Reunited at Christmas Page 7

  “Attention, please. Attention.” Jasper scrambled up on a chair and let loose with another whistle to get everyone’s attention. He was wildly waving his arms around.

  “Unbelievable!” Liam muttered as he folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his chair.

  “If he breaks that chair, he’s paying for it,” Cameron grumbled. “There’s no family discount for destroying the property around here.”

  As soon as all eyes were focused on Jasper, he began to speak. “I’d like to make an announcement. I’m sure most of you are pretty confused about what’s been happening here today. The Prescott family is delighted to announce that reports of Ruby Prescott’s death were greatly exaggerated.” He let out a chuckle. “Not that it’s anything to make light of, but we’re just so thankful to have her back in the fold.”

  Loud gasps and murmurs rippled through the café. Customers turned toward her to gape at her. Ruby ducked her head. She didn’t want to make eye contact with anyone. Awkward didn’t even begin to describe this experience. She might have liked some warning about Jasper’s announcement, but one look at Liam’s face told her he’d been caught off guard, as well.

  “Ruby has amnesia, but God has shown Ruby the way home after two years. She was in an accident that day in Colorado when she was saving lives. As a result, she’s lost most of her memory of life before that day. That means that in all likelihood she won’t remember you. It also means that we’re going to help her in any way that we can. With patience. And kindness. And good, old-fashioned Alaskan hospitality. She still has healing to do on her road to recovery. This town has always supported our own and this won’t be any different.”

  “Hear! Hear! Mayor Prescott!” Hazel stood nearby, clapping and cheering. Ruby spotted Aidan standing nearby, beaming from ear to ear. A stunning redhead—presumably Sophie—had her arm around his shoulder. Hazel stepped forward and helped Jasper down from the chair, then reached out and grazed her palm along his cheek. “That’s the Jasper I know and love,” she cooed.

  “And don’t you forget it, woman,” Jasper said as he reached for Hazel and placed his arms around her waist, then dipped her backward as he planted a kiss on her lips.

  “Close your eyes, Emma,” Cameron said to his baby daughter as he placed his hand over her eyes. “You really don’t need to see this.”

  Paige reached over and removed his hand from their daughter’s eyes. She shook her head at her husband and made a tutting sound.

  Everyone in the Moose Café began clapping and hooting. Liam threw back his head and laughed. It was nice to see him so relaxed and lighthearted, Ruby realized. It suited him well.

  Ruby felt shame almost eat her up inside as she watched Hazel and Jasper’s display of affection. When the town mayor had first begun to speak, she’d wanted to sink into her seat. She had felt embarrassed and slightly annoyed. Jasper’s words had surprised her. They’d been heartwarming and beautiful, leaving her feeling choked-up. Since she was struggling to discover what her place was in this Alaskan town, it meant the world to her to know that she had his support and friendship.

  God had led her back here to Love. Of that she felt certain. Now if she could only figure out her role in the grand scheme of things.

  Aidan’s mother. Liam’s wife. Friend to all.

  Those things were meaningful, but were they enough to keep her in this town for the long haul when she still didn’t remember much of anything about her former life?

  * * *

  Not long after Aidan joined them for hot chocolate at the table, Liam could detect fatigue etched on Ruby’s face. Her warm brown skin seemed a bit washed out, and her eyes no longer sparkled. She appeared a bit worn down. He chided himself for indulging Aidan in his desire to have hot chocolate at the Moose Café. He feared it had been too overwhelming an experience for Ruby. Between Jasper, Cameron, Paige and Hazel, not to mention a handful of villagers who had approached Ruby with well wishes, it had turned into a lot more than a casual outing. He imagined Ruby felt as if she was being pulled in a dozen different directions.

  After saying their goodbyes, Liam drove them back to the house. Ruby was very quiet during the ride. He tried to lighten the mood by turning the radio on and blasting festive holiday songs. Aidan played along, singing his favorites at the top of his lungs. Although he saw Ruby tapping along to the beat a few times, she remained somber. From this point forward he vowed to do a better job of protecting Ruby from situations that were too much for her to handle.

  As he navigated the lane and pulled into the driveway, a familiar physique standing at their doorstep immediately captured his attention.

  “Oh, no. Not now of all times,” he muttered.

  Ruby turned toward him, her brown eyes full of concern. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

  “It’s Uncle Kyle,” Aidan shouted. As soon as the truck came to a stop, he quickly unbuckled his seat belt and wrenched open the door.

  “Kyle? Isn’t that my brother’s name?” Ruby asked. Her pretty features were creased with worry. “Is that him?”

  “Yes,” Liam said in a clipped tone. Frustration speared through him. Already, Ruby was feeling overwhelmed by the events of this afternoon. He’d told Kyle to call him so they could arrange a time for him to come visit Ruby. Clearly, Kyle had decided to just fly to Love from Homer.

  Ruby bit her lip. “He’s a big guy. If the fireman thing doesn’t work out, he may have a future in professional wrestling.”

  Ruby’s comment made Liam grin. At six-three and two hundred and twenty-five pounds, Kyle was known as a gentle giant. Well-mannered and kind, he was a favorite among the townsfolk here in Love whenever he visited. Aidan thought he was the very definition of cool.

  Liam and Ruby emerged from the vehicle and headed toward the house. Kyle was holding Aidan in his arms, but his stare was intently focused on Ruby. Tears welled in his eyes. He slowly lowered Aidan to the ground.

  Before Liam could say a word, Kyle stepped toward Ruby. “I know you’re not expecting me, but I couldn’t stay away. I’ve been missing you for two long years, and not seeing you for another single day felt like torture.”

  “I understand,” Ruby said in a low voice. She was gazing at her brother with such intensity it seemed almost as if she was trying to memorize his facial features.

  “I know you don’t remember me—” Kyle began.

  “That’s not true,” Ruby said with a vehement shake of her head. “I do remember you. Your face. Your warm brown eyes. A smile like no other. I have a distinct recollection of you crafting that bed in the guest room for us. And jelly beans.”

  Tears slid down Kyle’s face. “You do remember me.”

  Ruby reached up and wrapped her arms around Kyle. She placed her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

  Jelly Bean was the nickname Ruby had given Kyle when he was a kid, due to his effusive love for jelly beans.

  Liam didn’t know if he’d ever felt as jealous before in his life than he did at this very moment. Ruby had distinct memories of Kyle! And she had reached out to him with an embrace. He swallowed past the huge lump in his throat. It wasn’t a contest, but knowing that she still had no recollection of him or their life together burned like acid.

  It served as a huge reminder that the love Ruby had once felt for him had in all likelihood died even before she’d tumbled off the Colorado mountain.

  * * *

  Liam and Kyle took the tree down from the top of the truck and carried it into the house. All the while Aidan was shouting out directions. Ruby trailed after them, excited at the idea of an honest-to-goodness, live pine tree for Christmas. Last year she’d put up a little plastic tree that had resembled something out of a cartoon. Things were definitely looking up!

  “Where would you like it, Ruby?” Liam asked. “It’s your choice.”

&nbs
p; Ruby looked around the living room. There was a great spot right in front of the window that would be perfect. “Right there by the window,” she said, pointing over at it. “That way anyone who comes to visit can see the tree all lit up from the outside.”

  She didn’t know where that idea had come from. It had just popped into her head. She could see it all in her mind—the tree fully adorned with strings of lights and popcorn and cranberries. Precious ornaments handed down from family members would hang gracefully from the branches. A gold star shimmering brightly from the top.

  * * *

  Aidan grabbed the Christmas tree stand and placed it on the floor directly in front of the huge bay window. Kyle lifted the tree and placed it into the hold while Liam got down on the floor and began tightening the screws so the tree would stay up.

  “There we go,” Liam said as he scrambled to his feet and eyed the tree. “It looks straight, right?”

  “As straight as an arrow,” Ruby remarked. “It looks wonderful.”

  “I can’t wait to decorate it,” Aidan shouted, jumping up and down with excitement. “This year Daddy said he’s going to lift me up so I can put the star on top.”

  The sound of a cell phone buzzing caused Liam to dig around in his pockets. He pulled out the phone and said, “I’ve got to take this. It’s the answering service for the clinic.” He strode out of the room and walked in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Uncle Kyle, wait right here. I need to go get my new fireman truck so I can show you.” Like a flash, Aidan disappeared right before their eyes.

  Suddenly it was just the two of them standing there looking at each other as if neither knew how to bridge the gap.

  “Would you like something to drink? A snack?” Ruby asked, feeling desperate to fill the silence.

  “I’m good. The question is...how are you doing? Really?” He leaned toward her and reached for her hand. Kyle squeezed it gently.

  It felt like being supported by a strong oak tree.

  She gestured toward the sofa. “Why don’t we sit down so we’re more comfortable?” Ruby suggested. She sank onto the couch and watched as Kyle sat next to her.

  “I’m doing well. Or as well as can be expected. I didn’t expect all this when I came to town.” She let out a laugh. “I guess I was naive to think that I was going to stroll into town, find my family connections and then just sail out of town back to Denver.”

  “So how are you handling it all? Aidan and Liam? And all the Prescotts? They can be an intense bunch.”

  “Everything is coming at me kind of fast right now. I just came from town. We stopped into Cameron’s café after picking out our tree. The hustle and bustle and the people quickly became overwhelming.” Tears stung her eyes. “I want to be strong enough to face this, but I have to admit, I just wanted to bury my head under my covers.”

  “And here I just show up unannounced on your doorstep to add to your troubles.” Kyle groaned. He slapped his palm on his forehead.

  “It’s fine,” Ruby said. “To tell you the truth, I don’t feel overwhelmed at all sitting here with you one-on-one like this. I think the sheer number of people makes me a little uncomfortable.”

  Kyle nodded, his expression infused with sympathy. “You were a people person. A social butterfly. Ever since you were little, people have been drawn to you. So of course they’re flocking to you now, because they all shared a connection with you in the past. And I’m sure that must feel intense to you since all you have is a blank slate.”

  She sighed with relief. “Yes. You understand it perfectly. And Liam has been fantastic, but it’s strange knowing we’re husband and wife. Be honest with me, Kyle. How were we as a couple? Liam and I? Were we head-over-heels in love? Was I a good mother?”

  These questions had been plaguing her ever since her arrival. She had left her toddler son at home to go on a dangerous search-and-rescue mission in another state. It worried her that perhaps she had been one of those mothers who put her career before her husband and child. If that was the case, she would feel ashamed of her choices.

  “First of all, you were a fantastic, engaged mom. From the time Aidan was born, both you and Liam doted on him. First steps. First words. You were both over the moon about him.” He let out a ragged breath. “From the moment you met Liam, it was a love story. You fell for each other pretty fast, then got engaged and tied the knot shortly thereafter. Everyone in Love held you up as the gold standard.” Kyle held up his hands. “No pressure, though.”

  Ruby let out a sigh. “That’s the problem. I do feel that pressure to be something I can’t even begin to wrap my head around. And, of course, Liam is this dreamy doctor with soulful eyes and a good heart, but it’s not like I’m in love with him or anything.”

  A loud crash startled both of them.

  Aidan was standing there in the doorway, his red fire truck on its side on the floor. His cheeks were blotchy, fists clenched at his sides. He was huffing and puffing like a fire-breathing dragon. “You don’t love my dad? That’s awful. Maybe you should just go back to Colorado where you belong!”

  Chapter Six

  Just as Liam ended his call, the sound of a loud crash drew him back toward the living room. He saw Aidan run down the hall into his bedroom, followed by a loud slam of his door.

  “What in the world just happened here?” Liam asked, looking back and forth at Ruby and Kyle. Aidan wasn’t a perfect kid by any means, but it wasn’t like him to throw temper tantrums.

  He spotted the fire truck on the floor in disarray. One of the ladders had broken off, along with a tire.

  “Did he do this?” he asked. Aidan knew better than to treat his belongings so frivolously. Jasper had just purchased the fire truck for him.

  “Yes, but he was upset about something he overheard. It’s all my fault, Liam,” Ruby said tearfully.

  Kyle patted her on the shoulder. “Just chalk it up to the extraordinary circumstances of the last few days. It’s perfectly normal that he’s acting out.”

  “Let me go talk to him and straighten him out,” Liam said in a fierce tone.

  Ruby jumped up from the sofa. “No, Liam! Please. Let me do it. I’m the one he’s angry at. I need to smooth things over so there isn’t any awkwardness moving forward.”

  “Are you sure? He can be a handful when he’s riled up,” Liam warned.

  “If I’m going to get back in the swing of things with my son, I can’t avoid the hard stuff.”

  “Care to tell me what this was all about?” he asked, studying the frantic expression on her face. Something big must have gone down to lead to Aidan’s meltdown and the look of distress etched on Ruby’s face.

  “Later. After I talk to Aidan,” she promised. He nodded as she walked down the hall in search of their son.

  Once Ruby was safely out of hearing distance, Kyle leaned back into the sofa and let out a massive sigh. “This is a really complicated situation, Liam. It could really explode if you don’t tread carefully.”

  Liam stiffened. He didn’t need to be lectured by his brother-in-law. Kyle had no clue how difficult this situation was to navigate. As confused as he was about his new reality, he had to stay positive. “It’ll all work out. We’re only two days in, Kyle. We need time to adjust as a family.”

  Kyle’s expression hardened. “I’m not sure how long I can keep Ruby in the dark.”

  Liam crossed his arms over his chest. “About what?”

  A sigh slipped past Kyle’s lips. “Come on, Liam. We both know that when Ruby left for that rescue mission the two of you were at odds with one another. You were talking separation. She told me everything.”

  “Marriages go through rough times and people ride them out.” He frowned at his brother-in-law. “And after everything that’s happened, how would it serve Ruby to have that information
?”

  Kyle shrugged. “I don’t know. But I do know that my sister and I never kept secrets from one another. And this feels like a big, dark secret to me.” Kyle’s brows were knitted together, his caramel-brown eyes appeared troubled. “Maybe she should know so she can make informed decisions.”

  “I would never ask you to be dishonest, Kyle. But with Ruby having suffered amnesia and trying to get her bearings here in Love, I just don’t think it would be wise to bring up things that might cause distress.”

  “For Ruby? Or for you?”

  Tension hummed in the air between them.

  Liam clenched his jaw. He had always gotten along well with Kyle, who was a kind and loyal guy. But he wasn’t about to condone his brother-in-law throwing a keg of dynamite on an already explosive situation. He couldn’t risk the hurt Aidan would feel if everything fell apart. Or the pain Ruby might feel. Everything may have changed in his world, but he would never stop being his family’s protector.

  “I’ve never given you reason to question my motives before, Kyle. My main concern about telling your sister is Aidan. He’s over the moon to have his mother back. Let’s give them an opportunity to bond without throwing a monkey wrench in the mix.”

  Kyle nodded. “I’m sorry if I sounded curt or if it appears that I’m sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong. I just don’t want this to blow up in everybody’s faces.”

  “Neither do I. I promise you that I’m doing everything in my power to make sure Ruby is safe and protected and loved.”

  Kyle knitted his brows together. “I believe you, but what if she remembers everything, Liam?”

  He felt torn about Kyle’s question. On one hand, it would be a dream come true. But, if Ruby had total recall, she might decide their marriage had died two years ago. She would realize he hadn’t been completely on the up-and-up with her. Although he had done a good job of convincing himself this was mainly about Aidan, he couldn’t deny his marriage hung in the balance.