Alaskan-Reunion (11 page)

Cameron gazed down at her, overwhelmed by the depth of his love for this sweet, amazing child. He wouldn’t trade her for anything, dirty diapers and all. Just then Emma looked up at him and gifted him with a beatific smile. She began to pump her little legs in the air and reached her hands up toward him.

“Dada. Dada,” Emma cried out. “Up. Me up.”

It felt as if all the air had just left his lungs in one single breath. Dada! For a single moment everything went still and he had to lean against the crib railing for support. His knees threatened to give out underneath him.

Cameron reached down and lifted her into his arms. He cradled her against his chest as he fought back tears.
Dada.
She had said the most precious word in the universe. He felt like throwing his fist up in the air in triumph, but he didn’t want to startle Emma. No, he would act as cool as a cucumber even though he wanted to jump up and down.

This moment would be forever imprinted on him like a tattoo. Someday he would describe this event to Emma in excruciating detail. He might even tell her about her dirty diaper just to see her roll her eyes at him. For now, he simply wanted to savor this blessing.

God was good. A few weeks ago he hadn’t even been aware of his daughter’s existence. And now she was firmly embedded in his heart. He had officially fallen in love with his baby girl.

* * *

Paige checked her watch again as she waited in her car at the end of Cameron’s driveway. After counting down the minutes until she could be reunited with Emma, she’d decided to just wait near his home. She’d arrived about forty-five minutes ago, but thankfully, her car was hidden from view by a copse of spruce trees. She didn’t want Cameron to think she didn’t trust him with their daughter. It wasn’t about him. It was about her attachment to Emma and her having to adjust to the idea of co-parenting. For so long her daughter’s care had rested on her shoulders as the sole custodial parent.

This too shall pass.
Once they got into a routine, she would be fine. She wouldn’t be lurking in her car with a pang in her soul.

Finally, at exactly four o’clock on the dot she was standing at Cameron’s front stoop pressing the doorbell.

When he opened the door, she let out an involuntary sigh. Emma was resting at his hip and he looked like an impossibly handsome, rugged father—the type who would be featured on the cover of a trendy magazine.
Alaskan Dad.
Laughter bubbled up inside her at the thought of it.

“How was everything?” Paige asked, resisting the urge to scoop Emma up in her arms. It was reassuring to see her daughter so secure with Cameron. Every little girl needed a daddy to adore her.

“She’s still in one piece,” Cameron teased. “And so am I.”

Paige laughed as Cameron ushered her inside his house. Emma, like most babies her age, could be a handful. Something about Cameron’s expression told her that she had indeed pushed him to the limit. “She pretty much blew me away by calling me Dada,” Cameron said in a voice bursting with pride. “Not just once, mind you. Several times.”

She turned toward him and grinned, knowing how much he had wanted this moment. “I’m so happy for you. That type of moment is priceless.”

They’d made their way to Cameron’s living room and she saw Liam standing there smiling warmly at her. He held his arms open to her and she walked straight into a bear hug. Of all three of the Prescott boys, Liam was the most demonstrative one.

“I can’t believe we’re seeing each other again after all these years and under these circumstances.” Liam looked over at Emma. “Your daughter is one beautiful little girl. Thankfully, she looks like you and not her father. She dodged a bullet,” Liam teased.

“Ha-ha. Very funny,” Cameron said.

“So far everyone else seems to think she looks just like her dad, so I’m hoping to see some of myself in her personality,” Paige said.

“I think I might have caught a little bit of that similarity today,” Cameron drawled, the corners of his mouth twitching with merriment.

Liam covered his grin with his hand and jabbed Cameron in the side. Paige didn’t know what the inside joke was but she raised an eyebrow at Cameron.

“Aidan keeps asking about his little baby cousin, so we’ll have to arrange a meeting really soon,” Liam said.

“That would be great to get the kids together,” Paige said.

“Will you be at the spring festival tomorrow?” Liam asked.

“I didn’t realize it was tomorrow, but I think Emma would like it.” She shot a glance at Cameron, who nodded enthusiastically.

Paige reached for Liam’s hand and clasped it tightly. “I was so sorry to hear about Ruby. She was one of the most amazing human beings I’ve ever known.” Exotic, down-to-earth Ruby. She had been the perfect counterpart to Liam. Together they’d made a beautiful couple.

A look of sadness flickered across his face. “She thought the world of you. I’m very thankful she had a friend like you, Paige. And please accept my condolences about your father. I know that losing him must have shaken you to your core. The two of you were very close.”

Just then Cameron put Emma down on the carpet. Liam’s eyes trailed after her and he got down on his haunches to play with her.

Tears gathered in Paige’s eyes at the magnitude of Liam’s loss. His poor son would never know firsthand the amazing woman who had brought him into this world. Overcome with emotion, she quietly slipped out of the room and through the sliding glass door in the kitchen that led to the outside deck. Once she was outside, she trained her attention on the mountains looming in the distance and the clean, fresh air she was deeply inhaling.

A sound alerted her to Cameron’s presence behind her. She knew it was him before he uttered a word.

“Hey, what is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, swiftly reaching her side.

She swiped at the tears with the back of her hand. “It’s nothing. I’m just being a sentimental fool.”

“It’s not nothing. You’re crying,” he said as he studied her.

She nodded. What was the use in denying it? The evidence was all over her face.

“Since I’ve been back, not a single person has offered me condolences for my father’s death. Not a single one. Until now. Until Liam spoke the words no one else could manage to pass through their lips. And talking about Ruby and then hearing Liam say he was sorry about my father’s passing... It was just too much all at once.” She shivered as a cool breeze swept over her, then wrapped her arms around her middle.

He reached for her hand and entwined it with his own. “I’m sorry I never extended my condolences to you about your father. I’m ashamed of that.” Cameron sucked his teeth. “I’ve been so angry at Robert. He was my friend and mentor and the smartest man I’ve ever known. Because my own father has been absent so much, he became a surrogate father to me. He didn’t just betray this town. He betrayed me personally. It felt like I had been stabbed in the back. They say never to put mere mortals on pedestals, but I think I put your father on one, so when it all came crashing down, it was devastating.” He winced. “But my resentment toward him is separate and apart from the loss of him and what he meant to you. And what he used to mean to me.”

“I know, Cam. I was angry with him, too. Because of his actions, I lost everything that mattered to me the most. Our relationship. This town and everyone in it. My saving grace was our daughter. It’s hard to live in bitterness when you wake up every morning to a smiling baby who relies on you for everything. Feeling resentment toward him would only have weighed me down. And because of Emma, I couldn’t afford that. The price would have been way too high.”

“I guess I’ve been paying that fee for two years,” Cameron said. “All this time I’ve been struggling to work through those feelings. I guess I haven’t done a very good job of it.” His jaw tensed.

“I know he hurt you. And believe it or not, he was very sorry about letting you down.” She looked into Cameron’s eyes. They appeared to be a vivid green at the moment and they shimmered with emotion. “He gave me a letter to give to you. I don’t blame you if you want to rip it up and throw it in the trash, but I promised him I would hand it over to you.”

Cameron knit his dark brows together. “A letter? For me? What does it say?” Suddenly his features tensed up.

“The letter is sealed, not to mention it wasn’t meant for me to open. It was for your eyes only. I never would have betrayed that trust. I put the letter in the dining room hutch at the homestead. It’s right by the little crystal owl. It’s yours to take.”

“I’m stunned that he wrote to me,” Cameron said. His eyes were wide. And full of anxiety.

“Cameron. He loved you like a son. On some level I think you know that,” Paige said.

Cameron laughed hollowly. “I’m not sure that I understand that kind of love. He left me holding the bag. For all he knew, I could have been prosecuted for the missing funds.”

He was voicing all the things she had struggled with for so long until she had let it all go in an effort to heal her wounded heart.

“Love is imperfect. And I think he left enough of a trail so that it was clear he was the culprit. I think on some level he was trying to make it known that he was responsible.” Paige knew from having spoken to her father at length that he had deliberately left breadcrumbs in his wake so that she and Cameron wouldn’t be considered as accomplices. Sadly, both of them had still been cast under suspicion.

“It still doesn’t explain why. Why would he wound so many people?” Cameron looked utterly bewildered.

“Hurt people hurt people. Ruby used to say that expression all the time. I never fully understood it until recently. He was in a lot of emotional pain for years and desperate to get out of a financial hole he dug for himself.”

“Emotional pain? Because of your mother?” Cameron asked. “I know he struggled for a long time after her death.”

“That’s part of it. He was driving the car that day when my mother was killed. I don’t think he ever dealt with his guilt about being the driver. He walked away without a scratch, but his whole world came crashing down around him when she died as a result of her injuries.” She held up her hands. “Again, I’m not defending him. I’m just trying to provide some sort of reference point for his colossal betrayal.”

“How in the world did you manage to forgive him?” The tone of Cameron’s voice was incredulous.

“It wasn’t easy. But having Emma brought everything into sharp focus. Forgiveness isn’t just a gift for the one who’s forgiven. It’s a blessing for me, as well. I couldn’t carry all of his sins on my shoulders, and I surely didn’t want to harbor hatred in my heart.”

Cameron heaved a tremendous sigh. “I thought I had stopped harboring bad feelings against my parents for walking away from us, but I haven’t been able to let it go. Not fully.”

“If you do, you’ll lighten your own burdens. It won’t just benefit you. Think of Emma and what it will mean for her. Both your parents are still living. You still have time to reach out to them and forge a new beginning.” Her voice went soft. “At least you have that option.”

Cameron nodded. “I’m sorry you don’t have that choice, but thanks for reminding me that I still do.”

He leaned in and placed his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the quiet splendor of the Alaskan afternoon. Everything was still and quiet, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. An eagle dipped down long enough that they could admire it before soaring back up toward the mountain and its nest. She closed her eyes and imagined that Cameron had not a single doubt about her. For just one carefree moment she could pretend that they were still in love and that nothing had ever torn them apart.

Chapter Nine

T
he next morning dawned bright and beautiful. A radiant sun shimmered from above. The sky was a clear cornflower blue. The temperature was practically balmy. It was a perfect day for the spring festival. The event, held every year on May 1, was a town tradition in Love. It was a widely attended community gathering with a variety of activities—a pie bake-off, kiddie rides, a battle of the bands, a quilting competition, arts and crafts, athletic contests and more. There was also a blessing-of-the-fleet ceremony down by the pier. Since fishermen had always been important to the Love economy, it was a way of honoring them and their boats.

For as long as Cameron could remember, he had attended the festival. As a kid, he had always looked forward to the whipped-cream-eating contest. He chuckled at the memory of all the first-place ribbons he had won, much to his mother’s chagrin. Mama. He hadn’t thought of her in a while. If he was being honest with himself, he had made little or no effort to keep in contact with her over the past few years. Maybe that needed to change. He owed it to Emma to at least try.

He had decided to close the doors of the café at 11:00 a.m. this morning. There was no way in the world he was going to miss Emma’s first festival. And most of the town would be too busy enjoying the activities to stop in at the Moose Café. He had driven to the festivities with Hazel, who was eager to attend her first festival since being coupled up with Jasper. Cameron had been skeptical when they’d first started dating. Both of them were opinionated and forceful. He hadn’t been of the belief that they’d last a week. Over the past few months they had grown on him as a couple. Hazel brought out Jasper’s sweet side, while Jasper elicited a tenderness in Hazel he hadn’t seen before. It was shaping up to be a great partnership.

Once they had arrived, Cameron found himself scouring the fairgrounds for Paige and Emma.

“You look like you’re going to jump out of your skin,” Hazel noted as she looked up at him.

“I’m excited to spend time with my girl,” Cameron said, rubbing his hands together. “Paige said she would bring her around eleven thirty.”

“Which girl are you talking about?” Hazel asked with a sly grin.

Cameron sent her a quizzical look. “There’s only one girl in my life. And that’s Emma. She’s all that I need.”

Hazel snorted. “She’s a baby, Cameron. It’s great that you two are bonding, but you still need romance.”

He held up his hands. “Things didn’t go so well the last go-round. Not sure I’m ready to throw my hat in the ring again.”

What he did know was that he didn’t want his heart handed to him on a platter again.

“If you think I don’t see the way you light up when Paige is around, you must think I’m a blind fool.”

Cameron groaned. “We have history. Not to mention we have a child. Plus, she’s a gorgeous woman. Who wouldn’t light up around her?”

Hazel put her hands on her hips. “So what are you going to do about it?”

“Nothing! She might not be staying in Love, Hazel. If this cannery thing doesn’t pan out, she might head back to Seattle.”

The older woman let out a groan. “Oh no, Cam. Would she really go back to Seattle? After making such an effort to come back here and right Robert’s wrongs? Not to mention you and Emma are getting on like a house on fire. I can’t even imagine!”

He clenched his teeth. “That’s not the only issue standing between us. I still don’t know if I can trust her.”

Hazel’s eyes resembled storm clouds. “Cameron Prescott! I was one of the most vocal people in town who spoke out against Paige. I’m ashamed of that now. She’s a good woman, Cam. She’s shown it over and over again ever since she stepped foot back in this town. It’s time for you to man up and take a good look at why you’re so intent on believing the worst about her. Why can’t you see what’s staring you straight in the face? And I’ll be offering up prayers on your behalf that you come to your senses before she leaves town.”

He shrugged, stuffing down the emotions that threatened to swallow him up whole. The thought of losing Paige all over again terrified him. But how could he lay his emotions on the line when he had no idea if his heart was going to be ripped out of his chest again? And this time it would be far worse, because if Paige left Alaska, she would be taking his daughter with her. The very idea of so much loss made him shut down a little.

“It’s pretty obvious you’re guarding your heart, Cameron.” Hazel stared at him with a knowing look.

“Let’s just say I’m playing it safe,” Cameron said. “I have no idea how she feels about me.”

“Don’t you? Then you’re not half as smart as I thought you were.” Hazel began making a tutting sound. “No good comes from keeping your emotions under lock and key. Take a page from Boone’s handbook. He laid it all on the line. He threw fear out the window to chase Gracie down and profess his love to her. And if I remember correctly, you cheered him on.”

“That was a little different,” Cameron grumbled. “They didn’t share a tortured history. There wasn’t so much baggage between them.”

Hazel jabbed him in the side, causing him to let out a howl of pain.

Cameron rubbed his side. “Hey! What was that for? You’ve been spending too much time with Jasper. He’s been rubbing off on you.”

She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Wake up! You’re wasting time. If you still think Paige is the one who sets your heart afire, then get after it already.”

“Shh, Hazel. Here come Paige and Emma,” Cameron said as he spotted them about ten feet away. Paige was pushing the little girl in a bright green stroller. Emma was waving to everyone they passed by. Paige looked casual yet elegant in a pair of skinny jeans and a light blue cardigan sweater.

“Good morning,” she called out as she approached them. Emma began waving wildly, which caused them to chuckle. “What a beautiful day for a festival.”

“God sure did grant us favor today with this weather,” Hazel said.

“Hey there, little miss,” Cameron said, reaching out and tickling her under her chin.

“Dada!” Emma cooed, and Cameron almost passed out with joy. He couldn’t imagine hearing Emma call him Dada ever getting old. It was a wondrous thing to be her father.

“Such a smart little girl,” Jasper commented as he walked up. “This next generation of Prescotts are going to be something else.”

“I won’t argue with you about that,” Cameron said, tickled by Jasper’s acknowledgment of Emma. Even though he butted heads quite frequently with his grandfather, he respected and admired him more than he could ever express in words.

“Look who’s here,” Hazel said in a raised voice.

Liam and Aidan came into view as they headed in their direction. Aidan was running ahead of his father, his face lit up with exuberance.

“Hey! Dad says I can try to win a fish to take home,” his nephew exclaimed in an excited voice. “Maybe I can try to win three or four of ’em.”

“I think we have a one-fish limit at our house,” Liam added with a bemused shake of his head.

Cameron reached over and ruffled Aidan’s curly brown hair, realizing for the first time that he and Emma shared the same coloring.

The little boy gifted him with a sweet smile. Cameron raised his hand and Aidan slapped it enthusiastically. “High five, Uncle Cam,” he said with a giggle.

“Ouch,” Cameron said, pretending that he’d been hit hard. His nephew covered his mouth and laughed even harder.

“Daddy said you have a baby.” Aidan looked over and pointed at Emma. “Is that her?”

“Yep, buddy. That’s her. Her name is Emma and she’s your cousin.”

Aidan wrinkled his nose. “She’s so little. Can I still play with her?”

“She’s little, but before you know it, she won’t be so small anymore,” Cameron explained. He lowered his voice. “Don’t tell anybody, but with the way she’s been eating, I think she might grow into a giant.”

The sound of Aidan’s tinkling laughter rang out in the quiet afternoon. “No way,” Aidan said with a shake of his head. “She’s going to be a lady, not a giant.”

Cameron threw back his head and laughed. Everyone else chuckled along with him.

“I’m Emma’s mom, Aidan. I knew you a long time ago, but you probably don’t remember.”

Paige stepped forward and stuck out her hand, bending over at the waist. “And this little lady is Emma.”

Aidan glanced at Emma, then reached out and grabbed her fingers. The little girl looked thoroughly delighted. She tugged on Aidan’s fingers and let loose with a burst of giggles.

“Why don’t we walk around and see what’s going on,” Liam suggested. “A little birdie told me that a certain town sheriff is sitting at the pie booth.”

Cameron stopped in his tracks. He looked over at Liam. “Seriously? We can pay to throw a pie in his face?”

“Rumor has it,” Liam said with a chuckle. “Wonder what the going rate is.”

“Does it matter?” Cameron joked. “We’re in, regardless.”

“Can I throw a pie?” Aidan asked, jumping up and down with excitement.

“Of course you can,” Cameron said. He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out some bills. “Matter of fact, the first one is on me.” Aidan took the money and took off like a flash. Liam increased his stride so that he wasn’t far behind him.

As they began walking as a group toward the booth, Cameron reached for Emma’s stroller handle. “I’ll take a turn, if you don’t mind,” he offered.

“Of course,” Paige said as she let go of the handle. “It’s nice to let someone take over for a change.”

Cameron felt a burst of happiness explode in his chest. Being surrounded by his family members and Paige on this perfect spring day was making him believe in things he had thought were near impossible. He was learning moment by moment that life was really full of the most unexpected surprises.

* * *

Watching Boone get creamed in the face with pies was way more entertaining than Paige would ever admit. The Prescott brothers were practically giddy at the opportunity to smash the dessert in their brother’s mug. Boone took it in stride, letting it be known to one and all that he was willing to do it for a good cause, Honor’s wildlife organization. Finally, after several turns in line, Grace made Liam and Cameron move along and find another event at the festival to participate in. Although Grace was a sweetheart, it was apparent that no one wanted to mess with her protective side. It was sweet, Paige thought, how she stayed nearby with a towel so she could clean her husband up between pie throws. She watched as Boone placed a tender kiss on his wife’s lips.

It was a simple yet romantic gesture that spoke volumes about their love. She let out a sigh. Once upon a time she and Cameron had felt that way about each other. They had been inseparable, finishing each other’s sentences, fueling each other’s dreams and bolstering one another when things in their lives became rocky.

Those old feelings for Cameron were returning and becoming stronger each and every day. She was falling back in love with him, even though she knew that it was risky. The events of two years ago had shown her in the most brutal way that caring for someone was a pathway to heartache. Yes, she believed in love in all its imperfections. But she didn’t know if she could trust Cameron long enough to see if they had a shot at a future together. He had proved to her that the feelings he had felt for her weren’t strong enough to withstand the whispers and smears of the townsfolk. His disloyalty had blindsided her. And Emma didn’t need to get caught in the cross fire again. It would be confusing and upsetting for a little girl to see her parents at odds.

Not that Cameron had indicated in any way, shape or form that he was interested in pursuing a relationship with her. But they had got close again. And every now and then there was something hovering in between them that had nothing to do with friendship. It was as if all the air left the room when they were together. Sometimes it felt as if she couldn’t breathe normally in his presence.

She heaved a deep sigh. How had this happened? How had her feelings for Cameron shifted so quickly?

After a while everyone splintered off into groups. Hazel was attached at the hip to Emma. Paige thought it was very heartwarming how her little girl seemed to enjoy being held in the other woman’s arms. And Hazel lit up like sunshine when Emma was around. Perhaps, Paige thought, Emma would have a grandma in Love after all.

As everyone made their way off to different events, Paige found herself alone with Cameron. Hazel and Jasper had taken the kids to the livestock enclosure while Liam went off in search of Honor. Grace had been feeling dehydrated, so Boone took her to sit in the shade with an ice-cold water.

Suddenly, with the two of them being on their own, it reminded her of all the festivals they had attended together over the years. It brought back a tide of memories that swept over her like a gentle breeze. One of her first youthful dates with Cameron had taken place at this very fair. At seventeen years old, he had been a bit brash, and he’d gone to extreme lengths to win her more stuffed animals than she could hold in her arms. He’d walked around with a bit of swagger and she hadn’t quite known what to make of him. By the end of the festival, he had revealed his tender side by telling her about his parents’ divorce and how he was overprotective of his little sister. In that very moment Paige had known that Cameron Prescott would be tied to her forever.

And she had been right. Now they would always be inextricably linked together because of Emma.

“You know what I could go for?” Cameron asked, drawing her out of her trip down memory lane.

“Is it round and gooey and comes on a stick?” she asked in a playful voice, knowing full well that Cameron was referencing his love of caramel apples.

He rubbed his stomach. “I’ve been thinking about caramel apples for days.”

“Well, lead the way,” Paige said with a laugh. “I don’t want to deprive you of your delicacy.”

Cameron grabbed her by the hand and led her to the area of the festival where the food vendors were located. He gave a triumphant cry as he spotted the truck where the caramel apples were being sold.

“Do you want one?” he asked as he stood in line.