A Beautiful Day in Alaska

By Annette Drake

Today is the worst day of Robin Kincaid's life.
She's supposed to fly to Seattle to finalize her divorce so her two-timing husband can marry his very pregnant secretary. But when Mt. Redoubt erupts, all planes in or out of Anchorage are grounded. Robin isn't going anywhere until tomorrow.
Then, there are no hotel rooms available, this being the height of tourism season in Anchorage. Reluctantly, Robin agrees to share a suite with fellow stranded traveler and wealthy businessman, Charlie Land.
As for Charlie, he's got one day to convince this oh-so-desirable woman that life's too short to live in the painful past.
She's his tour guide. He's the salve for her broken heart.
Both of their lives will change forever during a beautiful day in Alaska.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Annette Drake
• Release date: Feb 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781393401582

Annette Drake

Annette Drake is a multi-genre author whose work is character-driven and celebrates the law of unintended consequences. A member of the Romance Writers of America, she loves ferry rides, basset hounds, and bakeries. She does not camp. She makes her home in Washington state.

Book preview

Chapter 1

A ttention, passengers : Due to Mt. Redoubt’s recent eruption, all Air Alaska flights have been cancelled until further notice.

Charlie couldn’t believe it. After one of the worst business trips he’d ever endured, now he couldn’t leave Anchorage.

The monotone voice overhead continued, Please disembark in an orderly fashion, taking all of your personal belongings with you. Leave nothing on the aircraft. A customer service representative will be waiting at the desk at Gate 12. Air Alaska apologizes for this inconvenience and appreciates your patronage.

Charlie heard the rumble of other passengers voicing their disappointment. Fellow travelers stood and unloaded their carry-on suitcases from the overhead bins. Charlie lumbered to his feet, reached up and pulled out a heavy fabric suitcase from the bin. He handed it to the elderly native woman who had been seated next to him.

Thank you, she mumbled, smiling shyly at him before looking down at the floor.

You’re welcome, he answered.

Out of the corner of his right eye, he saw a tall, slender, dark-haired woman staring at him from across the aisle. He couldn’t decide if her gaze was friendly or not, but one thing was for certain: her almond-shaped green eyes missed nothing. Charlie looked her in the eye and said, Ma’am, before reaching up to take down his own carry-on.

The stranded passengers shuffled off the airplane to form a long queue at the service counter. Thirty minutes later, when Charlie stepped up to the counter, he noticed the green-eyed woman was gone. A missed opportunity, he thought, although an opportunity for what, he didn’t know.

With a ticket for tomorrow’s 6 a.m. flight stowed in the pocket of his suit coat, he followed the swell of travelers toward the taxi stand. After finally snagging a cab, he settled into the vinyl seat and called his office.

What the hell do you mean a volcano erupted? his partner yelled.

Joe, I’m in Alaska. Things like this happen up here. I almost missed my flight because there was a moose in the parking garage, and I was afraid to get out of my car. I’m stuck in Anchorage for a day. Maybe two. The airline said as long as there’s ash in the air, the planes are grounded. Apparently, jet motors don’t perform well after flying through ash clouds.

Your ass is supposed to be in Seattle, not Anchorage.

I’m well aware of where my anatomy should be, thank you. I’ll call you as soon as I leave. In the meantime, I’m checking back into the Captain Cook, and then I’m going to skinny dip in the deepest Bloody Mary I can find.

Charlie, what about the Seattle buyout?

Charlie rolled his eyes and exhaled. Joe, my phone is cutting out. I’ll call you when I leave Anchorage.

The taxi driver studied Charlie in the rear-view mirror. I know a fun place to kill a few hours, the old man said, a sneer on his unshaven face. Alaskan Tush Company. Ever been there?

Charlie groaned. He had, in fact, been to the local strip joint. One of his clients demanded they go there. Watered-down drinks for $15 and worn-out exotic dancers hadn’t been to Charlie’s liking. He wondered if the proprietors kept the cigarette smoke thick so none of the customers noticed the dancers were old enough to be their mothers.

Thanks, but the Captain Cook will be fine.

At the hotel, he waited in line again. This time, he saw the green-eyed woman. She stood about five feet to his left and was engaged in a heated discussion with one of the two desk clerks on duty.

Her long, black hair fell just below her waist. Charlie didn’t know fashion designers, but this woman obviously did. The skirt of her tailored black suit just kissed the top of her knees. Lucky skirt, he thought. Her three-inch heels only made her long legs seem that much longer. What on earth was this divine creature doing in Anchorage, Alaska?

Chapter 2

If this idiot clerk told her one more time that there were no rooms available, Robin Kincaid was going to take off her stiletto heel and kill him with it. Who could blame her?

She was supposed to be on her way to Seattle by now. She was supposed to be on a plane that would land in three hours where she would be greeted by her $300-an-hour attorney, who would then whisk her away to sign divorce papers so her no-good, cheating, lying, son-of-a-bitch husband could marry his 22-year-old pregnant secretary.

But no. Mount Redoubt picked today – of all freaking days – to erupt. How could she have this kind of luck?

She would have gone back home, but Nome was a little too far north to spend the night. Air Alaska promised to put her on the first available flight to Seattle at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Even if Nome wasn’t more than 1,000 miles north of here, her