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“Since you asked how you can be of service, I’d like you to take a look at Gram’s notations. I know you said her writing was swirly, but once you read a little bit of it, you’ll get used to it. This way, I can have another set of eyes giving it the once-over.” She waited with bated breath for Declan to answer. Annie didn’t want to beg him, but she needed someone else’s opinion about Gram’s entries.
“All right,” he said after a few moments. “I’ll read it. That’s all I’m promising right now. I’ll give it the once-over and see if I can pick up on any clues.”
She reached into her bag for the diary and slid it across the table. Declan blew out a huff of air when he saw it. With a look of reluctance etched on his face, he picked it up and studied the small leather-bound book. “I really hope this isn’t going to turn into something out of one of those crazy paternity shows. ‘You are not the grandfather,’” he said with a rueful shake of his head.
“Of course it won’t,” Annie said, her lips twitching in amusement at Declan’s comment. “I want this whole matter to be handled with the utmost dignity. My goal is to find my family, but I don’t want to hurt anyone in the process. I can’t pretend that I don’t want answers, but deep down I’m hoping I find a family that embraces me.”
Declan let out what sounded like a sigh of relief. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she sensed he was troubled about her plan of action. Was he concerned about her creating a scandal in the small fishing village?
She pushed her chair back and placed some bills down on the table. “I really have to be getting back to the library,” she said. “My lunch hour is almost up.”
Declan reached for the bills and pushed them back toward her. He stood up from his seat. “It’s my treat. You can take me out to lunch next time,” he said with a pearly grin.
Next time? She felt a lurching sensation inside her stomach. The last thing she wanted to do was to start looking forward to these shared moments with Declan. He bordered on being irresistible with his magnetic smile, his comedic flair and the vibe of goodness he radiated. It was dangerous for her to be lulled into thinking he was marriage material. He’d even admitted from his own lips that he wasn’t the settling-down type. And she’d seen with her own eyes the way he flirted with the single ladies in town. It would be a huge mistake to convince herself that she could change his mind. Many women had broken their own hearts by believing they could inspire a man to want marriage and the whole nine yards.
He was her friend, she reassured herself. One who had saved her life and was helping her with a search that was near and dear to her heart. Any romantic feelings she might harbor toward him needed to be stuffed down into the inner labyrinths of her heart.
With a grateful smile, Annie placed the bills back in her purse. Before she knew what was happening, Declan was at her side, helping her on with her coat. Once she had both arms in the sleeves, he helped her button it up so that her throat wasn’t exposed. As his knuckles grazed her neck, she felt a frisson of awareness pass between them. Declan’s eyes widened, letting her know he’d felt the same jolt of electricity.
The gentlemanly gesture left her breathless. With a shaky wave of her hand, she turned on her booted heel and walked toward the exit of the Moose Café. On her way out, several gentlemen tried to stop her for a bit of conversation. All she did was smile politely and keep moving. Hazel had warned her about the large number of bachelors, who could be overzealous at times in their pursuit of the single women in town. She felt a twinge of guilt that she didn’t have the slightest interest in a single one of them.
Little did they know, but after she’d crash-landed with Declan O’Rourke, these men had a hard act to follow. Near impossible, she mused.
She began to hum a happy tune as she strolled down Jarvis Street toward the Free Library of Love. Right across the street from the Moose Café, she noticed a sign for the sheriff’s office. The quaint little shops caused her to pause and look in their windows. She peered in the window of an old-fashioned barbershop and watched as a man had his beard shaved off. When she passed by a little bookstore, The Bookworm, she started thinking about how the store and the library could help each other and cross-promote the value of reading a good book. She increased her pace as the wind started to whip up and a few snowflakes began to swirl all around her. The sky was turning a pewter shade. Annie burrowed into her coat as a refuge from the wind and cold.
All of her goals were being accomplished, one by one. Coming all the way to Love, Alaska, had been the big goal. She had begun her job as librarian and was now working with local officials on shoring up money to restore full-time hours to the library. Her quest to find her grandfather was gaining steam. A thrill coursed through her at the idea that in mere weeks, she might have a family to belong to. Everything was falling into place just as she had imagined. Putting her foot in the dating pool and finding a husband would make her joy complete.
Now if she could somehow manage to stop her heart from soaring every time Declan was in her presence, everything in her new Alaskan life would be perfect.
Chapter Eight
Over the next few days, Declan found himself entertained by the journal entries of Aurelia Alice Murray. Through the pages of her diary, she had come vividly to life for him. She came across as witty, spunky and adventurous. Her circle of friends had been tight-knit and congenial. And he had to admit that her admiration of Jasper shone through the pages like a beacon. Alice had portrayed him as a knight in shining armor. He wished he could share the journal with Boone, who would surely get a hearty laugh out of that one! He chuckled as an image floated in his mind of Jasper dressed up like
a knight from medieval times. Declan laughed so hard he had to put the journal down in order to wipe away tears of mirth.
As the entries continued, Declan sensed a less than lighthearted tone. Alice hinted at conflicts within the group and worries that kept her up late at night. He wondered if her turmoil coincided with her discovery that she was expecting a child. There were comments about her unsupportive parents and wanting to run far away from her small town. Declan also had the feeling that she was editing herself and leaving out huge chunks of information. Otherwise, why was there no discussion of her pregnancy or the father of her child?
Declan had woken up this morning with an agenda. Ever since the plane crash, Willard had agreed to do the runs until he was ready to go up in the air again. Although Declan hadn’t fully explained his reasons for not doing the gigs himself, Willard was eager to keep a steady paycheck and to get his flying hours in. Since they were down to only one plane, he’d been forced to adjust a few of O’Rourke Charter’s clients and cancel some gigs.
His first stop was going to be the library. He’d placed a book on reserve about the history of aviation in the United States. The book had been on order, according to Annie, but hadn’t yet arrived at the library. A message left on his voice mail had alerted him to the fact that the book was now ready to be picked up. He also wanted to ask Annie if she would like to go with him to the winter-wonderland event being held at Deer Run Lake. There would be ice-skating and tobogganing and plenty of Alaskan fun to be had by all. It wouldn’t be a date. More like friends hanging out together.
And even though he knew nothing serious could ever develop between him and Annie, he couldn’t deny that he wanted to spend some time with her in a festive atmosphere. They were friends, after all, weren’t they?
He didn’t want to pat himself on the back, but he’d stepped up to help the committee organize the event. It didn’t sit well with him that he had initially lobbied against library funds. Although the inevitable budget issues with regard to the library had nothing to do with his actions, he still wanted to help bolster the funding. After seeing the huge impact libraries had on communities, he felt like a killjoy for being on the opposite side of it.
The moment he stepped inside the library walls, Declan felt a sense of peace wash over him. The library felt so cozy. Everything was stilled and hushed. It had a nice vibe. Everywhere he looked he saw small children with their mothers. He nodded to a few people he knew and waved at their children. When he finally found Annie at the circulation desk, talking to Dwight, he almost did a double take.
What was Dwight doing here? He looked like a puppy dog, the way he was practically salivating over Annie. Declan stood at a distance, obscured by one of the tall columns. He watched as Dwight reached for Annie’s hand and shook it. Declan rolled his eyes. If this was Dwight’s version of courting Annie, he seriously needed to step up his game. He shook his head as he watched Dwight walk away with a goofy grin on his face. A wave of jealousy roared through him. Ugh. He hated feeling this way, especially since he knew he had no claim on Annie.
Annie was facing in the other direction as he crept up to her.
“Oh, Miss Librarian. Can you help me find a book?” he asked in a singsong voice.
Annie whirled around. Her face lit up with a smile when she saw it was him standing there. “Declan! What brings you here? Are you on the hunt for a good book?”
“I’m actually picking one up,” he said, a tinge of pride evident in his tone. “I reserved it a few days ago.”
She snapped her fingers. “Oh, that’s right. The aviation book that we’d placed on order. Let me find it for you,” she offered as she began walking toward a cart loaded with books. He followed behind her, marveling at how smoothly things appeared to be running at the library. Annie had a confident air, one that hinted at a great wealth of knowledge. She perused the books and pulled one out that had his last name taped to the side. Annie paused a moment to look at it before handing it to him. “Good stuff, O’Rourke. This should be fascinating reading.”
