Reunited At Christmas. Belle Calhoune
had seeped in that Ruby was alive. For the last two years he had been walking around like a man with half a heart. Now, for the first time in forever, he felt as if he had hope. Although he knew the odds might be stacked against Ruby getting her memory back, he couldn’t help but feel optimistic about their lives returning to normal. And, above all else, Aidan getting his mother back.
With Ruby back in their world, God had just presented him and his son with the best Christmas gift ever.
* * *
Ruby sat in the passenger seat of the big, midnight-blue truck and gazed in wonder at her surroundings. She almost felt like a little kid as she swung her eyes in every direction. Everything in this village was so beautiful. It resembled an old-fashioned postcard. Jarvis Street—the main area in town—had quaint shops lit up with sparkly Christmas lights and charming lampposts decorated in red and white.
A huge pine tree sat on the town green, adorned with colored lights and an abundance of ornaments. Couples were walking hand in hand down the street while a group of children had their noses pressed against one of the shop windows. A big sign with the words Operation Love hung on a shop door. Her attention was drawn to an establishment called the Moose Café. It looked festive and fun, judging by the moose logo above the door and the customers who sailed out the door with contented smiles on their faces.
“That’s my brother Cameron’s place.” Liam glanced over at her, as if waiting for her to react to the name he’d tossed out. It hadn’t registered at all. She felt a little dip in her stomach. It felt as if she might be disappointing him by not remembering names and places and this glorious town. But she could never pretend about her memories just to make someone happy—they were sacred.
“It started as a coffee bar, but it’s morphed into a pretty good restaurant,” Liam explained. “He serves up a mighty good mochaccino and a whole assortment of other fancy coffee drinks.”
“It seems like a great place,” she said, admiring the soft glow emanating from inside. It looked like the sort of establishment where friends gathered to share food, good conversation and fellowship. Who had her friends been in this small fishing village? Had they mourned her passing? Had they missed her?
“He built that place out of sheer grit and determination. You used to always say that Cameron could do anything he set his mind to.” A ring of satisfaction laced his tone.
“I guess I was right,” she murmured. “That’s quite commendable of him. How many siblings do you have?”
“Three. There’s Boone, who you just met. He’s the oldest. Cameron, who owns the Moose Café. And last but not least, is my sister, Honor. She’s the baby of the family.” He quirked his mouth. “I don’t want to make you feel any pressure, but my little sister always thought you hung the moon. She’s at the house now, watching Aidan, so she’s going to be very emotional about your return. I sent Boone ahead of us so he could tell her. Be prepared for a few waterworks. That one wears her heart on her sleeve.”
Ruby was thankful for the heads-up. There was nothing worse than being blindsided. She wondered if that’s how Liam felt about her showing up in Love without even the slightest warning.
He must be a strong person, she realized. Liam seemed to be handling the news incredibly well, much better than she was. Her own emotions were all over the place. She could feel something bubbling up inside her and threatening to overflow. She had been so used to stuffing her feelings down in an effort to minimize the pain of not knowing her identity. It was as if someone had pulled back her layers and exposed her core. All her nerve endings were tingling.
She bit her lip. Ruby turned toward him, admiring how good-looking he was in profile. “What about me? Do I have any brothers or sisters? And what about my parents? Shouldn’t you call them?”
Liam’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Your parents are both gone, Ruby. But you do have a brother, Kyle. You raised him after your parents died in a car accident. He lives in Alaska, but not here in Love. He’s a volunteer fireman. I’ll call him once we get home and see Aidan.”
“Were we close?” she asked. Her pulse began to race at the idea that she had a blood relative she had loved dearly enough to raise on her own.
Liam turned to her, a sheen of moisture in his eyes. “Very close. He was inspired to become a fireman after watching the work you did with search-and-rescue operations.”
Ruby felt a big smile take over her face. “That’s nice. It makes me feel good to know that I worked in a meaningful profession and that I impacted people’s lives.”
“You saved a lot of lives, Ruby. Even on that terrible day on the mountain, you rescued people. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Liam’s voice radiated a deep respect. “You were a hero.”
It was fairly wonderful, Ruby thought. A feeling of pride rose inside her. There wasn’t much in her day-to-day life to feel accomplished about. Back in Denver she worked at a restaurant as a waitress. It was a low-paying, boring position that left her feeling as if there had to be more to life than her current situation reflected. But with no past, no degrees to put on a résumé and no known skills, making a living had been difficult. Her boss paid her under the table and hadn’t pressed her for a social security number after she’d explained her circumstances. She was thankful she was able to live a modest life on her salary, but the work didn’t fulfill her in any way.
As Moose Crossing signs appeared on the road ahead and a magnificent mountain loomed in the distance, majestic and proud, the enormity of the situation crashed over her in unrelenting waves. She had stepped out on a leap of faith by making the trip to this lovely Alaskan hamlet. Leaving Colorado had pulled her out of the comfort zone she had established for herself in Denver. Despite her fears, Ruby couldn’t remember ever having felt this wonderfully alive and present.
With every passing moment she was realizing that her being here in Love came with a host of complications. She had only brought a few days’ worth of clothes with her. Somehow in her mind she had imagined coming to Alaska and doing a little bit of digging around, then heading back to Colorado to continue with her life. Closure had been her objective. Finding out about her son and Liam had added a huge wrinkle to her plan. She had meaningful ties in this town. And there was nothing about Liam Prescott that made her believe he would sign divorce papers and send her on her merry way.
Truthfully, she wasn’t certain that she was fully prepared to greet her old life head-on. A husband and a child? A brother? Family and friends? She wasn’t sure she could handle all of these new connections without coming apart at the seams.
Liam shot a quick glance her direction. He reached out and touched her hand. She jerked it away, feeling uncomfortable at the tender gesture. Despite the circumstances, it was too intimate. She didn’t know him like that.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” Liam said. “You looked so nervous I just wanted to reassure you. Everything will be fine.”
Ruby turned her head away and glanced out the passenger-side window. Everything will be fine. She wasn’t sure she truly believed that. Liam couldn’t possibly understand her journey as an amnesia victim. He didn’t know the twisted road she walked each and every day. The fear. The anxiety and stress. The frustration over not being able to access her own memories from her mind. And now she was going to have to face her four-year-old son and deal with questions she wasn’t sure she was prepared to answer.
Look up, she reminded herself. It served to remind her that when things in life became jumbled or stressful, to look for God. He was always there for her. Ever present. Always faithful. Ruby didn’t know where her faith had come from, but she was grateful for it at moments like this when her fear felt like a living, breathing thing that might consume her.
“We’re here,” Liam announced as he turned off the road and down a private, tree-lined driveway. Ruby peered out the window. Her surroundings resembled a winter wonderland. Spruce trees were everywhere. She recognized them from Colorado. They were beautiful, with full branches covered in a blanket of white.
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