by CBelle
“You know who I’m talking about. That beautiful blonde trickster you were so enamored of for all those years. Miss Paige Reynolds. Daughter of the most crooked man who ever stepped foot into Love.”
“Jasper! Knock it off! Let’s keep the drama to a minimum,” Boone barked. “Give him an opportunity to talk.”
“I can’t believe she had the nerve to come back here,” Jasper fumed. “Returning like a bad penny!”
“Settle down, Jasper,” Boone said, reaching out and clasping his hand around his arm.
He shrugged off his grandson’s hand. “I won’t settle down. As town mayor, I implore you to arrest her, Sheriff Prescott,” Jasper said in a raised voice.
“There’s no proof that Paige had anything to do with her father’s scam,” Boone explained. “We already went through this dozens of times. There’s no grounds to charge her.”
“There never was,” Cameron said, a slight defensive edge to his voice.
Boone shot him a curious look. Cameron looked away from him. His older brother had a canny ability to see straight through him, right down to the things that mattered most. He couldn’t afford that intense scrutiny right now, not when he was battling old feelings that were rising up in him like a strong tide.
“What about aiding and abetting a criminal? Rumor has it she reunited with that thieving dog once we ran her out of here. Doesn’t that prove they were in cahoots?” Jasper asked.
Cameron shook his head at Hazel. “How long did it take you to call them? Two minutes?”
“I figured we might need a small army to run her out of town again,” Hazel explained, her expression sheepish. “And they did need to know about her plans to give back the town’s money.”
“No one is getting rid of Paige,” Boone said. “I’d like to talk to her about the funds she wants to return. That’s important for Love’s finances.”
“And our future! This town needs money in the coffers,” Jasper growled. “If you ask me, we should charge her interest.”
Cameron rolled his eyes, resisting the impulse to show his grandfather the door. “Funny you should say that, since I don’t remember asking you.”
“So, Cameron. What did she say, exactly? How much is she giving the town? I must have missed that part,” Hazel said.
“I don’t know,” Cameron mumbled, feeling foolish that he hadn’t asked her for specifics. He’d been so blown away by her mere presence that he hadn’t homed in on it. Was she really prepared to give a hefty sum of money?
“You didn’t ask her?” Jasper shouted. He threw his hands up in the air and began muttering in a loud voice. “What a bunch of foolishness!”
“No, I didn’t. I was pretty much blindsided when she strolled in here. It took a few minutes to get my thoughts together.” Cameron ground out the words in a no-nonsense manner. It was just like Jasper to show up and start trying to boss him around. As long as they were in his place of business, he wasn’t about to allow his grandfather to walk all over him.
“Stop being so insensitive,” Hazel said in a loud stage whisper. “You’re acting like a bull in a china shop.”
Jasper and Hazel exchanged a long, meaningful look. Jasper’s expression softened. He took a deep breath, then continued. “Well, if you beg my pardon for asking, where is she?”
Already Cameron was feeling weary. Normally, he could go a full twelve rounds with his grandfather, but he was still reeling from the unexpected encounter with his ex. He simply didn’t have the strength at the moment. Paige’s surprise appearance was resting heavily on his heart.
“There aren’t too many places she could go, Cam. Matter of fact, there’s really only one,” Boone said, his dark brows knit together.
The homestead. The two-story log-cabin home and vast acreage that had belonged to the Reynolds family for generations. Years ago when Paige’s father had been flush with money, he’d renovated the home and transformed it into a modern showcase. Although many villagers had wanted to seize the property after Robert’s misdeeds came to light, homesteads in Alaska were not eligible for seizure.
And so it had sat unoccupied. Until now.
Three pairs of eyes were trained on him. It was clear what they wanted him to do.
“I’m not chasing after her. She said that she would talk to me more about all of this tomorrow.” He shoved his hands in his front pockets.
“Ha! And you believe that?” Hazel cried out. “Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.”
“Do you really want to leave all that in her hands instead of being proactive?” Boone asked. “This isn’t personal, Cam. It’s about the town. You need to find out if she’s serious about the money. I wasn’t going to mention it just yet, but we need an influx of cash in order to move forward with the production of Hazel’s boots. This enterprise has become a lot more expensive than we anticipated. Strangely enough, Paige’s return could be the answer to all our prayers.”
Hazel had designed stylish and functional boots for the townsfolk that were now being mass-produced and sold throughout the United States in order to bring profit to the treasury’s coffers. Boone’s wife, Grace, had the brilliant idea to capitalize on the fashionable winter shoes as a way of boosting the local economy. For the first time in a long time, the residents of Love had hope of turning things around. But, like any new enterprise, it all boiled down to money.
The answer to all our prayers. Boone’s words were ironic. Once upon a time he had believed that Paige was the answer to all his prayers. Only he’d been wrong. Although the love he’d felt for her had been stronger than anything he’d ever known, everything had come tumbling down like a stack of dominoes. He still felt as if he was picking up the pieces of his former life. Opening the Moose Café had been a huge step in the right direction. It had always been a dream of his to have his own establishment in his hometown. And even though people had lost faith in him, they’d come around once they’d got a taste of his unforgettable coffee drinks and sampled the delicious menu. Finally, his life was back on track.
And yet he still felt guilty about being fleeced by Robert Reynolds. He continued to struggle with his leading role in the town’s financial downturn. Had he missed any warning signs along the way? Had his feelings for Paige blinded him to her father’s larcenous nature? Those questions continued to plague him in the hours between darkness and dawn as he struggled to get some shut-eye on sleepless nights.
Was it possible that he could help make things right by working with Paige? The one thing he knew he was guilty of was being biased against anything she had to say. She’d burned him once before and he no longer trusted her. But in order to help the town, he might have to take a leap of faith and take her at her word. The very idea of it rocked him to his core.
“I’ll do it,” he said. “I’ll go find Paige and get the information you want.”
“That’s more like it!” Jasper cried out. “I knew you’d come around.”
Cameron reached for his coat and shrugged into it. He glared at his grandfather. “Don’t get the impression I’m doing your bidding, Jasper. I’m acting in the best interests of this town. Considering my role in the economic downturn, it’s the least I could do.”
Boone approached him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “I know this isn’t easy, Cam. I’m sure it stirs up a lot of memories. You want some company? I don’t mind coming along for moral support.”
He let out a sigh. “Thanks for asking, Boone, but I’ve got to handle this on my own. Go home to that beautiful wife of yours. I’ve got this.”
His brother nodded in acknowledgment, his expression solemn.
Boone and his wife, Grace, were newlyweds. Despite Grace having pretended to be a participant in Jasper’s Operation Love campaign when she arrived in Alaska, she’d really been a journalist working undercover on a series about the
town. In the end, their love had triumphed.
He couldn’t even pretend to himself that he wasn’t a little bit jealous of what Grace and Boone had together. It was what he had once believed he’d had with Paige. True, enduring love.
As he headed out the back entrance of the café and walked toward his red pickup truck parked in the lot, the full weight of the situation was sitting squarely on his chest. He’d once promised to never chase after Paige Reynolds again. And lo and behold, it was exactly what he found himself doing.
* * *
Paige navigated the darkened Alaskan roads like a semiprofessional driver. It was funny how the mind worked. She hadn’t lived in this town for years, yet she could probably drive this road blindfolded. Some things a person never forgot. A tender word. The sweet verses to a song. Your baby’s first cries. The only man you’d ever loved.
Coming face-to-face with Cameron had been an electrically charged, emotional moment. Her knees had been trembling the entire time. Not a day had gone by since she’d left Alaska that she hadn’t thought of Cameron. His strength. The larger-than-life smile that almost took over his entire face. The sound of his laughter ringing out with such tremendous joy. The way he’d always looked at her with love shining from his eyes.
So much had changed since those wonderful days. Earlier, there had been nothing emanating from Cameron’s eyes but disgust. And given everything at stake, it frightened her. Every night since Emma had been born, she’d prayed that his heart would soften toward her. Not for her sake but for Emma’s. Clearly those prayers hadn’t been answered. He’d been as implacable as granite.
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Once she had received the text message from Fiona, her nanny, she’d had no choice but to cut things short and head to the homestead. Emma needed her mother.
The sign heralding her arrival at The Last Frontier appeared just before she turned right into the long driveway and parked her loaner car in front of the house. After grabbing her purse and exiting the car, she climbed the front steps, silently admiring the wraparound porch and the rustic yet modern feel to the house. It seemed strange being here without her father. This house had been his pride and joy, back in the good old days before he’d lost his way.
Maybe she was being overly optimistic, but she was hoping it might feel like home again.
Before she could even put the key in the lock, Fiona Gersham pulled open the door and greeted her. She was holding Emma on her hip. With her round face, soothing voice and sweet expression, the middle-aged woman had given Paige a good feeling the moment she’d presented herself for the interview to be Emma’s nanny. As her father’s illness worsened, Fiona’s presence in their lives had been a godsend. As much as her father had been vilified for his misdeeds, she’d never stopped loving him. And the grief that had consumed her after he’d passed away had been overwhelming. It had felt like being buried by an avalanche with no hope of rescue.
With God’s love, Fiona’s steady assistance and the almighty love she felt for Emma, she’d crawled her way out of the darkest days she’d ever known. She’d emerged ever changed. If losing Cameron and her father so close together hadn’t broken her, nothing in this world ever would. Emma had come into her life like a bright light and given her a purpose. She’d been her rainbow after the storm.
Fiona stepped aside and ushered her out of the cold and into the toasty house. Emma held up her hands and gifted her with a beatific smile that traveled straight to her core.
“I’m so sorry to disrupt your meeting, Miss Paige. I tried to get her calmed down, but between the flight over here, the time difference and the new surroundings, I think the little lady is turned upside down.”
She patted her nanny’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Fiona. You’re right. It’s been a long day for her.” She scooped Emma up in her arms and cradled her against her chest. Smoothing her daughter’s dark curls back, she pressed a kiss against her temple. “How’s my sweet girl?”
“Want Mama. Night night.” Emma’s dark lashes were moist from crying. Paige’s heart expanded by leaps and bounds every time she held her child in her arms. She wanted to give this precious little girl the world wrapped up with a big bow. Right now Emma needed her mother’s loving arms and the comfort that only she could provide.
“Baba,” Emma said, saying her word for bottle. “Me want baba.”
Fiona made a face and handed Paige the bottle. “I’ve been trying to offer her this bottle for the last hour,” she said with a low chuckle. “Guess she wanted her mother to feed her.”
Mother. Just the sound of it rolling off Fiona’s tongue gave her a feeling of elation. Motherhood was the most amazing role of her life. It was gratifying. Awe inspiring. Empowering. Being Emma’s mother made her feel as if she could do anything. Climb the highest mountain. Rush into a burning building to save her child. Even return to a town whose citizens had falsely accused her and turned their collective back on her. Her daughter made her brave.
Paige gently rocked from side to side, knowing her daughter found it soothing. Emma reached up and tugged at her hair, then let out a high-pitched giggle. She jokingly shook a finger at Emma, resulting in another round of laughter. Yes, she thought with satisfaction. These were the simple moments that brought her joy.
A loud noise from outside drew her attention. It sounded like the crunching of a car’s tires in the gravel driveway. Paige felt her entire body stiffening. Was someone outside?
“Miss Paige. I think someone just pulled up in the driveway,” Fiona said as she turned and peered out the window.
Fear grabbed her by the throat. There were only two people in town who knew she was here. Cameron and Hazel. And for the life of her she couldn’t imagine Hazel taking the trouble to come all the way out here to the homestead. The sound of a car door slamming followed by footsteps caused a rush of adrenaline to course through her.
“Fiona, can you take Emma upstairs to her room? I’ll be right up.” She handed Emma over to Fiona, who made her way swiftly down the hall. On instinct, Paige turned off the light in the foyer, hoping that it might dissuade her visitor from knocking on the door.
Dear Lord, she prayed, please make him go away. Please, please, please. Make him get back in his car and head back to town. This is way more than I can handle at the moment. I don’t want Cameron to find out about his daughter like this.
* * *
Cameron rapped on the door again, this time using a little more force. A light from inside had gone out while he was standing here on the front porch. He waited a few seconds, then knocked again. It wasn’t even eight o’clock. Surely she hadn’t turned in for the night.
“Open up, Paige. I know you’re in here. I saw the lights from down the road and I know this house has been unoccupied since you left.” He heard a rustling noise, then nothing further.
“I listened to what you had to say when you came by the café. Can’t you give me the same courtesy?” he asked, trying to appeal to Paige’s innate sense of fair play. Was she even the same person she used to be?
“It’s late, Cameron. Can’t we just talk tomorrow? It’s been a long day.” Her voice sounded slightly muffled from the other side of the door.
“I need to talk to you. Now. This can’t wait till morning.”
The click of a lock turning echoed in the stillness. The door crept open until he could see Paige standing there with her body blocking the entrance.
“I told you we could talk tomorrow,” she said in a hushed tone.
He stepped forward. “Can I come in? There are some questions I need answers to.”
Paige’s hazel eyes were wide. Her complexion had lost a bit of its rosy color. “N-now isn’t a good time, Cameron.”
“And why is that? You showed up at my place of business unannounced and unloaded all this stuff on me, but I can’t ask any follow-up question
s?”
“You can,” she said in a soft voice. “Just not now.” She cast a quick glance over her shoulder.
Why was she looking behind her? Was someone staying at the house with her? All his nerve endings were suddenly on edge. Something about Paige’s body language was sending out warning signals. She was hiding something from him.
“Mama!” The earsplitting cry came from inside the house. Paige’s eyes began blinking rapidly and she took a step backward. She fumbled for a moment, then tried to shut the door. His arm snaked out, preventing her from closing it in his face.
“Mama?” His voice came out hoarse and ragged. The thought of Paige being a mother almost brought him to his knees. Had he failed to notice a wedding ring? Had Paige married someone else? Given birth to another man’s child?
“I need to check on my daughter.” Paige choked out the words. Cameron watched as she spun around and took a few steps toward an older woman who was standing in the foyer holding a wailing child. Feeling stunned, Cameron crossed the threshold and pushed the door closed behind him. The scene unfolding before his very eyes captivated him. He couldn’t have looked away if he’d tried. Paige was tenderly cradling a toddler in her arms while the older woman muttered apologies. Within seconds the loud cries stopped. He heard a little chuckle burst forth from the baby. She had one of Paige’s curls wrapped around her chubby finger.
“I’ll put her down in a little bit, Fiona. Don’t worry about us. Go get some rest.”
“Thank you, Miss Paige. See you in the morning. Nighty night, sweet peach.” The Fiona woman darted a curious glance in his direction, then headed up the stairs.
“Night night,” the girl said, turning her head and waving her tiny hand at Fiona.
Cameron let out a gasp as he caught his first full-on glimpse of the little wailer. Nothing in his life up to this point had prepared him for this one moment in time. Everything around him stilled and hushed. With her chocolate-colored hair, wild curls and almond-shaped eyes, she evoked dozens of his own childhood photos. Her green-hazel eyes brought the truth home. He placed his fingers over the bridge of his nose and squeezed tightly, then blinked in rapid succession. Was he seeing things?
