Wildly, Boldly (Return to Culloden Moor #4)

Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

#AlaskaLife #GhostHunting #BigNews #LifeChoices

S ophie’s phone buzzed just as she was finishing her morning coffee on the lodge’s porch. The caller ID made her sit up straighter: Marcus Lee, executive producer of “Paranormal Planet.”

“Hello?”

“Sophie! Your latest content is fantastic. The Alaskan backdrop, the ghost stories, that grumpy ranger—pure gold. We want you for the show.”

Her heart stuttered. “What?”

“Six episodes, full creative control. We’ll follow you to haunted locations across the country. Your social media presence plus our production value? It’s perfect timing.”

Through the window, she could see Wyatt in the lodge’s main room, listening to Johnny while Whitney looked on with obvious amusement. Something in her chest tightened.

“When would you need me?”

“That’s the best part—we can start next month. Get you on the road before winter sets in.”

Next month. When she was supposed to be leaving Alaska anyway.

“Can I think about it?”

“Of course! But don’t think too long. This is your shot, Sophie. Everything you’ve worked for.”

After hanging up, she sat staring at her phone, mind whirling. This was the opportunity she’d dreamed of—national exposure, real production budget, chance to explore haunted locations across the country.

So why did it feel like a step backward?

“Earth to Sophie.” Darrow’s voice made her jump. He settled into the chair beside her, studying her expression. “Ye look like ye’ve seen a ghost.”

“Just got a job offer.” She tried to smile. “Big opportunity. National TV show.”

“Ah.” He was quiet for a moment. “And what does your heart say about that?”

“My heart’s being annoyingly unclear.” She slumped in her chair. “This is what I’ve wanted for years. Travel, adventures, sharing stories...”

“But?”

“But now there’s Wyatt. And the lodge. And...” She gestured at the mountains rising against the morning sky. “All of this.”

“Ye know,” Darrow said thoughtfully, “when I first came here, I thought it was temporary. Just a place to rest before moving on.”

“What changed?”

His eyes softened as he watched Whitney through the window. “I realized some adventures are worth staying for.”

The door opened and Wyatt emerged, coffee pot in hand. “Anyone need a refill?”

Sophie’s heart did that familiar skip at the sight of him. How could she leave this? Leave him?

But how could she stay and give up everything she’d worked for?

“You okay?” Wyatt asked, noticing her expression.

“Just tired.” She managed a smile. “Long night of ghost hunting.”

He topped off her coffee, letting his hand brush her shoulder. “Worth it though?”

She thought about last night—the lights dancing overhead, his arms around her, feeling perfectly at home in the wilderness she’d once found so intimidating.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “Worth it.”

Darrow excused himself with a knowing look, leaving them alone on the porch. Wyatt took the vacant chair, his knee touching hers.

“Want to talk about what’s really bothering you?”

She should tell him about the offer. Should be honest about the choice facing her.

Instead, she asked, “Do you ever wonder if you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, but also terrified of missing out on something else?”

He was quiet for a moment, considering. “When I first became a ranger, my dad wanted me to join the family construction business in Anchorage. Good money, secure future...”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because this...” He gestured at the wilderness around them. “This is where I belong. Took me a while to realize that choosing one path doesn’t mean giving up who you are. Just means finding new ways to be that person.”

Sophie’s throat tightened. “When did you get so wise?”

“Must be all those ghost stories you keep telling me.” His smile was soft. “They’re rubbing off.”

She leaned over to kiss him, trying to pour everything she couldn’t say into that one point of contact. When they broke apart, he studied her face.

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m figuring it out.” She managed a smile. “Just...don’t go anywhere, okay?”

“Not planning on it.”

But as she watched him head back inside, Sophie’s phone felt heavy in her pocket. The producer’s words echoed in her mind: Everything you’ve worked for.

The question was, what exactly was she working for now?

Through the window, she could see the lodge coming to life—Whitney arranging flowers, Johnny’s robot making another bid for flight, Darrow telling stories to entranced guests. And Wyatt, solid and steady and somehow everything she hadn’t known she was looking for.

Her phone buzzed again—Marcus, sending details about the show.

Sophie took a deep breath of crisp mountain air and tried to imagine leaving all this behind. Tried to imagine going back to hotel rooms and lonely meals and constantly chasing the next story.

She couldn’t.

But she also couldn’t imagine giving up her dreams, her independence, everything she’d built.

“Some choices,” her grandmother used to say, “aren’t about right or wrong. They’re about deciding what kind of story you want your life to tell.”

Sophie just wished she knew what story she was writing now.