“And what if I won’t sign the papers?”
“Then we’ll marry anyway, but it won’t be in a church, with his family, the way he wants it. And I want him to have the wedding he deserves.”
He searched her face. During their marriage he’d learned that when she lied, she tended to smile with her lips while her eyes remained hard and focused. Today, though, he saw no sign of deception. For once in her life, she seemed completely sincere.
“Come with me.” He turned and led her through the door to the kitchen, where the envelope containing the annulment papers rested in the drawer of the built-in desk.
She looked around the space. “This is nice. I like the copper accents. It really brings a sense of warmth to this room.”
A sense of warmth. That was exactly what Sabrina had brought into the kitchen. Into his life. And without her, everything seemed cold and pointless. He opened the envelope and pulled out the papers. “This says my signature has to be notarized.”
“I have a notary in the car.”
“Of course you do.” She was nothing if not prepared. He grabbed a pen and followed her outside. Two men waited beside the limo. The taller of the two came to meet them halfway to the car and took Nicole’s arm, his eyebrows raised in question.
She smiled at him. “It’s fine. Leith has decided to sign. Leith, this is my fiancé, Dr. Robin Wilmoth. Rob, Leith Jordan.”
They exchanged nods. After showing his driver’s license, Leith signed the papers on the hood of the limo, and the notary stamped them. Nicole gave an audible sigh of relief. “There. Was that so hard?”
Surprisingly, it wasn’t. Leith should have done it a long time ago instead of letting it drag out.
Nicole’s fiancé put his left arm around her waist and offered a hand to Leith. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Leith shook hands with the doctor. “Best wishes for a happy marriage.”
“We appreciate that.” For the first time, the man cracked a brief smile. Then he turned to Nicole. “We’d better go, darling. We have reservations.”
She nodded. “Goodbye, Leith.” At least she didn’t say “good riddance.”
Leith watched the limo pull away. Maybe she really had grown up. The guy seemed decent enough. Maybe they would be happy together. Maybe not. Either way, his marriage with Nicole wasn’t just in the past; it had now been erased. Nicole was completely out of his life.
* * *
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Sabrina pulled up in front of her mother’s house. She used the key her mom had given her to let herself inside and strolled through the house to the great room. It was a beautiful place, even nicer than the one she remembered from her childhood. But, unlike that perfectly decorated home, this one had books and magazines scattered on the coffee table, two sleeping tabby cats shedding on the couch cushions and crayon drawings by Mason’s grandchildren on the refrigerator. It was a home. A happy home.
The back door opened and Mama came in, carrying two bulging shopping bags. “Oh, good. You’re here. Could you help me with the groceries?”
“Sure.” Sabrina brought in two more bags. “Is this everything?”
“Yes. Let me get the cold food put away and I’ll make us some iced tea.” Mama smiled at her. “And you can tell me the good news.”
“What makes you think it’s good news?”
“Because they’d be stupid not to hire you. And McCormick and Sons didn’t get where they are by being stupid.”
Sabrina set her phone on the kitchen table and helped Mama put away the groceries. Ten minutes later, they were sipping peach-flavored tea and nibbling on cinnamon cookies from the bakery. Sabrina’s phone chimed.
“Who’s that?” Mama asked.
Sabrina checked to find a photo of Misty holding up both hands with her fingers crossed. The text read Well?
Sabrina smiled and texted back No news yet. She showed her mother the photo. “It’s Misty.”
“So you’re getting to know your sister.” Mama nodded her approval.
“A little bit. She’s...interesting. And funny. Speaking of my sister, you could have warned me she was going to call.”
“She wanted to surprise you. I told her I wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but she made me promise. The girl can be very persuasive.”
“That’s for sure.”
“I hope it wasn’t too much of a shock for you.”
“It was a shock, but I’ve discovered I rather like the idea of a sister. I’ve scheduled an extralong layover in Seattle on the way back and she’s coming to the airport to meet me in person. But what about you? It had to be hard for you when she called.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because her mother was the reason your husband left. He abandoned us in favor of them.”
“None of that is the girl’s fault.”
“No. But still. Dealing with her had to bring up old wounds.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking about that.” Mama took a sip of tea. “It almost destroyed me when your father left us. Almost. But, mostly thanks to you, it didn’t. We survived. And I’m much happier now, with Mason, than I ever would have been if your father had stayed. Maybe it all worked out for the best.”
“Truly?”
“Truly. That business was his whole identity, and when he lost it...” Mama shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong—I don’t excuse your father’s behavior. I understand why he felt like he needed to get away and start over, but we were his family. Even if he didn’t want to be married to me any longer, you deserved his love and his loyalty. The checks he sent didn’t make up for leaving you behind.”
“No. From a few things Misty has said, I gather her mother was very jealous, and he didn’t want to upset her.”
“I have to feel sorry for the woman.”
“Sorry for the woman who stole your husband?”
“Think about what it must have been like for her. She’d seen him abandon one wife and child. She must have spent her whole marriage wondering if he was going to do it again.” She bit into a cookie.
“I’ve never thought about that.”
Mama smiled. “Enough about old history. Tell me about the interview. Are they offering you a bonus if you can start right away?”
Sabrina laughed. “They haven’t offered me anything yet, except to pay my travel expenses. It was a good day. I talked with several different people and they gave me a tour. They gave me the impression I’m in the running, but they have more people to interview. They said to expect to hear from them in about a week.”
“Then it’s just a formality. They’re going to hire you and you’ll finally be coming home.” Mama beamed.
Coming home. Sabrina tried to smile back, but it felt forced. Somehow, the metro area where she’d spent her whole life didn’t feel like home anymore. There was no goofy little dog angling for a run, no view of towering green mountains outside the kitchen window, no ugly but serviceable rain jacket on the hook beside the door.
No Leith.
“What’s wrong?” Mama had stopped with a cookie halfway to her mouth.
Sabrina shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong. Everything I’ve wanted since I graduated is possible now. If I can get this job with McCormick and Sons, I’m set for life.”
“So, you’re worried you won’t get the job?”
“If not, I’ll continue my job at Orson Outfitters. They’re a great company, too. I’ve learned so much since I started there. I think I have a good shot to make it to the management group in Seattle.” Sabrina ran a finger down the condensation on the side of her glass. “They’re good people to work with. In fact, I feel a little disloyal sneaking off to interview for this job without telling them.”
Mama patted her arm. “I’m sure if they’re as good as you say, they’d tell you to go for the job that suits you best.”
“Besides,” Mama continued, “you’re almost done with this training period in Anchorage. You’ll be moving away from that store one way or the other anyway. And just in time. Last week, I saw that show where they’re driving trucks on the ice.” She shuddered. “You don’t want to be in that place in the winter.”
Sabrina smiled. “That’s on the North Slope, all the way to the other end of the state. Leith says Anchorage is warmer than Minneapolis in January and gets less snow than Flagstaff.”
“Well, that’s not saying much. Who’s Leith?”
Sabrina almost said “a friend.” He’d been her best friend, and more. Much more. But now what were they? Former friends? Misaligned soul mates? “He’s someone I know in Anchorage.”
“Ah, tell me about this Leith. What does he do for a living?”
“He’s a survival instructor.”
“Survival instructor?” Mama fanned herself with her hand. “Oh, my.”
Mama was probably imagining a picture from some Hot Alaskan Men calendar. And with those incredible blue eyes and fit body, Leith could be a cover model for one. But that wasn’t what made him so attractive. The images that stuck in Sabrina’s mind were of Leith patiently coaching Emma on fishing, of his fingers flying over the guitar strings as he led the group in campfire songs, of conversation and laughter over so many meals. That was why she loved him.
She loved him! Cielos!
Mama was eyeing her now, no doubt planning her strategy to extract information. Sabrina pushed back her chair. “Excuse me just a minute.”
Mama said something, but Sabrina couldn’t hear it over the pounding in her ears. She escaped into the powder room under the stairs and splashed cool water on her flushed face. The image in the mirror stared back at her with frightened eyes. How could she have let this happen?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“HEY, SABRINA.” Sabrina had barely stepped inside the store when Clara beckoned her over from her spot at register one. “Over here.”
Sabrina had only been back in Anchorage for two days since her trip to Arizona. She wove her way past stacks of camping guides and bug spray to reach Clara. “Hi. What’s up?”
“Your career,” Clara whispered. “Kate from management is here again, and I overheard her and Walter talking about you. He says sales are way up in women’s clothing since you took over the department, and Kate was agreeing with everything he said. I think she’s here to tell you that you made the cut.”
A stab of guilt ran through Sabrina’s chest. Here was Walter, advocating for her to make the team, and she was sneaking away interviewing for another job. “They’re not scheduled to make that announcement for a while yet.”
“Maybe she’s just here to interview you before they make the final selections, then, but I can tell she’s impressed.” Clara grinned at her like a proud parent. “You’re going to get the Seattle job, and you’ll be great at it.”
Sabrina felt tears well up at Clara’s faith in her. She blinked them away. “It means a lot that you think so.”
Clara patted her on the shoulder. “Hey, don’t get all emotional on me. Remember, you’re moving to management at headquarters. You have to be all icy and professional.”
Sabrina laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Clara.” She made her way back to her department, sweeping her gaze over the colorful fleece vests and T-shirts, so different from the silk dresses and designer bags displayed in the front window of McCormick and Sons. Regardless of which job she landed, she was going to miss her coworkers here at the store.
A scary thought suddenly crossed her mind. Could word somehow have gotten out that she was interviewing for another job, and Kate was here to tell her she was being dropped from the program? Sabrina licked her dry lips. What if she didn’t get the McCormick job, and it got her kicked out of the management program, too?
No, they wouldn’t waste an executive’s time traveling all the way to Alaska to tell her she was out. And Walter wouldn’t have been discussing her sales record in front of Clara if she was in trouble. It was just her guilty conscience talking.
She’d barely had time to dump her bag in her locker and return to her department when Walter appeared. “Good morning, Sabrina.” He seemed to be all smiles this morning, further reassuring her they didn’t know about Scottsdale. “I’m glad you’re in early today. Kate’s here from Seattle, and she has something to talk with you about. She’s waiting in my office.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.” Sabrina took long, deep breaths in a futile attempt to slow her heart rate as she strode past the break room toward Walter’s office.
Kate sat at Walter’s desk leafing through some papers. Sabrina recognized them as copies of the design sketches she’d shown Kate at their last meeting. Kate looked up and smiled. “Good morning. Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about.”
Sabrina greeted Kate and perched on the edge of the same chair where she’d sat her first day here, when Walter had given her his welcome speech.
Kate gathered up the papers and tapped them into a neat stack. “Sabrina, are you familiar with Caribou Pass and Hidden Glacier?”
“The outdoor clothing brands, you mean?”
“Yes. What’s your opinion of their products?”
“Well, from what I’ve seen of their catalogs, they seem to have a broad selection. The online reviews are favorable.”
“Yes, but what do you think of their clothes? Do you own any of them?” Kate grinned. “This is not a test of loyalty. I’ll admit I have a Caribou Pass down coat I adore.”
Sabrina laughed. “No. I don’t own any, but that’s because I can’t afford it.”
“Ah, that’s what I thought you’d say. But you’d like to be able to afford more stylish outdoor gear than what Orson Outfitters offers. Am I right?”
“Honestly, yes. I hate to say it, but most of Orson’s women’s wear just seems like a man’s product in a different size. I’d like outdoor gear that was more stylish and designed for a woman.”
Kate nodded. “Lots of women would. That’s why I’ve convinced the board to introduce a new line of women’s wear. Orson will keep the existing line of basics—the board insisted on that—but we’ll add some more fashion-oriented clothes as well. We’ll have to work out the details, but I estimate we can sell them for about twenty-five percent more, with a slightly higher profit margin. I showed the board a photo of the vest you remade, and how it was still functional but more attractive. That’s what sold them on the idea.”
They liked her vest! “That’s great. I’ll look forward to seeing what you come up with.”
“Actually, I’m hoping you’ll do more than that. I’m here to offer you a job as designer for the new line.”
“Me?” Sabrina had always loved working with fabrics and creating fashion, but after learning more about the industry, she’d decided security was more important than creativity. Could she have both?
“You’d work with our production department. At the beginning, we plan to offer just a few select items. These sketches you came up with are a great start.”
Could she really do this? “You realize I’m not a designer. That is, I’ve taken design classes in college, but I haven’t worked in the field at all.”
“Yes, we understand that, but we think it’s important to have someone who comprehends the function of the clothes and not just the aesthetic. Your designs have both.”
Sabrina swallowed. It was time to come clean. “Okay, confession time. I don’t have that much experience with outdoor clothing, either. Before I came to Alaska, I’d never even been camping.”
Kate laughed. “Yes, I suspec
ted that might be the case.”
“You knew all along?”
“I noticed whenever the group discussed their outdoor adventures, you were conspicuously quiet. But you had other skills and experience that I thought could benefit the company. Camping isn’t that hard, and judging from what I saw of you at Walter’s, you’re a quick study.”
“I burned the cobbler.”
“Because you were busy saving a baby from choking. Hey, you can be forgiven for getting a little distracted.” Kate leaned forward in her chair. “Sabrina, you turned that vest from ho-hum into something eye-catching without sacrificing function. In your jacket design you arranged different pockets to make it easy for a woman to find her cell phone or sunglasses or warm her hands. Your designs are well-thought-out and practical. And if you need expert advice on what features to include for various types of clothing, you have an entire store here full of outdoor enthusiasts as consultants.”
“You mean, I could do that job from here?”
“Here, Seattle, anywhere with internet, really. You’d need to travel, of course, to find the right fabrics and meet with the production team, but you could base wherever you wanted. That’s one of the perks of this position. There are negatives as well.”
“Like what?”
“First of all, accepting this position would take you out of the running for the management team, and I won’t lie—you’re on track to make it.” Kate handed her a paper with a salary figure. “Initially, your salary as designer would be a little higher than what you would have earned on the next step in the management training path, but you’d lose out on the potential for promotion and corresponding salary growth opportunities.”
“So, less money in the long term.”
“Most likely. Secondly, this is an experiment. We would only be signing you to a one-year contract. It took some arm-twisting to convince the board to expand the women’s clothing line, and if the new designs don’t sell, they won’t hesitate to jettison the whole project.”
An Alaskan Proposal Page 21
