14

The evening light in Alaska never ceased to amaze Allan. It looked like it was still only five or six o’clock and yet it was pushing 11:00 p.m.

He hadn’t wanted to say anything in front of Cassidy, but he’d forgotten about John. And the man should’ve been back before they ever left for their walk.

Guilt gnawed at his gut. He should have paid closer attention to the time. Instead, he’d been absorbed by Cassidy’s presence. What if something had happened to his boss, and Allan was the only one who even knew the experienced guide had gone out to do what he always did—double-and-triple check everything. All for the care and safety of others.

A mile up the trail, Allan spotted a waving red bandana. He couldn’t see John, which meant the man was down. He ran ahead. If only he’d been more observant. Had he been more vigilant . . . had he been more like John . . . maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

He came upon his mentor and wanted to retch. Blood stained his shirt and left trouser leg.

John lowered his bandana, his other arm tight about his middle and rasped, “I knew you’d find me.”

“John, I’m so sorry it took me so long. What happened?”

He shook his head. “You couldn’t have known, son. It’s all right.” He took a deep breath, which looked like it exhausted him. “I came upon a mama moose and her two calves. There wasn’t any time to react; I just rounded this bend and there they were.” He leaned his head back on the ground. “I backed up quietly, trying to put some space between us, but the mama probably thought I was after her babies, and she came after me with her hooves. She got in a couple of swift kicks and knocked me down. Then she left. Thankfully, she didn’t stay to trample me some more.”

Allan went into survivor mode. John had lost a lot of blood and it was more than a mile back to the hotel. He quickly took off his jacket and button-up shirt.

“Here.” John lifted his jacket to Allan. “Use this too.”

Tearing the bottom of his shirt into long strips, Allan used the material to bind John’s leg. Then he folded John’s jacket and pressed it against the wound in his abdomen and used the top of his shirt with the long sleeves to wrap around John’s midsection as a bandage and tied it as tight as he could. “This will have to do for now, but maybe it will help us get back to the hotel.”

“Thank you.” John’s words were weak.

“Stay with me, John. I need you to stay awake.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Allan assessed the situation. He was going to have to carry him down the trail. John had lost too much blood to leave and come back with help. “This isn’t going to be comfortable, but I’m going to have to lift you like a sack of potatoes over my shoulder if we’re going to make it back. Hopefully that jacket will give the wound in your abdomen some padding, but I don’t know how else to do it.”

“Do what you have to do. I’ll make it.”

Helping John to his feet, Allan hoped he’d have the strength to make it back. His boss was a solid, muscular, and tall man. He crouched down and let John lean over his shoulders and back. Allan grabbed John’s right arm and right leg and lifted. As he balanced the man’s weight on his shoulders, John moaned.

“I’m sorry, John.”

“It’s all right. Now that I’m up, I’m okay.”

Brave words. But Allan knew they weren’t true. Now he just needed to make it back to the hotel in time.

Step after step down the trail, Allan tried not to jostle his cargo too much. John had long since passed out. Probably from the pain or the loss of blood. It didn’t matter. Just made it all the more urgent.

Allan’s thoughts returned to Cassidy and their conversation earlier. A realization hit him square in the face. He cared about these people. A lot. Somewhere along the way they had managed to find a hole in his wall.

John was more than just his boss. He’d become his friend. Allan respected him and wanted to learn all he could from him. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that John reminded him of his father. All the best parts of him.

And then there was Cassidy. With her dark, inquisitive eyes. And her constantly positive outlook.

He couldn’t deny it. He wanted their friendship to grow.

“Mr. Brennan! Mr. Brennan!”

Allan couldn’t see anyone yet, but that sure did sound like Thomas—and what a beautiful sound it was.

Footsteps got closer and then he could see the young man running up the path.

“Mr. Brennan, is Mr. Ivanoff all right?”

Allan kept moving down the trail, afraid to stop and lose the steady momentum. “He’s been kicked by a moose. I need you to run back and tell Mr. Bradley. Ask him to get the medic and to prepare a room in the hotel for John. It’s not pretty.”

“Yes, sir.” Thomas nodded and took off at a sprint.

The sight of Thomas renewed Allan’s energy. They would be ready to help John as soon as he made it to the hotel, so he simply needed to place one foot in front of the other and make his way down the trail.

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Cassidy paced the lobby of the hotel while a few of the other men went out to help Allan the rest of the way.

When they entered the front door, Allan had her father over his shoulders. He looked exhausted, but his eyes found hers and pierced her heart. He nodded to her and went down to his knees, while three other men lifted her father off of him.

She followed them down the hallway but looked back at Allan, still kneeling in the lobby. His white undershirt was soaked in blood. Her father’s blood.

Cassidy’s voice choked. “Thank you.” She didn’t wait for his response but hurried to join her father.

The medic wouldn’t let her in the room and had placed Mr. Bradley as guard at the door. “This isn’t something your father would want you to see. Right now he needs the medic’s full attention and you would be a distraction. I’ll come get you as soon as we know anything.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Mr. Bradley. I’ll just wait out here.”

He nodded and closed the door.

She leaned against the wall and then slid down it, pulling her knees up to her chest. She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. Lord, please don’t let him die. He’s all I have.

All the conversations from the past few days sprang into her mind. That she was little Miss Sunshine, had lived a fairy-tale life, and was always positive.

She didn’t feel so optimistic right now. Instead, loneliness gripped her again. What would she do if she lost her father? He’d always been there.

Sobs shook her shoulders and she buried her face in her apron.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder. “Cassidy, shhh, it’s okay. I’m here.” Mrs. Johnson’s voice sounded almost lyrical. “Allan came and got me. He thought you might need a shoulder.”

Lifting her head, she sobbed harder and threw herself into the woman’s arms. They sat on the floor rocking for what seemed like hours. She owed Allan so much. He knew . . . somehow he knew that she’d need comfort from a motherly figure. And even though Mrs. Johnson could be all prickles and rough edges, she was the only one Cassidy wanted right now. Other than her father.

A tap on her shoulder brought her awake in a snap. Cassidy sat up. “Dad?” The medic stood before her, blood on his jacket.

“He’s all right. And he’ll mend. Took quite a beating and lost a lot of blood, but I’ve got him stitched up. I don’t think there’s severe internal damage, but we’ll keep an eye out for swelling in the abdomen and blood in his urine. There will be a lot of bruising, and we’ll have to watch him for infection, but I think in a few weeks, he’ll be back to full strength.”

She nodded. “Thank you . . . ?” It hit her that she didn’t even know the man’s name.

“It’s Larry. And you’re welcome.”

She scrubbed her face with her hands and looked at Mrs. Johnson. How appropriate that the medic’s name was Larry.

Mrs. Johnson was all smiles.

Cassidy looked back at Larry. “Thank you. May I see him?”

“Yes. He was asking for you earlier, but he’s sleeping pretty hard now.”

“That doesn’t matter. I just want to see him.”

The medic nodded and walked away.

Mr. Bradley greeted her at the door. “Your father is a strong man, Miss Ivanoff. I’m sure he’ll have a full recovery.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bradley. For everything.”

“Not a problem, my dear. He’s the best man I’ve got. We’ll take good care of him. Barring any complications to his condition, he should be able to get up and around in about a week and then he’ll have to take it slow for a week or two after that.”

She nodded and looked at her father. He’d always been so strong. The vision of health. Now he looked pale and tired.

Leaning over his bed, she kissed his forehead. “I love you, Daddy. Now you just concentrate on getting better. I’ll be praying for you.”

“It’s probably best you just let him sleep.” The manager patted her shoulder. “Looks like you could use some sleep as well. We’ll make sure someone comes to get you as soon as he’s awake again. Never fear, someone will be with him throughout the night.”

“All right.” Cassidy headed for the door and saw Mrs. Johnson and Allan both waiting for her outside.

Mrs. Johnson came forward and grabbed her hands. “Go get some sleep. I don’t even want to see you before noon.”

“But—”

“Don’t argue with me, Cassidy Faith. You sleep and get some time in with your father. There will be plenty of work to do later.”

Cassidy couldn’t help but smile at the glint in the woman’s eye. “Yes, ma’am.”

Mrs. Johnson waved and walked away. “Not before noon!”

Cassidy looked at Allan for a moment. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but there were no words. Without even thinking about it, she went straight into his arms. She hugged him for all she was worth. “Thank you.”

It only took a moment before his strong arms wrapped around her. She’d never been held by a man other than her father, and she didn’t know if it was the emotion and relief of the moment, or simply that it was Allan who held her. But she never wanted to leave.