Reunited at Christmas

by Belle Calhoune

  His brother’s words were not the ones he wanted to hear. But he couldn’t afford to ignore them. Boone was one of the smartest, most perceptive people he had ever known. He was his go-to person for advice. As always, his words were golden.

  “What can I get y’all to eat?” Sophie chirped as she walked up to the table with a pencil and small pad in hand. “The salmon frittata with red potatoes on the side is real popular today. And Hazel is making a mean frozen hot chocolate with three types of chocolate.”

  “Sophie, I’m going to have the bison burger with truffle fries,” Cameron said. “And a tall glass of water.”

  “Just a cup of the caribou stew and some flatbread,” Boone said, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. “Oh, and one of those frozen hot chocolates.”

  Liam smiled. When Cameron had first opened the Moose Café Boone had been skeptical of the specialty drinks. Now Boone considered himself a connoisseur of all the various drinks on the menu.

  “I’ll have the same,” Declan added. “That’ll really hit the spot. I have to make a run to Seward later on. I might stay over if the weather kicks up. There’s a storm brewing.”

  “I’m going to have the turkey wrap with avocado and bacon,” Liam said, looking up at Sophie, who was patiently waiting with a perky smile on her face. Matter of fact, Liam realized, he couldn’t remember ever having seen Sophie without a sweet disposition. She was a true Georgia peach.

  “You always order that,” Sophie said with a grin. “Next time I’m going to skip asking you,” she teased.

  “I’m a man who knows what he wants,” Liam quipped, handing the menu back to Sophie.

  Sophie leaned down so only Liam could hear her. “I met Ruby at the tea party. She’s everything I imagined she would be. I’m rooting for the two of you. Your family is in my prayers.”

  Liam reached out and squeezed Sophie’s hand. “I appreciate that, Soph.”

  As Sophie walked away, Liam jutted his chin in her direction.

  “That gal right there is some kind of wonderful,” Liam said. He shook his head, buoyed by Sophie’s heartwarming words. It helped to know that his family wasn’t an island. Thoughts, prayers and well wishes all helped him feel as if the whole fishing village was pulling for them. Somehow it served to ease the pain of his father’s actions. It let him know he wasn’t alone.

  “She sure is,” Cameron agreed. “Whoever ends up with Sophie better treat her right.”

  “Yep,” Declan agreed. “And if he doesn’t, he’s going to have to deal with us.”

  They nodded in unison, knowing that no one better toy with Sophie’s heart. She was under their protection just as much as Honor. With a heart of gold, a pretty face and a sunny disposition, it would only be a matter of time.

  “You know that we’re here for you, Liam. This can’t be easy,” Boone said, his eyes full of concern. “You grieved for Ruby for a very long time. I know your emotions must be all over the place. Joy. Confusion. Anger.”

  Liam blew out a deep breath. Boone had hit the nail right on the head. So far, no one had really touched upon his feelings in all of this. Outside of being grateful and happy about Ruby’s return, there were a host of other emotions he was battling. And he really didn’t have an outlet. Between providing a strong foundation for Aidan, helping Ruby get her bearings, and taking care of his patients at the clinic, he really hadn’t had time to process everything.

  “Thanks. Honestly, I think part of me is still in shock. And you’re right, it’s confusing. I don’t think that I realized how angry I was until Pops started pushing my buttons.”

  “Who are you upset with?” Cameron asked.

  Liam shrugged. “I don’t know. The whole situation, I suppose.”

  Cameron, Boone and Declan shared a glance loaded with meaning.

  “What?” he asked, looking around the table.

  “It seems like you might be mad at Ruby,” Declan said. He held up his hands, as if to ward off Liam. “I could be wrong. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

  Angry with Ruby? Why would he blame her for everything that had transpired two years ago? She was a victim. She had suffered more than anyone.

  “No!” he protested. “That’s not it.”

  “Give yourself a break, Liam,” Cameron snapped. “You’re human. Ruby worked in a dangerous field. I know you weren’t always comfortable with it.”

  Liam’s shoulders sagged. “And the award for worst husband goes to Dr. Liam Prescott.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “On some level I suppose I am angry that Ruby went on the search and rescue when it was something we had argued about.”

  “Don’t say that you’re a bad husband,” Boone chided. “You’ve been the most loving, faithful partner in the world. Because of the way you two honored and respected each other, you made me believe that maybe someday I could have a love like that. And then I found Gracie.” Boone’s voice softened. “So don’t ever say that...not when I’m around.”

  Liam was touched. Boone had never told him before that his relationship with Ruby had inspired him. Despite their fractured upbringing, the Prescott siblings had always shared a tight bond. And they had all idolized Boone, who had been their hero. To know that he had been a source of hope for his brother made Liam feel ten feet tall. He had given something back to Boone to repay him in some small way for everything he had done for him.

  Boone’s poignant words served to remind him of everything he should be fighting tooth and nail to preserve. So far he had been allowing fear to guide him. He hadn’t been giving it his all with Ruby. He was so afraid of being rejected by her again that he had lost sight of everything they had been to one another. Rather than focus on the love, he had spent too much time dissecting the things that had gone wrong between them.

  “I’ve got your drinks. Waters for everyone and two frozen hot chocolates!” Sophie said as she returned and placed the drinks on the table.

  “Did I interrupt something?” Sophie asked as she looked around at them.

  “No,” Liam said, feeling humbled by Boone’s words and the support offered by Cameron and Declan. “Boone was just reminding me of how blessed I am. Sometimes we lose sight of it for different reasons, but my big brother just gave me a reality check.”

  “That’s what big brothers are for,” Boone drawled. A wide grin broke out over his face.

  Liam couldn’t stop thinking about Ruby. His sweet, beautiful wife. He had been so out of sorts last night that he hadn’t even allowed himself to rejoice at the fact that Ruby now had memories related to him. Real, tangible moments.

  Despite their argument, Liam felt hopeful. There was nothing they couldn’t fix if they worked toward that goal with hope and faith.

  “Do you guys mind if I bail on lunch? I have the afternoon free,” Liam asked as the germ of an idea began to percolate in his mind. “I think it might be nice to surprise my family at the Wildlife Center.”

  “Good call,” Boone said with an approving grin.

  “Better than sitting around with these two mugs,” Cameron drawled, earning himself a jab in the side from Declan.

  After saying his goodbyes, he jumped up from his seat and asked Sophie to wrap his sandwich as a to-go meal. As he left the Moose Café, Liam began to fervently pray.

  Dear Lord. Please help me bridge the gap between Ruby and me. I don’t want to walk in fear anymore. The past shouldn’t be something to be afraid of. You have given us this wondrous gift. I want to celebrate Ruby’s return without looking over my shoulder.

  * * *

  “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see Auntie Honor’s animals.”

  Aidan’s enthusiastic voice from the back seat served as a joyful reminder of what this outing was all about. Although she was curious about Honor’s job and the animals, her true joy would be in
seeing it all through her son’s eyes. He was rapidly becoming the center of her world.

  “This is a real treat for us,” Ruby said, observing him in the rearview mirror. “Don’t forget to thank Honor for inviting us.”

  “I won’t,” Aidan chirped, sounding like a contented baby bird.

  She wished that her current mood was more in line with Aidan’s cheerful outlook on life. Ruby didn’t know how to explain the feelings coursing through her. Ever since the blowup with Liam yesterday, her mind felt like mush. She kept replaying it over and over again in her mind, wondering where she’d gone wrong. She had acted on instinct and stood up for herself. Liam had been tense and moody. Ruby still felt furious about his comment regarding Aidan. Her whole body tightened just thinking about it.

  Why did she feel so out of sorts? People argued. But by all accounts, she and Liam had been sheer perfection together. She bit her lip, wondering if the conflict between them stemmed from her. After all, she wasn’t the same Ruby. Not really.

  Her chest tightened painfully at the thought of Liam. Although she was still angry at him, a part of her wished he was here with them. The word heartsick came to mind. It didn’t make sense since she wasn’t in love with Liam, but she couldn’t ignore that her feelings for him were growing by leaps and bounds. Perhaps that was the reason for her feeling ill at ease. She was beginning to care for him, and the harsh words they had exchanged yesterday put them at odds.

  She knew she should just live in the moment. Her therapist in Colorado had taught her how to focus on living in the here and now rather than dwelling on the past. That’s what she needed to do right now instead of rehashing the terrible scene with her husband. She prayed that God would help them fix things.

  Ruby let out a sigh of appreciation as the stunning Alaskan vista began to unfold around her. They were heading into a more remote area of Love where signs of habitation were scarce. Gigantic, snow-covered trees dominated the scenery. Mountains were so close she felt as if she could reach out and touch them. There were no houses or shops or cute little cafés that served up coffee drinks. Honor’s wildlife center was in the boondocks.

  As they pulled into the entrance, Ruby noticed the stallions in the paddock. They were beautiful, graceful animals, roaming wild and free in the snow. She slowed the car so Aidan could get a good look. He oohed and aahed from the back seat, making her chuckle with his over-the-top appreciation of the horses.

  Ruby followed the signs along the way, turning left to continue on toward the main house.

  Before they had even exited the car, Honor came running out of the ranch-style house. Dressed casually in blue jeans, a brightly colored T-shirt and a bomber-style jacket, she looked relaxed and enthused.

  “Welcome!” she said, extending her arms wide. Aidan ran straight toward her and catapulted himself into her arms. “Hey, buddy. I’m so glad you guys came by today.”

  Honor, with her fresh-faced beauty, chestnut-colored hair and warm blue-gray eyes looked radiant.

  “Thank you for inviting us, Auntie Honor,” Aidan said, looking over at Ruby for confirmation he’d done a good job of following her instructions.

  Ruby smiled at him, sending him an encouraging nod. “Aidan almost couldn’t sleep last night. He was so excited. And to be honest, so am I.”

  “I hope you didn’t have any trouble finding this place,” Honor said, reaching out and touching her arm.

  “Not at all,” Ruby said. “I had my GPS and a set of directions I printed out. It gave me an opportunity to really enjoy the scenery.”

  “Well, you two made my day by coming to visit. I love it out here, but it does get a bit lonely.”

  “But you have the animals,” Aidan chimed in. “Don’t they keep you company?”

  “You’re right about that, Aidan. The only problem is that they don’t talk to me when I ask them things,” she said with a chuckle.

  “What animals do you have here?” Aidan asked, looking around him as if he expected one to pop up right before his eyes.

  Honor bent so she was eye-level with her nephew. She reached out and pulled his hat down over his ears. “So far we have eagles, wolves, moose, foxes and a lot more. Why don’t I show you around and you can see for yourself?”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Ruby zipped up her coat. The December temperature had dipped even lower than it had been over the last few days. She glanced over at Aidan. His coat wasn’t fastened all the way up. She reached over and adjusted it so that his neck wasn’t exposed. Alaskan weather was no joke. Hypothermia could set in at any time of the year, mostly when the temps were between thirty and fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

  Hmm. How do I know that? She smiled at the realization that more and more information was coming back to her.

  All of a sudden they heard the low rumbling of an engine and the sound of tires crunching on the snow-packed road. Honor raised her hand to shade her eyes from the sun.

  “That’s Liam’s car,” she announced, turning toward Ruby and Aidan. A smile lit her face.

  “Daddy!” Aidan called out.

  Ruby felt her pulse skitter. She wasn’t sure what emotion was roaring through her as she watched Liam step out of the car. Aidan ran toward him at breakneck speed then jumped into his father’s arms. Ruby placed her hand on her stomach as butterflies did somersaults at the sight of the two of them.

  As if in slow motion, Liam walked toward them, Aidan at his side. As he got closer, he locked eyes with her and she felt something shift inside her. It felt so right to have him standing there with them. She couldn’t put her feelings into words, but despite everything brewing between them, she always felt better being in Liam’s presence. Safer. More grounded.

  “Hey! We weren’t expecting you,” Honor said. “I was just about to give the tour.”

  Liam still hadn’t taken his eyes off Ruby. “Great! There’s no place I’d rather be.”

  She looked away, feeling nervous at the intensity of his gaze. The heated exchange from yesterday still stood between them.

  “Well, let’s get started, then,” Honor said, the corners of her mouth twitching in amusement.

  Aidan planted himself right next to Honor, while Liam walked beside her. With his long legs, Ruby knew instinctively that he was slowing his gait so he didn’t outpace her. Silence stretched between them for a few moments.

  “I’m glad you decided to come,” Ruby blurted. “You should have seen Aidan’s face when you pulled up.”

  “Me, too,” Liam said with a nod. “I’ve been here before, but Aidan’s never gotten the full tour. There’s nothing better than seeing something through a child’s eyes.”

  “So, what determines which animals come to the center?” Ruby asked.

  “The Wildlife Center takes in orphaned and injured animals. The goal is to rehabilitate them so they can go back into the wild,” Liam explained.

  “It’s very important work,” Ruby said, feeling very grateful to Honor for giving them the grand tour and giving them an up-close and personal look at something so special to her.

  “It sure is,” Liam acknowledged. “And she was born to do this.”

  Honor and Aidan stopped up ahead to wait for them as they reached the first structure.

  “Come on, slowpokes,” Aidan called out, waving them on with his arm.

  As soon as they caught up, Honor ushered them toward the white, ranch-style building.

  “Let’s check out the aviary. I’ll show you our newest friend,” Honor said.

  As soon as they stepped inside, Honor led them to an area where they could see the enclosure through a glass window. A gorgeous bald eagle sat on the ground, pecking at something in a round bowl.

  “Cool!” Aidan shouted, pressing his nose against the glass.

  “This is Dolly. She’s a bald eagle with a severely injur
ed wing. She can’t fend for herself out in the wild due to her injuries, so we’re taking care of her until she can do it for herself.”

  “What happened to her? Did a coyote get her?” Aidan asked.

  “No, Aidan,” Honor said in a solemn voice. “A bullet pierced Dolly’s wing. We’re hoping it gets better so she can learn to fly again.”

  “I can’t believe someone would do that,” Ruby said. “Aren’t eagles on the endangered species list?”

  “Not anymore,” Liam said. “Although it’s still illegal to try to harm them.”

  “We need to care for animals,” Aidan said. “Like we did for Rufus.”

  “I can’t believe you remember him,” Ruby said. “You were just a little one then.”

  “I was almost three when he died, but I remember him giving me kisses and going for walks in the woods with him.” Aidan looked up at her, affection shining in his eyes. “I remember loving him.”

  “So do I,” she whispered as she nuzzled Aidan’s cheek with her gloved hand. Being here at the center was bringing into focus her own love of animals, dogs in particular.

  As they walked around the wildlife preserve, Ruby found herself in awe of Honor’s knowledge. Honor explained to her that she had a master’s degree in wildlife biology. To open the wildlife center, permission had to be granted by Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game. Finding a visionary who could make it happen had been key.

  “Opening this center was always my dream. Funding was the hard part. I’m fortunate to have partnered with people who really believe in conservation and animal activism. They put their money where their hearts lie. This place still needs the generosity of donors, though. We’re hoping to have some fund-raisers across the state to ensure future programs.”

  For the next few hours Honor showed them around. They were able to get a glimpse of a wide variety of animals—bison, birds, wolves, baby elk, a sitka black-tailed deer, moose. Aidan was able to pet a baby wolf named Hercules who had been found abandoned in the woods.

  “Do you have any dogs?” Aidan crossed his hands prayerfully in front of him as he asked the question.