Broken Trails

“Yup,” Scotch stifled a yawn and looked at Lainey. “I believe I’ll bed down here.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Lainey agreed.

Roman looked from one woman to the other, then to his father, uncertain which way to jump. Georgio gave Scotch a calculated glance as he fiddled with his icy beard. Lainey could see the gears turning as he gauged whether or not to stay with Scotch, keeping the competition close, or moving ahead with the hopes of beating her to the finish.

Waters, the last one in line trotted up to the group. “What’s up? Why are we stopping?”

Georgio said, “Looks like we’re splitting up.” He slapped his son on the shoulder. “I’m heading to the cabin. These ladies are electing to remain here for a spell.”

“Let’s snack the dogs and get going then,” Waters said.

They men broke away to tend their teams. Scotch grinned at Lainey. “Let’s get the dogs closer to the tent camp before bedding them down; give them a bit more shelter.”

“Okay.”

By the time Lainey had her team situated and the cookers heating, she and Scotch were alone in the tiny gorge.

She worked through her chores on automatic. Her dogs were soon bedded down on their blankets, sated with food and water, and on their way to sleep.

Scotch had had them park so their sleds were together. It would mean struggling with Lainey’s team to get them turned back down the trail, but it was ultimately worth the effort. They were within easy speaking distance and chatted to one another as they worked. When Lainey had her meal cooked, she went to Scotch’s sled and sat beside her to eat.

“What do you have?”

“Meatloaf and potatoes,” Lainey said, showing her bag. “What about you?”

“Moose stew.”

“Hey! I didn’t get any moose stew!” she complained.

Scotch chuckled at her, and received a forceful nudge that only made her laugh harder. “I have friends in low places,” she said.

Lainey eyed her suspiciously. “And what does that mean?”

“It means that the cook at Rainy Pass Lodge passed me a couple of packages before I left.”

She cursed, more for show than from any real heat. “Doesn’t that violate the no help rule?”

“It wasn’t help, it was a gift. Besides, I won’t tell if you won’t. And I know he won’t.” Scotch’s smile faded into suspicion. “What are you thinking?”

Lainey wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m thinking you said he gave you a couple of packages. My silence has a price.”

It took a moment for her words to sink in. When they did, Scotch groaned and rolled her eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me! I only have one left.”

Her smile was angelic.

Now Scotch cursed, though a smile teased the corners of her mouth. With a great show of frustration and petulance, she located the still frozen meal and handed it over.

Lainey squealed in mock joy and gave her a hug.

They returned to their meal, Lainey feeling warm and tingly inside. A flash of her cartoon self surrounded by little throbbing hearts crossed her mind, and she smirked into her meatloaf. Where the hell was that vision coming from? Would she be hallucinating animated creatures and people for the rest of the trip?

“How much further to Nikolai?” she asked.

“About forty miles. We’ll get there in the morning, take another break.”

Lainey’s good humor drifted away. “You’ll be moving on now, right?”

Scotch glanced sideways at her. “Yeah. I’ve been holding the dogs back from the speed they want to run. If the wind stays down, we’ll make good time to the next checkpoint. Most of the trail is straight and easy to see. It’s got some bad spots, but we’re through the worst.”

Forcing herself to business, Lainey said, “Well, don’t wait for me, okay? Get out there and kick Spencer’s butt.” She grinned at Scotch’s laugh.

“Only if you kick Spencer Junior’s butt.”

Lainey held out her hand, hooking it with Scotch’s. “Deal.”

“I expect we’ll have company soon,” Scotch said, balling up the remains of her meal. “Did you notice the lights behind us?”

“Yup. They’re other mushers, right?”

“Uh huh. About ten miles back. I want to be sacked out before they get here. Give them less reason to stop and talk. Don’t want to interrupt my beauty sleep.”

Lainey took her cue and stood. “Honey, you could go without sleep for months and not need to worry about your beauty.” She froze, eyes wide and a mittened hand covering her mouth, when she realized what she had said. Good God, why did she just blurt that out?

Scotch rose, laughing. “Thank you. And welcome to sleeplessness.” She pulled Lainey’s hand down, holding it in hers. “Better watch what you think, Lainey Hughes. You might say a whole lot of things you don’t mean to in the coming days.”

Her skin was hot from pleased embarrassment, and she was glad both that it was dark and Scotch’s head lamp was turned off. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“I’m not.” Scotch closed the distance between them and held her close for a long time.

When they separated, Lainey was less self-conscious. It was with some effort that she said good night and forced herself to her sled for a nap. As she settled into her sleeping bag, she grumbled under her breath, “Damn, why can’t this race be over already?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

IT WAS ONE in the morning when they prepared to leave the tent camp for the trail. The air was crisp with cold, and Lainey dug her face mask out of the sled before getting started. Despite the brisk chill penetrating even that protective barrier, her eyes were gummy and she could not stop yawning. The lack of sleep was beginning to get to her. She had to get to McGrath, the checkpoint after this one, to reach her scheduled twenty-four hour layover. Wearily stepping aboard the runners of her sled, she wondered if she would make it that far.

“Remember,” she called ahead to Scotch. “Don’t hold back for me, okay?”

Scotch waved acknowledgement. “See you in Nikolai.”

Lainey returned the wave, and they were off.

The trail was a smooth and easy one, though still spooky with the ever-present fire damage. Lainey heard only her dogs panting, the swish of snow beneath the runners, the jingle of metal bits on the tow line, and her own heartbeat.

Scotch drew further and further away. For a while, Lainey’s team tenaciously attempted to keep up, but soon slowed their pace to a more comfortable one. This disparity between the teams was expected. Scotch had the champions of the kennel and Lainey the second string. Any one of her dogs could have mustered for Scotch’s team, but not all of them. She felt no resentment at having second best, either. Winning was never an option for her as it was for Scotch. Lainey looked fondly over her dogs. She would not part with any of them, not even Bonaparte who trotted along as if he were the only one on the line.

By the time she saw the sign for the BLM cabin, Scotch was completely gone from view. Lainey passed the turn off without stopping, wondering if the mushers they had traveled with were still there or had already gone on.

Her dogs ran, and her thoughts drifted. Daydreams of reaching Nome to the sound of cheers filled her mind, interspersed with visions of warming Scotch in her bed at the cabin. Or a private session at the hot springs. Lainey could almost taste her and licked her lips. She abruptly came back to reality when bits of fiber from her face mask met her tongue.

“Blech!”

She pulled the mask down to dislodge the lint from her lips. That finished, she bent over the sled bag and retrieved a warm juice pack from her cooler, draining it in minutes. Feeling slightly more awake, she stuffed the empty package into her sled and covered her face again.