His Secret Alaskan Heiress

by Belle Calhoune

  “How many Prescotts live in this town? I’m beginning to lose count,” Noah said in a loud whisper.

  “Don’t bother trying to keep track,” Sophie teased. “The Prescott family keeps growing by leaps and bounds.”

  “Big families are nice. I want one of my own. Six kids at least.”

  Sophie sputtered. “Six? Your future wife might object to that.”

  Noah looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. “Who knows? Maybe she’ll want seven.”

  Sophie shook her head and chuckled. Noah really knew how to entertain her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so hard. It felt nice to laugh with Noah rather than fret about her life being a ticking time bomb. For tonight she wasn’t going to worry about the cloud hanging over her head.

  They walked on toward the food area with Ruby, Liam and Aidan, then settled down to eat at a table in one of the heated tents. More friends joined them, and before they knew it, their table was overflowing with people.

  After they finished dinner, Noah made a beeline to the horse-and-carriage ride. When they had passed by earlier, the line had been daunting. Now, all of a sudden, it was nonexistent.

  “How about a ride?” he asked with a smile.

  “How can I say no to that?” Sophie answered.

  Noah jumped up into the carriage, then turned to help her aboard. They bundled up under the blanket, and when his gloved hand reached for hers, she felt safe and warm and protected. Sophie had to remind herself that they were just friends.

  Sophie wrinkled her nose. She remembered riding in a horse-drawn carriage with John. It should have been romantic and thrilling as they cantered through Central Park in the snow. John had complained the entire time about the smell of the horses and the biting cold winter’s night. He had ruined everything with his sour attitude. Sophie remembered wondering why he couldn’t just be happy for simple blessings.

  “Are you warm enough?” Noah asked, pulling the blanket even tighter around her.

  “I’m nice and toasty. Thank you for being my date tonight. I’ve had a lot of fun this evening.”

  “Thank you for inviting me. Participating in this town celebration has made me feel like I’m part of the community.”

  “Why, of course you are,” Sophie said. “I saw how the townsfolk treated you tonight. You’ve truly become a native son.”

  “Something tells me I’m getting extra brownie points for cooking meals for them. The folks in this town sure like to eat.”

  “Yes, they do, although I think the Moose Café appeals to the townsfolk on a social level, too. People seem to really enjoy gathering at the café and eating breakfast with their best friend or the town sheriff. Even the ones who sit by themselves end up talking to the person sitting at the next table, or asking someone to join them.”

  “You really love what you do, don’t you?”

  “I really do. For me it’s all about the people. Talking to them. Listening to them. Actually hearing what they have to say. Having them care about me as a person. How my day is going. Do my feet ache from standing all day?”

  Noah nodded. “I get it. Frankly, I’m surprised at the way the townsfolk check in on me from time to time. They really seem to care about my well-being.”

  “It’s genuine. I can vouch for that,” Sophie said. She looked up at the sky and let out a high-pitched squeal. “Noah! Please. Stop the carriage!”

  * * *

  “Hey! What’s wrong, Sophie?” Noah’s pulse was racing. He had no idea what had caused her to scream like that.

  “Look!” she shouted, pointing up at the velvety sky. “It’s a blue moon.”

  Noah swung his gaze up toward the heavens. Staring back at him was a gorgeous teal-colored moon. He’d never seen one in his entire life.

  Noah tapped the driver on the shoulder and asked him to stop the carriage. Once he had, Noah hopped out, then helped Sophie down. The carriage driver moved a discreet distance away from them as they both looked up at the sky.

  Noah held her in his arms for a moment, enjoying the sweet perfumed smell of her hair as it wafted under his nose. By the time he let her go he was wishing he could hold her a lot longer.

  Sophie craned her neck so she could check out the moon. “It’s incredible. And what a gorgeous blue color.”

  Noah looked up at the moon again, marveling at its brilliance. “These are incredibly rare. They usually happen after a dust storm or a volcanic eruption. Sometimes even a forest fire.” He felt mystified. “I think this one is just a random occurrence. Serendipity for us.”

  “It sure is,” Sophie said.

  “I know they say the moon is always the same size no matter where you are, but doesn’t it seem bigger here in Alaska?” he asked.

  Sophie turned toward him, a look of awe on her face. “I thought I was the only one who noticed that,” she said.

  “I noticed that the first time I ever stepped foot off Alaskan soil. As a kid I remember thinking that God just loved Alaska most of all.”

  Sophie shook her head. “Spoken like a true Alaskan.”

  Noah stepped closer, then reached out and took her face between his hands. He looked deeply into her eyes, noticing for the first time the flecks of gold mixed with the green. Tiny freckles were scattered across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. The tip of her nose and her cheeks were rosy. A sigh slipped past his lips. She was simply beautiful.

  “I’m going to kiss you, Sophie,” he announced, wanting to give her the opportunity to stop him if she was so inclined. He was praying she wouldn’t have a single objection. Noah was giving in to the moment, even though he wasn’t certain he should be acting on impulse. He wasn’t sure kissing Sophie was the right thing to do, but he’d gone too far to turn back now.

  “Yes, please,” she murmured. “I’d like that very much.”

  Noah leaned down and placed his lips on hers. Suddenly, everything grew hushed and still around them. Nothing mattered at this moment but the two of them. Despite the frigid temperature, Sophie’s lips were warm and soft. Inviting. They tasted sugary and sweet. He felt her hands reach up to rest on his shoulders, and a honeyed smell rose to his nostrils.

  As the kiss ended, Noah rested his forehead against hers. He pressed one last kiss on her forehead before pulling away.

  “Wow!” Sophie said, sending him a sweet smile. “As far as kisses go, that was pretty sensational.”

  Noah chuckled. He loved her honesty. “It was, wasn’t it?”

  “I haven’t been kissed in a very long time,” she admitted. She looked at him cautiously, as if she wasn’t certain of his response to her statement.

  “No? That’s a shame, Sophie. Because you are a woman who should be kissed on a regular basis.”

  Sophie’s cheeks were pink. Noah wasn’t sure if it was due to the frosty temperature or the kiss they had shared. Or maybe even his comment about her being very kissable.

  She stared at him, her brows knitted together. “So why aren’t you off the market, Noah? I’m sure women fall all over you.”

  He thought for a moment about how to answer that loaded question. “I haven’t met the one yet, I suppose.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “So you believe in that?”

  Noah shrugged. “I guess so. Maybe. Honestly, I haven’t believed in it for quite a while,” he admitted.

  “Who was she?” Her voice was infused with tenderness.

  “She who?”

  Sophie gazed at him with a somber expression. “The woman who dented your heart.”

  Noah didn’t even bother denying it. The knowing look on Sophie’s face spoke volumes. He’d been carrying Kara’s betrayal around with him for so long it was no doubt etched on his face. Lately, though, he had begun to let some of it go.

  “Her name
was Kara.” Just saying her name out loud made Noah feel as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. For so long now he’d hidden Kara away like a dirty little secret. She’d made him feel like a fool, so he’d been ashamed and embarrassed to talk about the pain she’d caused him. Growing up in a family of five boys had taught him to keep his chin up and put on a brave face, even when he was dying on the inside. His father had unknowingly instilled it in his sons to “never let your pain show on the outside,” so he had bottled up his feelings and never allowed himself to venture down that path again.

  “That’s a pretty name. Was she beautiful?” Sophie asked, her emerald-colored eyes gleaming with interest.

  Noah nodded. With her dark hair and hazel eyes, Kara had been stunning. “Yes. She was. On the outside. On the inside—not so much. She was very calculating and selfish. And—”

  “She broke your heart?” Sophie blurted out the question.

  Noah sighed. “Yep. She smashed it into little pieces and went on her merry way. She didn’t even look back to see the damage she’d done to me. She was very wealthy. One of those types who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. I fell hard for her. And she looked down on all of my aspirations.” He let out a harsh laugh. “I wasn’t good enough for her. She dumped me for a rich guy who could keep her in the lifestyle to which she’d become accustomed.”

  “Oh, Noah, that’s awful.”

  “I trusted her and she stabbed me in the back in many different ways. I’m a little jaded about love, Sophie. That’s why I was skeptical when we first spoke about Operation Love.”

  “I understand,” Sophie said in a soft voice. “When someone hurts us it’s very hard to put our hearts out there again.”

  Noah studied her calm expression. “But you’ve been hurt by your ex-fiancé and you still believe in happy endings. Maybe I’m just a skeptic.”

  “If I didn’t believe in happy endings it would make the world a lot less bright and joyful,” Sophie said.

  Noah quirked his mouth. “That’s a good way to put it.”

  “For me, it’s belief. I came to Alaska on a leap of faith. During the rough days, God keeps me going. He’s invested in me, so I make sure I return the favor.”

  “You have bad days?” Noah asked with a disbelieving shake of his head. “I never would have guessed. You project such positivity.”

  “Doesn’t everyone have tough times? I just try to put one foot in front of the other and hold fast to the things I know to be true.”

  “Such as?” Noah asked, wanting to know as much about Sophie as he could. She fascinated him. And it didn’t have a single thing to do with his assignment. Sophie made him feel as if he needed to be more like her—full of hope and goodness.

  She looked up at the sky full of stars. “I deserve to be happy. And God loves me. At my lowest moments He’s there with me. I can’t give up on myself, because God never has. And I can’t blame Him for the hardships. Everyone has them. No one in this world is immune from pain.”

  Noah allowed Sophie’s profound words to flow through him. He took a moment to absorb the full impact of her message. God loves me.

  He’d never quite thought about it like that before. Sophie hadn’t let her personal disappointments get in the way of her relationship with God. Her faith was still strong. She continued to believe that God was gracing her life.

  How many blessings had Noah dismissed in his life? There were so many amazing things that had been bestowed on him. After Kara’s betrayal he had shut himself off from love, yet he’d also stepped away from his faith. If he was being honest with himself, he’d admit that he had blamed God for the pain and heartache, when in reality it had boiled down to Kara’s poor character and his being blinded by love.

  Noah let out a hollow laugh. “Sophie, not only are you beautiful and kind, but you’re wise and insightful. You’ve reminded me of something important.” He shook his head. “A very precious thing I lost sight of when life became difficult. I doubted myself and then I began to question God. I did the very opposite of what you did.”

  She reached out with her mittened hand and squeezed his. “We all take our eyes off the prize at one time or another, Noah. The really important thing is making sure we get back on track.”

  A cold breeze swept past them just then and Sophie shivered.

  “We should head back to the carriage before you turn into a polar bear.” Noah took her hand and led her back to where the driver was waiting for them.

  They spent the remainder of the evening socializing with the townsfolk, enjoying the games and novelties, singing karaoke and eating Hazel’s legendary apple pie.

  The grand finale occurred when fireworks began to go off over Kachemak Bay. The sights and the sounds highlighted the festive nature of the celebration. Noah felt like a kid again as he gazed up at a sky bursting with all the colors of the rainbow.

  As he drove Sophie back to the Black Bear Cabins, he struggled to find all of the words pressing on his heart. As he pulled up in front of her cabin, he sat still for a moment in the driver’s seat, wanting to say something meaningful before they parted.

  “I’m thankful for this evening,” Noah said. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much or had such a fun time.” His heart was full almost to overflowing with gratitude. Not just toward Sophie, but to God for allowing him to experience such joy.

  Noah didn’t think he could fully articulate to Sophie what tonight had meant to him. He would probably just trip over the words and make a fool of himself. The feelings she was dredging up inside him were powerful and strong. The town of Love and its residents had wormed their way inside his heart, until now he couldn’t imagine not being a part of this wonderful fishing village.

  But in so many ways this was all wrong. He was betraying Sophie by working with Sussex to keep tabs on her. He was kidding himself to think anything real could develop between them when secrets stood between them. He imagined the townsfolk would run him out of town on a rail if they knew the reason he’d come to Love.

  Noah stuffed those doubts down. For this moment, he wasn’t going to focus on them. There would be plenty of time later to deal with the reality of his situation.

  He dipped his head and placed a tender kiss on her lips. The kiss was full of everything Sophie had made him feel tonight—hope, an abundance of joy and a renewal of his faith. Noah wouldn’t have minded one bit if the kiss had gone on until the stars were stamped out of the velvety Alaskan sky. He felt incredibly connected to her at this moment. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this way, as if he was relating to someone on an entirely different level.

  He helped Sophie out of the car, then slowly walked her up to her front door. He knew he was trying to stretch out the minutes so this night would never end. Sophie seemed to sense it, too. The smile she graced him with made his heart soar. She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips before saying good-night and letting herself into her cabin. Noah stood on her porch steps for a few minutes, watching as a light came on until he knew she was safely ensconced in her abode.

  He felt at home here in Love, and being with Sophie felt like a Sunday walk in the park. It was nice and comfortable. They were like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together.

  As Noah drove away from the Black Bear Cabins he found himself wondering about the future. Tonight he’d kissed Sophie. And he had done so only because he wasn’t entirely sure his client was being truthful. It hadn’t felt like a betrayal to Sussex because Noah now knew from Sophie’s own lips that her ex had caused her a world of pain. In life there were always two sides to every story. Or was he just trying to make himself feel better for his actions?

  Kissing her had been wonderful, but now, as he looked at it from a distance, he felt overcome with guilt. Sophie had no idea who he really was. He imagined she wouldn’t have kissed him if she knew he wa
s a PI sent to Love to watch her. Most likely she would have slapped him in the face. She didn’t deserve to be investigated or spied upon. Shame rose up in Noah at the thought that he was now caught squarely in the middle between his feelings for Sophie and his job as a private investigator.

  Noah’s life goal was to grow each and every day in his pursuit of becoming a better man. Lying to Sophie just might disqualify him. And although their kiss had been perfection, it felt tainted by his lies. He didn’t even want to imagine how bad Sophie would feel if she discovered he was working for her ex. Every word coming out of his mouth was tantamount to a lie.

  Part of becoming a better man meant dealing with things head-on instead of biding his time. He needed to complete the assignment, collect his paycheck and move on from Love, Alaska. He didn’t want to hurt Sophie, but getting close to her while being here in Love under false pretenses was wrong. He knew it all the way down to his soul.

  Now, he just had to figure a way out of this tangled web he’d woven.

  * * *

  Due to the four-hour time difference, it wasn’t an easy task to talk to Sussex on the phone. But Noah knew there was no time like the present. He wanted this situation dealt with, once and for all. Maybe then he could breathe without feeling a slight hitch in the region of his heart. He was tired of walking on eggshells and feeling conflicted. To continue with the assignment and accept the second portion of his fee would be immoral.

  Sussex answered on the second ring. “Catalano. I’ve been trying to reach you for days. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.” Clearly, his client had recognized his number by caller ID.

  “Sorry about that. The time difference has been an issue.” Not to mention the fact that he really hadn’t wanted to talk to his client at all. At this point he felt horrible discussing Sophie with the man.

  “Anything new to report?” Sussex barked.

  “Her days are pretty much the same. Working at the Moose Café. The occasional outing with friends. Town events. Nothing of any note.”