Chapter 1

“Hey, Collin, I’m back,” Fiona said, shutting the hotel door behind her. Her fingers clutched the tall hurricane glass in her hand, careful not to spill.

Fiona turned. Her sandal wedges squeaked on the polished wood floor as she turned toward a shuffling noise behind her. Fiona’s blue eyes widened, watching the scene before her as if it were a movie in slow motion.

“What the —,” Fiona’s words were cut off in her tightening throat. The crashing of glass shattering off the floor rang throughout the bungalow-themed hotel room.

Collin and some blonde-haired, tan-skinned woman shot up from the bed.

“Fiona!” Collin yelled, tucking the pristine white sheets around his naked waist.

Someone screamed. Fiona didn’t know if it was her or the naked woman rushing to cover up her perfect tits.

Collin scrambled from the bed, tripping over clothes strewn on the floor. “It’s not what it looks like,” he started. His caramel eyes flashed.

Fiona blinked. She expected remorse to bubble to the surface, but all she felt was relief.

Collin reached out for her. She slapped away his hand.

“Was this what you planned when you surprised me with a tropical vacation?” Fiona said.

“Babe…,”

“Don’t.”

“I- I had too much to drink,” Collin attempted to explain, gesturing from his naked torso to the woman frozen in bed with the floral quilt tucked under her arms.

Fiona’s fists clenched. Collin rambled on about his fuck up

Collin leaned in front of Fiona, bringing his face in line with hers. “Babe. Please. I promise. Give me a chance to make this up to you. We can cancel this trip and go to Rovaniemi, Finland like you wanted to. We can see the Northern Lights.”

Fiona’s jaw tightened. Her dream had been to visit Finland. The urge was stronger now that her father had passed away.

She didn’t want to be an orphan.

She didn’t want to be alone.

Plus, studying to be an astronomer, her love for the celestial unknowns flowed in her veins. She was less than pleased when Collin had booked a trip to an island near the equator.

Hearing Collin grovel grated on her eardrums. In the most unlike Fiona way, she lifted her arm back and rammed her tiny fist into his face. Pain radiated up her arm.

The woman in the bed gasped and Collin yelled, “Ow. Fuck!” The hand that held his sheet over his manhood, grasped his eye. The sheet fell to the floor.

Fiona’s eyes drifted down and back up. She clutched her hand close to her chest and turned on her heel. She collected her stuff from the bathroom and shoved them into her suitcase.

“You punched me! You bitch. I knew you were crazy. Always looking at the sky instead of what was right in front of you.”

Fiona ignored Collin and continued to move through the hotel room, gathering her things.

“Shauna, get me some ice,” Collin told the other woman.

Fiona’s sandals crunched on the ice as she stepped purposely on the neon drink umbrella on the floor. She picked up her purse, set her suitcase on the ground, and opened the hotel door. She breathed a sigh of relief as the door latched closed, shutting off Collin’s cursing.

When she got to the lobby, she asked the concierge, “When’s the next shuttle to the airport?”

The middle-aged man with dark hair and dark skin blinked at her. “Ma’am, ending your stay so soon?”

Fiona offered him a polite smile. “Yes.” She paused, thinking. “Can you call up a limo to take me to the airport? Please put any charges to the room.”

“The room under Mr. Brigham’s name?” He asked.

“Exactly.”

The concierge smiled. “My pleasure. The limo will be here in twenty minutes. While you wait, please, visit our hotel bar. I’m sure they will have the ice you need for your hand,” he said, catching Fiona’s hidden motives.

Fiona nodded and did just that.

Chapter 2

Fiona stepped off the airplane, clutching the airplane blanket around her slim body. The brutal wind whipped through the air, instantly chilling her.

“What was I thinking?” Fiona said out loud to no one. Puffs of breath plumed from her mouth. Her bright green toenails stood out against the crystal white snow that blanketed the ground.

The rest of the travelers pushed past her, giving her odd looks. She was utterly aware of how idiotic she looked, dressed in a sundress, standing in the middle of a polar night winter. Rovaniemi, Finland was a complete one-eighty from the tropical island she left many hours ago.

Rushing forward, her feet crunched on the snowy ground as she pushed through the doors that led into the airport. A blast of hot air warmed her body. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her toes and fingers felt like they were going to fall off.

Scanning the tiny airport, she found what she was looking for. A clothing store. She pulled her suitcase along behind her, ignoring the glances of travelers and workers. She rounded her shoulders as she approached the counter.

The worker behind the counter gasped, raking her eyes up and down Fiona’s summer attire. “How can I help you?” The tall, blonde salesgirl asked. Her Finnish accent was thick.

Fiona slammed her suitcase on the counter, making the girl flinch. “I need winter clothes, but this suitcase is full of shorts and tank tops.”

The salesgirl opened her mouth but was cut off by Fiona’s red and swollen hand. “I’m fully aware that Rovaniemi is currently experiencing Polar Nights and temperatures below zero since the angle of the Earth essentially makes the sun disappear.

“But, I was just on a stupid tropical vacation with my boyfriend, well now ex-boyfriend, when I caught him cheating on me with some tanned, fake-boobed bimbo. So, I changed my vacation at the last minute. Is there any way I could trade you my clothes for some more appropriate ones?”

The girl swallowed before offering Fiona a bright smile. “My boyfriend cheated on me, too,” she said, opening Fiona’s suitcase and inspecting the clothes. “Let’s see what we can do.”

After an hour, Fiona was decked out in a sherpa long coat, thick gloves, a wool hat, and snow boots. Her suitcase was equipped with winter clothes, except for the bikini the salesgirl insisted she keep for the hot tubs.

Fiona looked at the card the salesgirl handed her. There was a name and number of someone to take her to the local hotel.

Joonas Harju.

She dialed the number. After three rings, a low voice answered.

“Hei.”

“Um, hello. Is this Joonas?”

“Joo.”

Fiona cleared her throat. “Do you speak English?”

Joonas inhaled, breathing out an annoyed sigh. “Who are you and what do you want?” His voice was short and clipped.

“Right. My name is Fiona Couri. I got your name from a worker at the airport. She said you could pick me up and take me to a place to stay.”

Joonas snorted. “Paska. Shit.”

“If this is an inconvenience for you, just give me the name of someone who will help.”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, rakas,” Joonas said, causing Fiona’s eyes to roll. She didn’t know what he called her, but it probably wasn’t nice. She hadn’t even met the guy and he was getting on her last nerve. “I’m on my way.”

“I’m wearing a—,”

“Believe me, I’ll be able to find you,” Joonas said, cutting her off. He hung up the phone.

Chapter 3

Fiona tugged her coat closer to her body. Despite the frigid temperature, she couldn’t take her eyes off the sky. Rovaniemi was a small town with tiny cottages and snow-covered buildings in a breathtaking mountainous backdrop.

Millions of twinkling stars sprinkled the sky. Her eyes couldn’t look at only one place. The pictures that she studied didn’t compare to the sights in person.

The rumbles of tires sounded, breaking her gawking. Two headlights stopped beside her. The truck idled.

Fiona blinked her eyes. Was this Joonas?

The horn honked. Fiona’s face scrunched.

Finally, the window rolled down. “Get in,” the manly voice said from the inside.

Fiona leaned forward, her voice caught in her throat. The guy sitting in the driver’s seat stared at her with crisp gray eyes. His neatly trimmed beard covered his strong jaw and highlighted his full lips. He wore a beanie over his hair, hiding its color and length. The sleeves of his flannel shirt were rolled up, showcasing thick, corded forearms.

She never noticed a man’s forearms before, but she did with this guy. She swallowed.

“Fiona, right?” the hot mountain man said.

She nodded. It seemed words had escaped her.

“I’m Joonas. Get in. We’re wasting daylight.”

Her brain caught up. “There isn’t any daylight,” she snapped, opening the door and climbing into the warm cab. She tucked her suitcase between her legs. Her nose was assaulted by smells of cedar, pine, and freshness. “It’s Polar Nights.”

“I know that. I was just checking to see if you knew that.” Joonas drove the truck forward, knocking Fiona back against the seat.

“Jesus,” Fiona breathed, gripping the overhead handle.

Joonas laughed when he peeked at her. “Chill out, raska. I know how to drive in the snow.”

The cab filled with silence and Joonas’s smugness. Fiona stared out the window. Large pine trees outlined the roads. Some had lights wrapped around them, and others were highlighted by spotlights. It was a magical winter wonderland.

“So, what brings you to Rovaniemi?” Joonas asked. His arm draped along the back of the seat in the cab. Fiona was fully aware that if he curled his fingers, he’d embrace her.

“My father’s from here,” was all Fiona offered.

Fiona felt Joonas’s eyes on her. She could feel his gaze as he looked her up and down.

“You don’t look like you’re Finnish.”

Fiona snapped her head to the side. “Excuse me? You shouldn’t judge someone by some dumb stereotype. Just because I’m not tall with blonde hair and my last name isn’t Skaarsgard, doesn’t mean I don’t have Finnish in my blood,” she scolded.

Joonas laughed. “Voi Luoja. My god, now who’s stereotyping?” He removed his cap, revealing dark hair. “And Skaarsgard is Swedish, not Finnish.”

Fiona frowned. “You know what I meant,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I’m just pulling your leg, Fiona. But, honestly, what brings you here?” Joonas offered after a couple of minutes of silence. He guided the truck up a narrow snowy road.

Fiona looked up at the sky. The stars were even brighter out here. Her eyes trailed along to the horizon. Hints of green and purple had appeared in the sky. As the Earth turned, the Northern Lights would rise in the sky, as if it were the Sun.

Fiona sighed. She pointed out her window. “That. The Aurora Borealis. My father just passed away and after a disastrous start to some time away, I realized that I should start accomplishing my dreams.”

“Paska. Shit, sorry to hear that,” Joonas said. Fiona looked over at him. He flicked his gaze over to her. His eyes were sincere, causing the gray to sparkle enticingly. “Does that tropical vacation have anything to do with your bruised hand?”

Fiona thawed under his observant gaze. “Yup.”

“I’m sure there’s a good story there. What’s your uneksia? Your dream?”

She kept her eyes on him, examining his profile. She felt the urge to tell Joonas everything about herself and wanted to know everything about him, despite his icy exterior. “My father talked about the Northern Lights all the time. They’re one of the reasons I became an astronomer.”

The truck came to a stop in a snowy clearing. Fiona couldn’t believe her eyes. Tiny, yellow, glowing windows littered the side of the clearing. To the other side, a larger cabin was tucked between pine trees.

“Where are we?” Fiona asked, leaning forward in her seat. There were no lights, except those illuminating from the tiny cabins, tucked into the side of a snow bank.

“My sky-gazing hotel,” Joonas said. He opened the door and climbed out of the cab. Before he shut the door, he said, “Come on, Astronomer, I’ll show you to your cabin.”

Chapter 4

Fiona halted in her path from following Joonas and his tight ass. Seas of bright greens, purples, and blues swirled above her, twirling and waving in a mesmerizing pattern. Their colors bounced off the snow, creating a disco ball effect.

“Oh my god,” she breathed out. The stars looked like glitter that the gods had spilled onto the Earth.

Joonas stopped and turned around when he noticed Fiona had stopped. He followed her line of sight, looking up, too. “I’ll never get used to this.”

“I know there are scientific reasons for the creation of the Northern Lights, but standing here, underneath them—so close that I could reach out and run my hand through them, I think science missed something.”

Joonas stepped closer to her. His warmth wrapped around her like a warm blanket. “Do you know the legend of the revontulet?”

Fiona smiled up at him. “The firefox. Yes. I know all the legends.”

“As a Finnish man, I should believe in the revontulet, but I believe the lights represent those who we’ve lost.”

Emotion clogged in Fiona’s throat. Joonas’s sensitive side spoke volumes. She believed that, too.

Fiona licked her lips. “Yeah.” That was the only word she was able to get out. Her emotions built in a tidal wave inside her body.

“Follow the stars, Fiona.” Her dad had told her as he lay dying. “They are what make wishes come true.”

Joonas’s eyes watched Fiona as she worked to gather her control. “Pahoillaan, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. I’ve lost family, too, but when I’m out here, I feel like they’re with me. Watching over me.”

Fiona’s chin quivered, swiping a few stray tears that fell. She was surprised they didn’t freeze to her face, but her body was too warm by Joonas’s words and presence.

“Thank you, Joonas,” Fiona managed to say.

He nodded his head, giving her a blinding smile that took her breath away. He gestured toward one of the cabins. “Here’s yours.”

Fiona smiled as she took in the tiny snow-covered cabin.

“There’s a bed and bathroom in there, but nothing else. All meals are up at the big cabin,” Joonas said, unlocking the door. “You can have it for the night at no cost.”

Fiona stepped around Joonas into the room. A large, plush bed with a mountain of blankets and pillows sat beneath a dome of windows. The mystical colors shined through the windows, illuminating the inside of the cabin.

“This is magical.”

Joonas leaned against the door with his arms crossed. One of his ankles was crossed over the other. He looked magical, too.

“I think so. People only come to Rovaniemi for two things: Santa and the Northern Lights. I relate to one more than the other.”

Fiona tore her eyes from the sky to peek over her shoulder. They’re eyes locked. Butterflies bounced in her stomach, but she ignored them. She wasn’t planning on a tryst with a hunky mountain man with a sensitive side.

“Thank you,” she said, touching his arm. She brought her eyes up to meet his. He straightened from the wall, dropping his arms. “For everything.”

Joonas cleared his throat. “I have to admit, you are not what I thought you’d.”

Fiona laughed. “You were exactly what I thought you’d be, except you’re more.”

Joonas shook his head with a smile. A slight blush crept up his neck. “I’ll leave you to it. Call me if you need anything. Breakfast is at eight.” He gave her a quick nod and left, shutting the door behind him.

Fiona collapsed on the fluffy bed. Alone. Her eyes scanned the sky. They followed the waves of the Northern Lights, feeling a vast overwhelming crash of emotions.

“I’ve made it, Dad. They are everything you said they’d be and more,” Fiona said aloud, her voice quaking.

Sadness climbed up her chest, planting itself in her throat. For the first time in several days, she lay in her grief, accepting it. Tears streamed down her face while she stared at the mirages of colors in the dark sky.

Sobs racked her body, shaking the bed beneath her. The plush bedding cocooned her body as if she lay in a blanket of snow. It comforted her, surrounding her in a warm hug.

After a few minutes of sobbing, Fiona’s tears were spent and dried. She felt refreshed. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this cathartic.

The Northern Lights shone above her breaking through the darkness.

She had accomplished a dream—her wish that she had made on a shooting star.

As she stared into the celestial abyss, a dying star flew across the sky. She smiled as a new wish formed in her head. A sign from the gods.

She sat up and rolled her suitcase over, grabbing her phone. She dialed.

“Hei,” Joonas answered. “Need something already?”

“Do you know of anywhere that’s hiring an astronomer?”

“Pyhä paska. Holy shit. I thought you were here on vacation, raska.”

“I’ve found a new path to follow.”