Three weeks ago, when those handcuffs had closed over his wrists, Peter had felt the life he’d worked so hard for slipping out of his grasp forever. He’d glanced over at Tate through the trees, grateful that his friend wasn’t facing the same treatment.
He’d spent a week in the Desparre jail. He’d asked his family not to come see him and told Tate not to let Alanna back to the cells, either. The last time she saw him wasn’t going to be through the bars of a jail cell. At least that way, when she climbed aboard the airplane with Kensie and Colter, her last memory of him would be the kiss they’d shared.
He’d been sure his arrest would make the news. There’d be no way to hide it from her. But he hadn’t wanted her to see him, to try to help. Hadn’t wanted to give her one more thing to feel guilty over when it had been his decision. And he’d do it again. Even if it hadn’t turned out okay in the end.
Now Peter handed over his ID at the tiny airport a few hours outside of Desparre. The next flight to Chicago left in two hours. Along with the three legs of the flight and the layovers in between, that meant he’d land in Chicago eighteen hours from now. Maybe in that time, he’d figure out exactly what he was going to say.
Alanna had called the station a few times over the past few weeks, trying to get through to him, presumably not knowing the outcome of his arrest, since the chief had actually kept it out of the press. Alanna had even managed to dig up Tate’s number and had Colter call Chief Hernandez. He’d asked them all to just pass on that he would be fine, without giving any specifics. He didn’t want to give her false hope, didn’t want to open the lines of communication if he was going to spend the next five to ten years behind bars. Didn’t want to say anything at all until he was one hundred percent sure.
Nodding his thanks to the clerk who handed back his card and took his luggage, Peter headed to security, which was light as usual. It was a small airport, mostly jumper flights in and out of Fairbanks.
After passing through the X-ray machine, he went straight for the big window to stare out at the vast snowy expanse that represented Alaska to him. He’d be back, of course. His whole family lived here. When he had told them about his plans, they’d all looked at him like he was out of his mind and then erupted with arguments. Until his mom had simply held up a hand to silence everyone. Staring straight at him, she’d asked, “Are you sure?” When he’d nodded, she’d smiled sadly and said, “I expect you back here every two months, minimum. Got it?”
With the promise secured, he’d headed home and packed enough for a month. Hopefully in that time, he’d know.
Taking a deep breath, he turned his back on the openness of Alaska that he loved.
Then a loud bark made his head swivel and there was Chance, bounding toward him through the airport.
“What the—” Peter knelt down as Chance reached him and almost got knocked over for his trouble. “Easy, boy.” He hugged the dog, looking over his head. “Where’s Alanna?”
Then he spotted her, rounding the corner at a run, her rolling luggage making a thunk thunk thunk sound, her long dark hair trailing behind her.
He stood, running to meet her with Chance on his heels.
She skidded to a stop and he did, too, a foot away from her. Chance plowed in between them, walking through and back, punctuating each turn with a bark.
“Chance, relax,” Alanna admonished, then stared up at Peter. “What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here? Didn’t you go home weeks ago?”
She settled her luggage next to her, slapped her hands on her hips. “Yes, when Colter and Kensie insisted there was no talking any sense into you, that you were never going to see me.” Her eyes watered over, then she blinked the moisture away. “Why did you do that?”
He reached out, taking her hand. “I didn’t know what my future held. I didn’t want to tie you to it.”
“I was already tied to it. It was my fault—”
“That’s just it,” he cut her off. “It wasn’t your fault. And I don’t want us to be connected by obligation.”
She stared at him a long moment, then asked, “What happened? Last I heard, you’d been arrested.”
“I was. But Tate talked the chief into filing things differently. A police decision without proper documentation, is I think how he framed it. That’s not exactly how it ended up, but he saved me jail time.”
Her shoulders relaxed, a smile lighting up her face. “So, your job is okay?”
“No.” The smile faded and he squeezed her hand a little tighter, feeling awkward reaching across the space between them, but not willing to get any closer. Not yet. “I’ll never be a police officer again.”
This time, the tears did spill over. “Peter, I’m so sorry. I never—”
“Don’t you dare apologize. It hurt, but it’s not the first time I’ve left behind a job I loved. At least this time, it was a conscious decision. I knew what was on the line when I broke Darcy out. I got more than I deserved, because Tate is a damn good friend and Chief Hernandez can be nicer than she seems. And now...”
“Now what?”
He took a deep breath, suddenly nervous and very aware of how much he’d needed those eighteen hours to figure out what he was going to say to her. “I took a new job. It’s a trial period, but I’m going back to reporting.”
“Oh.” Alanna’s fingers twitched in his. “Back into a war zone?”
“No. I’m going to cover crime. With my background as a police officer and a reporter, they thought I’d be the perfect fit. It’s not exactly where I thought I’d be right now, but I’m glad. I’m hoping you’ll be happy about it, too.”
“Well, yes. I’m sorry you can’t be a cop anymore and I wish... Well, I’m glad you’ve found something else that excites you.” She glanced down at their linked hands. “Peter, look, I came back here because I couldn’t take all the silence. No matter what, I had to see you. I know we didn’t have long together, but I...” She took a visible breath and Chance nudged up against her, as if to say, Spit it out, then sat at her side. “In the time we spent together, I’ve developed feelings for you. I want to see where that goes.”
“Alanna—”
“Just hear me out.” She stepped closer, almost close enough to kiss. “I know a cross-country relationship won’t be easy. But I miss Alaska. I want to visit more. And I think you’d like Chicago. I really do. If we each travel to one another a few times a year, I really think—”
“Alanna, stop.”
She looked at her feet, then back up at him. “I know you care for me, Peter. I—”
“I love you,” he said, cutting her off. “I know it’s fast. Too fast, maybe. But it’s there and it’s real and I’m not letting it go.” He took a step closer, until he could kiss her if he just leaned down. “I’m not letting you go. I do want to travel back and forth a bit—my family insists on it, actually—but the job is in Chicago.”
Her mouth dropped open and she just stared at him.
“I know you need to be there,” he said softly. “It’s right that you should get time with the family you were denied for so long. You deserve that. And I want to be where you are.”
She continued to stare until he let out a nervous laugh. “Too much? I know—”
Before he could finish the sentence, she was up on her tiptoes, falling against him, her arms around his neck and her lips on his.
When she finally pulled free, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling, she whispered, “I love you, too, Peter.”
Then Chance pushed his way in between them and Alanna laughed.
Peter took hold of her luggage and her hand, then spun back toward the entrance.
Alanna hurried to keep up. “Where are we going?”
“I’m thinking back to my place. I’m hanging on to it for when we visit here. What do you say we stay here for a few days, then head home to Chicago?”
She stopped abruptly, making him pause, too. “Home to Chicago.” She smiled, grabbing hold of him for one more kiss. “I like the sound of that.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from Impact Zone by Julie Anne Lindsey.