Dwight adjusted his spectacles. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I believe that business concluded when Robert Reynolds stole from the town coffers and single-handedly put the kibosh on our plans.” He tapped his chin. “Hmm...he then fled this jurisdiction, quickly followed, I might add, by his daughter. And now we’re supposed to entertain a motion by said accomplice.”
Cameron jumped to his feet. “What you just said is slanderous!” He began to make a motion as if he was going to approach the dais. “And if you breathe another word of that kind of talk, you and I are going to have a problem that might just require you to get a new pair of glasses.”
Paige tugged at Cameron’s arm and pulled him back to a seated position. “Cameron, don’t waste your breath. The only thing Dwight understands is the bottom line. And in his mind I’m tainted by my father’s guilt.”
“He’d better watch the name-calling,” Cameron seethed.
Paige looked over at Jasper. “Would you like to explain why I came back to Love or shall I?”
Jasper surprised her by grinning at her. “I think you’ve earned the right to tell this town the big news.”
Dwight made an audible sound of outrage. His face resembled a thundercloud.
She looked to Cameron, who gave her a nod of encouragement. Paige stood up on trembling legs and turned toward the large audience. She cleared her throat and scanned the room for a friendly face. A few rows away a beautiful, dark-haired woman sent her an encouraging smile. It took only a moment for Paige to realize it was Grace, Boone’s wife. She had seen her photo enough in media reports to recognize her stunning features.
Feeling slightly self-conscious, she fiddled with her sleeves. “Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Prescott, for allowing me the floor. I’m Paige Reynolds. Most of you have known me for years. And you knew my father, Robert. Many of you were his friends.” Her voice quivered a bit. “I know he let this town down. He let me down, too. I was raised by a man who taught me right from wrong. He guided me by solid principles. I don’t know the exact reasons he went so far astray, but I do know that at the end of his life he deeply regretted his actions. He sought forgiveness. And redemption. With his last breath, he asked me to come back to Love. My father realized that the money he took wasn’t enough to soothe the pain he caused by betraying this town. It’s like the Bible says—‘For what will it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul?’
“One of the reasons I came back was to return a portion of the funds he stole.” Audible gasps could be heard among the townsfolk. “A very large sum that can help this town immensely. I want the money to do great things for Love. I know some of you might think that I have no right to have any say in this, but I’m committed to the financial growth of this town. That has never wavered. And I have the business background and education to support it.”
“Thank you for the five-hankie moment,” Dwight interrupted. “But what does all this have to do with anything? You’ve basically returned money that rightfully belonged to this town.”
“Which she did of her own accord. No guilty person does that!” a voice shouted out from behind her. Paige turned around and caught sight of Honor, Cameron’s younger sister. She was standing in the aisle, her long dark hair swirling, an irate expression stamped on her face. Paige wanted to sob at the sight of her. With her petite stature and delicate features, she didn’t bear a resemblance to her brothers, but there was no question she was 100 percent Prescott.
“These interruptions are beyond the pale,” Dwight said in a high-pitched voice that bordered on a screech. A few people openly snickered.
“This is a town meeting, Dwight. As residents of Love, we have a right to voice our thoughts and opinions,” Grace said in an impassioned voice. “Otherwise it’s a dictatorship.”
“No young ladies want to move to a town in the wilds of Alaska that is known for being led by dictators,” Myrtle shrieked. She was standing in the aisle next to Honor, dressed from head to toe in peacock print and rhinestones. Although mere days ago Paige had viewed her as a harridan, Myrtle was now beginning to grow on her.
Boone stood up and raised his fingers to his mouth. His loud whistle cut through the chaos. “Settle down, everyone,” he said. A heavy silence ensued. It seemed no one wanted to mess with the town sheriff.
“I think we owe Paige an opportunity to finish what she was saying.” Boone nodded in Paige’s direction. “We’re listening.”
“I—I think this town should have a cannery. And it would have been up and running now if it hadn’t been for my father. But the present situation doesn’t have to stay that way. We...this town...can still move forward with the project. The influx of money can make it happen. It could pay for the completion of the building and all the start-up costs.”
“And why should anyone trust you?” Dwight called out.
Paige refused to look at Dwight. She focused on the villagers. “Because I was raised here and I love it more than words can ever fully express. And I’ve brought my daughter here so she can grow to love it as much as her parents do. Emma is a Prescott and I want her to be proud of who she is. I want her to know that forgiveness and redemption are possible. And even though my father did something despicable, he taught me to tackle things head-on. That’s what I’m trying to do. This town could grow financially by leaps and bounds if we’re exporting canned fish products. And think of all the jobs there would be. With my business background, I think I could be an asset to the project.” She swung her gaze around the audience. “Thank you for listening.”
A smattering of loud applause broke out, accompanied by a few whistles. As Paige headed back to her seat, she realized that Cameron was clapping louder than anyone. Dwight was apoplectic. He was trying to say something, but the clapping drowned him out. She couldn’t help but smile at her small victory. The room was pulsing with electricity. Although she knew not everyone in the room was cheering her on, it felt amazing that she actually had supporters. There were people here who believed in her and what she was hoping to accomplish.
Paige smoothed the back of her skirt and sat back down. Cameron reached over and squeezed her hand. She blinked past the tears pricking her eyes and looked over at him. He winked at her. “Well done, Paige. Well done.”
His supportive gesture was surprising since she knew he was still on the fence regarding her involvement in the stolen funds.
“Thank you for your discernment, Miss Reynolds. This matter will be taken up before the town council and will be voted upon by the villagers at a future meeting. I move that we conclude this meeting,” Jasper said.
“I second it,” Hazel said smoothly.
“Wait one minute,” Dwight said in a raised voice just as Jasper banged his gavel down, effectively closing the meeting.
“Meeting adjourned,” Jasper announced in a gleeful tone.
Before Paige could even gather her composure, she found herself surrounded by a group of residents. Old friends were grabbing her hand and patting her on the back, showering her with words of thanks and encouragement. Grace came up and gave her a hug. “It’s so nice to meet you, Paige. It was so brave of you to come here tonight and address the town.” Grace shuddered. “I’ve had to do it once or twice myself and can attest it isn’t easy.”
“I have to admit my knees were knocking,” Paige said with a chuckle. “I’m surprised no one heard it.”
Grace laughed along with her. “You’ve got spunk. I like that.”
“Spoken by a woman who has plenty to go around,” Boone said as he sidled up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. He placed a tender kiss on the side of her forehead that had Paige yearning for her own tall, dark and handsome Alaskan.
Hazel, Jasper and Myrtle joined her circle of supporters.
Myrtle stepped forward and reached for her hand. She patted it. “I appreciate y
our courage in coming back here, young lady. You have my full support. If there’s anything you need moving forward, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” She sent Paige a knowing look. “As the local historian, I know this town like the back of my hand.”
Paige smiled at Myrtle, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the crush of people. Most of them she knew, but there were a handful of young women who she suspected were in Alaska to find their other halves under Jasper’s Operation Love program. They were smiling and upbeat and positive about her plan.
Without any fanfare, Honor stepped forward and stood before Paige, her sweet face wet with tears. “Oh, Paige, I’ve missed you so,” Honor cried as she threw herself into Paige’s arms.
“I’ve missed you, too, sweetie,” Paige said as she hugged the young woman who had been like a sister to her. When everything had fallen apart for her in Love, Honor had been attending college out of state. They had never had a proper goodbye. Ashamed of her father’s actions, Paige had never had the courage to reach out to Honor. Since Cameron had severed all ties with her, she hadn’t felt right about dragging Honor into the whole mess.
When they pulled apart, Paige noticed Cameron standing nearby, his gaze trained on the two of them.
“Are you back for good?” Honor asked. There was such hope radiating from her eyes.
Back for good? It was a complicated question, one she didn’t have a ready answer for. She didn’t want to extinguish Honor’s joy, but she couldn’t give her false hope either. She had returned to Alaska for a specific purpose. Cameron was now aware of Emma’s existence and he was beginning to form a bond with her. Fulfilling her father’s dying wish was a bit trickier, but she was now one step closer to achieving it. If the town decided to proceed with the cannery project, Paige would relocate to Love for a period of time in order to support the project. She was hoping to be hired on to work as a consultant. At the moment everything was up in the air.
“To be honest, I’m not sure, honey,” Paige said, reaching for Honor’s hand and gripping it tightly. “If the cannery project doesn’t pan out, it might make sense for us to return to Seattle. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m here now. And I can’t wait for you to meet your niece.”
Honor let out a little squeal and began to gush about Emma. She told Paige about completing graduate school and her plans to work in wildlife conservation in Alaska. They made plans to have lunch one afternoon and to catch up on everything they had missed in each other’s lives.
Paige glanced in Cameron’s direction just in time to see his retreating figure as he quietly slipped out of the room. She felt a hitch in the region of her heart upon seeing him walk away from her. He was the only one with whom she really wanted to celebrate this moment. Although she appreciated every last gesture of support, Cameron’s presence was the one she craved. More and more she found herself relying on him like a lifeline the same way she had done in the past. Although her head knew he no longer belonged to her, it seemed her heart still hadn’t got the message.
* * *
It was still light outside when Cameron left the town hall building and headed back toward the Moose Café. His truck was parked out in the lot behind his establishment. As he walked along Jarvis Street, he paused to peer in shop windows. In many ways this downtown area was the heart and pulse of Love. Despite the financial slump, the wheels were still turning for the shop owners and proprietors. Not a single shop had closed its doors. The town had rallied from within and supported all the businesses so that no one went under. It had been extraordinary. No matter what problems Love faced, his hometown was remarkable.
He was wrangling with feelings way too complicated for him to even process at the moment. Paige had made him so proud tonight by speaking out on behalf of the cannery. She had been brave and honorable and very ambitious. He had almost stopped breathing when Honor had asked Paige about her long-term plans. After flying high on the heels of Paige’s rousing speech, his spirits had plummeted once he realized that Paige and Emma in all likelihood would not remain in Love. Suddenly the threat of them leaving hung over him like a dark cloud.
His life was better with them in it. Emma was a Prescott and he wanted her to live here in Alaska and be right in the thick of his big, spirited family. Maybe he was being selfish, but he wanted to be her father in every sense of the word. He still hadn’t spent much quality time with her, just snatches here and there. He wanted his daughter to play with his nephew, Aidan, and learn how to skate at Deer Run Lake. The thought of not seeing her on Christmas morning gutted him. It would be such a blessing to watch her rip open presents and sit next to her in the pew at church.
He was so tired of losing people in his life. His mother. His father. Ruby. Paige. He had already lost precious time with his daughter. It would be agonizing to say goodbye to his child. His mind was whirling with the details of the conversation he had overheard between Paige and Honor.
I don’t know what the future holds.
Before he knew it, he had reached the back lot. He stepped up into his truck and revved the engine, hoping to drown out his thoughts. Paige’s words burned in his ears. Had she come back only to leave again?
How could she even consider separating him from his daughter? Hadn’t she already done that for fourteen long months? Anger rose up inside him. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel. Resentment began to consume him. Knowing this wasn’t the way, Cameron lowered his head onto the steering wheel. It was this type of quick-burning fury that had got him into this situation in the first place. Two years ago he had chosen to believe the worst of Paige when he hadn’t had all the facts at his disposal. Now that she had made him aware of her trust fund, all of her actions made sense. For the first time he was forcing himself to look in the mirror and accept the role he had played in Paige leaving Love.
Lord, please help me. I don’t want this rage to consume me any longer. I’m so tired of feeling helpless against the things in my life that cause me strife and anxiety. I am trying to be a better man, one who is more focused on what’s ahead of me than what’s behind me. I want Emma to be proud to call me Daddy.
He began to take calming breaths. Within seconds the anger dissipated. “Thank You, Lord,” he whispered. Rage didn’t have any place in his world now. From this point forward his existence was all about a pint-size cutie who had wormed her way into his heart in record time. He needed to be the best man possible for her. A man driven by faith and not fear. And because of the all-consuming love he felt for Emma, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she stayed right here in Love where she belonged.
Chapter Eight
Even after Sophie’s return to work after her illness, Cameron still continued to ask Paige to fill in a few hours here and there at the Moose Café. Paige loved working at the café. Perhaps it was the customers. Most were kind and regaled her with funny stories about Love or bits of town gossip. Of course, every now and again she would run up against a customer who wanted to rant and rave about her father. She had learned to deal with those situations with grace and an open heart. If God wanted to use her as a vessel for forgiveness, she was willing to be His instrument. She loved the hustle and bustle of the place and the smell of coffee floating in the air. And she loved the fact that Cameron knew he could rely on her. It made her feel wanted and needed. It was her fervent hope that one of these days he would come to his senses and realize that she hadn’t been in collusion with her father. At least that way Emma would never pick up on any strained vibes between her parents.
Most days when she filled in, Fiona drove in with her so that Cameron could spend a little time with Emma. Cameron seemed to love those moments. Paige knew she had done the right thing in returning to Love when she watched the playful interaction between father and daughter. Somehow it eased the grieving process she was going through for her own father. Day by day the ache of loss was beginn
ing to lessen.
During her afternoon break Cameron approached her as she was digging in to a grilled turkey-and-avocado sandwich with a side of kale chips. He’d made her one of his new creations. A white-chocolate mochaccino. Although one sip of it confirmed it was rich and calorie laden, she wasn’t going to fret about it. She was feeling self-indulgent today.
“Hey, Paige. I have an Emma question. Is it my imagination or am I growing on her?” Cameron asked.
Paige swallowed a bite of her sandwich. She tried not to groan out loud at how good it was. “It’s not your imagination. She lights up when she sees you. And she’s very comfortable in your presence.”
“I thought so!” Cameron said, his voice full of excitement. “She doesn’t give me that ‘Who’s he?’ look anymore.”
Paige laughed at the visual. Emma had a very expressive face and she knew that particular look very well. She had always called it Emma’s grandpa face since she tended to scrunch up her nose like a little old man. “Believe me, that’s progress. When Fiona first came to us, it took Emma a long time to accept her. Now she adores her.”
“So, do you think I can spend some alone time with her this weekend?” Cameron tossed the question out casually but she could see the expectant expression etched on his face.
Although she had logically known this day would come, she didn’t feel prepared. Not by a long shot. She put her sandwich back down on her plate. “Do you think you’re ready for that?” Paige asked. She was biting her lip. Suddenly her pulse was beating erratically at the idea of Emma being taken from her normal setting.
“I take it you don’t.” Immediately he sounded defensive.
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that Emma gets fussy sometimes and she’s really hard to get down for her nap. And she’s pretty finicky about meals.” She found herself rattling off a litany of reasons. “She’s also been having these issues with allergies. Some foods like strawberries and peas have been giving her an allergic reaction.”
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