Alaskan-Reunion (9 page)

He cleared his throat. “The truth is, I kept thinking about all the purchases you had made around that time. You were only working part-time as a consultant, but it seemed as if you were flush with money. The new car. A host of new outfits. Jewelry. The Hawaii trip.”

Paige winced. She shook her head. “I can’t believe you thought I used stolen funds. I received money from my mother’s estate, Cameron. It was turned over to me on my twenty-fifth birthday. And I plan to turn it over to Emma on her twenty-first birthday so she’ll have a nest egg. I was a little foolish with some of the money at the time, but it was mine to use.”

Bile rose in his throat. Paige had never divulged to him that she had money from a trust fund.

“It also seemed incredible to me that you had no idea where he’d gone when he disappeared from Love. Or that he hadn’t reached out to you,” Cameron added. He let out a huge shudder. “As much as Robert adored you, it just seemed impossible to believe that you didn’t have those answers. It felt like you were hiding things from us so we couldn’t pursue legal action against him. Or that you had planned to meet up with him the whole time.”

Tears slid down Paige’s face and he resisted the urge to brush them away. Honesty came at a price, he realized. He’d hurt Paige by giving her the truthful answers she’d been seeking. All he wanted to do in this moment was take her into his arms and hold her against his chest to soothe her tears. He took a halting step forward, then stopped.

Did he still have the right to comfort her?

“But I didn’t know his whereabouts. I promise you. He told me nothing,” Paige insisted. “It wasn’t until months later that he showed up in Seattle telling me he had only a few months to live. I took him in because he was sick and dying and remorseful. No matter what he had done, I forgave him in that moment. I extended grace to him, knowing his life was ebbing away with every breath he took. So if I’m guilty of anything, it’s that. For giving my father a place to stay and for taking care of him instead of turning him in to the authorities. I admit that I did those things.”

Years ago, even months ago, he would have felt scornful about Paige’s explanation for harboring her father. But now, after holding his own daughter in his arms, all he felt was compassion. For a daughter who had a generous heart and a man who knew his time in this world had been coming to an end. And what an end it had been for Robert. Ravaged by cancer and vilified for being a thief and a liar. He wouldn’t wish that kind of downfall on any human being, especially not a man who had taught him so much about life.

“I can’t fault you for loving your father,” Cameron blurted out. “I’m glad you could provide him comfort in his final weeks.”

Paige’s eyes widened. She wasn’t the only one shocked by his statement. He’d managed to surprise himself with the admission. Mere days ago he wouldn’t have been able to say these words. His resentment toward Robert and Paige had been too strong and too ingrained in his very being.

Once Paige had stepped foot back in Love with his daughter, something had shifted inside him. Talking to Boone earlier had cemented it. Paige might very well be innocent. He was no longer certain of her culpability. Two years ago there had been such a frenzy over Robert Reynolds and the embezzled money that everyone in Love had wanted to place blame. Paige had been the perfect scapegoat. He had to own his part in it. Rather than shout down the accusations, he had been so twisted up inside by Robert’s betrayal that he’d allowed himself to believe in Paige’s guilt. And he realized now that she had paid the ultimate price for her father’s crimes.

“Since you came back, I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure things out. It shames me to admit that I made assumptions about you, Paige. You were as much a victim as everybody else in this town. Maybe even more. You were driven out of your hometown based on suspicions and accusations. Because of what happened, you lost faith in your father. And that’s a terrible thing. I’ve been down that road myself with both my parents. I know what a kick in the gut it is.”

“I wish that I could say I understand completely, but I don’t,” Paige said in a low voice. “We loved each other. You were the other half of me. How could you have forgotten what we meant to each other?”

Cameron clenched his teeth. “I didn’t forget. I’ve never forgotten. Not then. Not now. I allowed my suspicions and anger to color my view of things. I’ll have to live with my colossal mistake, and someday I’ll have to explain it to Emma.”

Paige’s chin trembled. She looked down and fumbled with her fingers. “I wasn’t treated fairly by you or this town. I’m glad you are able to acknowledge that you were wrong. I hope one day soon the town will be able to recognize that I was innocent of wrongdoing. I want that for myself, but also for our daughter.”

Cameron had no idea if the townsfolk were at a point where they could see the error in their judgment of her. After believing Paige to be guilty for so long, it felt a little strange to let it all go. But, he had to admit, he felt as if a mighty weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“For the time being I think we should focus on Emma and your idea for the cannery,” he suggested.

Paige nodded. “I agree. It would be wonderful if everyone in town rallies around moving forward with that project.”

Cameron couldn’t help but chuckle. So far Paige was proving to be very determined in her quest. As far as she was concerned, all roads led back to the cannery.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, a slight scowl marring her stunning features.

How had he forgotten that Paige hated to be laughed at? It was a pet peeve of hers that went all the way back to her teenage years.

He held up his hands. “I’m not laughing at you, but your persistence reminds me of that feisty fifteen-year-old girl who wouldn’t rest until Love declared a special day for snowy owls.”

Paige let out a low chuckle that seemed to emanate from deep inside her. She raised her hand to her mouth as if self-conscious. “I thought they deserved some recognition. They are unbelievably beautiful and underappreciated.”

Cameron grinned as memories of Paige’s snowy-owl campaign trickled through his mind. She had been full of passion and grit and dedication. And her efforts had paid off. To this day, the town had an annual “show some love to snowy owls” day. All thanks to Paige. It served as a reminder that this woman was capable of making incredible things happen by sheer will and determination. For the first time since she’d brought up the topic, he was beginning to believe that the cannery project might actually get off the ground.

“I’ve always loved snowy owls. I still do. And so does your daughter.”

Your daughter.
The shock in hearing those words was beginning to wear off. All he felt now was a fierce desire to get to know Emma.

“In a few weeks they’ll be back in Alaska for breeding season. Maybe Emma would like to go out to the Nottingham Woods and catch a glimpse of them.”

Paige nodded. The corners of her lips turned upward into a radiant smile that traveled straight through him. “That would be great. I know she would be pleased with any kind of outing.”

“I want to get to know her. Her favorite color. What she likes to eat. The things that make her cry.” He felt a pang at the realization that he didn’t know very much about his own daughter. All he knew for certain was that he wanted to discover every last fact about her. Her birthday. Did she like puppies?

“Forgive me for robbing you of those answers,” Paige said. Her hazel eyes were full of regret. “If I’d told you about Emma sooner, you’d already know all those things. For starters, Emma loves pink. And her birthday is December 5th. The sound of thunder makes her cry. And she loves pancakes.”

He couldn’t dwell on all the lost moments. All he could do was focus on what lay ahead. Hopefully, a lifetime as Emma’s dutiful, doting father.

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The verse from Corinthians served as reassurance of the path he was walking on. There was no more time for holding on to bitterness.

“I think it’s safe to say that we both want what’s beneficial for Emma. The best way to give her that is to give ourselves a clean slate with each other. We need to put the past firmly behind us.” And in doing so, they would be cementing a bright and happy future for their child. Recriminations would only serve to hurt her. His own childhood living under the roof of two feuding parents had caused him more pain than he could ever adequately express with words. Emma’s life would not be marred by friction and discord.

Paige released a huge breath. Her features appeared less tense than a few moments ago.

“I think I can live with that,” she said with a nod of her head.

On impulse, he reached out and brushed her hair away from her face. His fingers trailed down her cheek, lingering way longer than they should have. Their eyes held and locked. Tension simmered in the air between them. He took a step closer so that they stood mere inches away from each other. His finger moved toward her lips and he gently traced the outline of them. If he just dipped his head down, their lips could meet in the sweetest of kisses. Just one tender caress might serve as a reminder of everything they had once shared.

The familiar jingle of a bell warned him that they were no longer alone, despite the Closed sign on the front door. A quick turn of his head confirmed that fact.

Paige’s nanny had just crossed the threshold with Emma, who was holding her hand and taking dainty steps beside her. A brown teddy bear, who looked as if he had seen better days, was in her other hand. Although Cameron was tickled at the sight of his daughter teetering toward them, he wished his tender moment with Paige could have lasted longer. He wasn’t sure if he would have followed through with it, but the sudden urge to place a soft kiss on her lips had roared through him just as they had been interrupted.

“Mama,” Emma cried out, lifting her hands up to Paige. The teddy bear fell to the floor. He quickly picked it up and dusted it off on his shirt, then handed it back to Emma, who was now peeping up at him from Paige’s arms.

“Here you go, princess,” Cameron said in a singsong voice.

“Say ‘Thank you, Dada,’” Paige instructed. “Dada picked up Lola Bear.”

Emma frowned at her mother. She shook the bear. “Lola,” she repeated.

“Dada,” Paige said again, then looked at Cameron. “That’s Dada.”

Emma looked away, then burrowed her face into Paige’s chest. Cameron felt a stab of disappointment. At the moment he would give anything to hear Emma call him Daddy. It was amazing how quickly one’s priorities changed once a child came into existence. But he needed to be patient. Children learned at their own time and pace. Such things couldn’t be rushed.

“The wee one is plumb tuckered out. She had a fitful nap earlier,” Fiona explained, stepping forward to pat Emma on the back. Paige swayed from side to side, rocking Emma into slumber.

Cameron found himself transfixed by the sight of mother and daughter sharing such a heartwarming moment. Even though he and Paige were no longer romantically involved, they were still a family.

“I should get her home,” Paige whispered after a few minutes, reaching for her purse.

With a lump in his throat, Cameron said his goodbyes and watched as Paige, Emma and Fiona left the café and headed back to the homestead for the afternoon.

He didn’t quite know how to explain the ache in his chest. It was as if their absence had somehow created a hole inside him that nothing else could fill up. A few days ago the Moose Café and the Prescott family had been the most important things in his world. That was no longer true. As soon as Paige had introduced him to his beautiful little girl, a portion of his heart had no longer been his own. Emma now owned a huge chunk of it. And he had the sneaking suspicion that if he wasn’t careful, her mother might soon lay claim to the rest of it.

Chapter Seven

T
he weekly meeting for the town of Love was scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. sharp. As Paige walked down Jarvis Street toward the historic town hall building, she took a few soothing breaths to calm her nerves. Sunlight danced across her face and she found herself feeling thankful for the extended hours of daylight. She couldn’t believe Wednesday had rolled around so quickly. Doubts were beginning to creep in. Was it really a good idea to stand before the council and the residents of Love to lobby for the town to revisit the cannery deal?

Don’t bite off more than you can chew, Paige.
That had always been one of her father’s favorite expressions. Ever since she was a little girl, he had warned her against it. More times than not, due to her stubborn nature, she hadn’t heeded his advice. She stood still for a moment and shut her eyes as bittersweet memories washed over her. Her father’s presence was strong in her heart and mind today. The terrible ache of loss was still there, serving as a reminder that the imperfections of human beings didn’t mean they were loved any less. Hate the sin and not the sinner.

Keep going. Don’t give up now.
His encouraging voice whispered in the wind. Despite everything, she still was holding on to all the good qualities of the man she’d cared for so dearly. Living beyond his means had led him to do a despicable and desperate act. But it couldn’t erase all the good years when he had been her everything. Now it was time for her to work toward allowing him to rest in peace.

Before she knew it, she had reached the town hall. The brick-and-white building was three stories high and one of the oldest landmarks in town. Old-fashioned lampposts graced the sidewalk in front of the building, while Arctic willow shrubs sat by the first-floor windows. Once she stepped inside, gleaming hardwood floors and copper accents jumped out at her. Steeped in history, this building was one of the most ornate in town. A hum of activity emanated from the meeting room down the hall. In order to get to the room, she had to walk the gauntlet of residents who were gathered in the hallway. Some nodded or sent a smile her way, while others began whispering or looked away at the sight of her. The murmurs were a glaring reminder that her reputation in Love was tainted by past events. Even Cameron didn’t fully believe in her. Not in the ways that mattered most.

Lord, please be with me. This meeting is so important for Love’s future. And it would be a huge step forward in providing closure for everyone who was harmed by my father’s greed. Let their minds be open to what I have to say.

Cameron was already seated in the front row when she walked in. She let out the breath she had been holding ever since she had walked into the building. Some of his earlier comments had led her to believe he might stay away tonight. Part of her wouldn’t have blamed him if he had. The first cannery project had brought him more grief and shame than he could ever have anticipated. And he still questioned whether she had been in collusion with her father. She could see the doubts radiating from his eyes now and again.

As if he sensed that she was there, Cameron turned and waved at her, beckoning her over to sit with him.

“I didn’t know if you would be here,” she said once she reached his side, feeling immensely relieved by his strong presence. At the moment she desperately needed to be bolstered.

“I told you I’d come. Despite what I said about not being your ally, I stand behind your proposal. And I won’t hesitate to let folks in town know that I think it’s a no-brainer.”

Gratitude swelled inside her chest. “Thank you. That makes me feel so much better. My nerves are beginning to get the best of me.” She smoothed back a few runaway strands of hair.

Cameron gazed down at her, his handsome features creased with concern.

“Remember what brought you back. Emma and your father’s dying wish. You’re acting in the best interests of this town. Don’t overthink this. I don’t think you can go wrong if you speak from your heart.”

She smiled at him. He was such a great support system. Memories of the sweet relationship they had once shared filled her head. “You’re right about that. I just have to keep in mind what I’m fighting for by coming here and advocating for the cannery.”

“And don’t forget to mention that huge check you gave to Jasper. That’s sure to win over hearts and minds,” Cameron said with an easy smile that made its way up to his eyes.

It felt wonderful to have his encouragement, but she didn’t want to rely on him too much for emotional support. It would be so easy to give in to the familiar rhythms of their past relationship. Those days were gone forever! For Emma’s sake they had agreed to work together and stay positive, but being around Cameron was dangerous to Paige’s equilibrium. She had promised herself she’d view him as the father of her child and nothing more. But that was becoming more and more of a problem. The other day at the Moose Café she had yearned for a kiss from him. When he had moved close to her and touched her lips, she had sensed it was coming. In that moment she had wanted it more than anything else in the world.

And she still did. Even now, in the midst of this important meeting, she still couldn’t stop thinking about reliving that moment with Cameron. And it was distracting her from the matter at hand.

As six o’clock approached, she watched as Jasper, Boone and Hazel took their seats along with the other members of the town council. Townsfolk began spilling into the room until it was standing room only.

Cameron leaned toward her and whispered, “Standing room only. You don’t see that very often here.”

Something told her that word had got out about her appearance here tonight. It seemed highly unlikely that a town meeting would be overflowing with so many people.

Jasper called them all to order and promptly began to go over the minutes from the last meeting. She sat through dry discussions about town ordinances, zoning issues, business permits and a complicated issue about a runaway moose. It was all so terribly uninteresting, she realized. Paige perked up when Jasper began to give the stats for the Operation Love program.

Jasper reached for his glasses and perched them on the bridge of his nose. “Let’s see. According to my records, forty-four women have arrived after the story broke about Gracie and Boone’s romance. That media blitz gave this town a lot of mileage.” Jasper chuckled and darted a glance in Boone’s direction. “It seems that everyone is inspired by an old-fashioned love story.” A smattering of applause rang out in the room.

“So far we have a grand total of sixty-six women who decided to relocate here in the pursuit of love,” Jasper announced. “I think that deserves a hearty round of applause.” A heavy thunder of applause ensued.

“How many decided not to stay?” someone called out from the audience.

“I was getting to that! Haven’t you ever heard that patience is a virtue?” Jasper barked. He looked down at his folder. “A total of seventeen of these ladies decided they couldn’t hack it in Alaska.”

“Is there any indication as to why these women chose not to stay in Love?” Boone asked. “Perhaps if we find those answers, we can head off any issues that might arise.”

Jasper frowned at Boone, who was sitting on his right side. “If someone comes to this haven and makes the foolish decision to leave, I’m not going to pepper them with questions about the whys and wherefores. It takes strength of character to live in an Alaskan fishing village. We should just look at it as weeding out the weak ones.”

Cameron let out a groan at Jasper’s comment. He put his head in his hands.

“That leaves a total of forty-nine plucky and admirable ladies for you fortunate single men who are seeking the woman of your dreams. And thanks to Hazel, most of them are living at Black Bear Cabins.” He peered out into the audience. “I don’t know what some of you men are waiting for. Do you need an engraved invitation to go courting? I’m talking to you, Ricky Stanton. And you, Hank Jeffries. Don’t think I don’t see you in the back row, Declan O’Rourke. You’re known as the most handsome man in town, according to what the females say. Don’t you think it’s high time you settled down with a good woman? You’ve got almost fifty to choose from.”

“Sure thing, Jasper,” Declan drawled. “I’ll get right on that.”

“Jasper. Stop poking at Declan,” Hazel said in a loud stage whisper from his left side. “Get on with it.”

He shuffled his papers. “And now I have some news that involves town finances.”

Dwight Lewis, town treasurer, piped up. “Finances? Isn’t that under my purview?”

“Don’t get yourself in a snit,” Jasper said. “This financial matter falls under the heading of special circumstances. I reserve my rights and privileges as town mayor to address it in any manner I see fit.”

Dwight nodded his head but he didn’t appear mollified by Jasper’s explanation. Having gone to high school with Dwight, Paige knew he had a bent for order and following the rules without exception. She could sense by the way he was fiddling with his bow tie that he was unsettled by Jasper encroaching on his job description.

“As part of this exciting news, I need to shine a spotlight on one of our own, a native daughter of this village.” He swung his gaze to Paige. “Some of you might have heard that Paige Reynolds is back in town.” A low rumble went up in the room. A few hisses rent the air. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

“Hush!” Jasper said. He raised his gavel and banged it on the table. “Keep things civil or I’ll toss you out of here on your—”

“Jasper!” Boone warned, cutting his grandfather off before he could get himself in trouble.

Paige bowed her head. She should have been used to being snubbed, but it still hurt to know she wasn’t welcome in Love. If only they could understand she was acting only in the best interests of the town she loved so dearly. She was trying her best to be unselfish.

Cameron turned toward the townsfolk and glared at them. “Have some manners!” he growled. “Stop acting like a bunch of small-town bullies.”

“Well said, grandson,” Jasper said with an approving nod of his head. “Let’s show some decorum. I’m now going to give Paige the floor. She has something of vital importance to discuss.” Jasper wiggled his eyebrows. “And it has to do with this sizable check she brought made out to the town of Love.” Jasper waved the check in the air.

Dwight turned up his nose as if he had smelled something foul. “This is highly irregular. You have no standing here, Paige Reynolds.”

Paige met Dwight’s beady eyes head-on. “I disagree. I happen to own property here in Love, which makes me a taxpayer and a resident.”

“That’s true,” Declan shouted from the back of the room. “She has every right to come before us.”

Dwight began to riffle through his bylaws. “I’m not sure one can just flit back into town after a two-year absence and try to conduct new business at a town meeting. Surely that’s not allowed under the rules of order.”

“There’s no such stipulation,” Hazel said in a crisp voice. “And this topic actually falls under old business, Dwight. It has to do with the cannery deal.”

Dwight adjusted his spectacles. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I believe that business concluded when Robert Reynolds stole from the town coffers and single-handedly put the kibosh on our plans.” He tapped his chin. “Hmm...he then fled this jurisdiction, quickly followed, I might add, by his daughter. And now we’re supposed to entertain a motion by said accomplice.”

Cameron jumped to his feet. “What you just said is slanderous!” He began to make a motion as if he was going to approach the dais. “And if you breathe another word of that kind of talk, you and I are going to have a problem that might just require you to get a new pair of glasses.”

Paige tugged at Cameron’s arm and pulled him back to a seated position. “Cameron, don’t waste your breath. The only thing Dwight understands is the bottom line. And in his mind I’m tainted by my father’s guilt.”

“He’d better watch the name-calling,” Cameron seethed.

Paige looked over at Jasper. “Would you like to explain why I came back to Love or shall I?”

Jasper surprised her by grinning at her. “I think you’ve earned the right to tell this town the big news.”

Dwight made an audible sound of outrage. His face resembled a thundercloud.

She looked to Cameron, who gave her a nod of encouragement. Paige stood up on trembling legs and turned toward the large audience. She cleared her throat and scanned the room for a friendly face. A few rows away a beautiful, dark-haired woman sent her an encouraging smile. It took only a moment for Paige to realize it was Grace, Boone’s wife. She had seen her photo enough in media reports to recognize her stunning features.

Feeling slightly self-conscious, she fiddled with her sleeves. “Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Prescott, for allowing me the floor. I’m Paige Reynolds. Most of you have known me for years. And you knew my father, Robert. Many of you were his friends.” Her voice quivered a bit. “I know he let this town down. He let me down, too. I was raised by a man who taught me right from wrong. He guided me by solid principles. I don’t know the exact reasons he went so far astray, but I do know that at the end of his life he deeply regretted his actions. He sought forgiveness. And redemption. With his last breath, he asked me to come back to Love. My father realized that the money he took wasn’t enough to soothe the pain he caused by betraying this town. It’s like the Bible says—‘For what will it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul?’

“One of the reasons I came back was to return a portion of the funds he stole.” Audible gasps could be heard among the townsfolk. “A very large sum that can help this town immensely. I want the money to do great things for Love. I know some of you might think that I have no right to have any say in this, but I’m committed to the financial growth of this town. That has never wavered. And I have the business background and education to support it.”

“Thank you for the five-hankie moment,” Dwight interrupted. “But what does all this have to do with anything? You’ve basically returned money that rightfully belonged to this town.”