To Alaska, With Love: A Touch of Silk

“Yeah,” Meggie murmured, “real special. Can’t say I’m too keen on this modern-day mail-order-bride concept he’s instigated.”

“No?”

“Oh, Meggie,” her mother said, “give it a chance. You never know what might happen.”

Meggie shook her head. “He’s just going to get hurt.”

“You think so?” Kay asked.

“Uh-huh. You wouldn’t believe it by looking at him, but Quinn’s pretty tenderhearted. When he loves, he loves deeply.”

“That’s true,” Linda added.

Don’t worry, Kay longed to tell them but couldn’t. This thing between us is purely physical. He won’t fall in love with me.

“He needs an Alaskan wife,” Meggie said. “Someone who understands him and his love for this land. I’m afraid that all he’s going to get for his advertising dollars is a gaggle of giggling bimbos who’ll take him for a ride, then skedaddle out of here at the first sign of winter. Just like Heather did.”

“His ex-girlfriend.”

“He told you about her?”

“Now, honey, don’t judge Heather,” Linda interjected. “She just couldn’t get used to the quiet of Bear Creek. Besides, isn’t criticizing Heather’s reluctance to live in Alaska a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black?”

“Hey,” Meggie said, “I never pretended to want to stay in Alaska. Even though I happened to be born here, I’m a city girl through and through. I gotta have action.”

“Isn’t that the truth.” Linda rolled her eyes. “I swear you kicked like a mule to get out the entire last trimester of my pregnancy.”

“I love the city, too,” Kay said, happy to have found a kindred spirit in this land of ice and snow.

“Honey, you are the city.”

“I don’t understand what’s so fascinating about people being crammed on top of each other and driving like maniacs. What’s the attraction?” Linda shook her head.

“Stimulating conversation,” Meggie said.

“Great parties,” Kay added.

“Museums,” Meggie popped off.

“Shopping!” Kay grinned.

“Symphonies.”

“The theater.”

“Terrific Chinese takeout delivered right to your door!” they cried in unison, stared in awe at each other, then burst out laughing.

Kay felt instant camaraderie with Meggie, and the feeling astonished her. She didn’t make friends this readily. Ever. But they’d forged a connection. She knew by the merry gleam shining in Meggie’s blue-green eyes. She possessed the same irresistible magnetic personality as her older brother.

“My daughter, the cosmopolitan gourmand.” Linda smiled indulgently. “Who’d have thought it when she was spitting peas in my face at ten months?”