Boone shook Annie’s hand and said, “It’s a pleasure, Annie. I hope this misadventure doesn’t tarnish your opinion about Alaska.”
“Not one little bit,” Annie said. “How many people can say they crash-landed in an Alaskan forest and lived to tell the tale?” She let out a chuckle. “I’ll be telling this story to my grandkids.”
“Annie has been terrific.” Declan rushed in to praise her. “First time in Alaska and she handled herself like a pro after the crash. She lit a fire, kept us with food in our bellies and maintained her cool in a harsh and unforgiving environment.”
Annie’s face turned a pretty pink shade as she waved her hand at him. “Don’t listen to him. He puts the H in hero, if you know what I mean.”
“The two of you are a regular mutual admiration society,” Boone drawled, his lips twitching with amusement.
Uh-oh. Declan frowned. He knew that look. Boone made that face whenever he was teasing him about a prospective love interest. Declan needed to set Boone straight in no uncertain terms. Annie was a tenderhearted librarian looking to settle down and live out her dreams. He was the last man in Love who could offer her the white picket fence and promises of forever. Those things were meant for other men. Not him.
Just knowing that he wasn’t capable of such a huge commitment caused an uncomfortable pressure to lodge against his chest. More and more these days he was finding himself wishing things could be different. Seeing Boone’s whole life open up after meeting Grace served as proof that true love was possible.
When Boone continued to grin at him, Declan subtly jabbed him in the side. He swiftly veered the subject toward another topic. “And it looks like you’ve already met my brother, Finn,” Declan said, nodding in his brother’s direction.
“I sure did,” Annie gushed. “I’m mighty impressed that both of you are pilots. You must make your parents really proud.”
An uncomfortable silence followed Annie’s statement. Declan was used to people in his hometown avoiding the topic of his parents at all costs. It was impossible for his mother to be proud of her boys since she had died when he was eight. And he had no clue whether his father felt proud of him or not. Declan hadn’t seen his father since he was sentenced to ten years in prison. Truthfully he wasn’t sure he even wanted to.
Finn recovered first. “Declan is the real deal,” Finn said. “I might have the technical ability, but Declan here has all the heart. That’s a powerful combination.”
Hearing his brother say those words warmed his insides. It was a rare moment when the two of them lifted each other up. So many things stood between them as a result of their dysfunctional past. He used to pray for a better relationship with Finn. Without even realizing it, he had long ago stopped asking God for help in that area of his life.
“Thanks for the rescue, Finn,” Declan said with a nod of his head. “In a few hours, things would have gotten dicey,” Declan admitted. Although he didn’t want to dwell on what might have happened, it was a reality he couldn’t simply ignore.
Finn quirked his mouth. “No problem. That’s what big brothers are for,” he said with a smirk. “Besides, it gave me an opportunity to fly Ethel.”
“Ethel?” Annie asked with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t tell me. You named this plane, also.”
Finn leaned in. “He sure did. Ethel and Lucy are the great loves of Declan’s life.”
Boone laughed and threw back his head. “So that explains why he’s still single,” he said. “I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure it out.”
Declan couldn’t resist laughing along with his best friend. It was funny the way things had worked out. Finn had been itching to fly Ethel for the longest time. Declan had a hard-and-fast rule. No one flew his O’Rourke Charter planes but himself and his employee, Willard, since both were listed on the insurance. Today Finn had found a loophole in the policy, and as a result, he’d been given the opportunity to fly Declan’s cherished plane.
His brother had learned to fly at the same age as he had, and in his opinion, Finn was just as good a pilot as he was, even though he’d long ago decided he didn’t want to fly planes for a living. The plan had always been for him and Finn to open O’Rourke Charters together, until Finn had bailed on him at the last minute. Declan had been forced to scramble to get the funds together to live out his dream. Thanks to Boone and the Prescott family, Declan’s dream hadn’t gone up in smoke.
Finn’s betrayal still stretched out between them like a live electrical wire. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
His older brother had been letting him down for most of their lives. Declan considered himself a fool for ever truly believing that he would come through for him. Finn had always had one eye on the nearest exit out of Love. Declan had given up on the idea of his brother ever putting down roots in their hometown. He’d come back for a few months, then fly off again on his latest adventure. He was a lot like their father in that regard. Finn never wanted to plant roots anywhere.
“She flies like a dream,” Finn said with a nod of his head. “I expect you’ll be wanting to fly her back.”
Fly her back? Fear slithered through Declan at Finn’s words. Just the thought of getting into the cockpit again made him break out in a cold sweat. It was such a foreign feeling to him to be nervous about flying, but he couldn’t ignore the emotions roaring through him. Terror. Nervousness. Suddenly he was right back in that desperate moment when Lucy had fallen from the sky and he had been in a life-and-death struggle at the controls. Everything had happened so quickly. He’d barely had time to react.
What would have happened if he had made a single misstep? He shuddered. Finn was studying him, a look of curiosity flickering in his eyes.
“Nah,” he said with a shake of his head. “Why don’t you fly us home, Finn? I didn’t get much sleep last night,” he said. Finn’s eyes widened. Boone gaped at him.
“Seriously?” Finn asked. He let out a loud cackle of delight. “I never would have thought you’d let me fly Ethel home.”
Boone eyed him suspiciously. “Are you sure that you didn’t hit your head in the crash?”
“I did not hit my head. I’m in perfect health, which is fairly extraordinary, considering we crash-landed in no-man’s-land.” Declan asserted.
Boone clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s time we head home. You need some food and some rest, not to mention some time to process everything that’s happened.”
“I’m fine,” Declan said, knowing as soon as the words left his mouth that it was far from the truth. He wasn’t fine. The crash had changed him. Just one glance in Ethel’s direction had his heart thundering inside his chest. He prayed this feeling wouldn’t last, but for the life of him, he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to fly her again.
* * *
During the flight to Love, Annie couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at Declan. He was seated in the row across from her. Sheriff Prescott was in the row behind them, reclining with his legs stretched out on the seat next to him. Ethel was a bit roomier than Lucy, she realized. She didn’t feel quite so claustrophobic on this plane. Or perhaps she was just so happy to have been rescued that she was viewing things with different eyes.
She might have been imagining it, but Declan didn’t seem as bold and confident as he had a mere twenty-four hours ago. He was drumming his fingers on his knee and glancing back and forth between the window and the cockpit.
He seemed antsy. Preoccupied. Maybe he was wishing he was flying the plane rather than Finn. Perhaps he couldn’t stop thinking about the plane crash. Even though she was slightly nervous about the flight, she hadn’t been the one who had been flying the plane. She couldn’t imagine all the turmoil Declan must be facing, particularly since his flying record had been spotless prior to yesterday. On impulse, she unbuckled her seat belt and went over to sit beside him.
Declan eyed her with surprise. His thick blond hair was a bit tousled, and he had a sleepy expression on his face as if he might need a good night’s rest.
“You looked like you might need a pick-me-up,” she said, her eyes skimming his face. His expression was a tad beleaguered, although it did nothing to diminish him in the looks department.
“I’m okay. Just a little weary. I get a little off-kilter when I don’t get my full eight hours of sleep,” Declan explained.
A hint of sadness hung over him. She recognized it. More than anything, she wanted to make him laugh, to see the spirited side of him that she knew was lurking inside.
“I have a joke for you. What did the pencil say to the other pencil?” she asked.
He tapped his finger against his chin. “Hmm.” After a few seconds he shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You’re looking sharp,” Annie said. “Get it? Sharp. Pencil.” Annie jabbed him playfully in the side.
Seemingly against his will, the corners of Declan’s mouth began to twitch with laughter. He settled back against his seat and chuckled. All of a sudden, his face resembled sunshine and blue skies.
Annie pointed at him. “See, I was able to make you laugh. Mission accomplished.”
Declan chuckled and shook his head at her. “That joke was so bad, it was good.”
Annie giggled. “Ouch! Well, at least you found it amusing.”
Declan reached out and placed his hand over hers. “Thanks, Annie, for being such a peach. I really meant it when I said you were fantastic out there in the forest. You showed a lot of heart and pluck and grit. And I know you were scared. But it didn’t stop you from fighting for survival and giving it your best. That’s what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary.” He squeezed her hand. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re one in a million.”
Annie felt tears pricking her eyes. She blinked them away. Her chest swelled with pride. “That’s awfully kind of you to say, Declan.”
“I’m not being kind. Just truthful. The town of Love is fortunate to have you as its newest citizen.” He was looking at her with such sincerity and goodness that, for a moment, she almost thought she heard a chorus of violins playing. She let out an unintentional sigh, earning herself a questioning look from Declan.
“I’m going to tell you something that I haven’t told a single other confidant. A secret.” She repositioned herself and edged closer, so that her shoulder was now brushing against his arm.
Declan raised his eyebrow. “What’s the secret?”
“You asked me why I was coming to Love.” She felt her smile widening into a huge grin. “I only told you half the story.” Annie turned toward the back of the plane to make certain the sheriff was still sleeping. After hearing the light buzz of his snoring, Annie turned back to Declan. “I not only intend to find my other half here in Alaska and serve as town librarian but I also plan to find my long-lost family in Love.”
Declan’s brows knit together. “Your long-lost family, huh? What is this, some genealogy investigation?” He chuckled lightly. “Are you going to be taking DNA samples?”
She wrinkled her brow. Declan seemed to think she was kidding. “Nothing that scientific, I’m afraid. At least, not right away. After my grandmother passed away last year, I began to read her journals. She was born and raised in Love. I grew up hearing heartwarming tales about life in your quaint little fishing village.” Another sigh slipped past her lips. “She made Love sound like something out of a fairy tale. When she left Alaska for Maine all those years ago, she was pregnant with my mother. Gram never revealed the identity of the father, so my mother, bless her heart, never knew who he was.”
“That’s a shame,” Declan said. “Everyone has a right to know who they are.” There was something radiating from Declan’s voice that made her believe he knew where she was coming from. He empathized with her situation. Relief washed over her. She had made the right decision by confiding in him.
“Exactly!” Annie said, her voice rising with excitement. “Gram’s diary pretty much tells the tale of the man she was in love with. A good-looking charmer she grew up with. She worshipped the very ground he walked on. And my goal is to meet this man and prove that he’s my grandfather. After all, I really don’t have any other family connections.”
Declan’s mouth twisted. “Annie, I understand your motivations, but don’t you think it might be a bit more complicated than some scribblings in a journal? That’s not really proof of anything.”
“But she left me plenty of bread crumbs. And the names of her best girlfriends and the boys who were in their circle. She left enough clues for me to figure it out.” Annie leaned in so that she could speak softly in his ear. She didn’t want to run the risk of Boone overhearing her in case he wasn’t fully asleep. Getting up close and personal with Declan wasn’t half-bad, she realized. He smelled of pine trees and the great outdoors. All of a sudden, she was having trouble concentrating. She had lost her train of thought.
Declan regarded her, a look of puzzlement etched on his face. “It sounds a bit tricky.”
“I promise you, it’s not complicated at all. Every word she wrote about him shimmers with meaning.”
“Does her journal say why she left town? Was it because she was pregnant?” Declan asked. His brows were knitted together.
Annie shook her head. It was something she’d always wondered about, especially since Gram had avoided the topic. “No, it doesn’t. Matter of fact, the journal ends rather abruptly. Right around the time she left Alaska for Maine.”
“Do you think perhaps she didn’t want anyone to know? It sounds like she had ample time to tell you if she’d wanted to share that information.”
“Gram was always ashamed of being a single mother who had never been married. That’s why she never talked about it!” she said in a defensive tone. “And I won’t rest until I resolve this once and for all. Since you’re a hometown boy, I was wondering if you could help me in my quest.”
Declan’s eyes widened. “Am I right in assuming that no one in Love knows that your grandmother was born and bred there?”
Annie bit her lip and nodded. “It may seem deceptive, but I really just want to do a little digging before I announce the connection. I could use your assistance.”
Declan clenched his jaw. He was clearly mulling over her proposition. Her heart sank. He seemed torn. Finally he answered. “I promise to help you, Annie, but secrets have a way of coming back to bite you,” Declan said, a concerned look gracing his handsome face.
“Gram and my mother, God rest their souls, deserve to be acknowledged rather than swept under the rug. If I have to bite my tongue about Gram until I figure it out, then so be it.”
She hadn’t meant to get on a soapbox, but the fact that two generations of her family had raised children out of wedlock didn’t sit well with her. The blame couldn’t be heaped solely on them. Part of digging up Gram’s past in Love meant making her grandfather accountable for not being in her mother’s life and for evading responsibility.
She wasn’t going to share that with Declan just yet. She’d already given him enough food for thought.
While Declan stared at her with his mouth hanging open, Annie scooted out of the seat and made her way back across the aisle. She quickly buckled up, then let out a sigh of resolve as she stared out the window at the magnificent Alaskan scenery unfolding before her very eyes. Majestic mountains loomed in the distance. A large body of water—Kachemak Bay, according to her research—glistened with promise. She let out a gasp as the plane began to descend and she spotted eagles circling their nest. Down below she could make out buildings and people and cars.
Excitement roared through her as her dreams merged with reality. Finally, after so many years of dreaming about it, she was moments away from her arrival in Love, Alaska. She felt inc
redibly blessed. Her life in Alaska was about to begin!
Chapter Five
As the plane went in for its final descent over Kachemak Bay, Annie prepared herself for landing. Twenty-four hours ago she had been involved in a terrifying crash of a similar-size seaplane. It was only natural that she was slightly nervous. As the plane touched down on the water, Annie softly recited a prayer and closed her eyes. Within a few minutes, she realized that the plane had stopped moving. Relief washed over her as she heard Finn announce over the headset that they had arrived in Love.
Thank You, Lord, for safe travels.
After grabbing a few of her belongings, Annie followed right behind Declan as he exited the plane after Boone and Finn. For a moment, she felt disoriented as the glare of the sun hit her squarely in the eyes. She ducked her head, giving herself a moment to adjust to the light. A huge roar sounded all around her. When she looked up, she saw that a huge crowd had assembled by the dock where Ethel had landed.
A beautiful, dark-haired woman, presumably Boone’s wife, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. Her stomach was gently rounded in pregnancy. She then threw her arms around Declan and wiped away tears from her eyes. Finn had radioed ahead to let the authorities know that they had been found alive near the crash site.
It seemed to Annie as if everyone in town was calling out to Declan. There were signs bearing his name, while others simply read Our Hero. Clearly he was beloved by all the villagers. All of a sudden, Declan transformed before her very eyes. He seemed lit up from inside with a lightbulb. White teeth flashed. His shoulders straightened. The sound of his laughter filled the air.
A group of young women swarmed around him. It was almost as if Declan was a rock star or a soldier returning from the battlefield. Who were these women? Declan O’Rourke groupies? Ladies he was dating? A trickle of annoyance flowed through her. Although she wanted to look away from the spectacle they were making of themselves, it was like watching a train wreck. She found herself riveted. There were blondes, brunettes, redheads. Short, tall, brown-skinned, fair-skinned, freckled. Annie shook her head. Declan had his own personal fan club.
A Match Made in Alaska Page 6