Wildly, Boldly (Return to Culloden Moor #4)

Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

T he wind howled outside his cabin, a familiar sound that usually brought comfort. Tonight, though, Wyatt barely noticed it as he sat at his desk, arms crossed, glaring at his laptop screen.

He shouldn’t be doing this.

It wasn’t any of his business what Sophie Marlow posted online. Except...maybe it was. Her words from that first day kept echoing in his head.

“I’ve got over a million followers.”

She’d said it so casually that afternoon at the visitor center, like it was nothing special. He’d thought she was exaggerating, but now, staring at her profile, he couldn’t deny the numbers.

1.6 million followers.

His jaw clenched. That was...a lot of people. More than he’d expected, though he wasn’t sure what he’d expected.

Against his better judgment, he clicked on one of her videos. The screen filled with a sunset over Skagway, the golden light making the historic buildings glow. Sophie’s voice, warm and inviting, flowed through his speakers.

“Some people say small towns are boring. I say they just haven’t found the right one yet.”

The video continued, showing tourists laughing as they walked the boardwalk, Kiska waving from behind the counter at her trading post, Buck grinning as he hauled in his catch. She wasn’t just making Skagway look good—she was making it look special.

The comments section was filled with people planning trips.

“I NEED to visit! ???♀???”

“This town looks like a dream ??”

“Do they need a librarian? Asking for a friend (it’s me) ????”

His frown deepened. She was actually bringing people here. Real people, who might not have known about Skagway otherwise.

He almost closed the laptop. Almost. But then he saw the thumbnail of the next video and his stomach dropped.

It was him.

The video opened with Sophie filming from across the street. He recognized the scene immediately—him in his uniform, standing outside the visitor center, talking to the Swensons about wildlife safety.

Sophie’s whispered voice came through the speakers. “Meet Wyatt Boone. Park ranger. Wilderness expert. Keeper of rules.”

He scowled. Of course she’d focus on the rules part.

The video cut to him answering questions. “Bears aren’t looking for trouble. Just make noise when you hike, carry bear spray, and for pete’s sake, don’t try to take selfies with them.”

The Swensons had laughed that day. So had Sophie, apparently, because her caption read: “Wyatt Boone: Bear Safety Icon. Also, Definitely Not a Morning Person.”

The comments made his ears burn.

“I could listen to him talk about bears all day ????”

“Is the ranger single? ????”

“Why does this feel like the start of a romance novel? ???”

He blinked, surprised. She’d made him look...good. Not just good—competent. Professional. Maybe a little grumpy, but in a way people seemed to appreciate.

One video led to another. Sophie’s content wasn’t just about ghosts or supernatural occurrences. They were about people. Real people.

There was Sitka talking about his grandmother’s sourdough starter, a recipe that had survived the Klondike Gold Rush. Storm demonstrating her famous Alaskan cocktails at the Historic Skagway Inn, each drink coming with a story. Chief sharing legends from his forty years on the water, his weathered face creasing with smile lines as he described the changing tides.

Every single video made Skagway’s residents look interesting, kind, and genuine. No one looked foolish. No one looked small.

Something tightened in his chest. She wasn’t mocking the town or its people. She was celebrating them.

His thumb hovered over the like button. He shouldn’t. But she was...good at this. Really good.

He started to type a comment: “You left out the part where I spend half my day keeping tourists from getting lost.”

Then he stopped. Backspaced. Instead, he shut the laptop with more force than necessary.

Leaning back in his chair, Wyatt stared at the ceiling. Everything he learned about Sophie Marlow just made him like her more. He was getting in deep, and he knew it.

He should take a step back. That would be the smart thing to do. But watching her videos, seeing how in just ten days she’d captured the heart of Skagway, bringing out the best in everyone she met...well, he wasn’t feeling particularly smart tonight.

He’d enjoy her company while she was here. That’s what he told himself, even as a quiet voice in his head whispered that his feelings were growing stronger with each passing day.