It was a little bit ironic, considering all the media reports she’d seen recently about young women flocking to the town due to Mayor Jasper Prescott’s Operation Love campaign. Because of the female shortage in town, Jasper had reached out to the media and given an interview in which he invited eligible women to come to Love in order to be matched up with the single men.
She was probably the only woman the town wouldn’t welcome with open arms.
It was all right. They didn’t need to greet her with a ticker-tape parade. What mattered most was that she was back, with an agenda that might be beneficial for everyone in town, if they would only listen to her. She bit her lip as a rising tide of anxiety rose up inside her. There was no telling what might happen once the villagers discovered she had returned. As far as they were concerned, the treachery of Robert Reynolds had cost them a cannery deal that would have greatly improved the financial status of their town.
The fishing village of Love had always been abundant in cod, salmon, pollock and halibut. The idea to build a cannery had been an excellent one. It would have created jobs for hundreds of residents, increased local revenue and put the town on the map with regards to the export of canned salmon. It had also been the hope that people would move to Love as jobs became available.
Her father’s greed and selfishness in stealing the money earmarked for the venture had put a stop to those dreams and wounded a lot of people. And it had led to the town’s financial downturn when creditors sought payment for construction of the cannery. Trying to help repair the damage to the town would hopefully lead to her own personal healing. Despite her father’s treachery, she wanted to uphold his dying wish of redemption. And she needed to introduce her baby daughter to a father who had no idea about her existence. After all this time, she needed to do the right thing.
Everyone deserved forgiveness and an opportunity to make amends. But now being back in Love made her question whether her goals were way out of her reach. Had the choice to return to Alaska been a wise one?
Lord, please let this decision be the right one. My beautiful Emma needs to know her dad and he has a right to know her. And I need to make amends for my father’s actions and repair some of the damage he inflicted. I want to be a source of healing for all the villagers. And, if possible, I want to provide redemption for my father. So much is riding on this!
Paige felt the corners of her mouth tilting upward into a smile as the wooden sign embossed with gold came into view. The Moose Café. Cameron Prescott’s establishment. Her ex-boyfriend. The only man she had ever loved. Her knees trembled underneath her, threatening to give way at any moment. She steadied herself against the sheer magnitude of what the sign meant. Her father’s treachery hadn’t broken Cameron. He’d picked himself up, dusted himself off and built this café out of nothing but pure will and determination. That was who he was at his very core. She was so proud of him she could almost burst.
Cameron had been the love of her life. She’d long ago come to terms with the fact that he always would be. She had known he was special the very first time she’d laid eyes on him as a shy preteen. Since she and her parents had lived in Seattle for most of the year, she’d been able to catch only random glimpses of Cameron during summer vacations or holiday trips. Everything had changed with her mother’s untimely death, her father’s early retirement and their relocation to Alaska when she was fifteen. With Hazel Tookes, beloved owner of the Black Bear Cabins, playing matchmaker, she and Cameron had started dating and became a couple when they were seventeen. They had taken a break in their relationship when Paige had left Alaska to attend college. Upon her return four years later, they had picked up right where they had left off. Everything had been wonderful between them until the bottom fell out of their world.
Tears pricked her eyes at the thought of all Cameron had endured since the cannery deal fell through. The town had trusted him, along with her father, to deal with all aspects of getting the business up and running. They’d been in charge of hiring the employees, getting additional funding, overseeing the construction of the factory and handling the funds the town had appropriated toward the endeavor. When her father absconded with the town’s money, the whole project had folded. And Cameron had been branded as an incompetent fool. Everyone had whispered about how he had let the wool be pulled over his eyes by a con man.
Even after all this time, the guilt threatened to pull her under. Her father’s actions had torpedoed Cameron’s life and created ripples throughout Love. She pushed past the painful emotions, knowing she had to keep moving forward. She’d come too far to lose her nerve now. Even though she’d made mistakes along the way, the time had come to bridge the gap between them. It was time to lay everything on the table.
Paige peered into the huge bay window, basking in the soft glow emanating from inside. The café had a rustic charm. A quick glance reassured her that all the customers were gone. A black-and-white Closed sign hung on the door. Her pulse quickened as a familiar sight came into view. Hazel was vigorously cleaning off a table. With her commanding height and silver hair, the older woman had a striking appearance. She was one of the most formidable women Paige had ever known.
Gruff, loyal Hazel. She had a tough exterior but a marshmallow center. Once, not too long ago, they’d been friends.
Paige turned the knob and, meeting no resistance, pushed open the door and stepped inside. The little bell over the frame jangled. Warmth enveloped her like a welcoming hug. The savory smell of coffee wafted in the air. The aroma of baked bread rose to her nostrils. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. The door made a clicking sound as she shut it behind her, leaving the snow and the cold in her wake. She took her woolen hat off her head and shook it free of snow, then quickly peeled off her mittens. Paige ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed a few flyaway strands back in place. Her heart thundered inside her chest.
“Sorry. We’re closed for the day. Stop by tomorrow morning and I’ll make you the best waffles known to man. I’ll even throw in a mochaccino on the house.” Hazel’s voice rang out loud and clear. It had an unmistakably brusque quality. She continued to focus on cleaning the table without even bothering to look up. After stacking a few plates and cups on a tray, she picked it up and balanced it against her middle.
“Hello, Hazel.” Paige’s simple greeting caused the older woman to swing her head up and lock gazes with her from across the room. A high-pitched squeak slipped past Hazel’s lips. The tray slipped from her hands, landing with a loud crash on the hardwood floor. Liquid spewed everywhere. Hazel stood there like a statue with her mouth agape.
“Hazel! Are you okay? What happened? What’s wrong?” Cameron’s voice washed over her like a welcome rain after months of drought.
He came rushing from the other room to Hazel’s side, and for a few seconds Paige was able to gaze at him without his being aware of her scrutiny. She clenched her hands at her sides as a rising tide of emotion overtook her in powerful waves. He was still achingly handsome. His chocolate-brown hair had grown out a little so that it now hung a bit past his ears. His profile was strong and manly. Paige couldn’t see his eyes, but she knew the moment they connected with hers she would have to steady herself against the impact.
He was wearing a dark brown, long-sleeved T-shirt with a cartoon moose on it. In other circumstances it would have made her laugh out loud.
She soaked in as many details as she could in a matter of seconds. She wanted to savor the visual he was giving her.
A strong desire to burrow herself against his chest swept over her. His strong arms had always provided protection. And love. It had been a long time since she had experienced that type of comfort and closeness. She stuffed down the urge to reach for him. Those days were long gone.
“Cameron.”