Her alaskan return, p.1
Her Alaskan Return, page 1
Autumn made her way into the kitchen.
He gestured toward his kitchen table where two mugs were laid out next to a teakettle and a plate of gingersnaps and scones. Autumn sat down across from Judah and began adding sugar and milk to it.
“You still like it sweet, huh?” Judah asked, a smile twitching at his lips.
Autumn had always had a sweet tooth. Judah used to tease her about it all the time when they’d been involved. Between milk chocolate bars and brownies, Autumn had always been craving something sweet to nibble on. “What can I say?” she asked. “Old habits die hard.”
For a few moments, they both focused on their tea without any conversation.
“It’s a bit strange sitting across from one another after all this time,” Autumn said, eager to fill up the silence.
Judah held his mug between his hands and locked eyes with her. “I suppose so, although I always imagined you coming back home. You fit here, Autumn. I’m not sure why you ever left.”
Because of you, she wanted to say.
Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle and a black Lab. Writing for the Love Inspired line is a dream come true. Working at home in her pajamas is one of the best perks of the job. Belle enjoys summers in Cape Cod, traveling and reading.
Books by Belle Calhoune
Love Inspired
Serenity Peak
Her Alaskan Return
An Alaskan Christmas Promise
Home to Owl Creek
Her Secret Alaskan Family
Alaskan Christmas Redemption
An Alaskan Twin Surprise
Hiding in Alaska
Their Alaskan Past
Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com.
HER ALASKAN RETURN
Belle Calhoune
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
—Isaiah 41:10
For my mother, Anne Bell.
For teaching me the important lessons
and being such a masterful storyteller.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Excerpt from A Home for the Twins by Danielle Thorne
Chapter One
A fierce Alaskan wind had kicked up over Kachemak Bay, causing large, choppy waves to churn ferociously. Judah Campbell breathed in the briny scent of the sea as he hauled in his catch of the day with a ring net. His crew celebrated with excited shouts and kudos as they spotted the bright-colored crustaceans. It was unusual for fishermen to find red Alaskan crab in February. The season for catching crab was getting shorter and shorter. Kachemak Bay was well-known for herring, salmon and halibut. This time of year certain fish were limited due to weather conditions. Finding the red Alaskan crabs made Judah feel triumphant. At this point in his life, joyful moments were rare. He intended to savor this victory.
Salmon. Halibut. He’d reeled in both over the course of the day as well as the precious crab and some clams. As an Alaskan commercial fisherman, this was his livelihood, one he deeply enjoyed. For generations, Campbells had made their living in this manner, going all the way back to his great-grandfather. Serenity Peak was only accessible by air and water, which heightened the importance of the local fishing industry. Being out on the water for so many hours allowed him to enjoy the great outdoors and to contemplate his life. Not that he had much of a life these days. Tragedy and loss had shattered him.
After his fishing boat docked back at the harbor, his crew busied themselves placing the fish on ice in boxes and making sure everything was set up for the next day. They were a well-oiled machine, having worked together for a number of years.
“Hey, guys, why don’t you head out? I’ll finish up,” Judah called out after a few hours of solid work. He stayed behind to clean the boat and spray down the holds, knowing he didn’t have anyone waiting on him at home. Gone were the days when his son would greet Judah at the door and the aroma of Mary’s cooking would assault his senses the moment he stepped in the house. That knowledge caused a dull ache in the center of his chest. For all intents and purposes, he was alone.
Judah headed toward his truck in the marina parking lot and let out a sigh as he got behind the wheel and began the drive home. The rain was really coming down, and visibility was poor. He flicked on his windshield wipers and focused on the road ahead of him. Suddenly, he spotted a figure at the side of the road. Judah slowed down. A woman was standing in front of her hood being pelted by the pouring rain. He couldn’t make out who it was, but it bugged him to see anyone on their own in this type of weather. Judah jerked his truck to the side of the road and parked a few feet away. As soon as he stepped down from his truck he made his way over to the vehicle, doing a double take in the process. This was one of his best friend Sean’s trucks. He would know the apple red color anywhere. Had Sean loaned someone his truck?
“Hey! Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked, shouting to get the lady’s attention above the sound of the torrential downpour.
The woman raised her head. Light brown eyes flecked with caramel stared back at him. Judah let out a gasp. His heart lurched clumsily in his chest. Never in a million years could he forget her eyes.
“Autumn?” he asked as shock roared through him. It had been almost eight years since he’d seen her and twelve since they’d been a couple, yet her stunning features were unmistakable. Even drenched in rain she looked wonderful. High cheekbones and warm brown skin set in a heart-shaped face tugged at him. She’d always packed quite a punch, and the years had done nothing to change that fact.
“Judah!” she said, sounding equally surprised.
“Are you all right?” He reached out and gently grasped her arm. Like the rest of her, it was soaking wet.
“Yes,” she answered with a jerk of her head. “The truck wouldn’t start so I figured looking under the hood might help me figure things out. This rain is ice cold.” She began shivering, teeth chattering. “My cell phone died so I couldn’t call a mechanic.”
At the moment he was worried about Autumn freezing to death in the frigid Alaskan temps. She needed to be warmed up immediately.
“Come on and get in my truck,” Judah said, gently grasping her arm and leading her toward his ride. Once she was inside he went around to the driver’s side and hopped in. He quickly dialed a local mechanic with instructions on where to find Sean’s truck.
“Autumn, you need to get out of these drenched clothes ASAP. Where are you staying?” he asked.
“I’m living with Cecily until I can find my own place,” she said, folding her arms around her chest.
Autumn and her younger sister had never gotten along very well, so the living arrangement was interesting in Judah’s opinion. Maybe the years had softened their relationship. He sure hoped so for both their sakes.
Judah shrugged out of his warm winter parka. “Put this on and ditch that coat,” he instructed, handing it to her. “Why don’t I bring you to my place so you can warm up? It’s only five minutes down the road. It’ll take you much longer to get to your sister’s house,” he suggested. By that time, she would be a Popsicle. Autumn slid her arms into his jacket while he placed her sopping wet coat in a plastic bag.
“Considering I’m drenched to the bone, I’ll take you up on that,” Autumn said, her voice trembling with cold.
Judah held out his hand as Autumn struggled to put her left arm in the coat. She still didn’t look one hundred percent well, but once she warmed up a bit he suspected that would change. Being pelted with ice cold rain had no doubt been a shock to the system.
As she shifted her body, Judah’s eyes went straight to her rounded belly. There was no mistaking the fact that she was expecting a baby.
“You’re pregnant?” he asked, the words flying out of his mouth before he could rein them back in. He couldn’t hide the surprise laced in his voice. Autumn was his age, thirty-nine going on forty. If they had stayed together and gotten married, he and Autumn might have had their own child by now. His chest tightened as painful memories of their breakup crashed over him. He shook them off and stuffed them down into the dark black hole he reserved for all of the agonizing moments that had gutted him over the course of his life. It did no good to dwell on past hurts. All it ever did was make him feel depressed.
He couldn’t afford to let himself backslide, not when he’d worked so hard to move past all of the moments that had threatened to break him.
* * *
Autumn saw the stunned expression on Judah’s face. It wasn’t the first time she’d been on the receiving end of such a perplexed look. Being almost forty and pregnant tended to raise eyebrows. With Judah, thing
“Yes, Judah,” Autumn acknowledged with a nod. “I’m pregnant.”
Judah gently placed her arm into the coat and said, “Let’s head to my house. I’ll blast the heat to get you warmed up. How does that sound?” In response, Autumn nodded her head. She rubbed her hands together as the heat slowly began to fill the space.
Judah Campbell was still a good-looking man with a rugged physique, a strong jawline and eyes as blue as an Alaskan sky. There was a slight growth of hair on his chin and above his mouth, as if he hadn’t shaved in a few days. After all these years he was still achingly handsome. But there was an air of sadness that hung over him. This man was miles apart from the one she’d once loved.
Oh, Judah. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. In setting him free twelve years ago, Autumn had believed she’d been paving the path for his happily ever after. Things hadn’t quite worked out the way she’d imagined.
A few seconds later Judah was driving down the road away from the fishing pier.
“I apologize if I reek of fish. After so many hours on the boat it tends to cling to me,” Judah explained.
Although Autumn had detected a strong fish odor, it was the least of her concerns at the moment. Getting warm was at the top of her agenda. At this point even her bones felt cold.
“No worries. I’m just grateful for your help,” she said. “I’m not sure what I would’ve done if you hadn’t driven by.”
“Happy to be there.” Judah turned toward her. “What were you doing at the pier?”
She wrinkled her nose. Going out on the pier in bad weather hadn’t been her most brilliant move. “There was a sea lion in the water that I wanted to take a picture of so I walked out on to the pier. I should have turned back when I realized it was starting to storm. Long story short, when I headed back to Sean’s truck it wouldn’t start.” She shivered. “Of all the times for my phone to die on me.”
“You’ve got to make sure it’s charged, Autumn. What if you have an emergency with the baby?” he asked.
She hated to admit it, but Judah was right. It had been irresponsible of her to place herself in this position. Feeling humbled, Autumn didn’t have the heart to respond.
“I know from what Sean told me that you’re a writer in New York City,” Judah said. He was clearly trying to fill the silence with conversation.
She always forgot that her brother Sean and Judah were still such good friends. From what she’d heard, Judah didn’t have much to do with most of the townsfolk in Serenity Peak. She didn’t know the whole story, but it was tied up in the loss of his wife and son.
“Yes. I love being a writer. It’s a gift to be able to do something you enjoy, much like yourself.” Judah had always yearned to be a commercial fisherman, following in his father’s footsteps. He’d always said that the ocean brought out the best in him. She prayed that was still true.
Autumn couldn’t get over the shock of coming face-to-face with her first love in such dramatic circumstances. According to Sean, Judah had become a bit of a hermit over the past few years, so she truly hadn’t expected to see him so soon. “I’m grateful you were nearby to help me. I don’t want to think about how long I might have been out there in the rain if you hadn’t rescued me.”
“I’m glad I was there too. That’s the true beauty of a community, banding together to help one another. Or that’s the way it should be.” A tremor jumped along his jawline. His words sounded sarcastic to Autumn’s ears. She had a feeling he was referencing something personal.
Judah began to navigate the truck onto the main road. Autumn drank in the sights of Serenity Peak that she hadn’t seen in years. The craggy facade of the Serenity Mountains. A small seaplane as it dipped down across Kachemak Bay. A bald eagle soaring gracefully in the sky.
“I had no idea you were back in Serenity Peak. When did you come home?” Judah asked.
Her teeth began to chatter. She was still chilled to the bone. “J-just yesterday, Judah. I flew in from Fairbanks.”
“Any reason you came back? I thought you were eager to get away from small towns and Alaska.”
She cringed. Judah was bringing up one of their last face-to-face meetings. At the time, Autumn had been young and desperate to sever all ties with Judah and her small town. She’d said so many things she really hadn’t meant to cover up her broken heart. Breaking up with him had been her misguided attempt to make sure Judah was able to live out his dream of having children. She had sacrificed her own happiness so he could become a father one day.
“That was a lifetime ago. So much has changed since then,” she acknowledged.
“I won’t argue with you on that point,” Judah conceded, making a face.
“I’m already five months along with my pregnancy. I’ve given it a lot of thought and I want to raise my child here in Serenity Peak where I grew up. I’m thinking of this as a permanent move.” Autumn’s childhood had been wonderful. She and her three siblings had been well-loved by their parents. Alaska had been a great stomping ground for their adventures. She wanted no less for her little one. “I’ll be able to work remotely while being employed as a writer.”
Judah said, “Your plan makes sense. There’s no better place to live than Alaska.” A quick glance in his direction showed a shuttered expression. He seemed incredibly guarded, so much more so than when they’d been head over heels in love with one another. It hadn’t escaped her notice that Judah hadn’t congratulated her for being pregnant. What did she expect? He’d lost so very much in his own life. Why should he be happy for her?
“I was sorry to hear about your wife. And your son,” Autumn said. She knew that she was dodging landmines in bringing up Judah’s family tragedy, but she couldn’t ignore it. Losing his wife, Mary, and their son so horrifically must have been devastating for Judah. Ever since then, according to Sean, Judah had been a loner, cutting himself off from the residents of Serenity Peak. All she knew from Sean was that someone had started a cruel rumor that Mary had been on pills before the crash. Autumn didn’t know much more than that tidbit. It had been enough to alienate Judah from the townsfolk in Serenity Peak.
Judah clenched his jaw. “Thanks,” he said tersely. “Life isn’t always fair.”
An awkward silence filled the air until Judah turned down a road lined by snow-covered Sitka trees. He pulled into a driveway leading to a modest, log cabin style home. Autumn knew immediately that this was a far cry from the home Judah had grown up in and had inherited from his dad. She wasn’t surprised he had renovated the place to meet current trends. The Campbell family’s house had been old-fashioned and in need of updates. Regardless of that detail, the home had always been full of love.
After putting his truck in Park, Judah quickly made his way to the passenger side and helped her down. He was still a gentleman, she realized. These same gestures had been one of the reasons she’d fallen so fast and hard for him. He had made her feel incredibly safe and well loved.
As they walked along the snowy path toward his house, Autumn spotted two cedar Adirondack chairs sitting on his front porch. She knew without asking that they were Abel Drummond’s creations. Among other things, he was an accomplished woodworker. His craftsmanship had always been impeccable.
Judah opened up the door and ushered her inside from the cold. Although she’d warmed up in the truck, her wet clothes still felt uncomfortable. As it was, she didn’t want to drip on his gleaming hardwood floors. She was beginning to feel like an imposition.
The sound of nails clicking on the hardwood floors heralded the arrival of a medium-sized Irish setter who flew to Judah’s side. “Hey, Delilah,” he said, bending over and lavishing the dog with attention. “Did you miss me, girl?” Delilah answered by licking the side of Judah’s jaw.
“She’s a beauty,” Autumn said, admiring the glossy sheen of Delilah’s coat. She hoped to get a dog of her own when her child was a bit older.
