Alaskan Christmas Redemption

by Belle Calhoune

  When Braden finally stopped walking, they were standing in front of Best Friends, a small veterinary practice with a lot of heart and expertly trained staff. Braden’s lips were upturned in a mysterious smile as he opened the door wide so she could step in first. Owned by Vance Roberts, the clinic had been around for as long as Piper could remember. Vance’s daughter, Maya, had recently returned to Owl Creek in order to help him run the practice after graduating from veterinary school.

  A feeling of warmth surrounded her as soon as she stepped inside. Dogs were everywhere in the waiting room as they sat with their owners or playfully interacted with other canines.

  “Hey there, guys.” Maya greeted them warmly as they entered the vet practice. With her warm brown skin and auburn hair, she was a striking young woman who was celebrated all over town for her skill with animals. She was standing at the front desk holding a miniature poodle in her arms. “I have a feeling I know why you’re here, Braden. Let me just put Copper in the exam room with my dad and I’ll be right back.”

  “At least one of us knows,” Piper said, shooting Braden a pointed look. As Maya walked away, she turned toward him. “What are we doing here?”

  He stuffed his hands in his front pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I want you to meet someone.”

  “Meet someone? You dragged me out of the diner to introduce me to someone?” She knew her exasperation was on full display, but she was past caring. Braden was the most exasperating, confusing man on the planet. He was acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world while she was losing sleep fretting about the diner’s—and their friendship’s—future.

  “Here he is.” Maya’s cheery voice rang out as she walked toward the waiting room with a sweet Siberian husky at her side. The pup couldn’t have been more than six months old. His gray-and-white coloring and blue eyes lent him a distinctive look.

  “Hey there, boy,” Braden crooned as he got down on his knees and greeted the dog with a warm hug. The husky responded by vigorously licking Braden’s cheek.

  “Oh, he’s amazing!” Piper said, leaning over and rubbing his fur.

  “You always said you wanted a Siberian husky,” Braden added in a low voice. “He’s a rescue dog. This could be your chance.”

  Braden was right. She was gazing upon her dream dog. How many times had she talked about owning one with Braden? After their family dog, Blue, passed away, Piper had begged her parents to get another dog, but they’d been resistant. “I can never replace Blue,” her father had always said. After Jack’s death, Piper had let that fervent wish slip through her fingers. She’d been too grief-stricken to think about owning a dog. Maybe now she was ready to take that step.

  “Piper, this is Rudolph,” Maya said. “He’s a rescue up for adoption. We’ve been calling him Rudy for short.”

  “Like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?” Piper asked, tickled by the idea of a Siberian husky being named after a beloved Christmas character from her favorite television movie.

  Piper got down on her knees so she could be face-to-face with the pup. Somehow, even when she was furious with Braden, he managed to make her smile. He knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. “Hey there, cutie. I’ve been dreaming about you since I was a kid,” she said, nuzzling her face against the Siberian husky. He responded by enthusiastically licking her face, toppling her over in the process.

  “He seems to like you,” Maya said. “Which doesn’t surprise me one little bit. Dogs are great judges of character.”

  “I knew it! It’s a perfect fit,” Braden said, reaching out and patting Rudy on the head.

  No matter how much she wanted to adopt Rudy, Piper didn’t see it as feasible. It wouldn’t be fair to the puppy to have an owner who was unavailable for such long periods of time. “But I’m at the diner all day,” she said, letting out a groan. “It wouldn’t be right to have him cooped up all day.”

  “He won’t be a puppy for long. Then you can bring him to work with you. He could take naps in your office. Every business needs a mascot.”

  Piper knew it was true. Her father had always brought their dog, Blue, to the diner with him throughout the dog’s life. But would she be assuming a responsibility greater than she could manage? Things in her life were already complicated enough. The timing was off with this very adorable dog. Although she knew Braden’s heart had been in the right place by bringing her here to see Rudy, it broke her heart a little not to be able to say yes.

  “Maybe you could take him, Braden. It might make more sense.”

  Braden shook his head. A sad expression passed over his face. “I can’t.”

  Just as she was about to ask him why, it dawned on her, leaving her struggling with angry feelings all over again. “I get it. You can’t take Rudy yourself because you don’t plan to stick around town. Isn’t that right?”

  Braden didn’t need to say a word. The truth was stamped all over his handsome face.

  Maya’s gaze darted back and forth between them. “I’ll give the two of you a few minutes,” she said before quietly removing herself from the tension-filled situation.

  Piper jumped to her feet and brushed her hands off on her pants. It was just like Braden to dangle something in front of her eyes that was out of her reach. He wasn’t always a practical person. He did things on the spur of the moment, which had always been endearing until recently. Tears of frustration filled her eyes. She really needed to be at the diner working right now. And instead, Braden had led her on a wild-goose chase that hadn’t amounted to anything more than exasperation. She leaned down and patted the husky’s fur. “It was nice meeting you, Rudy. I hope you find an awesome home. I wish it could be with me.”

  With a shake of her head in Braden’s direction, Piper turned on her heel and walked out of the veterinary clinic. She ducked her chin against the cold wind blowing in her direction. She knew on some level that Braden had been trying to do something nice for her, but this excursion had only served as a reminder that her best friend’s presence in town was temporary. When he had left before, Piper had learned the hard way how much she’d always depended on him. It had felt like she’d been missing her right arm without him.

  And now, just as she’d gotten used to Braden being back home, there was a strong possibility he might leave her all over again. Piper knew it would be just as excruciating as the first time. Before he could break her heart all over again, she vowed to distance herself from him. It would be the only surefire way to ensure that she wouldn’t fall apart at the seams if and when he decided to leave.

  Chapter Ten

  “I don’t have time for Christmas caroling tonight, Mama,” Piper said. “I’m too busy with the Snowy Owl.”

  Braden could hear the longing in Piper’s voice. She was making practical decisions even though her heart was leading her elsewhere. He knew how much she loved singing and being a part of the Owl Creek community.

  “Piper, it’s the holidays. You have to make time for things that replenish your soul,” Trudy chided. “Isn’t that right, Braden?” Although he’d been within earshot of the conversation between Piper and her mother, Braden hadn’t wanted it to appear as if he was eavesdropping. He was still walking on eggshells with Piper. He’d come over early to the diner so he could help her open up the restaurant and set up the tables. Although refilling salt and pepper shakers wasn’t his heart’s desire, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to help Piper succeed with the diner.

  Taking her to meet Rudy the other day hadn’t been the smartest move. His heart had been in the right place, but he’d made a mess of things. Piper loved dogs, and he’d mistakenly thought she would jump at the opportunity to bring Rudy home. All it had done was shine a light on the fact that he might not be sticking around Owl Creek. Although Piper was talking to him, she wasn’t being warm and fuzzy. She wasn’t acting like herself. He missed his best friend.

  A
t the moment both Piper and Trudy were looking in his direction, awaiting his answer.

  “The holidays are definitely a time to spread holiday cheer and take a little time to be with family and friends, but business has increased tenfold since the holiday stroll so Piper needs to capitalize on it,” he said, being careful not to allude to the diner’s financial problems. It was tricky since Piper still hadn’t told her mother about the urgent need to turn things around. That was frustrating because if Trudy knew about the diner’s woes, she would understand her daughter’s need to bypass some of the holiday celebrations in favor of working.

  “And with Jorge needed elsewhere at the moment,” Piper added, “I really must stick close to the diner.”

  Piper had received the call from her employee late last night informing her that his wife, Irina, had gone into labor. Hours later he’d announced that they were the proud parents of an eight-pound baby boy named Charlie. They were all doing well and feeling grateful for their little Christmas blessing. Jorge would be enjoying a family leave of absence for at least a week.

  “That’s such wonderful news for their family,” Trudy crowed. “Your father adored Jorge. He’d be so tickled with all the wonderful things happening in his life. A wife and now a baby boy.”

  “He would be,” Piper agreed. “Everyone who worked at the diner was considered family. They still are. That’s what made the Snowy Owl so special.”

  “I can hang around tonight and provide coverage if you want to go caroling,” Braden offered. “Between me and the staff, we can cover for you. You deserve a night off after all the hard work you’ve put in over the last four years.”

  A sigh slipped past her lips. “Thanks for the offer, but it’s best I stick around. We’re short-staffed as it is, and I’m hoping we get a big crowd tonight. I’m the face of the Snowy Owl, so I should be here greeting the customers.”

  “Well, thank you for the pies,” Trudy said, picking up the brown paper bag that held two of the sought after baked goods. “It’s nice to have an in with the owner. My guests will be delighted. Everyone is buzzing about them.”

  Piper grinned. “See you later, Mama. Have fun tonight,” she called out after her as she exited the diner.

  Braden looked at his watch. It was almost time to open up the place. Piper was sitting at the counter scribbling in a notebook. She was staring at the page intently while nibbling at the end of her pencil. She seemed to be in a completely different world at the moment.

  “What do you have there?” he asked, curious about her being so engrossed in something other than the Snowy Owl.

  She looked up at him with a startled expression. He could tell she’d been deep in thought about something. “I’m just making some notes. I’ve been thinking over a few things. It might be crazy to go all out like this, but I came up with an idea to expand the pies into an actual business.”

  “A business?” he asked, surprised by Piper’s statement.

  She held up her hand. “I know it’s ambitious, but the pies have taken the town by storm. Along with the milkshakes, they’re really making a big difference to the diner’s bottom line. I was looking at the numbers, and it hit me that if we—” She stopped speaking abruptly.

  “Go on,” he urged. “If we do what?”

  “I shouldn’t really say ‘we,’ Braden. You could be leaving Owl Creek soon. I can’t really count on you to be a part of the team, even though you were the one who put me on this road in the first place.” They locked gazes. He could see the raw emotion emanating from her eyes. Something powerful crackled in the air. It terrified him because he knew his pulse shouldn’t be racing, and he shouldn’t feel like his heart was being squeezed by a giant fist. It stunned him to the point where he couldn’t even find the words to comfort his best friend.

  He didn’t know yet whether he was going to leave or stay. It would be cruel to make promises he might not be able to keep. It would be like ripping a rug out from underneath her feet. In his heart he yearned to stay in his hometown even though it seemed as if he couldn’t do right by Piper no matter how hard he tried. But maybe he should stick around and try. If he really wanted to achieve redemption, running away wasn’t an option.

  “I’m grateful, Braden. Without you I probably would have just given up and thrown in the towel. I know things have been strained between us, but you really stepped up to help me. Because of you I started brainstorming ideas to bring more income to the diner.”

  “That’s all you,” Braden responded. “It’s who you are, Piper. A go-getter. You’ve always been the type of person who wants to make things better. You were just afraid of losing your dad’s establishment so you got stuck. That’s a lot of pressure on one person’s shoulders. If I helped in any way, that makes me happy, but you’re the driving force behind the diner, as well as being its future. So tell me more about your idea.”

  Piper’s grin made his stomach do belly flops. Happiness looked good on her. “Okay, so don’t laugh but I came up with a name.” She waited a moment before speaking. “Pie in the Sky. That’s the name I want to give the new venture. I want to start really small because I know it’s not going to be easy, but my goal is to increase revenue and to do something I really love, which is making pies.” She inhaled a deep breath. “Am I babbling? Because I really feel like I’m talking way too fast from nerves. Tell me what you think.”

  Pie in the Sky. It was clever and spot-on. He nodded, appreciating Piper’s vision. “I love the name. It fits with the whole idea of how it came about. Are you planning to stay local or branch out?”

  “Definitely local. I want the townsfolk to think of it as fresh, flavorful pies sold out of the Snowy Owl. But if things take off, perhaps I can open up a small shop next door. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but at the moment people seem to want whole pies rather than slices, which is more lucrative for me.”

  “Starting small is a good idea just to make sure you’re not getting into a situation that’s over your head. How do you plan to officially launch it? And what about money? Investors? There are going to be costs associated with it.”

  Piper shrugged. “I don’t have all the answers yet. But I’d like to have a soft launch right before Christmas. No bells and whistles. Just letting the townsfolk know that the pies are here to stay, and we’ll be taking orders under the new name—Pie in the Sky.”

  Braden rubbed his hands together. “I like the idea of a soft launch. There really won’t be a lot of pressure since you’re already taking pie orders.”

  Just then the front door rattled, alerting them to the fact that they’d been so deep in conversation that the front door was still locked. Elena came from the kitchen and made her way to the front, quickly placing an Open sign on the door.

  “I feel so blessed to have such hardworking and loyal workers,” Piper said, watching Elena ushering guests inside. “I’d be lost without them.”

  “People tend to give back what they get,” Braden said. “You make everyone feel like family, just like Jack did.”

  A smile played around Piper’s lips. “Pie in the Sky talk to be continued,” she said to Braden, standing up and shoving her notebook under her arm before heading behind the counter.

  Braden’s eyes trailed after Piper. He liked seeing her upbeat and optimistic. A part of him wanted to stick around Owl Creek simply so he could be a part of the launch of Pie in the Sky. It was exciting seeing Piper’s creativity in action. Things were looking up for her and the Snowy Owl Diner. He wanted to watch it all come to fruition. Wasn’t that the role of a best friend?

  Perhaps then his guilt wouldn’t be swallowing him up whole. Maybe he would find peace with the situation. And with himself.

  Lately, he’d been all over the place. About his past, present and future. Piper had always been his best friend, yet he felt stirrings of something else that confused him. He couldn’t deny he felt a pull in her di
rection that seemed different from anything he’d experienced with her up to this point. Perhaps it was tied up in his guilt. Or his deep sense of remorse. Keeping secrets weighed on a person in a manner he’d never really understood until now. He knew enough to realize he could never truly be free unless he unburdened himself of everything weighing him down. If only he could summon the courage and see it through.

  The strange vibe brewing between him and Piper confused him. He had a hard time wrapping his head around anything romantic going on. Piper had always been his best friend. Anything more between them was simply out of the question.

  * * *

  Piper hadn’t expected for Braden to be so enthusiastic about Pie in the Sky. All day she’d been upbeat just thinking about the future. Braden’s support meant the world to her. It made her believe she could really put Pie in the Sky in motion. And with the additional income, she could try to dig her way out of the financial hole she was in. Maybe she wouldn’t have to close the diner’s doors. Her heart wouldn’t be broken over failing to save it. She could actually feel proud of her efforts.

  If she was being honest with herself, perhaps she’d been waiting for Braden to talk her out of moving forward with her new venture. It was a bit terrifying to put herself out there in such a grand way. What if the pie business didn’t take off? It would be embarrassing to fall on her face. What if she needed to put a lot of cash into the enterprise? She would start small and keep building on it. Baby steps. It wasn’t as if the Norths had built up their chocolate empire overnight.

  Even though she didn’t have all of the answers, it sure felt good to feel hopeful. Isn’t that what Christmas was all about? Faith? The hope of something wonderful just around the corner.

  “What’s that noise?” Piper asked as a loud rhythmic sound emanated from outside.

  Braden had a huge smile on his face. “I think I know.”

  She rushed toward the door and yanked it open. A large group of carolers, with her mother right in the center, were walking up the stairs and toward the front door. Piper stepped aside to let them by. As the carolers headed inside, they continued to sing “Silent Night.” Their charming melody rang out sweetly in the diner as customers stopped eating to listen to their Christmas carols.