An Alaskan Christmas

Maggie was one of the most attractive women Finn had ever encountered. He felt a stab of discomfort as he realized she might soon be joining the ranks of Operation Love. After all, most women who arrived in the small fishing village came to town in the pursuit of a romantic match.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that men would line up in droves for an opportunity to date the beautiful single mother. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, but in Finn’s humble estimation, Maggie Richards was the most stunning woman who had ever stepped foot in Love, Alaska.

He shrugged off thoughts of Maggie. She was way out of his league and he needed to keep his eye on the prize and not get distracted by thoughts of sweet-faced, green-eyed women. It had been a long time since he’d been romantically involved with anyone. Way too long according to Declan.

So far Finn himself had rejected the idea of being paired up with anyone. Although he didn’t disapprove of Jasper’s matchmaking program, Finn had learned a long time ago that he wasn’t the home-and-hearth type. His fractured childhood was proof enough for him.

“Hey, Finn!” Hazel called out to him, waving him over toward her table. “Come over and join us.”

Finn walked over to the table, greeting Sophie along the way as she gracefully carried a tray full of food and drinks. “I’ll be right over to take your order, Finn,” Sophie said with a nod.

“Just bring me a bowl of the soup of the day and a coffee,” Finn said.

The only available seat at the table was right next to Maggie. Finn tried not to stare at her as he sat down. It was a near-impossible task. The light scent of her perfume rose to his nostrils. It smelled like vanilla and roses. He couldn’t think of the last time a woman had sparked such a response in him. For so long now he’d just been going through the motions and avoiding getting close to anyone. Even his family.

Maggie leaned a bit toward him. Her voice flowed over him like a warm breeze. “I forgot my manners earlier, Finn. Thank you for getting us safely to Love on your seaplane. You’re an amazing pilot.”

He locked gazes with her, marveling at the deep green color of her eyes. “You’re quite welcome. It was my pleasure. I think it’s safe to say flying is in my DNA.”

She grinned at him, showcasing dimples on either side of her mouth. “Your parents must be very proud, as well as your grandfather. Back when we were kids he really fawned over you and Declan. Killian thought the two of you had hung the moon.”

Finn felt his face fall. Maggie had no idea about his mother’s death or the circumstances surrounding it. He felt a little ache at the prospect of dredging up painful memories. There was no point in dodging it. Sooner or later, someone would tell Maggie about it and she would wonder why he hadn’t mentioned it.

“My mother passed away quite a while ago. Actually, it was shortly after the last time you visited Love.” He looked down at the table and began fiddling with his fingers. He might as well tell her everything. “My father left Love years ago. He pretty much fell apart after my mother died. And my grandfather passed on when we were in our late teens.”

She let out a sharp gasp. “Oh, Finn. I’m so sorry to hear that. You’ve lost a lot over the years.”

The sympathetic tone of her voice made him cringe. He didn’t want to be the object of anyone’s pity, especially not Maggie’s.

“I had no idea,” she continued. “My mother and Uncle Tobias had a falling-out not long after we left Alaska, so for many years there was an estrangement. I only got back in touch with him a few years ago. We were able to pick up right where we left off.”

“He mentioned something about the falling-out. Tobias was really thrilled when you reached out to him. Your uncle and I became good friends over the years.”

Maggie twisted her mouth. “I wish that I could have made it back to Love a long time ago.” She let out a little sigh. “I’ll always regret it.”

“Tobias always dreamed of you coming back,” Finn acknowledged, “but he understood you had your own life to live in Boston.”

Oliver walked up to the table and stood close by his mother’s chair.

Maggie nudged him in the side. “Sweetie, don’t you have something to say to Mr. O’Rourke?” She shook her head. “I mean, Finn.”

Oliver slowly moved closer to Finn. For a second it seemed as if he was having trouble looking Finn in the eye. When he did look up, his hazel eyes were full of wonder.

“Thanks for bringing us here.” He chewed his lip for a moment. “I think one day I wanna be a pilot just like you.”

“That’s fantastic, buddy,” Finn said, reaching out and tousling Oliver’s hair. “One of these days I can take you up in one of the planes if your mom says it’s all right. I can show you the local area.”

Oliver’s mouth hung open. Everyone at the table laughed. The sound of Maggie’s tinkling laughter warmed Finn’s insides. Much like the woman herself, it was charming.

“Can I go, Mom? Can I?” The pleading tone of Oliver’s voice was endearing.

“It sounds like a fun excursion,” Maggie conceded. “I think we can make it happen.” Maggie sent Finn a grateful smile. Oliver let out a celebratory hoot as if he’d won a battle. His enthusiasm made Finn feel ten feet tall. He wasn’t used to being viewed as important. That’s how the kid made him feel. It was a nice change from thinking of himself as useless.

He stared blankly at the menu, trying to shake off the desire to look over in Maggie’s direction. There was no sense in him denying it. He felt a pull in her direction. And what man wouldn’t? he asked himself. She seemed like the whole package. Looks. Brains. And he knew from their past she had a lot of heart. But Finn had determined a long time ago he wasn’t suited for romance. And it was clear from where he was sitting that a woman like Maggie was the sort you brought home to Sunday dinner with the folks. She wasn’t one to be trifled with.

Just then Sophie appeared at the table with a tray of food. Thankfully it gave Finn something to focus on other than the woman seated to his right. She placed a bowl of soup down in front of him, along with a hearty-looking sandwich with kale chips on the side. Finn shot her a look of gratitude. Sophie winked at him. As his friend, she knew his financial situation was dodgy. This was her way of helping him out.

Finn took a huge bite of his sandwich, then sampled the lobster bisque, one of Cameron’s specialties. He flashed Sophie a thumbs-up sign.

Instead of heading back to the kitchen, Sophie stood at the table with a concerned look etched on her pretty features.

“What’s wrong, Sophie?” Jasper asked. “You look like you burned something in the kitchen,” he teased.

Sophie’s eyes darted over to Maggie. She bit her lip. “Agnes Muller just called. She knows it’s Jasper’s tradition to bring folks over to the Moose to welcome them to town, so she figured you might be here. She said she’s been trying to reach Maggie since this morning.”

Maggie looked down at her phone and let out a sound of frustration. “Oh, I had my ringer off. She’s going to be Oliver’s babysitter when he starts kindergarten in a few days. It’ll only be for a few hours in the afternoon since he’ll be in school till the early afternoon, but since I want to get the store up and running quickly, she’ll be a big help.” Maggie stood up. “Let me go call her back in case it’s something important.”

Finn’s gaze trailed after Maggie as she walked over to a private area of the café to make her phone call. Even from a distance of twenty feet, Finn could tell something was wrong. Maggie’s face crumpled. The look of distress stamped on her face was evident.

He looked away, reminding himself it was none of his business. The last thing he wanted to do was get wrapped up in somebody else’s problems. The good Lord knew he had enough of his own to focus on.

“Did something happen to Agnes?” Hazel asked Sophie. Her brows were furrowed, eyes full of worry.

“She didn’t say too much but she’s at Liam’s clinic,” Sophie answered, referencing Dr. Liam Prescott, Jasper’s grandson and brother to Cameron, Boone and Honor. “She wanted to talk to Maggie first, but she sounded pretty weak, if you ask me.”

Hazel made a tutting sound. “Lots of folks have been coming down with the flu. I pray she rebounds quickly if that’s what’s ailing her.”

All eyes were on Maggie as she returned to the table. It was evident something had happened to turn her sunny mood into a somber one.

“Is everything all right?” Finn asked, the question hurtling off his lips.

Maggie pushed her hair away from her face with a trembling hand. “Agnes took a bad fall this morning. She sprained her ankle and she’s on crutches. There’s no way she’s going to be able to watch Oliver now while I’m working, which puts me in a real bind.” Maggie threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

* * *

Maggie’s stomach was tangled up in knots as she provided the explanation about Agnes’s ankle. She felt a little numb. Her mind was whirling to try to come up with a plan B. Although she felt terribly for Agnes, she now had to worry about getting a replacement for the woman she’d hired as a sitter. Oliver was a great kid, but at his young age it would be hard to keep him entertained while she worked nonstop to get Keepsakes in tip-top shape. In order to capitalize on the Christmas season, Maggie needed to open up the shop as soon as possible. And after seeing the worn sign outside the shop, Maggie had the feeling her work was cut out for her.

The ramifications of the situation roared through her with a mighty force. Finding Agnes had been no easy task. This was a small town with few options for part-time childcare.

She sank back down into her seat and stared mindlessly at the table. She didn’t want to panic about the situation, but she had no idea what she was going to do. Maggie needed the income from Keepsakes. Although Uncle Tobias had left her money in his will, she knew the importance of establishing a nest egg. She planned to stash most of the money in a bank account and live off her proceeds from the store.

Maggie glanced over at Oliver. Thankfully he was in his own world, munching on his pizza and seemingly oblivious to the unfolding drama. He was so sensitive these days. She didn’t want him to worry about who would be taking care of him while she was at work.

“We’ll just have to find somebody to fill in for Agnes,” Hazel said. Maggie had the feeling Hazel was trying to sound chipper for her benefit.

“That might be easier said than done,” Jasper responded with a frown. “Why don’t you write down the particulars? Hours and salary. Anything you feel is pertinent to the position. I’ll circulate it around town hall and see if anybody bites.”

Maggie let out the breath she’d been holding. The mayor of Love was making it clear she wasn’t alone in this. Gratitude rose up inside her. She’d felt so terribly isolated and alone for the last year. It was nice to know things in this town might be quite different for her and Oliver.

Maggie ferreted around inside her purse and pulled out a small notebook and a pen. When she was done writing, she ripped the page out and placed it down on the table before sliding it toward Jasper.

He looked up at Maggie and twitched his eyebrows. “Not many hours since it’s an after-school position, but I’ll post it up. You might get a teenager looking for hours like this.”

A teenager! How in the world could she leave her son with someone so young? Maggie knew it wasn’t out of the ordinary, but in her world it was. Being overprotective of her son was a by-product of having her husband taken away from her in such a tragic way.

“I appreciate anything you can do. Problem is, I need to hire someone as soon as possible. I need to get this resolved so I can get the shop up and running.” Maggie felt her voice becoming clogged with emotion. Everything had been working so smoothly until this rug had been pulled out from under her.

Anxiety grabbed ahold of her. Despite her desire to be courageous, she found herself faltering. For most of her life, Maggie had struggled with anxiety. It tended to rear its ugly head in times such as this one when she felt things were spiraling out of her control. Other times it just struck her out of the blue. She took slow breaths to steady herself, reminding herself that she wasn’t dying or in danger, even though it felt like it when anxiety overwhelmed her.

“I think you need to get some rest, Maggie. You’ve been traveling all day and pretty soon jet lag is going to settle in.” The rich timbre of Finn’s voice startled her. For the most part he’d been sitting at the table as a quiet observer. His green eyes were sure and steady as they locked with her own. “I think a good night’s rest will help you.”

Maggie nodded, knowing his words were true. She wanted to check out their new house and unpack some of their things and take a hot shower before crashing. Oliver needed a bath and a good night’s sleep. “That’s a good idea,” she said, feeling grateful to Finn for sensing she was at her limit. She looked over at Oliver. His eyes were beginning to droop. She felt a twinge of guilt for not noticing how tired her son looked.

“I’d like to get going. Oliver is about to conk out. I’d appreciate a ride over to the house,” Maggie said.

Jasper jumped to his feet. He bowed in Maggie’s direction. “Jasper Prescott at your service. Get your coats on and I’ll drive you over there.”

Finn stood up from the table. “Why don’t I drive them home, Jasper? I already have their luggage in my car,” Finn suggested. “It’s in the same direction as my house.”

“Perfect!” Hazel said in a boisterous voice.

“Thanks, Finn,” Jasper said, slapping Finn on the back. “There’s a booster seat by the doorway. We picked it up the other day for Oliver based on Maggie’s instructions.”

“I’ll grab it on my way out,” Finn said.

“Let me just run to the kitchen,” Hazel announced. “I’ve got a few pans of food I cooked for you and Oliver, Maggie. I hope you like lasagna, salmon and tuna casserole. You’ll also find a few things at the house. Staples like pasta, cereal, milk and bread.” She beamed at her. “This way you won’t have to worry about grocery shopping or meals for a few days.”

“That’s really sweet of you, Hazel,” Maggie said, feeling grateful for such generosity. She couldn’t think of a single person in Massachusetts who would have gone out of their way for them. Despite the worry about finding a replacement for Agnes, Maggie had the feeling God had planted her and Oliver right where they needed to be.

Her son stood up and put his jacket on. Maggie reached down and zipped up his down coat. December in Alaska was frigid. Although Boston got cold, it couldn’t compare to this type of biting weather. She reached into her purse and pulled out her son’s hat. Before she could place it on Oliver, he’d moved away from her.

Maggie watched as he raced over to Finn. “What kind of car do you have?” Oliver asked, his face lit up with excitement. Her son seemed to have a sudden burst of energy. No doubt it was due to Finn.

Finn chuckled. “I drive an old truck. It’s pretty cool though since it belonged to my grandfather. I fixed it up and got it back in running condition. Guess what color it is?”

Oliver scrunched up his face. “Um...baby blue like a robin’s egg?”

“Nope. Not even close. It’s as red as Santa Claus’s suit.”

“Whoa,” Oliver exclaimed. “That must be awesome.”

Something told Maggie that Oliver was developing a pretty strong case of hero worship. He seemed to think everything about Finn was cool. Finn had sealed the deal by offering to take Oliver up in one of his planes. She felt a twinge of envy. Maggie couldn’t think of the last time Oliver thought she was the bee’s knees.

“I’m going to go outside and warm up the car so it’s not freezing inside. I’ll meet you guys out front in a few minutes,” Finn said. He held up his palm and Oliver high-fived him.

Maggie knew she should feel grateful for Finn’s offer to drive them to their new house rather than worrying about Oliver’s reaction to him. After all, Finn had already done his job by flying them to Love from Anchorage. She shivered as she watched her son’s gaze trailing after Finn. A fatherless boy would look for father figures anywhere and everywhere. She didn’t want Oliver to get any ideas about her childhood pal being his new daddy.

Finn. He’d sure grown up into an extremely good-looking man. She imagined he drew lots of interest from the females in town. Not that she was looking! Maggie had no interest in romance, which was ironic considering she was smack in the center of Operation Love territory. She was well aware of the program since she’d read the newspaper articles and seen the television shows highlighting Mayor Jasper Prescott’s matchmaking campaign.

Love, Alaska, was Maggie’s shot at redemption. God had blessed her by making her a mother. She owed Oliver a stable, loving home. It was her responsibility. Although her childhood buddy seemed like a nice guy, Maggie had no intention of getting fooled again by good looks and a smile. Romance wasn’t on her agenda.

Love had certainly made a fool of her in the past. It had cost Maggie so very much. Her peace of mind. Dignity. Her reputation. Sam had betrayed her and Oliver. Now, she was solely focused on her son and creating a safe, emotionally healthy world for him. His needs came first. Oliver might want a father, but Maggie definitely didn’t want a husband. She was determined to raise her son by herself and be both mother and father to him.

Maggie needed to keep her eyes on the prize. She had to focus on getting the shop ready for the grand opening and find a sitter for Oliver for the hours he wasn’t in school. A whole new world was opening up for them. Maggie wasn’t going to squander these opportunities.

Chapter Four

As he walked toward his truck Finn let the frigid blast of wintry air wash over him. He’d come outside so he could warm up the car for Maggie and Oliver and place the booster seat inside his truck, but it also provided him with him a few minutes by himself so he could reel in his thoughts.

Although the situation with Agnes was terrible for Maggie, he couldn’t stop thinking about the timing. Tobias’s will stipulated that he needed to help Maggie set up Keepsakes and provide assistance with the grand opening. Perhaps part of helping Maggie could be watching Oliver after school let out so he wouldn’t be underfoot while she set up shop. He could be the part-time sitter.

Finn wasn’t a childcare expert by any means, but he had ties to the community, a way with kids and a fun-loving personality. And for the next few weeks he could devote himself to the position, until such time as he could collect his inheritance from Tobias. While Oliver was in school he could help Maggie with setting up the store and ordering any inventory she needed, as well as doing any heavy lifting. By the time four weeks elapsed, Agnes could very well be on the mend.

It would be win-win for everyone.

The truck had considerably warmed up by the time Finn spotted Maggie and Oliver standing in the doorway of the Moose Café. Maggie held a large shopping bag in her hands. He imagined it contained the meals Hazel had prepared for the two of them. Finn stepped down from the driver’s seat and walked Oliver and Maggie across the street to his truck. He helped Oliver step up into the cab, then took the bag from Maggie before lending her his hand, which felt so small in his larger one.

Once she was buckled in, Finn closed the door and made his way over to the driver’s seat. As Finn began to drive down Jarvis Street, he found himself pointing out local places of interest. He could hear pride ringing out in his own voice.

“The sheriff’s office is right across from the Moose Café,” Finn said, gesturing toward the building. It had been festively decorated with wreaths and red ribbons.

“Is there really a sheriff who works there?” Oliver asked in an awestruck tone.

Finn nodded. “Of course there is. His name is Boone Prescott. He’s Cameron’s brother. And he happens to be a friend of mine in case you’d like to meet him.”

“Whoa. I’ve never met a real-life sheriff before,” Oliver said in a gushing tone. “I’ve only seen them in movies. I hope when I meet him he shows me his shiny gold badge.”

Finn chuckled, enjoying seeing things through Oliver’s fresh eyes. Love was a wonderful town, full of heart and connections and fortitude. The townsfolk had pluck and grit. For many years he hadn’t appreciated his hometown. He’d been too busy trying to stuff down the painful aspects of his childhood. Running away and avoiding all the memories had been the easier path.

And in the process he’d also placed a wedge between himself and Declan. He wanted them to be close again, and they were slowly getting there.

“Oh, what a charming bookstore,” Maggie said, turning to gaze out of the window at the Bookworm shop. “The holiday decorations really make the store come to life.”

Finn nodded in agreement as he took a quick glance at the whimsical window display. Maisie had really gone overboard this year. Sugarplum fairies and dancing reindeer with glowing noses, as well as chubby snowmen and falling snowflakes. He wasn’t usually sappy about Christmas, but there was something about the decorations that brought out his sentimental side. Finn couldn’t help but think back on the wonderful holidays he’d spent with his family before the bottom had fallen out of their world.

His parents had always gone the extra mile to make sure they knew the true meaning of Christmas. The emphasis on the birth of Christ had been at the forefront, but there had always been surprises waiting for them under the Christmas tree—train sets and skateboards and dirt bikes. One year his father had gifted his mother with a toy poodle she’d named Pippin. Finn smiled at the memory of his mother squealing with joy.

“There’s Keepsakes,” Finn said, slowing down as they passed the boarded-up shop. It would have been odd if he hadn’t pointed it out. Truthfully, the shop had seen better days. Numerous townsfolk had deliberated over whether to fix up the exterior before Maggie arrived in town. In the end, it had been the general consensus that since Maggie was now the legal owner, only she could make the decision as to how Keepsakes should look.

He watched as a myriad of emotions crossed Maggie’s face. Finn reached out and patted her hand. “Don’t worry. All it needs is some spit and polish. You’ll get it done in no time at all.”

Although Maggie nodded in agreement, the look emanating from her eyes was full of trepidation. He wished there was something more he could say to make her feel confident about her new venture.

Finn continued to point out landmarks—the post office, the trading post, the newly opened hair salon, the toy store and the pawnshop. Finn slowed down as they approached the library.

“Right there is the Free Library of Love. My sister-in-law, Annie, works there as head librarian.” He glanced over at Maggie. “They have a great children’s section.”

“It’s beautiful,” Maggie said. “I can’t wait to explore this town at my leisure. There have been a lot of changes since I was last here.”

“As you may remember, it’s a small town,” Finn conceded. “But it’s full of treasures. I think you’ll be very content here once you settle in.”

Finn continued down the snow-covered streets, taking a left as he turned off toward the mountain road. It was bit more difficult to navigate than the main streets in town. Finn had learned to drive on these roads so he knew it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. But he worried about Maggie living out here and driving into town. He made a mental note to remind her about taking safety precautions and outfitting her vehicle properly with all-wheel drive and studded tires. Although she hadn’t mentioned it, he assumed Maggie had also inherited Tobias’s truck.

The sound of Oliver’s chatter filled the silence once Finn ran out of things to say. He didn’t know how to explain it, but there was something about Maggie that made him feel tongue-tied. That fact would probably make his brother laugh out loud since as a kid he’d always complained about Finn never shutting up.