Chapter Fifteen #3
Jovi stood on the street corner by the bank, hands tucked in the pockets of her jacket. Her navy blue knit hat sported a fluffy faux fur pom-pom. Adorable leopard-print sunglasses shielded her eyes, and she had the same scarf she’d worn that night they kissed draped around her neck.
A pleasant warmth spread through his chest.
“Miss Jovi. Over here!” Darby Jane called out and waved.
“All right, all right.” Burke chuckled. “Take it easy.”
His words were as much for Darby Jane as himself.
She spotted them and smiled. His pulse tripped, stumbling over itself, as his legs propelled him across the street. It had been far too long since he’d seen her. Heard her laugh.
“Hey,” he said, stopping in front of her. Man, she was so beautiful it almost hurt to breathe.
“Hey, guys. Are you ready? I haven’t watched the race in ages.” She gestured with one mittened hand toward the people walking in groups. “Come on, let’s go find a place to stand with a great view.”
No need. Already found it. He forced himself to look away.
“I’m glad you dressed warm. Thirty-five below zero is no joke, right?”
Darby Jane slipped her hand into Jovi’s. “How do the dogs stay warm?”
Burke hesitated, waiting for Jovi to pull away and put some distance between them.
Instead, she squeezed Darby Jane’s hand tighter, swinging their arms in unison as they walked.
“I’m not an expert, but I’ve always been told the dogs live for this race.
It’s what they’ve trained for, and their humans take excellent care of them. ”
Snow crunched under their boots, conversations ebbed and flowed around them, and a uniformed police officer rerouted traffic through the intersection to accommodate the pedestrians.
Kids squealed and darted around the adults.
A spontaneous snowball fight broke out, and Jovi inched closer to Burke, shielding Darby Jane between them.
That was thoughtful, how she instinctively knew to protect the little girl.
Darby Jane would probably have a meltdown if she got hit by a snowball flung by an impulsive boy.
Once they’d passed the line of buildings that composed the businesses on Main Street, they walked toward an open expanse of undeveloped land.
“The dog teams will race right by us.” Jovi swept her arm in front of her. “The official checkpoint is about a quarter-mile west of town, but traditionally the people of Evergreen line up along the course here.”
They managed to find open space next to the multicolored strand of plastic flags stretched between stanchions.
“Darby Jane, I want you to be close to the front so you can see, all right?” Jovi gently guided her forward.
“Thanks for meeting us,” Burke said. “It’s fun to hang out with someone who knows what’s going on.”
“Of course.” She braced both hands on Darby Jane’s shoulders. “You can’t miss this.”
Dogs barked in the distance, then a cowbell rattled. Darby Jane’s face puckered. “What does that sound mean? Are the dogs coming?”
“Pretty soon.” Jovi pressed up on tiptoes and craned her neck. “You’ll hear them, don’t worry.”
Burke forced himself to turn and scan the snowy flat surroundings, instead of staring at Jovi. Even though they both wore sunglasses, he didn’t trust that she wouldn’t still be able to catch him.
Darby Jane leaned over the dangling flag barrier, trying her best to see.
Applause and cheering washed over the dozens of people lining the route. Had the whole town turned out to watch?
“Here they come. I see one, Daddy. I see the front guys!” Darby Jane looked up at him, her eyes wide with excitement.
Another dog team broke through the trees in the distance, only a few yards behind the leader.
More cowbells rang, and the cheers and whistles grew louder.
Burke slanted another glance at Jovi. An appealing shade of pink clung to her cheeks, and her full lips curved into a smile as she clapped for the mushers.
He couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed standing beside her, catching a faint smell of her now-familiar sweet yet citrusy scent.
The family beside them pressed in, forcing him to move even closer to Jovi, their shoulders touching now.
Oh, how he wanted to put his arm around her and draw her close.
Shield her from the cold. But it wasn’t his place.
So he’d settle for letting the slippery fabric of their puffy jackets’ sleeves whisper against each other. And maybe wish for the crowd to force them even closer together.
Someone with a megaphone called out the name of the first musher leading the pack into town.
“How exciting!” Jovi clapped faster. “I love it when a woman is leading the race.”
Burke grinned, then released an appreciative whoop.
The musher and her sled zipped by, sending clumps of snow flying in all directions. The dogs panted, their pink tongues lolling, as they responded to the musher’s verbal commands.
Darby Jane stepped back, retreating into the comfort of Burke’s legs. It was quite the sight. Jovi had been right. A not-to-be-missed, unique experience. They sure didn’t have dogsled races in Charleston.
He fumbled for his phone. The traditional sport, its rich history, and the against-all-odds determination to reach the finish line inspired him. A few quick photos and some notes pecked out were all he needed to fuel his next writing session.
Jovi offered her hand. “Want me to hold your coffee?”
“Yes, please.” Burke grinned, then handed over the mug.
Leaving himself a voice memo would be much easier, but he didn’t want to share his observations about the event with Jovi.
Or let her know he’d funnel this outing into his story.
He tugged off his gloves. The cold air stung his bare hands.
He quickly snapped half a dozen photos, then typed a short note into an email drafted to himself.
Sometimes inspiration struck at the most unusual time.
He couldn’t afford to ignore these ideas.
As the mushers and their dogs raced past, Burke hurried to capture all the details before his fingers got too cold.
The adrenaline-infused atmosphere, the determination of the mushers and the sheer beauty of the dogs working in perfect synchrony—all of it fueled his creative fire.
He wanted to remember this day, not only for himself but also for the countless readers who would eventually dive into his story.
But as he snapped another photo, an unexpected wave of guilt washed over him.
Should he tell Jovi that he intended to use all of this in his writing?
As the race continued, he snuck another glance at her.
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and he found himself drawn to her energy and warmth.
It was as if they were the only two people in the world, surrounded by the exhilarating chaos of the race.
Darby Jane clung to Burke’s leg, her small hand gripping his pants tightly.
“Daddy, can we get a hot chocolate after this?”
Burke tore his gaze away from Jovi and smiled down at his daughter. “Of course, baby girl. We’re going to meet my new friend Walker at Trailside right down the street.”
Darby Jane beamed, satisfied with his answer. But after the last of the mushers sped by and the crowd dispersed, Burke couldn’t silence the voice inside him that longed for more than just sharing another meal with Jovi. Surely she sensed their undeniable spark?
To be honest, he yearned for deeper conversations.
A genuine connection. She bent closer to listen to Darby Jane.
The sunlight bounced off her golden hair, making it shimmer.
When Darby Jane said something clever, Jovi’s laughter echoed through the crisp winter air.
And every time she smiled, his heart flipped in his chest.
The guilt nagged at him, pulling his attention away from the budding feelings he had for Jovi.
He had to tell her about his intentions to use her family and their small business in Evergreen as material for his writing.
Especially the parts inspired by their families’ grievances.
But he couldn’t shake the fear of rejection or the possibility of ruining their newfound friendship.
Besides, he hadn’t even finished writing the book yet.
And even though his publisher wanted to read the finished manuscript, that didn’t mean they’d accept it. No need to borrow trouble.
Instead, he’d focus on the present.
They neared Trailside, and he waved to Walker, already sitting inside at a table by the window.
Burke’s mind raced ahead, anticipating the struggle of sitting close to Jovi in the crowded café.
Battling his attraction to her as he tried to get Walker to recreate their conversation from the ski resort.
Gritting his teeth, he held the door open for Jovi and Darby Jane.
He couldn’t will his feelings for Jovi away, no matter how hard he tried.
There was something undeniably special about their connection, something that went beyond friendship.
But he couldn’t let himself fall too deeply either.
His heart was still way too fragile to risk another catastrophic loss.
* * *
Unbelievable.
Over the years, Walker had told some whoppers, but this story might be his most absurd. With a heavy sigh, Jovi pushed aside her empty plate and moved her coffee mug closer.
“So you’re telling me that my sweet grandmother and Burke’s feisty aunt Lois had a falling-out over a man?”
Walker nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes as he dragged his fork through the last remaining bits of pancake and syrup on his plate. “Yep, that’s the gist of it.”
“But that doesn’t make sense.” Jovi shook her head and then glanced at Burke. “How could they both have been married for so long yet have such a complicated history with Mac?”