“She sounds like an incredible woman,” Sophie said in a gushing tone. “One of my favorite memories of my mama was making peach jam and packaging it in little glass jars. Each jar had a pretty top and they each came with a label that said Made with Love by Sophie and Mom.”
“The good thing about making memories is that we never lose them. Not really. We can cherish them for the rest of our lives.” Noah looked thoughtful. “I’m the only son who left Homer. My brothers are still there—two have families and help run the diner. The other two work in the area. You have no idea how many times a day I reflect upon our childhood.” He pressed his palm against his chest. “All of those moments are right here. I carry them around with me wherever I go. And I can pull them out whenever I feel the need.”
Sophie suddenly felt a lump in her throat. Noah had hit the nail right on the head. Memories were forever. And despite everything her father had done to hurt her, he was still the same man who had raised her. Loved her. Sheltered her in his arms when her mother died unexpectedly of pneumonia. People weren’t perfect, were they? It hurt terribly to feel betrayed, but it didn’t erase the love.
“Thank you,” Sophie said, in a voice barely above a whisper.
Noah swung his gaze up from his plate. “For what?” he asked, confusion evident in his tone.
Sophie put her sandwich down. “For reminding me of the good times. When something bad happens we tend to focus on that particular event.” Her shoulders sagged. “You’re right about memories. They’re snapshots of the past. Reminders of events we may have taken for granted. Christmases. Parties. Our sixteenth birthday. It wasn’t all bad.”
“My mother used to always say we’ve got to take the bitter with the sweet.” Noah put the last of his french fries in his mouth.
The bitter with the sweet. Could it really be that simple?
A year had passed and now Sophie had a little distance from the turmoil that had led her to flee New York City. John and her father were not interchangeable. John’s actions had been reprehensible. Amoral. Her father had been blind to John’s sins against her. He had sided with her ex-fiancé when she’d needed him to be firmly, devotedly by her side. He had chosen to believe John. It had felt like a knife in the back. It had seemed as if he’d picked business over his only child.
It still hurt terribly, but in this moment all Sophie wanted to do was forgive, the same way she would want to be forgiven. Listening to Noah made it all seem so simple. But she knew it wasn’t. Sophie didn’t feel like the Java Giant heiress anymore. The truth was hard to ignore. She’d never quite fit into those shoes. It had always been as if her life as Sophie Mattson was someone else’s she’d been observing through a filmy window. She much preferred life as Sophie Miller—barista, waitress, transplant to Alaska.
Roger Mattson wasn’t a man who would take lightly to the heir to his empire renouncing it all for a simple life in the wilds up North. Sophie bit her lip. At the moment she had both feet planted in Love, while a huge chunk of her heart remained in New York City.
* * *
Once Noah dropped Sophie back at the Black Bear Cabins she immediately changed into her pajamas and sat down with a hot cup of tea. There had been a little moment in the car where she’d thought Noah might lean over and kiss her. Just the thought of it made her toes tingle. She was probably being fanciful. Noah was the type of guy who could get any girl he wanted simply by crooking his finger.
She let out a sigh of contentment. Tonight had been very enjoyable. Today, too. Sophie loved town events and this one had been no different. Sharing it with Noah had made it extra fun and whimsical. Everything about Love was so new to him. Seeing it through his eyes reminded Sophie of her first few days as a newcomer to this quaint town. Everything had been shiny and new and straight out of a travel brochure.
Sophie had shocked herself by revealing intimate details of her past to Noah. These feelings had been bubbling up for so long and she’d managed to keep such a tight rein on them. Tonight they had just risen to the surface. Noah had been in the right place at the right time.
She had never imagined it would be so difficult to hide so many things about herself. Even though she had embraced a new life in Love, her past had shaped her. In the last year she had tripped up a time or two, but other than Grace, no one knew she was really Sophie Mattson. Not even Noah. That knowledge weighed heavily on her heart. How could she ever find love while holding so tightly to this secret? And if she did find a special someone in the future, how would she ever know if he truly loved her for herself and not the Java Giant fortune?
It had felt good to tell Noah her truths about John and her family. Sometimes it was easier to talk to someone you didn’t know very well. Somehow the pressure had felt less intense. To Noah she was a blank slate. Telling him about her relationship with John felt freeing. With Noah, Sophie didn’t have to worry about revealing things about her past that might disappoint or shock him. He hadn’t seemed judgmental at all, or critical of her estrangement from her loved ones. He had really listened to her and then given her food for thought.
Was it really possible to just reach out and connect with her father? Or would the weight of the past come crashing down around them? Sophie suspected their estrangement was tied up in the loss of her mother, a terrible blow neither of them had ever fully recovered from. Ever since then they had been tiptoeing around each other.
There’s love in the bottom of every cup. She couldn’t stop thinking of the slogan she knew so well. Those words were stuck in her head, reminding her of everything she’d left behind.
A person could convince themself that they’d done the right thing, especially after a betrayal, Sophie realized. Talking to Noah about his large, bustling family had broken something loose inside her. She wasn’t sure she cared about being right any longer. Missing her father was like missing a limb. She wasn’t a hard-hearted person. It had taken every ounce of strength she had to keep up this huge divide between herself and the people she loved more than anything in the world.
Chapter Eight
Noah looked out the huge bay window of Cameron’s house. It had snowed last night, dumping at least five inches of powder on the ground. Gazing at the wintry landscape made him smile. He felt at home here in Alaska in a way he had never experienced in Seattle. Although it was a big and beautiful city, it had never quite tugged at his heartstrings. And even though he didn’t relish shoveling the driveway, it was a small price to pay for a little slice of paradise.
This morning was going to be a relaxing one for Noah. The Moose Café wasn’t scheduled to open until noon due to some maintenance issues, which gave him some free time to explore the town. He let out a groan as he remembered the favor Sophie had finagled from him yesterday. A full twenty-four hours later and Noah still wasn’t quite certain how he’d managed to get roped in to serving as Dwight’s romance mentor.
“You know how it happened,” he muttered. “A beautiful barista with a killer smile and a sweet Southern accent approached you.” One who was still off-limits. One who had no idea he was spying on her for a big fat paycheck.
He felt slightly flattered that Sophie regarded him as an expert, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Noah never had a problem getting dates or attracting women, but his relationships never lasted long. Other than his ill-fated love affair with Kara, he couldn’t remember another romance he’d had with any substance.
Although he had agreed to meet up with Dwight later on, after his shift, Noah wasn’t looking forward to it. Dwight seemed like a good guy, but Noah already had his hands full with his work schedule and keeping Sussex apprised of Sophie’s comings and goings. What did he really know about romancing women, anyway? If he did, wouldn’t he have settled down himself by now?
He held his cell phone up to his ear and listened to his messages. There were six in all from Sussex. Noah winced and h
eld the phone away so he wouldn’t suffer damage to his hearing. The man was acting like a toddler having a tantrum. His client was not in a good mood, presumably because he hadn’t heard from Noah in several days.
Noah wasn’t proud of himself for dodging the calls. For the first time in his life he was avoiding talking to a client. Now that Sophie had caused him to doubt Sussex’s version of events, Noah felt even guiltier about this assignment.
He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Should he confront Sussex? Without this gig, his life in Seattle would quickly unravel. His company would be toast. And it wouldn’t affect just him. He had employees who were counting on him to rescue the company. If he didn’t, their lives would be turned upside down, as well. Noah knew he was afraid to fail as a businessman. His own parents had weathered hard financial times, yet they had always managed to keep the diner afloat.
And Sophie. He cringed at the idea of her finding out he’d been hired to report on her every move. What would she think of him? He cared more than he’d like to admit about Sophie’s opinion of him.
Sophie Miller was some kind of wonderful. He let out a chuckle at the memory of their first meeting at the café. How could a person ever be ready for a flash of lightning? Was it possible that he’d been hit by a thunderbolt? He now knew exactly why Sussex was so determined to hang on to Sophie Miller. She was the sun that everything revolved around. She shone brighter than diamonds. He reckoned that she was a force of nature that could move mountains.
Noah could very well see himself falling for the beautiful barista if he wasn’t careful. A man would have to be crazy not to see her appeal. He needed to guard his heart.
Under different circumstances, Noah wouldn’t hesitate to ask Sophie out on a date. It would be selfish to pursue anything more than friendship with her, even though he knew there was something brewing between them. It wouldn’t be fair to Sophie, since she had no idea he was in Love under false pretenses. From the sounds of it, she had already dealt with major betrayals in her life.
It would be easy to sit back and forget the reasons he’d ever set foot in this town. There was something soothing and comforting about the community of Love. Being here made him feel as if he could put aside all his troubles, although with Sussex blowing up his cell phone, that wasn’t likely to happen. He served as a constant reminder that Noah was on his payroll and that his presence in Love was strictly business.
After digging himself out of the driveway, Noah headed into town and straight toward his destination—the Free Library of Love. The moment he stepped inside, he began to deeply inhale. He loved libraries. The smell of them. The way the books felt in his hands. The hush of stillness in the air. No sooner had he walked a few paces than he was greeted by the librarian standing behind the main circulation desk.
“Hi there. I’m Annie O’Rourke, head librarian. Is there something I can help you with this morning?” The sweet-faced brunette smiled at him.
“Hi, Annie. I’m Noah Callahan,” he replied. He wasn’t certain, but he thought her eyes widened upon hearing his name.
“Nice to meet you, Noah,” she said in a perky tone.
“Could you point me in the direction of the true-life crime novels?”
“Sure thing.” Annie nodded. “Just follow me.”
“Are you any relation to Declan O’Rourke, the pilot?” he asked. “He flew me into town when I first arrived.”
“I’m proud to say I am.” She wagged her ring finger at him. “We’re newlyweds. I came to this town to head up the new library and to find adventure. In the end I found my life partner.” She grinned at him. “You never know what’s around the corner for you here in Love.”
“I’m not looking for entanglements,” he said in a firm voice. “I came to town for a job. I do love living here, though.”
Annie nodded again. “Let me know if you need any additional help. This section right here is full of great choices.” She walked away briskly.
Noah hoped he hadn’t sounded rude, but he didn’t want to give the wrong impression about his presence here in town. As it was, he’d already had a dozen or so invitations to dinner and town events from single women. Although he had been flattered, there wasn’t a single one who’d tempted him.
Well, there is one, he reminded himself. A beautiful redhead. But she was the last person he should pursue. Crossing the line with the person you were investigating was a recipe for disaster. Noah wasn’t going down that road.
“Mornin’, Noah.” The greeting came from behind him. He quickly turned around at the sound of Sophie’s voice.
For a moment Noah simply allowed himself to soak Sophie up like rays of sunshine streaming down on him on a gorgeous sunny day. “Hey, Sophie. How’s it going?” he asked, surprised to see her out of her Moose Café uniform. She was wearing a pretty pink sweater and a dark pair of jeans. She had a stack of books in her hands. One false move and the books would tumble out of her arms.
He reached over and took them from her. “Let me help you with these. They probably weigh more than you do.” Noah placed them on the table next to him.
Sophie seemed content to let him take the books off her hands. “Phew. Thank you. I love coming to the library, but I always end up with more reading material than I can handle. I forgot my tote bag at home. I’m thankful I didn’t topple over.”
Noah chuckled. There was a look of such earnestness on her face.
“No worries. I would have caught you,” he said in a teasing voice. He was actually serious. There was something about Sophie that brought out his protective side.
He looked down at her books. “What do you have here?” He began reading the titles out loud. “Thirty Places to Visit before You Turn Thirty. A Guide to Spotting Alaskan Birds. How to Find the Love of Your Life in Six Easy Steps.” Noah swung his gaze up to look at her. Clearly, she really was interested in finding love.
“Interesting books.” His words were loaded with meaning. As a result, Sophie’s cheeks turned rosy.
“You’ve got quite a few books yourself,” she noted, her eyes widening as she scanned the titles. “True crime.” She shuddered. “Books like that give me the willies. I wouldn’t be able to catch a wink of sleep if I read this type of material.”
“Let’s just say I’m a bit of a crime buff,” Noah admitted. He supposed it was one of the reasons he’d been drawn into the world of private investigations and security. There were a lot of bad guys in the world, and he wanted to be able to figure them out before they hurt innocent people. Suddenly, he felt like the world’s biggest hypocrite. Wasn’t he potentially harming Sophie by continuing this ruse? If she had been telling the truth it might mean Sussex couldn’t be trusted. In that case, shouldn’t he warn her? His chest tightened. Doing so would be violating the rules of his profession.
“I guess great minds think alike. Working at the Moose doesn’t afford me much library time.” Sophie looked around her and let out a sigh of contentment. “This place is divine.”
“It’s a great place to hang out,” Noah said. “I like the quiet. Growing up in a rowdy household made me crave moments of pure silence.”
Sophie smiled. “I’m actually the opposite. As an only child I longed for loud noises and the sound of doors slamming and running feet. You have no idea how blessed you are to have so many siblings.”
“They’re a tough bunch, but for the most part they’re keepers,” Noah said.
“Thanks again for agreeing to help out with Dwight. He’s such a sweetheart. He truly hides his light under a bushel. Most people here in town find him a bit grating, but he’s really a very special person.” Sophie was in full cheerleader mode.
It sounded like she was trying to sell him on Dwight. Uh-oh. Perhaps he’d misread the situation. Most of the time when the majority of the people in a town didn’t care for someone it meant the person
had big huge annoying flaws. He prayed it wasn’t the case with Dwight, considering the fact that Noah was now mentoring him. Whatever that meant.
“So, I was wondering if you’d like to go with me to the Founder’s Day celebration?” Sophie blurted the question out at such rapid speed that he almost asked her to repeat herself. Judging by the near panic etched on her face, he didn’t dare. It was a look of such sweet awkwardness and bravado.
If he was using reason and logic, Noah should turn down Sophie’s invitation. He needed to keep his eye on the prize and do the work he’d been hired to perform. Getting closer to her was only going to make him more conflicted about this assignment. There were too many people back in Seattle who were counting on him to keep Catalano Security afloat. He didn’t need to start second-guessing himself and this profitable gig.
Eyes on the prize, he reminded himself.
Once he saw the hopeful glint in her eyes, Noah didn’t have the heart to say no. Truthfully, he didn’t want to. Even though he knew it would be like walking on thin ice in springtime, his every instinct was telling him to say yes.
* * *
There! She’d done it. Even if Noah said no to her invitation—which would be incredibly awkward and humiliating—Sophie had stepped out on a ledge. No guts, no glory! She wanted her first date in Alaska to be with a man who gave her goose bumps. And that was Noah Callahan. She hadn’t even meant to ask him, but the words had just slipped out.
She locked gazes with Noah, resisting the urge to look away from his intense stare. She felt as if she was holding her breath, waiting for him to answer her. It was nerve-racking.
The corners of his mouth slowly began to lift up into a smile. “Sure thing, Sophie. I’d love to go with you.” The deep timbre of his voice made her pulse race with excitement.
His Secret Alaskan Heiress Page 10
