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“One of these days we’re going to host a party in your honor,” Annie said, patting Hazel on her shoulder.
Hazel scrunched up her face. “Well, I’m overdue for a bridal shower,” she grumbled. “Jasper has had me waiting so long for a proposal.”
The parlor door opened. Grace was standing in the doorway with Boone right behind her, dwarfing his wife with his height. “Sorry I’m late, but I had a few technical difficulties.”
Honor quickly reached her sister-in-law’s side. “Is everything okay?”
Boone’s eyes twinkled with merriment. His smile couldn’t have been wider. For the first time Ruby noticed the resemblance between the three brothers. Liam was a bit more reserved, but he was the most devastatingly handsome of the trio. Her female appreciation of her husband made her cheeks warm.
“My wife’s stomach made getting behind the wheel very tricky. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Boone chuckled. “Her belly was actually touching the steering wheel.”
Grace playfully jabbed him in the side. “You’re enjoying this way too much, sheriff.”
He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss on Grace’s lips. “Give me a call when you’re winding things up here and I’ll swing back by and pick you up.” He tipped his sheriff’s hat in their direction. “Nice to see you, ladies. Enjoy your tea party.”
As soon as Boone left, the room erupted into sighs of appreciation.
“Grace, if you weren’t my best friend I’d be jealous of that dreamy husband of yours. And that goes for you too, Ruby and Annie. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Sophie flung her hands in the air. “I came to this town as part of Operation Love, but I still haven’t found anyone who inspires me for anything greater than friendship.”
“Don’t fret about that, Sophie,” Honor said in a gentle voice. “You’ll find him. They say you find someone when you’re not looking.”
“Well, that rules me out,” she joked, “since I’ve been looking since the day I arrived in town.”
All the ladies laughed at Sophie’s animated expression.
“Why don’t we sit down and start the festivities?” Hazel suggested. Everyone began moving toward the table. “Just sit anywhere. There’s no assigned seating.”
Ruby ended up next to Paige and Honor. There was quite a spread laid out for them. Gleaming silver dishes held cucumber sandwiches, lemon tarts, pastry puffs filled with lobster, scones with blueberry compote, mini pumpkin muffins and bagels with salmon spread. Ruby felt her tummy grumble in appreciation of the vast array of treats.
“Annie, could you serve the tea?” Hazel asked. “I’m Miss Butterfingers. I don’t want to send anyone to Liam’s clinic with hot tea burns. Jasper would never let me live that one down.”
As Annie walked around the table and filled everyone’s teacup, conversation began to flow as the ladies settled in and helped themselves to the food.
Grace spoke directly to Ruby from across the table. “I just want you to know, Ruby, that I haven’t lived in Love very long myself. I came here as a journalist and ended up falling in love with Boone in rather quick fashion. When I first arrived here, I felt like I’d landed on a different planet. This must be very overwhelming to you. Although my circumstances were different, I can relate a little bit to how it must feel.”
“I can also testify to how it feels to be a newcomer to Love,” Sophie added, helping herself to another muffin. “Back in Saskell, Georgia, where I’m from, we hadn’t seen snow since I was a little tyke no more than Aidan’s age. So the climate here has been a little bit challenging. That was a shocker, along with getting used to the hours of sunlight depending on the time of year.” She shook her head. “And I still can’t wrap my head around all the single men roaming around this town.”
“Add me to that list,” Annie said as she placed the teapot back on the table and sat. “I came to Love to be town librarian and as part of Jasper’s Operation Love campaign.” She let out a sigh that sounded a lot like contentment. “I think my adjustment was easier because I was really looking to be part of a community. With no family to speak of, I found my haven here in Love.”
“Sounds like you all did,” Ruby said, moved by the fact that all three women had found their destinies in this quaint town. “It does feel like a whole new world sometimes. It’s not the Alaskan lifestyle or the climate...at least not yet. What’s bugging me is that I still can’t access most of my memories.” She let out a huff of frustration. “I have to accept the fact that I might never be able to recover the bulk of my past.”
“Ask for God’s grace in helping you face that possibility. If you lean on Him, He’ll see you through this.” Paige’s words were heartfelt and wise.
Ruby had been leaning on God, but she needed to speak to Him about her fears and the things that were holding her back. And perhaps she needed to open up to Liam, as well.
“Why don’t you and Paige go sit down and talk while we clean up?” Hazel suggested. “And, Grace, go sit on the settee. It makes me uncomfortable seeing you stand on your feet for long stretches of time. Your feet will get swollen.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Grace teased as she struggled to get up from her seat. Honor gave her a slight push until she was standing upright. She placed her hand on her belly and ambled off to the living room. All the other ladies headed to the kitchen, their arms filled with dishes to be washed.
“So, how are you settling in?” Paige reached out for Ruby’s hand and squeezed it. The gesture felt like encouragement. Ruby hesitated for a moment. Paige was her sister-in-law, married to Liam’s brother. She didn’t want to say anything that could travel through the family grapevine.
“You don’t need to worry about me passing any information along. We always had a pact that our conversations remained private.” A gentle smile lit Paige’s face. “That hasn’t changed.”
Ruby let out a sigh of relief. So far there really hadn’t been anyone in Love that she could confide in. There was something calm and reassuring about Paige. She sent out very positive vibes. Ruby felt she could trust her.
“It’s been a whirlwind, for lack of a better word. I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that Liam has been patient and kind. I feel badly, though, because I keep seeing him look at me as if he’s searching for his wife. But all he finds is me—a shell of my former self.” She let out a little sob, shocked at the intensity of her own words.
“Oh, honey,” Paige said in a comforting voice, “that must be so difficult...to feel as if you’re disappointing him.”
