A Match Made in Alaska (7 page)

“What about Finn? He really seems to care about Declan.”

Hazel sniffed back tears. “He does. In his own way. But Finn has never stuck around Love long enough to even put down roots. Both of them have wounds from losing their mother in such a senseless way. Then, to lose their father to the prison system...the ripples of those events were devastating.”

Annie frowned. “What was his father in jail for?”

Hazel made a turning motion on her lips as if she was locking them shut with a key.

“I’m guilty of having a big mouth, Annie,” Hazel confessed. “But I wouldn’t hurt that boy for all the tea in China. I’ve said enough. Anything else you want to know about Declan has to come from his lips.”

“I understand,” Annie said. “I wasn’t trying to pry. Blame it on the librarian in me. I’m always seeking answers to the questions rolling around in my head.”

“No worries. I was the one who brought it up. In a town like Love, you’re bound to find out all the answers to your questions sooner or later. I’d rather not be the one to speak about Colin O’Rourke. It’s still a tough subject for the boys.”

Boys?
Annie might have giggled if the discussion wasn’t quite so somber. Declan and Finn were a far cry from boys. They were strapping men who were both extremely easy on the eyes. Alaskan eye candy. Hot men of the tundra. No wonder women were leaving their lives behind and relocating to the far ends of the earth to find love.

“We’re here,” Hazel announced in a chipper voice as she turned off the main road. A few feet ahead, Annie spotted a rusted, faded sign with a brown bear on it. As soon as Hazel turned onto the private lane, Annie noticed reddish cabins as far as the eye could see. The abundance of snow-covered trees lining either side of the lane reminded her of Maine in winter. There was a quaintness about the area that appealed to her. As Hazel continued down the lane, Annie let out a gasp. A gigantic craggy mountain came into view. It felt as if she could almost reach out and touch it. This, Annie realized, was a sight she would never stop marveling at.

Hazel stopped the car in front of a large, two-story, rustic home. A wooden sign posted in the ground read The Lodge.

Hazel sighed as she stood and looked across at the mountains and the spectacular Alaskan vista. “Beautiful, isn’t it? God sure got it right when He created Alaska.”

“That’s for sure,” Annie said. She got out of the car and stood in the clearing, staring off into the distance. There was something so majestic about her surroundings. She inhaled deeply and threw her arms wide. There was no way of knowing whether it had to do with the view or surviving the plane crash, but she suddenly felt more alive than she had in her entire life. Adventure was knocking on her door, and she was going to heed the call.

“Leave your bags in the car. I’ll take you back down to the cabins after we get a bite to eat.”

Annie followed Hazel as she opened the door to her home and stepped inside. The interior of the Lodge was beautiful. Although Hazel didn’t seem like a dainty woman, the furnishings and accents were very feminine and old-fashioned. Annie admired the gleaming hardwood floors and stained glass windows. Gorgeous paintings of Alaskan landscapes adorned her walls. A velvet settee, a mahogany armoire and a glass-front china cabinet all added special touches that lent the place an understated elegance.

“Why don’t you sit down and relax while I heat up the food. The powder room is right down the hall if you’re so inclined.” Hazel’s kindness was making Annie feel at home, despite experiencing a few pangs of homesickness. Everything was so different here! Even though she had craved this Alaskan adventure, it was still a bit nerve-racking to step out of your comfort zone and embrace change.

If you always do what you always did, then life would
be pretty boring, wouldn’t it?
Another Gram-ism popped into her head, serving as a reminder that she needed to be brave. Her new life in Alaska was a journey of discovery. Isn’t that what she had wanted?

She looked around the room, noticing all the pictures. A framed photo of Hazel and Jasper sat on a side table.

“Is Jasper your boyfriend?” Annie asked as soon as Hazel returned. Judging by the picture of the two of them, they looked as if they were more than friends.

“That depends on what day it is,” Hazel cracked. She shook her head and let out a boisterous laugh. “Just teasing. Jasper is my honey bear. We’ve been together for about a year now.”

“That’s wonderful, Hazel,” Annie gushed.

“I loved him from afar for quite some time. Jasper finally got his act together and showed he had some common sense,” Hazel said in a crisp voice.

Annie was intrigued by the idea of a romance between the older couple. It was sweet that they had found love with one another later in life. She wished Gram had found someone special to pass the time with in her golden years. It was sad to think that, other than a youthful relationship, she had never experienced romantic love.
I don’t need a man in my life when I have you,
Gram had always said. Annie had never believed her.

Gram. The ache of loss still tugged at her heartstrings relentlessly. Annie had hoped that coming to her grandmother’s hometown would serve as a healing balm for her sorrow. But grief was a process that she had to walk through one step at a time. As important as her grandmother had been to her during her lifetime, it was only fitting that she would miss her like crazy.

“Come sit down at the table,” Hazel instructed. “The grub is piping hot and ready to be served.” Hazel ushered Annie into the dining room, where two places had been set. In the middle of the table were platters of food—chicken, a rice dish and biscuits and gravy.

“What an amazing spread,” Annie said as she inhaled the delectable scent of Hazel’s down-home cooking. Hazel reached for her plate and began to heap a generous helping of the food onto her dish.

“I cooked this morning for you in anticipation of your arrival. I knew the rescuers would find you and Declan. Praise the Lord!” Hazel raised her palms in the air.

Annie dug into her food. “He had our backs the whole time,” she said with a nod. Despite her fear, she had known that God was watching over them. They had been under His protection the entire time. That was the real blessing.

They enjoyed a companionable silence as they ate the food Hazel had prepared. Sitting down for a meal at Hazel’s table allowed Annie to feel the sweet warmth of home. Sunday dinners at Gram’s table had always been a festive affair. Each week she would hand-select members of their congregation to break bread with them at their home. The table would be laden with too many dishes to count—ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, chicken and salad. Over the dining room table they had enjoyed fellowship and laughter and the best food in all of Maine. Those get-togethers had filled their house with so much light and love that her heart overflowed. If it was possible to go back and gather those memories in a bottle to preserve them for all time, she would do it in a heartbeat. What she wouldn’t give for one more day with Gram. Or simply to hear her tinkling laughter ring out.

“There are plenty of other gals staying here at the cabins. All of ’em came to town as participants in Operation Love,” Hazel explained. “Nice bunch of ladies. A few already found their fellas and are planning weddings or have tied the knot.”

Weddings! “Wow. That’s exciting,” Annie said. “How many have gotten married?”

Hazel looked up at the ceiling for a moment. Her lips were moving, and Annie could tell she was counting in her head. “Since this whole program began, I think there have been five marriages. It’s really hard to keep up with all the engagements.” Her mouth quirked. “There have been a few breakups, too.”

“That’s only natural, I imagine. Declan told me about Boone and his wife.”

Hazel’s face lit up. “Grace! What a sweetheart. Boone and Grace were the first couple to get married as a result of Operation Love. Jasper was sure tickled about his grandson being part of the inaugural couple.

“Do you have a type, Annie? I might be able to steer you in the right direction,” Hazel said with a grin. “We’ve got a lot of good, faith-driven men here in Love. And some of ’em are mighty cute.”

Declan’s face popped into her mind. She did her best to stuff down all visions of Declan threatening to flash before her eyes. What woman wouldn’t envision him as her type?

Tall. Easy on the eyes. Funny. A sigh slipped past her lips. She didn’t need to set her sights on a confirmed bachelor, particularly one who seemed to be a magnet for every single woman in town.

“A type? Not exactly,” she answered. “As far as looks go, I’m open to all types. I don’t want a lady’s man, though.”

Hazel leaned in a little bit across the table. “Sounds like you’ve been burned before. Am I right?”

Annie didn’t like to share her romantic past with people. It made her feel foolish to admit that she had been played for a fool in the game of love. But something in Hazel’s sympathetic gaze encouraged her to open up. “Yes. It’s true. A few years back, I was dating someone who turned out to be quite unscrupulous. He was seeing several young ladies throughout the state of Maine, all the while telling each one of us he was true-blue.”

“What a cad!” Hazel said angrily. “How did it all end?”

Annie’s cheeks felt flushed. It was hard dredging up her disastrous romance with Todd Wenkelman. She tried her best never to think about him and his duplicity. Her first and only romantic relationship had ended in a grand deception. “His fiancée showed up at my door, and the jig was up. She was tracking down all his girlfriends so she could expose him. There was even a story in the newspaper about him and how he had duped so many women. They called him ‘the lying lothario.’”

Hazel reached across the table and patted Annie’s hand. “Rest assured, Annie. You won’t find anyone like that here in Love. If any man ever acted like that, we’d run him out of town on a rail.”

Fatigue was beginning to seep into her bones. Although she had slept last night, it hadn’t been a restful slumber, thanks to the bat drama and anxiety about being rescued.

Hazel made a tutting sound. “You look beat. After all you’ve been through, rest is the best medicine.”

“I can’t argue with that, Hazel. I think the fading sunlight is confusing me a bit. It feels much later than it actually is.”

“Let me drive you down to your cabin. Sorry that you won’t be able to sleep in tomorrow morning, but if we’re going to get the library up and running, we’ll have to start working on it bright and early. I’m part of the set-up team.”

“No problem,” Annie said in a chirpy voice. “I’m used to it. Librarian hours. And it will all be worth it when we can open our doors to the community.”

Hazel drove her down to her cabin. Annie let out a squeal as she spotted the pretty sign with her name on it, accompanied by streamers and stuck to her front door.

“Sophie did all that for you. She lives a few doors down from you. Sweeter gal you’ll never find if you’re looking for a friend,” Hazel said.

After giving Hazel a tight hug and taking her keys, Annie went about the business of settling in. Her cabin was no frills. The decor was varying shades of brown. The couch looked sturdy, and the bed seemed pretty comfortable. The trunks of clothes she had sent ahead weeks ago sat in her new bedroom waiting to be unpacked. Thankfully she had shipped some items from home that would jazz up her place. A living room rug. A cozy comforter. Her Gram’s quilt would look right at home at the end of her bed. By the time she added her own personal touches to the cabin, it would resemble something from a vintage-chic magazine.

After she unpacked her belongings, then switched to her pajamas to head off to an early slumber, she remembered to say her prayers. Despite all the drama she had endured to get to this wonderful town, there was still so much to be thankful for.

Thank You for getting me here safely, Lord. And for being by my side throughout the ordeal. Although I’m still mad at Declan for trying to stand in the way of my library, please keep watch over him. He took care of me and made me feel safe when I might have fallen apart otherwise.

As Annie bundled up under the covers and laid her head down on her pillow, she willed herself to stop thinking about Declan O’Rourke. Yes, he was gorgeous and funny and heroic. But she had no intention of getting involved with a playboy who had the ability to charm all the ladies in town.

She had come to this quaint village to find the love of her life—a true-blue guy who would make an excellent husband for her. She didn’t need the likes of Declan O’Rourke messing up her plans.

* * *

After leaving the pier, Declan headed straight home to the log cabin where he had grown up. It was about ten minutes from town, with a clear view of Deer Run Lake and the mountains. He took a moment to stand in his yard and survey the property. It had come a long way since he had inherited it from his grandfather Killian O’Rourke. Being good with his hands had allowed Declan to make the renovations on the house without breaking the bank. With a new roof, updated cedar log siding and the addition of a front porch, he now owned a home that was rustic, up-to-date and functional.

Before he knew it, there was a banging sound on his front door. Without waiting for an answer, Finn let himself in. He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

“Hey, I need a place to crash for a while.”

“Define ‘a while,’” Declan said. This was typical Finn. He’d breeze into town for a few weeks, then disappear as soon as the mood struck him. It drove Declan nuts. Just once he would have liked to see his brother stay in one place long enough to connect.

“I’m thinking about moving back here for good,” Finn said. “Maybe find some work here in town and get a place to fix up and make my own.” He placed his bag down with a thud.

Declan let out a groan. “Finn. We’ve been down this road before. Each and every time, you bail on the plan.”

Finn scowled. “I knew you were going to be negative.”

“With good reason. If I had a dollar for every time you announced you were moving back here, I’d have enough money to buy another plane to replace Lucy.”