ChapterSix
Arne stopped shoveling and leaned his arm on the handle. Katie walked toward the Millers’ gold mine with five Miller children following her like ducklings, her eyes sparkling at Arne as she approached. Almost a week had passed since they’d tumbled down the rushing creek, and he still couldn’t believe how answers to his prayers over the years kept flooding in.
It had bummed him when Ron Miller had shown up at Ole’s in his old Bronco before the day had finished. Alaskans rarely messed around when there was work to be done or people to help, but, for once, Arne wouldn’t have minded Ron taking his time in coming to their rescue. He’d enjoyed having Katie all to himself.
His disappointment was temporary. For every night since getting to the Millers, they’d wandered to a field of fireweed not far from the homestead and lay beneath the midnight sun talking and kissing. He smiled as his fingers tingled with the memory of their dive into her soft hair, and he left his post at the shovel to close the distance between them.
He loved holding her close, but he cherished their conversations just as much. He told her about his time as an army medic, of how he’d struggled so long with his guilt over Jim, and how he’d finally found peace. Her voice would strain with residual loneliness as she talked through her grief for the first time and how much she had struggled between being angry with him and missing him. He should be tired with how late they’d been up the last four nights, but she energized him.
“We brought out lunch.” She lifted a basketful of brown paper bags, her smile holding a secret he couldn’t wait to figure out. “Maybe you and Ron should take a break for a picnic.”
“Okay.” Arne stared. The way the sun reflected off her raven hair, making it look almost blue, and the joy shining from her eyes washed away all coherent thought.
Ron clamped a firm hand on Arne’s shoulder, jolting Arne’s brain back to life. “We’ll take our picnic down the creek a ways and let you two lovebirds have a moment to yourselves.”
“No, that’s ok—” Katie’s gaze darted to all the Miller children running wild through the gravel pit.
“That’s great.” Arne took the basket from Katie’s hands and passed it to Ron. “We appreciate it.”
Ron chuckled as he turned from a blinking Katie to round up his kids.
“Wait!” Katie dashed forward, fingered through the basket until she found what she was looking for, and pulled two bags out.
“Come on, critters.” Ron hollered. “Let’s go throw rocks in the creek.”
Screams of joy and tumbling bodies shot towards the water. Arne chuckled as he slid his palm into Katie’s. She clenched her fingers to his with a desperation that matched his own. Man, he’d never tire of having her close. He pulled her in the opposite direction of the Millers and settled into a warm sandy spot along the easy-flowing water.
“Ron thinks we can get the truck and trommel out of the creek tomorrow.” Arne watched her as she fiddled with the lunch bag marked with an A. “With it being hot and sunny the last four days, the creek should be close to its normal depth.”
“That’s good.” Her forehead creased in the adorable way it used to when her mom had forced her to finish her math before they could play, making him wonder what had her vexed.
“He says we’ll have to strip naked and wade in to get it, though.” Arne squeezed his lips shut to contain the laugh as she nodded.
“Okay.” Her head snapped up. “Wait. What?”
He threw his head back and laughed, pulling her to him and giving her a kiss on the side of her head. “You’re cute when you’re troubled.” He pulled away so he could look at her, but couldn’t resist pushing his fingers through her hair. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.” She forced a smile and pushed the lunch into his hands. “Here.”
He snorted as he opened it, wondering if she’d put a frog in there like she used to when they were little. When nothing jumped out at him, he reached his hand in while she pulled her knees up to her chest and watched the creek flow by. Paper crinkled beneath his fingers. He grasped it and pulled out an envelope with his name on the outside.
“What’s this?” He turned it over in his hand and glanced at Katie.
She laid her cheek on her knees to look at him and shrugged. “I owe you some long overdue letters.”
His breath stuttered out and his hands shook as he tore into the envelope. He didn’t need a letter from her. She was here with him, forgiveness flowing freely between them. So, why did it seem like the words would be worth more than a trommel full of gold?
Dear Arne,
The children are reading quietly, (amazing, right?) giving me some free time. I’m not sure how long the calm will last, so I’ll need to keep this letter short. Plus, writing to you makes me nervous, so I’m just going to spill my words out and hope you understand.
Why would writing to him make her nervous? He glanced at her, but her eyes were closed, like she couldn’t watch him read. He wanted to pull her close but turned back to the letter.
I’m not sure what I did to deserve your love. We both know I’m a tad too capricious for my own good. Maybe that’s why we’ve always made such a good pair? Your solid steadiness with my unpredictability seems the perfect balance.
That’s what you do, Arne Rebel, what you’ve always done. Without you, I’m completely off-kilter. Fragmented. With you, I’m whole. Not only that, but a better version of myself.
Thank you for never giving up on me. I’m so sorry I lost faith in you—in us. I promise, I’ll do everything I can to not do that again.
I love you, Arne Rebel.
Overwhelming emotions threatened to close his throat tight. Love, joy, relief all tumbled into a lump he couldn’t quite swallow down. He put his hand in the sand next to her and kissed her softly.
“I love you, too, my Katie.”
Her smile shook as she finally met his gaze with watery eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Elation exploded within him, racing to his fingers and toes with such force they went numb.
He placed a rock on the letter so it wouldn’t blow away and pulled her close, gripping his hands in the back of her t-shirt. She was right. He wasn’t whole without her, either. He flattened his palm against her back and smoothed it up her spine to bury deep into her hair. She was what kept his Rebel heart together, and he’d do whatever he had to to be with her for the rest of his life.