Reunited at Christmas Page 10

  “It’s understandable that you feel that way. When I first opened my clinic here in Love, I had a lot of people questioning me.” He let out a throaty laugh. “There were residents who still viewed me as a kid, even though I was a fully grown adult who was a medical doctor. It got to me. Pretty soon I was doubting my own qualifications and skills. I wondered if I’d bitten off more than I could chew.”

  Ruby’s eyes blinked furiously as she looked at him. A fragile hope glistened in her eyes. Ruby wanted so badly to get her memories back. It shimmered from deep inside her like a beacon.

  Liam ached for her. Had he been so worried about Aidan’s feelings that he’d minimized how difficult this whole process must be for Ruby? Was he guilty of being selfish?

  “And obviously you worked through it, right?” she asked, drawing him out of his thoughts.

  “I did. Time worked wonders on my self-confidence. And with every day I became a little braver, just like you are.”

  “I’m trying to be patient, but sometimes I just wish all my memories would come flooding back to me. There are so many questions rattling around in my brain. I’m excited about the tea party invitation, but I’m also fretting about it. What if I don’t know what to say to them?”

  “I know you’re still getting back fragments of your memory, so you don’t remember them just yet. But those ladies love you. Honor. Hazel. Paige. They’d walk through fire for you.”

  Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes. “It humbles me to hear that.”

  “And don’t worry about not knowing what to say. There’s a saying that true friends know the song in your heart and can repeat it back to you if you’ve forgotten the words. That’s the type of friends you have in your corner.”

  “That’s a beautiful sentiment,” Ruby said with a nod, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly in a smile. She wiped her hand across her brow. “Phew. I guess that means I was a pretty decent human being,” she quipped. “If I had been a total nightmare, I wouldn’t have such amazing friends.”

  “You’ve always led with your heart,” he said in a low voice. “And your kindness and loyalty to everyone in your circle never wavered.”

  Liam looked down at her, admiring the stunning beauty of his remarkable wife. He knew he was staring at her, but he couldn’t help it. It might take him the rest of his life to get his fill of her after being under the belief that she was gone forever.

  “Maybe we should go back inside,” Ruby said, looking toward the house. “I’m sure Aidan is wondering where I am.”

  Liam chuckled. He could just imagine Aidan transfixed by his favorite science-fiction television show. “He’s probably still glued to the screen.”

  Ruby giggled, showcasing the sweet sound of her laughter. “I have noticed that he can’t be disturbed at this time of night. He really loves all the space travel and extraterrestrials.”

  He felt a surge of emotion rise inside him. This was pure Ruby. The infectious joy. Her utter radiance. The desire to protect a defenseless animal. It was all the best things about the woman he’d married. Bit by bit, she was coming back to him.

  At this very moment he wanted to kiss her more than he’d ever wanted anything else in his life. And the way she was looking at him, with her face turned upward and her brown eyes brimming with emotion, made him think she wanted to be kissed.

  Liam took a step closer. He reached out and placed his hands on either side of her face. “Ruby,” he murmured, lowering his head toward her. He watched as she closed her eyes in expectation of the kiss. Her long, black lashes fluttered. He though he heard her let out a sigh.

  “Hey! What’s taking so long?” The high-pitched child’s voice came out of nowhere.

  “Aidan,” Ruby said, her eyes blinking open. She turned toward the house where their son stood in the doorway, looking in their direction.

  “Hey, Aidan. We were just checking on something,” Liam called out. “We’ll be right there.”

  “When’s dinner?” Aidan shouted. “I’m as hungry as a bear.”

  Liam let out a groan. There was no way he was going to try to kiss Ruby with Aidan screaming in the background. Besides, their son had ruined the perfect moment for their kiss. He loved Aidan dearly, but his timing was horrendous.

  “I have a casserole in the oven,” Ruby said. “I need to take it out before it overcooks.”

  Liam simply nodded. He felt a stab of disappointment so sharp it made his ribs ache. Why did this feel like such a setback? He knew his feelings were tied up in wanting things to get back to normal and his fears that Ruby might not stick around Love long enough for them to work on their future. In this instance, a kiss would have allowed him to take a giant leap forward in their relationship. It would have given him hope. As it was, he felt as if he was continually walking on eggshells.

  As they made their way, side by side, toward the house, Liam felt a tugging on his heartstrings as he enjoyed the steady presence by his side.

  Thank You, Lord, for giving me another shot at getting things right in my marriage. I promise to be a little more patient and to learn from the mistakes I made in the past. I won’t squander this opportunity.

  There would be other moments for him and Ruby. He just needed to be patient and to appreciate the simple blessings.

  Aidan was waiting for them at the door. Never in a million years had he believed his son would have the opportunity to spend time with his mother again and that the three of them would be able to live as a family.

  God’s grace was a mighty thing indeed.

  * * *

  “I’m so grateful for GPS,” Ruby said as she navigated the winding back roads that led to Hazel’s residence. She was driving Liam’s truck rather than the spare car. Liam had told her that he felt better about her driving a truck with all-wheel drive and studded tires than a car that had been sitting in the garage for eons. If she hadn’t been focusing so intently on the road, she might have been able to admire the stunning vista stretched out in front of her. Love, Alaska, was a picturesque fishing village straight out of a postcard.

  Thankfully, between Liam and the Moose Crossing signs, she had been made acutely aware of the moose population in town. When three moose slowly made their way across the road, Ruby almost had to pick her jaw up off the floorboard. There was something majestic and beautiful about those humongous animals roaming freely about the land. But she also knew how dangerous they could be. As soon as they had crossed over, Ruby continued down the road. She sucked in a deep breath at the sight of large mountains looming in the distance. The raw beauty here in Alaska was unparalleled.

  She let out a cry of triumph when she saw a wooden sign announcing the Black Bear Cabins. As she wound her way up the hill and drove past reddish-brown cabins, another sign with an arrow pointed the way toward the lodge.

  As soon as Ruby rang the bell, the door swung open. Hazel was standing there, a welcoming smile on her face. She was wearing a bright pink sweater with a skirt that went all the way down to her ankles. Feeling a bit nervous, Ruby stuck out the bouquet of flowers she had brought as a hostess gift. “They’re lovely,” Hazel raved. “How did you know I loved forget-me-nots? Come on in.”

  “Thank you,” she said as she entered Hazel’s home. “Aidan helped me pick them out. And he told me that forget-me-nots are the official state flower, so that seemed perfect.”

  The moment Ruby entered Hazel’s abode she felt as if she had been transported into a vintage era. There were so many elegant touches. Gleaming hardwood floors. Stained-glass windows. A grand spiral staircase. “Everyone is already in the parlor, so follow me,” Hazel instructed with a wave of her hand.

  Once they stepped inside, Ruby was greeted with a vibrant chorus of hellos. All the women had dressed up for the occasion. In addition to Hazel, she knew two of the women—Paige and Honor.

  �
��I’m Sophie Miller.” A stunning woman with fiery red hair and an infectious grin held out her hand to her. “Nice to meet you, Ruby.”

  “I’m Annie O’Rourke.” Annie stepped forward and treated her to a warm smile. With her peaches-and-cream complexion and dark brown hair, she exuded sweetness. Her vintage emerald-colored cocktail dress was magnificent.

  Hazel rubbed her hands together. “Well, we’re just waiting for Grace to get here. Ruby, we wanted to host this tea party so you could see that you’ve got friends here in Love,” Hazel explained. “And to extend you a hearty welcome back to the town that adores you.”

  “Everything is lovely,” Ruby said as her glance swept across the table. It had been set with beautiful blue-and-white china. In front of every place setting sat a peacock feather.

  “I’m getting pretty good at hosting these shindigs,” Hazel boasted.

  “You’re a real pro,” Sophie declared, gushing, her Southern accent on full display.

  “One of these days we’re going to host a party in your honor,” Annie said, patting Hazel on her shoulder.

  Hazel scrunched up her face. “Well, I’m overdue for a bridal shower,” she grumbled. “Jasper has had me waiting so long for a proposal.”

  The parlor door opened. Grace was standing in the doorway with Boone right behind her, dwarfing his wife with his height. “Sorry I’m late, but I had a few technical difficulties.”

  Honor quickly reached her sister-in-law’s side. “Is everything okay?”

  Boone’s eyes twinkled with merriment. His smile couldn’t have been wider. For the first time Ruby noticed the resemblance between the three brothers. Liam was a bit more reserved, but he was the most devastatingly handsome of the trio. Her female appreciation of her husband made her cheeks warm.

  “My wife’s stomach made getting behind the wheel very tricky. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Boone chuckled. “Her belly was actually touching the steering wheel.”

  Grace playfully jabbed him in the side. “You’re enjoying this way too much, sheriff.”

  He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss on Grace’s lips. “Give me a call when you’re winding things up here and I’ll swing back by and pick you up.” He tipped his sheriff’s hat in their direction. “Nice to see you, ladies. Enjoy your tea party.”

  As soon as Boone left, the room erupted into sighs of appreciation.

  “Grace, if you weren’t my best friend I’d be jealous of that dreamy husband of yours. And that goes for you too, Ruby and Annie. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Sophie flung her hands in the air. “I came to this town as part of Operation Love, but I still haven’t found anyone who inspires me for anything greater than friendship.”

  “Don’t fret about that, Sophie,” Honor said in a gentle voice. “You’ll find him. They say you find someone when you’re not looking.”

  “Well, that rules me out,” she joked, “since I’ve been looking since the day I arrived in town.”

  All the ladies laughed at Sophie’s animated expression.

  “Why don’t we sit down and start the festivities?” Hazel suggested. Everyone began moving toward the table. “Just sit anywhere. There’s no assigned seating.”

  Ruby ended up next to Paige and Honor. There was quite a spread laid out for them. Gleaming silver dishes held cucumber sandwiches, lemon tarts, pastry puffs filled with lobster, scones with blueberry compote, mini pumpkin muffins and bagels with salmon spread. Ruby felt her tummy grumble in appreciation of the vast array of treats.

  “Annie, could you serve the tea?” Hazel asked. “I’m Miss Butterfingers. I don’t want to send anyone to Liam’s clinic with hot tea burns. Jasper would never let me live that one down.”

  As Annie walked around the table and filled everyone’s teacup, conversation began to flow as the ladies settled in and helped themselves to the food.

  Grace spoke directly to Ruby from across the table. “I just want you to know, Ruby, that I haven’t lived in Love very long myself. I came here as a journalist and ended up falling in love with Boone in rather quick fashion. When I first arrived here, I felt like I’d landed on a different planet. This must be very overwhelming to you. Although my circumstances were different, I can relate a little bit to how it must feel.”

  “I can also testify to how it feels to be a newcomer to Love,” Sophie added, helping herself to another muffin. “Back in Saskell, Georgia, where I’m from, we hadn’t seen snow since I was a little tyke no more than Aidan’s age. So the climate here has been a little bit challenging. That was a shocker, along with getting used to the hours of sunlight depending on the time of year.” She shook her head. “And I still can’t wrap my head around all the single men roaming around this town.”

  “Add me to that list,” Annie said as she placed the teapot back on the table and sat. “I came to Love to be town librarian and as part of Jasper’s Operation Love campaign.” She let out a sigh that sounded a lot like contentment. “I think my adjustment was easier because I was really looking to be part of a community. With no family to speak of, I found my haven here in Love.”

  “Sounds like you all did,” Ruby said, moved by the fact that all three women had found their destinies in this quaint town. “It does feel like a whole new world sometimes. It’s not the Alaskan lifestyle or the climate...at least not yet. What’s bugging me is that I still can’t access most of my memories.” She let out a huff of frustration. “I have to accept the fact that I might never be able to recover the bulk of my past.”

  “Ask for God’s grace in helping you face that possibility. If you lean on Him, He’ll see you through this.” Paige’s words were heartfelt and wise.

  Ruby had been leaning on God, but she needed to speak to Him about her fears and the things that were holding her back. And perhaps she needed to open up to Liam, as well.

  “Why don’t you and Paige go sit down and talk while we clean up?” Hazel suggested. “And, Grace, go sit on the settee. It makes me uncomfortable seeing you stand on your feet for long stretches of time. Your feet will get swollen.”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Grace teased as she struggled to get up from her seat. Honor gave her a slight push until she was standing upright. She placed her hand on her belly and ambled off to the living room. All the other ladies headed to the kitchen, their arms filled with dishes to be washed.

  “So, how are you settling in?” Paige reached out for Ruby’s hand and squeezed it. The gesture felt like encouragement. Ruby hesitated for a moment. Paige was her sister-in-law, married to Liam’s brother. She didn’t want to say anything that could travel through the family grapevine.

  “You don’t need to worry about me passing any information along. We always had a pact that our conversations remained private.” A gentle smile lit Paige’s face. “That hasn’t changed.”

  Ruby let out a sigh of relief. So far there really hadn’t been anyone in Love that she could confide in. There was something calm and reassuring about Paige. She sent out very positive vibes. Ruby felt she could trust her.

  “It’s been a whirlwind, for lack of a better word. I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that Liam has been patient and kind. I feel badly, though, because I keep seeing him look at me as if he’s searching for his wife. But all he finds is me—a shell of my former self.” She let out a little sob, shocked at the intensity of her own words.

  “Oh, honey,” Paige said in a comforting voice, “that must be so difficult...to feel as if you’re disappointing him.”

  “That’s exactly how I feel,” she admitted, wiping away the tears from her face. “And I’m constantly wondering if I’m living up to the old Ruby as far as being a mother to Aidan. So far no one has given me a road map to follow.”

  “You have to remember, Ruby, that you aren’t responsible for your amnesia. You were the victim of an a
ccident. You lost two years of your life with your family. You’re allowed to hurt and grieve and vent. And maybe you should express these feelings to Liam. I’m sure he’s navigating through his own feelings of loss and confusion and pain.”

  Ruby allowed herself to cry. She’d been holding back for entirely too long. She felt Paige’s comforting arm resting around her shoulder.

  You never walk alone. She remembered Kyle saying that to her after the death of their parents. She would use her brother’s advice now to guide her on her journey. Living in Colorado had been lonely at times. Her heart had yearned for connections. And now, sitting right beside her, was a dear friend who loved and supported her. She couldn’t overlook that blessing.

  “Thanks for saying that. I suppose I do feel guilty. My profession involved great risks to my personal safety. I can’t help but feel that I caused my family a world of pain, and I’m still trying to connect to them in meaningful ways.”

  “Well, you need to know that in addition to being a first-class mother and a loving wife, you were amazing in your chosen field. You loved helping people and saving lives. You always said it made you feel ten feet tall to give them a shot at living another day.”

  Ruby found the topic of her profession fascinating. In the quiet hours between dark and dawn she had remained awake thinking about the fast-paced world of search and rescue. There were still so many questions she didn’t know the answers to about her career. And she must have loved it immensely to risk life and limb on a regular basis.

  “Do you know why I went into search and rescue?” She had a hunch it was tied up in the tragic loss of her parents, but she hadn’t yet asked Liam.

  “Yes. It was because of your parents. They died in a pretty horrific pile-up on a highway in Anchorage. Because of a delay in getting rescue workers to the scene, eight people died. There was a big outcry afterward in the media about it. Unfortunately, that was something we had in common. My mother also died in a car crash.”