Braden stopped in his tracks and turned toward her. “Of course I had faith in you. You can do anything you set your mind to accomplish. I love you, Piper.”
“I love you too, Braden. I’m so happy there’s nothing standing between us any longer.” She reached up on her tippy toes and placed a tender kiss on his lips. She clung to the front of his parka and pulled him closer toward her. She let out a sigh as the kiss ended, feeling more content than she’d ever imagined. Being with Braden was the culmination of a lifetime of friendship and camaraderie. It was a wonder it had taken both of them so long to see what was right under their noses. But God had given them both a little nudge in the right direction.
“You’re not only my best friend, Piper, but you’re the person I want to walk through life with by my side. You encouraged me to open up my company specializing in Alaskan adventures. I don’t know if I would have taken that step if it hadn’t been for you.” Braden took a deep breath and began to dig around in his jacket pocket. After a few moments of fumbling, he pulled out a cedar box and propped it open, revealing a brilliant diamond ring. “I want to take so many more steps with you.”
Piper let out a shocked sound. “Braden!” she exclaimed as she laid eyes on the heart-shaped diamond sparkling and shimmering at her from inside the box.
Braden smiled at her tenderly. “I feel like this is the most natural thing in the world. It couldn’t have ever been anyone but you. You’ve had my heart since we were kids. I just didn’t know it until recently. It’s like I finally had all the pieces to the puzzle once I realized I was head over heels in love with you.”
Tears were streaming down Piper’s face and she didn’t bother wiping them away. She was too busy listening intently to Braden’s words. It was as if her heart had been awaiting this moment for her entire life. She didn’t want to miss a moment of it.
“Piper, will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you be my best friend for the rest of our days?” Braden asked, his voice cracking with emotion. Although he was nervous about proposing, this moment felt more real than anything else ever had. Marrying Piper would feel like coming home. If she said yes.
Piper laughed and grinned, her joy overflowing. “Of course I will. I love you so much, Braden. I always have. I always will.”
“You’re going to have to take off those mittens so I can put this ring on your finger,” Braden said, plucking the diamond from its throne and holding it up as Piper quickly removed the mitten from her left hand. Braden slid the ring on her finger and lowered his head down to place a celebratory kiss on Piper’s lips.
When the kiss ended, Piper said, “I feel so blessed. Our deep, abiding friendship led to love.”
Braden nodded. “And to a lifetime of adventures. Owl Creek will always be our home base, but there’s a big world out there I want to explore with you.”
Piper held her hand up and admired her engagement ring. “I can’t wait to travel with you now that the Snowy Owl is doing better. I know it will be in good hands with Jorge if we spend time away from Alaska. It’s amazing how everything can turn around in a heartbeat.”
“You just have to believe, my love,” Braden said, pressing a kiss against her temple.
“Oh, I believe, Braden. And I always will.”
* * *
If you enjoyed this story,
look for the other Owl Creek books
by Belle Calhoune:
Her Secret Alaskan Family
An Alaskan Twin Surprise
Keep reading for an excerpt from Unexpected Christmas Joy by Gabrielle Meyer.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for joining me on this heartwarming Alaskan journey. It was a lot of fun writing a love story featuring two people who were lifelong friends until love took them by surprise. I hope you enjoyed Piper and Braden’s story. They truly deserved their happily-ever-after. Piper and Braden share a wonderful friendship that goes all the way back to the cradle. Their lives have always been entwined.
Braden has a lot of guilt about his role in Jack’s accident, which gets in the way of his relationship with Piper since he’s keeping secrets. Piper in turn hasn’t fully dealt with the loss of her father and is still grieving the tragedy.
Family is a huge component in all of my stories. Both Piper and Braden belong to loving, wonderful families who provide support and endless amounts of love. That’s so very important in life—to feel supported and accepted.
As always, writing for the Love Inspired line is an honor. Being able to work in my pajamas is a huge perk of being an author. I love hearing from readers, however you choose to reach out to me. I can be found on my Author Belle Calhoune Facebook page or at bellecalhoune.com.
Blessings,
Belle
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Unexpected Christmas Joy
by Gabrielle Meyer
Chapter One
Kate LeClair gripped her purse as sIhe looked through the shuttle bus windows to get a better glimpse of Bee Tree Hill. It wasn’t the historic mansion or beautiful grounds that held her interest, but the people who were inside—or, more accurately, the eighteen-month-old triplets whom she’d never met but were now her sole responsibility.
The reality of where she was and what she was doing washed over her again and she had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves. Sunlight dappled the windows as the bus drove up the winding drive to the front door of the grand home. She was one of three strangers on the shuttle, and though the other two women had become friendly on the two-hour ride from the Minneapolis airport, Kate had kept to herself. She hadn’t wanted to share details about the turn of events that led her to Timber Falls, Minnesota, because she hadn’t had time to process them herself.
The driver stopped and the other two occupants openly admired the mansion as Kate gathered her purse and small carry-on bag.
“Is this your stop, dear?” asked the woman with a short silver bob.
“Yes.”
“What a lovely home,” said the other. “Is it yours?”
“No.” Kate shook her head and smiled politely, unwilling to share any more details at the moment. She moved past them and stepped out of the van while the driver pulled her large suitcase from the back.
A brilliant blue sky peeked through the yellow-and-red leaves on the trees overhead. The air was cool and crisp and smelled like burning leaves. Friendly pumpkins and gourds sat near the steps in front of a bale of hay, offering a splash of color against the white-clapboard home.
“Have a good day,” the driver said to Kate.
“Thank you.” She handed him a tip and then faced the oversize front door of the mansion. “I’ll try.”
The people inside were grieving the loss of a friend and about to hand over three little boys to a complete stranger. How could the day be good?
As the shuttle pulled away, Kate left her suitcase and carry-on at the bottom of the steps and climbed to the door. She pressed the buzzer and noticed her hands were trembling, so she clasped them together.
It didn’t take long for the door to open. A pretty woman in her midtwenties appeared. Her blond hair was in a high pony and her brown eyes smiled in welcome. “Kate?” she asked.
Kate nodded. “Joy?”
“Yes. I’m Joy Asher.” Joy opened the door wider. “Welcome to Bee Tree Hill. I hope you didn’t have trouble finding us.”
“Not at all.” She motioned to her luggage. “Is it alright if I leave it here?”
“Of course.” Joy moved aside for Kate to come into the house. “It will be fine there for a few minutes and I’m sure
you’re anxious to meet the boys.”
Kate entered the front porch and barely had time to admire the leaded glass windows and painted beadboard before Joy motioned her to come into the foyer.
“You must be exhausted,” Joy said to Kate. “So much has happened in the past twenty-four hours.”
Kate tried to focus on the other woman, but she was too busy searching for a glimpse of the toddlers.
“I told the social worker we’d be happy to keep the boys as long as necessary,” Joy continued, “but she said you insisted on coming immediately.”
Kate could only nod. In the past twenty-four hours, she had performed two live shows of Les Misérables, the national play she was currently traveling with, learned her only cousin was dead, inherited an old house with all of Tabby’s belongings and become the legal guardian of three little boys. She’d also taken a six-week leave of absence, found a red-eye flight out of Charleston and been on two shuttle buses.
She hadn’t slept for over thirty hours and she was beyond exhausted.
“...so I hope it’s alright.” Joy stopped talking and watched Kate with an expectant smile.
Kate shook her head, trying to focus. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
Joy nodded in understanding. “I said that Tabby’s pastor—our pastor—has volunteered to be here in place of the social worker who was unexpectedly called away. Pastor Jacob lives across the street from Tabby’s house—” She paused, grief lining her eyes. “Your house.”
Her house. It didn’t seem real. She didn’t own a house. She lived in an apartment in New York City—at least she did while she wasn’t on tour.
“So I hope it’s okay that he’s here today,” Joy said with a sweet smile. “I know how difficult this has been for you. We just want to be helpful.”
“You’ve been more than helpful. Thank you.” Kate didn’t want to be rude, but she wanted to meet those boys. “Are the triplets here?”
“Yes,” Joy said quickly. “I’m sorry. Of course you’d like to meet them. They’re in the music room with Pastor Jacob.” She motioned for Kate to follow her out of the foyer, through a sitting room and past a beautiful wall fountain.
The house was amazing and looked as if time had stood still. Every historical detail was in place, including the furnishings.
Joy took a left and Kate followed, facing a stunning room with high ceilings, tall windows and a shiny grand piano.
But none of those things held her interest long. Toddling around the room were three identical little boys—and one handsome pastor.
“Pastor Jacob,” Joy said to the man who was sitting on the floor, playing with the boys. “Kate LeClair is here.”
Pastor Jacob stood and Kate was amazed at how tall he was. His kind blue eyes made her feel just as welcome as Joy, and when he smiled, deep dimples lined his cheeks. “Hello, Kate. I’m Jacob Dawson.”
She shook his outstretched hand, amazed at the size as it engulfed her own. “Hello.”
But even the attractive pastor couldn’t keep her attention from wandering to the boys.
Three identical pairs of blue eyes stared up at her. Kate could hardly remember what Tabby looked like, but she remembered her cousin’s brilliant blue eyes, and saw them staring back at her now.
“And these are Tabby and Adam’s boys,” Joy said with a sad smile. She picked up the one closest to her. He giggled and pulled at the necklace around Joy’s neck. “This is Aiken,” she said. “He’s the oldest, though by only eight minutes I’ve been told. He’s the most curious and easiest to entertain.”
“Aiken.” Kate repeated his name, trying to appear calm when her heart was racing and her palms sweating. What if Joy handed the baby over to her? She hadn’t held a child in years—not since she’d held her own baby girl moments after she was born. But Kate refused to let herself think of that heart-wrenching day when she’d given her only child up for adoption.
She had this day to think about instead.
“And this one is Bryce,” Pastor Jacob said, lifting up the next baby. Bryce’s eyes shined and he burrowed his face into the pastor’s shirt. His thumb found his mouth and he sucked on it, peeking out at Kate in embarrassment. “He’s a little bashful and quiet, but once he warms up, he’s very affectionate.”
“Bryce,” Kate repeated, almost to herself. Aiken and Bryce.
“Carter is the one trying to escape.” Joy laughed as she went after the little boy climbing the stairs to get out of the room. She reached down and scooped the second toddler up like it was no big deal and walked back to Kate with both boys in her arms.
“You look like you’ve done that before,” Kate said in amazement.
“I have four-year-old twin daughters,” Joy said with a shrug. “It’s remarkable what you can do when you have no other choice.”
For the first time, Kate noticed Joy’s stomach under her loose blouse and realized she was expecting again. She didn’t look like she was far along, but enough to notice. Kate couldn’t stand around and let a pregnant woman hold two squirming babies.
It took all her willpower and a dose of prayer for Kate to step forward and offer to take one of the babies. “Would you like me to hold one?” she asked.
Joy handed over the runaway—Carter, if Kate remembered correctly. The little boy didn’t want to be in Kate’s arms and made his opinion known quickly.
“Dow,” he said, as he reached toward the floor and threw all his weight into his departure plan.
Kate’s heart fell as she latched onto the slippery little guy a moment before he almost tumbled out of her arms.
“He’s the one that will keep you on guard at all times,” Pastor Jacob said, as he approached Joy and Kate. “He reminds me of my little girl, Maggie.”
It took a few seconds for Kate’s pulse to slow again. “I hate to admit this,” she said to the other two, who looked completely at ease holding Aiken and Bryce, “but I have no idea what I’m doing.” And it wouldn’t pay to pretend—someone would be blind not to realize she was an inept caregiver. “I don’t know what Tabby was thinking when she named me their guardian.” If either of them actually knew Kate, they’d probably be laughing right about now. She had no business raising children. Hadn’t her mom and ex-boyfriend made that clear when they told her to give up her daughter?
“Unfortunately, as you know, you’re Tabby’s only living relative and—” Joy looked to Pastor Jacob “—Adam’s family has shown no interest in taking the babies, nor do I think Tabby and Adam would have wanted them to raise the boys.” Joy bounced as she held Aiken on her hip. The movement was so natural that Kate doubted the other woman even noticed that she was doing it. “Besides, you’ll catch on quickly. Just go easy on yourself.” She smiled. “You’ll see.”
Kate didn’t think she would—and didn’t even know how long she’d be in Timber Falls to find out. Triplets were not part of her five-year plan. Her life wasn’t conducive to raising children. Her apartment wasn’t big enough—and she still had thirteen months on tour.
There were so many things to consider and it had all happened so quickly. All she could think at the time was she needed get to these motherless babies. She’d have to make the big decisions later—after she had more sleep.
“You’ve had a long twenty-four hours,” Pastor Jacob said to Kate, as if reading her mind. “All of this has to be very overwhelming. If it’s okay with you, I volunteered to take you and the boys back to Tabby’s house.”
“And I’ll be over bright and early tomorrow morning to help you get settled,” Joy promised. “I’d come tonight, but—”
“We’re home!” At that moment, five noisy children ran into the room, all talking at once. They were followed by an older woman who didn’t seem to mind the chaos and smiled sweetly at Kate.
“Mrs. Thompson let us get ice-cream cones,” one of the boys said.
> “Kate, this is Mrs. Thompson, our dear family friend,” Joy said to Kate. “More like a mother and grandmother, really.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Kate held tight to Carter, afraid the boy would try to plunge out of her grasp again, but she didn’t want to be rude and not shake the lady’s hand. She tried to maneuver her arm to hold the toddler and shake at the same time.
“No worries,” Mrs. Thompson said with a laugh. “You’ve got your hands full.”
The little girls, identical copies of each other, one in pink and one in purple, went to their mom. Aiken, Bryce and Carter all squealed with delight at seeing the kids. It was evident they were comfortable and familiar with them.
“We have parent–teacher conferences as soon as my husband comes home,” Joy explained to Kate. “Or I’d be the one taking you home this afternoon. I’m sorry.”
Kate’s head began to pound and her eyes felt gritty. The lack of sleep was starting to catch up to her, and she sensed she had a long night ahead. “It’s okay,” she said. “We’ll be fine. What time do you think you’ll stop by tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow is Saturday, so the children will sleep in. I’ll come after breakfast, so about eight?”
“In the morning?” Kate’s eyes grew wide. After an evening performance, it wasn’t unusual for her to get to sleep at one or two in the morning and then to rise about ten or eleven o’clock. Sleeping in for her was noon.
Joy just smiled. “The boys will probably wake you up a lot earlier than eight.” She paused and then started again. “Oh, I forgot to mention that the social worker will also be coming tomorrow morning to meet with you and fill out some paperwork.”
Kate could only nod. At this point, she probably wouldn’t remember any of the details Joy had shared with her.
“If you’re ready,” Pastor Jacob said to Kate, “we could head over to the house now.”
Kate continued to nod, though she hardly knew what she was doing anymore.
Alaskan Christmas Redemption Page 17