“Where’s your first-aid kit?” he asked.
She jutted her chin in the direction of the sink. “In the top drawer.”
Noah turned around and headed toward the drawer. He pulled it open, yanking out the kit and rummaging around until he found ointment and a large Band-Aid.
“Sit on the stool,” he commanded, nodding toward it. Sophie sat down and peered up at him as he bent over and began patching her up. His movements were gentle and precise as he placed the ointment on her hand and wound a white cloth bandage around it. “The burn is in an awkward place, particularly for a server. It’s going to be tender for a bit and you’re going to have to put ointment on it regularly so it doesn’t get infected.”
“Thanks, Noah. It was stupid of me to reach for the plate without asking about it. If it had been ready to be served you would have put it at the pass.” It had been foolish to just pick up the plate, but she’d been so annoyed with Noah that she hadn’t wanted to communicate with him. She’d been childish. The burn had been the result of her pride.
“We need to communicate better, since we’ll be working together.” He patted his hand against his chest. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to talk to me. I’m so sorry about earlier. I acted like a jerk. I hope you won’t hold it against me.” His eyes were filled with contrition. In one instant, Noah wore down her defenses. How in the world could she hold a grudge against a man who had bandaged her up so nicely?
“Got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” she teased.
“I’m not exactly a morning person,” he admitted. “I don’t function well unless I get my eight hours.”
“Well, here’s a little tip that I learned when I first arrived in town. At night, crack your window just a wee bit so you can get a dose of pure Alaskan air. If that doesn’t give you a perfect night’s rest, I don’t know what will.”
“I’ll take that advice, Sophie,” Noah said. “I better get back at it before the customers start a revolt. Gimme a few minutes for the eggs, sausage and pancake order.” After flashing a perfect smile, Noah turned back toward the stove and began cooking up a storm. Sophie stood and watched him for a few moments, admiring his strong arms and the powerful slope of his neck. Knowing she might be ogling him, she forced herself to leave the kitchen and head back to the dining area.
She felt as light as a feather. A sense of euphoria rose up inside her. Sophie felt as if she was floating on air.
All this time she had been hoping and praying to meet a man who gave her goose bumps. And now, out of the clear blue sky, it had happened. Kismet. A connection. The entire time Noah had been nursing her wound Sophie had been trying to figure out the sensations coursing through her.
Goose bumps! The same type Maw Maw had always told her about. And it came from an unlikely person. Despite the fact that he’d been an absolute jerk, Noah Callahan had given her goose bumps. Finally, after all these weeks and months, an Alaskan hottie had made her feel something worth rejoicing over. A real honest-to-goodness romantic connection. There was no doubt about it as far as she was concerned. For the first time in well over a year, she felt an earth-shaking, heart-pounding attraction to a man.
All of a sudden, she felt her enthusiasm come to a crashing halt. Hazel’s heartfelt words had forced her to realize that she had been reluctant to find love because of the lie she’d been living. And nothing had changed in that regard. She was still harboring secrets about her true identity and economic status.
Noah was a man who had come to Love in need of a job and a steady paycheck. Guilt threatened to choke her. She had never been in his precarious position. Even now she had a safety net—her father and a trust fund set up in her name. Noah was clearly just getting by in life and trying to put one foot in front of the other in order to keep himself solvent. It would be the height of irony if she became involved with a man who seemed to be struggling to make ends meet.
An uncomfortable feeling settled in Sophie’s chest. For a moment she found it a little hard to breathe. For so long she’d wondered why none of the men in Love had appealed to her on a romantic level, despite all their wonderful attributes. The truth was staring her straight in the face. Most of the men in Love held blue-collar jobs, and due to the town’s recession a few years ago, were working hard to stay financially afloat. A part of her had felt too guilty about her wealthy origins to fully commit to looking for a partner.
There was no getting around it. The fact that she was a billionaire’s daughter masquerading as a barista-waitress might not sit well with an average Joe like Noah. He was a working-class man who might not understand why an heiress was masquerading in an Alaskan fishing village as a waitress.
Dear Lord, please help me figure a way out of this mess. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel a few stirrings in my heart. Noah intrigues me. But I’ve been living with this lie for so long that I’m frightened of what might happen if I tell the truth. I’ve built a life for myself here in Love and my friends have become like family. I don’t want to lose them. Please shine a light for me so I can find my way toward the truth.
Chapter Four
Noah whistled an upbeat tune as he readied himself for his shift at the Moose Café. Strangely enough, he was getting used to morning hours. He’d made it a daily ritual to go outside to Cameron’s back porch and watch the sun rise as it crept up over the mountains. This view was food for his soul. He inhaled a deep breath of pristine Alaskan air, then slowly exhaled. Noah had the strangest sense that he was exactly where God wanted him to be at this very moment in time.
Being here in Love reminded him so much of his upbringing in Homer. Sometimes Noah forgot all the wonderful things that made Alaska so magnificent. He now wondered if he’d deliberately suppressed those memories so he wouldn’t miss home so much. He had always been of the belief that the only way he could make his mark in the world was to leave the place he had always called home. Alaska.
But now he was beginning to wonder about that decision. Had he made things way more complicated than they’d needed to be? Could he have built up a successful security business right here in Alaska on his home turf? It was a complex question, one he needed to delve into at another time.
For now, he simply stood in humble awe and appreciation of the raw beauty of this land he loved so much. His gaze focused on the craggy mountains looming in the distance. The glistening waters of Kachemak Bay stretched out for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see. The wintry climate invigorated him. A feeling of gratitude swept over him, as strong and sure as he was standing here.
Lord, I know I haven’t called on You in a very long time, but thank You for creating this rugged land, this place of unsurpassed grandeur. Thank You for reminding me of the beautiful masterpiece You created and for bringing me back to this place that’s so much a part of who I am.
By the time Noah arrived at the Moose Café, the restaurant was already lit with a warm, golden glow. Although the Closed sign was still up, the front door was unlocked, and as he walked in the tinkling of the bell heralded his arrival. He greeted Cameron and Hazel, who were sitting at a table drinking coffee and eating a few of the doughnuts he’d whipped up yesterday.
“Morning, Noah!” Hazel greeted him. She waved him over to the table. “Come on and sit with us for a spell. We don’t open up this joint for another twenty minutes, so we’re enjoying some downtime before the deluge begins.”
Noah always found himself grinning whenever Hazel spoke to him. She was a lively and warm woman who didn’t hesitate to speak in blunt terms. He liked her spunk.
“So, Noah,” she drawled. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“Uh-oh,” Cameron said, reaching for his coffee cup and taking a lengthy swig from it.
“Ask away,” Noah said, instantly regretting his openness once Cameron began sending signals with his e
yes.
“Are you single?” Hazel asked without skipping a beat.
He felt a smile twitching his lips. “Yes, I’m single.”
“That’s a blessing for the ladies of Love, although you’re now providing the men here with some stiff competition in the looks department.” Hazel’s gaze swept over him like laser beams. “From what I’ve heard through the town grapevine, you’re not a participant in Operation Love. Is that true?”
Noah gulped. “I’m part of the town grapevine? I’ve barely been in town a week.”
Cameron let out a loud chuckle. “From the moment you stepped out of Declan’s seaplane you became part of it,” he explained, quirking his mouth. “That’s how small towns work, especially this one.”
Noah shook his head in disbelief. He needed to keep low to the ground and not attract any attention to himself. There wasn’t time for any distractions, particularly not of the female variety.
“No, I’m not part of Operation Love,” he answered.
Hazel leaned across the table and splayed her hands in front of her. “I’m going to be brutally honest, Noah. You’re seriously missing the boat by not joining up. Don’t you want a happily-ever-after like Cameron and Paige?”
“Technically, I was never part of Operation Love,” Cameron interjected. “Paige and I reunited after a few years apart, so we can’t really be counted as a success story for the program.”
Hazel scowled at him. Cameron shrugged. She turned toward Noah and continued making her pitch. “The women in this program are extraordinary. Imagine the bravery and pluck it took to come all this way in the hopes of finding your one true love? As far as I’m concerned, that type of gal is a keeper.”
“I agree,” Noah said with a nod. “I have the utmost respect for anyone who takes a huge leap of faith.” The last thing he wanted to do was make Hazel think he was looking down on Operation Love. And he couldn’t very well tell her that he wouldn’t be in town long enough to find a life partner. That would pretty much blow his cover.
The grin Hazel bestowed on him was dazzling. It made him a little nervous. She was acting as if he’d given Operation Love a huge thumbs-up. Perhaps he needed to reiterate that he wasn’t interested in the town’s matchmaking program.
Just then the bell chimed and they all turned toward the door. Sophie stood there in a puffy down jacket the same color as her eyes. A white beret sat perched atop her head. Her cheeks were rosy. The tip of her nose looked like a raspberry.
“Morning, everyone. It sure is cold out there,” she said, rubbing her mittened hands together. “Sorry I’m late, but I stopped in to see Liam at the clinic. Claire gave me a ride into town.”
“You’re not late,” Hazel said. “We still have another ten minutes before the doors open. Take off your coat and sit for a while.”
“A hot, steaming coffee would be a nice pick-me-up,” Sophie agreed, shrugging off her coat and draping it over one of the chairs.
“Hot coffee coming right up.” Hazel jumped up from her seat and made her way to the counter.
Noah’s ears perked up. Who was this Liam person? And what was he to Sophie?
Was he a love interest? If so, Noah needed to find out everything he possibly could about this man. It would all be part and parcel of his investigation. He felt a little niggling sensation in his chest. For some inexplicable reason, he didn’t want this Liam character to be romantically involved with Sophie.
“So what’s my brother up to? Was he able to give you the medicine you needed for your allergies?” Cameron asked, taking another hearty swig from his cup.
“Dr. Liam Prescott is my hero at the moment. He switched up my medicine and gave me a new inhaler. Hopefully now I can breathe at night,” Sophie said. “And Ruby sent me some homemade granola. Talk about a win-win.”
“He’s a mighty fortunate man to be married to a woman like Ruby,” Cameron said with a wide grin. “God sure did bless my brothers and me in that department.”
“Your brother is the town doctor?” Noah asked, still trying to wrap his head around the cast of characters who lived in this town. He already knew Cameron’s brother Boone was the sheriff of Love, but he hadn’t known about Liam. It was evident that Liam was married to Ruby. Based on this conversation, Sophie had seen him as a patient, and there didn’t appear to be anything romantic going on. Noah felt the tight sensation in his chest loosening.
“Yes,” Cameron said with a nod. “One of my brothers is the town doctor. That’s Liam. My other brother, Boone, is the sheriff. And Jasper, my grandfather, is the town mayor.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “And my baby sister, Honor, runs the wildlife center.”
“Quite a family,” Noah said, letting out a low whistle.
Hazel returned with a steaming mug of coffee for Sophie. “He’s not even telling you about his fabulous sisters-in-law, Ruby and Gracie. And let’s not forget Cam’s wife, Paige. She’s one in a million.”
“The Prescott family is one of the founding families of Love,” Sophie said in a gushing tone. “In a week or so we’re going to celebrate Founder’s Day in a big way. Fireworks. Festivities. Sleigh rides. It’s going to be a can’t-miss event. So put it on your calendar, Noah.”
His calendar. Noah didn’t really do social engagements. Back in Seattle he’d devoted most of his time to Catalano Security. In his off time, he met up with friends, and on the rare occasion went out on a date. But his heart really wasn’t into dating, not since Kara had broken his heart and shattered his faith in women. Sometimes it felt as if he was just going through the motions.
If you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll never know what you’re missing. His mother’s voice buzzed in his ears, reminding him that there was a whole world to explore. For the past few years he had avoided putting himself out there. He didn’t like to think of Kara very often, but he knew his past relationship with her served as a barrier for him getting close to another woman and trusting people in general.
At one point in time Noah had envisioned Kara as his future wife. He’d loved her, and believed she loved him in return. He had even started looking at rings in anticipation of asking her to marry him.
It had all been a lie. Kara’s feelings for him had proved to be fickle. She had dumped him for a wealthy hedge fund CEO after telling Noah she wanted to be with a more ambitious and financially stable partner. Noah’s aspirations of opening a security company had been dismissed by Kara, who hadn’t seen it as a viable business. A rich socialite, she had been way out his league, a fact she had made very clear right before tossing him aside for another man and shattering his heart in the process.
It didn’t hurt as much now to think of her, but for far too long Noah had allowed Kara’s actions to dictate his life. That had to change.
As long as he was here in Love, Alaska, he was going to make the most of as many experiences as he could. And that included attending a Founder’s Day celebration.
“I’ll definitely put it on my calendar,” he said, surprising himself by feeling a burst of enthusiasm at the idea of spending time with the citizens of this quaint hamlet.
The arrival of the first customers of the day put an end to their coffee klatch. Noah beat a path to the kitchen, where he put on his apron and began prepping his work area. Within a few minutes, his first order arrived and he set about the business of preparing breakfast for the customers.
About an hour into the morning service, Cameron popped his head into the kitchen. “Hey, Noah. Would you mind coming out front to talk to a customer? He wants to rave about your breakfast omelet.”
“Sure thing,” Noah replied. “Just give me a minute.”
Every now and again, Cameron asked him to come out from the kitchen so he could greet an appreciative patron or answer a question about an ingredient. He had to admit, the folks in Love were a friendly bunch w
ho loved to compliment the cook.
The moment he entered the dining area, his gaze honed in on Sophie. Although he tried to tell himself it was only because her fiery red hair drew him in like a beacon, he knew it wasn’t that simple. She was off-limits in every way conceivable, but there was something about her that tugged at him.
His stomach clenched at the sight of her standing in the middle of a group of four men, who seemed to be competing for her attention. She seemed to be enjoying it, judging by the sound of her tinkling laughter and the way she tilted her head in a playful manner.
He had no idea why, but it bugged him. Not just a little bit, either. He was fighting the urge to walk over to the table and whisk Sophie away from the salivating men. A part of his brain registered the fact that they weren’t actually salivating, while another part of him felt certain they were.
And it annoyed him to no end that she seemed to be encouraging it. Perhaps this was the side of Sophie that Sussex had described. The Sophie who’d been able to ditch her fiancé without a hint of remorse. Maybe she’d been bored with her fiancé and had wanted to play the field before settling down.
Noah turned away from her and her group of admirers. He greeted the smiling customer, Eli Courtland, who regularly came to eat breakfast with his wife at the Moose Café. After accepting Eli’s hearty compliments, Noah turned back toward the kitchen. A flash of titian hair in his peripheral vision drew his attention. He couldn’t help but take another look at the spectacle taking place a few feet away.
“Neanderthals,” he mumbled under his breath, as he watched one man reach out and press a kiss on Sophie’s hand. Noah rolled his eyes. From the looks of it, Sophie could be one of those women who enjoyed twisting men around her little finger.
For the first time in his professional life, Noah felt conflicted about passing on information to a client. Did Sussex really need to know this type of information? Noah let out a sigh. With each and every day, this assignment was getting trickier to pull off. Sophie wasn’t actually doing anything noteworthy, other than living her life. But he could see that she was a much-beloved figure in this town, and clearly sought after by the men in Love. If Sussex’s goal was to win Sophie back, his plan would turn to mush if she fell for someone else. Perhaps Noah’s client needed this information as soon as possible. Ripping a Band-Aid off really quickly might hurt something fierce, but it was better than slowly pulling it off and prolonging the agony.
His Secret Alaskan Heiress Page 5
