Alaskan Reunion. Belle Calhoune

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СКАЧАТЬ hug. The savory smell of coffee wafted in the air. The aroma of baked bread rose to her nostrils. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. The door made a clicking sound as she shut it behind her, leaving the snow and the cold in her wake. She took her woolen hat off her head and shook it free of snow, then quickly peeled off her mittens. Paige ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed a few flyaway strands back in place. Her heart thundered inside her chest.

      “Sorry. We’re closed for the day. Stop by tomorrow morning and I’ll make you the best waffles known to man. I’ll even throw in a mochaccino on the house.” Hazel’s voice rang out loud and clear. It had an unmistakably brusque quality. She continued to focus on cleaning the table without even bothering to look up. After stacking a few plates and cups on a tray, she picked it up and balanced it against her middle.

      “Hello, Hazel.” Paige’s simple greeting caused the older woman to swing her head up and lock gazes with her from across the room. A high-pitched squeak slipped past Hazel’s lips. The tray slipped from her hands, landing with a loud crash on the hardwood floor. Liquid spewed everywhere. Hazel stood there like a statue with her mouth agape.

      “Hazel! Are you okay? What happened? What’s wrong?” Cameron’s voice washed over her like a welcome rain after months of drought.

      He came rushing from the other room to Hazel’s side, and for a few seconds Paige was able to gaze at him without his being aware of her scrutiny. She clenched her hands at her sides as a rising tide of emotion overtook her in powerful waves. He was still achingly handsome. His chocolate-brown hair had grown out a little so that it now hung a bit past his ears. His profile was strong and manly. Paige couldn’t see his eyes, but she knew the moment they connected with hers she would have to steady herself against the impact.

      He was wearing a dark brown, long-sleeved T-shirt with a cartoon moose on it. In other circumstances it would have made her laugh out loud.

      She soaked in as many details as she could in a matter of seconds. She wanted to savor the visual he was giving her.

      A strong desire to burrow herself against his chest swept over her. His strong arms had always provided protection. And love. It had been a long time since she had experienced that type of comfort and closeness. She stuffed down the urge to reach for him. Those days were long gone.

      “Cameron.” Hazel uttered his name and then jutted her chin in Paige’s direction. With a look of confusion etched on his face, he swung his gaze in her direction. Time slowed down, and for a moment it felt as if it were only the two of them standing in the room. Everything else just faded away.

      Cameron’s green-hazel eyes flickered, and she watched as a half-dozen emotions ran across his face. He took a step forward, then stopped. Hazel grabbed hold of his T-shirt sleeve and pulled him back to her side. She was in full Mama Bear mode.

      “What are you doing here?” Cameron asked in a curt voice. His expression was now shuttered.

      “Hello, Cameron,” she said with a nod in his direction. “I—I’m sorry to just drop in like this, but under the circumstances, I thought it was best to show up here unannounced.”

      “Circumstances? What circumstances?” Cameron asked, his mouth twisted. His eyes seemed dazed. He let out a brittle laugh. “Are you talking about the fact that your father nearly bankrupted this town and then fled like a thief in the night? Or the fact that you’re not exactly welcome here?”

      “All of that, I suppose,” she said in a soft voice. “I knew if I had called beforehand, you would have refused to see me. Maybe even run me out of town again.”

      His almond-shaped eyes cut straight through her. “You’re right. I would have told you to stay away. For good.” He spoke through gritted teeth. It seemed as if he was on the verge of exploding.

      Her mouth was as dry as sandpaper. She felt as if she’d lost all her nerve under the heat of Cameron’s anger. And Hazel was glaring at her with such venom. Her harsh facade served a purpose. She was protecting Cameron, who was the closest thing she had to a son. It warmed her to know that she was still looking out for him.

      “Hazel, would you give us a minute? Alone?” It took every ounce of courage she had to make the request. Hazel had been shooting daggers at her ever since she’d walked in.

      The older woman’s eyes bulged and her frown grew even more ominous.

      “If you think I’m leaving Cameron here alone with you so you can torture him some more—” Hazel blustered.

      “It’s fine, Hazel,” Cameron interrupted. He placed an arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “Thanks for the backup, but I’ll be all right.”

      A silent form of communication passed between them. With a quick nod at Cameron, Hazel strode off toward the back of the café, her heavy footsteps the only sound echoing in the room.

      Though she had asked for a private moment with Cameron, a feeling of awkwardness settled over her. An obvious tension hummed in the air between them. The intensity blazing from his eyes made her look away from him. Even after all this time, it wounded her to see so much animosity in his beautiful green-hazel eyes. She wrapped her arms around her middle. Her gaze focused on the coffee pooling on the floor and the shards of the shattered mugs that needed to be cleaned up.

      Cameron’s harsh voice cut into the silence. His eyes sparked like molten fire. “Whatever brought you back to Love has to be huge. So, let’s cut to the chase. What are you doing here?”

      * * *

      Paige’s mouth opened, then closed. She cleared her throat. He easily recognized the signs of her anxiety. Her warm hazel eyes blinked rapidly. She bit her lip, shifting from one foot to another. Time hadn’t lessened her impact. As always, she took his breath away with her beauty. Her golden hair fell all around her shoulders in waves. He couldn’t help but appreciate her stunning features and heart-shaped face. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. But unlike how he had in the past, he wasn’t about to tumble over the edge. Been there, done that. Falling for her had cost him everything. He had nothing more to give her.

      Now when he looked at Paige Reynolds, all he saw were flashing warning signs.

      “I’ll ask you again. What are you doing here?” He repeated the question, his tone curt. “It’s pretty foolish to come back to the scene of the crime.”

      She winced. Her eyes flickered with emotion. “I have some unfinished business here in town,” she said. “Some things I need to settle up.”

      Bitter laughter burst from deep inside him. His lips curved into a sneer. “Business? The last business you conducted in this town left Love on the verge of bankruptcy. Let me warn you, our coffers are empty, if you’re hoping for a repeat performance.”

      She visibly bristled. Anger flared in her eyes. “That wasn’t my doing, Cameron. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I had no idea what my father was up to when he was working on the cannery deal with you.”

      “Right,” he snapped. “Tell me another one, only this time please realize that I’m not the same fool I was two years ago.”

      “I never thought you were,” Paige said in a soft voice that brought him back to a point in time when she’d been his everything. His stomach twisted painfully. Seeing her after so long made him feel as if he’d been sucker punched in the gut. That was what it felt like to be staring into Paige’s СКАЧАТЬ