Reunited At Christmas. Belle Calhoune
pressed his eyes closed and began taking deep breaths. When he opened them, he glared at his family members. “What are you trying to do to me? Send me to my grave well before my time?”
Boone snapped his fingers. “Bravo. You’ve stumbled upon our diabolical plan.”
Jasper rolled his eyes at Boone then took a halting step in Ruby’s direction. He stuck out a finger and poked her. Ruby let out a little squeak. “You are real. Ruby! Oh, Ruby. You’re back. I could almost sob with happiness.”
Liam tugged at his arm. “There’s something you need to know about Ruby.”
“She’s got a problem with her brain,” Aidan explained in a chirpy voice. “It won’t let her memorize stuff.”
“Huh? What in the world are you going on about? That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Jasper grumbled. He stared at Ruby with wide eyes.
“It’s completely true, though,” Ruby said. She stuck out her hand. “Jasper, I presume. I’m Ruby. I wish that I could say I remember you, but I don’t. And you seem very memorable, by the way.”
Jasper stared at her hand for a moment, his expression shuttered. Laser-sharp blue eyes roamed all over her face before settling on her eyes. “Since you don’t remember me, let’s get one thing straight. I don’t do handshakes with pretty girls.” He winked at her. “The first hug is free of charge.”
For the second time in the span of an hour, Ruby found herself being enveloped in the world’s tightest hug. Jasper smelled like nutmeg and coffee beans. His embrace made her feel as if she was greeting an old friend. His sincerity was palpable. Strangely enough, she didn’t want the embrace to end. It felt like a safe harbor.
When they broke apart, she noticed tears sliding down his face. He wiped them away with his palm. “Whether you remember me or not, I’m feeling mighty blessed to welcome you back into the fold,” Jasper said, reaching out and grasping her hand. “We’ve missed you.”
Ruby wasn’t sure how to describe what she was feeling. She felt all tingly inside, and her chest tightened with a groundswell of emotion. Although there was a wealth of information that eluded her about her life in Love, Alaska, she knew for certain that Ruby Prescott had been well loved.
* * *
“Why don’t we put the kettle back on and have some hot cocoa?” Honor suggested.
Aidan clapped his hands enthusiastically. Auntie Honor knew the exact thing to say to get her nephew’s attention.
As everyone settled around the kitchen table, Liam gently pulled Ruby aside. He shook his head as a feeling of mortification slid through him. “Sorry about Jasper’s over-the-top behavior. He takes some getting used to. Sort of like sushi. He’s an acquired taste.”
“Not from where I’m standing.” Ruby smiled. “I think he’s pretty amazing from what I’ve seen so far. He exudes such a positive vibe. And he seems to be a true original. I like that. And I get the feeling one always knows where things stand with Jasper. He doesn’t seem the type to mince words.”
Liam ducked his head and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“You always were partial to Jasper. He was like the grandfather you never had. Or so you said,” Liam answered. “You always took his side against me.”
“Sorry about that,” Ruby said in a light voice.
“It’s okay,” Liam conceded. “Watching the two of you getting along like a house on fire was always enjoyable.”
Ruby shrugged. “I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I don’t remember that...or Jasper. Although—” Ruby frowned.
“What is it?” Liam asked. Had more flashes of memory occurred?
“Ever since I’ve been back I’ve felt this overwhelming sense of familiarity. I can’t put my finger on anything in particular—but it’s there, right under the surface.”
Liam felt his heart pound like crazy inside his chest. His feelings about Ruby’s memories were so conflicted. He desperately wanted her to get her remembrances back, but at the same time he dreaded what she might remember about the state of their marriage. It was a selfish thought, he realized, considering all Aidan stood to gain if Ruby was whole again.
“Where are you staying tonight? If you like, I can put you in our guest room,” Liam offered.
“I have a reservation at the B and B on Jarvis Street.” She twiddled her fingers and looked down. “I’ll only be staying there for two nights, Liam. Then I’ve got to catch my flight back home.”
Home? What was Ruby talking about? Love, Alaska, was her home, whether she realized it or not yet. He believed that with a deep certainty, despite his doubts about his relationship with his wife.
“Why don’t you let me cancel your reservation?” he suggested. “Stay here with us. You’ll be able to spend more quality time with Aidan in his element.”
Ruby regarded him solemnly and then nodded her agreement. “I know that I only just met him, but he’s everything you said he was.” She glanced over at their son. “I don’t need my memory back to tell me that he’s the best thing I’ve ever done in this world.”
“I feel the same way,” he said as a feeling of pride swept over him.
Aidan patted the seat next to him then beckoned Ruby with his other hand. “Come sit with me,” he called out, clearly wanting to be near and dear with his mother.
As he watched her settle next to Aidan at the table, Liam’s thoughts were focused on his son’s quality of life. Aidan needed his mother. His son’s world would be so much richer with her in it. How many times had Aidan cried himself to sleep because he didn’t have a mother? Or asked him dozens of questions about Ruby? There were so many things that only a woman could provide for a young boy. A tender touch. A lullaby to put him to sleep. A soft place to fall when he needed it.
This was all about Aidan. For the moment Liam wasn’t even putting himself in the equation. His own heart had been a little bit broken when Ruby had taken off her rings and headed to Colorado on the rescue mission. And even though he was ecstatic about her return, he still felt as if he was walking on a tightrope. What if Ruby remembered that she had asked for a separation? What if he did what he had always done with Ruby and followed his heart, only to have it smashed to pieces again?
No, he wasn’t going down that road. His one and only goal would be to give his son his most fervent Christmas wish. The best gift God could ever bestow on him. A mother of his own.
Ruby woke the next morning with the smell of bacon wafting under her nose. She sat up in bed and cast a quick glance around her. She had been so exhausted last night after all the Prescotts had left the house that she’d barely had time to take in her surroundings.
The guest bedroom had a quaint, cozy vibe. An oil painting of the Alaskan tundra hung from the wall. A big, fluffy, eiderdown comforter had kept her warm and cozy all night. The bed frame was made of cedar wood. She had no idea how she recognized the wood, but she did. She reached out and touched its smooth surface as a feeling of familiarity ran through her. Someone had made this for them! A man. One she dearly loved. A face flashed before her eyes—warm brown eyes and a cocoa complexion. An endearing smile and a hearty laugh. Her brother?
Before she had turned in, Aidan had peeked into her room and wished her good-night. He had been a little shy but filled with curiosity about her. She was so worried about disappointing him. Ruby fretted that in his mind she was a super hero. That would be a tough act to follow.
She quickly got dressed and checked her appearance in the mirror above