Across a Thousand Miles by Nadia Nichols Page B

different trails and training at different times. That didn’t work, either, because after a week of playing such wilderness hide-and-seek, he drove his dilapidated truck into her yard just after chore time and jumped out, taking the porch steps two at a time. His hair was carelessly tousled and his face windburned from long miles on the trail and still showing the damage from his escapade on the river. There was the bristle of stitches over his right cheekbone, another shorter row above his right eyebrow, tape strips across the bridge of his nose. But his badly bruised eye had opened up, and his gaze was as clear and keen as ever. He grinned unabashedly as she stepped onto the porch. “Hey! Guess what’s playing in Dawson tonight? Iron Will! It must be fate! What do you say? I’ll spring for the popcorn.”
    Rebecca’s heartbeat tripled. “Mac, how many times do I have to say no before you finally get the idea?”
    â€œOh, I get the idea, all right. You want to be a hermit. A recluse. You want to hide out here in this cabin with your typewriter and your dogs and shut out the rest of the world. I just don’t think it’s a very good idea, that’s all.”
    â€œWhat I do with my time is my business. Maybe it’s time you started minding yours.”
    â€œRebecca, you don’t have to talk to me, you don’t even have to sit next to me in the theater. We don’t have to hold hands, kiss good-night, have sex or get married. I’m just asking you to go to town with me. To get away from here for a little while. That’s all. Honest.”
    â€œNo!”
    Mac squared off, his countenance darkening with frustration. “You know what you are? You’re a living mausoleum. You’re the most beautiful mausoleum I’ve ever seen, but a mausoleum nonetheless. Living for your husband’s memory isn’t enough, Rebecca. You can’t shut yourself away from the world forever.”
    Anger swept through her in a hot, fierce wave, and she tensed against it, keeping her voice calm. “Did Ellin put you up to this?”
    He shook his head. “No. I care about you, that’s all. I know you aren’t exactly crazy about me, but you’ve helped me out in so many ways. I just want to return the favor.”
    â€œBy asking me out to the movies?” Rebecca moaned with frustration and pressed her palms to her temples. “Look, Mac, why don’t you ask Sadie? She’d love to go with you. I appreciate your concern for me, but it’s completely unwarranted. I like what I do. I like how I live. I don’t mind being alone. I honestly don’t! I just wish you’d let me be!”
    Mac was silent, then he shoved his hands into his parka pockets, stared at his boots for a moment, nodded and turned to go. He paused at the bottom of the steps and glanced back at her, his sudden grin brash and unexpected. “I guess you’re telling me to get lost, right? You’ll be glad to hear I almost got good and lost today,trying to find you out on the trails. We must’ve covered close to a hundred miles. I got so turned around that if it weren’t for Merlin, we’d probably still be out there.” He took two steps toward his truck and glanced back, still grinning at her in a way that caused butterflies in her stomach. “I guess there might be worse reasons for getting lost than looking for you, Rebecca Reed, but I don’t know if there could ever be a better one.

CHAPTER FIVE
    I N THE Y UKON T ERRITORY on December 24 there were three-point-eight hours of daylight, the temperature was minus thirty degrees Fahrenheit, and it was snowing. Rebecca was running her team and had been out since 8 a.m. It was noon now, and in another hour she would be home. The dogs were moving well, trotting steadily, eating up the miles. She was pleased with their progress, pleased with Raven and Cookie’s strengthening leadership