Winterwolf, Alaska

“Megan Maxwell, please.” Chaz settled into the nearest comfy chair as she waited to be patched through to Megan. Finally.

She’d come straight to the pay phones in the lobby as soon as they hit the lodge, while Sally and their backpacking clients headed for hot showers and turns in the large outdoor hot tub.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Maxwell is in a meeting. May I take a message?”

Damn. “Yes, please. Would you tell her Chaz Herrick called and will try again later. She is also welcome to call me.” She recited the lodge’s phone number.

“I’ll give her the message,” the polite voice replied.

Chaz’s heart sank at having to wait any longer to talk to Megan than she already had. She’d been restless for days, impatient to hear Megan’s response to her letter.

• 214 •

Whitewater Rendezvous

Sighing, she headed toward her room, but Paul Bartlett, one of the lodge’s owners, hailed her from the front desk.

“Hey, Chaz! Got a letter here for you!”

Megan! She hurried to the desk and felt her spirits soar when she saw the Chicago postmark and WNC return address.

“Thanks, Paul.” She ripped open the envelope as she headed to her room, her hands trembling in anticipation of what she would fi nd inside. A chance at happiness? Or a polite sorry, but not interested?

She sat on the bed and began reading.

Dear Chaz,

There are many things I really like about you. Foremost, at themoment, having just read your letter, I really like your courage andyour straightforward honesty.

I feel the same, Chaz. I’m head over heels in love with you, too.

But I think it probably would have taken me a lot longer toadmit it.

I’m buried in work here, but I can’t stop thinking about you.

(And, yes, most certainly about that night. And you’re one to talk aboutstamina!)

You’ve shaken up my life a lot more than you know. In a goodway.

I can’t wait to talk to you. See you. Touch you. Kiss you. Hold you.

Taste you.

Uh, oh. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this at work.

Call me.

I miss you terribly.

Megan

Chaz leaned back against the headboard of the bed with a contented smile. Now we just have to fi gure out a way to be together as often aspossible. She could access her fall class schedule online. I’ll take ashower and then e-mail that to Megan so she can compare it to hersand see when we can get together. Then I’ll grab a bite to eat and trycalling her again. She had to keep busy. The minutes until she could try phoning again would absolutely drag.

At least I can talk to her every day once I get home from guiding.

But these weeks until then are going to be torture.

• 215 •

KIM BALDWIN

Chaz tried Megan again an hour later. “Ms. Maxwell, please,” she said when Megan’s assistant answered.

“Ms. Maxwell is in a meeting. May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Chaz Herrick. I tried earlier, and—”

“Oh! Ms. Herrick, yes! Ms. Maxwell left instructions that you were to be forwarded through to her if you called back. Please hold and I’ll connect you.”

Chaz’s heart picked up in anticipation.

“Hello, this is Megan. Chaz? You there?” There was a lot of noise in the background, like Megan was in a crowded room with a lot of people talking.

“Yes, I’m here.” Finally! “God, have I missed you…” Chaz got half of it out, but Megan was talking over her before she fi nished.

“I’ve missed you so much! I was worried I was going to miss your call.”

“I caught you at a bad time, didn’t I?” Chaz asked.

“No! Hang on! I’m heading to my offi ce so I can have a little privacy, but don’t hang up. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

The sounds behind Megan diminished. “So…that’s better. How are you?”

“Good. I’m good, now that I’m talking to you. This week has just crawled. ”

“Tell me about it.” Megan laughed.

“Thank you for your letter,” Chaz said.

“Well, thank you for yours. ”

There was a short embarrassed silence, then the two of them began laughing.

“Let’s not waste our precious phone time being shy with each other now,” Chaz said. “I mean, considering what we did to each other…in every conceivable position—”

“Oh, God, you can’t do that to me.” Megan stopped her. “I’m at work, and I have meetings in a while. I’m supposed to be all cold and bossly, and here you’re going to make me all mushy and warm inside.

My staff won’t know me.”

“I can’t be held responsible for how your voice enchants me.”

“Damn, you’re a smooth talker, Chaz Herrick.”

• 216 •

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