Their Alaskan Past Read online

  “Have you named him yet?”

  Maya shook her head. “Nope. He doesn’t have a name. I figured I’d give you the honors since you helped with the delivery.”

  “That’s sweet considering I didn’t really do anything.”

  “You did enough and I appreciate it.” Sincerity rang out in Maya’s voice and it humbled Ace.

  “Frisco. I’d like to name him Frisco,” Ace said, trailing his thumb against the puppy’s forehead. It was a solid name for a pup who had pluck and grit. He was a survivor.

  “I like that name. It suits him,” Maya said, reaching out and running her palm over Frisco’s head.

  Maya was standing so close to him he could see the tiny, almost imperceptible freckles high up on her cheekbones. Looking into her eyes always made him feel as if he could tumble headlong into their depths. As the thought crossed his mind, he handed Frisco back to Maya. Being alone with Maya always seemed to be problematic.

  He’d been so confident that he could draw a line in the sand between them...but it wasn’t quite working out that way.

  Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle and a chocolate Lab. Writing for the Love Inspired line is a dream come true. Working at home in her pajamas is one of the best perks of the job. Belle enjoys summers in Cape Cod, traveling and reading.

  Books by Belle Calhoune

  Love Inspired

  Home to Owl Creek

  Her Secret Alaskan Family

  Alaskan Christmas Redemption

  An Alaskan Twin Surprise

  Hiding in Alaska

  Their Alaskan Past

  Alaskan Grooms

  An Alaskan Wedding

  Alaskan Reunion

  A Match Made in Alaska

  Reunited at Christmas

  His Secret Alaskan Heiress

  An Alaskan Christmas

  Her Alaskan Cowboy

  Reunited with the Sheriff

  Forever Her Hero

  Heart of a Soldier

  Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com.

  THEIR ALASKAN PAST

  Belle Calhoune

  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

  —Mark 11:25

  For my daughter Sierra. You have always been a loving caretaker of dogs. Your big heart will serve you well in life. Thanks for always being my cheerleader. I love you to the moon and back.

  Acknowledgments

  For my agent, Jessica Alvarez. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm. I’m so happy to have you in my corner.

  For my editor, Emily Rodmell. Thank you for embracing my Alaskan stories and for working

  so hard to make the final product shine.

  I’m grateful for the assistance of Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford, Connecticut, for allowing me and my daughter to come to your fabulous shelter and pick your brains. You are doing amazing work for rescue dogs. A big thank-you to sled dog racers Kristy and Anna Berington, as well as Kat Berington, for your grace and expertise on the subject of sled dogs and racing. What you are doing is incredible!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Forever on the Bay by Lee Tobin McClain

  Excerpt from A Need to Protect by Susanne Dietze

  Chapter One

  Being back home in Owl Creek, Alaska, felt more painful to Ace Reynolds than a tooth extraction. Even though he had wonderful memories of his hometown, answering probing questions about his stalled career was beginning to grate on his nerves.

  Walking down Main Street felt like being on display for the entire town. He’d lost count of the number of people gawking at him. His mouth ached from fake smiling. And if someone asked him one more time about the Iditarod, he wasn’t going to play nice. He might just growl at them and ruin his image for good.

  Ace let out a snort. For so many years he’d been arrogant about being a dog-mushing legend in Alaska. The praise and compliments he constantly received had become a natural part of his life. Now he felt empty and broken inside since everything had fallen apart.

  Who was he now, without the fame and the accolades? His mother had always said a person needed something to fall back on in case everything went up in flames. Ace had never listened to her, which he regretted deeply at the moment. Dog mushing had been his entire world. He was nothing without it.

  At the moment he was making his way to Best Friends Veterinary Clinic with his dog, Luna. It had been several weeks since he’d been back in Owl Creek, but he hadn’t yet taken the Siberian husky in for a checkup. He’d been lying low for as long as he possibly could in order to save face. He still felt ashamed about dropping out of the Iditarod. Most nights he tossed and turned as his mind mulled over the huge decision he’d made. He still didn’t know whether it had been the right one.

  Making a connection with a local vet was of the utmost importance. Luna needed top-notch care. Ace felt grateful that despite having endured an amputation, pneumonia, hypothermia and a shattered pelvis, Luna had managed to pull through.

  “Hey, girl. You’re doing great,” Ace said, bending down to pat her on the head. Luna looked up at him with adoration shimmering in her eyes. Ace felt his chest tighten. Luna had been with him through some of the darkest days of his life. She was the very definition of a man’s best friend.

  Ace trusted Vance Roberts, his family’s veterinarian. So did his father and grandfather. Vance had been the vet for all of his childhood pets, as well as the sled dogs his family raced. Ace trusted his wisdom and the special connection he had with animals. His mother had always said Doc Roberts could charm all of God’s creatures. His kindness and love for animals radiated from within.

  He tried to block out the images that suddenly flashed before his eyes of warm, russet-colored skin and twinkling brown eyes. After all this time it still hurt to think of Maya Roberts, Vance’s daughter. Sometimes he ached to relive the happiest moments of his life, the ones he’d shared with her. Shake it off, he told himself. At thirty-one years old, he was way too mature to wallow in past hurts. Over the years he’d learned to shutter his emotions. Although it had spared him any further heartbreaks, it hadn’t led to any serious relationships. For so long it had been him and his sled dogs. Until it had all crumbled.

  Ace pulled Luna’s wagon behind him and pushed open the door of the veterinary clinic, then stepped inside and took a moment to soak in his surroundings. The clinic had changed a lot since he’d last been here. The interior was bright and cheerful, with vivid pictures hanging on the walls. The photos set against a cream-colored background really captured the personalities and beauty of the animals.

  Ace grinned at the sight of several dogs sitting with their owners. One, a black Labrador retriever, was panting heavily with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. The other—a pit bull mix—looked at him with sad eyes. He nodded in the direction of their owners and said, “Good morning.” In a small town like Owl
Creek it was hard to keep his head down and avoid exchanging pleasantries, even though he didn’t feel very cordial.

  Who could blame him? He hadn’t come back to his hometown in a blaze of glory after winning the Iditarod. He’d returned with his tail between his legs after Luna’s injury and having bowed out of the competition. Ace clenched his teeth. His best friend, Leo Duggan, had told him on numerous occasions that he was suffering from a severe case of wounded pride. In Ace’s mind it was so much more than that. In the blink of an eye his entire way of life had been extinguished.

  With Luna trailing behind him in the wagon, Ace walked over to the reception desk to check in. The woman smiling up at him had dark hair with silver threaded through it. A warm expression lit up her face. “Good morning. Ace, right?”

  Ace shook her hand. “Yes. I have an appointment with Dr. Roberts for my Siberian husky, Luna.”

  She grinned at him. “I’m Peggy Allen, office receptionist. You and Luna are pretty famous in these parts. You’ve done Owl Creek proud. And Luna has been quite a lead sled dog.” She made a tutting sound. “It’s a shame about the Iditarod. This entire town was rooting for you.”

  Ace sucked in a raggedy breath. “It sure was,” he said, gritting his teeth. Memories of the accident bombarded him. Suddenly, it felt as if he was back there on the nine-hundred-and-ninety-eight-mile Iditarod Trail making split-second decisions in order to win the race. Ace had known he’d been riding his sled team too hard and way too fast in an effort to outpace the musher who was in the lead. His desire to be the first one to cross the Iditarod finish line had ended in disaster when the sled sped too fast around a curve and careened down a ravine and into a thicket of trees. The crash had been devastating, not only for his injured dogs, but also for his own sense of self-worth. Armed with the knowledge that he’d been at fault, Ace hadn’t hesitated to retire from dog sledding.

  “You can take a seat, Ace. Doc Roberts will be right with you,” the woman said with a smile. Her words dragged him back to the present.

  Ace sat down in one of the chairs and tried his best to be patient. It was definitely not his strong suit. He’d been in a lot of vet offices over the years, but this situation felt more nerve-racking than usual. Luna was still recovering from the bad accident. The fact that he blamed himself for the crash only served to heighten the situation.

  He idly picked up a glossy canine magazine with a gigantic Great Dane on the cover. Ace felt the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement as he flipped through the pages. Nothing lifted his mood more than the sight of a bunch of playful dogs.

  “Hey, Peggy. I’m ready for my next appointment.”

  The hair on the back of Ace’s neck rose at the sound of the sweet, honeyed tone. He would know this particular voice anywhere. Ace looked up from his magazine as he braced himself for the sight of the woman he’d been trying to forget for the last five years.

  “Ace. It’s been a long time.” The familiar voice washed over him like a bucket of ice-cold water.

  For a moment, all he could do was stare as he locked eyes with the only woman who’d ever owned his heart. It felt as if all the air had been sucked from his lungs as he struggled to regain his equilibrium. Maya was standing in front of him wearing an official white jacket with the Best Friends logo stitched on the pocket. With her auburn hair and jet-black lashes framing chestnut-colored eyes, Maya was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her hair was shorter than she’d always worn it, but it suited her heart-shaped face.

  “Maya,” he said, surprised at his ability to make a single word come out of his mouth. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” Despite his attempt to play it cool, his heart was thundering inside his chest. He hoped she couldn’t hear it thumping away. It surprised him to realize how deeply her presence still affected him.

  Ace was having a hard time wrapping his head around seeing Maya again. She was standing mere feet away from him. Why was she back in Owl Creek working at her dad’s practice? Shouldn’t she be in California or Seattle or wherever she’d landed after graduating from vet school?

  She wrinkled her nose. “Really? I guess you didn’t hear that I moved back to town to run the practice. My dad’s retiring, and he only works a few hours a week now.”

  Ace felt his eyes threatening to bulge out of his head. A heated sensation flared on his neck. Why hadn’t he known this piece of information? “No. I had no idea,” he answered. “Actually, I’ve only recently returned myself.” Ace immediately wondered why his father hadn’t told him about Maya’s return. Blue Reynolds had known that Ace had an appointment here this morning, and he couldn’t think of a single reason why his dad had kept quiet. Ace would have benefited from a heads-up.

  “I know. I was really sorry to hear about the crash,” she said, a sympathetic expression passing over her face. “Why don’t you follow me and I can take a look at Luna.” Ace nodded, then followed behind her as she walked down the corridor and into an exam room. Once he’d stepped inside, Maya shut the door, then bent down and patted Luna on the head.

  “Hey there, girl. Do you remember me? It’s been a while, but we used to be good friends, weren’t we?” Maya asked as she nuzzled her nose against Luna’s. Ace watched in astonishment as Luna enthusiastically licked Maya’s face. She wasn’t usually a demonstrative dog, but she was showing Maya a massive amount of love.

  “I think she remembers you,” Ace said, feeling dumbfounded. It had been almost five years since Luna, Ace and Maya had all been together. Ace shouldn’t be surprised. Even as a puppy, Luna had always been crazy about Maya.

  “Aww, aren’t you a special girl,” Maya cooed. She stood up and moved toward the scale, coaxing the dog to her side. Luna made a tentative step toward Maya before Ace scooped her up, then placed her on the scale.

  Maya looked at him. “I know you’re probably feeling protective of her, but you need to let her try to move on her own. It will strengthen her ability to walk.”

  Ace didn’t respond. Her comment made him feel slightly defensive. He’d worked tirelessly to save Luna’s life and care for her over the last few months. Of course he was protective of her. He hadn’t just gotten into sled-dog racing for the money or the fame. Ace genuinely adored dogs, and he couldn’t imagine his life without them in it.

  Maya stepped back and looked at the digital scale reading. “She’s a solid sixty pounds.”

  “That sounds about right,” Ace said. “After the accident she lost a bunch of weight. Little by little I built her back up again by adding more protein to her diet.”

  “Well, it sure worked,” Maya said, a smile playing around her lips.

  Maya gently prodded Luna to walk over to the exam table. They both watched as she made her way over. “Her gait is pretty solid. It’s a good thing it was one of her hind legs. The amputation site is looking good. It’s healed up nicely.”

  Relief spread through him. Luna’s well-being was of the utmost importance to him.

  “You’ve done a good job rehabbing her. She won’t ever be the same, but I think she’s doing nicely considering how badly she was hurt.” She sent him a pointed look. “As you know, some racing injuries can be deadly.”

  Of course I know. Ace bit back the desire to snap at Maya. He inhaled a deep breath. He had no business lashing out at her. It had been a rough few months, and the strain of his situation was beginning to affect him.

  “I now know more about those types of injuries than I ever wanted to,” Ace admitted. “She’s been a brave girl learning to walk on three legs.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat. It had been an awe-inspiring experience watching Luna learn to walk again. She still struggled a bit when she was tired, but she’d made major strides in the past few weeks.

  “Well, she’s clearly come a long way. And she’s doing well. She sure has grit.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Ace said. “I’ve never
had a dog quite like her.”

  “We’re actually finished here, but I’d like to talk to you about something,” Maya said. She was shifting from one foot to the other. The expression stamped on her face radiated uncertainty. “I was going to reach out to you before I saw your name pop up on my appointment calendar.” Maya looked right at him, their gazes locking.

  A warning bell clanged in his head. Ace frowned. “What about?” he asked. After all this time, he couldn’t imagine anything Maya might have to discuss with him other than his dog’s health. They had been out of each other’s lives for years.

  “Dad told me you were back in Owl Creek. He said you’ve given up sled-dog racing.” She made a face. “I’m sorry you had to drop out of the Iditarod. I know how much it’s always meant to you.” For a moment the words sizzled between them. His career had been a major factor in the dissolution of their relationship.

  Being the object of Maya’s pity caused a swell of emotion to rise up inside of him. It was the last thing in the world he wanted from her. Having the woman who’d dumped him feel pity for him felt like a kick in the gut.

  He shrugged. “It was for the best considering the circumstances.” He knit his eyebrows together. “Surely that’s not what you wanted to talk to me about.”

  She shook her head as strands of glossy hair swirled about her shoulders. “No, it isn’t.” Maya exhaled a deep breath. He couldn’t help but think she was fortifying herself. “I need someone to help me with a dog-rescue program I want to launch. I’ve been searching for someone who has experience with canines, but I haven’t been successful. It’s tough finding someone qualified and available in a small town like Owl Creek. I want to start out small and hopefully grow over time.” She blurted out the words so fast he wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly. “It’s a paying gig, Ace. Someone like yourself would be perfect. I don’t know anyone who loves dogs more than you.”

  He felt his jaw drop. Perfect? There wasn’t a single thing about him that radiated perfection these days. The very idea that Maya was so mistaken about him caused irritation to flow through him. It just proved that whatever bond they’d once shared had been irrevocably severed. She really didn’t know him at all. And perhaps he hadn’t known her, either. The thought caused a lump to form in his throat.