He held his finger up to his lips.
“Hello,” a masculine voice called out. “Maggie. Maggie Richards. It’s Dwight. I’ve come to welcome you back to Love and to offer my condolences about Tobias.”
Finn let out a soft groan and rolled his eyes.
“Dwight? As in Dwight Lewis?” she asked in a loud whisper. “The kid who used to wear bow ties and Bermuda shorts?”
“One and the same,” Finn answered with a grin. “And in case you were wondering, he still wears those bow ties.” Maggie started laughing, then clapped her hand over her mouth to silence herself.
It felt nice to have history with Maggie. They could share little inside jokes and memories from a time when his life had been idyllic.
Maggie scrunched up her nose. “Didn’t we have a nickname for him?”
Finn smirked. “I think we had a few. If you open that door and let him in, word will travel around Love as fast as quicksilver about the state of things inside this shop.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “That could be very bad for business,” Maggie whispered. Finn wanted to laugh out loud at the outraged expression on her face, but he knew Dwight might hear him. Finn wouldn’t be surprised if the town treasurer had his ear pressed up against the door.
“I’m heading over to the Moose to visit my fiancée, so if you’d like to come say hello I’ll be across the way,” Dwight said in a raised voice.
Finn rolled his eyes at Dwight’s mention of his fiancée, Marta. Dwight had been single for a long time, but the minute he fell in love and got engaged to the chef at the Moose Café, he’d decided not to let anyone forget his status. For more reasons than one it rubbed Finn the wrong way.
Maggie and Finn huddled next to each other, waiting for any slight sound to indicate Dwight’s presence. They were standing so close to one another Finn could see the golden flecks in her green eyes. He could also hear the shallow sound of her breathing.
“Do you think he’s gone?” Maggie whispered. She was leaning so close to him her hair swung against his cheek.
“Mmm-hmm,” Finn said, feeling slightly bowled over by his close proximity to Maggie. She smelled like flowers. Roses, perhaps. It was a heady scent. She was all kinds of pretty. There was an air of grace about her, he thought. She was soft and feminine, but there was strength at her core, even if she didn’t seem to realize it. Losing a husband so tragically and at such a young age could harden a person, Finn imagined. But she didn’t seem bitter at all. Maggie seemed determined to find stability for Oliver and to make the best of her inheritance from Tobias.
“I think we’re safe,” Finn said, reluctantly moving away from Maggie.
“Phew,” Maggie said, swiping the back of her hand across her forehead. “He was persistent.”
Finn made a face. “He’s town treasurer now. You really have no idea. On any given day he’s like a dog with a bone.”
Maggie put her hands on her hips. “How about we stop for lunch and then tackle the shelving areas?”
“Sounds good, but I don’t think we should go over to the Moose Café,” Finn said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Unless of course you want Dwight to know we were here the whole time.”
She made a face. “No way. We can just pick up some sandwiches at the deli.”
Finn cast his gaze around the store. With every hour he and Maggie spent clearing up the place, Finn was moving one step closer to his dream—co-ownership of O’Rourke Charters. Working side by side with his younger brother would be life altering. Finn still had a lot of work to do in order to show Declan he was back in Love for good.
* * *
Now that the shelves had been cleaned and polished, Keepsakes was beginning to look like an actual store. For the first time, Maggie knew they were out of the woods. She sat down on a crate and breathed in a deep sigh of relief. She cracked open a diet soda and raised it up in the air in a celebratory gesture. Although she never would have said it out loud to Finn, there had been many times when she’d doubted they would reach their goal in time. It wasn’t very often she felt proud of herself, but in this moment she felt as if she had accomplished something monumental.
God was good. He had led her to this moment, and even though she had wavered many times in her faith, He was still showing her His grace.
A few minutes earlier Finn had volunteered to pick up Oliver at the bus stop then take him over to the Moose Café for a treat. Knowing Oliver would get a kick out of seeing Finn and spending time with him, Maggie agreed. Plus, it would give her the time to sit for a little bit and soak in the knowledge of the path she was about to walk down. Store ownership.
An hour later Finn walked through the door with her son at his side. Oliver had a chocolate mustache, no doubt from indulging in hot chocolate with Finn.
“Hey, buddy! How was your first day at school?” Maggie asked.
“It was great,” Oliver said. “I made a lot of new friends.”
Maggie felt as if her heart might jump out of her chest. All of her fears had been rattling around in her head. And now here Oliver stood looking as happy as a clam. She let out the breath she’d been holding ever since dropping Oliver off at school. Suddenly, all was right with her world.
Oliver began chattering about the goings-on at school.
“We were talking about Christmas at school. There’s a big cookie exchange coming up where everyone makes cookies and then swaps so you end up with a whole bunch of cool holiday cookies. Aidan asked me to go sledding with him, so I also need a sled. And we need a Christmas tree, Mom. Everyone else has one.” Oliver looked at her with pleading eyes.
“Oh, really now?” Maggie asked in a teasing voice. It tickled her to think her son was already in the thick of things with his classmates.
“Can we? Can we, please?” he begged, crossing his hands in front of him.
She leaned down and pressed a kiss against his temple. “Yes, my sweet. We most definitely can. I know the perfect place at home we can put it.” There was no way Maggie could say no to the excitement bubbling up inside her son. She’d made a promise to herself. She was going to embrace Christmas and all it had to offer, if only to see the joy reflected in her son’s eyes. Christmas trees! Sledding at Deer Run Lake! Participating in the town’s Christmas cookie exchange. She was all in.
“Can you come and help us pick out a tree, Finn?” Oliver asked. There was something about the look emanating from Oliver’s eyes that sent out warning signals. He was getting attached.
Finn playfully bowed to Oliver. “It would be my pleasure, Sir Oliver,” he said in an exaggerated English accent.
Oliver giggled. “You sound funny.” He turned toward Maggie. “When can we go to find the tree?”
“How about if we head over there tomorrow night?” Maggie suggested. “I have a few things to take care of around here. And I still have to figure out dinner.”
“How does that sound, Finn?” Oliver asked, turning back toward Finn.
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, holding up his palm so Oliver could high-five him. “I don’t know if you heard,” he said, bending down and speaking in a low voice to Oliver, “but I’m the best tree hunter in all of Alaska.”
“Cool! We’re going to get the best tree ever,” Oliver said, his face lit up with excitement.
Maggie watched the interplay between Finn and Oliver. There was no doubt about it. They were getting along like a house on fire. Oliver was blossoming right before her eyes. And it had everything to do with Finn. She should know. He’d done the same thing for her when she was ten years old.
“Finn, can I talk to you for a second?” She waved him over so Oliver wouldn’t overhear their conversation.
“Sure thing.” He walked over to her, his eyes alight with curiosity. “What’s up?”
“You asked me the other day about watch
ing Oliver after school so I can focus on the shop.”
Finn waved his hand at her. “Forget it. I know you weren’t keen on the idea.”
“I was being unreasonable,” she admitted, feeling very humbled. Her overprotectiveness toward Oliver had clouded her judgment. “Your offer to watch Oliver was very generous. Honestly, he’s crazy about you.”
“So? Did you change your mind? Are you taking me up on my offer?”
She took a deep breath. “Yes, I am, if it’s still on the table.”
Finn graced her with a wide grin. “Hey! That’s great. Of course it is.”
Maggie chewed on her lip. “I think I was just worried he might get too attached to you. Oliver isn’t just looking for a father figure, Finn. He’s actually looking for a father. I just don’t want him to get hurt or confused along the way.”
“No worries, Mags. We’re buddies,” Finn assured her. “Surely that can’t be a bad thing.”
“No, that’s not a bad thing,” Maggie said, her eyes drifting back toward her son. He was still looking at Finn as if he was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
She felt relieved about the childcare situation being resolved. Finn had been right. It was the perfect solution. Unless of course Oliver decides he wants Finn to be more than a buddy, Maggie thought. She knew her son hadn’t given up on the idea of finding a father here in Alaska. Something told her Finn would be at the top of Oliver’s list.
* * *
Finn headed over to the Moose Café as soon as he and Maggie decided to call it day at Keepsakes. Since Annie was working late at the library, Declan had invited him to dinner. It would be nice to get together with his brother and talk over a good meal. It had been far too long since they’d spent downtime together.
The jangling of the bell heralded his arrival inside the eatery. Finn smiled as he looked around the place. Every time he walked in, it seemed as if Hazel and Cameron had added even more festive decorations. Yes, indeed. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
“Hey, Finn. Are you looking for a table?” Sophie asked, coming up behind him.
“I’m looking for Declan. He’s supposed to be meeting me here for an early dinner,” Finn said.
“I haven’t seen him yet, but I can find a table for the two of you,” she said, waving him to follow after her. Finn trailed after her and sat down once Sophie placed two menus on a table set up for two.
“As soon as I spot him, I’ll send him over.”
“Thanks, Soph. Tell Noah I said hello, okay?”
At the sound of her husband’s name, Sophie lit up like sunshine. “I sure will, Finn.”
Sophie was a newlywed, having married Noah Catalano, a private investigator, after a whirlwind courtship. Folks in town were still grappling with Sophie’s hidden identity as an heiress to a coffee empire. Her bank balance wasn’t important. Sophie was well loved in this town.
Yep. Single folks were dropping like flies in this town, which meant it was only a matter of time until someone asked him about his status. An unattached male in Love who wasn’t signed up for Operation Love was akin to a Bigfoot sighting. Everyone wanted the happy ending tied up with a big fancy bow.
“Where has Maggie been hiding?” Hazel asked with her hands on her hips as she made a sudden appearance at his table.
“Well, hello to you too, Hazel,” Finn said in a dry tone.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, Finn. I don’t know where my manners went,” Hazel said in an apologetic tone. “How are things going over at the shop? Rumor has it you’re helping out over there.”
So far Finn had discussed his inheritance from Tobias only with his brother and Maggie. He knew Love like the back of his hand. Once word got out, he wouldn’t have a moment’s rest answering questions from the townsfolk. He loved Hazel, but for the time being he wasn’t disclosing the particular reasons why he was helping out at Keepsakes. He was keeping his mouth shut about Tobias’s will and his eyes on the prize.
“There’s a lot of work to do. For the most part Maggie’s been working to get the shop in running order.” Finn made a face. “Don’t repeat this, Hazel, but Tobias left that shop in really bad shape.”
Hazel scratched her chin. “That’s hard to fathom,” Hazel said. “Tobias was such a meticulous person. I imagine he was overwhelmed when he got sick and made the decision to close up the store. It wasn’t until much later that he took me into his confidence about his illness.” She made a tutting sound. “It’s frustrating because I can’t imagine a single person in this town who wouldn’t have helped out if he’d said one word about the shop.”
Finn shrugged. “I was pretty close to Tobias and he didn’t mention the shop, although he talked about Maggie all the time. He used to show me pictures of her and Oliver. It was pretty obvious he was crazy about them.”
Hazel nodded. “He sure was. Tobias always hoped Maggie would make it back here.” She shook her head. “I think he was a little brokenhearted he didn’t see her again before he passed.”
Finn straightened in his chair. “Hazel, could you make sure not to share that sentiment with Maggie? I think it would really wound her to know that particular bit of information.”
“Me and my big mouth. I didn’t mean it as a criticism of Maggie,” Hazel said. “Tobias was such a kind and generous man. His death is such a big loss to this town.”
“I know.” Finn reached out and clasped Hazel’s hand in his own. “I just want to make sure Maggie doesn’t get hurt.”
“You and Maggie have been spending a lot of time together,” Hazel said, sending him a pointed look. “Don’t think people haven’t noticed. Are the two of you going to be the next It couple in this town?”
Finn waved his hand at her. “You’ve got it all wrong, Hazel. There’s nothing romantic going on. We’re just friends, just like back in the day.”
“Finn is antiromance. Didn’t you know, Hazel?” Declan came striding up to Finn’s table. Obviously he’d heard the tail end of their conversation. Declan put his hands around Hazel’s waist and placed a kiss on her cheek before sitting down across from Finn. Finn had to smile. As always, his brother knew how to make an entrance.
“Is that true, Finn?” Hazel barked. “There are lots of pretty gals here in Love looking for a God-fearing, handsome man like yourself.” She tapped her fingers against her breastbone. “Look at me! I never imagined I’d be a newlywed at my age, but God has a plan for all of us. I learned not to question His timing.”
Finn glared at Declan. “I’m not against romance.” He shrugged. “I just don’t want to settle down. It’s not for me.”
“Humph. And why not? It’s not as if you haven’t backpacked around the country and sowed your wild oats,” Hazel muttered. “What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation to court someone?”
Declan sat back in his seat and chuckled. “That’s what I’d like to know. With Annie expecting, it would be nice for my kids to have some cousins to rip and run with. At this rate they’ll have to play among themselves.”
Kids? A wife? Finn felt a twisting sensation in his stomach. Those weren’t on his agenda. Not now. Not ever. Just the thought of it made him feel as if he couldn’t breathe. It would be too much pressure for him. He’d promised God a long time ago he wouldn’t even try to go down that road. That was his punishment for what he’d done to his family. A solitary life free of familial responsibilities. He had already destroyed one family. He wasn’t going to risk tearing apart another one.
“We haven’t seen hide nor hair of Maggie. Dwight was here asking about her. He said he went over to the shop but she didn’t answer the door.” Hazel tutted. “Poor thing is probably working herself to death. Maggie needs to get reacquainted with this town and the folks who live here.”
As if from out of nowhere, Jasper sidled up to their t
able and stood next to Hazel. “Are you talking about Maggie? I keep wondering where she’s hiding herself. Let’s get her involved in town events. Maybe she’ll want to join the PTA or the town council,” Jasper suggested. “We actually have a position on the town council opening up in a few weeks.”
Declan and Finn locked gazes. They both began to chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Jasper asked, his expression one of irritation. “Being on the town council is an honor.”
“Those aren’t exactly rip-roaring good times,” Finn drawled.
“We don’t want her to think Love is a snoozefest,” Declan added. “How about the Christmas cookie exchange or the Deer Run Lake skating party?”
Finn snapped his fingers. “And what about the choral group who sings carols door-to-door?” Finn wanted Maggie and Oliver to experience the best of Love. The happier they were, the more likely they would stay in Love long-term. He felt a bit badly about not encouraging Maggie to participate more in town events. He had been so eager to finish work on the shop so he could collect his inheritance and buy into O’Rourke Charters. He’d lost sight of the fact that Maggie needed to be exposed to a wide range of things in Love.
“Ooh,” Hazel exclaimed. “I just found out there’s a holiday mixer for Operation Love participants. Maggie’s been invited even though she hasn’t officially signed up yet for the program. There’s still a female shortage in this town, so nobody minds bending the rules and allowing her to attend.” Hazel jabbed Jasper in the side. “Something tells me the men of Love will be vying for Maggie. She’s a good-looking woman.”
“Sure is,” Jasper said with enthusiasm. “I don’t want to be indiscreet, but a few men have already asked about her.” Jasper wiggled his eyebrows. “That holiday mixer would be great for Maggie to meet some eligible men.” He rubbed his hands together. “Another Operation Love success story in the making.”
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” Hazel said, her lips pursed.
“What are you talking about?” Jasper asked. He puffed his chest out. “I’m an expert on the program and matchmaking in general. You should know that Maggie Richards will be the perfect partner for some fella in this town.”
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