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As the ferry glided into dock and the captain announced their arrival, Hank did his best not to look for Sage. The boat wasn’t crowded with passengers, and in her cherry-red jacket it wouldn’t take much effort to spot her. But he really didn’t need any distractions, especially ones with jet-black hair, tiny freckles dotting their cheeks and doe-brown eyes flecked with gold.
Just as the thought popped into his head, Hank spotted Sage struggling with an oversize piece of luggage. Despite his vow not to get involved, he found himself walking over toward her. His mother had raised him to be a gentleman after all.
“Can I help you with your bags?” he asked Sage, admiring her pluck in attempting to wield the baggage.
She immediately let go of the piece of luggage. Her shoulders sagged with relief. “Thanks for asking. I may have overstuffed it a bit,” she admitted. “When in doubt, pack everything you can. It’s far better to have too much clothing than too little.”
Hank felt the corners of his mouth twitching with merriment. The suitcase was nearly as big as the woman herself. He led the way off the ferry and down the pier. Once they reached the pickup area, he deposited the luggage on the ground. Although he wanted to ask her if she had a ride and where she was staying, Hank felt he might be overstepping if he did so. A few minutes ago it was as if a curtain had come down over her face when they had been speaking. As a law enforcement officer, he had been trained to watch facial expressions and body language. She had seemed a bit closed off.
However, Hank was far less adept at picking up on signals from females. His romantic past still hung over him like a dark cloud.
Sage was appealing to him and he didn’t quite know how to handle the situation. Judging by her ring finger, she was single. It was a rare occasion when he felt such an attraction at first sight. But it didn’t matter what he felt. He needed to focus on the lessons he’d learned in the past from his ex-girlfriend. He had no intention of making himself vulnerable again. Now that he was a man of faith, his entire life had transformed. Finding God made him want to be a better man.
Hank couldn’t wait to see his little girl. He had only been away for twenty-four hours at a law enforcement summit in Homer, but he’d missed her terribly. Being a single dad wasn’t easy, but Addie had quickly wormed her way into his heart.
His daughter had come into his life unexpectedly when Theresa passed away in a car accident in Kodiak. Hank hadn’t even known of the little girl’s existence when she had been thrust into his life eight months ago. After a bit of a rocky start, he and Addie had developed an incredible bond. Although he had long ago given up on romantic love, Hank knew without a shadow of a doubt that his daughter was the the most precious blessing God could ever bestow on him.
At the moment he needed to put in a few hours at the office and write up a report about the law enforcement meeting in Homer before heading off to his mother’s house to pick up Addie. He grinned as he imagined her sweet little face lighting up as they were reunited. As he got in his truck and started the engine, he pushed all thoughts out of his mind of the attractive visitor to Owl Creek.
* * *
Sheriff Hank Crawford wasn’t just a piece of Alaskan eye candy, she realized. He was a sweet-natured gentleman who happened to be close friends with Connor North. Between his gold badge and his relationship with the North family, he was causing warning sirens to clang in her head.
Sage didn’t want to admit it, but she felt a little forlorn as she watched Hank head off toward the parking lot adjacent to the pier. She saw him climb into a hunter green truck before he roared off into the distance. Suddenly it hit her that she didn’t know a single person in Owl Creek except the good-looking sheriff. She bit her lip. Perhaps her decision to come to Alaska had been based on emotion and grief over her mother’s death rather than being a pragmatic decision to seek out her truths.
Had she made a mistake in traveling so far outside her comfort zone?
The truth shall make you free. The Bible verse from John washed over her. Lately it had really resonated with her. Truth was important. Being here in Owl Creek meant she was one step closer to uncovering the secrets from her past.
She shifted from one foot to the other, trying to keep her toes warm in her flimsy boots. Hank had been spot-on in his assessment of her winter gear. She made a mental note to purchase a sturdier pair, ones with insulation from the snow and ice.
Miss Trudy Miller, the owner of the bed-and-breakfast where she would be staying, had sent Sage a message stating she would be picked up at the pier by her daughter Piper. Sage glanced at her watch, wondering if they had gotten the pickup time wrong. Suddenly, a large white van came barreling into the lot, stopping with a loud squeal. A few seconds later, a woman came running toward her holding a sheet of poster board with her name on it. Sage grinned at the sign being held up by the petite woman with dark curly hair and tawny-colored skin. She was wearing a red-and-black-checkered jacket with a thick turtleneck peeking out from underneath it, along with a sturdy pair of boots.
“Are you Sage Duncan?” the woman asked breathlessly as she reached her side.
“Yes,” she answered with a nod.
“I’m Piper. Trudy’s daughter,” she said, showcasing a set of pearly whites as she smiled at her. “So sorry I’m late. My van didn’t want to start for me. Betsy gets finicky once the temperature plummets. Let me get your luggage.”
“Oh no, I can manage. It’s rather heavy,” Sage explained, feeling guilty about making Piper carry her supersized valise.
“No worries. I’m mightier than I look,” the other woman said with a wink, grabbing the bag and lugging it toward her van. She looked over her shoulder at Sage. “I grew up with an older brother who loved to wrestle. It made me strong.”
Sage chuckled at the image of Piper wrestling her brother. She’d always wanted siblings but had been raised as an only child. Now that she looked back on it, she viewed it in a whole new light. She’d always known she was adopted. According to her father, Jane had struggled with infertility. Aunt Cathy, her mother’s sister, had made a reference at her mother’s funeral about desperate choices she’d made in the past. Although Sage had tried to get her to elaborate, her aunt refused to tell her anything further on the subject.
Sage reached for the poster-board sign, then picked up her small checkered duffel bag and followed behind Piper. She looked around her at the pine trees and the huge mountains looming in the distance. Wow. She really was in a completely different world right now, miles and miles away from sandy beaches and orange groves.
As they drove along snow-covered roads, Piper took the time to point out local landmarks, the shops in the charming downtown area and the Snowy Owl Diner where Piper worked when she wasn’t helping out at the bed-and-breakfast. Sage sat back and tried to let it all soak in.
“Owl Creek isn’t a very big town, but the folks here are tight-knit and friendly.” She let out a throaty chuckle. “That’s not to say there isn’t the occasional drama breaking out, but it usually involves game night or the annual Alaskan cook-off competition. For the most part, this town is the very definition of serenity.”
Sage could use a little peace right about now. She was trying to mourn her mother’s death while wrapping her head around her unforgivable act. It was all so hard to process. But she knew coming to Owl Creek might give her the closure she so desperately craved.
Piper continued. “If you want a good bison burger, come on over and check the diner out. We also make a mean salmon chowder.” Pride rang out in her voice.
“Mmm. Those both sound delicious,” Sage’s appetite kicked up at the mere mention of food. She hadn’t eaten a bite since her layover in Seattle and her tummy was beginning to grumble.
Sage’s heart began to hammer inside her chest as Piper pointed out a white chalet-style shop. A help wanted sign hung in the window. “There’s the famous North Star Chocolate Shop,” Piper told her, slowing down as they drove past it. “It’s one of the main industries of Owl Creek. There’s a factory down the road where they make the chocolate. They give tours twice a week.” She licked her lips. “And they give out chocolate samples.”
