Reunited at Christmas

by Belle Calhoune

  “Thank you,” she murmured. “You don’t look half bad yourself.”

  Suddenly, Honor and Aidan were standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

  Ruby placed her hand on her hip. “I suppose the two of you were in on this, huh?” she asked.

  “Yep,” Aidan said. “Auntie Honor said it was romantic.” Aidan made a face.

  Ruby felt her cheeks blushing. It had been terribly romantic.

  “Let me take your flowers and put them in a vase while you get your coat and purse,” Honor suggested. She reached for the bouquet and pressed it to her nose. “If I can find a guy who’ll give me flowers and moonlight, I might just marry him.”

  Although Honor’s tone was teasing, Ruby sensed something lying behind her words. A true yearning to be connected with someone, she imagined.

  After getting her purse and coat, Ruby joined Liam in the living room where they said their goodbyes to Aidan and Honor. As they set off into the freezing-cold night, Ruby couldn’t resist asking Liam where they were headed.

  “There’s a restaurant over by the pier that only opens for dinner service. We used to be regulars there. It’s called The Bay.”

  “So why only dinner service?” Ruby asked, feeling curious about the place.

  “The owners are getting a little on in years. They came here from Italy more than thirty years ago. It was their dream to open a restaurant here and they did. But a few years ago this town had a recession. Everyone was hurting. Sal and Renata had to cut back their service to only one a day.” He glanced over at her and smiled. “And the funny thing is they’re doing better now than ever, since they streamlined the business.”

  “That’s fantastic,” Ruby said as she looked out the window at the scenery whizzing by. “I love hearing success stories like that.”

  “Me, too. It reminds me of Cameron. It took a tremendous amount of courage for him to open the Moose Café. He was coming off a huge town scandal involving Paige’s father and embezzlement of town funds. There were a lot of naysayers.”

  “I’m sad he had to go through that, but I’m really happy he prevailed in the end. He and Paige and Emma seem so happy.”

  “They are. It hasn’t been an easy road, though. They’ve endured a lot, but they’ve come out on the other side,” Liam said. He turned off the road and entered a small parking lot near the pier. A red house glowing with brilliant lights stood about fifty feet away. A large tree decorated with twinkling ornaments stood in front of the farmhouse-style house.

  Liam placed his hand on the small of her back and led her inside. The interior was packed with customers. It almost seemed as if every single table was occupied. Fantastic scents wafted in the air. The clanging of glasses and cutlery rang out.

  “Liam! Nice to see you here.” An older man with salt-and-pepper hair and a large frame greeted them. He locked gazes with her, then reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “Ruby! I’m Sal Terrazo. This is my place. And I’m very honored to have you here tonight. Let me show you to your table.” He held out his elbow so Ruby could loop her arm through it. Once they arrived at the table, he pulled out her chair for her and then placed her napkin in her lap with a flourish.

  “Your waiter will be over shortly. If the two of you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to tell me.” With a slight bow, he disappeared from the table.

  Ruby almost gasped out loud when she realized they were seated right by the window overlooking Kachemak Bay. It was easily the best table in the whole place.

  “Did you bribe someone for this spot?” she teased.

  Liam flashed a knowing smile. “I didn’t have to. Let’s just say that the owners are the founding members of the Ruby Prescott Fan Club. They were more than happy to provide us with this incredible view.”

  She shook her head. “This is really nice. I wasn’t expecting anything this incredible. Sal is amazing.”

  “He really is. There’s a better view in the daytime, but there’s something about the way the lights radiate off the water that really is spectacular.” He peered out the window and pointed. “You can even see the mountains in the distance.”

  “I know this place,” she blurted. “We had our first date here, didn’t we?”

  Liam nodded. “I can’t believe you remember.”

  “It’s hard sometimes because I’m not always sure if I’m remembering or if it’s just a feeling. I do know this place, though. I remember eating pasta...lots and lots of pasta. And someone was teasing us about getting married one day. But that's all I remember.”

  Liam groaned. “That was Sal. Not exactly what a girl wants to hear on a first date. But you let me take you out on a second one and then a third.”

  “And we fell in love.” Her words were a statement rather than a question. Those tender moments still eluded her. More than anything, she wanted to know how they’d fallen for one another.

  “When we fell in love, I was the skeptic. It comes from having two parents who couldn’t honor their commitment to one another. It made me very leery of relationships.” He laughed—a rich, deep laugh that seemed to rumble through his chest. “But you came crashing into my life with your open heart and optimism. Even though I half expected you to break my heart into a million little pieces, I couldn’t not be with you. I was a goner—right from the start.”

  Hearing about their early beginnings made her feel emotional. “Thanks for sharing that with me, Liam. I wish I could remember that night in vivid detail.”

  Liam locked eyes with her. “I have full confidence that one of these days you will.”

  He believed in her, supported her attempts at recovering her memories. He was her husband and the father of her child. In another life she had loved this man. And at this very moment she felt a gigantic shift in her heart. It was opening up—to Dr. Liam Prescott and all the possibilities a life with him would mean for her.

  If only she could be brave enough to reach out and grab it with both hands.

  * * *

  As Liam drove away from the waterfront after a spectacular dinner with Ruby, he found himself not wanting the evening to end. He hadn’t even admitted it to himself over the years, but he had missed female companionship. Not just any female. He’d missed Ruby. The love of his life. And despite the fact she wasn’t a carbon copy of the woman she had once been, there was still a huge part of her that had stayed the same. His heart recognized her.

  And being afraid of being hurt by her seemed shallow in the scheme of things. God had brought Ruby back to them and she had fought her fears and doubts to journey to Love. Couldn’t he muster the courage to do the same?

  She turned toward him as she sat in the passenger seat. “Thanks for showing me such a great time, Liam. It was a very special night.”

  He glanced at her, overwhelmed by her beauty set against the soft interior glow of the truck.

  “You’re very welcome,” he said, feeling relieved that Ruby had enjoyed the evening as much as he had. “It’s still pretty early. We could go to the Moose for a cappuccino. They’re extending their hours of operation for the holidays. I think Cameron has a band from Kodiak playing there tonight.”

  “I’d love to. That sounds fun.”

  Liam made a left onto Jarvis Street and found parking a few spots down from the café. He walked around to the passenger side and helped Ruby down from the truck. On impulse he reached for her hand. He walked slowly with her, pausing to point out Christmas displays in various windows. He showed her the red toboggan, and she agreed that Aidan would love it.

  On impulse, he pulled her into the alcove of a storefront. She looked at him with questions brimming in her eyes.

  “I know you don’t remember it, but we kissed on our first date.”

  Ruby smiled at him. “I kissed you on our first date?”

  “Yes, you did,”
Liam said, trying to keep his voice solemn. “I seem to remember you saying something about me being irresistible.”

  “It would seem you have me at a distinct disadvantage, since I can’t remember our first kiss,” Ruby said in a light voice.

  “I remember it vividly,” he said.

  She shook her head and laughed, her long tresses swaying with the movement.

  “So, Ruby Prescott, in the event that you’re really opposed to being kissed by me, I’m letting you know right here and now that I’m going to kiss you.” He reached out and traced the outline of her full, soft lips with his thumb. He didn’t think he could wait a second longer. It already felt like an eternity since their lips had met.

  “Okay,” she whispered. Her brown eyes were looking up at him with such a wealth of emotion. One step and he would tumble right over the edge into their depths.

  He leaned down and placed his lips over hers. Take it slow, he had to remind himself. This kiss had been a long time coming. Liam reached out and gently pulled her closer to him. Her lips were warm and inviting despite the frosty December temperature. The heady scent of lavender surrounded her. She was kissing him back with such tenderness it made him ache inside. He felt powerful emotions roar through him. His heart was soaring well past the safe boundaries he’d set for himself. It was way too late to guard his heart against this.

  Ruby. His sweet, unforgettable Ruby.

  “Liam,” she murmured against his lips as the kiss ended. He laid his forehead against hers, wanting to stretch out the moment until the stars were stamped from the sky.

  * * *

  Ruby couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the kiss she’d shared with Liam. She replayed it in her mind during the rest of the walk to the Moose Café, going over every nuance and small detail. Liam had been so tender and romantic. Her heart had done somersaults. It was her first kiss, after all, since she couldn’t remember another. And as first kisses went, it had been spectacular. Ruby had wanted it to go on and on, to savor the tender moment for as long as possible. She had known in the moments before he’d dipped his head that Liam was going to kiss her. Truthfully, she’d been praying he would do so.

  Liam had kissed her! And she had joyfully kissed him back. His lips had tasted like cinnamon and sugar. His arms had been steady and sure. He smelled like fresh pine. And for the life of her, she couldn’t stop thinking about kissing him again.

  From what she’d observed so far, Liam Prescott was a good man. Honorable. Faithful. True. And with every passing day, he was nestling himself further and further into her heart. The kiss had just solidified everything. Back in Denver she had dreamed about finding a man to share her life with. She had prayed to God to send her someone strong and loving and kind. Ruby looked up at the incandescent moon and felt a sweeping, soaring feeling rise inside her. At this moment she felt so happy she could almost soar as if on wings.

  By the time Liam grasped her hand in his, Ruby wasn’t certain she could contain her feelings. She felt as if she might burst with happiness.

  “You’re pretty quiet all of a sudden.” Liam’s deep voice intruded on her thoughts.

  She looked over at him, admiring his strong jawline and the proud tilt of his head. Dr. Liam Prescott was an Alaskan hottie. And he was hers. All hers.

  “I’m happy,” she said, knowing she was beaming. “Thank you for this wonderful night.”

  Liam looked down at her, his handsome face lit with the same joy she felt. “The night’s still young, Ruby.” As he opened the door to the Moose Café and led her inside, Ruby found herself wishing that the happiness she felt at this very moment could last a lifetime.

  Chapter Eleven

  Considering it was a weeknight, the Moose was jumping. Although it was a tight crowd, Hazel managed to finagle a table for them so they could watch the show. Paige sat and joined them while Cameron was behind the scenes trying to ensure everything ran smoothly. The band from Kodiak had a big following, according to Paige. Cameron had said that some of their fans had even followed them to this gig in Love.

  During the intermission, Cameron also came to join them at their table. He leaned over and pressed a kiss on his wife’s forehead. It wasn’t long before Hazel had pulled up a chair beside them.

  “The band is the best we’ve had so far. And this place is filled to capacity.” Cameron’s face was lit like a kid in a candy store. Liam’s chest swelled with pride. His brother had made lemonade out of lemons and earned his success through ingenuity and hard work. Now he was reaping the rewards.

  “Proud of you,” Liam said with a nod in his brother’s direction.

  All of a sudden Jasper came barreling through the door like a man on a mission. His hair was sticking up and his expression bordered on wild. He reached their table in a few determined strides.

  “All right, woman. I surrender.” Jasper held his hands up in the air. His voice was as loud as a foghorn.

  Hazel gaped at him. “What are you talking about? Did you rob a bank or something?”

  He heaved a tremendous sigh as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “You’ve hounded, harassed, intimidated, finagled and bamboozled me all in your quest to coerce me into putting a ring on your finger.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a wooden box. After fumbling with it for a few seconds he managed to prop it open. A beautiful diamond ring sat inside.

  Hazel’s jaw dropped. She muttered something unintelligible.

  Liam leaned in toward Ruby. “Oh, no. This is not going to end well,” he whispered. Liam made a slashing motion against his neck in the hope that Jasper would see his gesture and figure out his message.

  Ruby bit her lip and looked at him with big eyes. “This is not the sort of proposal a woman dreams about,” she whispered back. “It’s really a stinker.”

  All Liam could do was shake his head.

  Everything hushed and stilled in the Moose Café. Everyone seemed to sense that a tornado was brewing. It was a good thing he and Ruby had decided to come by the café tonight. Jasper might very well need medical attention when Hazel got through with him.

  Hazel stood and raised up to her full height. She was face-to-face with Jasper. “I’ve waited my whole life for this moment. I thought it would happen in my twenties, prayed it might happen in my thirties and despaired of it ever happening in my forties. Then in my late fifties I met you and I started to hope again. I fell in love with an ornery codger who can’t seem to see the forest for the trees. And up until this very moment, I was willing to forgive your idiosyncrasies. Jasper Alistair Prescott, I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last bachelor in Love, Alaska. I might not have all the answers, but I do know one thing for certain.” She sneered at him. “I deserve way better than a bootleg proposal.”

  Jasper sputtered. “I—I gave you what you’ve been asking for, didn’t I? A proposal of marriage.”

  “That wasn’t a proposal. It was a hatchet job!” Hazel roared.

  Jasper scratched his head. “Didn’t you see the ring? I spent a small fortune on it,” Jasper shouted.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you can take that piece of tin and give it to your next girlfriend. Consider yourself dumped, Mayor Prescott!” Hazel turned on her heel and stomped off toward the kitchen.

  “Hazel!” Jasper began, walking after her.

  Paige reached out and grabbed him by the arm. “I think you’ve done enough. I’ll go after her.”

  Ruby jumped up from her seat. She looked at Liam. “I’m going to go check on Hazel. She didn’t look so good.” She shook her head at Jasper. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  Jasper threw up his hands and looked at Liam and Cameron. “What’s wrong with everyone?”

  Liam shook his head at his grandfather. “At the risk of asking a dumb question, are you crazy?”

&n
bsp; “What? What just happened?” Jasper asked.

  “What just happened?” Cameron roared. “Surely you can’t be serious. You just hurt one of the most amazing, wonderful people in the world.”

  “Hazel shouldn’t be hurt. She knows me. I’m not the sentimental sort. I’m not the type to get down on my knees and propose,” Jasper muttered. The expression on his face showed that he was beginning to realize his huge misstep.

  “Well, maybe just this once you should have done something to allow Hazel to live out her dream. It wouldn’t have cost you anything, would it?” Liam pressed.

  Jasper’s face crumpled. “I...it’s not my way. Hazel knows that.”

  “Really? Well, how’s that working out for you right about now?” Cameron asked, his face a cold mask of fury.

  Of all the Prescott siblings, Cameron shared the closest relationship with Hazel. She was his surrogate mother, employee and close friend. He was very protective of her.

  As the band came back from their break and the intermission ended, Cameron left so he could resume his work duties. After a few minutes of sulking, Jasper got up and left the establishment. His shoulders were slumped, and he looked beaten. Liam couldn’t help but feel a little badly for his grandfather. He suffered from a sort of blindness that wouldn’t allow him to see his own faults and flaws. The way he had treated Hazel was shameless. And he didn’t even seem to grasp what he had done wrong.

  Liam felt a chill sweep over him as he realized something huge. He didn’t want to be anything like Jasper. His grandfather was digging in his heels and refusing to acknowledge how wrong he had been. But what did his pride get him? He had lost Hazel and, from what Liam had seen, he would have an uphill battle getting her back.

  Had he been walking in his own blindness? Refusing to even consider that Ruby’s career was a calling rather than a threat to his family’s stability? Protecting his heart rather than doing the brave thing—opening himself up to love. Putting oneself out there wasn’t easy and it didn’t feel totally comfortable, but Liam knew that Ruby was worth all the risks.