An Alaskan Wedding

As he settled himself behind the wheel of his cruiser, a dozen different questions were bouncing around his mind. Where had Grace come from in the Lower 48? Everything about her screamed city girl. Perhaps Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles or New York? Was it an adventurous spirit that had compelled her to relocate to Love? Or an open heart?

As images of Grace danced in his head, he couldn’t help but remember that the last time he’d fallen for a city girl, his heart had been handed to him on a platter.

* * *

Welcome to Love. The prettied-up sign with the crooked letters hanging above the doorway of the Moose Café had made Grace want to shout with laughter. The establishment was as girly as a men’s locker room. It was dark and dreary, all grays and browns, exuding an indisputably masculine vibe. Antlers hung on the wall, along with a dartboard and a retro framed print of a grizzly bear. Clearly, someone had wanted to impress the ladies by putting a few feminine touches in place. “Oh, this is lovely,” Sophie had gushed. She’d raised her hands over her mouth, green eyes moist with emotion. “This is such a sweet gesture.”

Sophie was right. It was thoughtful. And sweet. She wasn’t used to either. As a journalist living in a metropolitan area, she operated in a high-pressure world. Competition among her peers for stories was fairly cutthroat. Although she got along well enough with her boss at the Tribune, Tony wasn’t exactly the warm and fuzzy type. He’d never so much as given her a “thatta girl” or a thumbs-up. But that was all about to change, she thought. After she wrote this series on Love, Alaska, he’d be falling all over himself to pat her on the back. She might even get a promotion and a raise out of this, if she knocked it out of the park. Thoughts of a corner office with a view of Central Park danced in her head. She might even be eligible for a journalism award.

Within moments of entering the café the delicious aroma of baked goods wafted in the air. Grace lifted her nose in the air and sniffed. Cinnamon buns? Cookies? Whatever it was, the scent caused her stomach to grumble and her mouth to water. It had been hours since she’d eaten anything other than a stale bag of pretzels and a few handfuls of popcorn. She was famished.

“Ladies. Sophie and Grace, I presume.” She saw Sophie’s eyes widen as her jaw swung open. Grace followed her gaze until the trail stopped cold. The owner of the voice was tall and lean with chocolate-brown hair. Green-hazel eyes and a winning smile completed the picture.

What in the world was in the water supply in this town? No wonder women were giving up their lives in the 48 contiguous states and making tracks to Love. There were more hunky men in this fishing village than she’d seen in Manhattan in the past few weeks together. Operation Love should be renamed Operation Hotties.

“Hello. I’m Cameron Prescott, the owner. And your new boss.” Prescott? As in related to the mind-bogglingly handsome Sheriff Boone Prescott? She studied him for a moment, recognizing the similarities between the two men. Although Cameron was Alaskan eye candy, the sight of him didn’t pack the same sucker punch that his brother had. That was a good thing, since she was going to be working for Cameron at the Moose Café.

In all the hubbub, how could she have forgotten? She’d taken a job as a barista. As part of her cover story it had been important to find a paying job in town. It was also a great way to schmooze with the townsfolk and get a feel for Love. Since her skills were pretty much limited to writing for a living, her options had been slim to none. Tony had found this barista gig on an Alaskan job search website and sent in an application on her behalf. Lo and behold, she’d been hired. She stuck out her hand to Cameron, only to find herself being enveloped in a huge bear hug. Not knowing what else to do, she clung on for dear life. As soon as he let go of her, he reached for Sophie, giving her the same enthusiastic greeting. When he let go he stood back and rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait till tomorrow. This place should be pretty packed considering it’s Cappuccino Tuesday—a free baked good with any cappuccino order. It’s turning out to be a really great promotion. Hey,” he said, his expression full of excitement. “Why don’t I give you a quick tour of the kitchen? I promise to feed you afterward.”

Grace groaned on the inside. This job was definitely going to be challenging, considering she’d only managed a two-week stint at Java Giant before she’d quit after realizing it was too stressful. Although the smell of coffee drifting through the air had been an incentive, she’d never gotten the hang of whipping up the drinks and serving the actual customers. She grimaced as memories of disgruntled, loud customers came into sharp focus. These coffee-holics took their drinks seriously, and they didn’t take too kindly to inexperienced baristas messing up orders.

Fake it till you make it. That had always been her motto, and there was no need to switch things up at the moment. It had gotten her through some of the most difficult moments of her life. Gritting her teeth and smiling through the pain had served her well. There was no reason to switch things up now.

* * *

When the door to Boone’s office crashed open without warning, his Alaskan malamute, Kona, emitted a low, menacing growl. The hairs stood up on the back of Kona’s spine as the dog raced over to investigate.

“Hey, Kona. Good girl,” Declan crooned as he nuzzled Kona’s face and lavished her with the love and attention she craved. Within seconds Kona was wagging her tail and slobbering all over their visitor. Boone made a mental note to talk to his assistant, Shelly, about boundaries. Declan clearly had none, considering he never bothered to knock. His shameless flirting with Shelly gave Declan a direct line to his private office. All it took on his part was a wink and a smile.

Declan plunked himself down in one of the comfortable leather swivel chairs opposite Boone’s desk. From past experience, Boone knew it was a sure sign he was planning to stay awhile.

Boone raised his head and subjected him to a fierce scowl. “I thought you were heading over to the Moose. From the sounds of it, the whole town is over there.”

“I stopped in for an espresso,” Declan said. “And a few of those churro treats Cameron makes.”

Boone rolled his eyes at his best friend. A year ago he hadn’t known an espresso from a hot chocolate. Now all of a sudden he was a connoisseur.

Declan leaned back in his chair and slowly began to stroke his chin. “So, I saw you talking to the dark-haired one earlier on the pier. Ginny. Georgia. I think that’s her name.”

“Grace,” he said, his tone clipped. “Grace Corbett.”

Declan shot him a knowing look textured with twenty-plus years of friendship. “So, you got your eye on her, huh?”

Boone leveled a category-five glare at his best friend. “No, I do not have my eye on Grace Corbett. Despite my grandfather’s grand scheme to bring marriageable women and marry off the single men in town, I want nothing to do with it. And if I did want to fall in love and settle down, I certainly wouldn’t hand-select a woman who doesn’t have the brains God gave a goose.” Settling back in his chair, Boone let loose with a loud harrumph. “Sky-high heels. It’s a wonder she didn’t break her neck.”

Declan swung his feet onto the edge of Boone’s desk and leaned back in his chair, his hands propped behind his head. A wide grin showcased a set of pearly whites. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not interested, ’cause there are a few men already staking their claim.”

Boone shot up in his chair. “Staking a claim? They aren’t pieces of property to be claimed, Declan. It’s chauvinistic comments like yours that got us into this sad situation in the first place.”

Declan waved a hand in the air. “Take it easy. I didn’t mean it like that. And I’m not taking responsibility for the woman shortage in this town. Those ripples started when we were barely a twinkle in our parents’ eyes.”

Boone lowered his head and tried to focus on the report set out before him on his desk. “So, who’s circling around Grace?” His voice came out gruffer than he’d intended.

“Why don’t you come with me to the Moose Café and find out for yourself?” Declan tossed out the invitation with all the grace of a major-league pitcher. He stood up from his chair, a sly grin etched on his face.

Humph, he thought grumpily. It was classic Declan to dangle a carrot in front of his nose, knowing he could never resist a challenge being thrown down. He’d been doing it ever since they were in the second grade. With a loud groan he surrendered, pushing himself away from his desk and making his way toward his office door. Much to his chagrin, his curiosity had gotten the better of him. Kona cocked her head to the side and proceeded to trail after him. With a quick hand signal and a one-word command, he had Kona settled back down in her dog bed.

With his best friend following behind him, Boone wrenched his office door open and strode down the hall past his bewildered-looking receptionist.

“I thought you were in for the rest of the afternoon,” Shelly called out after him.

“I thought so, too,” he mumbled as he strode out the door and beat a fast path across the street to the Moose Café.

* * *

Cameron beamed with pride as he finished the grand tour and led them back into the main dining area of the café. While they were in the kitchen, Sophie had asked all the right questions—while Grace had been praying that Cameron wouldn’t ask too many questions about their previous work experience as baristas. It was nice to see that Cameron was so gung ho about the Moose Café and all its trimmings. “It sure is beautiful,” Sophie said, her tone brimming with enthusiasm.

“Thanks. It’s my pride and joy. Why don’t the two of you take a seat and I’ll bring you something to eat?” He gestured toward the dining area. The crowd literally parted as they made their way to one of the tables by the window. There were lots of curious stares and hats tipped in their direction. Several men rushed forward to pull their chairs out for them and stick menus in their hands. Sophie was all polite smiles and thank-yous while Grace was still trying to figure out how she was going to wing it as a barista. Thankfully the place was only open six hours a day.

When she went to sit down she found the chair in front of her being wrenched to the left and then to the right. And back again. Two men were having a tug-of-war over the chair. They’d introduced themselves to her and Sophie earlier at the dock, although for the life of her she couldn’t remember either of their names. Henry? Theodore? She held up her hands, prepared to tell both of them to knock it off when they released the chair and began poking each other in the chest.

The sound of a sharp whistle rent the air. “Hey! What’s going on here?” She blinked in surprise to see Sheriff Boone at her side, his arm encircling her back in a protective gesture. He gently pushed her aside before stepping in between the two adversaries. He looked at one, then the other, his expression forbidding. “I hope neither one of you is doing anything that might warrant a trip to the sheriff’s office.” He continued to swing his gaze back and forth between both men. “I think it’s best to shake hands and apologize to the ladies for being overzealous.”

The two men hung their heads, grudgingly shook hands and then mumbled brief words of apology before stepping into the background. Grace almost felt sorry for them. They’d slunk off like polecats.

What in the world had just happened? Had two men actually been fighting over her in an Alaskan coffeehouse?

Boone looked down at his watch and then pointedly back to her. “Congratulations, Miss Corbett. You’ve been in town for less than an hour, and you already have grown men fighting over you.”

Chapter Two

Heat warmed her cheeks as a result of Sheriff Prescott’s comment. Was she really being blamed for the mayhem that had just erupted? The last thing she wanted was for two local yokels to duke it out for her time and attention. She made a mental note to add this to her column for the Tribune. Men shamelessly brawling over a single woman in a local eating establishment. The sheriff of Love forced to break things up. It was thrilling to see how quickly anecdotes for her articles were beginning to materialize. Yet it was annoying to be blamed for something she’d had no part in.

“I never wanted... I didn’t mean to—” she stammered, instantly losing her composure under the heat of his gaze.

His grin was slow in the making, but bit by bit it broke over his face until it seemed as if it stretched from ear to ear. Brown eyes twinkled. Little crinkles gathered near his eyes. “I’m teasing you. Seth and Thomas fight over every little thing under the sun. If they weren’t fighting over you, it would have been over who was picking up the tab or which one of ’em caught the biggest fish.”

Relief swept through her. For some reason she didn’t want the sheriff to think she was starting trouble on her first day in Love. She smiled back at him, feeling a bit dazzled by his pearly whites and effortless charm. He pulled back her chair and gestured for her to sit down. From her seat across from Grace, Sophie was beaming at Sheriff Prescott as if he’d just achieved world peace. Before she could make the introductions, Sophie stuck out her hand. “Howdy. I’m Sophie Miller. Nice to meet the man who keeps law and order in this town.”

“Sheriff Boone Prescott,” he said, reaching out to shake Sophie’s hand. “I do my best to keep this town orderly.”

Prescott? Prescott? The name was now ringing in her ears. She’d heard that name before ever stepping foot into town. What was it about that name? It was on the tip of her tongue. Ahh, yes!

It was Mayor Jasper Prescott who had written the original article about Love, inviting single women to come to his hometown to find romance and to help solve the woman shortage. It was because of Jasper that she’d come up with the idea to write the column about this town and its residents. Now that she was here, she didn’t know whether to thank him or kick him in the shins.

“Hey,” she said, looking up at Boone. “Are you any relation to Jasper Prescott, the town mayor?”

“He sure is.” A raspy voice sounded over her shoulder. She turned her head to see a white haired, whiskered man beaming at her as if he’d been lit up from the inside with a lightbulb. “I’m his grandfather.” He swung his gaze back and forth between her and Sophie, his expression full of joy. “It’s nice to see that Operation Love is in full effect.” He reached over and clapped his grandson on the shoulder. “So, which one of you two lovely ladies is going to take Boone off the market and make me a great-grandfather again?”

* * *

Boone cringed at his grandfather’s none-too-subtle attempt to get him married off. He shouldn’t be surprised, considering this wasn’t the first time he’d tried to play matchmaker on his behalf. Normally, he had the good manners not to mention great-grandchildren. His brother Liam had already given Jasper those bragging rights when his son Aidan was born. At the moment it didn’t seem to matter to Jasper. This time he was clearly going for broke. In response to his pronouncement, Grace’s blue eyes began to blink like a startled owl while Sophie giggled with delight.

“Settle down now, Jasper,” Boone said, trying to shrug off the waves of embarrassment. He didn’t know why Jasper’s meddling was getting to him, since he usually just shook his head and laughed it off. Perhaps it was because of a certain raven-haired newcomer who’d piqued his interest the moment she’d stumbled into his arms. It had been a long time since he’d cared what a woman thought about him, but strangely enough, it mattered to him in this very moment. He didn’t know why, but Grace Corbett’s opinion mattered.

“Hot food coming through.” The loud announcement preceded Cameron’s appearance at the table. He was carrying a large tray filled with drinks and a wide assortment of food. Was it his imagination or was Cameron now serving a much wider variety of foods than he’d realized? He didn’t remember sandwiches being on the menu, or little pizzas. “Hey, Boone.” Cameron acknowledged him with a nod as he deposited plates brimming with food in front of Sophie and Grace. He placed a steaming mug next to each of their plates. “I thought you’d given up coffee.”

“I didn’t stop drinking coffee, Cam,” he explained for what felt like the tenth time. “I’m just not a big fan of those frothy, foamy drinks you specialize in. They’re all tongue twisters, too. A half cup of mocha latte or an iced caramel macchiato with a twist of cinnamon. I like to know what I’m drinking.”

“Don’t knock ’em. Those specialty drinks have put this place on the map,” Cameron answered, a slight edge to his voice.

Boone chuckled. There was a running joke in his family about the Moose Café saving the town from financial ruin. Although the place was doing well, it was a far cry from being Love’s salvation. Perhaps he didn’t say it very often, but he was proud of the way Cameron had turned his life around and made a full-fledged success of his café. If only they could get back to the way things had been between them before everything had fallen apart right along with the cannery deal.

When Cameron had been swindled by his girlfriend’s father and subsequently lost a great sum of the town’s money, it had been hard to find anyone in town to take up for him. He’d been the town’s whipping boy. Boone had tried to defend his brother, but the more he uncovered about the stolen money, the angrier he’d become at Cameron. He’d been so in love with Paige that he’d made foolish, reckless mistakes. And because of it, the whole town of Love had suffered the financial consequences. They’d exchanged words one evening, taking nasty jabs at each other, which were hard to repair in the light of day. Ever since then things had been shaky between them.

Boone watched as Grace picked up her sandwich with both hands and took a big bite out of it. She let out a sigh of appreciation. “This is delicious,” she raved, placing her hand over her mouth as she spoke. She swallowed and took another bite.

“What is it?” Sophie asked, taking a daintier bite of her sandwich. “It’s yummy.”

“Smoked turkey breast with fresh avocado, some crispy bacon and a blue-cheese spread. I’m expanding the menu to attract more culinary-minded customers.”

Jasper waved his hand in the air and plunked himself down in one of the empty chairs. He propped his elbows on the table and said, “Enough about the menu. I want to know what Sophie and Grace think about our little village.”

“They’ve only been here for an hour,” Boone said, shooting his grandfather a warning look. “Let them settle in before you subject them to the grand inquisition.”

Cameron shook his head and threw his hands in the air. “I’ve got to take some orders. Hazel must be swamped in the kitchen.”

Hazel Tookes, owner of the Black Bear Cabins, was a beloved figure in town. In her late sixties, she was an honorary auntie to the Prescott brothers. With her silver hair and piercing green eyes, she was a striking figure. Over the years she’d picked up a lot of the slack in his parents’ absence. Hazel came in a few times a week to help out Cameron in the kitchen and to waitress.

Sophie jumped up from her chair, an eager expression stamped on her face. She bit her lip. “I’d like to make myself useful behind the counter. I’m pretty good at making drinks.”

Cameron shoved his hand through his hair and looked around at the crowd. “That would be great. With all these people in here, I can use all the help I can get.”

Boone’s brother sent him a commiserating look as he walked away with Sophie. They both knew the drill. Jasper was about to start pontificating about the benefits of living in Love, Alaska.

“Forgive me. I’m getting ahead of myself.” Jasper reached for Grace’s hand and raised it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it. “I met Miss Miller earlier on the pier, so I’m assuming you must be Grace Corbett from New York. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I’d be happy if you called me Jasper.”

So his hunch about Grace had been correct. She was a city girl, hailing all the way from the Big Apple. Boone deposited himself in the chair vacated by Sophie. He didn’t dare leave his grandfather alone with Grace. There was no telling what nonsense might come out of his mouth that might send her on the first seaplane back to Anchorage. The very thought of her leaving caused a trickle of discomfort to flow through him.

Jasper continued. “Welcome to Love, my dear. May your journey be one of discovery.”

Grace crinkled her nose. “Discovery?”

“Isn’t that what brought you here?” Jasper asked. “A need to find out more about yourself and the world around you?”

Grace shrugged. “In your article you said there was a need for women here in Love. That’s why I’m here. Not sure about the discovery part.”

Jasper chuckled, a low rumble emanating from his chest. “Don’t worry, Grace. I’m seventy-five years old, but I’m still on the trail of several discoveries. Town legend says that a wise leader will find rivers of gold. I’m aiming to be that leader.”

“Legend? What legend?” Grace leaned forward in her seat, her blue eyes dancing with excitement. There was such a sweet look of rapture etched on Grace’s face. For a moment she resembled a small child who’d been promised the sun, sky and moon.

A slow hiss escaped Boone’s lips. “Don’t get him started,” he warned in a low voice. He shook his head at Jasper. “You’re treading on thin ice.”

Jasper leaned in toward Grace, his voice lowering to a stage whisper. “There’s treasure hidden in Love, buried here by one of our ancestors after the Gold Rush. I’m determined to find it. Not for selfish gain, but for the betterment of this town and our community.”

Boone could still hear every word his grandfather uttered, even though Jasper was doing his best to whisper. Although it wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard before, he felt as if he was absorbing it anew through Grace’s perspective. She could be thinking he was a lovable curmudgeon or a raving lunatic. It could go either way.

Grace’s mouth now hung open. Boone couldn’t tell whether she was incredulous or impressed by Jasper’s fanciful tale of gold, hidden treasure and his determination to find it.

“You have a standing invitation to come by my office any time you like and get a personal tour of Love.” He winked at her. “And I might just let you come treasure hunting with me.”

Grace wagged her finger at him. “You better not be teasing me. It sounds like a wonderful adventure. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jasper slowly got to his feet and nodded his head in Grace’s direction. “I have to get back to my office and sign a few ordinances. It has truly been a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Watching his grandfather shuffle away filled Boone’s heart with a mixture of pride and sadness. Jasper wasn’t getting any younger, and his physical decline in recent years had been noticeable. Despite suffering a heart attack a year ago and dealing with chronic arthritis, Jasper still continued to proudly serve as mayor. He’d been serving in that capacity for nearly two decades. Even though Boone thought “Operation Love” was an over-the-top, desperate tactic, he admired Jasper’s passion and the way he’d put himself out there for the world to see, warts and all. Sometimes he worried about his own inability to step out on the ledge and take a risk. For so long now, everything in his life had been nice and comfortable. What was it his father used to say? “No risk, no reward.”

Silence settled over the table in the wake of Jasper’s departure. What now? Idle chitchat? Meaningless conversation? How about this bone-chilling Alaska weather we’re having? Do you come to coffee bars often? He was so out of practice making conversation with an attractive woman, it was downright pitiful. Perhaps he could use a few pointers from his grandfather, who hadn’t skipped a beat in his discussion with Grace.