jobs paid for most of my college tuition. It’s an honest way to earn a living.”
The silence on the other end of the phone told Sam that Bill was likely getting ready to tell her a couple of things—supposedly for her own good. Before he could, she added, “Besides, I’ll have you know this job comes with a ton of responsibility. All the management stuff I learned in school is coming in handy. So when you tattle on me to Dad, you be sure to tell him that .”
“I’m not going to tell Dad or anybody else, kiddo. You can count on me. Honest.”
“Really?”
“Really. So my baby sister is the boss of things, is she?”
“You could say that.” Technically, Bryce was the boss. And until Olive left, his aunt outranked Sam, too. But Bill would find that out soon enough. “So when can you be here?”
“I’ll have to let you know. Soon as I can get reservations.”
“Super! And I have a sofa bed in the living room, so you won’t need a hotel room…”
“You’re sure I’m not putting you out?”
“Are you kidding? It’ll be great having you all to myself for a couple of weeks. Like the old days, when you’d take me fishing and dole out advice about boys.”
“Yeah, those were the days all right,” he said. “So is it true what they say about Alaska—that there are a million guys for every girl?”
“Men outnumber women, that’s true,” she answered, laughing, “but the odds aren’t anywhere near that good.”
“Good, ’cause if any of them come sniffin’ around my little sister, they’ll have me to answer to.”
She thought of Dan Brooks asking her to have dinner with him…in Paris. Didn’t the guy realize how inappropriate an invitation like that was, or that if word of the invitation had gotten out, every tongue in North Pole would have wagged for weeks? “Aren’t we all lucky, then, that nobody is sniffin’?”
“What? Pretty little thing like you? I would’ve bet you’re exhausted from beating ’em off with sticks. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your big brother, either.”
“When you get here, I’ll give you a big hug just for saying that. I hope it’ll be soon…”
“I’ll make some phone calls in the morning, let you know what I find out. You sure you’re okay with having me underfoot for ten days?”
Of everyone in her family, Bill had always been the type who liked going places and doing things all by himself. It’s what had inspired him to enlist in the army and sign up for a tour of duty in Iraq. No way she’d have to worry about how he’d entertain himself while she worked. “I’ll ask around, get a list together of things you can do while I’m at the shop.”
“Okey doke. Soon as I have an itinerary, I’ll give you a holler.”
“Good idea. That way I’ll know when to pick you up at the Fairbanks airport.”
“Uh, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather rent a car so I won’t have to borrow yours.” He chuckled. “Oh, wait. I forgot. You sold yours.” Then, “What are you driving around town? Surely not that big clumsy RV you bought before you left home…”
“You’ll be happy to know I don’t need a car. My apartment is right upstairs from the shop.”
“So how do you buy groceries and get to the dentist’s and stuff like that?”
“Everything I need is within walking distance.” A fact—for now. Once winter set in, she’d be in a pickle for sure if she couldn’t find a dependable vehicle, because she’d never survive schlepping around town in subzero temperatures and knee-deep snow. But Bill didn’t need to know that.
“Talk to you tomorrow, kiddo.”
“Okay, and remember…let me be the one to tell the rest of the family about this job situation, okay?”
“When have you ever known me not to keep my word?”
She could think of dozens of instances when he’d tattled on her—after promising not to—but if Sam hoped to keep him on her side, they’d have to remain safely in the past. “I’ll
The silence on the other end of the phone told Sam that Bill was likely getting ready to tell her a couple of things—supposedly for her own good. Before he could, she added, “Besides, I’ll have you know this job comes with a ton of responsibility. All the management stuff I learned in school is coming in handy. So when you tattle on me to Dad, you be sure to tell him that .”
“I’m not going to tell Dad or anybody else, kiddo. You can count on me. Honest.”
“Really?”
“Really. So my baby sister is the boss of things, is she?”
“You could say that.” Technically, Bryce was the boss. And until Olive left, his aunt outranked Sam, too. But Bill would find that out soon enough. “So when can you be here?”
“I’ll have to let you know. Soon as I can get reservations.”
“Super! And I have a sofa bed in the living room, so you won’t need a hotel room…”
“You’re sure I’m not putting you out?”
“Are you kidding? It’ll be great having you all to myself for a couple of weeks. Like the old days, when you’d take me fishing and dole out advice about boys.”
“Yeah, those were the days all right,” he said. “So is it true what they say about Alaska—that there are a million guys for every girl?”
“Men outnumber women, that’s true,” she answered, laughing, “but the odds aren’t anywhere near that good.”
“Good, ’cause if any of them come sniffin’ around my little sister, they’ll have me to answer to.”
She thought of Dan Brooks asking her to have dinner with him…in Paris. Didn’t the guy realize how inappropriate an invitation like that was, or that if word of the invitation had gotten out, every tongue in North Pole would have wagged for weeks? “Aren’t we all lucky, then, that nobody is sniffin’?”
“What? Pretty little thing like you? I would’ve bet you’re exhausted from beating ’em off with sticks. And I’m not just saying that because I’m your big brother, either.”
“When you get here, I’ll give you a big hug just for saying that. I hope it’ll be soon…”
“I’ll make some phone calls in the morning, let you know what I find out. You sure you’re okay with having me underfoot for ten days?”
Of everyone in her family, Bill had always been the type who liked going places and doing things all by himself. It’s what had inspired him to enlist in the army and sign up for a tour of duty in Iraq. No way she’d have to worry about how he’d entertain himself while she worked. “I’ll ask around, get a list together of things you can do while I’m at the shop.”
“Okey doke. Soon as I have an itinerary, I’ll give you a holler.”
“Good idea. That way I’ll know when to pick you up at the Fairbanks airport.”
“Uh, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather rent a car so I won’t have to borrow yours.” He chuckled. “Oh, wait. I forgot. You sold yours.” Then, “What are you driving around town? Surely not that big clumsy RV you bought before you left home…”
“You’ll be happy to know I don’t need a car. My apartment is right upstairs from the shop.”
“So how do you buy groceries and get to the dentist’s and stuff like that?”
“Everything I need is within walking distance.” A fact—for now. Once winter set in, she’d be in a pickle for sure if she couldn’t find a dependable vehicle, because she’d never survive schlepping around town in subzero temperatures and knee-deep snow. But Bill didn’t need to know that.
“Talk to you tomorrow, kiddo.”
“Okay, and remember…let me be the one to tell the rest of the family about this job situation, okay?”
“When have you ever known me not to keep my word?”
She could think of dozens of instances when he’d tattled on her—after promising not to—but if Sam hoped to keep him on her side, they’d have to remain safely in the past. “I’ll
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