“You’re right on time,” she said, opening the door to greet him.
Adam stopped in his tracks. “I was just about to check the address to make sure I had the right house. I barely recognized you outside of the office.”
“Good thing I didn’t scare you off.”
“Hardly. Are you ready?”
Joy could tell he definitely liked what he saw. “Starving, actually,” she replied, stepping off the porch.
Adam opened the passenger door of his truck, politely steadying her by the hand. “Sorry, but this truck has a lot of clearance.”
Sitting down, she buckled in and straightened her dress. Adam’s surprising gesture of good manners made her wonder about his motives.
The restaurant was one of just a few in town. Being a steakhouse, it was the only one the citizens of Polar Point considered nice enough for couples to enjoy an evening together.
Immediately upon walking in, Joy felt dozens of eyes tracking them ... eyes that belonged to familiar faces.
“Now I know what zoo animals feel like,” she whispered.
But Adam wasn’t the least bit surprised. In fact, he was acknowledging nearly all the couples ... many of whom worked at Polar Point Logistics. And he knew all the other people as well.
“Small town. Everyone knows everyone. And everyone knows what you’re up to.”
“Nice,” Joy whispered.
The hostess quickly seated them and took their drink orders. “How about a bottle of wine?” Adam suggested.
Joy briefly thought about it, deciding that just a little alcohol might make her feel a little less like a bug under a microscope. “Couldn’t hurt.”
As their meal went on, the wine seemed to make the rest of the patrons melt away. Joy felt as if it was only the two of them.
“So, what or who made you drop everything and just start fresh in Alaska?” Adam asked.
“You make it sound like I’m on the run from the law.” She laughed.
“Could be. You never know what makes people move up here. Sometimes it’s romance gone bad. Sometimes it’s escaping the long arm of the law.”
“Neither is the case for me. But you sound like you speak from experience.”
“Me? Nope. I was born and raised in Alaska. Way up on the North Slope.”
“Well, since you asked. I just got tired of city life. Insane traffic. A corporate job that sucked the life, and all my time, out of me. One night, I watched a documentary about Alaska, and they just happened to highlight Polar Point. Everything from the scenery to the lifestyle and especially the people … it was like a dream come true. After that, I was sold.”
“Has reality met your expectation so far?”
“When I get up in the morning and look out over the coast on one side and the mountains on the other, it takes my breath away. I can’t imagine I’ll ever get tired of it.”
Adam leaned back in his chair, showcasing his trademark sexy smile. “As a representative of Alaska, am I meeting your expectations?”
Running her finger around the rim of her wineglass, she was suddenly captivated by his blue eyes. The warm buzz from the wine chipped away at her inhibitions. “I’m impressed so far. But I’m sure I’m only scratching the surface.” She teased with offhand humor without realizing how he might have taken it.
“Then I’m looking forward to further scrutiny.”
Vicki appeared, catching them completely off guard. “Well, look who’s here. From all the laughter, it sounds like the meeting is going well.”
“Uh, yep. Sure is.”
“Have a nice evening, you two,” she said, walking out of the restaurant.