Free Melting His Alaskan Heart by Rebecca Thomas Page A

reporter. A nosy sports journalist wanting an interview with Dane. She’s nothing more than that.”
    “Is that so? With the way she looks at you, I think she’s more interested in writing your story.”
    “She doesn’t look at me any way except for a way to get to Dane.”
    “So, no hook-up?”
    “Shut up.”
    “See. Your bad attitude goes to show I’m right.”
    “I always have a bad attitude.”
    “That’s true, but I have to wonder how this girl convinced you to let her talk to Dane.” His brother’s blue eyes narrowed.
    Travis wasn’t stupid. Under normal circumstances, Ethan would never bring a reporter to the lodge. “It wasn’t my choice. I owed her this. Or Dane owed me. Whichever.” He shook his head and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Anyway, just let it rest. She’ll get her interview with Dane, then she’ll be out of here on the first flight in the morning.”
    “Mom is going to assume she’s staying for the entire weekend, but whatever you say.”
    “I say.” Ethan grumbled before looking up at Zak, Sabrina, his mother, and Carly returning from the kitchen. Zak gave him a warning look, that silent code that only brothers can understand.
    Molly Forrester had a way of manipulating, a way of bending people to her will, that Ethan never fully grasped. He just accepted it. She looked like a border collie rounding up her sheep, steering them into the pen of her choosing. “Ethan, Carly was just telling me she has two brothers who taught her how to skate. So your girlfriend will fit perfectly into our family.”
    “Mom, she isn’t my—”
    “I told her we haven’t been seeing each other long,” Carly interrupted and gave him a glare. “I was so thrilled to get the invitation to visit your family, and she said you’ve never invited a girlfriend here before.”
    That’s because I haven’t had a girlfriend, Ethan thought. “Listen, Mom, it’s not like—”
    Before he could say another word, Carly appeared at his side slipping her arm around his waist and whispering in his ear. “She’s so happy that you’ve brought a woman to the lodge, just let her think we’re together. What is it going to hurt?”
    What’s it going to hurt? It was a lie for one thing. Ethan didn’t lie to people, especially his family. He didn’t dress up in a costume and pretend to be his brother, either, but he’d done that, too. Ever since he’d met Carly, deception seemed to be prevalent in his life and he didn’t like it one bit. It didn’t feel right letting his mother think they were together.
    From the look in Zak’s eye, he knew the true story or had guessed. But of course he did, Carly had called the lodge and spoken with him. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know Carly and Ethan were nothing more than acquaintances. Well…acquaintances that had slept together under the guise of his brother, but he’d repented of those sins. Or at least, he thought so.
    Under his breath, he responded to Carly, “I don’t make a habit of lying to my family, especially my mom.”
    “She was so thrilled to know you’d have someone with you for the weekend,” Carly whispered back. “I just couldn’t bring myself to—”
    “The weekend? You’re only staying one night,” he grumbled.
    “I’m staying until I get my interview, however long that takes.”
    Ethan’s mother interrupted their whispered conversation. Her face beamed with sparkly light as she smiled at them. “Why don’t you two take your bags to Ethan’s room while I set the table?”
    Fine. Whatever. But she was not staying the entire weekend. He’d get his payback from Dane, then she’d leave. He lifted Carly’s bag in one hand and his in the other. He glanced up at Sabrina; she wore a smile plastered on her sunny, blonde-hair, blue-eyed California face. Was this what they’d all been reduced to? Doing whatever it took to keep their mom happy even if it meant deceiving her? He had a few choice words in his