Page 24 of Hiding in Alaska (Home to Owl Creek 4)

Ella finally glanced over at him. She’d been studiously avoiding his gaze ever since his grandparents had shown up. “Thanks. I’d appreciate it. I’m going to call Lissa later to make sure she’s all right,” Ella added.

“How kind of you,” Beulah said. “Please keep us posted.”

“I will,” Ella said. “She’s a real sweetheart.”

As they walked as a foursome out into the main area of the town green, Connor noted that the crowd had thinned considerably. Although he’d wanted to catch up with his old friend Ace, a general scan of the area indicated he may have already departed.

Connor, along with Ella, said good-night to his grandparents and swiftly made his way over to his truck. He’d parked it on the street right by the Sheriff’s office. Once they were both inside the vehicle, Connor turned on the radio in the hopes of erasing the tension that hung in the air.

Ella hadn’t said two words to him in the last ten minutes. He wondered whether she was simply worried about Lissa or pondering the fact that he’d almost kissed her. If it was the latter, Connor had no way of knowing whether his kiss would have been well received. For all he knew she might not have been receptive to it. Maybe his grandparents had rescued him from embarrassment.

Perhaps not kissing Ella had been for the best, considering his reservations about her. It wouldn’t be wise to go down a romantic road with all these questions about her that continued to crop up. He kept telling himself that he wanted something steady in his personal life. It wouldn’t be wise to go down that road with someone whom he wasn’t sure he could trust.

Secrets had a way of coming out from the shadows into the light. His own life had taught him that valuable lesson, and it wasn’t likely he would forget it anytime soon.

Chapter Nine

Isabelle gazed out of the window as the Alaskan scenery flitted by her car window. A brilliant moon still hung in the sky, surrounded by dozens of twinkling stars. A graceful snowy owl swooped over the branches of a tree, causing Isabelle to let out a gasp of wonder. She had never seen one in person before, and it was a majestic sight. There were so many things she was experiencing in Alaska that she hadn’t been exposed to before now. With each passing day, Isabelle was falling more and more in love with the little town of Owl Creek. Although she had never imagined ever calling it home, it now felt like one. It was a bittersweet realization, since she still yearned for Miami and the people she had left behind.

For the most part, the car ride home with Connor had been filled with awkward silences. Was Connor thinking about the fact that they’d almost shared a kiss? Probably not. Most likely it had been an impulsive act on his part, soon to be forgotten. Men didn’t tend to analyze things the way women did.

A smile twitched at her lips at the memory of Beulah and Jennings when they’d interrupted them. Both had appeared sheepish, stunned and incredibly embarrassed. If she hadn’t felt so awkward in the moment, Isabelle might have laughed out loud.

As Connor pulled into her driveway, Isabelle took a moment to drink in the coziness of her new abode. A single light shone from inside, lending the house an inviting warmth. There was another light by her front porch that served as a welcoming beacon. It gave her an added sense of security.

She turned toward Connor. “Thank you for bringing me home. Rusty is dropping off my truck in the morning, so I won’t need a ride to work anymore.” She looked up at him, suddenly feeling a bit bashful. More than ever, she now had an awareness of him as a man. A ruggedly

handsome one at that. “I appreciate your kindness. It made things a lot easier for me.”

“You’re welcome,” Connor said. “But I should be thanking you. Driving you made my days more interesting by far. I enjoyed all of our chats.” The way he grinned at her made her limbs tremble. She took a slow, steadying breath. The more time she spent in his presence, the more she was tempted to toss her vow of staying away from him out of the window. Who wouldn’t want to spend time with him? What woman wouldn’t want to be kissed by Connor North?

“That’s sweet of you to say, but I’m still grateful. Good night, Connor,” she said, quickly opening the door and stepping down before he could come around and open it for her. She heard Connor’s voice bidding her good-night, and she turned around to wave before making her way across her snowy walkway to the front door. Once she was inside, she peeked out the window to see Connor slowly driving away. Clearly he’d waited until she was safely in her home before taking off. A true gentleman.

She let out a sigh. Being around him was like sneaking a chocolate from a candy box that she knew she wasn’t supposed to eat. In the world of confections, Connor was a truffle—unique, bold and memorable. If only things were different. If only she could be Isabelle rather than Ella.

Tonight they had almost shared a kiss. If Beulah and Jennings hadn’t interrupted them, she was certain it would have happened, even if it would have been too soon.

A part of her had been relieved that they hadn’t kissed, while another piece of her yearned to share a tender moment with him. Although she had never had a shortage of boyfriends, Isabelle couldn’t ever remember feeling this way before. Excited. Nervous. She cared about him way more than she ever wanted to admit. Sharing even brief snatches of time in his presence lifted her up.

But there would be no more rides to and from work with Connor now that her truck had been fixed. Not sharing that special time with him would be a huge loss for her.

Connor was in a league of his own. He was funny and easy to talk to. He was charming, but not in a cheesy way. He’d made her laugh so hard her stomach hurt, telling her stories about Beulah and growing up in the North family. It hurt to know how badly they must have all suffered due to Sage’s abduction. Although Connor didn’t know it, they’d each gone through trauma that resulted in lasting scars. Connor and his family had already endured the worst kind of pain imaginable as a result of lies and deception.

It had been heartwarming to see Sage, Hank and their child bonded as a loving family. Although it reminded her of everything she’d left behind and all the dreams she would have to forgo for her own future, it hadn’t made her want to curl up in a ball and cry. It had given Isabelle hope. Maybe one day she could move past all the trauma from having witnessed a murder. Perhaps being in the Witness Protection Program wasn’t the end for her.

Please, Lord, help me stay positive so I can have the future I’ve always dreamed of having. I need to have faith in You and the promise of a new day. I need to keep believing even when others tell me my dreams are not going to come to fruition.

Earlier today she had resisted the strong urge to reach out to her family by phone. She’d ached to hear the sound of their voices and to let them know that she was doing all right. Isabelle worried about her parents and the toll the entire situation had taken on them. Her family had no idea that WITSEC had relocated her to Alaska. Disclosing such information would have risked her status in the program and potentially brought danger into her life. It would have erased all the efforts of Marshal Kramer and his team to create a new identity for her in Owl Creek.

Her loved ones were safer not knowing anything about her location, even though it hurt to feel so disconnected from them. She drew strength from her family and the Lord. God was still beside her even though she was all alone. It didn’t stop her heart from aching, but He sustained her as nothing else could.

It had taken all the courage in the world not to give in and make the call to her family. All of her life she’d played by the rules. Working at the night club had been her first act of rebellion, one she’d lived to dearly regret. Her parents hadn’t approved of Club Oasis or its drinking and party atmosphere. Now she had to live with the consequences of her decision. It wouldn’t be fair to get involved with anyone and have him bear her burdens.

Connor’s handsome face flashed before her eyes. Just remembering the way their eyes had locked earlier caused her pulse to skitter. She liked Connor North way more than she wanted to. He was growing on her and she was powerless to stop it. He represented all of the things she had once dreamed of in a romantic partner. But he was off-limits. Connor had already been put through enough turmoil in his life. By becoming involved with him, Isabelle would only be dragging him into another terrible situation filled with half-truths and lies.

* * *

The next morning, Connor drove to the factory all by himself. It felt strange not to have Ella beside him in the passenger seat, even though he’d been doing the ride solo for many years before she’d arrived in Owl Creek. Suddenly, it felt like something was missing. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it was Ella’s sweet presence. The knowledge hit him squarely in the face. His feelings for Ella were growing incrementally each day.

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