Connor knit his brows together. “You’re helping at the Snowy Owl? How so?”
Braden hesitated. He needed to tread carefully. Piper had confided in him about the diner’s financial situation, and he didn’t want to violate her trust. As it was, he considered himself on shaky ground with her. “It hasn’t been easy for Piper to run the diner all by herself. She’s a proud person by nature, so she’s been reluctant to ask for help.”
“Hank would have helped out in a heartbeat if she’d asked. I don’t know a single person in town who wouldn’t pitch in if Piper needed it.”
“Please don’t make a big deal out of it with Hank. I don’t want Piper thinking I was spreading her business around town,” Braden cautioned, cringing at the idea of being in the doghouse again with his bestie. Things were so much better when she was smiling at him rather than glaring.
Connor narrowed his gaze as he stared at him. “There’s nothing seriously wrong with the diner, is there?”
“Just a few growing pains. Piper and I have it all under control,” he said smoothly, not wanting to tell an outright lie to his brother. From what he’d seen by perusing the books, things were looking dicey for the Snowy Owl. Time was of the essence if they were going to turn things around. But he couldn’t tell his brother any of those details.
“Well, I’m glad that you and Piper are spending time together,” Connor said. “I was beginning to wonder if the two of you outgrew each other. You haven’t been hanging out with her at all.”
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Braden stuffed down his irritation at his brother’s comment. “She’s my best friend, Connor. I hope that never changes.”
“Happy to hear it,” Connor said, grinning. “I’d like to have you on board at the company after the New Year. That way you can help Piper through the holiday season and then join the ranks here as a junior executive in the marketing department. It will be great having the whole family working together.”
Braden nodded. He hoped and prayed things would be looking up for Piper and the diner.
Being back in Owl Creek was where he wanted to be, but he wasn’t sure about becoming an executive. Throughout his childhood he’d been the kid who had gazed out of the classroom window and yearned to be outside in the fresh outdoors. Not much had changed since then. He always chafed at being indoors too long.
And he wasn’t certain how long he could keep up the pretense with Piper. He was struggling to figure out whether or not to come clean about his argument with Jack and realizing that if he didn’t he wasn’t living up to the person he wanted to be. He wasn’t living his faith in the ways he should. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. The passage from John washed over him, serving as a potent reminder of what was at stake. Truth was important, particularly in God’s eyes.
So far, being back in Owl Creek was proving to be a lot more complicated than he’d ever imagined. And for the life of him, he wasn’t certain if he could stay in Alaska much longer without shattering into a million little pieces.
* * *
Piper’s gaze wandered outside toward the town green where a group of kids were engaging in an after-school snowball fight. A smile twitched at the corner of her lips. Although she loved the diner, sometimes she felt the urge to head outside and play in the snow just like the children she was watching. It would be nice to be carefree and devoid of adult responsibilities. At least for a little while. Her mind flashed back to lazy afternoons spent skating at the lake or dog mushing on the trails at Gray Owl woods. She’d been so blessed to have an idyllic childhood.
Not everyone was so fortunate. Her mind veered toward Braden. Although the North family was loving and tight-knit, Braden had been scarred by the kidnapping of his sister. Life in the North household had been fraught with tension and grief in the aftermath. It had affected every single member of the family in one way or another. Braden had gone inward, as if protecting himself from the world around him. Although she’d always been one of the few people he’d let in, lately that hadn’t been the case. He’d built up a barrier between them that she hadn’t been able to tear down.
Granted, Braden had agreed to help her rescue the diner, but he was still keeping her at arm’s length. What had come between them? She couldn’t stop asking herself that elusive question. She’d probably ponder it over for the rest of her days unless she received answers.
“I’ll have a ham and cheese omelet with a cup of the salmon stew.” Piper’s attention swung back to her customer. She jotted down the order on her notepad and smiled at the elderly gentlemen dressed in reindeer pajama bottoms and a thick red sweater. “Coming right up, Otis,” she said, trying to make her voice sound a lot cheerier than she felt. Otis Cummings was one of the diner’s most faithful customers. Rain, shine or in the midst of a raging snowstorm, she could depend on Otis to show up at the Snowy Owl for his favorites—omelets, sourdough flapjacks with strawberries and a big bowl of cornmeal maple mush. He always washed it all down with a piping hot cup of apple cider.
“Thank you for serving breakfast in the afternoon, Piper. My wife used to make me this very meal for lunch every time I asked,” Otis explained, his voice raspy with emotion. “I sure miss her. The holidays won’t be the same without June.”
Bless his heart, she thought as she recalled how he’d lost his wife a year ago. He was a sweet man who did his best to spread goodwill despite his own devastating loss. He served as a reminder that her family wasn’t the only one who’d lost people they loved. Her close friend, Rachel, had suffered the tragic loss of her father in a plane crash back in high school. Like Piper, she had mourned the tremendous void in her life. Somehow, it helped to realize she wasn’t alone in her grief. Others were struggling, as well. The loss of a loved one left an indelible mark.
The sound of the bell jingling alerted Piper to a customer entering the diner. She’d placed the bells above the door to add some holiday cheer to the establishment. Every time she heard it jangle, it made her smile. Little by little it felt like she was getting into the holiday spirit. When she turned toward the entrance, Piper felt a little rush at the sight of Braden walking through the door. At the moment he represented hope. Despite the chasm between them, she still felt as if he was a strong shoulder to lean on when she needed it the most. Braden made a beeline in her direction, his strides full of purpose. He had a lean and rugged physique, one that mirrored his active lifestyle. It wasn’t surprising to see several female customers watching him with keen interest.
“Hey there.” He greeted her with a smile. “So you’re running the place and waiting tables?” Braden asked, letting out a low whistle. “Your work really never ends, does it?”
“I’m just subbing for one of my waitresses, Elena,” she explained. “She’s come down with some stomach bug.”
“Put me to work,” Braden said, glancing around the restaurant. “It’ll give me a chance to figure out what’s working here and what isn’t.”
“Sounds good if you’re up to it,” Piper said. “It would be helpful with the dinner rush coming later on.” She made a face. “Not that there’s going to be a big crowd, but I’d still appreciate the help.”
Braden nodded. “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll get right on it.”
Piper motioned for Braden to follow along with her as she headed toward the counter and put Otis’s order on the order wheel. Along the way she greeted customers by name. It was the beauty of living in a small Alaskan village. Everyone knew each other. And when a stranger visited or relocated, they were welcomed to the town with gratitude. Thanks to North Star Chocolate Company, Owl Creek had a steady stream of tourists.
She took a few minutes to explain things to Braden regarding greeting customers, taking orders and how to put the orders in for the diner’s cook, Clara Teague. Braden was a quick study, and she watched from a few feet away as he handled his first customers—a group of friends who were catching a late lunch. Piper stuffed down her annoyance as Braden flashed a pearly smile and used his charm on the women. It shouldn’t bother her at all since he was doing her a favor and helping out, but it made her feel territorial about Braden, which was utterly ridiculous. They were close friends and nothing more.
And yet she still didn’t like seeing women flirting with him. It caused tension to build up inside her. She clenched her hands at her sides, then forced herself to turn away from the sight of it. Her stomach was all tied up in knots and she had no idea why. Perhaps the stress of the situation with the diner was taking a toll on her.
