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It wouldn’t be the first time, he reminded himself. Kara had fooled him right up until the very end. He needed to tread carefully. So much hinged on this assignment.
* * *
After grabbing some plates and napkins, Sophie set the table. Her mouth watered at the delectable smells emanating from the kitchen. She didn’t think a grilled cheese sandwich and fries had ever smelled so tantalizing.
By the time they sat down to eat, her stomach was maki
ng growling noises. Just as it appeared Noah was reaching for his sandwich, Sophie said, “Let’s say grace.” She watched as he bowed his head and closed his eyes, then quickly followed suit.
“Lord, thank You for this food we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Amen,” Sophie said with conviction.
When she opened her eyes, Noah was looking at her with a curious expression. It seemed as if he wanted to say something. So far, Sophie had been able to deduce that he was a very introspective person. A thinker. Maybe even a little bit of an introvert. It was exciting to see him come out of his shell, bit by bit.
“Thanks for blessing the food,” he said after a few beats. “I have to admit something to you. I haven’t prayed over my food for quite some time.” He shook his head, looking regretful. “Hearing you pray over the food reminds me of sitting down for meals with my family. I used to bless the food all the time at the dinner table. My mother made my brothers and me take turns.”
“I think it’s only right to thank God for nourishment, especially when I love to eat.” Sophie let out a giggle, then spread her arms wide. “It would be a shame not to thank God for all of this great food.”
“Let’s dig in then,” Noah said, reaching for his sandwich and taking a huge bite.
The moment Sophie bit into her grilled cheese she let out a groan of appreciation. “Mmm. This is delicious. And the fries are great, too. I can’t believe you baked them.” Sophie dipped one into the small bowl of ketchup.
“I can’t take the credit. It’s Mom’s recipe, right down to the secret ingredient.”
“Secret ingredient, huh? Care to share?” Sophie teased. She put her finger to her lips. “I won’t tell.”
Noah took another big bite of his grilled cheese, chewed, then swallowed. “No can do. My mother is very serious about her cooking. I’m not going to risk the wrath of Dee Dee by spilling the beans. She’s a sweetheart, unless you mess with her recipes.”
“She sounds like an incredible woman,” Sophie said in a gushing tone. “One of my favorite memories of my mama was making peach jam and packaging it in little glass jars. Each jar had a pretty top and they each came with a label that said Made with Love by Sophie and Mom.”
“The good thing about making memories is that we never lose them. Not really. We can cherish them for the rest of our lives.” Noah looked thoughtful. “I’m the only son who left Homer. My brothers are still there—two have families and help run the diner. The other two work in the area. You have no idea how many times a day I reflect upon our childhood.” He pressed his palm against his chest. “All of those moments are right here. I carry them around with me wherever I go. And I can pull them out whenever I feel the need.”
Sophie suddenly felt a lump in her throat. Noah had hit the nail right on the head. Memories were forever. And despite everything her father had done to hurt her, he was still the same man who had raised her. Loved her. Sheltered her in his arms when her mother died unexpectedly of pneumonia. People weren’t perfect, were they? It hurt terribly to feel betrayed, but it didn’t erase the love.
“Thank you,” Sophie said, in a voice barely above a whisper.
Noah swung his gaze up from his plate. “For what?” he asked, confusion evident in his tone.
Sophie put her sandwich down. “For reminding me of the good times. When something bad happens we tend to focus on that particular event.” Her shoulders sagged. “You’re right about memories. They’re snapshots of the past. Reminders of events we may have taken for granted. Christmases. Parties. Our sixteenth birthday. It wasn’t all bad.”
“My mother used to always say we’ve got to take the bitter with the sweet.” Noah put the last of his french fries in his mouth.
The bitter with the sweet. Could it really be that simple?
A year had passed and now Sophie had a little distance from the turmoil that had led her to flee New York City. John and her father were not interchangeable. John’s actions had been reprehensible. Amoral. Her father had been blind to John’s sins against her. He had sided with her ex-fiancé when she’d needed him to be firmly, devotedly by her side. He had chosen to believe John. It had felt like a knife in the back. It had seemed as if he’d picked business over his only child.
It still hurt terribly, but in this moment all Sophie wanted to do was forgive, the same way she would want to be forgiven. Listening to Noah made it all seem so simple. But she knew it wasn’t. Sophie didn’t feel like the Java Giant heiress anymore. The truth was hard to ignore. She’d never quite fit into those shoes. It had always been as if her life as Sophie Mattson was someone else’s she’d been observing through a filmy window. She much preferred life as Sophie Miller—barista, waitress, transplant to Alaska.
Roger Mattson wasn’t a man who would take lightly to the heir to his empire renouncing it all for a simple life in the wilds up North. Sophie bit her lip. At the moment she had both feet planted in Love, while a huge chunk of her heart remained in New York City.
* * *
Once Noah dropped Sophie back at the Black Bear Cabins she immediately changed into her pajamas and sat down with a hot cup of tea. There had been a little moment in the car where she’d thought Noah might lean over and kiss her. Just the thought of it made her toes tingle. She was probably being fanciful. Noah was the type of guy who could get any girl he wanted simply by crooking his finger.
She let out a sigh of contentment. Tonight had been very enjoyable. Today, too. Sophie loved town events and this one had been no different. Sharing it with Noah had made it extra fun and whimsical. Everything about Love was so new to him. Seeing it through his eyes reminded Sophie of her first few days as a newcomer to this quaint town. Everything had been shiny and new and straight out of a travel brochure.
Sophie had shocked herself by revealing intimate details of her past to Noah. These feelings had been bubbling up for so long and she’d managed to keep such a tight rein on them. Tonight they had just risen to the surface. Noah had been in the right place at the right time.
She had never imagined it would be so difficult to hide so many things about herself. Even though she had embraced a new life in Love, her past had shaped her. In the last year she had tripped up a time or two, but other than Grace, no one knew she was really Sophie Mattson. Not even Noah. That knowledge weighed heavily on her heart. How could she ever find love while holding so tightly to this secret? And if she did find a special someone in the future, how would she ever know if he truly loved her for herself and not the Java Giant fortune?
