and my brother are here, and I’d rather not have any bloodshed at Emma’s party.”

“Bloodshed?”

“They never met you, but my mother knew your name, and my parents were none too pleased with my emotional state when I came home from Hawaii.”

“Oh.” Scott hadn’t considered that. Of course they would be protective of Volta and predisposed to dislike the man who broke her heart. Not that he blamed them.

The man with the weathered face Scott had noticed earlier walked over to them, a wrinkle in the center of his brow. “Is everything all right here?”

“It’s fine, Dad,” Volta said. “Scott, my father, Russ Jordan. Dad, Scott’s a doctor with DEMA.”

The man’s face relaxed. “Oh, DEMA. I’ve heard good things. Nice to meet you, Doctor.”

“Scott, please.” Scott offered his hand and Russ shook it.

“What brings you to Alaska, Scott?”

“I’m working on a study. In fact, I was just asking your daughter if she would act as my liaison. I understand she’s well connected in the villages.”

“That’s a great idea.” Russ wrapped an arm around Volta’s shoulders.

Volta gave a tight smile. “Thanks, Dad. I’ll keep it in mind. But for now, we’d better get back to the party. Chris and Marissa are rounding everyone up to visit the reindeer calves.”

“I’d better get my video camera,” Russ said as he hurried away.

Volta frowned at Scott. “Can we talk about this later? My daughter is celebrating her birthday and I don’t want to miss any magic moments arguing with you about work.”

She was right. He shouldn’t be using her daughter’s birthday party to push his own agenda. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come. We can talk Monday.” He gave a little bow and left the gift bag on the table with the others. “I’ll go now.”

Suddenly Volta laughed. “Aw, you’re as bad as Emma with the sad eyes. Stay. Pet a reindeer. After all, how often are you going to be in Alaska? You might never get another opportunity.”

He returned the smile. “Truer words were never spoken.”

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