Noah dipped his head and pressed his lips against Sophie’s in a tender, celebratory kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. He knew his heart was pounding like a jackhammer. He wondered if Sophie heard it thumping, and if so, did she know it was because of her?
A feeling of dread gripped him. Before he started fantasizing about the future he needed to get control of the present. He needed to speak plainly to Sophie and reveal everything he’d been keeping close to the vest ever since he stepped foot in Love. Just the thought of doing so made his palms moisten.
As Noah drove Sophie back to the Moose Café for her birthday celebration, he battled a serious case of nerves. He had unexpectedly found happiness in this small Alaskan hamlet with the woman of his dreams. He didn’t know what he would do if it was all snatched away from him.
Once the party was in full force, Noah got into the swing of things and focused on celebrating Sophie’s special day.
Noah joined in with the others as they sang to Sophie and presented her with a chocolate layered birthday cake, and he found himself wishing for things he’d stopping hoping for ages ago. A woman to have and to hold. Children to teach and nurture. A home where love would be on display in abundance.
He watched as Sophie closed her eyes and blew out the candles on her cake. Noah hoped all her wishes would come true.
Dear Lord. I haven’t been one to believe in happily-ever-after, but lately I’ve changed my tune. Because of Sophie. She’s changed me. Her unwavering faith and goodness has transformed me. Please continue to walk on this path with me. I need You now more than ever. Let Sophie hear the truth and see an even greater truth. Can you show her that my love for her far outweighs the things I’ve kept from her?
He had fallen for Sophie. Noah had tumbled over the edge to a place where there was no safety net. He had resisted the pull in Sophie’s direction, but in the end, his feelings had been stronger than his doubts and fears. And it was far too late to reel his emotions back in. But because his feelings were so strong for Sophie, he needed to be completely honest with her. He couldn’t go on like this.
There was no question about his next step. He was going to tell Sophie all of his truths. Noah was going to confess everything to her about his profession and his association with her ex-fiancé. And he was going to pray and hope for forgiveness and a new slate here in Love. He would have to come clean with Cameron, also, and figure out a replacement for himself at the Moose Café. And somehow, maybe there was still a shot at salvaging his company. He’d received a huge chunk of payment from Sussex, and by all rights his client owed him the remainder. Noah was still fighting for Catalano Security and all his employees.
God could move mountains. Sophie had helped restore Noah’s faith. She’d shown him that God wasn’t done with him yet. She had nudged her way into his heart, until now he wasn’t sure if he was coming or going. Surely He could help Noah figure out how to get himself out of this messy situation.
Chapter Eleven
Noah had tossed and turned all night, filled with the knowledge that he might very well lose Sophie today when he told her the real reason he had come to Love, Alaska. He winced at the thought of giving her even one ounce of pain. He shook his head. Maybe he was in too far to come out of this mess in one piece. He hadn’t even been truthful about his last name. So many lies stood between them. For a man who never felt afraid, he was quaking in his boots.
Although he wasn’t certain the timing was right, Noah knew he had to come clean today. It wasn’t right to hold Sophie in his arms and kiss her while sitting on a mountain of secrets. She deserved to know about Sussex and Noah’s true profession.
Tonight was Jasper and Hazel’s rehearsal dinner. It was a huge event, scheduled one week before the nuptials. They had invited the entire town of Love to enjoy the prewedding festivities. In seven days’ time they would be joined as husband and wife. Since the Moose Café wasn’t big enough to hold the whole community, they had decided to host the party at the town hall. As mayor, Jasper was able to green-light the celebration.
Noah didn’t know a whole lot about weddings, but he did recognize the absolute joy on Hazel’s face as her wedding day drew closer.
Noah and Sophie were attending the dinner together. He almost couldn’t believe what had transpired over the course of the last month. He’d fallen for the woman he’d been hired to spy on. Never in a million years would Noah have imagined a case of his taking a turn like this one.
He didn’t know if he had a future with Sophie. Not until he fessed up to her, and she forgave him. He’d almost told her a dozen times or more. In the end, his cold feet always stopped him in his tracks. For a man who normally feared nothing, the thought of losing Sophie scared him to death.
Now, he was in the middle of a raucous wedding-rehearsal dinner in an Alaskan fishing village. And there wasn’t a place he’d rather be than at Sophie’s side. She looked all kinds of gorgeous in a long, cream-colored dress and matching heels.
He leaned down and spoke softly in her ear. “When everything quiets down, I want to talk to you about something, away from the hustle and bustle.”
“You won’t hear any argument from me,” Sophie murmured, as he grazed his lips against her temple. It was time. Time to speak plainly and from the heart. He couldn’t go on like this any longer.
Noah had practiced his speech to Sophie for hours last night. He would tell her the plain, unvarnished truth. He wouldn’t hold back a single detail. And he wouldn’t paint himself as an innocent victim, either. He would tell her about the financial troubles with Catalano Security and how desperation had blinded him.
He would wear his heart on his sleeve in the hopes of Sophie understanding his situation and how trapped he’d become.
When the music started playing, everyone headed toward the dance floor. Even Noah began to tap his foot to the upbeat tempo.
Sophie held out her hand. “Care to dance? Or do you have two left feet?” Her eyes danced with merriment.
“Those are fighting words. I’m a great dancer.” Noah took her hand and led her to the edge of the dance floor, where it wasn’t as crowded. He gracefully twirled her around and executed a few tricky moves he’d learned along the way. Then he pulled her close to him, steering her expertly across the room as they danced up a storm. When the music died down and people exited the dance floor, he led Sophie back to their table.
Suddenly, Noah felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, shock roaring through him at the sight of the man standing beside him.
“I can take it from here, Catalano.”
Noah froze. It couldn’t be. But yet it was. He instantly recognized the polished masculine voice with the slight British accent.
It was Sussex! He was standing two feet away from them, with a smug smile on his face. Noah sucked in a breath to steady himself. What was his client doing here?
Sophie gazed at Sussex with a look of shock and dismay etched on her features. After a few seconds she shifted her gaze back to Noah, confusion radiating from her eyes. She shook her head, clearly in disbelief at her ex-fiancé showing up in this remote Alaskan town, but even more stunned by the fact that he seemed to know Noah.
“How do you know him, Noah? Why is he calling you Catalano?” she asked, skewering Noah to the spot with her eyes.
“Sophie, I—” he began. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say to explain it all to her.
“Have you been lying to me about your name?” she asked.
He let out a sigh. “Yes. My real name is Noah Catalano.”
His stomach twisted into knots when Sophie winced. A pained expression crept over her face.
“Can we talk in private?” Noah asked, desperate to tell her everything.
Sophie looked around her. People were beginning to openly stare and whisper. She held up
her hand, then looked back and forth between the two men. “Let’s take this to the main foyer. I don’t want to ruin Jasper and Hazel’s evening by creating a scene.” She turned on her heel and made her way out of the room. Noah followed, ignoring the impulse to stuff Sussex in an empty broom closet.
Once they arrived at the foyer, Sophie didn’t waste any time getting down to business.
She turned to face Sussex. “I want the truth, John. How do you know Noah?”
“He’s in my employ,” Sussex said. “I hired him to keep an eye on you, Sophie. He’s a private investigator.”
Sophie gasped. Her eyes widened. Her face crumpled. “Noah! Is that true?”
The satisfied expression on Sussex’s face didn’t escape Noah’s attention. He looked like the cat who’d swallowed the cream. He was clearly enjoying exposing Noah to Sophie.
Noah gritted his teeth. His moment of reckoning had arrived. It didn’t matter that he’d planned to tell her the truth later today. Almost didn’t count. “Yes, Sophie. It’s true. But—”
“I can’t believe this! You’re just as deceitful as John was.” She took two steps backward. “I trusted you. You made me believe you were someone I could love and trust and admire!” She raised her hand to her mouth and let out a sob. “You’re a private investigator? This whole time you’ve been paid to spy on me?” She glared at her ex-fiancé. “For him!”
“Not just spy, Sophie,” Sussex interjected. “Part of his assignment was to distract you from the other males here in town. A decoy of sorts. That’s how much I adore you. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being paired up with someone in this rinky-dink town.”
“Shut up, Sussex. That’s a lie.” Noah looked at Sophie, begging her with his eyes to believe him. “He asked me to romance you, but I would never have done that as part of the assignment.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you did, though? You courted me, flirted with me, told me you had feelings for me. You made me dream of a future with you. The white picket fence covered with icicles and a houseful of kids with runny noses and big blue eyes.” She pounded his chest with her fists. “You made me fall in love with you.”
“You’re in love with me?” Noah asked. Joy flooded through him. For a single moment he reveled in this feeling of pure satisfaction. Sophie loved him back!
“You fell in love with him?” Sussex said in a sneering tone.
“Be quiet, Sussex. I’m warning you,” Noah growled. If Sophie loved him, then surely she would hear him out and give him the opportunity to make amends.
Noah swung his gaze toward Sophie. He felt like an absolute idiot. He should have told her the truth a long time ago. Sussex had come to Love not only to win her back, but to expose Noah, who had inadvertently tipped him off by asking pointed questions about the assignment.
Sussex took a step toward Sophie. “My feelings for you haven’t changed one iota, Sophie. You’re the love of my life. I still wish to become your husband. I’ve been waiting patiently for you to realize we were meant to be together,” he said.
Noah rolled his eyes. He prayed Sophie wasn’t falling for this ridiculous act. The man loved no one but himself. Of that Noah felt certain.
Sophie scoffed. “You don’t love me, John. You used me for my father’s connections and his vast fortune. You weaseled your way to the top of his corporation. But that wasn’t enough, was it? You wanted the heiress, too. Because that way you’d have your entire future wrapped up with a nice little bow. The world would be your oyster.”
Heiress? Fortune? Noah’s head was spinning. Sophie was wealthy?
“That’s not true,” Sussex declared.
Sophie let out a harsh laugh. “And something tells me that’s why you’re here right now. According to my father’s grand plan, I inherited half of the corporation on my birthday. You just can’t bear the thought of letting everything slip through your fingers, can you?”
“You can’t honestly believe that! I’m devoted to you,” John cried, appearing wounded. Noah wanted to give him an Oscar for best actor. There were even tears in his eyes.
“I do believe it, John. There’s no question about it! So you see, the joke is on you. You hired Noah to spy on me, but it was really a waste of time. I don’t want you in my life. I will never marry you! You will never get your hands on my shares of the company.”
John’s expression hardened. The wheels seemed to be turning in his head. Noah sensed he knew things weren’t going his way.
A loud noise rumbled from outside. It was getting louder and louder by the second. People began to spill from the reception room into the foyer. The sound was emanating from the sky.
Aidan came running toward them. “Come outside. It’s a helicopter. And it’s getting lower and lower to the ground.”
Liam peeked out the window. “You’re right, son. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Let’s go get a closer look,” Aidan pleaded, tugging his father by the hand.
At the news of a helicopter landing at Love’s town hall, all the guests made their way outside, with the exception of a few stragglers.
Noah didn’t take his eyes off Sophie as they joined the crowd. He still needed to clear the air with her. This helicopter was serving as a distraction. Judging by the beleaguered expression on Sophie’s face, she had already heard an earful.
“What in the world is going on? Helicopters need clearance before they set down.” Jasper angrily shook his fist in the air. “What kind of stunt is this?”
“Maybe it’s a special guest for our rehearsal dinner,” Hazel suggested. She made a squealing sound. “Perhaps it’s one of those Hollywood action stars!”
“I don’t care who it is,” Jasper grumbled. “I’m the mayor of this town and I didn’t receive a single call, email or tweet about this.”
The thought of Jasper tweeting provided a slight dose of levity to an otherwise anxious situation. Noah felt an impulse to grab Sophie by the hand and take her away from all this madness. If he could only sit down with her in a quiet space and talk to her. He desperately needed to tell her he loved her.
“Oh, no,” Sophie said with a groan. “This cannot be happening.” Her eyes were glued to the descending helicopter.
Noah took his eyes off her and lifted his gaze toward the sky. He studied the helicopter as it lowered for a landing. There was a huge emblem on the side of it. Java Giant.
Java Giant? It was a huge coffee chain. Java Giant was in all fifty states. It was a household name. His employees drank it on a regular basis. He would know that red logo anywhere.
One look at Sophie’s face spoke volumes. There was an expression of such dread and angst etched on it. Noah knew that it had something to do with the Java Giant helicopter.
Suddenly it dawned on him. He hadn’t been the only one keeping secrets. Perhaps the person or persons inside the helicopter held the key to Sophie Miller’s past.
* * *
Sophie stood like a statue as she watched the Java Giant helicopter land on the town green. Leave it to her father to make a grand entrance! Roger Mattson wasn’t called “the Entertainer” for nothing. Tall, suave and handsome, with a headful of salt-and-pepper hair, he exuded grace, charm and affability.
As her father stepped out of his helicopter, her first instinct was to rush into his arms and hold on for dear life. It had been over a year since she’d seen him up close and personal. The very sight of him made her want to burst into tears.
She’d never felt so betrayed by anyone as she did by Noah. It felt as if he’d lodged a knife firmly in her back. She’d trusted him! Loved him. Once again she’d been played for a fool.
She felt her knees weakening. Despite everything, she needed her father. It didn’t mean that the past had been erased. It just meant she loved him more than words could ever express. And she knew without question he
loved her just as fiercely.
Sophie ran to meet him. “Daddy!” she cried.
“Peaches!” he called out, his raised voice textured with emotion. He met her halfway, and they clung to each other as if they were life preservers on the open sea.
The smell of her father’s woodsy aftershave rose to her nostrils. She clutched the fabric of his jacket, wanting to hold on to him for dear life. In this moment he was safety, the foundation that would never crumble.
“Don’t ever let me go,” she whispered, feeling as vulnerable as a child. Being held in her father’s arms served as a healing balm. The past no longer mattered in this moment. He had traveled all this way to Love to reunite with her. And she needed him more than ever after Noah’s betrayal. She felt as if she’d been stung by a swarm of killer bees. Sophie wasn’t sure how she was still standing, when in reality all she wanted to do was fall to her knees.
Noah—strong, hardworking, gentle Noah—had made a fool of her. The man she had fallen in love with didn’t exist! Her Noah was a double agent, working undercover for John while romancing her. All she wanted to do right now was melt into her father’s arms and get away from all the madness swirling around her. How she felt now was a hundred times worse than when she’d discovered John’s duplicity.
Thank you, Lord. For bringing my father back to me just when I needed him the most.
After what seemed like an eternity, her father gently pulled away from the embrace.
His eyes were moist with tears as he studied her face. “Sophie. I can’t tell you how good it feels to see you in the flesh.”
Sophie felt her lips trembling. “Daddy. You found me.” She looked into her father’s grass-green eyes. They so closely resembled her own.
His Secret Alaskan Heiress Page 15
