The Dance

Chapter 20 Distractions

"She'll be back man." Matt tried to offer some comforting words to his brother. Bam wasn't in the mood to talk about Lila's departure and instead suggested they pay a visit to Kenny and Kay. Visiting Kenny was always fun and Matt agreed they both could use a change of scenery before heading back home.

Kay was in the kitchen preparing lunch when Kenny walked Matt and Bam in the house. "Kay, I've got a surprise for you."

Kay rounded the corner and was happy to see the brothers.  Matt grabbed Kay by the waist and twirled her around the living room. She loved Matt. Everybody loved Matt. He was Kenny's best friend and when they got together they were like little boys on a sugar rush. Kenny and Matt disappeared to the back yard to look at something unusual Kenny had recently acquired leaving Bam and Kay alone. Kay hugged Bam and whispered in his ear. "Lila called me."

Bam pulled her away from him and gave her a serious look."What did she tell you?"

Kay's look softened and she replied, "She loves you...but I think you already know that."

Bam walked to the front porch and sat down. Kay watched silently as he ran his hands through his hair. She followed him to the porch and took a seat across from him. "What's wrong, Bam?" Kay was confused. She thought that's what he would want to hear.

"She's not going to come back. She's New York chic and I'm backwoods bush. She's had a taste of a bigger world and all I know is Alaska. Hell, she's inherited her dad's magazine."

"I think your selling yourself short, Joshua Brown. Girls like Lila don't come along often or haven't you noticed. I heard what she told me about her situation.  You're kind of jumping the gun and not giving the the time she needs to take care of things. And given the way she speaks of you...."

"And how does she speak of me?" Bam asked curiously.

Kay chided Bam for his self-doubt. "Let's just say you'd be an idiot not to give her the benefit of the doubt. Let her work through the estate settlement and see what happens."

As Kay got up to head towards the kitchen, she looked at Bam and complimented him. "And I appreciate you being the gentleman I asked you to be with her."

For a moment, Kay thought she saw a blush rise on Bam's cheeks but his beard hid that well. "The girl tells me you are also a pretty damn good kisser." Kay's laughter trailed behind her as she headed to the kitchen to finish preparing lunch for all of them.

Back at the lodge, Jack had left a message for Lila that he and Becky would be by to pick her up later that evening for the return to Juneau. She looked forward to leaving Hoonah to get her father's estate settled because it only meant that she could return to Bam sooner.

She packed her things and found Bam's portfolio was still in her room. She carefully opened the portfolio to look at Bam's photos. Most of them were of his family and of the Alaskan wilderness but it was the last picture in the book that held her gaze. It was one of his self portraits in black and white. She traced the image with her finger and thoughts of him rushed over her like waves on a beach. She closed her eyes imagining his touch on her neck, the  scent of his body and the feel of his arms around her waist.

Lila carefully packed his photos in her bag and all her memories of Browntown too and waited for Jack to arrive. What she needed to do next were just distractions.