Oliver bobbed his head up and down in agreement. He flashed the man a gap-toothed smile.
“Cameron!” Jasper called out, addressing the dark-haired man. “We need a table for four, please.” He gestured toward Maggie and Oliver. “This is Tobias’s niece, Maggie Richards. You two might have met back when Maggie visited Love as a child.” Jasper flashed her another pearly smile. “Maggie, this is my grandson, Cameron Prescott. He owns this delightful establishment.” Pride rang out in Jasper’s voice.
Cameron stuck out his hand by way of greeting. “Nice to see you again after all these years. It’s been a long time. I’m happy to hear you’ll be opening up Keepsakes soon.”
“It’s wonderful to be back,” Maggie said. “And I’m very excited about the shop. Oliver and I have been very blessed by Uncle Tobias.” Maggie didn’t even have the words to express her gratitude about this opportunity. Her heart was filled almost to overflowing.
Maggie had vowed to be more courageous in her life. Fear had always been such a stumbling block. It was one of the reasons she’d stayed with Sam for so long and put up with his run-ins with the law and his inability to hold a job.
If anyone had told her a year ago that she would move to Alaska in order to run her uncle’s shop, Maggie never would have believed them.
“And we’re very grateful to have you back in Love,” Hazel added. It had been Hazel who had called Maggie to tell her about her uncle’s death. Then weeks later she’d called again to direct her to call the executor of her uncle’s estate to inquire about her inheritance.
Upon hearing all the details about her inheritance, Maggie wanted to pinch herself. In one fell swoop, her entire life had changed. She grinned at Hazel. Maggie couldn’t believe she was standing next to the impressive woman who had created the genuine Alaskan Lovely boots that had taken the country by storm. Uncle Tobias had told her all about Hazel’s creation of the boots and the way the town of Love had set up a business to mass-produce them.
Maggie couldn’t really put her gratitude into words without explaining about the major losses she’d endured and the shameful circumstances of Sam’s death. It had cost her everything she’d worked so hard to build for her family. And she couldn’t afford to talk about it to anyone in this town. She’d uprooted her entire life in order to start over here in Love. And she wasn’t going to tarnish it by revealing her deepest, darkest shame.
Maggie wanted to be respected in this town. She wanted her son to be free of any stigma.
Maggie felt a tug on her sleeve. “Mommy. Can I go over to the jukebox?” She looked down at Oliver, who was pointing toward a tomato-red jukebox sitting in the corner of the room.
“Why don’t I show you how it works?” Cameron suggested. “Make yourselves comfortable at any table you like.”
Cameron walked away with Oliver at his side. Maggie watched them for a moment, feeling wistful about the lack of men in her son’s life. It made her ache to remember how many nights Oliver had cried himself to sleep over his father.
“Tobias told us about the loss of your husband when it happened. He was heartbroken for you and Oliver.” Jasper turned toward her and cleared his throat. “Maggie, Pastor Jack told us about the tragic circumstances.”
Maggie felt her eyes widening. A wild thumping began in her chest. The jig was up. Her secret had been exposed. “How did he know about it?”
“He contacted the pastor at your church to find out if we could do anything to make your transition to Love any easier. Although we already knew you were a widow, we didn’t know the specifics.”
“W-what did Pastor Baxter tell him?” she asked, her heart in her throat. Lord, please don’t let everyone here in Love know already about Sam holding up the grocery store. I want to protect my son. He’s innocent in all of this. It will be just like back home all over again. Name-calling. Finger-pointing. Judgment.
Jasper looked at her with sad eyes. “He told Pastor Jack that your husband was killed in a grocery store holdup.” He made a tutting sound. “It’s so very tragic for your family.” He began patting her on the back.
Maggie felt her shoulders slump in relief. She felt horrible for allowing this version of the story to go unchallenged, but for Oliver’s sake she had to keep quiet. He’d endured enough. And he was just a little boy. She couldn’t let the sins of the father be visited on the son.
“Grief is a process, Maggie. We know you’re probably still trying to wrap your head around such a profound loss.” Jasper’s blue eyes became misty. “Never fear. We’re here for you. We’re going to make sure y’all have a joyful holiday season.”
“Thank you, Jasper. I feel very blessed to receive such a warm welcome here in Love.” Maggie blinked several times, doing her best to hold back the tide of tears.
Suddenly, Oliver came racing to her side. “Mom. Sophie said I can go in the kitchen and make my own pizza.”
Sophie—the beautiful, Titian-haired waitress standing behind Oliver—was smiling down at her son as if he’d hung the moon. This town really was full of genuinely kind folks.
“Oliver is going to help me make a masterpiece,” Sophie said with a grin. The Southern twang and the red-and-white Santa hat perched on her head only made her appear more adorable, Maggie realized.
“That sounds like fun,” Jasper said with a nod. “I think I’m going to come with you and take some notes so I can whip up a pizza at home.”
Hazel let out a groan. “That’s all I need,” she groused. “I can already smell the burned pizza.”
Jasper scowled at Hazel.
“Come on, Jasper,” Oliver said, tugging at the mayor’s sleeve.
The look etched on Oliver’s face said it all. There hadn’t been a lot of smiles or laughter in the last year. Lately, Oliver had begun to turn a corner, but his grief had been all consuming for such a long period of time. He had shrunken down into a quieter, less joyful version of himself. Maggie wanted the old Oliver back, the one who laughed with abandon and didn’t seem afraid of the world around him. With Christmas coming in four weeks, she wanted Oliver to experience the wonder of an Alaskan Christmas.
At least for the moment her son seemed to be over the moon. She prayed this new adventure didn’t get old. Love, Alaska, was a small, quaint town where everyone knew each other. Maybe over time they would be embraced by the townsfolk.
Once Oliver headed toward the kitchen with Jasper and Sophie, Hazel turned toward Maggie. Compassion flared in her eyes.
“There’s no need to fret, Maggie. I’m the only one here in town who knows the truth about the holdup. And I’m not about to share your personal business with anyone, not even my husband,” Hazel said in a reassuring tone. “It’s not my story to tell.”
Maggie looked over her shoulder to make sure no one might overhear her conversation. “Thank you, Hazel. I appreciate you keeping it in confidence. I really don’t want everyone to know Sam was killed while holding up the store,” Maggie said in a soft voice. “I just want a clean slate.”
Hazel reached out and patted her on the shoulder. “Everyone deserves a shot at getting their life back on track. God loves you, Maggie. And pretty soon, this whole town will consider you and Oliver as one of our own.”
One of our own. Just the idea of it caused tears to pool in Maggie’s eyes. It was the very thing she hoped to establish for her son here in Love. She let out a sigh. Hazel knew her shameful secret, but thankfully she wasn’t going to divulge it to anyone.
Rather than being an innocent victim, her husband, Sam, had been the gunman holding up the grocery store. And he’d been shot in the process, losing his life and making their son fatherless. The ensuing media attention had been a vicious whirlwind. Maggie had been the recipient of hate mail, harassing phone calls and even a few death threats. She had been fired from her job and they had lost their housing.
This opportunity for a fresh start was a blessing from God. And Uncle Tobias. He had loved Maggie so much he’d laid out all the groundwork for her to rebuild her life in his hometown.
Most people wouldn’t believe it, but Maggie had been totally clueless about Sam’s illegal activities. In the end, she had paid dearly for believing in her husband. For loving him so much she’d had blinders on.
“Never again,” she murmured to herself as Hazel led her toward a table. In her humble opinion, love led to hurt and pain, loss and disillusionment. She had no interest in going down that road again. She was going to focus on her son and his well-being. She would be both mother and father for Oliver. Maggie wouldn’t be looking for love in this small fishing village.
Romance could go knock on someone else’s door.
Chapter Three
By the time Finn made his way to the Moose Café, his stomach was grumbling like a grizzly bear. Even though he was short on money these days, his belly hadn’t gotten the message.
Finn tried to stuff down the feelings of frustration with himself. In many ways it felt as if the past year had been about starting over from scratch. Although he had made positive strides, he was still miles away from where he wanted to be in his life. He couldn’t help but envy Declan.
While he’d been backpacking his way around the country and avoiding any hint of responsibility, Declan had been building up his company and cementing his ties here in Love. Now his younger brother was a newlywed and soon-to-be father. For a man like himself, who had always rejected the notion of settling down, Declan’s life looked pretty idyllic.
You’re not cut out for all that, he reminded himself. It would all just fall apart, just like everything else.
Finn smiled at the reindeer-and-candy-cane wreath gracing the door of Cameron’s establishment. He knew his friend had a zany sense of humor. Everyone in town had gone holiday crazy right after Thanksgiving, even though Christmas was still a few weeks away. He sauntered into the Moose Café, eager to grab a bite to eat. Although his stomach urged him to order a big meal, he knew his budget wouldn’t allow it. Every extra nickel he had would go into his savings account.
The moment he entered Cameron’s establishment, a warm feeling came over him. Even though the food was stellar, Finn knew he frequented the Moose Café for the cozy, down-home atmosphere. It was a feeling he’d been seeking his entire life but hadn’t yet found on a personal level. A place to call home.
The sound of hearty laughter drew his attention to a table dead center in the dining area. His eyes went straight toward Maggie. She was laughing and he could see the graceful slope of her neck as she reared her head back.
Maggie was one of the most attractive women Finn had ever encountered. He felt a stab of discomfort as he realized she might soon be joining the ranks of Operation Love. After all, most women who arrived in the small fishing village came to town in the pursuit of a romantic match.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that men would line up in droves for an opportunity to date the beautiful single mother. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, but in Finn’s humble estimation, Maggie Richards was the most stunning woman who had ever stepped foot in Love, Alaska.
He shrugged off thoughts of Maggie. She was way out of his league and he needed to keep his eye on the prize and not get distracted by thoughts of sweet-faced, green-eyed women. It had been a long time since he’d been romantically involved with anyone. Way too long according to Declan.
So far Finn himself had rejected the idea of being paired up with anyone. Although he didn’t disapprove of Jasper’s matchmaking program, Finn had learned a long time ago that he wasn’t the home-and-hearth type. His fractured childhood was proof enough for him.
“Hey, Finn!” Hazel called out to him, waving him over toward her table. “Come over and join us.”
Finn walked over to the table, greeting Sophie along the way as she gracefully carried a tray full of food and drinks. “I’ll be right over to take your order, Finn,” Sophie said with a nod.
“Just bring me a bowl of the soup of the day and a coffee,” Finn said.
The only available seat at the table was right next to Maggie. Finn tried not to stare at her as he sat down. It was a near-impossible task. The light scent of her perfume rose to his nostrils. It smelled like vanilla and roses. He couldn’t think of the last time a woman had sparked such a response in him. For so long now he’d just been going through the motions and avoiding getting close to anyone. Even his family.
Maggie leaned a bit toward him. Her voice flowed over him like a warm breeze. “I forgot my manners earlier, Finn. Thank you for getting us safely to Love on your seaplane. You’re an amazing pilot.”
He locked gazes with her, marveling at the deep green color of her eyes. “You’re quite welcome. It was my pleasure. I think it’s safe to say flying is in my DNA.”
She grinned at him, showcasing dimples on either side of her mouth. “Your parents must be very proud, as well as your grandfather. Back when we were kids he really fawned over you and Declan. Killian thought the two of you had hung the moon.”
Finn felt his face fall. Maggie had no idea about his mother’s death or the circumstances surrounding it. He felt a little ache at the prospect of dredging up painful memories. There was no point in dodging it. Sooner or later, someone would tell Maggie about it and she would wonder why he hadn’t mentioned it.
“My mother passed away quite a while ago. Actually, it was shortly after the last time you visited Love.” He looked down at the table and began fiddling with his fingers. He might as well tell her everything. “My father left Love years ago. He pretty much fell apart after my mother died. And my grandfather passed on when we were in our late teens.”
She let out a sharp gasp. “Oh, Finn. I’m so sorry to hear that. You’ve lost a lot over the years.”
The sympathetic tone of her voice made him cringe. He didn’t want to be the object of anyone’s pity, especially not Maggie’s.
“I had no idea,” she continued. “My mother and Uncle Tobias had a falling-out not long after we left Alaska, so for many years there was an estrangement. I only got back in touch with him a few years ago. We were able to pick up right where we left off.”
“He mentioned something about the falling-out. Tobias was really thrilled when you reached out to him. Your uncle and I became good friends over the years.”
Maggie twisted her mouth. “I wish that I could have made it back to Love a long time ago.” She let out a little sigh. “I’ll always regret it.”
“Tobias always dreamed of you coming back,” Finn acknowledged, “but he understood you had your own life to live in Boston.”
Oliver walked up to the table and stood close by his mother’s chair.
Maggie nudged him in the side. “Sweetie, don’t you have something to say to Mr. O’Rourke?” She shook her head. “I mean, Finn.”
Oliver slowly moved closer to Finn. For a second it seemed as if he was having trouble looking Finn in the eye. When he did look up, his hazel eyes were full of wonder.
“Thanks for bringing us here.” He chewed his lip for a moment. “I think one day I wanna be a pilot just like you.”
“That’s fantastic, buddy,” Finn said, reaching out and tousling Oliver’s hair. “One of these days I can take you up in one of the planes if your mom says it’s all right. I can show you the local area.”
Oliver’s mouth hung open. Everyone at the table laughed. The sound of Maggie’s tinkling laughter warmed Finn’s insides. Much like the woman herself, it was charming.
“Can I go, Mom? Can I?” The pleading tone of Oliver’s voice was endearing.
“It sounds like a fun excursion,” Maggie conceded. “I think we can make it happen.” Maggie sent Finn a grateful smile. Oliver let out a celebratory hoot as if he’d won
a battle. His enthusiasm made Finn feel ten feet tall. He wasn’t used to being viewed as important. That’s how the kid made him feel. It was a nice change from thinking of himself as useless.
He stared blankly at the menu, trying to shake off the desire to look over in Maggie’s direction. There was no sense in him denying it. He felt a pull in her direction. And what man wouldn’t? he asked himself. She seemed like the whole package. Looks. Brains. And he knew from their past she had a lot of heart. But Finn had determined a long time ago he wasn’t suited for romance. And it was clear from where he was sitting that a woman like Maggie was the sort you brought home to Sunday dinner with the folks. She wasn’t one to be trifled with.
Just then Sophie appeared at the table with a tray of food. Thankfully it gave Finn something to focus on other than the woman seated to his right. She placed a bowl of soup down in front of him, along with a hearty-looking sandwich with kale chips on the side. Finn shot her a look of gratitude. Sophie winked at him. As his friend, she knew his financial situation was dodgy. This was her way of helping him out.
Finn took a huge bite of his sandwich, then sampled the lobster bisque, one of Cameron’s specialties. He flashed Sophie a thumbs-up sign.
Instead of heading back to the kitchen, Sophie stood at the table with a concerned look etched on her pretty features.
“What’s wrong, Sophie?” Jasper asked. “You look like you burned something in the kitchen,” he teased.
Sophie’s eyes darted over to Maggie. She bit her lip. “Agnes Muller just called. She knows it’s Jasper’s tradition to bring folks over to the Moose to welcome them to town, so she figured you might be here. She said she’s been trying to reach Maggie since this morning.”
Maggie looked down at her phone and let out a sound of frustration. “Oh, I had my ringer off. She’s going to be Oliver’s babysitter when he starts kindergarten in a few days. It’ll only be for a few hours in the afternoon since he’ll be in school till the early afternoon, but since I want to get the store up and running quickly, she’ll be a big help.” Maggie stood up. “Let me go call her back in case it’s something important.”
An Alaskan Christmas (Alaskan Grooms Book 6) Page 3