Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
#AlaskaLife #GhostHunting #MorningVibes #NoFilter
S ophie woke before her alarm, the memory of last night’s kiss bringing an immediate smile to her face. She reached for her phone out of habit, then stopped. Some moments deserved to be savored before being shared.
The early morning light painted her cabin in soft gold, and she could barely hear the lodge coming to life—the distant sound of Nukak in the kitchen, Johnny’s robot whirring across the deck, the familiar creak of footsteps on the walkway.
She stretched under the covers, replaying the way Wyatt had looked at her before he kissed her—like she was something he wasn’t sure he should want but couldn’t resist any longer. It made her stomach flutter just thinking about it. Happy. Hopeful. A little terrified.
On impulse, she picked up her phone and typed out a message to her mom. Hey, I met this guy. I think I really like him. It’s happening so fast, and I don’t know what to do. What would you do?
She hesitated before pressing send. Maybe she was looking for reassurance. Maybe she just wanted to hear that her mother had been in her shoes before. She set the phone down beside her and took a deep breath, trying to shake the nervous energy humming under her skin.
A few minutes later, the screen lit up with her mom’s response. You’ll figure it out, darling. You always do.
Sophie exhaled, rolling onto her back, unsurprised by the response. That was the thing. Her parents believed in her—in their own hands-off way. They assumed she’d be fine because she always was. It wasn’t neglect, exactly. Just…distance.
She didn’t blame them, not really. They had their own world, their own rhythm. She’d spent years wishing they were different, but at some point, she’d just accepted it. Some parents showed up for every school play and packed homemade lunches. Hers sent postcards from exotic places and wired money for birthdays.
Neither way was wrong. Just…different.
She glanced at the message one more time before locking her phone and pushing back the blankets. Maybe it was time to stop waiting for something that wasn’t going to change. Maybe it was time to trust herself.
A knock at the door startled her.
“Coffee delivery,” Wyatt’s voice called softly.
She opened the door to find him holding two steaming mugs, looking slightly uncertain in the morning light. He’d clearly just finished his early patrol—his ranger jacket was dusted with frost, and his cheeks were pink from the cold.
“You are the best!” She accepted the mug, then, feeling brave, she stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
His smile was somewhere between shy and pleased. “Sleep well?”
“Very.” She leaned against the doorframe. “Though I had the strangest dream about kissing a grumpy ranger under the northern lights...”
“Sounds terrible.”
“Oh, definitely. The worst.” But she was grinning, and so was he, and everything felt bright and new and possible.
A crash from the main lodge made them both jump. Through the window, they could see Johnny’s robot had apparently achieved flight, though not landing.
“I should...” Wyatt gestured vaguely toward the chaos.
“Go be ranger-ly?” She took a sip of her coffee—fixed exactly how she liked it. “Though I notice you had time to learn my coffee order.”
“Professional observation skills.” But he was still smiling as he headed toward the lodge.
Sophie watched him go, warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with coffee. When she finally turned back to her room, she caught sight of herself in the mirror and had to laugh. She looked exactly like what she was—a woman who’d just been kissed by someone who made her heart flutter.
Her phone buzzed with comments from last night’s ghost tour video:
“But did anything spooky happen???”
“More ranger content please! ??”
“Why do I feel like we’re missing something? ??”
Sophie smiled and started recording.
“Good morning, ghost squad! So, about last night’s tour...” She paused, considering. “Let’s just say some mysteries are better left unexplained. At least for now.”
She ended the recording and posted it, knowing her followers would go crazy trying to decode her cryptic message. But for once, she didn’t feel the need to share every detail of her life. Some moments were just for her.
Like the way Wyatt had looked at her under the stars.
Like how his hand had felt against her cheek.
Like this quiet morning that felt like the beginning of something real.
A knock on her open door made her turn. Whitney stood there, a knowing smile on her face.
“So,” she said, “anything interesting happen last night?”
“Not really.” Sophie tried to keep her expression neutral. “Just the usual—ghost stories, northern lights, life-changing kisses...You know, typical Friday night.”
Whitney’s delighted laugh echoed across the deck. “Finally! Darrow owes me twenty dollars.”
“You were betting on us?”
“Honey, the whole town was betting on you.” Whitney’s eyes sparkled. “Though I think Mrs. Swenson at the general store had you holding out until October.”
Sophie groaned. “Does everyone know?”
“Small town.” Whitney squeezed her shoulder. “Besides, you’re both glowing like the northern lights. Now come on, help me with breakfast. You can tell me all about it while we work.”
“There’s not much to tell...” But Sophie was already following her toward the lodge, unable to keep the smile off her face.
Inside, Wyatt was helping Johnny retrieve his robot from the chandelier while Darrow offered unhelpful suggestions from below. Wyatt caught Sophie’s eye and that shy smile returned. Her stomach did a little flip as warmth rushed through her.
“Not much to tell, eh?” Whitney whispered.
Sophie just smiled, watching Wyatt balance precariously on a chair to reach the robot. Everything felt different this morning—brighter, clearer, more real. Like she was seeing Alaska through new eyes.
Or maybe she was just seeing her own heart more clearly.
Either way, she had a feeling her followers were in for some interesting content. Though maybe she’d keep the best parts just for herself.
Some stories, after all, were better lived than told.