Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,128

probably would ignore me if I said I had someone he should meet. And you get annoyed whenever I try to introduce you to men...so...”

“So, you set this up?”

Jade nodded and her grin said she was proud of herself. “Yep. And it worked.”

Maddie swallowed hard. She forced herself not to reach out and strangle her sister. “Yeah, only it didn’t because I told Mike I couldn’t see him...because of you.”

“What?” Jade looked confused. “Why would you do that?”

Right now, Maddie had no idea.

* * *

A FEW DAYS LATER, Mike loaded the SnowTrek Tours van for a winter camping expedition. His first one leading a group of six campers on a two-night trip in the Alaskan backwoods. Getting out of town again would give him a reason not to reach out to Maddie and hopefully help take his mind off her. The past few days had been torture not hearing from her.

He kept hoping that maybe she’d change her mind...

“All set to go?” Cassie asked, coming outside.

“Just about,” he said. The campers were seated inside the van and the gear was loaded. He closed the back doors and turned to his boss.

“Hey,” Cassie said, “I was wondering—have you read those evaluation forms from the ice fishing excursion yet?”

“I read some of them,” he said. “Everyone seemed to have enjoyed it.” Was she still worried about his ability to lead the tour? Had someone had a concern?

“Did you read this one?” Cassie asked, extending one toward him.

He took it and his heart pounded in his chest, seeing Maddie’s name at the top of the page. He read her evaluation of the excursion, skimming her praise for the accommodations and the food and the overall tour rating.

Then his breath caught in his chest as he saw the guide evaluation section.

At first I was disappointed to learn that our guide was Mike, seeing as how I believed him to be a gruff, egocentric guy who’d broken my sister’s heart. Turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong about him. He’s kind and considerate and strong and capable and all the things I’d look for in a...guide. When my “match” didn’t show up, I thought being trapped in a fishing hut with Mike for two days would be difficult. The only thing difficult was the weekend coming to an end much too quickly. Mike is the perfect...guide. And I hope to experience more excursions with him in the future.

He released a deep breath as he raised his gaze to Cassie’s. “So, I guess she enjoyed the experience.” Her evaluation was great, but he already knew she felt those things. Trouble was, they still couldn’t be together.

Cassie grinned. “So much so that she booked another one.” She cocked her head to the side and nodded down the street.

Mike turned to see Maddie headed their way, bundled warm in a thick ski suit, knitted hat, scarf and gloves, rugged thermal winter boots on her feet, and an overnight backpack and winter sleeping bag on her back. His mouth dropped. “She’s coming?”

Cassie patted him on the shoulder. “Just keep your wits about you and bring everyone back safe, okay,” she said with a wink as she went back inside.

Maddie stopped in front of him on the sidewalk. “Hi,” she said.

“Hey.”

She was here. She was coming on the trip. They were going to spend two full days and nights together out in the Alaskan wilderness. And she looked so breathtakingly beautiful...those emerald eyes lighting up his day.

But she’d said they could only be friends, so his stomach turned at the thought that she might still be sticking to that.

“So, it turns out my sister really doesn’t have an issue with us seeing one another,” she said quickly, sounding slightly nervous. “In fact, she thought we’d be perfect together. So, if you were still wanting to ask me out or something, that would actually be okay.”

Oh, he wanted to ask her out. Over and over again.

But right now, he wanted to kiss her.

He stepped closer and pulled her into him. “Maddie, would you like to go on a real date sometime?” he murmured against her lips.

“Only if it includes the outdoors and the night sky and hours of just being together,” she said, moving even closer, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Where have you been all my life?” he asked with a smile, touching her flushed, cool cheek.

“Waiting right here while you dated the wrong girl,” she said with a grin before kissing him, hard, her passion making his heart