Читать книгу An Alaskan Christmas - Belle Calhoune - Страница 14
ОглавлениеAs he walked toward his truck Finn let the frigid blast of wintry air wash over him. He’d come outside so he could warm up the car for Maggie and Oliver and place the booster seat inside his truck, but it also provided him with him a few minutes by himself so he could reel in his thoughts.
Although the situation with Agnes was terrible for Maggie, he couldn’t stop thinking about the timing. Tobias’s will stipulated that he needed to help Maggie set up Keepsakes and provide assistance with the grand opening. Perhaps part of helping Maggie could be watching Oliver after school let out so he wouldn’t be underfoot while she set up shop. He could be the part-time sitter.
Finn wasn’t a childcare expert by any means, but he had ties to the community, a way with kids and a fun-loving personality. And for the next few weeks he could devote himself to the position, until such time as he could collect his inheritance from Tobias. While Oliver was in school he could help Maggie with setting up the store and ordering any inventory she needed, as well as doing any heavy lifting. By the time four weeks elapsed, Agnes could very well be on the mend.
It would be win-win for everyone.
The truck had considerably warmed up by the time Finn spotted Maggie and Oliver standing in the doorway of the Moose Café. Maggie held a large shopping bag in her hands. He imagined it contained the meals Hazel had prepared for the two of them. Finn stepped down from the driver’s seat and walked Oliver and Maggie across the street to his truck. He helped Oliver step up into the cab, then took the bag from Maggie before lending her his hand, which felt so small in his larger one.
Once she was buckled in, Finn closed the door and made his way over to the driver’s seat. As Finn began to drive down Jarvis Street, he found himself pointing out local places of interest. He could hear pride ringing out in his own voice.
“The sheriff’s office is right across from the Moose Café,” Finn said, gesturing toward the building. It had been festively decorated with wreaths and red ribbons.
“Is there really a sheriff who works there?” Oliver asked in an awestruck tone.
Finn nodded. “Of course there is. His name is Boone Prescott. He’s Cameron’s brother. And he happens to be a friend of mine in case you’d like to meet him.”
“Whoa. I’ve never met a real-life sheriff before,” Oliver said in a gushing tone. “I’ve only seen them in movies. I hope when I meet him he shows me his shiny gold badge.”
Finn chuckled, enjoying seeing things through Oliver’s fresh eyes. Love was a wonderful town, full of heart and connections and fortitude. The townsfolk had pluck and grit. For many years he hadn’t appreciated his hometown. He’d been too busy trying to stuff down the painful aspects of his childhood. Running away and avoiding all the memories had been the easier path.
And in the process he’d also placed a wedge between himself and Declan. He wanted them to be close again, and they were slowly getting there.
“Oh, what a charming bookstore,” Maggie said, turning to gaze out of the window at the Bookworm shop. “The holiday decorations really make the store come to life.”
Finn nodded in agreement as he took a quick glance at the whimsical window display. Maisie had really gone overboard this year. Sugarplum fairies and dancing reindeer with glowing noses, as well as chubby snowmen and falling snowflakes. He wasn’t usually sappy about Christmas, but there was something about the decorations that brought out his sentimental side. Finn couldn’t help but think back on the wonderful holidays he’d spent with his family before the bottom had fallen out of their world.
His parents had always gone the extra mile to make sure they knew the true meaning of Christmas. The emphasis on the birth of Christ had been at the forefront, but there had always been surprises waiting for them under the Christmas tree—train sets and skateboards and dirt bikes. One year his father had gifted his mother with a toy poodle she’d named Pippin. Finn smiled at the memory of his mother squealing with joy.
“There’s Keepsakes,” Finn said, slowing down as they passed the boarded-up shop. It would have been odd if he hadn’t pointed it out. Truthfully, the shop had seen better days. Numerous townsfolk had deliberated over whether to fix up the exterior before Maggie arrived in town. In the end, it had been the general consensus that since Maggie was now the legal owner, only she could make the decision as to how Keepsakes should look.
He watched as a myriad of emotions crossed Maggie’s face. Finn reached out and patted her hand. “Don’t worry. All it needs is some spit and polish. You’ll get it done in no time at all.”
Although Maggie nodded in agreement, the look emanating from her eyes was full of trepidation. He wished there was something more he could say to make her feel confident about her new venture.
Finn continued to point out landmarks—the post office, the trading post, the newly opened hair salon, the toy store and the pawnshop. Finn slowed down as they approached the library.
“Right there is the Free Library of Love. My sister-in-law, Annie, works there as head librarian.” He glanced over at Maggie. “They have a great children’s section.”
“It’s beautiful,” Maggie said. “I can’t wait to explore this town at my leisure. There have been a lot of changes since I was last here.”
“As you may remember, it’s a small town,” Finn conceded. “But it’s full of treasures. I think you’ll be very content here once you settle in.”
Finn continued down the snow-covered streets, taking a left as he turned off toward the mountain road. It was bit more difficult to navigate than the main streets in town. Finn had learned to drive on these roads so he knew it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. But he worried about Maggie living out here and driving into town. He made a mental note to remind her about taking safety precautions and outfitting her vehicle properly with all-wheel drive and studded tires. Although she hadn’t mentioned it, he assumed Maggie had also inherited Tobias’s truck.
The sound of Oliver’s chatter filled the silence once Finn ran out of things to say. He didn’t know how to explain it, but there was something about Maggie that made him feel tongue-tied. That fact would probably make his brother laugh out loud since as a kid he’d always complained about Finn never shutting up.
Once he spotted the mailbox announcing they had reached Twelve Mountain Court, Finn turned down the long driveway and drove past tall snowcapped pine and spruce trees until he reached the house. The log cabin was a modest size. Perfect for a small family. In Maggie and Oliver’s case it would be more than enough. He parked the car right in front, then jumped out of the car to grab the baggage.
“Can I help?” Oliver’s little voice sounded just behind him.
He turned around and handed Oliver the smallest piece of luggage he could find. “Thanks for helping out.” Finn walked behind Oliver. The corners of his mouth twitched as he watched the child using all his strength to carry the bag. This kid sure had pluck.
Maggie led the way to the front door, pulling out a set of keys and opening up the house for them. As they stepped over the threshold, the smell of cinnamon floated in the air. Finn placed their belongings down by the staircase.
On the hallway side table sat a bowl of pinecones emanating a wonderful scent. A big fruit basket sat next to it. A bowl full of candy canes sat nearby. Maggie walked over and reached for the card placed on the table. She began to read it out loud. “‘Enjoy your new home. Blessings! Your new friends in Love.’” A small sound escaped her lips. To Finn’s ears it sounded a little bit like a sob. Maggie wasn’t facing him, but he could see her wiping at her eyes.
“Mommy, why are you crying?” Oliver asked. “I don’t like to see you cry.”
“Maggie, are you all right?” Finn asked as a strange tightening sensation spread across his chest. The thought of Maggie awash in tears deeply bothered him.
She turned around to face them, sniffing back tears. “I’m fine. I’m just a bit overwhelmed at their generosity. Everyone in Love has been so kind to us, including you, Finn.” Gratitude shimmered in her eyes. “I’m very thankful.”
“You’re quite welcome,” Finn said. “It’s one of the things I love best about this town. The people here sure do know how to roll out the red carpet. I’m just glad those are happy tears.”
Oliver looked up at Finn. “She cried a lot when my dad died.”
An awkward silence settled over them. Finn didn’t know how to respond to Oliver’s innocent statement. Clearly, Maggie didn’t either.
He knew from personal experience how devastating it felt to lose a parent at such a tender age. His heart ached for Oliver...and Maggie.
“Oliver, why don’t you head upstairs and check out your new bedroom?” Maggie suggested, steering the conversation away from the uncomfortable topic. Oliver took off and began racing up the stairs, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence.
“You two must be exhausted.” Finn could see the slight shadows under Maggie’s eyes. He needed to get out of her hair so she could explore her new digs and enjoy some downtime. A sigh slipped past Maggie’s lips. “This day has been truly a blessing, but I am tired. It’s a long way from Massachusetts to Alaska.”
There wasn’t any point in dragging his feet any longer. He’d been waiting for a moment alone with Maggie so he could broach the subject of Tobias’s will. He needed to tell her about the stipulation whereby he would be assisting her with her new store.
“Maggie, I need to tell you something.”
The serious tone of his voice caused a wrinkle to appear on her forehead.
“Okay. What is it?” she asked, her voice sounding tense.
“Tobias left me a sum of money in his will,” he explained.
Maggie’s features relaxed. She gifted him with a sweet smile. “That’s wonderful, Finn. He was always crazy about you back when we were kids.”
“Tobias believed in me. He made me feel I could do anything I put my mind to if I tried hard enough. Over the years he became an honorary grandfather to me.” He shifted from one foot to another, then shoved his hands in his front pants pockets. “He loved you very much, Maggie. He talked about you all the time. I think that must be why he put a special stipulation in the will. In order to get the inheritance, I need to help you get the store up and running. Specifically, for a period no less than four weeks.”
Maggie let out a surprised sound. She knit her brows together. “What? Why would Uncle Tobias have placed such a condition on his bequest?”
Finn ran his hand over his face. “I think he was worried about it being too much for you. He knew you’d been through a lot, having lost your husband last year and being a single mother. I believe he thought he would be making things better for you by giving you someone to help out with everything.” Finn let out a ragged sigh. “And I know he was trying to help me. It’s pretty humbling. Frankly, this couldn’t have materialized at a better time for me. He knew that I needed an infusion of cash to buy into my brother’s aviation business.”
“That was Uncle Tobias’s way, wasn’t it? Even as a kid I remember all the times he tried to help Mama.” She twisted her mouth. “She went from relationship to relationship, marriage to marriage—dragging me with her all across the country. Bless him. Uncle Tobias tried his best to turn things around for us, but it didn’t work.”
“He was a good man. And an even better friend.” Finn missed Tobias more than mere words could convey. There hadn’t been many people in his life who’d believed in him without reservation. It was because of his encouragement that Finn had approached Declan about becoming a partner in O’Rourke Charters. And now, thanks to Tobias’s generosity, his long-held dream was within reach.