His Secret Alaskan Heiress

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Sophie had a feeling that Dwight was just lonely. He had tried on several occasions to pair up with women from the Operation Love program, but so far nothing had stuck. Bless his heart. He deserved love just as much as anyone else in this lovelorn town.

“I, um... Marta usually pops in to say hello when I come for breakfast. Is she around? I haven’t seen her for a few days.” Dwight’s gaze darted about the restaurant as he spoke.

Marta! Sophie had totally forgotten that she and Dwight had gone out on a few dates. Hadn’t Marta told him about her plans? Sympathy flared inside Sophie at the realization that Dwight was about to get his feelings hurt.

She reached out and patted his shoulder. “Oh, Dwight. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but Marta had to go back home for an emergency. She gave notice to Cameron a few weeks ago about having to give up the cook position.”

Dwight resembled a startled owl as he looked up at her. “What? When did she leave?”

Sophie thought for a moment. “Almost a week ago.”

Dwight’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “W-when is she supposed to return?”

“I—I’m not sure she’s coming back, Dwight,” Sophie said, her heart aching as the man’s face fell. He appeared stunned by the news. Although Marta was a nice, unassuming woman, Sophie could wring her neck right now for wounding Dwight like this. Despite his brash attitude, he was a gentle soul.

He bowed his head for a moment, then placed the menu facedown on the table and slowly stood up. “I think I’ll forgo breakfast this morning. I don’t have much of an appetite, after all.” He briskly walked past her, his gaze focused on the exit.

“Wait, Dwight,” she called after him. “If you’d like a listening ear, we could talk over coffee.”

Sophie watched as he slinked out of the café without bothering to answer her. His heart had shattered right before her very eyes. It sent a chill straight through her. If this was love, did she really want to have anything to do with it?

“What was that all about?” Hazel asked in a booming voice as she came up behind Sophie. With her tall height and commanding air, the woman could be a bit intimidating. She was a straight shooter who didn’t mince words. But in Sophie’s eyes, her friend was a real sweetheart and all-around mother figure.

Sophie shrugged. “He was looking for Marta. If I had to hazard a guess, I think he’s in love with her. And now he’s heartbroken because she’s gone and she didn’t even have the courtesy to tell him she was leaving Love.”

Once again this morning, Sophie found herself blinking away tears.

Hazel patted her on the back in a soothing gesture. “Now, now, don’t fret about it. We can’t judge Marta because we really don’t know the entire circumstances. Things will work out for Dwight, one way or another.” Hazel shook her head. “He’s the most exasperating man I’ve ever met, but I still want him to find his happy ending.” She wagged her eyebrows at Sophie. “I’m praying for you to meet your match, as well. Every night before I go to bed I kneel down and ask God to show you favor, Sophie.”

Tears slid down her cheeks. Knowing Hazel prayed for her was incredibly moving for Sophie. “Thank you, Hazel. For everything. You’ve given me roots here in Love. That’s priceless.”

“Everyone needs to be firmly planted somewhere. Now, I haven’t pried into your past, and it hasn’t escaped my attention that you haven’t been very forthcoming about it.” When Sophie opened her mouth, Hazel hushed her. “I’m not complaining, but I would like to point out that perhaps you need to get past whatever is holding you back from finding that man of yours. It’s fine to say you’re part of Operation Love, but remember the love part.”

“I want to find love,” Sophie acknowledged. “And maybe my past is hindering me from doing so,” she hedged. “But I really want things to change for the better in the romance department. If I have to face up to my truths to do it, then so be it.”

Hazel sent her an exaggerated wink. “Well, why don’t you go flirt with our handsome new employee while I go make some coffee drinks? These orders need to go up.” Hazel handed Sophie some order slips and made a shooing motion in the direction of the kitchen.

Sophie didn’t bother to make a fuss. At some point or other she would have to interact with Noah again. There was no sense in telling Hazel or Cameron that the new hire had made her feel awful earlier. Knowing Cameron, he would take Noah to task for it. He was as protective of her as an older brother. And Hazel was such a firecracker. There was no telling how she would react. No, it was best to keep quiet and handle the situation with grace and dignity.

Sophie made her way to the kitchen and placed the two order slips on the spindle. It would be Noah’s job to take the slips down and prep the food. She didn’t even have to look at him if she didn’t want to. His back was to her and he was cooking something that smelled scrumptious.

There weren’t any dishes at the pass-through, but a plate sat on the butcher-block table directly behind Noah. Not wanting to speak to him, Sophie reached out for the plate, then instantly recoiled as heat seared her palm and fingers. The plate clattered to the floor. She let out a cry and closed her eyes as pain seared her hand.

“Sophie. Are you all right?” She watched through a red haze as Noah whirled around and reached her side in seconds. “Is it your hand?”

She nodded, gritting her teeth at the agony caused by the burn. He gently reached for her wrist and examined the damage.

He let out a tutting sound. “It looks like a third-degree burn. You need some salve for it and a bandage.” Noah’s eyes were intense as he locked gazes with her. She nodded solemnly. All of a sudden she knew that she was in great hands. Noah was confident and masterful. He was taking charge of the situation.

“Where’s your first-aid kit?” he asked.

She jutted her chin in the direction of the sink. “In the top drawer.”

Noah turned around and headed toward the drawer. He pulled it open, yanking out the kit and rummaging around until he found ointment and a large Band-Aid.

“Sit on the stool,” he commanded, nodding toward it. Sophie sat down and peered up at him as he bent over and began patching her up. His movements were gentle and precise as he placed the ointment on her hand and wound a white cloth bandage around it. “The burn is in an awkward place, particularly for a server. It’s going to be tender for a bit and you’re going to have to put ointment on it regularly so it doesn’t get infected.”

“Thanks, Noah. It was stupid of me to reach for the plate without asking about it. If it had been ready to be served you would have put it at the pass.” It had been foolish to just pick up the plate, but she’d been so annoyed with Noah that she hadn’t wanted to communicate with him. She’d been childish. The burn had been the result of her pride.

“We need to communicate better, since we’ll be working together.” He patted his hand against his chest. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to talk to me. I’m so sorry about earlier. I acted like a jerk. I hope you won’t hold it against me.” His eyes were filled with contrition. In one instant, Noah wore down her defenses. How in the world could she hold a grudge against a man who had bandaged her up so nicely?

“Got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” she teased.

“I’m not exactly a morning person,” he admitted. “I don’t function well unless I get my eight hours.”

“Well, here’s a little tip that I learned when I first arrived in town. At night, crack your window just a wee bit so you can get a dose of pure Alaskan air. If that doesn’t give you a perfect night’s rest, I don’t know what will.”

“I’ll take that advice, Sophie,” Noah said. “I better get back at it before the customers start a revolt. Gimme a few minutes for the eggs, sausage and pancake order.” After flashing a perfect smile, Noah turned back toward the stove and began cooking up a storm. Sophie stood and watched him for a few moments, admiring his strong arms and the powerful slope of his neck. Knowing she might be ogling him, she forced herself to leave the kitchen and head back to the dining area.

She felt as light as a feather. A sense of euphoria rose up inside her. Sophie felt as if she was floating on air.

All this time she had been hoping and praying to meet a man who gave her goose bumps. And now, out of the clear blue sky, it had happened. Kismet. A connection. The entire time Noah had been nursing her wound Sophie had been trying to figure out the sensations coursing through her.

Goose bumps! The same type Maw Maw had always told her about. And it came from an unlikely person. Despite the fact that he’d been an absolute jerk, Noah Callahan had given her goose bumps. Finally, after all these weeks and months, an Alaskan hottie had made her feel something worth rejoicing over. A real honest-to-goodness romantic connection. There was no doubt about it as far as she was concerned. For the first time in well over a year, she felt an earth-shaking, heart-pounding attraction to a man.

All of a sudden, she felt her enthusiasm come to a crashing halt. Hazel’s heartfelt words had forced her to realize that she had been reluctant to find love because of the lie she’d been living. And nothing had changed in that regard. She was still harboring secrets about her true identity and economic status.

Noah was a man who had come to Love in need of a job and a steady paycheck. Guilt threatened to choke her. She had never been in his precarious position. Even now she had a safety net—her father and a trust fund set up in her name. Noah was clearly just getting by in life and trying to put one foot in front of the other in order to keep himself solvent. It would be the height of irony if she became involved with a man who seemed to be struggling to make ends meet.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in Sophie’s chest. For a moment she found it a little hard to breathe. For so long she’d wondered why none of the men in Love had appealed to her on a romantic level, despite all their wonderful attributes. The truth was staring her straight in the face. Most of the men in Love held blue-collar jobs, and due to the town’s recession a few years ago, were working hard to stay financially afloat. A part of her had felt too guilty about her wealthy origins to fully commit to looking for a partner.

There was no getting around it. The fact that she was a billionaire’s daughter masquerading as a barista-waitress might not sit well with an average Joe like Noah. He was a working-class man who might not understand why an heiress was masquerading in an Alaskan fishing village as a waitress.

Dear Lord, please help me figure a way out of this mess. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel a few stirrings in my heart. Noah intrigues me. But I’ve been living with this lie for so long that I’m frightened of what might happen if I tell the truth. I’ve built a life for myself here in Love and my friends have become like family. I don’t want to lose them. Please shine a light for me so I can find my way toward the truth.

Chapter Four (#u0db49dd9-bebf-5684-93ca-b3a530153a54)

Noah whistled an upbeat tune as he readied himself for his shift at the Moose Café. Strangely enough, he was getting used to morning hours. He’d made it a daily ritual to go outside to Cameron’s back porch and watch the sun rise as it crept up over the mountains. This view was food for his soul. He inhaled a deep breath of pristine Alaskan air, then slowly exhaled. Noah had the strangest sense that he was exactly where God wanted him to be at this very moment in time.