Free Pathways (9780307822208) by Lisa T. Bergren

married. Whatever there had been between them was over. And she did not want to feel the pain she had felt five years ago, never wanted to feel such agony again. She needed a pilot and a plane to get to Summit Lake. That was it. Nothing more. But the idea of seeing him again had her heart pounding, and she couldn’t resistrunning a hand over her hair as the church doors opened and people began pouring out.
    When Eli emerged, smiling and speaking animatedly with an attractive young woman with dark blond hair, her racing heart seemed to skip a beat, then pounded forcefully, robbing her of air. She fought off the desire to bring hand to chest, not wanting to appear as taken as she was. Maybe he was seeing the blonde, maybe he was in love with her, maybe he wasn’t available even to take Bryn to Summit today. Maybe they had plans for brunch or something.
    He spotted her then and came to a full stop. The woman next to him looked from Eli to where he was gazing, then back again, her smile quickly fading. Eli began walking again, shaking his head and grinning.
    “I knew I’d find you here,” Bryn said softly, smiling. “Didn’t know I’d find you here. I mean, I knew it was your summer but …”
    She sat there, staring at him, wondering if he could read her mind. If he knew how good it was to see him, that it brought her a combination of pure, manic joy and agonizing pain all at once.
    He opened his arms to her then, and she immediately slipped off the bumper and embraced him, inhaling his scent of cinnamon and pine and a tinge of airplane fuel. Eli held her for a long, tender hug, then pulled away. “Uh, Sara, I’d like you to meet an old friend, Bryn Bailey. Bryn, this is Sara Cussler. She’s a river guide, new to Talkeetna this summer.”
    Bryn tore her attention away from Eli to the pretty woman at his side, tall and slender. She had hair the color of caribou, eyes the color of the Chulitna River, and a healthy glow that reminded Bryn of a warm sunset. Outdoorsy and attractive and no doubt a Christian—andchecking out Bryn as clearly as Bryn was checking her out. Her lips curved into a welcoming smile, but her blue eyes were suspicious, had reason to be suspicious. Because as much as Bryn had prepared herself for this moment, for seeing Eli again and guarding her heart, she found her skin tingling where he had touched her, as if he had left hot handprints on bare flesh.
    “I need a ride to Summit,” she said to Eli, taking a half-step away, wanting it to be clear to Sara that that was all she wanted from him, that she did not intend to interfere. “Saw a nice lookin’ operation on Fish Lake.”
    “That would be mine,” he said, grinning and nodding. “Happen to be taking Sara to Summit today. I could give you a lift.”
    Bryn swallowed her disappointment that Sara was coming too, calling her heart foolish for hoping for anything else. She licked her lips and forced a smile. “Great. What time are you guys leaving?”
    Eli looked at Sara for the first time since laying eyes on Bryn. “What time, Sara? In an hour or so?”
    “Sure. After we pick up cinnamon rolls. Want one, Bryn?” Her tone was friendly, but her eyes conveyed anything but warmth.
    “That’d be perfect. I need to grab some groceries too. Is it okay that I’m intruding?”
    “No problem.” Eli came around to open the truck door for them, gesturing for Sara to enter first. As she ducked inside, Eli’s eyes found Bryn. “It’s … it’s good to see you,” he said lowly.
    “It’s good to see you, too, Eli. We’ll have to catch up sometime.”
    “I’d like that,” he said, then brushed past her toward the driver’s side of the cab.
    Bryn didn’t dare look over at Sara, certain she would appear as jealous as Bryn herself felt about her.
Stupid, Bailey
, she told herself.
You’re being completely stupid. Back off. You’re here for you this summer, not to reclaim Eli. And you have no right to him anyway
. Suddenly all she