“I’d love to see that.” Noah threw his head back and laughed. “This town is something else. Word of mouth sure travels fast here.”
“Like the speed of sound,” Sophie said in a playful tone. “That has its drawbacks, of course, when the news isn’t so favorable. Or when it’s of a gossipy nature.”
Noah scrunched up his nose as if he smelled something bad. “I imagine so. There are gossips in every town. Sadly, bad news tends to travel faster than good news.”
“Is Love different from where you grew up in Alaska?” Sophie couldn’t contain her curiosity about Noah’s origins. There was a little hint of mystery that surrounded him.
“Very different,” he said with a nod. “I grew up in Homer. The population is much larger, and it has a different vibe. This town has an old-fashioned charm. I almost feel like I’ve stepped back in time here in Love. What they share is a great sense of community. Back home people chip in and help each other when we need it the most.”
“It must have been amazing to grow up in Alaska,” Sophie said, as images of a pint-size Noah flashed before her eyes.
Noah grinned, showcasing his dimples. “It was pretty close to perfection,” he admitted. “It’s what I’d like to give my kids one day. The great outdoors as a playground. Strong family values. Siblings to make things interesting. An appreciation of the simple treasures in life.”
Sophie smiled as images of dark-haired little children came to her. She didn’t say it out loud, but she would have loved a sibling or two. It would have been nice to walk through childhood with a brother or sister.
“Are you hungry?” Noah asked. “Taste of Love has been pretty amazing, but I’m starving.”
“Truthfully, I’m famished,” Sophie admitted. “I was so busy servicing the crowd, I forgot to eat anything.”
“Well, we can’t have that, can we? I don’t think Cameron would mind if I whipped something up for us over at the Moose.” Noah gestured toward the packaged-up supplies. “We have to take these boxes back there, anyway. He gave me the keys to lock up the place.”
“Cameron wouldn’t mind one bit if we ate a little something. He’s one of the most generous men on the planet.”
“He’s a good guy. So far he’s shown me nothing but kindness,” Noah said.
Sophie nodded enthusiastically. “There’s an abundance of that in this town, isn’t there?”
“Yep. There sure is,” Noah agreed. “It astounds me every time I hear someone calling to me from across the street, or asking me over to dinner because they think I might be lonely. I’ve never known a place quite like this before. It’s almost as if there are no strangers here.”
Sophie beamed with pride. Yes, indeed. This town was one-of-a-kind. She was now officially a resident of Love, Alaska, since she’d lived here for over a year. It made her happy to know Noah was getting acclimated to the community she loved so much. This town was good for him. He was opening up more and more every day. Noah was allowing light to shine on him rather than hiding himself away behind a somber disposition.
Sophie wanted him to stay here in Love and continue to work at the Moose Café alongside her, Hazel and Cameron. More than anything, she wanted to continue to get to know Noah better. It wasn’t simply because he was a nice person, either. Sophie was beginning to suspect that Noah Callahan might be one of the most wonderful newcomers that Love, Alaska, had ever welcomed to town.
* * *
Noah and Sophie loaded up his car with the leftover items. Despite her small frame, she held her own with carrying the boxes. He drove over to the Moose Café and parked in back by the kitchen door, making it easier to transfer the boxes inside.
As he unlocked the door, Noah couldn’t help but think of Cameron and the way he’d simply handed over the key to him. The man trusted him, Noah realized. He didn’t want to think about it for too long, or guilt would nag at him. In a few weeks he would be tendering his resignation and leaving Cameron high and dry, without a cook for his establishment. The very thought caused a tightening sensation in his belly.
For the most part, Noah conducted straightforward investigations and serviced the needs of his clients in an uncomplicated fashion. He wasn’t in the business of hurting people. This time around the fallout would leave ripples all over town. That knowledge burned his insides.
He had tossed and turned last night, going over the details of his current situation with as much finesse as he could. He’d even devised an exit strategy so he could get out of town if he needed to. But he didn’t think he could ditch and run. If nothing else, he liked to think that he wasn’t a coward. And he couldn’t imagine leaving this town without saying goodbye to everyone who’d shown him kindness.
For the moment he was going to focus on fixing dinner for himself and Sophie. He was going to live in the here and now. Later on, he would figure out how to wrap up this investigation, get paid and head back to Seattle. In the meantime, there was no harm in cooking a meal for Sophie.
“What’s your favorite food?” he asked her. They were standing in the kitchen, having unloaded all the boxes and stashed the contents in the supply room.
“Grilled cheese. And french fries.” Sophie clapped her hands together. He chuckled at the sight of her. At the moment she resembled a small child. “Oh, and I like pickles on the grilled cheese.”
Noah wrinkled his nose. “Pickles? On a grilled cheese sandwich?”
“Hey! Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It might just be your next favorite thing.”
Noah found himself laughing out loud. Grilled cheese and pickles! As if he could ever enjoy that wacky combination.
He began scrubbing a bunch of potatoes, then took out a cutting board and chopped them up. When he’d placed them in a bowl, he drizzled olive oil over the lot, adding rosemary, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. He then placed them on a baking sheet and slid them into the oven.
“Hey! Can I do something to help?” Sophie asked eagerly.
“Sure thing.” He nodded toward the fridge. “You can cut up some cheddar cheese for the sandwiches. And grab the jar of pickles while you’re in there. Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind about them.” He made a face. “I won’t hold it against you if you’ve decided to skip the pickles.”
Sophie poked her head out from behind the fridge door, triumphantly holding up a jar. “Are you kidding me? These pickles are going to make this the best grilled cheese sandwich in the history of sandwiches.”
Noah nodded approvingly. “I like your moxie. If you’re going out on a limb, do it with conviction.”
As Sophie began working with the block of cheese, conversation flowed easily between them. With every passing moment, Noah felt as if he was really getting to know her. And with every second that ticked by, he found himself trying to reconcile his client’s portrayal of her with the charming barista in his presence. Sophie didn’t seem cold or calculating. As far as he could tell she seemed genuine and sweet.
“You’re obviously a natural in the kitchen. Did you always want to become a cook?” Sophie asked, a curious expression on her face.
Everything Noah had learned about cooking had come from his parents. Dee Dee and Randy Catalano had owned a diner in Homer since Noah was a kid. The Highline Diner had been his stomping grounds, the place where he’d learned to make everything from eggs Benedict to Belgian waffles to Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.
“My family owns a restaurant here in Alaska. I grew up in that environment and learned to cook at an early age.” He let out a chuckle. “One of my earliest memories is learning how to make lasagna from my grandfather. He grew up in Sicily and came over to Alaska after he married my grandma. He taught me something I’ll never forget. When you cook for someone, always add a special ingredient. Cook it with love.”
Sophie let out a gasp. Noah watched a myri
ad of expressions cross her face. Tears pooled in her eyes.
He wiped his hands on his apron and quickly made his way to her side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Hey! Are you okay? Did I say something to upset you?”
Sophie shook her head. “No. You just made me homesick for a second. My family has a similar expression.” She heaved a tremendous sigh. “Being here in Love is wonderful. I feel like I’ve found my footing after falling on my face a few times. But not being able to see the people I love has been difficult.” She pressed her hand against her chest. “My heart aches a little from missing them.”
“Sounds like a perfect time to give ’em a call. The fries won’t be ready for a bit, so why don’t you make a phone call home? I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.”
Sophie ducked her head. “I can’t,” she said in a soft voice. “We’re not exactly on speaking terms at the moment.”
He had to mask his reaction so Sophie wouldn’t see his complete and utter surprise at her statement. Noah hadn’t seen this curveball coming. It was incredibly difficult to imagine her estranged from anyone. She didn’t seem capable of remaining at arm’s length with her loved ones, even though it fit in perfectly with his client’s portrayal of Sophie as cold and unfeeling. And it certainly hadn’t been included in the information Sussex had provided him. Why hadn’t he been told by his client that Sophie and her family were at odds?
“I don’t want to pry, but is it something that can be mended?” He blurted the question, not knowing whether he was asking for himself or for his investigation.
Sophie shook her head. “Not at the moment. Hopefully someday.” She began to fiddle with her fingers. “I was being pushed in a lot of different directions that weren’t good for me. Strings were being pulled behind my back. When I needed my family to support me unconditionally, they didn’t. And it hurt me very badly.”
He took a moment to let her words sink in. Sophie’s pain was palpable.
“Family dynamics are difficult sometimes. Take it from me. I have four brothers at home. Growing up, we fought and scrapped and argued. And we still do from time to time,” Noah admitted. “But there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other. And I’m guessing that your family feels the exact same way about you.”
Sophie bit her lip. “I used to think so, but they wanted me to marry someone who didn’t want to marry me for the right reasons. When I exposed him, my father didn’t believe me. He was on my ex-fiancé’s side. It’s kind of hard to get past something like that. It crushed me.”
Everything grew hushed in the kitchen. Noah felt his entire body freeze up. Was she talking about Sussex? If so, none of it meshed with the background story Noah had been given by his client. Hadn’t he said their relationship had been idyllic until Sophie had dumped him and left for Alaska? Hadn’t he implied another man was involved?
“You were engaged?” Noah asked, trying to keep his voice sounding normal. He needed to figure out what was going on. Was Sophie playing him for sympathy? That didn’t really make sense to him, since there was no reason for her to make up this elaborate story. After all, she had no idea he was actually a private investigator hired to keep tabs on her.
Sophie nodded. The pain etched on her face made his stomach ache. In that moment he wanted to hunt down the people who had hurt her and give them a piece of his mind. John Sussex? Her family? What had they done to this woman?
“Yes, I was supposed to get married. But I decided not to go through with the wedding once I realized he was only using me. I overheard a rather incriminating conversation between him and a lady friend of his. To tell you the truth, it was rather heartbreaking. I heard him say he didn’t love me and he never had.” Sophie sighed. “It’s a terrible feeling to know you’re a pawn in someone else’s game, but it made me realize that I didn’t want to be used or manipulated on such a grand scale. Not for anything in this world.” She shrugged. “He’d been a close family friend for years, though, so it was a double betrayal.”
Noah frowned. According to Sophie, her ex-fiancé hadn’t loved her. And there had been another woman involved. She had mentioned being used. The agony on her face when she had spoken about being betrayed resonated with him. He’d walked down that twisted, winding road himself. Kara’s deception still affected him to this day.
But his head felt muddled. What he’d just heard didn’t mesh with his client’s story that Sophie had been a disloyal fiancée who’d broken his heart and run off to Alaska. Sophie had mentioned being used as a pawn, which piqued Noah’s curiosity. Why hadn’t Sussex given him more background information? He needed to get to the bottom of all the inconsistencies. Quickly.
He didn’t really trust himself to speak at the moment. For just a little bit, he wanted to let the information settle inside him. It was hard to accept that his professional instincts might have been way off course. It was a matter of pride with him to get facts right. In his line of work too many things could go awry if he didn’t. Had financial desperation made him sloppy? Had he missed red flags with Sussex? Or was Sophie laying it on thick to win his sympathy?
“That’s why I appreciate this town so much,” she continued. “I came here to get away from all of the turmoil and to make a fresh start. And even though it was hard, I managed to do it.”
“It sounds like you wanted to get away from all the drama,” Noah said. If she was telling the truth, it was a game changer. She wasn’t the femme fatale. She could possibly be the victim.
Noah turned away from the stove and looked at Sophie. In this moment he wanted to give her some advice, and it had nothing to do with his assignment or his growing attraction to her. It was just plain talk from a friend. “I do believe that there’s nothing on this earth like family. I understand why you were devastated, and I’m sure there’s a lot you’re not saying, but maybe you should consider reaching out to your family. Give them an opportunity to make things right.”
Sophie regarded him with eyes as big as an owl’s. She didn’t respond, but merely gave a slight nod of her head.
The ding of the buzzer alerted Noah that the french fries were ready. He grabbed a mitt and took them out of the oven, then placed the pan on the stove. With his back to Sophie, he turned on the griddle and began making the grilled cheese sandwiches, making sure to add pickles to hers. Noah felt a little smile twitching the corners of his lips as he did so. This was a first for him.
Noah was glad she couldn’t see his face at the moment. He knew it must be twisted with confusion. He had no idea what to make of anything other than the fact that he was enjoying this time with Sophie. Everything flowed so nicely between them. It was comfortable and natural. He felt as if he’d known her for years.
Unfortunately, the information she’d just revealed had brought him back to the stark reality of his situation. His assignment compromised everything between the two of them. Or anything there might be. She thought he was someone she could trust. Noah felt unworthy of the information she’d just shared with him.
Had Sussex been able to pull the wool over his eyes? Had Noah’s financial situation caused him to miss warning signs about his client? Had the instability of Catalano Security caused him to lower his professional standards?
So much for his PI skills! He prided himself on being able to detect a lie. His instincts were usually on point.
Or was he simply blinded by Sophie’s beauty and vast charms?
It wouldn’t be the first time, he reminded himself. Kara had fooled him right up until the very end. He needed to tread carefully. So much hinged on this assignment.
* * *
After grabbing some plates and napkins, Sophie set the table. Her mouth watered at the delectable smells emanating from the kitchen. She didn’t think a grilled cheese sandwich and fries had ever smelled so tantalizing.
By the time they sat down to eat, her stomach was maki
ng growling noises. Just as it appeared Noah was reaching for his sandwich, Sophie said, “Let’s say grace.” She watched as he bowed his head and closed his eyes, then quickly followed suit.
“Lord, thank You for this food we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Amen,” Sophie said with conviction.
When she opened her eyes, Noah was looking at her with a curious expression. It seemed as if he wanted to say something. So far, Sophie had been able to deduce that he was a very introspective person. A thinker. Maybe even a little bit of an introvert. It was exciting to see him come out of his shell, bit by bit.
“Thanks for blessing the food,” he said after a few beats. “I have to admit something to you. I haven’t prayed over my food for quite some time.” He shook his head, looking regretful. “Hearing you pray over the food reminds me of sitting down for meals with my family. I used to bless the food all the time at the dinner table. My mother made my brothers and me take turns.”
“I think it’s only right to thank God for nourishment, especially when I love to eat.” Sophie let out a giggle, then spread her arms wide. “It would be a shame not to thank God for all of this great food.”
“Let’s dig in then,” Noah said, reaching for his sandwich and taking a huge bite.
The moment Sophie bit into her grilled cheese she let out a groan of appreciation. “Mmm. This is delicious. And the fries are great, too. I can’t believe you baked them.” Sophie dipped one into the small bowl of ketchup.
“I can’t take the credit. It’s Mom’s recipe, right down to the secret ingredient.”
“Secret ingredient, huh? Care to share?” Sophie teased. She put her finger to her lips. “I won’t tell.”
Noah took another big bite of his grilled cheese, chewed, then swallowed. “No can do. My mother is very serious about her cooking. I’m not going to risk the wrath of Dee Dee by spilling the beans. She’s a sweetheart, unless you mess with her recipes.”
His Secret Alaskan Heiress Page 9
