Discovering Alicia Read Free Page B

went well, and that you’re finally here, and that you like the cottage, dear,” Aunt Dottie enthused while handing Alicia a glass of iced tea. “It’s so sweet of you to come visiting so soon.”
    “Aunt Dottie, I’ve been as excited to meet you as I have been to get my vacation started! I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed our emails.”
    “That’s very nice of you to say, dear. I completely understand that my tendency to be long-winded annoys some, but at this stage in my life, I figure I’ve earned the right to speak my piece. If people don’t like it, they can walk away, or hang up the phone, or shut off the computer for that matter.” She laughed and raised her glass in salute before downing a healthy swig.
    Alicia had conjured up a mental picture of Aunt Dottie that was so dead on she was still having trouble not staring at the woman sitting across from her. Ali guessed she was maybe in her early sixties. Her gray hair was arranged haphazardly on top of her head in a loose bun. Her cheeks were full and rosy, her eyes bright and expressive. She was more round than tall and wore a multi-colored housedress. Grandmotherly was the term that came to mind.
    “I can’t imagine you’ll need them, but there are extra blankets in the cedar chest in the small bedroom, and oh, I forgot to tell you, the washer has been known to bounce across the floor during the spin cycle if it’s filled too full.”
    “That might be entertaining to see.” Ali grinned. “I promise I’ll call you if I can’t find something or have any questions.”
    “Perfect! And make sure you call Brad if you have any more trouble in the woods.”
    “You heard about that already?”
    “Of course, dear. I spoke with him first thing this morning. Damn poachers. The DNR and our lawmen do all they can, but they always come back. Most of this region is a wildlife protection area. We have the largest population of moose in the state, actually in this part of the country, and you’ll see deer, red foxes and most likely even wolves while you’re here. Hopefully, if you see any bears, it’s from far away,” she said with a smile. “Hunting is permitted, but there are very strict guidelines, and the season is short. Some people, though, have no respect for the animals or the land. It breaks my heart, and makes me so angry!” Aunt Dottie leaned forward over the kitchen table. “I caught one of ‘em myself, just last year,” she stated in a lowered tone. “He and I had a nice long chat while we waited for the authorities.”
    “He hung around to be arrested?”
    “Surprisingly, he had the good sense not to tempt me to use the shotgun I had aimed at his man parts. He was quite the captive audience to what I was saying.” Both women laughed. “Enough about that,. I’m ready to hear all about what happened last night! What do you think about Brad? Did you two hit it off? He’s a good man, dear, hardworking, honest, and he’s not bad on the eyes either, eh?”
    Ali was trying to figure out exactly how much detail she wanted to go into when a loud knock sounded.
    “Come in,” Aunt Dottie called out.
    Ali’s pulse ramped up to overdrive when Brad strolled into the room. He looked beyond incredible in his uniform. Memories of their kiss, of being held against his hard body, and the way she’d reacted sent a shiver along her nerve endings.
    “Aunt Dottie,” Brad acknowledged with a slight tilt of his head before turning his full attention and killer grin in Ali’s direction. “Alicia. How’s your foot?”
    “Fine. Well, my toe’s black and blue, but other than that, I’m all good.” She wiggled her foot to punctuate her point.
    “Glad to hear it, sweetheart.” At his use of the endearment, Ali glanced over at Aunt Dottie. She was beaming like the Cheshire cat. “We removed four more traps this morning, and although I’m reasonably confident there aren’t any more, you need to be extra careful.”
    “Let it go,