Free Alaska Heart by Christine DePetrillo

freeing. I freshened up and changed into a brown sweater and a pair of blue jeans. After pulling on a pair of brown boots, I looked myself over in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door.
    Not bad. I pulled the elastic from my ponytail, letting my hair spill about my face. A couple of rakes through it with my fingers, and it looked halfway decent. Sexy, maybe. At least I hoped it did. I didn’t really know what sexy was. A pair of silver hoops adorned my ears along with a silver cuff bracelet around my wrist. Simple, but enough. Meg wouldn’t have thought so, but we didn’t always agree on wardrobe.
    Okay, we never agreed on wardrobe, but that was what made being friends with her interesting.
    The clock on the end table by the bed read 5:45, so I gave myself one last look in the mirror and bundled up. Again, the cold outside in the dark night hardly touched me. This internal warmth that started in Ram’s Den was growing stronger. Blazing into something more potent. I liked the feel of it. Made me wonder what other feelings I had buried inside me.
    And if they could be awakened.

Chapter Seven
    When I pulled open the door at Ram’s Den, admiring the carved ram once again, Gypsy was the first to greet me. She was sprawled across a fluffy rug, but raised her head and wagged her tail when she saw me. I scratched under her chin, and she flipped over onto her back, exposing her belly. I proceeded to give her a thorough rubbing. A low hum emanated from her throat, and I couldn’t help feeling contented myself.
    “Hey, what’s going on here?” Ram stopped to regard us.
    “Some female bonding.” I gave Gypsy a final pat before standing.
    “You’ll do right to bond with her. She’s the best friend my son ever had.” Ram nodded toward the dog, and she let out a small woof.
    “Where’s Dale?” I slid out of my coat and folded it over my arm, hoping I didn’t sound too eager, but knowing that I totally did.
    “Give me a kiss on the cheek, and I’ll tell ya.” Ram shot me a sly smile.
    “Oh, is this how it’s going to be?” I had to get on tiptoes to reach Ram’s cheek. He smelled like barbecue sauce, and my stomach growled.
    “Damn right this is how it’s going to be. It’s the only way an old goof like me can get pretty women to kiss him.”
    “Doubt that,” I said, eliciting a hearty laugh from Ram.
    “Oh, I do like you, Alanna.” He laid his wide hand on my shoulder. “Dale’s in the corner booth over there.” Ram pointed to where I’d seen the baseball cap man last night.
    “Thanks.” I gave my hair another fluff—not a move characteristic of me, but hey, this whole having dinner with someone I knew from the Internet wasn’t exactly characteristic of me either. Here I was, just the same.
    Dale had chosen the seat facing the front door, and by the time I’d reached him, it became clear he’d been watching me.
    “This seat taken?” I tossed my coat on the bench across from him.
    “I suppose if you’re done kissing my father, you can sit there.” Dale arrowed a glare toward Ram, who merely stuck his tongue out when I looked his way.
    “Competitive, are we?”
    “Definitely. He’s got high expectations. And good taste.” Dale’s eyes wandered down the length of me. “You look fantastic.”
    “Likewise.” He had chosen a green thermal shirt that darkened his eyes to a seductive jade. It also showed off the taut muscles of his chest and arms hidden beneath the shirt.
    “I believe I remember an email that stated you had a weakness for a good sangria. Is that right?”
    “Yeah.” How had he remembered that tidbit?
    “Excellent. Uncle Jerry is mixing some as we speak.”
    “It pays to know the bartender.”
    “Dad has something special planned for dinner as well, so be prepared for first class treatment all the way.”
    “I wouldn’t settle for anything less.” I was oddly relaxed sitting with Dale. No jitters at all. No feeling as if I should be working instead.