Alaskan Summer Read Online Free PDF

eyes again.
    Edith gushed with good cheer and tried to pry loose the name of the place where Laurette planned to move.
    “The Healys found someone wanting to rent a room. It looks like I’ll be working long hours and won’t be there very much. I think it’ll be fine.” Laurette put her cup down and pulled out her checkbook. “Let me pay you for my time here.” She smiled. “I’ll miss your good cooking.”
    Edith kept dithering but took the offered money and wished Laurette good luck. Lucy came by to rub her legs, purring loudly, as if adding a feline farewell.
    “Now that I’m checked out,” Laurette muttered as she entered the post office, “I sure hope the room with Ruth works out.”
    Back at the SAM office, she read through the fax messages. “I can’t believe all the things they need to keep the ships going.”
    “We’re talking thousands of people. A huge business, and it’s a floating one. Can’t just run down to the corner to pick up a loaf of bread,” Tyler told her. “What have we got there?” he asked, pointing to the messages.
    “The ships coming in today want everything from prescriptions filled for passengers to finding lost luggage.” She sifted through the stack. “These are from ships due later in the week. They’re ordering fresh flowers and produce. How do we do that?”
    Tyler reached for the page and scanned it before answering. “I’ll call Seattle and have it flown in. I need you to go to the bank and get some change. The steward on the ship due in at two o’clock wants us to deliver it when they anchor today.” Tyler reached into his desk and withdrew a ledger. “I’m going to give you a check; they need the funds in those denominations,” he said, pointing at the page on his desk. He wrote out the check, then handed it and the fax to her. “By the way, Diane wants to know how you made out with John Stevenson.”
    “His mother is very sweet. I’m going to move in for a week or so and make sure we both like the arrangement. John took me by his cousin Mike’s and I bought a little truck from him.”
    “We do a lot of business with Mike Littlefield. He takes the harbor pilots out to the ships for us, and I call on him when we have freight that needs moving. Good man. If he sold you a vehicle, it’s in great running order.” Tyler smiled. “Mike’s a fantastic mechanic. Keeps his old tug in tip-top condition.”
    “The truck doesn’t look like much, but it’ll serve me for the summer.”
    “You plan on moving right away?”
    “I’ve called Ruth Stevenson and arranged to take my stuff up there after work.”
    The phone rang, ending their conversation. Laurette headed for the bank.
    ❧
    Stopping by the fish-and-chips place, Laurette picked up take-out orders for her and Ruth. “Have you eaten yet?” she called as she entered the kitchen.
    Ruth came to the door looking puzzled. “Is it lunchtime?”
    Laurette didn’t correct her. Instead, she took plates from the cupboard and put a kettle on to boil for tea. “Come sit down. We’ll eat while things are hot. I’ll bring my things in later.”
    “I didn’t expect you to cook for me,” Ruth protested. “I’ll make dinner tomorrow night.”
    Laurette poured hot water into the teapot. “That would be nice.” She sat down and asked, “Would you like to say grace?”
    Ruth rewarded her with a big smile. “You’re a believer.” She patted Laurette’s hand. “I’m glad.”
    After devouring the fish-and-chips, the women sat over cups of tea while Ruth talked about her sister. “Esther was a year older than me. We grew up in an orphanage in Rose, Alaska. It’s in the interior.” She smiled and sipped her tea. “That’s why when we came here we went to St. Peter’s Church. The Episcopal Church ran the orphanage, and we grew up with the liturgy.” She shrugged. “I like knowing the service will follow the same pattern each week. I get confused easily these days, and it helps to have things I can