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Sophie turned away from the water and faced the building sitting up on the hill. She pointed toward it.
“This building represents hope. A few years ago this town was all set to open up a cannery. It was going to bring new jobs and opportunities to Love. To make a long story short, greed got in the way and the funds were embezzled. The cannery never even opened and this building sat here, unfinished and idle. Fast forward a couple of years and Hazel is making her gorgeous boots and selling them around town. My best friend, Grace, relocated to Love at the same time as I did, and in a moment of pure genius suggested that the town manufacture Hazel’s boots as a way to boost revenue. It was Cameron’s wife, Paige, who suggested we use the factory for Lovely Boots.” Sophie clapped her mittened hands together. “Voilà. The town now has a viable enterprise, and according to Jasper, sales are doing very well.”
Noah let out a whistle. “This town really is extraordinary. Who knew Hazel was such a superhero?”
His comment made Sophie grin. On certain days she felt the very same way about her dear friend.
“I wanted to share that story with you because it shows a lot about the people of Love. They’ve endured hard times and risen above them using ingenuity and their creative juices. And they always had hope, regardless of their circumstances. They endured. Faith can move mountains. It can restore a struggling town. It can make people hold out for a brighter day.”
“I have the feeling you’re sending me a message, Sophie.” Noah regarded her intensely. “Am I right?”
She nodded. “I am. The other day you mentioned stepping away from your faith. I know what that feels like to be so conflicted. When Mama died I was only a little girl, but I was so angry at God that I stopped believing in Him. I used to sneak outside at night and look up toward the heavens and scream at Him. I blamed Him for Mama dying. It took me a long time but I finally realized I didn’t want to walk through life without Him. Because even though there were shadows, there was always plenty of sunshine.”
Noah stepped toward her so there was no distance between them. He reached out and palmed her cheek with his hand. “You are living proof of that. I’ve never known anyone who shines like you do.”
Sophie basked in the compliment. “I think that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me, Noah.”
He leaned his head down toward her, and Sophie knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was about to be kissed by the dreamiest cook in all of Alaska. Maybe he did want something more than friendship.
All of a sudden, the loud blaring of a horn rang out in the stillness of the morning, jarring them. Noah stepped away from her and swung his gaze back toward Kachemak Bay. There was a flurry of activity on the pier, with workers rushing toward the site where the boat would dock.
Disappointment washed over Sophie. She had wanted to share a kiss with Noah more than her most heartfelt words could express.
* * *
Before Sophie and Noah knew it, twelve o’clock arrived and it was time to begin their shifts at work. Once Noah got into a groove in the kitchen, the time passed by quickly. Thoughts of Sophie made him grin throughout the day. Whenever he caught a glimpse of her in her quirky moose T-shirt, it gave him a reason to smile.
As soon as his shift ended, he headed toward the dining area, where he’d agreed to meet Dwight. This evening an indie band was scheduled to perform at the café as a monthly promotion Cameron had created to draw in more customers. So far the place was still fairly quiet, which meant he wouldn’t have to shout over a noisy crowd while they talked.
“Hey, Dwight. How’s it going?” Noah asked as he approached his table and sat down. Even though there were a few hundred other things he could be doing right now, he’d promised Sophie to help her friend. Noah wasn’t about to break a promise to her, even if watching paint dry sounded better than counseling the town treasurer on his love life.
Dwight frowned. “Fair to middling, I suppose. If you want to know the truth, I’m still hopelessly single and pining away for a woman who didn’t even have the decency to say goodbye to me before leaving town. I really thought Marta might be the one.” Dwight took a breath, then continued. “If I had muscles, chiseled facial features and a body of an athlete, I’m sure the women in this town would flock to me. But when God was handing out those attributes He must have forgotten all about me.”
For a few moments Noah didn’t utter a single word. He simply stared at Dwight and counted to twenty in his head.
“First of all, you need to stop with the pity party, Dwight,” he said. “It’s a huge turnoff.”
Dwight sat up straight in his chair and leaned forward across the table. He adjusted his glasses. “Excuse me? What did you just say?”
Noah met his stare head-on. “I said you need to knock off the poor-me routine. In case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t getting you very far in the love department. As a general rule women don’t like men who whine, complain about their lack of good looks or lack self-confidence. The last time I checked, God gifted you with a bunch of attributes, most of which you’re not using in your favor.”
Dwight sputtered. “Name one.”
“You’re smart, Dwight. Women love smart men. Not in an arrogant, I-know-it-all way, but in an informative, polished manner. I don’t know who you’re comparing yourself to, but you’re a good-looking guy.”
Dwight fiddled with his glasses. “I am?” he asked.
Noah squinted as he studied him. “Honestly, I think you might want to wear a pair of jeans every now and again rather than suits and bow ties. You want to seem relatable. Sometimes you can project a fuddy-duddy vibe.”
Dwight was furiously writing down all Noah’s comments in a small notebook. He looked up and nodded. “This is good stuff, although I disagree with the fuddy-duddy comment.”
All of a sudden Finn O’Rourke made an appearance at their table. The brother of pilot Declan O’Rourke, he had become one of Noah’s biggest fans. He came to eat at the Moose Café a few times a week, usually for breakfast. In Noah’s opinion, he was just as likable as his brother.
Finn slapped his hand on Noah’s shoulder. “Hey, Noah. Dwight. I just came over to give my compliments to the cook.” Finn flashed a huge grin at Noah. “That breakfast burrito you made me the other day was the best I’ve ever had.” He rubbed a palm over his stomach. “If I’m not careful I could gain a good twenty pounds eating your meals.”
Dwight rolled his eyes and let out an indelicate snort.
“Thanks for the kind words,” Noah drawled. “Next time I’ll use fat-free ingredients in your breakfast burrito.”
