Small-Town Secrets

For heiress Sophie Mattson, moving to remote Love, Alaska, offers her a chance to find people who care about her—not her wealth. The townsfolk quickly take Sophie under their wing, but it’s handsome newcomer and cook Noah Catalano who inspires dreams of home and family. Sophie fears her ruse may drive a wedge between them...but she doesn’t know the real reason Noah is in Alaska. Hired by Sophie’s ex-fiancé to keep tabs on her, undercover private investigator Noah is falling for his assignment. Is it too late to overcome this double deception, or can Love make a believer of them both?

“Good morning, Noah.”

The chirpy voice could belong to no one else but Sophie. There was something about her upbeat tone that brought to mind rainbows and glitter and cupcakes.

“Morning,” he said, not raising his eyes from the stove. No way did he want to look into those expressive eyes when his thoughts were as scrambled as the eggs he had just cooked.

Sophie Miller was rapidly becoming a problem in his uncomplicated world.

“Did you get settled in last night?” she asked. Her voice was infused with so much cheer and a lightness that he desperately needed to hear at the moment.

Unable to stop himself, he swung his gaze up. Her long titian hair hung down gently in loose waves. Even without a stich of makeup, she shimmered. Her green eyes—the color of Irish moss—sparkled.

She wasn’t making things easy for him.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for joining me on this Alaskan adventure. I hope you enjoyed Sophie and Noah’s love story. I really enjoyed writing His Secret Alaskan Heiress, particularly since Sophie has always been one of my favorite characters. I really wanted her to find her happily-ever-after. The town of Love, Alaska, serves as the perfect backdrop for falling in love. Snowy tundra. Moose crossings. Reindeer pizza. The Moose Café! There’s so much to love in this wonderful town.

Sophie and Noah are both suffering from the same ailment. Both characters have been betrayed in the past by someone close to them. As a result, they are both wary of falling in love. They both have scars that need to heal. And thankfully, they find joy and a happy ending in each other’s arms. Noah and Sophie find a warm community in the small fishing village. The town of Love provides Sophie with a loving, supportive home where she is accepted for reasons unrelated to her bank balance. Likewise, Noah finds a warmth and acceptance in Love that reminds him of his hometown and the family values he grew up with. In the end, forgiveness is a big theme in the story and Sophie, in particular, needs to forgive Noah and her father in order to move forward with her life.

I feel very fortunate to be writing for the Love Inspired line. Being an author is my dream job. I enjoy hearing from readers, however you choose to contact me. You can reach me at scalhoune@gmail.com, at my Author Belle Calhoune Facebook page or at my website, bellecalhoune.com. If you’re on Twitter, reach out to me, @BelleCalhoune.

Belle Calhoune

BELLE CALHOUNE grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle and a chocolate Lab. Writing for the Love Inspired line is a dream come true. Working at home in her pajamas is one of the best perks of the job. Belle enjoys summers in Cape Cod, traveling and reading.

His Secret Alaskan Heiress

Belle Calhoune

www.millsandboon.co.uk

My beloved spake, and said unto me,

Rise up, my fair one and come away with me.

For lo, the winter has past,

the rain is over and gone.

—Song of Solomon 2:10–11

For my sister, Patricia, for introducing me

to Daphne du Maurier and Phyllis Whitney.

You started me on the road to romance!

Acknowledgments

For my Love Inspired author friends

who make this profession anything but solitary.

Angel Moore. Alison Stone. Karen Kirst.

Jolene Navarro. Danica Favorite.

Kristen Ethridge. Jessica Keller.

You ladies rock!

For my editor, Emily Rodmell,

for being enthusiastic about this series and

for remembering all the details I tend to forget.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Here it is. Fresh out of the oven. One reindeer pizza with feta and spinach,” Sophie announced in a chirpy voice as she set the order down in the middle of the table. “And a mozzarella salad on the side. It’s good for your heart.”

“Thanks, Sophie.” Jasper Prescott, town mayor, grinned at her, his white whiskers lending him a grandfatherly appearance. She would never admit it to Jasper in a million years, but he was just about the cutest man in the world, despite being an utter rascal. She’d already claimed him as her honorary grandfather. As far as she was concerned, he was a keeper.

“You’re quite welcome, Jasper.” Sophie smiled at him. “Might I say that ever since you and Hazel got engaged, she’s been walking on cloud nine?” Sophie patted him on the shoulder. “Well done!”

Jasper winked at her. “I can’t deny that being an engaged man has done me a world of good. I feel as if I have an extra spring in my step.” He held his finger up to his mouth in a shushing gesture. “Now don’t you tell Hazel I said that. She’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

Sophie giggled. “I won’t say a word, Jasper. It’ll be our little secret.”

Once the words slipped out of her mouth, Sophie felt a tad guilty. After all, she had been keeping secrets ever since she’d stepped foot into the town of Love, Alaska.

“Now that I’m getting hitched, we need to focus on pairing you up with one of the dozens of men who keep swarming around you. I’ve heard lots of gripes from some of them who are part of Operation Love. They’re beginning to think you’re playing hard to get.” Jasper’s blue eyes twinkled. “What’s wrong, Sophie? None of ’em tickle your fancy?”

Leave it to Jasper to put it all out there with one loaded question. Operation Love was an innovative program he’d created that matched up women from across the United States with rugged bachelors from the small Alaskan fishing village. As town mayor, Jasper had racked his brain to come up with a solution for the shortage of females in town. So far, his program had led to several weddings, more than a dozen engagements and numerous love connections. It was a resounding success.

Jasper’s question threw Sophie off balance for a moment. It was the same one she’d been asking herself for more than a year. Why hadn’t she been able to move past her ex-fiancé’s betrayal and find romance here in town? Despite her fervent prayers for healing, she was still wounded from the past. She had been asked out on more dates than she could count on two hands. And she had never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings, but she wasn’t going to date a man if the chemistry just wasn’t there. And so far, she really hadn’t been interested in anyone.

“I want to get hit by that thunderclap, Jasper.” She shrugged. “It just hasn’t happened yet.” She winked at him. “But when it does, you’ll be the first to know.” What she wasn’t telling Jasper was that she wasn’t quite ready for romance.

“When you get a free moment, could you bring me an iced coffee?” he asked. “I promise not to bug you about your love life. At least not until tomorrow.” The sound of his raspy laughter rang out in the café.

“Sure thing!” She turned in the direction of the kitchen, her eyes landing on a sight that made her stomach do flip-flops. Sophie let out a sigh as she watched her best friend, Grace, sharing a tender kiss with her husband, Sheriff Boone Prescott. They were still newlyweds, having been married last year in a romantic ceremony attended by all the residents of Love, Alaska. Add in one sweet little baby girl named Eva, who was sound asleep in the baby carrier, and it seemed to Sophie that this couple was truly blessed.

She wanted to reach out and shower the newborn with hugs and kisses. Though only a few weeks old, Eva had already won the hearts of the entire hamlet of Love. Seeing Boone and Grace together gave Sophie hope of finding love with a man who would see right down to her soul and the things that mattered most. A man who would love her on her own merits, not just because her father was a billionaire. Not that anyone here in town knew the huge secret she was harboring. As far as they were concerned, she was just plain old Sophie Miller from Saskell, Georgia, a woman who had ventured to Alaska to become a part of the Operation Love campaign. The townsfolk had no idea Miller was an alias she was using in order to avoid being connected to the Mattson family name.

Sometimes even Sophie couldn’t understand how circumstances had led her straight to this Alaskan hamlet. But all in all, she felt blessed to be here. It was so very different from the world she had left behind in New York City.

Growing up as the only child of coffee magnate Roger Mattson hadn’t been easy. Her father—the owner of the Java Giant empire—had raised her all by himself after her parents’ divorce and her mother’s death a few years later. Although Sophie had been afforded all the luxuries of a royal princess, she’d never had the very things she ached for. A soft place to fall. Her father’s undivided attention. People who cared about her for the right reasons. Her entire life she’d been used for her father’s connections and the vast fortune everyone assumed she had access to. It had left her feeling jaded and suspicious of everyone’s motives. The final straw had been when her father had orchestrated her engagement to his right-hand man, John Sussex. It had all become too much for her—affianced to a man she didn’t love and who didn’t love her back, with her father pushing her to marry despite her protestations.

And that’s how she’d ended up in Love, a remote fishing village in Alaska. Tired of living an unfulfilling life, she’d given up all her credit cards, a penthouse apartment in Manhattan and a hefty bank account. Her father had no idea where she’d gone, and until she could process his staggering betrayal, she intended to lie low. She’d flown to Love simply because she’d seen an article about a women shortage in the town, written by Jasper. Something about the piece had tugged at her heartstrings, and she’d made an impulsive decision to make Love, Alaska, her refuge from the privileged world her father had constructed for her. In the end it had become a gilded cage.

Love, Alaska, on the other hand, was a dream come true. Although she wasn’t looking for the man of her dreams at the moment, she still had hope for a happy ending somewhere down the road.

Grace smiled and waved to her from her table. She was the only one who knew her true identity, and Sophie trusted that her best friend would keep her secret, just as she’d promised. Sophie wasn’t trying to be deceptive, but she wanted the residents of this quaint village to like and respect her on her own merits, not because of her family’s fortune. In her humble opinion, that didn’t seem too lofty a goal.

Not to mention the fact that she was currently estranged from her family and had given up all the rights and privileges of being a Mattson.

“Sophie!” Boone beckoned her over with a wave of his hand. Sophie walked to their table, where Eva was now nestled against her mother’s chest, Grace soothingly patting her back. “We wanted to ask you something,” Boone said, his eyes twinkling.

Sophie clasped her hands together. “Are you going to ask me to babysit this precious little lady? Pretty please with sugar on top.”

The couple exchanged a glance, then chuckled. “No, Sophie. We’re not quite ready for a date night out without Eva,” Grace explained.

“Speak for yourself. I could use a break from diaper changes,” Boone teased. Grace shook her head at him and made a tutting sound before swinging her gaze back to Sophie.

Something about her friend’s expression seemed sheepish. She ducked her head and focused on Eva rather than looking Sophie in the eye.

“We wanted to ask you if you’d be interested in going out with Dilbert Trask,” Boone said. “He’s a friend of mine who just moved back to Love. I’m guessing he’s been in here a time or two.”

“Boone says he’s a great guy. And he’s been saying some very complimentary things about you,” Grace said with a grin.

A hissing sound escaped Sophie’s lips. She looked back and forth between her two friends. How could she communicate the fact that she didn’t see herself dating Dilbert? “I don’t know,” she hedged. “Dilbert seems really nice, but I promised myself that I would only go out with a man who made my knees weak.”

“Chemistry doesn’t always work like that. I didn’t swoon when I first met Boone,” Grace added.

Boone winked at her. “But you did tumble into my arms.”

“I tripped,” Grace said, rolling her eyes. “There’s a difference.”

“So you say,” he teased, placing his arm around her and pulling her close. He pressed a kiss against her temple.

Sophie enjoyed the banter between the couple. This was what she wanted for herself. A man who knew her like the back of his hand. An easy camaraderie that always seemed fresh and exciting. Maybe she needed to explore all avenues to find her happily-ever-after. Perhaps Dilbert was the one. How would she know unless she opened herself up to the possibilities?

“Tell you what. Let me think about it. If I keep turning down men who don’t give me goose bumps, I’ll never find my husband. But on the other hand, I need to have an open mind. My granny always used to say that love is like a spider. It comes creeping out when you least expect it.” She grinned at her friends. “I need to get back to the kitchen. We’re short staffed these days.”

Sophie cast one last lingering look at Grace, Boone and baby Eva. Her heart was filled to overflowing at the joy that bounced off the new family. This time next year, she vowed, she’d have her own man by her side and a clear path to a happy ending. After all, hadn’t the whole point of her coming to Love been to become a part of the Operation Love campaign and find her other half?

* * *

Noah Catalano parked his rented car on Jarvis Street and swung his gaze around him at the quaint Alaskan village called Love. According to his research, the small fishing village had roughly one thousand residents. Located fifty minutes from Anchorage, Love was situated on the southeastern tip of the state. The town looked like something out of an old-fashioned travel brochure, or a heartwarming postcard. As a native of Homer, he was used to more hustle and bustle than this quaint hamlet. Although Love was picturesque, it would take some getting used to after living in a large city like Seattle for the past five years.

Noah was trying to take it all in. From the looks of it, this town wasn’t like anything he was used to. Small shops with brightly colored doors and decorative wreaths beckoned him. So far he hadn’t seen many villagers out and about. He couldn’t help but grin at the rustic Welcome to Love sign hanging in a store window. Love, Alaska, had a folksy charm most would find hard to resist.

The streets were dusted with snow, courtesy of a January storm that had pummeled a large portion of the state. Even a week later, there was still an abundance of snow on the ground. That was par for the course for Alaskan winters.

Noah took the crumpled photo out of his pocket and smoothed it down on the steering wheel until it was flat. The woman staring back at him was easy on the eyes. With her fiery red hair, the slight freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and the expressive emerald eyes, she was stunning. No wonder her ex-fiancé was having a hard time letting her go. Maybe his client, John Sussex wasn’t crazy, after all, in asking him to keep tabs on his former fiancée.

“You’re a beauty, Sophie Miller. I’ll give you that,” he muttered, before stuffing the photo back inside his coat pocket. “No wonder Sussex can’t just let you go.”

He let out a low whistle as the full impact of what he’d agreed to do hit him over the head like a sledgehammer. For the next six weeks he was going to be living in this small fishing village in Nowhere’s-ville, Alaska, and working a very lucrative gig—keeping tabs on Sophie Miller. He had arrived last night, having been flown in by Declan O’Rourke, a pilot who ran a plane charter business and lived here in town.

As a private investigator, Noah went all over the country following the paying gigs. And he was moments away from beginning his undercover assignment. His company, Catalano Security, had hit a financial rough patch, which had made refusing this job near impossible. And even though he could think of much better assignments than this one, he’d had no choice in the matter. A paying job like this meant that his Seattle-based company might hold on for a little bit longer. He wouldn’t have to shutter the doors just yet. And he could pay his employees and allow them to run the fort while he was away. Watching his company go down the tubes wasn’t something he could allow to happen.

So, for the foreseeable future, he was going to be posing as a cook for the Moose Café, an establishment owned and operated by Cameron Prescott. It was the same eatery where Sophie worked as a barista and waitress. Noah was going to fulfill his obligation to his client, then head back to Seattle where he belonged, and focus on building up his business.

He knew that he was going to have to be on his A game in order to pull this off. He’d done a little research on Cameron, whose brother, Boone, was the town sheriff. Noah couldn’t do anything to raise suspicions about his background. Local law enforcement might run a check on him and hit pay dirt by linking him to his profession as a PI. His company provided personal and corporate security, as well as conducting investigations. It had been rather simple to provide references to his new boss via his connections in the world of private investigations and security. He didn’t want to be too cocky about it, since in his experience, that’s when people made mistakes.

While in Love, he was going by the name of Noah Callahan. Noah had called in a few favors to make this operation run smoothly. As a result, there was really no reason for anyone to suspect that he was anything other than a man who was seeking to reinvent his life as a cook at the Moose Café. And he had no intention of blowing his cover. His future—and that of his company—was riding on this assignment. Failure wasn’t an option.

* * *

Sophie waved goodbye to Jasper as he sailed out the door of the Moose Café. Just as he exited, a tall, broad figure stood for a moment in the doorway before crossing over the threshold. Another customer! It was shaping up to be good day for tip money. She loved days like this, when the place was full of hustle and bustle. Interacting with customers was the best part of her job.

The man stood inside the doorway and looked around the premises as if he was soaking in all the details. When he looked up, Sophie sucked in a deep breath.

He was gorgeous, with jet-black hair and striking blue eyes. A dimple on his chin added to the overall wow factor. He had a strong jawline and a commanding air. Although he was on the tall side, it was his leanly muscled physique that really packed a punch. He looked like he could handle himself in a dark alley if needed. He exuded strength.

Sophie let out an involuntary sigh. This man was spectacular. A little piece of Alaskan eye candy.

At the moment he was heading straight toward her, his gait full of power and ease. She wasn’t certain, but she might just have to pick her jaw up off the floor. This man was pure poetry in motion. He stopped right in front of her, his gaze focused on her brown apron, which advertised the Moose Café with a cartoon moose sipping a cappuccino. Needless to say, her boss, Cameron Prescott, had a zany sense of humor.

When he swung his head up, Sophie locked gazes with the stranger. “Why, hello there, good-looking.” Woops. The words had just slid out of her mouth like a rushing river.

Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Her mother’s voice buzzed in her ears. After all these years, Sophie was still trying to learn that lesson. She might benefit from having a zipper on her mouth to prevent this very thing from happening.

She bit her lip, wishing she could take the words back. From the looks of it, tall, dark and handsome didn’t seem too impressed by her.

The man raised an eyebrow. His expression displayed a mixture of surprise and a measure of disapproval. Sophie let out a low groan. He appeared slightly humorless. He might have at least cracked a smile at the compliment.

She felt her cheeks blush. “What I meant to say was, hello there, stranger.” Why was she fumbling so badly with her words? She didn’t want the hottest man in Alaska to think she was a babbling fool. Something told her it might be too late to correct a bad first impression.

“Hello,” he said in a deep, calm voice.

She smiled at him, stuffing down her discomfort. “I’m Sophie. Welcome to the Moose Café.” She waved her hand in the direction of the seating area. “Feel free to take a seat wherever you like. I’ll be right with you with a menu and the most delicious coffee drink you’ve ever ordered.”

He shook his head. “I’m not here to eat,” he explained. “My name is Noah. Noah Callahan. I’m here to meet Cameron about the open cook position.”

This was the new cook? Marta’s replacement? Sophie had completely forgotten that Cameron had said to expect the new hire to show up today. In her wildest imagination she never would have envisioned he would look like this. Sophie had imagined an older, wizened man. The new hire had the appearance of a professional athlete or a fitness model for a sports magazine. Sophie knew it was rude, but she couldn’t seem to stop staring at him. In a town full of hot Alaskan bachelors, this guy was perhaps the most gorgeous one she’d laid eyes on yet. And his cornflower blue eyes were magnetic.

“You’re the new hire?” she asked, her voice oozing shock and awe.

“Unless you know something I don’t,” he quipped. “I hope I haven’t come all the way to Love for nothing.”

“No! No! Of course not. Cameron told me to expect you, but I forgot that you were coming by today. And I wasn’t expecting someone so...” Her voice trailed off.

“So what?” he asked, his brows knitted together. His eyes were as piercing as laser beams.

So dreamy. The words popped into her head, although she didn’t dare utter them out loud.

“You must be Noah.” The sound of Cameron’s voice coming from directly behind her caused Sophie to let out a huge sigh of relief. Saved by the boss from any further embarrassment! She wasn’t sure exactly how she would have answered Noah’s question without humiliating herself even more.

Cameron stepped forward and said, “Cameron Prescott. Nice to meet you.” He stuck out his hand and shook Noah’s vigorously. “I see you’ve met Sophie.”

“Yes,” Noah said with a nod. “Nice to meet you, as well, Cameron. And thanks for letting me rent your place. It saved me the trouble of having to search around town for digs.” Noah grinned from ear to ear. Mmm. So the man did know how to smile. And what a nice smile it was. Pretty white teeth and dimples for days. Something told Sophie that Noah Callahan was going to leave the women of Love in quite a flutter, starting with herself.

“No problem at all,” Cameron said. “I moved into my wife’s home after Paige and I got married, so I’m happy to rent the place out.”

Noah was going to be living at Cameron’s old place! Sophie let out a little sigh of disappointment. Why hadn’t she thought of asking Cameron to rent it to her? Her cabin at the Black Bear Cabins was a tad on the small side. In the past year she had filled up the small space almost to overflowing. Relocating to Cameron’s former home would have been amazing. The backyard had a lovely view of the mountains. Oh, well. She didn’t believe in crying over spilled milk or lost opportunities.

Gratitude. She had to remind herself that she’d vowed to be thankful for all the things in her life, great and small. She wouldn’t dwell on the size of her living quarters or lament the fact that Noah had scooped up Cameron’s place. God had already blessed her in so many ways. She wasn’t about to grumble.

Living in Love was a world apart from the rarefied atmosphere she’d grown up in. As the daughter of a very wealthy man, there had truly been nothing she couldn’t have procured with a single phone call or a word with her father. A private jet. Shopping sprees. Front-row concert tickets. Diamond earrings. The world had been her oyster. Once Java Giant had taken off, her family had relocated to New York City from her small hometown of Saskell, Georgia. They had moved from a modest, ranch-style home to a penthouse in Manhattan.

Sophie wasn’t sure she’d ever managed to adjust to being the Java Giant heiress. Most times, she’d yearned to go back to simpler times, when picking peaches and attending church picnics had been the norm for their family. Everything had changed when her father’s business took off and went national. Their lives had transformed in an instant. Her upbringing had been lavish, yet it had never brought her true happiness. She’d vowed to strip herself of the luxuries and get down to basics here in Alaska. So although she felt disappointed about Cameron’s house, she wasn’t going to dwell on it. Material things were fleeting.

“Sophie, can you show Noah around?” Cameron asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. “He’ll be starting tomorrow morning, bright and early. I’m going to finish out the cooking shift and show Noah how the kitchen works in a little bit. Hazel will work the tables.”

A loud banging sound, following by shouting, emanated from the kitchen. Cameron raised his eyebrows and let out a nervous laugh. “Excuse me. I need to go check in with Hazel. She’s a little swamped at the moment. Welcome, Noah. It’s great to have you on board.”

Sophie smirked, knowing her close friend Hazel Tookes probably wasn’t at her best at the moment. As Cameron’s honorary mother figure, Hazel was, for all intents and purposes, a silent partner in the café. She allowed Cameron to manage the restaurant and act as the public face of the establishment. Outspoken and lively, Hazel didn’t hesitate to let Cameron know when something didn’t sit well with her. Working the grill wasn’t her forte. Waitressing suited her more, due to her tendency to be a social butterfly.

Noah’s gaze trailed after Cameron. Then he looked around the café. “This seems like a popular spot.”

“It is. We’ve been blessed with a loyal following and enough customers to keep this place up and running. Did you know that most businesses fail within the first year?” Sophie couldn’t count how many times her father had shared that fact with her. It made her doubly proud of Cameron’s success. He’d worked hard for it.

Noah scratched his jaw. “I think I’ve heard that statistic. It’s tough to get a business started, not to mention keeping it profitable.”

“That’s for sure,” Sophie said with a nod. “The Moose Café is a testament to Cameron’s hard work and vision. Before I arrived in town, Love endured a recession that caused quite an economic downturn. A lot of businesses didn’t make it. But that didn’t stop Cameron from stepping out on a limb of faith and opening up this establishment. And the town has rebounded and we have a new factory that mass produces genuine Alaskan boots. They’re called Lovely Boots and they’ve really taken off.”

“It’s pretty courageous to start up a new company in the shadow of such hard times,” Noah said. “It’s a testament to his work ethic and vision.”

“No guts, no glory,” Sophie proclaimed as she raised her fist in the air, earning another raised eyebrow from Noah.

“Let me show you around,” Sophie said, wanting to fill the awkward silence. She motioned for Noah to follow her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was staring at her as if she was somewhat of an odd duck. His expression was a bit shuttered and he seemed to be quite serious about everything. Maybe he was nervous about the new job. It would be a shame if this hottie was a stick-in-the-mud with a sour disposition.

Life was too short not to smile. Ever since she’d been knee high to a grasshopper, this had been her personal motto. So many people made storm clouds when their lives could be filled with rainbows and glitter and cupcakes.

As Sophie showed Noah around the establishment, she couldn’t help but notice that he was a man of few words. Other than some nods and monosyllabic replies, he’d given her nothing but silence. Perhaps he was the strong, silent type—observing everything but giving away nothing. Maybe she just needed to pull him out of his shell.

“How about an espresso or a mochaccino?” she asked, as she led him past the area where they were made.

“No, thanks, Sophie. I’ll take a water, though.”

“C’mon. Live a little,” she teased. “Our coffee drinks are the best thing since sliced bread. Once you taste one of ’em, you won’t be able to resist them.”

He shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m not really a coffee drinker.”

Sophie felt her eyes widen. Not a coffee drinker? And he was going to be working at a popular coffee joint in town? Humph! As the daughter of a coffee magnate, Sophie had a hard time wrapping her head around the notion that Noah didn’t like coffee. It was downright peculiar.

He shrugged. “Sorry. I just never took to it.”

She didn’t know what to make of that statement, but didn’t want to hurt the new cook’s feelings by poking him about it. Because she’d grown up in the midst of a coffee empire, she found Noah’s philosophy rather shocking.

Sophie led him down the hall toward the kitchen. She paused to grab a cold bottle of water from the fridge and handed it to Noah. “No need to apologize. Speaking for myself, I’ve always loved coffee. When I was little girl I remember waking up to the smell of it.” She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply through her nostrils. “Daddy always loved coffee. All types. He would make all these specialty drinks at home right from our kitchen. Mama used to make coffee ice cream for him with one of those old-fashioned ice-cream makers. I used to love when she’d let me turn the handle. I think the love of coffee was imprinted on my DNA.”

Sophie blinked back tears. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over her. Despite everything that had transpired between them, she missed Daddy terribly. Home was still etched on her heartstrings. Everything she’d ever learned about coffee had come straight from her father. There’s love in the bottom of every cup. That was the Java Giant motto. Just thinking about it triggered a feeling of loss so vast it made her heart ache. Even though her father had transformed over the years into a man whose sole focus was his coffee empire, she still loved him and she always would. Ditto for Mama, who was now in heaven. Her parents’ divorce had shattered her childhood, but it hadn’t made her love them any less. All her memories from her childhood in Georgia were still imprinted on her heart like a permanent tattoo.

Noah seemed to be studying her. “Hey. Are you all right?” His voice was infused with concern. Sky blue eyes radiated compassion.

She sniffed back tears. “I’m fine. Just feeling a little nostalgic today. I love being here in Alaska, but I miss my folks like crazy.”

“I’m not surprised to hear that. Family is the most important thing, bar none,” he said.

Sophie nodded. “I feel very fortunate to have a family right here in Alaska. Cameron. Hazel, who you’ll meet in a few minutes. My best friend, Grace. Jasper, the town mayor. They’re not blood related, but they treat me like one of their own. I love them very much.” She knew she was gushing, but she couldn’t help herself. When it came to Love, Alaska, she tended to wear her heart on her sleeve.

Something resembling understanding flickered in his eyes. He nodded. “That’s called community. It’s the beauty of a small town. I grew up in one, so I know what I’m talking about. You’re very blessed, Sophie.” For the first time Noah’s voice had a sweetness that warmed her insides. So he wasn’t a robot, after all.

Sophie knew she was fortunate to have landed in a heartwarming town like Love just when she’d needed it the most. Her world had crumbled in all around her back in New York City, and she had found a soft place to fall right here in Alaska. For the past year Sophie had been taken under the wing of the townsfolk and treated like gold. In return, she had fallen in love with the small fishing village and its folksy charms.

“I do feel very blessed,” she murmured.

For some reason, Noah’s words wormed their way inside her and caused her to feel a groundswell of guilt. She had been a resident of this fishing village for more than a year, and for the entire time she had not been forthcoming about her identity or the fact that her father was a billionaire. Although she had tried to convince herself that it didn’t matter, she knew deep down inside that withholding the truth from the residents of Love was an act of pure selfishness. In the beginning it had seemed like self-preservation, but with each and every day that passed, Sophie became more and more uncomfortable with the omission. After all, this town had endured near bankruptcy, an embezzlement scandal and severe financial hardships.

Bile rose up in the back of her throat at the mere thought of confessing all to the townsfolk. How in the world would they ever understand her situation? This town had endured business closures, a failed cannery, foreclosures and a severe economic downturn.

No matter how she sliced it, Sophie knew she had to be honest about her family connections before the truth ever came bubbling to the surface. If not, she might risk losing the goodwill and friendship of a whole community of people who trusted her.

Chapter Two

As he headed out of the Moose Café, Noah raised his hand to his chest to steady himself against the feelings rising up inside him. It felt like he’d just run a mile. His heart was beating faster than a drumbeat. It always felt like this when he took on a new assignment. Ever since he’d stepped foot into the Moose Café, pure adrenaline had been racing through his veins.

Noah had ended up working the grill and helping out in the kitchen, finishing the shift alongside Cameron. He’d left right before they locked up the place for the day. He had to admit that cooking at the café hadn’t been half bad. It reminded him of working at his family’s restaurant, the Highline Diner, in Homer. Before too long he’d fallen into the familiar rhythms of food prep in a kitchen.

He wrinkled his nose. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out what had just transpired. Spending time with Sophie and observing her had been his goal, but he wasn’t sure he’d been prepared for the experience. Noah hadn’t been expecting someone so down-to-earth...and nice.

He shook the feeling off, knowing he was heading into unsafe territory. Once upon a time Noah had seen life through rose-colored glasses when it came to women. Once bitten, twice shy. Life had shown him that he was far too trusting. As a result, he had chosen a career path that involved digging up information to prove without a shadow of a doubt a person’s true character. Facts didn’t lie. Pictures of husbands stepping out on their wives didn’t lie. Money stashed away in secret accounts gave a snapshot of deception.

He was a man who dealt with facts. So far, he knew that Sophie was a woman capable of twisting a man’s heart up in knots and abandoning him at his lowest moment. Despite the fact that she was able to plaster on a picture-perfect smile and act as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, Noah knew this woman had another side to her.

He needed to get his head out of the clouds and focus. What did it matter if she was nice or nasty? She was a job. Sophie Miller was his target. He didn’t want to be friends with her. Didn’t want to know her family history. He didn’t have any intention of kissing those heart-shaped lips. And he couldn’t care less about her adorable Southern twang.

It shouldn’t matter to him that Sophie emitted rays as shimmery as the sun and as sugary sweet as an ice-cream sundae. He let out a groan of frustration. He wouldn’t be feeling this way if Sophie had been as mean as a snake or bucktoothed and homely.

Don’t forget who she is. What kind of woman ditched her fiancé without warning and took off for parts unknown, leaving nothing more than a curt goodbye letter? John Sussex had been emotional and worried out of his mind when Noah had met with him in New York City. Sussex had flown him in to meet with him face-to-face about the assignment.

The way he figured it, there was a sucker born every minute. Sussex had it bad for Sophie Miller. And even though she’d treated him like the gunk underneath her shoe, he still wanted her back. He’d hired Noah to keep tabs on Sophie and to report back to him regarding her romantic attachments. Although he felt a little bit conflicted at first about spying on Sophie, Noah knew his line of work often revolved around surveillance. He wasn’t sure why this particular gig left him feeling so out of sorts.

As he got into his car and began driving down Jarvis Street, he looked around at the shops and local scenery. As he passed the Moose Café he spotted the sheriff’s office directly across the street, along with a toy store, a barbershop and a trading post. He grinned as he passed a small bookstore called The Bookworm. Tomorrow he might stop in to see if they carried his favorite mystery writer. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar mane of long titian hair with a hot-pink hat perched on top. Sophie! She was bundled up in a winter parka and a pair of sturdy boots. He wondered where she was going, since he’d just heard her say earlier that she was getting a ride home from Hazel.

Given the gloomy-looking sky and a few flakes falling, he hoped that Sophie wasn’t venturing too far. Not my problem, he reminded himself. Sophie was a big girl, fully capable of making her way around town. So what if it was snowing? Alaska and snow went hand in hand. Sophie was probably used to it by now, even though she was a New York City girl.

He swung his gaze back to the road, then glanced over again at her. The snow seemed to be falling at a faster clip now. He watched as she slipped a little, before managing to catch herself so she didn’t fall.

“Atta girl,” he said. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like cheering Sophie on. There was something about her that made him want to root for her.

Noah let out a frustrated groan as he watched her continue to trudge onward through the snow. Ever since he was a kid it had been ingrained in him by his father to help out a lady whenever necessary. Chivalry. This time would be no different.

He slowed his car and veered toward the snow-covered sidewalk until he was parallel to Sophie. He pushed the button to let the window down and called out, “Hey, Sophie. Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

She whirled around, her face reflecting surprise. Then she shifted from one foot to another and rubbed her mittened hands together. “I don’t want to put you out, but I’m not sure I can walk all the way to the Black Bear Cabins. It’s pretty frosty out here.”

He waved her over. “Come on. Hop in.”

A cold blast of air assaulted him as soon as Sophie tugged the passenger door open. Her cheeks were rosy as she settled into her seat and put her seat belt on. “You’re a lifesaver. I usually get a ride home from Cameron or Hazel, but I think they must have gotten their wires crossed today. I went to get my things, and they’d locked up the place and left.”

“No problem. What are the Black Bear Cabins? Sounds like something out of a fairy tale.” He couldn’t stop thinking about porridge and bears and chairs being broken in a tiny house nestled in the woods. He hadn’t been much of a reader as a kid, but he seemed to remember something to that effect.

Sophie chuckled. “Just go straight along this road until you come to the Moose Crossing sign. Once you pass it, you take a right about a half mile down the road and keep going until you see the sign for Black Bear Cabins. That’s where I live. I rent out one of the cabins from Hazel, who owns the place. So do a bunch of others who came here for Operation Love.”

Noah wrinkled his nose. “Operation Love? That’s what brought you here? The matchmaking program?” Noah had heard about it on the Seattle news, and when he’d researched the town of Love it had popped up in the search engine. From what he gathered, it was a program created to pair up single bachelors from here in town with women who came from across the United States. He wondered how successful it had been so far.

Had Sophie found someone? Was she no longer single? Although he suddenly felt tongue-tied, he had to find out if Sophie was romantically attached to anyone here in Love. It was his job to know these things and pass them on to his client.

Something told him John Sussex had no idea that Sophie was part of the matchmaking program. He hadn’t mentioned it to Noah when he’d hired him. Had his client been holding out on him? Was there more to Sussex than met the eye? Noah considered himself a pretty good judge of character, but it was possible he’d missed something.

Sophie nodded, her long hair swirling around her shoulders. “Yes. In a way. I came here to reinvent my life, and Operation Love seemed like a good way to find a husband and a loving home.”

A husband? Love? Ouch. It wasn’t going to be easy relaying that information to Sussex. Noah wanted to shake his head in disbelief, but he didn’t want to alienate Sophie, who was giving him the information he needed. Picking her up and taking her to the Black Bear Cabins had yielded more information than he’d imagined.

“You really think your future is here in Love?” There was a tinge of incredulity in his voice that he couldn’t manage to mask. He didn’t want to sound like a jerk, but he felt amazed that women actually ventured to this town and stepped out in such a massive leap of faith. What if they ended up with a serial killer?

Sophie grinned at him. “The way I figure it, God has always been faithful to me. He placed me here for a reason. I just have to be patient and let it all unfold.”

Noah snorted. He hadn’t meant to, but it slipped out. One quick glance in Sophie’s direction showed that she wasn’t pleased in the slightest. Her pretty face was now scrunched up in a massive frown. Her eyebrows were knitted together. He was pretty sure steam might be coming out her ears.

“Excuse me, Noah Callahan, but that was quite rude of you,” she huffed. Anger radiated off her in waves.

“I’m sorry, Sophie,” he said, feeling contrite. One look into her big green eyes made him feel like the worst person in the world for hurting her feelings. “It just sort of slipped out. Kind of like this morning, when you first saw me and called me good-looking.” He winked at her. He wasn’t trying to flirt with her, but she was a pretty girl and he liked the way she became easily flustered. That didn’t happen too often with the women in his circle. They were all way too polished for his liking.

Noah tried not to grin as he watched Sophie turn several shades of red. She opened her mouth, then closed it, while making a sputtering sound.

“Apology accepted,” she finally said. She sat up straight and tilted her chin upward. “I’m sorry if you don’t believe that God lights the way for us, but He does. Of that I am very certain.”

“It’s not that I have anything against the big guy upstairs, but it seems like a pretty tall order to expect Him to give you a happily-ever-after.” Noah tapped his brakes as he came to a stop sign. He looked over at Sophie. “Although I admire anyone who believes in something as fervently as you do.”

She didn’t say a word, but the beginnings of a gorgeous smile began to tug at the corners of her lips. His chest tightened a little bit at the notion that something he’d said had made her smile as if she’d just glimpsed paradise. A wave of happiness traveled through him, and he had to quickly snap himself back to his main objective. He needed information, not million-dollar smiles.

“So, have you found that special someone yet?” he asked, his heart pounding like a jackhammer inside his chest as he awaited her answer. If she said yes, Sussex was bound to be upset.

“No, not yet,” she said, her shoulders sagging a little bit. “I’ve been asked on many a date here in Love, but I’ve never clicked romantically with any of them. Not that they’re not wonderful men, but I’m not willing to settle for anything less than someone who makes me feel like I’m going to swoon. And that hasn’t happened yet.”

Noah frowned. “Swoon? Isn’t that a little bit...unrealistic? I’ve never heard of a woman actually swooning.”

She shook her head at him. “It’s a feeling, Noah. One that goes straight down to your toes. Maw Maw used to tell me about it all the time when she talked about meeting Gramps for the first time.” Sophie pressed her hands together in a prayer-like fashion. “Her knees felt weak and her belly did flip-flops. She felt light-headed and she actually saw stars.”

Maybe she was actually seeing stars in the sky, Noah thought. Far more reasonable than to believe in all the romantic notions Sophie was hurling around.

“Maw Maw?” he asked, curious about the odd-sounding name.

“My granny. Gramps was my granddaddy. The way she described falling in love was like fireworks in July and stars exploding in the heavens. Their love story was one for the ages. No matter what life threw at them, they stuck it out together. Fifty-four years of marriage, bless their hearts.” Sophie rubbed her mittens together. “So that’s what I want.”

“Makes sense,” Noah muttered. Humph! About as much sense as women coming all the way to a remote fishing village in Alaska to find single men. He didn’t dare say it out loud. No need to alienate Sophie by making any more cracks about Operation Love.

“So, what brought you to Love, Noah? The cook position at the café? Because something tells me it wasn’t Operation Love.” Sophie’s tone was casual, but her expression reflected her curiosity.

“Pretty much. I needed the money,” he said. He felt bad about stretching the truth, but he couldn’t very well tell her the real reason he was in town. No, Sophie. I was actually hired by your ex-fiancé to keep tabs on you. It seems he hasn’t quite let go of the relationship and he paid me an unbelievable sum of money for the gig.

“Times have been a little rough,” Noah admitted. It was the truth, even if he’d omitted a few parts of the story. Being here in Love was a surefire way to save his company from going belly-up. If nothing else, Sussex was paying him well to keep tabs on Sophie. There was no reason to feel this twinge of guilt, he reasoned with himself. He didn’t owe her anything.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Sophie murmured, her eyes mirroring her words. “But Love is definitely the right place to turn things around. Are you new to Alaska?”

“I was born and raised here in Alaska, so it’s home for me, although living in such a small town will be something of a new experience.” It would definitely take some getting used to after being based in Seattle for the last five years. He wasn’t sure where the market was or the gas station or where to go to buy a pair of jeans. By the time he figured it all out it would be time to head back home.

“You’ll love it,” Sophie said. “I’m from Georgia originally, but my family relocated to New York City. Alaska has been like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”

Sophie was a Georgia peach! He knew he’d detected a sweet Southern twang. Sussex had forgotten to add that detail in the information he’d provided, which seemed a little odd to Noah.

She jutted her chin straight ahead. “Keep on this road for another mile or so.”

Noah let out a low whistle. “This would have been a mighty far way for you to walk.”

“I truly appreciate the ride.” She let out a giggle. “And so do my feet. You came along at just the right time.” Sophie looked around the interior of the car. “Is this yours or a rental?”

“It’s a loaner from Hank Jeffries. I figured having wheels would be important in order to make it to work and back home every day.”

“Hank is a great guy. He’s a firefighter. And he sure loves cars. He has about half a dozen or so.”

“Wow. That sounds like quite a collection. What about you? Do you own a car?” Noah asked.

Sophie let out a sigh. “I don’t drive, Noah, so a car wouldn’t do me much good.”

He turned toward her, noticing the sheepish expression plastered on her face.

“You don’t have a license?” He tried to keep his voice neutral, but could hear the surprise ringing out in his tone. It was a little unusual not to have your license at twenty-seven.

“No,” she said in a small voice. “I never got mine.”

“I thought Georgia was one of those states where teenagers got their licenses early. Sort of a rite of passage.”

“That’s true, but my family moved to New York City when I was a kid. In a big city getting your license isn’t the same as when you’re living elsewhere. Taxis. The subway. Buses. There are so many ways to get to where you need to be.” She shrugged. “At least that’s how it was for me. I would love to learn to drive, though,” she said in a wistful voice. “Someday.”

“You never know. Someday could be right around the corner,” Noah said, surprising himself by his desire to want to soothe her. There had been something in her voice that alerted him to the fact that she wanted to drive way more than she was letting on. He didn’t blame her in the slightest. It represented the freedom to go where you wanted when the urge struck you. Even though driving in Alaska in the winter was tricky, it would open up a whole new world for Sophie. Once she was behind the wheel she’d never long for her nondriving days, he imagined.

For the next few minutes they sat in companionable silence, until a rusted-out, faded sign announced that they had reached the Black Bear Cabins.

“Make the turn here,” Sophie announced.

Noah turned down a tree-lined, snow-covered road. Stunning white-capped mountains loomed in the distance. Noah knew he had never seen anything quite as spectacular. Not even in Homer. Having grown up in Alaska, Noah knew that his home state was full of stunning vistas. The view from here was a little slice of heaven. He almost wanted to put the car in Park and just sit back and enjoy the landscape for a few minutes.

Dozens of reddish-brown cabins came into view. They exuded a rustic, no-frills air. They reminded him a bit of summer camp at Lake Chilkat when he was ten years old. Noah felt a smile tugging at his lips at the memory of all the good times he’d enjoyed there. He had snagged his first kiss from Penny Adams while they had been enjoying a canoe ride on the lake. By the end of the summer she’d fallen for Jory Banneker and broken Noah’s heart.

Sophie navigated the way to her cabin while pointing out where each of her friends lived along the route. Noah didn’t even try to keep all the names and facts straight. It wasn’t important to his investigation, so he wasn’t going to sweat it.

“This is my place right here,” she finally announced. A bright red birdhouse hung from the rafters of her cabin. A matching Adirondack chair, dusted with snow, sat on the porch. It looked festive and cheery, much like Sophie herself.

“Would you like to come in for some hot cocoa?” she asked. “It’s the least I could do after you rescued me from foot blisters.”

Hot cocoa. It had always been his favorite, ever since childhood. He could almost taste it going down his throat with its sweet, rich flavor.

All of sudden, Noah felt the pressure of a huge weight on his chest. At this moment, more than anything in the world, he wanted to accept Sophie’s offer of hot chocolate. But he knew he couldn’t. He shouldn’t.

Sophie was business. He had been hired to watch her every move. They couldn’t be friends, not really. The past had taught him that mixing business with his personal life was a fool’s game. He had crossed that line once before and lived to regret it. Noah liked to think that he’d learned from his mistakes. And even though there was something about Sophie that called to him, he was going to do his very best to ignore it.

She couldn’t be this nice or this chipper. Buying into her goody-goody act was a fool’s game. And he was nobody’s fool.

Rather than sip hot cocoa with her, Noah would go to his rental home and call Sussex with his first report on Sophie. He would be impartial and unbiased in reporting the facts to his client. Noah would be professional. He wouldn’t talk about how pretty Sophie looked or the way she was acting totally different than the woman Sussex had known who hailed from big cities.

“I’ll even throw in some marshmallows,” Sophie said in a singsong voice.

He let out a low groan. Marshmallows were his favorite! Especially the miniature ones that were perfect for hot chocolate.

“It’s a sweet offer, but I really should head back to the house. I still have some unpacking to do.” He had to practically force the words out of his mouth. All he wanted to do was jump out of the car and join her.

“I understand,” Sophie said with a bob of her head. “Your new life in Love is waiting to unfold.” With a wave of her hand, she added, “Thanks again for the ride. See you tomorrow at the Moose.”

Noah watched for a moment as Sophie mounted the steps, pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to her cabin.

He knew that he was in trouble the moment he began praying she would turn around so he could get another glimpse of her. When she did—flashing a smile and another wave of her hand—he felt a little hitch in the region of his heart.

Pressing his foot way too hard on the gas, Noah roared away from Sophie, the promise of hot cocoa and the Black Bear Cabins. During the entire ride back to town Noah berated himself. He had been here less than twenty-four hours and somehow Miss Sophie Miller had managed to make him forget for a short period of time that she was his assignment.

He vowed to do better. Tomorrow was another day to get things right. And not for a single second did he plan to take his eyes off the prize. This assignment was crucial to the future of Catalano Security. He couldn’t mess up this golden opportunity.

Noah gripped the steering wheel tightly. Sophie couldn’t be his friend. He shouldn’t even allow himself to acknowledge she was attractive. He couldn’t accept invitations for hot chocolate. He wouldn’t let himself cross certain lines with her. He’d done that once before, and in the process, turned his entire life upside down. Fool me once, he reminded himself. He’d learned a few hard lessons over the past few years. He wasn’t going to get dazzled by a client. Not again.

Sophie Miller wasn’t going to make a fool out of him.

Chapter Three

The next morning Noah made it to the Moose Café by six thirty. He actually beat Cameron there and greeted him as he arrived to open up the place.

“Now that’s what I like to see,” Cameron said with a wide grin. “Another early bird like myself. We probably won’t see Hazel or Sophie until at least seven.”

Noah almost sputtered at the “early bird” comment. It had taken every ounce of discipline he had to get his weary body out of bed this morning. And it hadn’t been easy. From the moment Noah rose at the crack of dawn, he had felt like a grizzly bear with a sore paw. Years of working late-night stakeouts as a PI and sleeping in the next morning had taken their toll on him. He was definitely not an early bird.

After tossing and turning for hours last night, he had finally realized that Sophie must be a chameleon. She had the ability to change her personality at the drop of a dime depending on the circumstances. Humph! He had come up against women like her before. Charming and manipulative. And he wasn’t about to fall for her sweetness-and-light routine. If she was that genuine she wouldn’t have dumped her fiancé and headed to Alaska to find a new man, without batting an eyelash.

And Noah had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to her being here in Love than met the eye.

Last night he had called Sussex shortly after dinnertime. The conversation had been awkward and sad, as well as eye-opening. Noah had given Sussex a rundown of his interactions with Sophie, starting off with her admission about being part of the Operation Love program. He knew that hearing this kind of news would feel like a kick in the gut, especially since Sussex appeared to be head over heels in love with Sophie.

Sussex had let out a shocked gasp upon hearing the news. “She’s part of a matchmaking program? No! That can’t be right.”

“Yes, it’s true. I heard it straight from her own lips,” he’d acknowledged. “Sorry to have to tell you that kind of information, but I have to stick to the facts.”

A tortured silence ensued, during which Noah was certain he heard slight sniffling sounds on the other end of the line. The poor guy was a puddle of mush. Meanwhile, Sophie seemed upbeat and content with her life in Love. Their situations were night and day.

He might as well throw the guy a bone. “She’s still single and unattached, though, if it’s any consolation,” Noah added.

“Yes, it is,” Sussex had replied, his tone sounding more upbeat. He cleared his throat. “It gives me hope.”

Noah’s heart had gone out to him. He was clearly besotted with Sophie, the woman who had run out on him. And judging by her desire to find a loving home in Alaska, she didn’t seem to be losing any sleep over her ex-fiancé. That bugged Noah. It showed a coldness in Sophie’s personality that didn’t speak well of her. A woman who tossed men aside like garbage wasn’t to be trusted or admired. He didn’t care one bit how likable she seemed. He knew all too well that some women found it easy to play a role.

The whole thing rankled him more than he cared to admit. He knew what it felt like to be ditched. Abandoned. And he hated the fact that Sophie had twisted this man around until he hadn’t known if he was coming or going. Although he had wanted to tell Sussex to get a grip on his feelings and move on, Noah knew that rich men didn’t listen to peons like himself. No, it had been apparent from Sussex’s expensive suits, fancy car and the fact that he’d paid in cash that he was a considerably wealthy man.

And what was that saying people always quoted? “The heart wants what it wants.” John Sussex wanted Sophie back something fierce. But just because he wanted her back didn’t mean it was going to work out that way. Sophie seemed to have moved on.

Noah didn’t know what Sussex’s end game was with regards to Sophie. Was he waiting for her to fall for someone, then swoop in to try to win her back? Did he love her so much that he just needed to make sure she was safe and sound? Or was he testing the waters so he could develop a strategy? It was a head-scratcher.

Noah’s instincts were now on high alert. He still felt as if there was something his client wasn’t telling him. Had he been so eager for the big payout that he’d missed a few red flags?

He set a pan down on the stove with a slight bang. Why was he fretting so much about this assignment? He couldn’t allow himself to get emotionally involved. Sure, Sophie had made a great first impression on him, but he suspected it was all smoke and mirrors. She had been way too much of a sweetheart. In other words, too good to be true. In his experience, people weren’t that good-hearted.

Do the job, then take the money and run! It was the smartest way to handle things, considering what he stood to lose if this assignment went off the rails. Just the thought of having to shutter the doors of his company made him feel sick inside. It was the only thing in this world he had ever built for himself out of his own ingenuity and savvy. He couldn’t lose it! And getting tied up in knots about Sussex’s agenda and the inconsistences about Sophie could only muddy the waters.

“Good morning, Noah.” The chirpy voice could belong to no one else but her. There was something about her upbeat tone that brought to mind rainbows and sunshine and puppy dogs.

“Morning,” he said, not raising his eyes from the stove to meet her gaze. No way did he want to look into those expressive eyes when his thoughts were as scrambled as the eggs he had just cooked for Cameron.

Sophie’s image had danced under his eyelids last night as he’d tossed and turned. If he didn’t get it together, things were going to get mighty complicated rather quickly. And Noah didn’t like complicated. He liked orderly and straightforward. He hated curveballs. Sophie Miller was rapidly becoming a problem in his uncomplicated world.

“Did you get settled in last night?” she asked. Her voice was infused with so much cheer and a lightness he desperately needed to hear at the moment.

Unable to stop himself, he swung his gaze up. Even in the dullest of brown shirts, Sophie looked resplendent. Her long titian hair hung down in loose waves. Without a trace of makeup on her face she still shimmered. Her full lips were a perfect shade of pink. Her green eyes—the color of Irish moss—sparkled. She had a pleasant expression on her face, one that caused a slight uptick in the beating of his heart.

He frowned. She wasn’t making things easy for him. Another wave of sympathy for Sussex roared through him.

“Pretty much,” he said curtly. He didn’t want to encourage too much conversation with her, at least not until he could get a handle on how best to deal with her. Noah needed to figure out how to get close to Sophie without things becoming too personal. There needed to be an invisible line drawn in the sand, one he couldn’t step across. Establishing boundaries was a good idea.

“How are you liking Cameron’s place?” Sophie asked. “I always thought it had such fantastic views of the bay. At night you can really catch a glimpse of the constellations.”

“It’s nice,” he said, reaching up for an order slip. He pretended to study it so he wouldn’t have to look in Sophie’s direction again.

“And it’s fairly close to everything in town, so it will be really convenient for you. Not to mention you don’t have much of a commute to work,” she continued. “That will be a lifesaver when it’s storming outside or the roads are icy. Or even if you want to pick up something at the post office.”

“I imagine so,” he muttered. Although he sensed Sophie meant well, her friendly demeanor was making his assignment exponentially more cumbersome.

She continued to chatter away. “Just wait till you meet Emma, Cameron’s little girl. She’s a charmer if there ever was one. And Cameron’s wife, Paige, is wonderful.” Sophie shook her head and her mane of red hair rippled across her shoulders. “Matter of fact, everyone here in Love is pretty amazing. You’ll see what I’m talking about once you start meeting folks.”

“I’m kind of busy here, Sophie,” he snapped.

He instantly saw the hurt flash in her eyes. She resembled a wounded deer. A piercing sensation stabbed him in the gut. He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but pushing her away had felt like throwing himself a life preserver. It was difficult to establish boundaries between them when Sophie was treating him like her new best friend.

It took her a moment to recover. “Okay, then,” she said in a crisp tone. “I won’t waste another second of your time.” She turned on her heel and disappeared from the kitchen as if her feet were on fire.

Once she’d gone, Noah let out a tortured groan. He wanted to follow after her and apologize, but he knew the words would just stick in his throat. He’d never been good at smoothing things over.

Well, he’d just managed to solve his problem regarding Sophie’s close proximity to him. He had just proved to her without a shadow of a doubt that he was a total jerk. Noah couldn’t imagine that she’d want anything further to do with him. And that thought left him feeling way more shattered than he could have ever imagined.

* * *

Sophie blinked away the tears that had pooled in her eyes. She wasn’t sure whether she was furious or embarrassed. Who did Noah Callahan think he was, anyway? He was a newbie in town, and since she had been in that position herself, she’d wanted to show him grace and kindness and fellowship. Everyone in Love had treated her with compassion when she had arrived here. She had just been trying to pay it forward with Noah!

Clearly, that had been a major mistake.

Noah had been all kinds of wonderful yesterday when he’d rescued her from a long walk to the Black Bear Cabins. What had happened to alter his mood so drastically? Sophie thought he’d been as sweet as peaches and cream yesterday. She’d been looking forward to getting to know him better. Last night she’d thought of him before she closed her eyes to go to sleep. He had been so kind, and she respected the way he had come to Love for a steady job and a regular paycheck. That took gumption!

Of course, the fact that he was very easy on the eyes didn’t hurt. A sigh slipped past her lips. His looks were scrumptious. She couldn’t deny it. There was something about Noah that she found very appealing.

Not that his good looks mattered at the moment. There was nothing more of a turnoff than a cutting tongue and incivility. Rudeness was not attractive! It totally went against Sophie’s philosophy about greeting the world with a warm smile and encouraging words. Every single day she put her best foot forward and stepped out on a limb of faith. It was her goal to treat people with kindness. Maybe he was one of those men who knew he was good-looking and tended to act as if he was God’s gift to the universe.

Humph. It would be a hot winter’s day in Alaska before she put herself out there again with Noah Callahan! Perhaps the ladies in his life put up with his snotty ways, but she wasn’t about to put up with his churlishness.

With her head held high, she moved toward the table where her next customer sat awaiting service. “Morning, Dwight. Can I start you off with some coffee before I take your order?”

“Why hello, Sophie.” Dwight Lewis clutched the menu in his hand and peered past her, adjusting his glasses as if he might be able to see better in doing so. Dressed in his signature suit and bow tie, he made Sophie wonder if he ever dressed down in jeans or a sweater. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought of a dressed-down Dwight. She might not even recognize him.

“Are you waiting for someone to join you?” she asked, saying a silent prayer that he was meeting up with someone special for an early-morning date.

Dwight Lewis was the town treasurer. Although Sophie knew that he meant well, he tended to rub people the wrong way with his desire to keep the books balanced in a town that had almost gone belly-up financially a few years ago. He had a tendency to act like a know-it-all.

Sophie had a feeling that Dwight was just lonely. He had tried on several occasions to pair up with women from the Operation Love program, but so far nothing had stuck. Bless his heart. He deserved love just as much as anyone else in this lovelorn town.

“I, um... Marta usually pops in to say hello when I come for breakfast. Is she around? I haven’t seen her for a few days.” Dwight’s gaze darted about the restaurant as he spoke.

Marta! Sophie had totally forgotten that she and Dwight had gone out on a few dates. Hadn’t Marta told him about her plans? Sympathy flared inside Sophie at the realization that Dwight was about to get his feelings hurt.

She reached out and patted his shoulder. “Oh, Dwight. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but Marta had to go back home for an emergency. She gave notice to Cameron a few weeks ago about having to give up the cook position.”

Dwight resembled a startled owl as he looked up at her. “What? When did she leave?”

Sophie thought for a moment. “Almost a week ago.”

Dwight’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “W-when is she supposed to return?”

“I—I’m not sure she’s coming back, Dwight,” Sophie said, her heart aching as the man’s face fell. He appeared stunned by the news. Although Marta was a nice, unassuming woman, Sophie could wring her neck right now for wounding Dwight like this. Despite his brash attitude, he was a gentle soul.

He bowed his head for a moment, then placed the menu facedown on the table and slowly stood up. “I think I’ll forgo breakfast this morning. I don’t have much of an appetite, after all.” He briskly walked past her, his gaze focused on the exit.

“Wait, Dwight,” she called after him. “If you’d like a listening ear, we could talk over coffee.”

Sophie watched as he slinked out of the café without bothering to answer her. His heart had shattered right before her very eyes. It sent a chill straight through her. If this was love, did she really want to have anything to do with it?

“What was that all about?” Hazel asked in a booming voice as she came up behind Sophie. With her tall height and commanding air, the woman could be a bit intimidating. She was a straight shooter who didn’t mince words. But in Sophie’s eyes, her friend was a real sweetheart and all-around mother figure.

Sophie shrugged. “He was looking for Marta. If I had to hazard a guess, I think he’s in love with her. And now he’s heartbroken because she’s gone and she didn’t even have the courtesy to tell him she was leaving Love.”

Once again this morning, Sophie found herself blinking away tears.

Hazel patted her on the back in a soothing gesture. “Now, now, don’t fret about it. We can’t judge Marta because we really don’t know the entire circumstances. Things will work out for Dwight, one way or another.” Hazel shook her head. “He’s the most exasperating man I’ve ever met, but I still want him to find his happy ending.” She wagged her eyebrows at Sophie. “I’m praying for you to meet your match, as well. Every night before I go to bed I kneel down and ask God to show you favor, Sophie.”

Tears slid down her cheeks. Knowing Hazel prayed for her was incredibly moving for Sophie. “Thank you, Hazel. For everything. You’ve given me roots here in Love. That’s priceless.”

“Everyone needs to be firmly planted somewhere. Now, I haven’t pried into your past, and it hasn’t escaped my attention that you haven’t been very forthcoming about it.” When Sophie opened her mouth, Hazel hushed her. “I’m not complaining, but I would like to point out that perhaps you need to get past whatever is holding you back from finding that man of yours. It’s fine to say you’re part of Operation Love, but remember the love part.”

“I want to find love,” Sophie acknowledged. “And maybe my past is hindering me from doing so,” she hedged. “But I really want things to change for the better in the romance department. If I have to face up to my truths to do it, then so be it.”

Hazel sent her an exaggerated wink. “Well, why don’t you go flirt with our handsome new employee while I go make some coffee drinks? These orders need to go up.” Hazel handed Sophie some order slips and made a shooing motion in the direction of the kitchen.

Sophie didn’t bother to make a fuss. At some point or other she would have to interact with Noah again. There was no sense in telling Hazel or Cameron that the new hire had made her feel awful earlier. Knowing Cameron, he would take Noah to task for it. He was as protective of her as an older brother. And Hazel was such a firecracker. There was no telling how she would react. No, it was best to keep quiet and handle the situation with grace and dignity.

Sophie made her way to the kitchen and placed the two order slips on the spindle. It would be Noah’s job to take the slips down and prep the food. She didn’t even have to look at him if she didn’t want to. His back was to her and he was cooking something that smelled scrumptious.

There weren’t any dishes at the pass-through, but a plate sat on the butcher-block table directly behind Noah. Not wanting to speak to him, Sophie reached out for the plate, then instantly recoiled as heat seared her palm and fingers. The plate clattered to the floor. She let out a cry and closed her eyes as pain seared her hand.

“Sophie. Are you all right?” She watched through a red haze as Noah whirled around and reached her side in seconds. “Is it your hand?”

She nodded, gritting her teeth at the agony caused by the burn. He gently reached for her wrist and examined the damage.

He let out a tutting sound. “It looks like a third-degree burn. You need some salve for it and a bandage.” Noah’s eyes were intense as he locked gazes with her. She nodded solemnly. All of a sudden she knew that she was in great hands. Noah was confident and masterful. He was taking charge of the situation.

“Where’s your first-aid kit?” he asked.

She jutted her chin in the direction of the sink. “In the top drawer.”

Noah turned around and headed toward the drawer. He pulled it open, yanking out the kit and rummaging around until he found ointment and a large Band-Aid.

“Sit on the stool,” he commanded, nodding toward it. Sophie sat down and peered up at him as he bent over and began patching her up. His movements were gentle and precise as he placed the ointment on her hand and wound a white cloth bandage around it. “The burn is in an awkward place, particularly for a server. It’s going to be tender for a bit and you’re going to have to put ointment on it regularly so it doesn’t get infected.”

“Thanks, Noah. It was stupid of me to reach for the plate without asking about it. If it had been ready to be served you would have put it at the pass.” It had been foolish to just pick up the plate, but she’d been so annoyed with Noah that she hadn’t wanted to communicate with him. She’d been childish. The burn had been the result of her pride.

“We need to communicate better, since we’ll be working together.” He patted his hand against his chest. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to talk to me. I’m so sorry about earlier. I acted like a jerk. I hope you won’t hold it against me.” His eyes were filled with contrition. In one instant, Noah wore down her defenses. How in the world could she hold a grudge against a man who had bandaged her up so nicely?

“Got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” she teased.

“I’m not exactly a morning person,” he admitted. “I don’t function well unless I get my eight hours.”

“Well, here’s a little tip that I learned when I first arrived in town. At night, crack your window just a wee bit so you can get a dose of pure Alaskan air. If that doesn’t give you a perfect night’s rest, I don’t know what will.”

“I’ll take that advice, Sophie,” Noah said. “I better get back at it before the customers start a revolt. Gimme a few minutes for the eggs, sausage and pancake order.” After flashing a perfect smile, Noah turned back toward the stove and began cooking up a storm. Sophie stood and watched him for a few moments, admiring his strong arms and the powerful slope of his neck. Knowing she might be ogling him, she forced herself to leave the kitchen and head back to the dining area.

She felt as light as a feather. A sense of euphoria rose up inside her. Sophie felt as if she was floating on air.

All this time she had been hoping and praying to meet a man who gave her goose bumps. And now, out of the clear blue sky, it had happened. Kismet. A connection. The entire time Noah had been nursing her wound Sophie had been trying to figure out the sensations coursing through her.

Goose bumps! The same type Maw Maw had always told her about. And it came from an unlikely person. Despite the fact that he’d been an absolute jerk, Noah Callahan had given her goose bumps. Finally, after all these weeks and months, an Alaskan hottie had made her feel something worth rejoicing over. A real honest-to-goodness romantic connection. There was no doubt about it as far as she was concerned. For the first time in well over a year, she felt an earth-shaking, heart-pounding attraction to a man.

All of a sudden, she felt her enthusiasm come to a crashing halt. Hazel’s heartfelt words had forced her to realize that she had been reluctant to find love because of the lie she’d been living. And nothing had changed in that regard. She was still harboring secrets about her true identity and economic status.

Noah was a man who had come to Love in need of a job and a steady paycheck. Guilt threatened to choke her. She had never been in his precarious position. Even now she had a safety net—her father and a trust fund set up in her name. Noah was clearly just getting by in life and trying to put one foot in front of the other in order to keep himself solvent. It would be the height of irony if she became involved with a man who seemed to be struggling to make ends meet.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in Sophie’s chest. For a moment she found it a little hard to breathe. For so long she’d wondered why none of the men in Love had appealed to her on a romantic level, despite all their wonderful attributes. The truth was staring her straight in the face. Most of the men in Love held blue-collar jobs, and due to the town’s recession a few years ago, were working hard to stay financially afloat. A part of her had felt too guilty about her wealthy origins to fully commit to looking for a partner.

There was no getting around it. The fact that she was a billionaire’s daughter masquerading as a barista-waitress might not sit well with an average Joe like Noah. He was a working-class man who might not understand why an heiress was masquerading in an Alaskan fishing village as a waitress.

Dear Lord, please help me figure a way out of this mess. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel a few stirrings in my heart. Noah intrigues me. But I’ve been living with this lie for so long that I’m frightened of what might happen if I tell the truth. I’ve built a life for myself here in Love and my friends have become like family. I don’t want to lose them. Please shine a light for me so I can find my way toward the truth.

Chapter Four

Noah whistled an upbeat tune as he readied himself for his shift at the Moose Café. Strangely enough, he was getting used to morning hours. He’d made it a daily ritual to go outside to Cameron’s back porch and watch the sun rise as it crept up over the mountains. This view was food for his soul. He inhaled a deep breath of pristine Alaskan air, then slowly exhaled. Noah had the strangest sense that he was exactly where God wanted him to be at this very moment in time.

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