Chapter 1
Cadence
An enormous moose stood between Cadence Whitmore and her rental car, stranding her on the cozy porch of her vacation rental cabin. “Are you . . . licking my window?” The antlered beast towered over the sedan, seemingly uninterested in moving.
The bull didn’t respond to her question. Which was just as well, considering what she remembered of them during her brief time here in Alaska the year she turned thirteen. A change in behavior might indicate aggression. She could barricade herself inside the small log cabin, but that wouldn’t get her to the lawyer’s office on time.
“I really don’t have time for this, Mr. Moose.”
Beautiful as Alaska was, at least she didn’t have to worry about encountering a moose in Wichita. Certainly one had never made her late for an important appointment. “Can you find someone else’s car to lick?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Seriously.” Had she ever seen a moose act this way? “Maybe you should see someone about your addiction.”
Cadence held up her cell again, but not a single bar appeared. If she had service, she could at least call the lawyer and explain her delay. Mr. Jenkins—a lifetime resident of Sunset Ridge—would understand her dilemma.
“Need a ride?”
The male voice startled her, and she let out a squeak. The bull lifted his head, temporarily abandoning the window-licking hobby he’d taken up in her driveway. Her gaze traveled to the cabin next door—one much bigger than her tiny space—and discovered a man in jeans and a red plaid shirt, standing on his deck.
“Sure. Unless you have any bright ideas on how to get Bullwinkle here to get a move on.” She pointed toward her car. “I swear, they put something in the window cleaner.”
Despite the approximate ten-yard gap, she could hear his laughter crystal clear. The smile that complemented it made her forget about her four-legged obstacle with antlers large enough to scoop her up. The man’s white teeth sparkled in contrast to his dark beard. “Actually, we call him Ed.”
“Ed?”
“He likes to wander the neighborhood, but he’s pretty harmless unless provoked.”
Cadence glanced around at the few cabins that comprised said neighborhood. Sunset Ridge was a small town by most standards, but she’d still opted for a place on the outskirts of town without many people. Mr. Jenkins had recommended it. The six cabins she could count—seven if the structure through the thick trees was also a house—could hardly be called a neighborhood.
“C’mon, I can take you into town.”
Cautiously, Cadence took a step down from the covered porch. The moose moved two steps to examine the rear passenger window instead of the front, but otherwise seemed uninterested in her. Fighting the impulse to speed walk, she warily closed the distance separating the two cabins. Though Ed seemed harmless enough, she wasn’t eager to be in the line of fire should the gigantic beast decide to charge.
“Why don’t you go wait in the truck?”
At this closer range, Cadence noticed the green hue to his eyes. She tried not to let her gaze linger, but assessed him long enough to guess the man was in his late twenties or early thirties. Attractive too. “You want me to wait in the truck?” She glanced nervously over her shoulder. Ed seemed so much bigger now that she was off the porch.
“I need to grab Riggs.” He nodded toward his cabin. The nose of a German shepherd was pressed up against the glass, creating a concentrated cloud on one of the windows. Over the top edge of the fogged-up glass, wide eyes fixated on the bull moose. “You don’t mind if he rides along, do you?” the man asked when Cadence had yet to move her firmly planted feet.
“Not at all.”
Circling the front of the truck—Ed kept in her peripherals—Cadence made her way to the passenger door. “No running boards, Mr. Alaska?” she mumbled, reaching for the grab handle inside the truck and propelling herself into the seat like a human slingshot.
She checked her phone again out of habit, but no luck. How many emails or texts from work had she missed since she arrived in her cabin last night? There was supposed to be Wi-Fi, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t working. Her boss, Janine, would just have to accept that she was really on vacation for a few days, and the spotty service gave her the perfect excuse.
The truck’s back door opened, and a dog the size of a small grizzly bear bolted in, making the jump with graceful ease. Riggs pointed his giant furry face at Cadence, and his tail swished uncontrollably. He let out a faint whine as he warred with which to focus his attention on first, her or the moose.
“Where do you need to go?” the man asked once inside the truck. It occurred to Cadence that she had accepted a ride with a complete stranger, and she didn’t even know his name. She hoped Sunset Ridge was as friendly and trustworthy a place as she remembered from her childhood.
“Jenkins Law Office.”
The man studied her a moment, as though her answer meant something to him. She waited for him so elaborate on whatever seemed to be hanging on the tip of his tongue, but instead he nodded and put his truck into gear.
“So, Ed is a regular, huh?” As much as Cadence wanted to know what he almost said, she wasn’t about to push a kind stranger offering her help in a time of need. Downtown was only a few minutes from her cabin.
“Ed? He likes Sunset Ridge, but hangs out a lot in our neighborhood. All those gardens to pick from.”
“He’s been around a while, then?”
“Going on seven years now.”
Sunlight filtered in through the tall trees, the faint scene of the bay floating in through the back window, making Cadence smile. She recalled so many rainy, overcast days in the past that it was nice to have a pleasant one in so short a stay. “How are you sure it’s the same moose?”
“Ed’s a bit . . . unique. Hang around long enough, you’ll know.”
She doubted three days would do it, but that was all she had before reality would beckon her back to Kansas. “I’m Cadence, by the way. Cadence Whitmore.”
“Ford Harris.” At a stop sign, he removed his hand from the steering wheel and extended it.
Despite feeling silly for shaking hands inside the cab of a truck, she accepted. The graze of his warm skin jumbled whatever words she’d planned next. Tingles danced up her arm. She stared at her fingers in awe, the reaction a surprise.
Riggs let out a bark from the back seat, and Ford withdrew his hand. Their eyes followed the dog’s pointed interest across the street to a young boy walking a cocker spaniel. “You staying in town long?”
“Just a couple days.” Though she’d asked to take off the whole week, Janine had a fit that she had to leave the state at all. They were incredibly busy this time of year, but her boss couldn’t argue the circumstances. Cadence had left out the single detail that showing up in person for the reading of the will wasn’t necessary, otherwise both of her sisters would be here, too. An insatiable pull had drawn her back for one last visit.
Ford slowed the truck as they approached the downtown strip of Sunset Ridge. Her heart felt heavy as they neared Mr. Jenkins’ office, and Cadence realized she was despondent at leaving him so soon after meeting him. It didn’t make any sense. Perhaps she was still jet-lagged from being on a plane for eight-plus hours yesterday.
Without warning, Riggs appeared between the two bucket seats and gave her ear a solid lick. Cadence giggled as she wiped at the wetness.
“Riggs, get back,” Ford commanded. “Sorry about that—”
“It’s all right.” She reached a careful hand behind the seat, allowing the shepherd to sniff her before giving him a good rub behind the ears. “I’ve never had a dog, but always wanted one.” With her current work schedule, adopting a dog would be irresponsible. Cadence was gone more than she was home. Being the personal assistant of the top-selling real estate agent in the firm came with high demands, impossible expectations, and very little free time.
“He’s a character.” Ford rubbed the dog’s head at a stop sign. Jenkins Law Office sat across from them at the intersection. “Couldn’t imagine life without him.”
Cadence gave her best smile, but reality seeped back in, reminding her why she was in Sunset Ridge. Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes, but she fought them. Breaking down in front of a stranger would be awkward, especially one who was her neighbor for the next three days.
“Thank you again.”
“No problem. I was headed into town anyway.”
Cadence paused before getting out, looking over her shoulder and back at Ford. “You don’t think Ed will actually damage my car, do you?” She wasn’t sure her insurance coverage included curious, destructive moose.
“Nah. He’s a little eccentric for a moose, but he’s not normally reckless.”
Gripping the upper handle, Cadence slid her way out of the truck. If she were a few inches taller than her five-foot-four, her feet might not have dangled so long before she found her footing and was able to safely let go of her handhold.
“Do you need a ride back later?” Ford asked.
Cadence shook her head. Though she appreciated the gesture, she wasn’t one to take advantage of someone’s kindness. The walk back would do her good. “No, I think I’ll grab some lunch in town. I’ll find my way back.”
Riggs stood at attention on the edge of the center console and let out a couple of whines, focusing solely on his new friend who was now abandoning him. “Get back there, Riggs. You know the rules.”
A moment of awkwardness passed between them, and Cadence wasn’t really sure what to say. But she knew it was time to close the door. “See you later?’ The words fell out in a question, which only made her feel embarrassed.
“Looking forward to it, neighbor.”
A buzzing in her pocket alerted her to the return of cell signal. It was either her boss demanding something of her for a client, or one of her sisters wondering why she was running late for the video conference.
Tessa: Where are you?!?!
Cadence entered the law office without responding to her punctuation-happy older sister. Instead, she shoved the phone back in her pocket, also ignoring the dozen work-related emails that had flooded in since last night.
“Ah, you must be Ms. Cadence Whitmore.” An elderly man, tall and thin as a pencil, smiled in greeting as the door closed behind her. He offered to take her coat, placing it on a hook near the front door. “I’m so sorry to hear about your great-aunt’s passing.”
“Thank you. Sorry I’m late. A moose . . .” She let the sentence trail off into silence, hoping Mr. Jenkins understood without making her explain the embarrassing ordeal.
“Ah, Ed.” He ushered her from the reception space into his office with a haste that didn’t allow her to ask questions. A flat TV monitor sat on the table, its screen display split into two. Tessa’s movie-star ready face appeared on the left, and her younger sister Sophie held her chatty four-year-old daughter on the right.
“Cadence where you have been?” Tessa snapped the second Cadence fell into a chair. She glanced around the room for the camera pointed on her but didn’t see where it might be and instead focused on her sisters on the screen. Even prepared for work, Tessa still looked like a million bucks with her styled hair perfectly tucked back, not a strand out of place. It made Cadence fiddle with her hair, feeling self-conscious of the dark roots growing out of her blonde coloring.
“I’m sorry. There was this moose—”
“I have a dinner service to prep.” Typical Tessa, antsy and annoyed. No excuse from Cadence was ever valid. Tessa worked more than she didn’t and always claimed to have no time. Though it was only ten in the morning in Alaska, it was already two in New York. Tessa was used to her strict schedule and didn’t like anything to conflict with it.
“Ladies, let’s get started, shall we?” Mr. Jenkins closed the office door and moved to his desk.
“Please, let’s,” Tessa said.
Annoyance bubbled in Cadence’s chest at this impatience. Their great-aunt had passed away only a couple of weeks ago. And what was worse, no one notified them of her funeral. She wanted to tell her sister to take a chill pill, but instead she bit her bottom lip and waited to hear what Mr. Jenkins had to say.
“This is the last will and testament of Mrs. Patricia Whitmore.” As Mr. Jenkins continued, Cadence found her mind wandering. Guilt twisted in her stomach. They’d all spent a summer with Great-Aunt Patty. As much as Cadence had intended to fly up and spend time with her over the years, it had never panned out. She hadn’t even spoken to Patty in months, or known the true extent of her declining health.
“To my great nieces Tessa Whitmore, Cadence Whitmore, and Sophie Whitmore, I leave the following: the Sunset Ridge Lodge.” Mr. Jenkins paused a moment, his gaze passing all three women, as if to take in their reactions.
“A lodge?” Tessa finally repeated.
The lodge. She remembered the two-story structure well. The one they’d roamed around in during their younger years. Cadence had been thirteen that summer. The thick logs the color of beautifully toasted marshmallows, the grand entrance with its vaulted ceiling and wraparound staircase, and the Alaskan charm throughout, including the massive antler chandelier in the main room. The place had always been magical to her, despite the grim nature of the summer.
“What are we supposed to do with a lodge?” Sophie, the quietest of them, asked. Her daughter had disappeared from her knee, but the worry etched in her expression didn’t seem to be related to a four-year-old.
“Whatever you like,” Mr. Jenkins responded.
“We’ll sell it, of course,” Tessa said matter-of-factly, as if it were the only option.
“You can, if you wish to do so,” Mr. Jenkins confirmed. “But there is also a trust if you wish to run it yourselves. It’ll cover most expenses through the first year, maybe a little more.”
“Run a lodge?” Cadence asked. What did any of them know about running a bed and breakfast? Fear and puzzlement must’ve shown on her face, because Mr. Jenkins added a third option.
“You could maintain ownership and hire someone else to run it, too.” He held the keys up for all to see, then handed them to Cadence. “The place is yours, ladies.”
Dozens of questions swirled in her head. Was the lodge still open right now? Who was looking after it? Was there enough in the trust for necessary repairs or upkeep? What state was it in?
“So, we can put it on the market right away?” Tessa asked.
“If you wish.”
Cadence felt shaky and uneasy about this plan. Aunt Patty would be heartbroken to know they were so eager to be rid of it. But the three sisters lived in different parts of the country. Who of them could drop everything and move to Alaska?
“Cadence, you can take care of getting it listed, right?” Tessa continued. “That’s kind of your thing.”
Though Cadence had been in real estate for a year and a half now under Janine Bellows and had learned a lot, she knew nothing about selling commercial properties. Especially commercial properties in small Alaskan towns. “It could take months to find a buyer,” she said. “This is a little different than selling a house.”
“Months?” came Sophie’s quiet voice. A closer look at the youngest sister revealed bags under her eyes and Cadence noticed then: no makeup. Though Tessa was definitely the highest-maintenance of them all, Sophie rarely went out in public without her makeup done.
“It’s a small town.”
“In Alaska,” Tessa pointed out. “Who doesn’t want to live the Alaskan dream? Sounds like an easy sale to me.”
It was no use trying to convince Tessa without cold, hard facts. Cadence stared down at the keys in her hand. She could spend the rest of her stay inspecting the lodge and pulling stats. Or at least find a local realtor to help her compile a sales price. “I’ll do some research.”
“Good. Let us know.”
“Is there anything else, Mr. Jenkins?” Sophie sent a nervous glance over her shoulder. “Oh, brother! Caroline has a marker—” She shot up from her chair, seconds later returning with her daughter, whose limbs flailed about the screen. The tantrum screams went from unbearable to mute.
“There’s a caretaker looking after the property right now, though it’s been closed for over six months.” Mr. Jenkins didn’t have to say it was due to Patty’s declining health. The solemn silence that fell over the room conveyed as much. “I have a packet here filled with all the information you should need about the place.” He handed the heavy manila envelope to Cadence. It bulged at the seams, looking as if it might explode at any moment.
“Cadence, call us same time tomorrow with a listing price?” Tessa barked an order.
One day seemed hardly enough time to figure that out, but it would have to do. “Sure.” She wanted to ask her sisters if they were sure about this, but before the question could be vocalized, Tessa’s screen went black.
“You really think it’ll take months to sell?” Sophie asked, a slight quiver to her voice. Cadence made a mental note to call her tonight. Though the two talked on a semi-regular basis, Sophie lived on the opposite side of the country. They’d last seen each other in person for their dad’s funeral last summer, and before that? Cadence couldn’t remember. Caroline had been a baby, certainly.
“It’s not exactly a house, Soph.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Jenkins.”
Cadence dangled the keys in her hand. The summer she spent at the Sunset Ridge Lodge had been one of her favorites. Selling it felt like a betrayal to its memory. But what other option did they have?
“You can keep it, too, Ms. Whitmore.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Whatever you ladies decide, it must be unanimous. That was Patty’s term.”
Uneasiness twisted inside her stomach. She wondered why he waited to share that piece of information until now, when Cadence was the only one left. “What happens if we can’t agree what to do?”
“If you can’t reach a decision together within thirty days, then the property will be turned over to the historical society, per Patty’s wishes.”
“Oh.”
“Why don’t you grab yourself some lunch? Willamina’s Big Dipper is just a couple blocks down the street. She makes the best caribou chili in the state.”
She didn’t know how she felt about that. But Cadence was hungry. Her grumbling stomach reminded her she’d only eaten a few pretzels for breakfast, left over from her day of traveling.
Mr. Jenkins wore a gentle smile across his thin lips. “And after lunch, why don’t you go see the lodge for yourself?”
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