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“I’m not hiding it away. Between my work and raising Addie, I don’t really have a lot of free time to put my feet in the dating pool.”
“Whatever you say, Hank!” Trudy let out a snort and shook her head. “Why don’t you go relieve Sage? I’m sure Addie is sound asleep or ready to go down for the night.”
Hank hesitated. He hated to see his mother upset and he felt guilty because it was all his fault. He opened his mouth to apologize again, but Trudy shooed him out of the kitchen. He sensed she wanted to be alone with her memories.
When Hank headed back into the living room he stopped abruptly in the doorway and soaked in the sight of Sage sitting on the couch cradling a sleeping Addie in her arms. She was lightly running her hand down his daughter’s cheek in the slightest of caresses. Addie’s innocent face was turned upward toward Sage.
So much for not being good with babies, Hank thought wryly. She looked like a natural.
Seeing the two of them snuggled up together caused a feeling of longing to rise up inside him. Because of his past with Theresa, he had never really dared to dream of having it all—more children, a mother for Addie and a wife to have and to hold. It had been almost instinctual to stuff down those longings to prevent himself from getting hurt again.
But, Hank realized, it was almost impossible to change who he was as a person even if he worked overtime to pretend as if those things didn’t matter. Ever since he’d been a little kid, he had wanted a family of his own. And, if he was being honest with himself, he still did. Lovely, sweet Sage was bringing all those emotions to the surface. Suddenly he was thinking about what
it might be like to be with someone like her, to allow himself to care about a woman the way he’d once cared for Theresa. Those dreams had been cut short by her betrayal.
Hank shook off the tender feelings. He didn’t know Sage Duncan, just like he hadn’t ever truly known Theresa. She had given birth to his child in secret and made a colossal fool of him. If she hadn’t tragically died in an accident, he may never have been informed about Addie. That knowledge still stung like crazy.
Sage lifted her head so they made eye contact. A tender smile was etched on her face. He knew it had everything to do with his spectacular baby girl.
He moved toward her, trying his best not to make a sound as he approached. If he could put Addie in her car seat without waking her up, she would stay asleep for the rest of the night.
“She really is the sweetest baby I’ve ever seen,” Sage whispered, her gaze veering back toward Addie.
“I like to think she takes after me,” he said in a teasing voice.
“I think she’s really fortunate to have you, Hank,” Sage murmured. “Your devotion to her is crystal clear.”
“We’re blessed to have one another,” Hank said, warmed by Sage’s words. God had been good to him by bringing Addie into his life. It had changed his world for the better in so many ways. Hank regretted being intimate with Theresa outside the confines of marriage, but he could never feel bad about the little charmer who was the most important thing in his world.
He reached out and gently took Addie from Sage’s arms. A little sigh escaped Sage’s lips as he made the transfer. Being so close to her was a dangerous thing, as he’d discovered earlier at the diner. She smelled of vanilla and a flowery scent he couldn’t quite place. The more time he spent in her presence, the more appealing she seemed. As it was, he found himself thinking about her at random moments during the day. He surprised himself by wondering what her favorite flowers were and whether she liked anchovies on her pizza.
He focused on placing Addie in her car seat as a diversion from staring at Sage. For a moment he simply gazed at his baby girl, safely nestled in her carrier. Before he knew it, Sage was at his side, reaching down and placing Addie’s blanket over her, along with her stuffed giraffe.
“There’s a fierce wind out there,” she said, wrapping her arms around her middle and shivering. “We wouldn’t want her to catch a chill.”
“No, we wouldn’t,” Hank said, feeling a sudden urge to stay a bit longer. “Well, good night then.”
“I’ll get the door for you,” Sage offered, walking ahead of him toward the front entrance.
As Hank walked out into the cold Alaskan night, he resisted the urge to turn around and take one last look at Sage. He imagined she looked lovely illuminated by the soft glow of the front porch lantern. So many thoughts were rumbling around in his head as he drove the short distance home. All of his professional instincts were warning him that something was off with Sage, yet his heart was pulling him in her direction. Despite his firm resolve to have nothing to do with the beautiful schoolteacher, Hank was having a difficult time ignoring the deep-seated yearning he felt every time she was in his orbit.
Chapter Eight
Sage woke up the following morning filled with excitement and a bit of trepidation about her tour of the chocolate factory. Last night before she went to bed she’d looked at Beulah’s invitation and smiled at the sweet tone of the older woman’s words. It meant a lot to be embraced by the North family’s matriarch. Spending time with her grandmother was the biggest inducement to attend the tour, although chocolate was a runner-up. This would be a wonderful opportunity for her to check out the North family business and to get better acquainted with Beulah.
She practically wolfed down her breakfast as Trudy looked on with a bemused expression on her face. After eating, Sage headed back upstairs to look in the full-length mirror. She wanted to look her best upon meeting up with Beulah. She imagined there wouldn’t be many opportunities for her to spend time with her, so she wanted to make the most of it. A moment like this would be cherished for a lifetime when she went back home.
“Sage! Your ride is here,” Trudy called out from downstairs.
Sage grabbed her purse and headed down. “My ride?” she asked in a surprised voice. “I thought you were my ride.”
Trudy was grinning from ear to ear. “Hank is outside waiting for you. He found a vehicle for you to use while you’re in town.”
She felt her jaw drop. “Are you serious? That’s great news, Trudy! It’s awfully kind of him.”
Trudy nodded her head. “If you haven’t noticed, Hank is a gem.” Sage carefully avoided Trudy’s gaze. She had the feeling Hank’s mother was on a fishing expedition. Although the sheriff was a perfect example of an Alaskan hunk, Sage wasn’t going down any romantic roads while she was in Owl Creek. She didn’t want to give Trudy the slightest bit of encouragement. On the other hand, she didn’t want to be rude.
“I’m mighty grateful,” she murmured, wanting to acknowledge Hank’s kindness for finding her a vehicle. Trudy rewarded her with a huge grin.
