A Baby in Alaska
Autorzy
Heidi McCahan
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15,0K
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14
Chapter One
Sam Frazier would do just about anything for someone he loved.
But he never imagined that would include becoming the guardian of Silas, his orphaned nephew. He raked his fingers through his hair and paced the floor in his Craftsman-style bungalow on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. He stopped and stood in a pool of sunlight filtering through the bay windows. Outside, a brilliant blue sky arced over Seattle’s iconic skyline, and in the distance, the rugged peaks of the Olympic mountains ringed Puget Sound. Usually the allure of a gorgeous summer Saturday would draw him outdoors. He’d meet up with friends and take the boat out on Lake Washington, or enjoy a long bike ride on the local trails. They’d round out the day lingering over dinner at one of their favorite restaurants overlooking the water.
But he didn’t have the luxury of doing whatever he wanted now. Not since his brother and sister-in-law’s tragic death in a hiking accident two days ago.
Another peculiar arrow of grief pierced his heart. How could Lucas and Erin be gone? He still couldn’t believe it. Sam’s breath caught and he battled back the emotion clogging his throat. What was he going to do? He was supposed to travel to Hearts Bay, Alaska, next week. During his three-week stay, he’d serve as best man in a wedding, and he’d agreed to represent his family’s interests in the acquisition of a small aviation company on Orca Island. If the deal closed, overseeing the merger was his last commitment with Frazier Aviation, the Seattle-based company his grandfather had started decades ago.
Sam’s announcement earlier this year that he planned to leave the family business had created tension. Especially between himself and his father. Dad was not thrilled with Sam’s decision. The board of directors respected his dedication to philanthropy, and no one questioned the value of making sure folks in developing nations could access clean water. Sam had tried his best to convey that aviation had never been his thing, and he’d felt called to a new career path that would best use his skills and talents. Advocating for people who couldn’t always speak up for themselves was his true passion. But now he’d be pursuing his goals with an infant in tow. He had no clue how he’d juggle it all.
He turned from the window and glanced at the baby boy just six months old, sleeping soundly for now in his vibrating chair contraption on the floor in Sam’s den. Poor little fella. Losing his parents at such a tender age. How unfair. Now he had to live with an uncle who was completely inept when it came to babies and parenthood. Their first forty-eight hours together had been rough. Sam had paced the floor with the little guy in his arms, trying everything to console him. Even singing his best off-tune versions of lullabies he barely recalled. Nothing seemed to help. Finally, exhausted and sweaty, Silas had fallen asleep on Sam’s shoulder and he’d managed to settle on the corner of his leather couch where they’d clocked a few hours of sleep.
Late last night he’d frantically texted two of his friends who had young children, desperate for advice on how to care for an infant. Sleep when the baby sleeps, you’ll find clever ways to get things done, and keep your expectations low had been the main takeaways from his friends’ responses. As much as he’d love to take a power nap right now, Silas’s peaceful expression propelled Sam into action. He might be a rookie at the guardian thing, but he’d already figured out that his washing machine loads had increased exponentially.
He hurried down the hall to the laundry room and switched the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer. He was supposed to have an emergency conference call this afternoon with Frazier Aviation’s board of directors, including his dad, who still functioned as the company’s CEO. But Dad had canceled the meeting an hour ago. No explanation was offered. Not that one was needed. Everyone knew it was due to Lucas and Erin’s tragic accident. How were they all supposed to carry on with regular operations now? Obviously, they couldn’t cancel flights or ground the fleet. Too many commuters and tourists had made reservations and purchased tickets. The company relied on the summer season to generate revenue and turn a profit. Still, it felt surreal to be moving forward with daily operations, not to mention an acquisition in Alaska, knowing Lucas and his wife were never coming back.
Sam closed the dryer door, hit the proper buttons, then returned to the kitchen and sank into a wooden chair at his small round table. This time tears stung his eyes and he didn’t bother to resist. He rested his elbows on the walnut surface and buried his face in his hands. He’d never play another game of disc golf with his big brother, Lucas. Or tease him about his lifelong obsession with baseball cards. Lucas and Erin had been a fantastic couple. She’d been a pediatric heart surgeon and Lucas had been the CFO of Frazier Aviation. Sam was certain their father had expected Lucas to take over the company in the near future.
His body trembled and sorrow washed through him as he grieved for all their family had lost. All that sweet Silas had lost. Sam still couldn’t wrap his mind around how Lucas and Erin hadn’t returned home from their weekend adventures in the North Cascades. Lucas had been hiking in those mountains for most of his life. He and Sam had camped at a state park there late last summer. It seemed nearly impossible that Lucas and Erin had both slipped and fallen to their deaths.
But questioning his family’s heartbreaking reality wouldn’t change anything. Somehow, they’d have to muster the strength to move on. Sam swiped at the tears on his cheeks with the back of his hand, then silently whispered a prayer.
Lord, why did they choose me? I don’t have any experience with children. I’ve never even dated a woman who had a kid. There has to be someone who’d be better for Silas. I’m lost. Please. Help me.
The room remained quiet other than the steady hum of the dryer. He would figure this out. One step at a time. Pushing to his feet, he went into his office at the end of the hall, pulled out a pad of paper and scrawled out a to-do list. The first action item? Find a nanny in Alaska for the wedding. He’d considered backing out on being the best man. Given the sudden death of his brother and sister-in-law, and his new responsibility for Silas, telling his buddy Josh that he couldn’t make it wasn’t unreasonable. But they’d been close friends since college, and Josh wanted very much to marry his beautiful bride-to-be Crystal in her hometown of Hearts Bay. It seemed serendipitous that Sam had planned to head that way for the acquisition. But now, with Lucas and Erin gone, maybe he shouldn’t be traveling. Maybe what Silas needed was the solid, routine comfort of home.
His phone hummed on the desk. A text from Josh filled the screen.
Hey, man. I’m just checking on you. So sorry to hear about your brother and Erin. That’s horrible. Is there anything I can do? Please let me know.
Sam’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. He typed, then deleted, typed, then deleted his text again. If he was going to back out on being the best man in Josh and Crystal’s wedding, he couldn’t share that news in a text message. Besides, he didn’t feel a sense of peace about bailing on his friends. He’d done a lot of extraordinary things in his life. Skydived, and summited a handful of mountain peaks in North America, and helped people dig wells in remote locations globally. Surely he could figure out how to travel to an island in Alaska with an infant. Right?
Maid of honor. Seriously? There had to be somebody else. Anybody besides her.
“I don’t know, Crystal. Are you sure you don’t want to ask Chelsea instead? She loves planning showers and all that girlie stuff.” Rylee Madden tried not to let her facial expression reveal her panic.
Crystal Gatlin’s flawless brow crimped with disappointment. “Come on, Rylee. Please say yes. I know it’s short notice, but you were my bestie when we were young. Why wouldn’t I ask you?”
Rylee hesitated, propping her phone against the can of diet soda on her desk. The can she’d been about to open and enjoy before Crystal called on FaceTime and made her surprise request. It was sad that Crystal’s sister had been put on bed rest, but she still didn’t understand why Crystal wanted Rylee to take her place. “I...I’ve just never been a maid of honor before, that’s all.”
Okay, so that was a lame response. Crystal’s eye roll indicated she’d felt the same way.
“It’s not that hard. You’re already a bridesmaid. Now you’ll just have a couple of additional responsibilities. Since my sister won’t be able to come to the wedding, I need you to step up. Chelsea’s sweet and all, and I’m glad she’s a bridesmaid, but you and I have always been closer.”
“Does Josh have a sister?”
Crystal frowned. “He does, but she’s not going to be my maid of honor. We’re not close. What’s wrong? You love parties and having a great time. Why are you being so weird about this?”
“I do love parties.” Rylee sighed. “It’s just that—”
“Wait. Is this about Tucker?”
“No, of course not.” Rylee forced a laugh. “That was over ages ago.”
She had thought Tucker had been the one. He’d come to Hearts Bay with friends to go fishing at one of Orca Island’s remote locations. They’d started talking when she’d flown him and his buddies out to the lodge. The following week, they’d run into each other at Maverick’s. A conversation turned into dinner and all of a sudden he’d decided he could work remotely from Hearts Bay. Her family had cautioned her to take things slow.
Except, she’d never been the cautious type. And like a fool, she’d introduced him to her beautiful cousin who’d been visiting from out of town. A few weeks later, Tucker and her cousin had up and moved to Texas. They’d left her behind to piece the jagged fragments of her wounded heart back together.
“Rylee? Hello?”
Yep, she’d zoned out. “I’m still here.”
“The good news is, there are single eligible men in the wedding party.” Crystal smiled. “In fact, I think you and the best man would totally hit it off.”
“Hold on.” Rylee lifted her palm toward the phone. “Please do not try to set me up. I’m not interested.”
“You’re not interested in meeting someone new?”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t interested in meeting someone new. I don’t want to be set up with someone who will be leaving town after the wedding. Long-distance relationships don’t end well. Besides, I’m super busy at work. I don’t have time to start a new relationship right now.”
“Do you still have time to be in my wedding?” Crystal pooched out her lip in a pouty expression.
Rylee stifled a groan. When did Crystal become so melodramatic? “I will absolutely be in your wedding. I’m not sure I’m the best fit for maid of honor, but I am very flattered that you asked. And if that’s what you need, I can do my part to make your day feel extra special.”
Oh, boy. That was a significant promise. Could she afford to keep it? “Is July fourteenth still the big day?”
“You know it.” Crystal’s pout instantly transformed into a dazzling smile.
“Wow. Time is flying. That’s less than three weeks away.”
“I know, right? And there’s still so much to do. Especially now that my sister can’t be there.”
“She needs to take care of herself and those sweet babies.” Rylee grabbed a pen and a receipt from her last trip to The Trading Post. “So when will you be back in town?”
Crystal gave Rylee the date for her arrival from Anchorage, details about what Rylee needed to know regarding the rehearsal dinner, and the venue for the bridal shower. They said goodbye and Rylee ended the call.
She set her phone facedown on the desk and blew out a long breath. “Oh, my.”
Carson, her coworker at Hearts Bay Aviation, shot her a curious glance from behind the front counter. “Everything okay?”
“I was just coerced into being maid of honor in my best friend’s wedding.”
His brows sailed upward. “Isn’t that something you normally would get some advance notice about?”
“Usually. But the bride’s sister is pregnant with twins and can’t be in the wedding party. So the responsibility is now mine.”
Carson looked at the clock. “I don’t mean to be insensitive, because I know you have a lot on your mind, but are you still up for that mail run?”
“Oh, right.” Rylee stood then pushed back her chair and grabbed her phone and her backpack. “I’m on it.”
“Good,” Carson said. “The mailbags are loaded and you’re all set.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” She high-fived him on her way out the back door.
Outside, mottled clouds dotted the June sky. Perfect flying weather. She strode across the asphalt to the hangar. Ever since their boss, Paul Sutton, had announced he was retiring and moving to Nevada, life had been stressful for the small staff of pilots working at Hearts Bay Aviation. The news that Paul intended to sell the business and they’d most likely be acquired by a larger family-owned operation out of Seattle had left her and Carson and their colleagues on edge.
She loved her work. Flying to villages that didn’t have roads. Battling the elements. She’d moved freight, people, mail, animals, whatever needed to be handled. She and her trusty Cessna got the work done. She enjoyed the freedom of soaring over the rugged mountains and intricate coastline of Alaska. Every single flight gave her another opportunity to appreciate her home state’s breathtaking beauty. Since she’d learned to fly as a teenager, she’d relished the challenge of being the only female pilot working for a small business. Other than Paul’s wife, Libby, who ran the front office, the rest of Paul’s employees were men.
Uncertainty slid its icy fingers around her insides and gave an unwelcome squeeze. Would her job change after they were acquired? If Frazier Aviation made an offer and Paul accepted, would they bring in a whole new staff of their own pilots from out of state? Her boss had tried to reassure them that they had no reason to worry about job security. But he wasn’t going to be the one flying for these people. What if they terminated her position? What if she had to move to Anchorage and find a new job with one of the regional airlines?
Rylee pushed those unsettling questions aside and began her preflight safety check.
A trip out to this particular remote village was one of her favorite routes. Especially since, if the weather permitted, she could catch a ride up the hill to visit her grandmother, who still lived independently at the age of eighty-seven. Rylee and her family had tried numerous times to bring her into town. They’d even built a house for her on her parents’ property, but Grandmother wouldn’t hear of moving.
Rylee opened the door to the plane’s cockpit and climbed inside. Her thoughts turned to her conversation with Crystal. The request to step in as maid of honor had thrown her for a loop. She wasn’t proud of the way she’d reacted, either. It had been almost a year since Tucker had shredded her heart and run off with her cousin.
Shouldn’t she be over it by now? Being an adult meant putting her own issues aside and celebrating Crystal and Josh’s big day.
She could do this. She’d find a way to be happy for one of her dearest friends. She’d find a way to care about all the stuff she was supposed to care about. What was a maid of honor supposed to do again? All that came to mind was fluffing the veil and adjusting Crystal’s train. There had to be more than that. She’d ask her sisters. They’d all been in plenty of weddings. Her sister Lexi had worked weddings as a photographer. Hopefully she’d have some key tips to share.
She’d fulfill her duties as the maid of honor but she was not falling for that best man. Even if he was the smartest, most clever, charming guy to venture onto the island. Crystal would have to let go of her matchmaking plans. Because Tucker had taught her a painful lesson—she’d rather stay single than hurt like that ever again.
Oh, this was not going well at all. Silas released another angry wail. Would he ever stop crying? How did a small human make such a heartbreaking sound?
Sam adjusted the canvas cover on Silas’s car seat and exited the plane. Rain pelted Sam’s face as he made his way down the steep wet stairs and onto the tarmac outside Hearts Bay’s tiny airport. At least they’d flown on a twin-engine jet from Anchorage. When they’d left Seattle before dawn this morning, he’d envisioned making the last leg of their all-day journey on a prop plane. Thankfully, that hadn’t been the case.
Not that it made any difference to a baby. The little fella’s mournful cries drew a curious glance from the young man who’d marshaled the aircraft to a standstill. Sam let his gaze slide away. It had been eight days since his brother and sister-in-law had passed. Sam had hoped that his nephew’s almost constant crying would lessen by now. Maybe that was selfish, though. Sam’s heart squeezed. He was still in the throes of grief himself. How could he expect a baby to not miss the two people who had met all his needs? Sam vowed for at least the fifth time today to lower his expectations. Surely this stage would pass. But what then?
He gripped the spongy foam handle on the car seat as it bumped against his leg. With his other hand, he awkwardly shifted the weight of his heavy bag, struggling to keep it draped over his shoulder. Ribbons of fog wound around the island’s lush green mountainside. The red lights of a plane taxiing by blinked in the gray afternoon. He couldn’t remember the last time he had exited a plane from a set of airstairs. This airport was much smaller than he’d anticipated. Maybe there was more than one airport on Orca Island. Even though numbers and data were his thing and he’d spent hours poring over the documents, the minute details of this acquisition escaped him now. Too many nights in a row without sleep did that to a person. Oh, well. There would be plenty of time to revisit all of that later.
He had to collect their luggage, load the rental car and get to the resort. Then he’d track down the nanny he’d hired over social media, and maybe together they could get Silas on a reasonable routine for the next three weeks.
Pungent fumes from the aircraft’s engines wafted toward him. The luggage carrier rattled by. Sam sidestepped a puddle of water on the asphalt. The man in rain gear and a bright orange safety vest driving the cart offered a smile and a friendly wave. Sam grimaced. He appreciated the kind gesture, but, man, he was in a mood. The loss of Lucas and Erin, lack of sleep, and the intense stress of taking care of an infant when he had exactly zero experience with babies was taking a toll.
Trying to hire a nanny and pack for himself and a baby to attend a wedding and business meetings had been too much. Not to mention this kid just did not sleep. Sam’s nerves were frazzled. Squinting against the rain and the wind blowing at him, he managed to get to the entrance leading into the airport. The automatic doors parted and he stepped inside.
Oh, wow. He’d been in lakefront homes bigger than this. He surveyed the ticket counter, a few offices tucked in the opposite corner, and a minuscule baggage claim area with two conveyor belts. A basic security checkpoint separated the gates from the airport’s front doors.
Sam followed the other passengers from his flight past the stanchions and canvas ropes marking off the arrival zone. He stopped beside a beautiful mural painted on the wall featuring a brown bear, a deer and a bald eagle and pushed back his hood on his anorak. Silas finally stopped crying. Sam was afraid to move for fear he’d provoke more tears. He gently lowered his bag to the floor, then set Silas’s car seat down beside it.
A woman with long sleek brown hair and the most beautiful golden-brown eyes he’d ever seen approached. She wore a bright blue jacket with a vaguely familiar logo emblazoned on the front panel, jeans and work boots. His eyes traveled to the piece of paper she held with his name printed in black marker.
“Sam Frazier?”
He offered a polite nod. “Yes.”
She lowered the piece of paper. “I’m Rylee Madden. I work for Hearts Bay Aviation. My boss sent me over to meet you. Welcome to Orca Island.”
“You’re Rylee Madden?”
Her smile faltered. “Let me guess. You were expecting a man?”
Warmth heated his skin. “No. I mean I just thought—”
“Relax.” Her tight expression conveyed her annoyance. “Happens all the time. Unfortunately, my boss is out of town helping his daughter and grandkids move. He asked me and my coworker Carson to show you around.”
“Yeah, about that. There’s been a slight change of plans. I have a baby with me.”
Her gaze slid to Silas in his car seat. “So I noticed.”
“I’m also in town for a wedding, so I’ve kind of got a lot going on.”
“We’d better hustle then. Baggage claim is right this way.” She turned on her heel and strode to the opposite end of the room.
Sam squeezed his eyes shut. Way to go, Frazier. It took you all of three minutes to behave like a pushy, entitled jerk. Super.
He opened his eyes and leaned down to grab the car seat. Silas stared up at him, one finger jammed in the side of his mouth. Tears clung to his long dark eyelashes. The kid was probably appalled by Sam’s behavior.
Sam blew out a breath, then spoke softly to the boy. “I know. That wasn’t my best moment, was it? I’ll have to try to do better. Come on, let’s go find the sixteen pieces of luggage I had to bring to keep you happy.”
He shouldered his bag and slogged toward the conveyor belts, his muscles aching from the awkward job of toting an infant car seat and an overstuffed carry-on.
He stopped near Rylee and scanned the suitcases and duffel bags gliding by. None of them looked like anything that belonged to him. Hopefully, everything had made the connection in Anchorage.
Rylee glanced up from her phone. He couldn’t help but notice the appealing pink clinging to her cheekbones. Or the cross-shaped pendant on her necklace that nestled in the hollow at the base of her throat.
“Are you here for Josh and Crystal’s wedding?”
He forced himself to meet her gaze. “I am.”
“Small world. Crystal just asked me to be the maid of honor.”
A pleasant pang of surprise tapped at his insides.
“But you’re also here representing Frazier Aviation, right? For the acquisition?”
Sam lowered the car seat to the floor once again and palmed the back of his neck. “Yes. We’ve had a tragedy in the family, so I agreed to follow through on the acquisition since I was already here for the wedding. There’s—”
Silas released the most heartrending screech, interrupting his explanation and drawing Rylee and Sam’s attention immediately. Silas arched his back and strained against the car seat buckles. His face turned red and crumpled with despair.
Sam cast a nervous glance toward the baggage claim, where his first suitcase had just slid down the shoot and onto the belt. How was he supposed to collect all of his stuff when Silas was screaming? He couldn’t just leave him there in his car seat. Besides, he hadn’t even taken the time to rent a luggage cart yet. Did they have those here? He turned in a circle, looking around for a solution. Panic welled inside, making his heart race.
“Would you like me to hold him?” Rylee tucked her phone in the back pocket of her jeans, then sank to her knees on the tile floor. “What’s his name?”
“Silas.”
“Hi, Silas,” she cooed. “Is it all right with you if I unbuckle him?”
“Absolutely.” Sam managed to push the word past his dry throat.
“Come here, sweet boy.” She released the clips and scooped Silas out of the car seat. After nestling him against her shoulder, Rylee stood slowly. “He’s very cute.”
“Uh, thanks, but he’s not actually mine.”
Rylee shot him an alarmed look. “What?”
Oops. That didn’t come out quite right. “It’s not what you think. I’m his new guardian. Silas is my nephew. His parents passed away recently.”
Rylee’s face fell. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
She patted Silas gently on his backside with her palm and swayed gently. Back and forth in a way that some people just naturally seemed to know how to do. Sam couldn’t avert his eyes. He felt ridiculous whenever he tried to sway while attempting to comfort Silas. Maybe he just needed more practice.
“You do have a lot going on.”
Sam reached for his own phone. “That’s why I hired a nanny to help out while I’m here.”
Rylee stopped swaying. “You hired a nanny? In Hearts Bay?”
Her tone gave him pause. He glanced up from his phone. “Is there something wrong?”
“If you don’t mind me asking, who did you hire?”
Sam opened his email, scrolled and then shared the name with her.
“Oh, dear.” Rylee’s nose wrinkled.
Sam’s stomach plummeted to the tips of his expensive hiking boots. “Don’t tell me I made a poor decision.”
“Well she left on the morning flight. I watched her check in.” Rylee chewed her lip and shrugged her slender shoulders. “Maybe she had an emergency.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Sam scrolled quickly through his recent emails, then his texts. “She didn’t tell me.”
“Do you have a backup plan?”
Sam barked out a laugh. “A backup nanny? No, I’m afraid I don’t.” He let his eyes close and dropped his chin to his chest. What was he going to do now?
“Right. Okay then. We’ll figure something out.”
He opened his eyes and lifted his head to stare at this woman. They’d just met and she wanted to help?
Rylee shifted a very contented Silas to her other arm. “I know this is a bit outside the box, but how would you feel if my family and I helped you out?”
“Are you and your family accustomed to babysitting total strangers?”
One corner of Rylee’s mouth lifted in a half smile. “You and I aren’t strangers now. My family does have a history of welcoming people into their home. It’s a long story. Where are you staying?”
“I have a suite at the resort.”
“Nice,” Rylee said. “Good choice. Most of the out-of-town bridal party is staying there, as well, and I have siblings on the island with lots of connections. In addition to being your tour guide, would you like me to help you find some reliable childcare?”
Sam hesitated. He glanced down at his phone and scrolled through the email and texts one more time. There was nothing from the young woman who’d promised she’d start watching Silas tomorrow. What choice did he have other than to accept Rylee’s generous offer? “If it’s not too much trouble.”
But, yes. Please help me.
Something undecipherable flashed in Rylee’s eyes. “It’s no trouble at all.”
