A Match Made in Alaska (10 page)

He couldn’t help but wonder if Annie was being overly optimistic. Was she so blinded by her desire for family ties that she was dreaming of things that might never come to pass?

Declan didn’t want to imagine her being disappointed if this all didn’t unfold the way she expected. Perhaps it was his job to bring her down to earth and ground her in reality.

He splayed his hands on the wooden table and leaned forward. “So, what’s your grand plan, Annie? Where do you see this going from here?”

She blew out a deep breath. Her eyes radiated excitement. “This may sound brash, but I want to tell him that I think I’m his granddaughter.”

He knitted his brows together. “Did I miss something? Him who?” Declan asked.

She met his gaze, her brown eyes sparkling with conviction. “The man I’ve deduced was Gram’s one true love. Jasper Prescott, that’s who.”

* * *

Declan began to sputter uncontrollably. He coughed into his hand. He reached for his mochaccino and took a lengthy sip. He plunked the mug back down. “J-Jasper! That’s who you think is your long-lost grandfather? The mayor of Love?”

“Yes, I do,” Annie said with a determined tilt of her chin. “All the facts point toward him. I’ve read every word in Gram’s journal dozens of times. It all fits together like pieces of a puzzle.”

“Annie,” Declan said. “Of all the people to set your sights on,” he said with a groan.

“It’s not like I chose him. Gram did,” she said, opening the journal and scanning it for a few moments before placing it in front of Declan. She pointed to the top of a page. “See? Read it. Right there.”

Declan peered down at the journal and squinted. “I—I can’t make out her cursive writing. Too many loops and curves.”

“Let me read it for you,” Annie said. With a quick glance around her to make sure no one could overhear, she proceeded to read. “‘Spent the day at Nottingham Woods with the gang. Jasper is such a gentleman.’” She raised her eyes up from the diary and gave Declan a knowing look.

“What? Is that it? You think Jasper is your grandfather due to some random comment about his manners?” Declan sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He let out a sigh.

“That’s not the only reference,” she said in a low voice. “Check this one out.” She quickly flipped through the journal “Aha! ‘I danced with Jasper cheek to cheek. Swoon.’”

Declan let out a hoot of laughter. “If this were a court of law, your case would be thrown out on its ear.”

Annie felt her cheeks reddening. His gibe wounded her. She slammed the journal shut. “I didn’t come here to be laughed at! This isn’t a joke to me. He might be the only family link I have left in this world.”

Declan reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry. It just struck me as a tad funny. Please tell me there are some guys who show up in that diary other than Jasper.”

Annie took out her notebook and peered down at what she had written. She frowned.

“There are others she mentions. Eli, Zach and Killian.”

Declan shot up in his chair. “Killian. That’s my grandpop.”

Annie began writing furiously in her notebook. By the time she swung her gaze back up, the expression on Declan’s face had shifted to one of mild panic. “What’s the matter?” She threw her head back and laughed. “I hope you don’t think we’re related.”

Declan gulped. “Well, you did throw his name out there.”

“In these pages, Gram makes it clear that Killian was married to her best friend, Lucy. Sounds like they got married at an early age. High school, I believe.”

Declan let out the breath he’d been holding. “Yes. My grandparents were very devoted to each other until the day she died.”

“Lucy!” Annie said in an awed voice. “You named your plane after her.”

“I did,” Declan acknowledged with a nod. “She was pure sweetness, my grandmother. Way too fragile for the Alaskan lifestyle.”

“Did she leave as part of the exodus Jasper mentioned in his interview?” Annie asked. She knew from reading newspaper interviews featuring Jasper that his own wife, Harmony, had been one of the many women to have picked up stakes and left Love for greener pastures. The exodus from Love decades ago had led to the male-female imbalance in the present that had caused Jasper to create the Operation Love program.

“No, she didn’t. A lot of her best friends and relatives left, but she remained stalwart. She stuck it out in Alaska until she passed on to glory, Annie. Truly I think that’s the only thing that could have separated her from Grandpop.”

Nothing but love emanated from Declan’s voice. And deep respect. Although she was tempted to ask about his parents, she knew better than to open a can of worms. She didn’t want to bring up a topic that might cause him pain. Hazel’s words rang in her ears.
Finn and Declan lost their childhood, all in one fell swoop.
It was reassuring to know that despite the tragedies that had marred his young life, there had been other influences at play. His grandparents had demonstrated the enduring nature of their love.

“That’s a blessing. To know that your grandparents shared such an amazing love story must make you proud.”

He nodded, then cleared his throat. “I was extremely fortunate to have them.”

Sophie suddenly reappeared with a tray bursting with the smell of delicious dishes. She expertly held the tray on her hip as she lowered the plates to the table. Annie let out exclamation of delight as the aroma of the halibut chowder filled her nostrils. A piece of corn bread sat on a separate plate. Her stomach started doing somersaults at the sight of the food.

“Enjoy! Let me know if you need anything else,” Sophie said with a wave.

For the next few minutes, they ate in companionable silence. Annie wasn’t sure why, but she felt as comfortable with Declan as she had with her old friends back home. Was it possible that near tragedy had forced them to bond more rapidly than normal? Or was there something about Declan that was innately special? Were her feelings for him strictly friendship, or was there something more going on?

Annie pushed her bowl away from her after emptying it of fish chowder. “That was terrific,” she gushed. “It was the perfect blend of ingredients and spices.”

Declan stuffed the last morsel of sandwich in his mouth. He picked up his napkin and wiped his lips. “Not sure how we survived without this place,” he said. “So, Annie, how can I help you figure this whole thing out?”

“I’m going to be very strategic and line up all my ducks in a row. Once I compile enough evidence to make a strong case, I’m going to confront Jasper and get some answers.”

Declan sent her a somber look. “Remember, Annie, a lot of water has flowed under that bridge. Your grandmother left Alaska decades ago. You’re going to have to bring forward compelling evidence to sway Jasper Prescott. And if I were you, I’d make sure that the evidence points toward him before you single him out.”

He was right. The last thing she needed to do was alienate the town mayor. So far she was really loving her job at the library. In the weeks and months ahead, she was going to need Jasper to support fund-raising initiatives and programs. There were already many events on the calendar that Jasper and the town council had green-lighted, such as the winter-wonderland event at Deer Run Lake.

“Since you asked how you can be of service, I’d like you to take a look at Gram’s notations. I know you said her writing was swirly, but once you read a little bit of it, you’ll get used to it. This way, I can have another set of eyes giving it the once-over.” She waited with bated breath for Declan to answer. Annie didn’t want to beg him, but she needed someone else’s opinion about Gram’s entries.

“All right,” he said after a few moments. “I’ll read it. That’s all I’m promising right now. I’ll give it the once-over and see if I can pick up on any clues.”

She reached into her bag for the diary and slid it across the table. Declan blew out a huff of air when he saw it. With a look of reluctance etched on his face, he picked it up and studied the small leather-bound book. “I really hope this isn’t going to turn into something out of one of those crazy paternity shows. ‘You are not the grandfather,’” he said with a rueful shake of his head.

“Of course it won’t,” Annie said, her lips twitching in amusement at Declan’s comment. “I want this whole matter to be handled with the utmost dignity. My goal is to find my family, but I don’t want to hurt anyone in the process. I can’t pretend that I don’t want answers, but deep down I’m hoping I find a family that embraces me.”

Declan let out what sounded like a sigh of relief. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she sensed he was troubled about her plan of action. Was he concerned about her creating a scandal in the small fishing village?

She pushed her chair back and placed some bills down on the table. “I really have to be getting back to the library,” she said. “My lunch hour is almost up.”

Declan reached for the bills and pushed them back toward her. He stood up from his seat. “It’s my treat. You can take me out to lunch next time,” he said with a pearly grin.

Next time? She felt a lurching sensation inside her stomach. The last thing she wanted to do was to start looking forward to these shared moments with Declan. He bordered on being irresistible with his magnetic smile, his comedic flair and the vibe of goodness he radiated. It was dangerous for her to be lulled into thinking he was marriage material. He’d even admitted from his own lips that he wasn’t the settling-down type. And she’d seen with her own eyes the way he flirted with the single ladies in town. It would be a huge mistake to convince herself that she could change his mind. Many women had broken their own hearts by believing they could inspire a man to want marriage and the whole nine yards.

He was her friend, she reassured herself. One who had saved her life and was helping her with a search that was near and dear to her heart. Any romantic feelings she might harbor toward him needed to be stuffed down into the inner labyrinths of her heart.

With a grateful smile, Annie placed the bills back in her purse. Before she knew what was happening, Declan was at her side, helping her on with her coat. Once she had both arms in the sleeves, he helped her button it up so that her throat wasn’t exposed. As his knuckles grazed her neck, she felt a frisson of awareness pass between them. Declan’s eyes widened, letting her know he’d felt the same jolt of electricity.

The gentlemanly gesture left her breathless. With a shaky wave of her hand, she turned on her booted heel and walked toward the exit of the Moose Café. On her way out, several gentlemen tried to stop her for a bit of conversation. All she did was smile politely and keep moving. Hazel had warned her about the large number of bachelors, who could be overzealous at times in their pursuit of the single women in town. She felt a twinge of guilt that she didn’t have the slightest interest in a single one of them.

Little did they know, but after she’d crash-landed with Declan O’Rourke, these men had a hard act to follow. Near impossible, she mused.

She began to hum a happy tune as she strolled down Jarvis Street toward the Free Library of Love. Right across the street from the Moose Café, she noticed a sign for the sheriff’s office. The quaint little shops caused her to pause and look in their windows. She peered in the window of an old-fashioned barbershop and watched as a man had his beard shaved off. When she passed by a little bookstore, The Bookworm, she started thinking about how the store and the library could help each other and cross-promote the value of reading a good book. She increased her pace as the wind started to whip up and a few snowflakes began to swirl all around her. The sky was turning a pewter shade. Annie burrowed into her coat as a refuge from the wind and cold.

All of her goals were being accomplished, one by one. Coming all the way to Love, Alaska, had been the big goal. She had begun her job as librarian and was now working with local officials on shoring up money to restore full-time hours to the library. Her quest to find her grandfather was gaining steam. A thrill coursed through her at the idea that in mere weeks, she might have a family to belong to. Everything was falling into place just as she had imagined. Putting her foot in the dating pool and finding a husband would make her joy complete.

Now if she could somehow manage to stop her heart from soaring every time Declan was in her presence, everything in her new Alaskan life would be perfect.

Chapter Eight

O
ver the next few days, Declan found himself entertained by the journal entries of Aurelia Alice Murray. Through the pages of her diary, she had come vividly to life for him. She came across as witty, spunky and adventurous. Her circle of friends had been tight-knit and congenial. And he had to admit that her admiration of Jasper shone through the pages like a beacon. Alice had portrayed him as a knight in shining armor. He wished he could share the journal with Boone, who would surely get a hearty laugh out of that one! He chuckled as an image floated in his mind of Jasper dressed up like a knight from medieval times. Declan laughed so hard he had to put the journal down in order to wipe away tears of mirth.

As the entries continued, Declan sensed a less than lighthearted tone. Alice hinted at conflicts within the group and worries that kept her up late at night. He wondered if her turmoil coincided with her discovery that she was expecting a child. There were comments about her unsupportive parents and wanting to run far away from her small town. Declan also had the feeling that she was editing herself and leaving out huge chunks of information. Otherwise, why was there no discussion of her pregnancy or the father of her child?

Declan had woken up this morning with an agenda. Ever since the plane crash, Willard had agreed to do the runs until he was ready to go up in the air again. Although Declan hadn’t fully explained his reasons for not doing the gigs himself, Willard was eager to keep a steady paycheck and to get his flying hours in. Since they were down to only one plane, he’d been forced to adjust a few of O’Rourke Charter’s clients and cancel some gigs.

His first stop was going to be the library. He’d placed a book on reserve about the history of aviation in the United States. The book had been on order, according to Annie, but hadn’t yet arrived at the library. A message left on his voice mail had alerted him to the fact that the book was now ready to be picked up. He also wanted to ask Annie if she would like to go with him to the winter-wonderland event being held at Deer Run Lake. There would be ice-skating and tobogganing and plenty of Alaskan fun to be had by all. It wouldn’t be a date. More like friends hanging out together.

And even though he knew nothing serious could ever develop between him and Annie, he couldn’t deny that he wanted to spend some time with her in a festive atmosphere. They were friends, after all, weren’t they?

He didn’t want to pat himself on the back, but he’d stepped up to help the committee organize the event. It didn’t sit well with him that he had initially lobbied against library funds. Although the inevitable budget issues with regard to the library had nothing to do with his actions, he still wanted to help bolster the funding. After seeing the huge impact libraries had on communities, he felt like a killjoy for being on the opposite side of it.

The moment he stepped inside the library walls, Declan felt a sense of peace wash over him. The library felt so cozy. Everything was stilled and hushed. It had a nice vibe. Everywhere he looked he saw small children with their mothers. He nodded to a few people he knew and waved at their children. When he finally found Annie at the circulation desk, talking to Dwight, he almost did a double take.

What was Dwight doing here? He looked like a puppy dog, the way he was practically salivating over Annie. Declan stood at a distance, obscured by one of the tall columns. He watched as Dwight reached for Annie’s hand and shook it. Declan rolled his eyes. If this was Dwight’s version of courting Annie, he seriously needed to step up his game. He shook his head as he watched Dwight walk away with a goofy grin on his face. A wave of jealousy roared through him. Ugh. He hated feeling this way, especially since he knew he had no claim on Annie.

Annie was facing in the other direction as he crept up to her.

“Oh, Miss Librarian. Can you help me find a book?” he asked in a singsong voice.

Annie whirled around. Her face lit up with a smile when she saw it was him standing there. “Declan! What brings you here? Are you on the hunt for a good book?”

“I’m actually picking one up,” he said, a tinge of pride evident in his tone. “I reserved it a few days ago.”

She snapped her fingers. “Oh, that’s right. The aviation book that we’d placed on order. Let me find it for you,” she offered as she began walking toward a cart loaded with books. He followed behind her, marveling at how smoothly things appeared to be running at the library. Annie had a confident air, one that hinted at a great wealth of knowledge. She perused the books and pulled one out that had his last name taped to the side. Annie paused a moment to look at it before handing it to him. “Good stuff, O’Rourke. This should be fascinating reading.”

He nodded, feeling pleased at his selection. “I’m not a big reader, but if I find an interesting topic, I can’t put the book down.”

Annie’s grin threatened to split her face wide-open. “That’s the exact feeling I want readers to have when they start a great book.”

He shifted from one foot to the other. Suddenly he felt nervous about asking Annie if she wanted to go to the fund-raiser. Would she think it was a date? Or would it simply be two friends hanging out at a town event? Truth be told, he wasn’t sure if he knew the answer to that himself. The longer this stretched out, the more conflicted he felt about it.

“Hey, Annie. I was wondering if you wanted to come to the winter-wonderland event with me.” He grinned at her. “I promise it will be a lot of fun.”

Her face fell. She bit her lip. “Oh, Declan, I would have loved to go with you, but Dwight just asked me a few minutes ago to be his date. And I said yes.”

Dwight? Annie and Dwight were going to the event together? And here he’d just been snickering about Dwight’s lack of finesse. At the moment, the joke was on him. The town treasurer had just swept in and asked Annie to the fund-raiser. He felt his face getting heated. Just the thought of the two of them together made him feel out of sorts.

“That’s okay,” he said in a casual tone. “I’m sure the two of you will have lots of fun.” He was trying his best to keep any hint of sarcasm out of his voice. Having a good time with Dwight seemed near impossible as far as he was concerned. He was about as entertaining as a wet blanket.

“I’m sure there are dozens of women in the Operation Love program who would love to go with you,” Annie said. “From what I hear and from what I’ve seen with my own eyes, they practically have a Declan O’Rourke fan club going on.”

He knew Annie’s statement was somewhat true—ladies in town wanted to date him. He had taken quite a few of the Operation Love ladies out on dates over the past few months or so. However, there was no fan club. Not that he knew of, anyway. So far, a few ladies had laid down some heavy hints about attending the event with him. The problem was, there wasn’t a single one of them he wanted to ask except Annie. And thanks to Dwight, she was taken.

No one could make him laugh the way Annie could. No one made him think like she did, either. There was always something interesting she brought to the table. Some rare fact he had no clue about. She seemed to enjoy his sense of humor, and he loved seeing his hometown through her eyes. Everything in Love was so new to Annie, and she seemed to be getting the most out of every moment of her journey.

“Have you read Gram’s journal?” she asked. “I’ve been dying for your verdict.”

“I read a little bit,” he hedged. “I want to wait till I finish the whole diary to give you my assessment.” The more he read of the diary, the more he was becoming uncomfortable about Jasper’s possible link to Annie.

“That’s fine,” she said. “I know you have a lot on your plate these days. Have you heard from the FAA?”

“Not yet. It should be any day now, though,” he said. “A lot is riding on this for me.”

“I know, Declan,” she said in a mournful tone. “I’m offering up prayers on your behalf. You’re a fantastic pilot. I know the investigation will clear you.”

“Thanks, Annie,” he said, wishing he could rely on prayer alone.

“Have a good day.” With a simple wave, he walked away from her, his thoughts tied up in the fate of O’Rourke Charters and the plane crash.

His stomach had been in knots for days in anticipation of the findings. He’d sent up more prayers to the big guy upstairs than he cared to count. Although he knew God was in his corner, he had a hard time feeling worthy of all his prayers being answered. What was so special about Declan O’Rourke that he should be so blessed? He’d learned early in life that bad things happened to people, and prayers didn’t stop them from happening. When his mother had died so suddenly, it had felt as if the sun had been stamped out of the sky. And despite his suffering, the wheels of life had continued to spin.

If the worst happened and the accident was deemed pilot error, he would be devastated. It would be a huge blow to his career and self-confidence. But the world would keep turning on its axis, and he would pick himself up, dust himself off and move forward.

It’s what he had always done. This time would be no different.

* * *

Annie let out a sigh as Declan sailed out the door of the library. She admired the way he walked. The strong tilt of his head belied the anxiety she sensed was riding under the surface. Although he presented a good picture of someone who was holding everything together, Annie feared he wasn’t doing well at all. She had it on good authority from Hazel that Declan hadn’t flown Ethel yet on any of the client runs. His employee, Willard, had filled in for him each and every time, which meant that Declan was still avoiding flying his seaplane.

The very idea of Declan struggling to find his way in the aftermath of the plane crash caused her stomach to tighten painfully. Annie didn’t want to see him hurting. She cared about him way more than she wanted to admit, even to herself.

Lord, please watch over Declan
.
Lift him up and restore his confidence. I don’t think he realizes how important he is to this town. Or what a good man he truly is.

It had gutted her to have to say no to his invitation to be his date to the fund-raiser event. Talk about bad timing! If he had arrived a few minutes earlier, Declan would have beaten Dwight to the punch. Poor Dwight. He seemed like the type of man who was looking for some companionship.

The sight of an older, silver-haired gentleman entering the library caused her to sit up straight in her chair. There were two other men walking behind him at a much slower pace. Within seconds she had identified the man in front as Mayor Prescott. He was striding toward her with a look of purpose etched on his handsome face.

Jasper Prescott!
Just being in proximity to him made her pulse race with exhilaration. This man could be her grandfather. He was distinguished and stately and, by all accounts, a barrel of fun. And he had an extensive family and enough relatives to give her a plethora of familial connections right here in Love. She knew that she was getting ahead of herself, but she was hoping and wishing and praying that he was her long-lost kin.

“Good morning, Annie. I brought some pals along with me. These boys have been lifelong friends of mine. We were as thick as thieves growing up,” he said with a wink. “This is Eli Courtland, and this is Zachariah Cummings.”

“It’s great to see you again, Mayor Prescott,” she gushed. There was something about the man that was infectious. It didn’t take a genius to see why Hazel was so enamored of him.

“Nice to meet you, Annie,” Eli said as he reached for her hand and shook it. “Thanks for bringing all your knowledge about books to our little town.”

Annie turned toward Zachariah, who studied her with a wary expression. He barely grunted a hello.

“Don’t mind him,” Jasper said in a loud whisper as he leaned in to her. “He got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”

“Just this morning?” Eli asked with a guffaw.

“I’ve been itching to show off our new library, since they both missed the ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Jasper explained.

“Cilla was home with a bad cold,” Eli said. “I didn’t have the heart to leave her alone.”

Cilla. The name immediately drew Annie’s attention. Gram had written about her. She had been one of her closest friends.

Jasper clapped Eli on the back. “Can’t say as I blame you. That’s what makes you such a great husband, Eli. You’re as devoted as they come.”

Annie thought she heard a snort from Zachariah.

“Welcome to the Free Library of Love, gentlemen. Is there anything I can help you find in our catalog? Or are you just getting the grand tour?” Annie asked. It was incredibly sweet that Jasper had brought his two dearest friends to get a glimpse of Love’s new and improved library. It was wonderful that the town mayor was as proud of it as she was.

“Let’s start with a tour of the place,” Jasper suggested. “Then I’d love to find a few of my favorite authors in the catalog.”

“I wish that I was a more proficient reader like Jasper here,” Eli said mournfully as he looked all around him. There was a wistful expression in his eyes. “I would love to take some books out and get a library card with my name on it.”

“Me, too,” Zachariah said with a frown.

“Both of you are eligible for a library card,” Annie informed them. “Even if you’re not strong readers, you can still fill out the form and get your own card.”

“Oh, Annie, that’s great. I’d love to bring some books home for my wife,” Eli said, his face lit up with happiness. “Cilla loves to read.”

Zachariah still seemed caught up in the past. “Back in our day, if you fell behind, the teacher didn’t have the time or the resources to help you catch up.”

“That’s true,” Eli asserted. “So we just limped along.”

“And ended up being pitiful readers,” Zachariah said with a rueful shake of his head.

“But not for lack of trying,” Eli said with a little sigh. “We really wanted to excel at it.”

Annie turned toward Jasper and discreetly pulled him aside while the other two men continued their discussion. “Maybe we can have some literacy programs for adults at the library. It could help strengthen skills and foster a love of books. And it might provide some incentive to add some more hours to the schedule.”