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Declan stopped in his tracks. Even though Dwight was a weasel, he was right. He’d had ample opportunity to tell Annie that he had been one of the leading opponents of the Free Library of Love, but he hadn’t been able to muster the courage. Something about her left him feeling flummoxed.
It bothered him that Annie had looked at him as if he was beneath contempt. Being liked was important to Declan. He’d worked hard at it for most of his life. Being liked meant he wouldn’t be ostracized because of his father and the circumstances surrounding his mother’s death. Making jokes and lightening the mood had always been his strong suit. If he could make people see the humorous side of things, it transported him far away from the heavy stuff that threatened to drag him down.
As Dwight scampered away, Declan scoured the area for any sign of Annie. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat as he watched her being helped into Hazel’s van by a group of men from town. He knew every single one of them. They were all bachelors who were participants in Operation Love. The realization made him feel grumpy. As Hazel drove the two of them off into the gorgeous Alaskan afternoon, Declan found his gaze trailing after them.
How in the world was he going to make things right with Annie?
* * *
“Welcome to our little Alaskan fishing village, Annie. We’re mighty pleased to have you here,” Hazel announced from the front seat of the van. Beside her in the passenger seat was a pretty little border collie. The dog had a look on its face that said, “Don’t even think about kicking me out of this seat.”
“Sorry about the front seat. Astro here is a rescue pet. He insists on riding next to me up here.” The silver-haired older woman let out a hearty chuckle. “He thinks he’s royalty.” Hazel snorted. “He doesn’t know yet that he’s a mutt.”
“It’s not a problem, Hazel. I like looking out the window from back here.” Annie didn’t care where she sat. She felt practically giddy at the notion that her two feet were firmly planted in Love.
As the scenery rushed by, Annie couldn’t even focus on all the new sights unfolding before her very eyes. Hazel was giving her a narrative about the town’s history, but she simply nodded in response without really listening. Thoughts about Declan had crept in. She was still upset about Declan’s opposition to the library. How on earth did someone have the nerve to oppose a library, of all things? Did he have a problem with books? Humph! She had met people like Declan before. Ignoramuses who doubted the need for libraries in their communities. People like him were extremely shortsighted in their thinking. And they had no regard for education. Or the effect libraries had on small children—the next generation.
Annie couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so disillusioned about a person. Declan had been so heroic in the forest. Rugged. Appealing. Straightforward. The experience certainly showed her that appearances could be deceiving. Not that she didn’t already know that, but this served as a precious reminder that people often wore masks. Sometimes they allowed you to see only what they wanted you to.
She stuffed down a feeling of irritation at the memory of all the young women who had surrounded him at the pier. It wasn’t her place to judge but, just as she had suspected, Declan was a magnet for the ladies. She frowned. Why did she even care about his personal life? He was single and fancy-free. Annie didn’t care if he dated a dozen women from Operation Love. She wouldn’t be one of them!
“Are you hungry?” Hazel asked. “I can make you some lunch up at the Lodge. We’re only about five minutes away.”
Annie’s stomach growled loudly at the mention of food. Hazel let out a chuckle at the sound. “It seems as if your stomach answered the question for me.”
She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “I’m famished. Declan and I didn’t have much to eat while we were in the forest. The whole time, I was imagining myself biting into a juicy cheeseburger.”
“Declan is pretty beloved here in town. I know quite a few women who wouldn’t mind being trapped right alongside him.” Hazel met her gaze in the rearview mirror and winked.
Annie sniffed. “I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she said in a crisp voice.
“Uh-oh! What did he do to you? You seem mighty salty about something, if you don’t mind my saying so.” Hazel’s bluntness caught Annie off guard. She seemed like a kindly woman, but she didn’t hold back her opinions. Not by a long shot.
“It’s nothing,” Annie said in a soft voice. “I’m not going to let it bother me.”
“Aha. Did he try to kiss you?” Hazel’s voice sounded triumphant. “That boy has been charming girls since he was a tadpole.”
Annie bristled. “Absolutely not! Declan was a perfect gentleman in every way.”
“So you do like him,” Hazel said, her tone full of approval. “Most gals do.”
Somehow that didn’t surprise Annie. Not one little bit.
“He was...fine,” Annie admitted. “Until I discovered that he was the one who led the charge against the library funding.”
“Oh,” Hazel said, drawing out the word. There was understanding in her voice, as if she was fully aware of Declan’s position on the Free Library. “We do a lot of debating in this town about how to spend funds. Ever since a recession hit a few years ago, we’ve had to count every penny. I doubt he meant any harm.”
Hazel’s explanation slightly mollified her, although she still felt steamed about it. “If he had admitted it once he realized I was the town librarian, I wouldn’t be feeling so jaded right now.”
“I’m partial to Declan, so I won’t say a word against him. That poor boy has been through so much in his life, so forgive me if it seems that I’m giving him a pass.” Hazel heaved a tremendous sigh. “I’ll admit it. He should have told you.”
“What has he been through?” Annie blurted out. Normally she wasn’t so nosy, but she wanted to know what forces had made Declan the man he was today. And why did Hazel seem so sad about it?
“His mother died when he was eight.” Hazel’s eyes held a tortured expression. “His father was incarcerated for almost ten years. Finn and Declan lost their childhood all in one fell swoop.”
Annie’s stomach twisted painfully. “That’s terribly sad,” she said. An image of a sweet-faced boy with striking blue eyes popped into her head. She
ached for him a little, knowing from experience how hard it was to grow up without parents to guide you.
