“No one.” Her quick retort wasn’t convincing, even to herself.
“I knew something was up.” Saylor stepped over Julie’s legs and sank into the couch, making Julie fall into her.
Julie gave into the motion and leaned her head on Saylor’s shoulder. “It’s nothing.”
“Oh, no.” Saylor pushed Julie off her shoulder. “You don’t get off that easy.”
“Seriously, I just want to focus on the expedition. Nothing else matters.”
“Jules, you never get flustered. Ever. So, whoever has you in a tizzy did a bang-up job of it.” Saylor’s eyes narrowed. “Do I have to go over there and take care of things? I know you’re a softy, so I’ll do it if I have to.”
As the office manager at Ascent, Inc., the leading distributor and manufacturer of outdoor gear, Saylor could put the fear of God into people. Julie had seen it when she stayed a couple of weeks with Saylor. A supplier hadn’t followed through on their delivery, and Saylor’s icy calm had made Julie want to jump to attention. Her employees loved her, though. Would practically climb mountains for her, which was good since the company’s primary focus was climbing gear.
“No, you can’t go over there.” Julie shook her head. The image of Saylor standing toe to toe with Gunnar was horrifying.
“Hey, just tell me. You’re worrying me, and I have enough of that with running all the base communications and resupply checkpoints for the expedition.” Saylor slid her hand into Julie’s and gave a quick squeeze.
Julie closed her gritty, sleep-deprived eyes and leaned back on the couch cushions. “Gunnar was there. I ran into him. Literally crashed right into his solid chest.”
She flexed her free hand, the tingle still there from the contact with him.
“Why that—” Saylor moved to get up, but Julie held tight to her hand. “I’ve been waiting years to give that piece of owl puke my thoughts.”
“No, Saylor, it’s fine.” Julie wrapped her free hand around Saylor’s arm and pulled her cousin back against her side. “I didn’t really talk to him. Basically beelined for my room and locked myself in for the rest of the night.”
“Why’d you do that? After what he did to you, you should’ve blasted him. Singed him until all that was left of him was burned bones.”
“Saylor, he did nothing to me but keep his promise. I never expected him to come running back.” Julie was full of lies that morning. “We’d promised not to contact each other. I broke that promise. If anything, he should singe me.”
“What about the promise you two made to always be there for each other? Remember that one? I do. You gushed on and on about it during the summer when I came to stay with you after our freshman year of high school. You two made that promise first. It supersedes any promises made after.”
“I always knew he would go into the military. It’s almost all he talked about, even before we started dating and were just friends. His promise to himself and to the soldiers he swore he’d protect surpasses everything else. I’d just had a moment of weakness and forgot.”
Saylor stood with a huff, ripping her arm out of Julie’s grip.
“A moment of weakness?” Her shrill voice filled the cabin as she paced to the kitchen and turned, her face splotched red with anger. “Seriously? Finding out you have cancer and almost dying isn’t a moment of weakness. It’s a deep hole of despair. When you needed him, he went back on his word to you. Yes, his service to the country was commendable, but his disregard to you, your friendship, and your love is the most dishonorable action I’ve ever seen.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the bathroom.
Her words stabbed at Julie’s heart, condensing the hurt she had felt at Gunnar’s silence into dull bitterness. Saylor was right, but so was Julie. She never should’ve sent those letters in the first place.
“You know what? I’m glad he’s there. I’m going to go give that sorry sack of moose nuggets a piece of my mind.” Saylor stomped to the door, and Julie vaulted over the coffee table.
“No. Just leave it be.” Julie slammed her hand against the door and angled her body between it and her cousin.
“Jules, he can’t get away with treating you like he did.”
“It was seven years ago. I’m over it, over him. Dragging it all up to the surface won’t do any good now.” Julie pushed on Saylor’s shoulder.
“Julie—”
“Please, I’d rather just forget it all, forget him. I had. It’s just seeing him for the first time in so long just kind of threw me off-kilter, but I’m good.”
Saylor stared Julie down, her cheek clenching as she searched deep into Julie’s soul. She had let the past go years before. She just hoped Saylor didn’t see the hurt and love still embedded within.
“Fine. I won’t go rip his head from his shoulders.” Saylor held her hands up in surrender and backed away from the door.
Julie sagged against the wood. “Besides, Alaska’s a big state. It’s not like I’ll be seeing him soon, if ever again.”
Those words should be a relief. Somehow, to her horror, they weren’t.