Free Race Against Time by Kimberly, Kayla Woodhouse

Anesia’s—office.
    Of course, calling him back didn’t mean he got the job. It might mean she just wanted the chance to ream him in person. His family was too high profile. No way she hadn’t gotten the facts.
    All of them.
    No matter. He wanted a fresh start. He’d done nothing illegal. She was an intelligent woman. Certainly she’d understand why he didn’t disclose the full truth about his identity.
    She summoned him to sit with a wiggle of her fingers as she finished up a phone call. Her quiet tone relaxed him and without his consent, his mind wandered, taking in all the pictures, trophies, and Alaskan culture. Carvings lined the walls. Ivory, wood, and several sets of the little Russian nesting dolls.
    Anesia tapped her pen on the desk as she spoke into the phone bringing Sean back to the present. “Thank you, I appreciate it.” With a press of a button, she ended the call and turned to him. “Well, apparently”—she folded her hands in front of her—“your background is clean as a whistle.”
    “I couldn’t imagine they’d find anything.” Liar. Other than his identity.
    “And your record at Harvard is very impressive.” She rose from her desk. “I’m sorry I doubted you. Your background sounded a bit too unbelievable. Which brings me to my point. There’s still the question of why you want to work here. I need someone stable. Someone I can rely on. How do I know you’ll stay? Your education and experience could take you anywhere.”
    Sean looked straight into her eyes. “I’ll make a commitment to you.” He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted this job.
    Her brow furrowed. “But you don’t even know what the job is like. How do you know it’s a good fit for you?”
    “Instinct.”
    She studied him for several moments. No telling what thoughts raced through her head.
    “No offense, Sean, but you’re thirty-seven years old.”
    He held up a hand. “In other words, am I having a mid-life crisis because I left a vice-presidency and hiked to Alaska?” He stood, hating himself for letting his anger take hold, but he was not about to let this tiny woman insult him. “I can assure you, that is not the case.”
    She crossed her arms and stared him down. The hand-carved clock in the corner ticked off the seconds. “All right. How about I make you a deal?”
    “A deal?”
    “Yes. Let me show you around, give you a feel for what the job will be. Then we can discuss everything else.”
    The relief that swept him was as profound as it was surprising. He drew a steadying breath and nodded. “That’s an excellent idea. Thank you.”
    “Let’s go.” She led the way out the door. “Normally, you’d need coveralls, XtraTufs boots in the summer and bunny boots in the winter—the dog yard can be disgusting—and if we come to an agreement, I’ll provide those for you. But for today, be careful, because the dogs will get excited to meet you.” Anesia looked up and down his frame. “You might get dirty.”
    “I’m not afraid of a little dirt.”
    “Good.” She slid on a pair of worn coveralls. They pulled on coats and boots and headed out the door.
    The air was crisp and clean. Unlike anything he’d ever breathed. He could get used to this.
    “If you don’t mind, we’ll walk over to the kennel. We try to keep this path plowed of snow, and that will probably be a job I will delegate to you. I hate clearing snow.”
    “Not a problem.”
    She led him down a long, snowy path toward the fenced-in kennel area. It didn’t take long before the dogs knew they were coming. Yips and barks started in staccato rhythm until the chorus grew and swelled on the wind. If she hadn’t already told him the numbers, he would’ve thought there were hundreds of them waiting at the kennel.
    “They’re excited that we’re coming.” Her steps picked up speed.
    Her braid swayed back and forth in time to the spring in her step as they approached her animals. She loved this. How long had it been since he loved