Belle Calhoune - An Alaskan Wedding

“She’s really quite harmless. Just a nuisance is all,” Hazel explained in an apologetic tone. She nestled her face in Primrose’s fur as she cradled her like a baby. “Thanks for finding her, Grace. I owe you one. You too, Boone.” With a wave of her hand, Hazel was gone, swallowed up by the onyx night as she made her way back to her lodgings.

“Sorry for the commotion,” Grace said sheepishly. She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. She felt like the world’s biggest fool. She hadn’t even been in Love a full day before she’d had to make an emergency phone call to law enforcement. And her big bad creature had ended up being a domesticated skunk. She hadn’t even been in danger of being sprayed by noxious fumes.

“No problem. It’s been a while since I had to rescue someone from a wild, dangerous, foaming-at-the-mouth creature.” Once again she found herself on the receiving end of a beautiful smile.

Unable to stop herself, she let out a whoop of laughter. Now that Boone put it that way, it was rib-tickling hilarious. All the stress and tension faded away. It felt good to laugh out loud at something. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done so. It was hard to wrap her head around how lonely and mirthless her life in New York had become over the past few years. Always being on the move had distracted her from this simple fact.

She’d been so afraid while she’d been alone in the cabin, yet the moment Boone had shown up, those fears had dissipated. Staying in the cabin while he hunted down the creature had been an act of bravery. For a woman who’d lost her faith a long time ago, today had been full of surprises. She’d flown all the way to Alaska, and in the process, confronted her fear of flying head-on. And tomorrow she was beginning her new job as a barista, even though she didn’t have a clue how to make specialty coffee drinks. All in all, she was operating way out of her comfort zone.

Boone folded his arms across his chest, striking a commanding pose. “Was this the closest you’ve ever been to wildlife?”

Grace nodded. “Other than the Bronx Zoo, yes. My family didn’t even own a pet when I was growing up.”

He shook his head, his expression radiating disbelief. “Not a single one? Not even a fish or a hamster?” When Grace shook her head again, he continued. “We had so many pets our house resembled a menagerie.” Their laughter mingled together as one, creating a beautiful harmony.

“So, you really came all the way here because of Jasper’s article?” His smile was nice and easy. The little dimple in his chin stood out even more when he grinned.

“Yes, I did,” she answered. “It really spoke to me.” A feeling of relief swept through her. It wasn’t a lie at all. Just a little bending of the truth. It was definitely because of Jasper Prescott that she’d ended up in Love, Alaska. Only not for the reason Boone believed. Not in pursuit of love.

He let out a soft whistle. “Well then, the single men of Love owe Jasper a debt of gratitude.”

“Why’s that?” she asked, curiosity overtaking her.

“Because you, Grace Corbett, are the most stunning woman this town has ever seen.”

The compliment took Grace by surprise. It washed over her like a gentle summer rain after a scorching heat wave. When she’d asked the question she hadn’t been angling for praise. It wasn’t something she received often, so to have Boone pay her such a kindness warmed her insides. Her cheeks felt warm and she self-consciously tucked her chin into her chest. It was an odd little habit she had when she was nervous. A protective gesture of sorts.

Boone reached out and gently touched her chin, lifting it up so that their eyes met. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. Just speaking a plain truth.”

“Thank you. Not just for the compliment, but for coming out here to assist me. Now I can close my eyes tonight without having to worry.”

He shifted from one foot to another. “I should be getting back to town,” Boone said as he gestured toward the door. “You must be tuckered out.”

Grace trailed behind Boone as he ambled outside. Once he reached the porch, he turned toward her, his expression difficult to read.

She looked past him, distracted by the brilliant stars peeking out through a midnight sky. She let out a surprised cry. “Oh, it’s stunning,” she gasped. Boone turned his head and looked up. In profile his face appeared softer somehow and a little more vulnerable. He didn’t look quite so tough at the moment.

“That it is.” He turned back to her, studying her face for a moment. “Night, Grace. Get some rest.”

She moved toward the doorway of her cabin, unable to resist turning back one last time to wave at Boone as he revved his engine and disappeared down the lane.

As she settled in for the night a feeling of discomfort trickled through her. Boone had been so nice to come to her rescue this evening. Even though he’d been a bit prickly at first, he seemed like a good guy. It didn’t feel great to make him believe she was in town as a participant in Operation Love. It felt like a lie. She shut her eyes tight and pressed her head against the pillow, determined to get a restful sleep.

One thought rattled around her brain as she drifted off to slumber. No one and nothing was going to get in her way of achieving her professional goals, not even a too-handsome-for-his-own-good sheriff who made her weak in the knees just by glancing in her direction.

Chapter Four

Grace woke up to a clanging sound resounding in her ears. For a moment a sense of disorientation hung over her like a heavy fog until she remembered—she was in Alaska! Bleary-eyed, she jammed her feet into her rabbit slippers, shuffled over to the front door and pulled it wide open. A gust of cold air blasted her in the face. A brilliant blue sky beckoned. Church bells were ringing!

When she crossed the threshold of her cabin, a slight rustling sound caught her attention. At her feet sat a pretty blue envelope, the color of a robin’s egg. Her name jumped out at her in big bold letters. Grace picked up the envelope and brushed off the snow that had settled on top of it. Using her nail, she slit it open and took out the cream-colored card inside.

Grace,

If you’re still interested in a tour of Love, I can pick you up at the Moose Café after your shift ends at two o’clock. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll assume you’re game to explore...and hear about a legend or two.

Fondly,

Jasper Prescott

Yes! Score! She put the letter up to her lips and kissed it. A tour of Love would allow her to get an overview of the town she would be writing about. Although she’d done a little research prior to coming to town, there was nothing more invigorating than going out in the field and experiencing it for herself. Since Jasper Prescott was the one who’d coined the phrase Operation Love and written the original article about this lovelorn town, she considered it serendipity that he would be the one to show her around. It would be an added bonus if he told her about the legend. That would certainly give her something to write about!

Standing out on the porch in her robe and pj’s felt surreal. Shivering, she looked around her, half expecting to see Primrose scampering through the brush. It was an incredibly beautiful vista. Huge mountains dominated the horizon. It almost felt as if she could reach out and touch them. She breathed in the fresh, pristine air, noticing for the first time that she had a partial view of the bay. The clouds sat in the sky like fluffy cotton balls. Everything felt so crisp and clean.

Grace threw back her head and extended her arms in the air. “Hello, world,” she cried out, half expecting to hear an echo bounce back at her. It was the oddest feeling to be standing on her porch in Love, Alaska, communing with nature. Odd, yet refreshing at the same time. She hadn’t expected to feel this rush of excitement thrumming through her veins. Truthfully, she hadn’t been all that intrigued by Alaska, although she’d jumped at the opportunity to be entrusted with this series. It was quite a professional coup. Nevertheless, the forty-ninth state had never been on her list of places to visit, nor had she been aware of all its charm and raw beauty.