“I didn’t do this on purpose.” Dakota’s voice was quiet with determination.
He shoved his fists into his jeans pockets and stalked across the room. “I know that,” he said, nearly yelling. “But this isn’t what I wanted. Not now. Not again. I just got free and now I’m trapped again.”
“You’re not trapped. You’re not anything. Feel free to walk away.” She raised her chin. “We don’t need you here, Finn. I’m telling you because it’s the right thing to do. Not because I want anything from you.”
Which sounded good but wasn’t the least bit believable. After all, she’d started this conversation by telling him she loved him. Was that even true? Maybe it was all a way to lull him into a false sense of security. Or to make him feel obligated, so when she sprung the pregnancy on him, he would instantly want to be a part of things.
“How do I know this wasn’t just a big game to you?” he asked her.
“There are no winners here.” She shrugged. “I thought you’d want to know that you’re going to be a father. But don’t concern yourself. I can see it in your eyes. You want to run. Fine. Go ahead. There’s the door and I’m not stopping you.”
IN THAT SECOND when he just stood there, Dakota held her breath. She desperately hoped she was wrong, that Finn would want to stay. That somehow he’d realize he loved her back and that they belonged together.
As she watched, she saw the emotional door swing shut and knew that she’d lost. Before he bothered walking out, she knew he was already gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY
TREE-COVERED MOUNTAINS stretched for as far as Finn could see. The sky was blue, the sun bright, even though it was after nine in the evening. This time of year, the northern parts of Alaska got close to twenty hours of daylight.
He’d already completed two flights in the past twenty-four hours. When he flew back to South Salmon, he would rest for a while, then do it all over again. Orders were backed up, and he owed Bill. His partner had been damned understanding about his extended absence.
The controls of the plane were familiar. He didn’t have to think to fly—being in the sky, defying gravity, was as natural to him as breathing. This was all he’d ever needed.
In the distance he saw storm heads. The thick, dark clouds could have been a problem, but he knew the weather as well as he knew the sky. The clouds would pass west of him. By the time he was leaving again, the weather would have moved on.
Despite the steady drone of the engine, there was a relative silence. A sense of peace. No one sat next to him. No one waited for him when he landed. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted. He finally had the freedom he’d spent the past eight years longing for.
As he got closer to the South Salmon airport, he reported his approach and headed in to land. When the wheels touched down, he steered the plane toward the hangars he and Bill owned. His partner was waiting for him by the main building.
Bill was a tall, thin guy in his early forties. His father and Finn’s father had worked together in the business. There was a lot of history between them.
“How did it go?” Bill asked. “You’ve been flying a lot of hours.”
Finn handed over the clipboard containing the signed delivery receipts, as well as the plane’s log. “I’m going to get some rest now. I’ll be back about four.”
He meant four in the morning. Shifts started early in the summer. They wanted to take advantage of as much daylight as possible. Flying was a whole lot easier when you could see everything.
Bill took the clipboard. “You adjusting okay?”
“Sure. Why do you ask?”
His partner shrugged. “You’re not the same. I don’t know if you’re missing something or someone, or if it’s having your brothers gone. There’s a lot of new business, Finn. A couple contracts and other folks interested in signing. I’ve got them for you to look at. The thing is, if you’re not going to be here, then I need to hire new pilots. Maybe bring in my cousin.”
His partner looked at him. “Do you want me to buy you out? I can. My in-laws have offered me the money. I could pay about half in cash and get a bank loan for the rest. If you’re not sure, this is the time to tell me.”
Sell the business. He couldn’t say he hadn’t been thinking about it. Three months ago he would have sworn everything he wanted was in South Salmon. Now he wasn’t so sure. His brothers had left and they weren’t looking back. They’d found it surprisingly easy to make a life somewhere else. He had new ideas about what he wanted to do with his life. Run charters, teach kids to fly.