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But in so many ways this was all wrong. He was betraying Sophie by working with Sussex to keep tabs on her. He was kidding himself to think anything real could develop between them when secrets stood between them. He imagined the townsfolk would run him out of town on a rail if they knew the reason he’d come to Love.
Noah stuffed those doubts down. For this moment, he wasn’t going to focus on them. There would be plenty of time later to deal with the reality of his situation.
He dipped his head and placed a tender kiss on her lips. The kiss was full of everything Sophie had made him feel tonight—hope, an abundance of joy and a renewal of his faith. Noah wouldn’t have minded one bit if the kiss had gone on until the stars were stamped out of the velvety Alaskan sky. He felt incredibly connected to her at this moment. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this way, as if he was relating to someone on an entirely different level.
He helped Sophie out of the car, then slowly walked her up to her front door. He knew he was trying to stretch out the minutes so this night would never end. Sophie seemed to sense it, too. The smile she graced him with made his heart soar. She reached up and kissed him lightly on the lips before saying good-night and letting herself into her cabin. Noah stood on her porch steps for a few minutes, watching as a light came on until he knew she was safely ensconced in her abode.
He felt at home here in Love, and being with Sophie felt like a Sunday walk in the park. It was nice and comfortable. They were like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together.
As Noah drove away from the Black Bear Cabins he found himself wondering about the future. Tonight he’d kissed Sophie. And he had done so only because he wasn’t entirely sure his client was being truthful. It hadn’t felt like a betrayal to Sussex because Noah now knew from Sophie’s own lips that her ex had caused her a world of pain. In life there were always two sides to every story. Or was he just trying to make himself feel better for his actions?
Kissing her had been wonderful, but now, as he looked at it from a distance, he felt overcome with guilt. Sophie had no idea who he really was. He imagined she wouldn’t have kissed him if she knew he wa
s a PI sent to Love to watch her. Most likely she would have slapped him in the face. She didn’t deserve to be investigated or spied upon. Shame rose up in Noah at the thought that he was now caught squarely in the middle between his feelings for Sophie and his job as a private investigator.
Noah’s life goal was to grow each and every day in his pursuit of becoming a better man. Lying to Sophie just might disqualify him. And although their kiss had been perfection, it felt tainted by his lies. He didn’t even want to imagine how bad Sophie would feel if she discovered he was working for her ex. Every word coming out of his mouth was tantamount to a lie.
Part of becoming a better man meant dealing with things head-on instead of biding his time. He needed to complete the assignment, collect his paycheck and move on from Love, Alaska. He didn’t want to hurt Sophie, but getting close to her while being here in Love under false pretenses was wrong. He knew it all the way down to his soul.
Now, he just had to figure a way out of this tangled web he’d woven.
* * *
Due to the four-hour time difference, it wasn’t an easy task to talk to Sussex on the phone. But Noah knew there was no time like the present. He wanted this situation dealt with, once and for all. Maybe then he could breathe without feeling a slight hitch in the region of his heart. He was tired of walking on eggshells and feeling conflicted. To continue with the assignment and accept the second portion of his fee would be immoral.
Sussex answered on the second ring. “Catalano. I’ve been trying to reach you for days. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.” Clearly, his client had recognized his number by caller ID.
“Sorry about that. The time difference has been an issue.” Not to mention the fact that he really hadn’t wanted to talk to his client at all. At this point he felt horrible discussing Sophie with the man.
“Anything new to report?” Sussex barked.
“Her days are pretty much the same. Working at the Moose Café. The occasional outing with friends. Town events. Nothing of any note.”
“Anything on the romantic front?” Suddenly, there was tension in his client’s voice.
“No,” Noah answered. “She hasn’t been out with anyone from the Operation Love program, although plenty have asked.”
He could hear a sigh of relief on the other end of the call. It frustrated him. He wasn’t going to tell Sussex that Sophie was looking for love in Alaska. That was her personal business, as far as Noah was concerned.
“I did go out with Sophie. We went to a town event together,” Noah confessed.
“That’s great, Catalano,” Sussex said in a robust voice. “I’m happy to hear it.”
“I’m confused about something. Sophie mentioned an ex-fiancé, who she discovered wasn’t in love with her. She said this man betrayed her. Was it you?” he asked. “Because I don’t recall you telling me anything resembling that when you hired me.”
The words hung in the air for a moment with no response from his client. Noah could only imagine he was shocked by the direct question. Wealthy types like Sussex didn’t like to have to answer to their employees.
“Excuse me, Catalano, but your questions are out of line. You’re in my employ, not the other way around,” Sussex barked.
“Truth is important in an investigation,” Noah said, keeping his voice way more calm than he felt. “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”
“No. Nothing has changed. I’m planning to get my fiancée back.” His tone was frosty.
“Do you think that’s realistic? She’s built an amazing life for herself in Love.” The words slipped out of Noah’s mouth, but he didn’t regret them.
“I’m not sure why you’re questioning my motives, Catalano. The last time I checked I’m paying you to perform a service. If that’s become too difficult for you, I can assure you that I can find other PIs who will gladly take my money. My objectives should be your objectives. Unless, of course, you’re no longer interested in salvaging your company.”
Noah shouldn’t have been shocked by Sussex’s thinly veiled threat, but he was. Clearly, his client had done a little digging of his own into Catalano Security. He knew Noah needed a paycheck in order to keep his company afloat, and was using that fact as leverage so Noah would do his bidding. Alarm bells were ringing. This whole thing seemed to revolve around control. Not only of Noah, but of Sophie, as well. Noah didn’t like it one bit.
