“That’s good to know,” Grace murmured.
Boone felt a tad guilt-ridden about the speech he’d just delivered to Grace. Here he was spouting off about believing in love when he himself was holding back. He’d been shielding his heart against Grace from day one. That all was going to end tonight. He was going to take a step out of his comfort zone and show Grace that he wasn’t just paying lip service. He intended to show her in no uncertain terms that he was wide-open to all the possibilities.
* * *
As she stood and looked down at the townsfolk gathered around Deer Run Lake, Grace felt a sense of peace envelop her. So many nights she’d lain awake praying for this very feeling. She’d asked God for closure and tranquillity. Now, unexpectedly, she’d found serenity in the most unlikely of places. And she knew a large part of it was due to Boone. Every moment she spent in his company helped restore her belief in finding someone who shared similar beliefs about life and love and family.
She’d shocked herself by being so open with Boone about her romantic past. It wasn’t something she normally shared. And he’d been sensitive and tender and kind. When he’d talked about faith, he’d made her feel as if it was still a part of her, even though she hadn’t recognized it until now.
It was becoming crystal clear to her that she needed to lead a more faith-driven life. And even though she’d turned her back on God, He was continually showing her that He hadn’t given up on her.
Lord, I need to believe in something. I want to trust in a higher power, to know that no matter what happens I can lean on You, Lord. For so long now I’ve been winging it on my own. All it’s gotten me is loneliness. And for so long I’ve been pretending to have it all, when in reality I’m lacking the very things I want the most.
A sudden roar went up in the throng of people. The crowd began to buzz noisily.
“Look, Grace,” Boone shouted as he pointed up at the sky. “If you live to be a hundred you might never see anything half as beautiful as this.”
Northern lights. She let out a gasp as a myriad of colors undulated across the sky. Greens. White. A splash of red appeared. Violet streaks of light shimmered across the sky.
She tilted her head back and stared up at the heavens in wonder. “How is this happening?”
Boone’s explanation came swiftly. “It’s a storm of sorts. The effect comes from energy surging down the earth’s magnetic field. Our ancestors thought it was past and future events being displayed across the sky.”
She raised her hand toward the vibrating lights. It felt as if she might be able to reach out and grab hold of the bright, flashing waves.
“It’s magnificent,” she said. It was almost as if a painter had made a canvas of the sky and splashed paint all over the heavens.
“Beautiful,” Boone said with a sigh.
When she turned toward him, his eyes were focused solely on her. He wasn’t even gazing at the aurora borealis. He reached for her hand and clutched it tightly. Their arms were touching, and even though layers separated them, she felt an electric charge as they brushed against each other. Boone was looking at her with such wonder and appreciation it made her knees almost buckle underneath her.
He pulled her close, dipping his head down and capturing her lips in a wonderful, tender kiss that took her breath away. Despite the cold, his lips were warm and toasty. A groundswell of emotion surged up inside her. For someone whose heart had felt frozen for entirely too long, this kiss demonstrated that she was rapidly coming back to life. As his lips moved over hers she couldn’t help but wish it might go on forever. She leaned in closer and kissed him back with everything she had stored up inside her. Every hope. Every dream. Every wish made its way into the kiss.
As the kiss ended she felt Boone’s bare hands moving through her hair before sliding down to caress the side of her face and neck.
“Gracie,” Boone murmured. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the first time I saw you.”
She couldn’t stop herself from grinning, even though a little voice told her to keep it cool.
“The first time we met I kind of thought you were a wet blanket.”
Boone arched an eyebrow. “Seriously?” She nodded her head, stifling a chuckle. “But I saved you from slipping on the ice.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “And you criticized my shoes and failed to appreciate my song.”
Boone threw his head back and roared with laughter. “The ‘Sheriff of Love’ song? I thought you were making fun of me.”
Grace shook her hand at him. “You need to learn to appreciate quirkiness.”
She snuck a glance over at the ice, wondering if Boone would be game for another go-round. A tall, sturdy-looking man with a pint-size companion immediately drew her attention. The little munchkin was tugging the man toward the ice.
“Boone,” she cried out. “It’s Liam. And Aidan.”
Boone followed the direction of her gaze, his face lighting up when he spotted them. “Wow. I can’t believe they came! Let’s go say hello,” Boone said, his voice laced with enthusiasm as he grabbed her hand and they made their way over to the lake’s perimeter.
By the time they reached Liam and Aidan, a storm was brewing between father and son. Aidan had his arms folded across his small chest. His eyes flashed warning signs.
“Hey, buddy. What’s that pout all about?” Boone asked as he swung his nephew into his arms.
“I want to go skate, but Daddy says no,” Aidan said, his lip jutting out as tears pooled in his eyes.
Liam let out a ragged sigh. “Aidan, there’s nothing more I’d like to do than take you skating, but Daddy never learned how. You need to learn from someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“I want to use my new skates,” Aidan sobbed. He pointed to the dark brown pair of skates in his father’s hand.
Grace leaned over and grabbed hold of Aidan’s chubby hand. “How would you like it if I took you out there on the ice? I love to skate.”
Aidan stared at her with big brown eyes. His little brows were knitted together.
Boone whispered loudly in his ear, “And she’s a terrific skater, too. She’ll whip you around the ice like lightning.”
Aidan’s eyes widened even farther. “Whoa. Lightning,” he said. Turning toward Grace he said, “I wanna skate with you.”
Grace held out her hand. “I’m Grace. Nice to meet you, Aidan.”
“How do you know my name?” Aidan asked in a stunned voice.
“I was at your house the other night when you woke up and came into the living room. Your daddy was fixing me up.”
“Oh. Uncle Boone’s lady.”
Uncle Boone’s lady? Her face flushed at Aidan’s comment. Boone couldn’t have grinned wider. Both he and Liam chuckled.
“Why don’t we get your skates on, Aidan?” Liam told his son. He turned toward Grace with a grateful smile. “Thanks so much. He would never have let me live it down if he didn’t get to skate tonight.”
“My pleasure,” Grace said, feeling happy that she’d done a little something to help Liam and his adorable son. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to raise a little one after losing your spouse.
Once Aidan had his skates on, Grace took him out to the ice. Sophie waved to her enthusiastically from a few feet away as she skated with a group of admirers. Bending down at the waist, she took Aidan’s hands in hers and began to slowly lead him around the rink. She was skating backward, which earned her a few surprised glances. She’d learned this trick at an early age, and it was the best way to teach Aidan how to glide around the ice without taking her eyes off him. He seemed surprised to be gliding around the ice. His joyful laughter filled her soul with happiness. There was nothing quite so innocent as a child’s laugh. As she let go of Aidan’s hands and watched him take a few fledglin
g steps on his own, she heard the whistles and shouts of praise from the sidelines. Aidan resembled a newborn colt just getting his legs. Boone and Liam were standing there, cheering Aidan on. Boone smiled in their direction—a sweet, tender smile—that nestled its way into her heart.
She didn’t want this wonderful evening to end. Being with Boone tonight had brought her indescribable joy. Teaching him how to skate and seeing the stunning northern lights were memories she would carry around with her forever. Sharing a kiss with Boone as the sky lit up with nature’s beauty had been the most romantic moment of her life. And being out on the lake with Aidan made her think about someday holding her own kids in her arms.
The residents of Love had made her feel like one of their own. And even though she’d promised herself not to get in too deep, it was too late. Between a swoon-worthy sheriff and a town full of eccentric, lovable folks who embraced her with open arms, her heart was growing by leaps and bounds. It was no longer her own. With that knowledge came a little fear. She’d already had the rug pulled out from her when Trey changed his mind about marrying her. The thought of being hurt by Boone scared her. And there was nothing she could do to stop this relationship from going further. It was far too late to rein her feelings in. She was falling head over heels in love with Sheriff Boone Prescott.
* * *
By the time morning came, Boone’s backside and legs were hurting. His falls on the ice had left him with some aches and pains that were difficult to ignore. He had no regrets, though. His date with Grace had been a memorable one. Thoughts of the romantic kiss they’d shared had been at the forefront of his mind ever since he woke up. Finding out about her past gave him a good idea as to why she’d ventured all the way to Alaska. She was looking for a fresh start. It was an opportunity to reinvent herself away from her family and ex-fiancé.
It must have been difficult to deal with the stares and whispers in the weeks and months following the canceled wedding. Even in a small town like Love, gossip was insidious. Being here, he imagined, allowed Grace to rewrite the story of her life. He just hoped there was a place for him in her life, because he was starting to think of Grace as a permanent fixture in his.
He whistled a happy tune as he pulled up outside Liam’s house carrying an armful of groceries. It still wasn’t easy for Liam to be out and about in public. Last night had been a rare exception, and he’d only showed up at the ice-skating social for Aidan’s sake. He felt a gigantic smile breaking out over his face as the memory of Grace and Aidan skating together washed over him. It was nice knowing she had such a way with children. Aidan had been putty in her hands.
When the door slowly opened, Aidan was standing at the threshold, a shy smile on his face.
“Uncle Boone. Uncle Boone.” He grabbed him by the legs and peered behind him. “Where’s Grace?”
“She’s not here, buddy. I’m pretty sure she’s working with Uncle Cam today.” He lifted the grocery bags in the air. “What am I, chopped liver?”
Aidan stuck out his tongue. “Yucky. I hate liver.”
Liam’s voice called to him from inside the house. “Come on in, Boone. We’re in the kitchen.” With Aidan leading the way, Boone walked toward the back of the house. The brightly lit kitchen, all white with granite counter tops, had been the handiwork of Ruby, Liam’s deceased wife. It was an airy, cheerful room that belied the current circumstances of Liam’s family. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the scent of freshly baked bread rose to his nostrils. Honor and Liam were standing at the stove putting the finishing touches on a pizza fresh out of the oven.
“You’re just in time. Take a seat. We’re just slicing it now,” Liam explained.
As everyone sat down, Boone noticed Liam’s none-too-subtle maneuvering that placed him right next to his sister. Honor barely glanced in his direction, letting him know the frostiness between them still hadn’t thawed. He was beginning to think she might never warm up toward him.
Liam placed the pizza in the middle of the table and began serving up piping hot slices.
“Reindeer sausage pizza. I love reindeer pizza,” Aidan shouted. His chubby hand was raised triumphantly in the air.
“You’ve gotten good at making this,” Boone noted between bites of pizza.
“I had to,” Liam said with a shuttered expression. “Ruby was always the chef in this house. I had to learn on the fly once she was gone. It’s Aidan’s favorite.”
Honor shot Boone a dirty glance, as if letting him know he shouldn’t have brought up the subject of cooking. As if he’d been responsible for Liam’s mind straying toward Ruby. At this point, Honor blamed him for everything under the sun, and he was getting mighty sick and tired of it. With an angry huff he placed his napkin on the table and stood up. He pointed in Honor’s direction. “You. And me. Living room. Now.”
“I—I’m eating right now,” she sputtered, looking over at Liam for support.
“Go on, Honor. You’ve run from this long enough,” Liam said.
Aidan looked back and forth between them with a curious expression on his face. He’d just stuffed a big piece of crust in his mouth. Honor stood up abruptly and pushed back her chair. With her arms folded across her chest, she marched to the living room.
She turned on her heel to face him. “What is it?” she snapped, her eyes flashing fire.
Boone folded his arms across his chest and stared Honor down. “For starters, I would appreciate it if you’d speak to me with some measure of respect. If you expect to be treated like a grown woman, you need to act like one.”
Honor’s cheeks flushed and she gazed down at the hardwood floors. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“Second, I owe you an apology,” Boone said.
Honor slowly lifted her head up. Her mouth hung open. “A what? An apology?”
“Yes. An apology,” he repeated.
Honor gaped at him. Her gray-blue eyes flickered.
“Come on. Don’t act like I’ve never apologized before.”
She slowly nodded her head. “Maybe once when we were kids.”
“I was wrong in the way I handled things,” he admitted. “The other night Grace made me realize how I never acknowledged your pain or the heartache you went through. She was right. I was so busy making sure you didn’t marry Joshua that I ran right over you and your feelings in the process. And in doing so, I harmed our relationship. I know it pained you to end things with Joshua. I know you loved him. And I’m sorry if it gives you pain to know he married someone else.
“I love you, Honor. To this day, one of the happiest moments in my life is the day Mom and Dad brought you home from the hospital. I couldn’t fathom that something so beautiful and perfect belonged to us. I don’t want to be on opposite sides of the fence anymore. All I want is my sister back.”
Honor rushed at him, landing with a thud against his chest. She began crying and talking incoherently. “I’ve missed you, Boone,” she said. He put his arms around her and held her tight. He raised his hand and stroked her hair the way he’d done when she was a little girl. She smelled of sunshine and roses and sweetness.
She looked at him somberly, her eyes red rimmed with emotion. “You can’t go through life judging people, Boone. Even though Joshua made a lot of mistakes, he was a good person. And you couldn’t see that... You were blind to it. Promise me you won’t make that mistake again.”
“I promise you, I won’t.” He reached out and tugged her finger the same way he’d done ever since she was little They locked gazes. “I’m a different man these days, Honor. I don’t see things through the same narrow lens.”
Honor smiled at him, a genuine, contented smile that reminded him of her youthful self. It gave him a pang to see her like this after such an agonizing estrangement. Hope for their renewed relationship burgeoned inside him. With God, all things were possible, he reminded himse
lf.
His sister reached for his other hand and led him back toward the kitchen. Liam stared at their joined hands and grinned so hard it threatened to crack his face.
“Well done,” Liam said with a nod of his head.
Once lunch was finished, Honor volunteered to do the dishes while Boone caught up with Liam. Aidan settled into playing with his blocks while Boone and Liam sat in the living room.
“I’m so glad you decided to come out the other night to the skating party,” Boone said, a smile tugging at his lips at the memory of Aidan on the ice.
“I’m not sure I was ready to be at a social gathering, but seeing Aidan out there having the time of his life was priceless.” Liam reached out and clasped his shoulder. “Thanks for inviting us.”
“Any opportunity to be surrounded by my family, and I’m going to grab it with both hands,” Boone said.
“After the skating party we stopped by to visit with Jasper for a spell,” Liam said. “I wanted to take a look at that ankle and make sure it was healing properly.”
Boone nodded, wishing he’d had time last night to check on Jasper. “I haven’t seen him for a few days. How’s it holding up?”
“It’s healing up nicely, although it was a bad break. His bones aren’t what they used to be, due to his age. But he’s getting around pretty well on the crutches.”
“That’s good to hear,” he said, happy to know that his grandfather was on the mend. “He really had no business being out there at the cave. I wish he could finally lay all that legend lore to rest.”
“What’s worse is that he hasn’t been taking his medicine,” Liam added.
“The statins for his heart?” Boone asked.
“Yes,” Liam said in a solemn voice. “And he really needs to keep taking them, as well as adjusting his diet and exercising.”
An Alaskan Wedding Page 13
