Page 22 of Hiding in Alaska (Home to Owl Creek 4)

Isabelle gasped. Clearly she hadn’t known about his family’s tragedy. Sometimes it seemed to him as if the entire world knew about what had transpired. When Sage had returned to Owl Creek last year it had coincided with the twenty-fifth anniversary of her abduction. As a result, there had been an abundance of media attention. The headlines had broadcast the story of Sage’s return all over the country.

“I do recall hearing the news story, but I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. I can’t believe that was Sage.”

“The woman who stole her from us actually ended up raising Sage,” Connor explained. Although he didn’t mind telling Ella about his family’s tragic past, it still hurt to discuss it. Jane Duncan, the kidnapper, had passed away last year, but he still harbored anger toward the woman who had perpetrated such a heinous act.

“I imagine something like that would devastate your whole family,” Isabelle said. “For the life of me I can’t imagine how my own family would have weathered such a storm. A stolen baby must’ve led to such unimaginable loss and uncertainty.”

“It did. The tragedy was never far from us,” he acknowledged. “We could be enjoying a wonderful Christmas celebration when it would rear up and bring us all crashing down to reality. Even as a small child I felt it. There was a void in our family that could never be filled until Lily returned.”

Isabelle frowned. “Lily?”

“That’s what my parents named Sage at birth. By the time she came back to us, she wasn’t Lily anymore. The woman who stole her ended up raising her as Sage.”

Isabelle made a tutting sound. “The name change must have been a painful reminder of the abduction, although Sage’s return is an incredible blessing.”

Connor nodded, then bowed his head. “We all prayed for years for her return. I don’t think my folks ever gave up hope. God brought her back to Owl Creek so we could make our family complete. Now we can’t imagine how we made it through all those years without her being with us. It just feels so natural.”

“I’m feeling a bit ashamed of myself,” Ella admitted.

“For what?” he asked. He froze for a moment, wondering if she was about to confess something about her past.

“Ever since I met your sister, I’ve been viewing her as this perfect woman living a storybook existence.” She let out a hollow laugh. “In reality she was an abducted child who was separated from her real family for decades. I can’t begin to wrap my head around what that knowledge did to her.”

“Sage has been through a lot,” he acknowledged. “There’s no way you could have known about the burdens she’s carried. She walks through life radiating positivity. We like to think that God was with her for every step of her journey. He gave her the strength to seek out her family.” He shook his head. It still stunned him to reflect on Sage’s courage and tenacity.

“She’s way more incredible than I realized. And your family is, too. To endure such a devastating loss, then come together the way you’ve all done is awe-inspiring.”

“I’m fortunate to have a really strong family. It took a little convincing to make me accept Sage as being Lily, but she won me over. I think a big part of me didn’t want to be crushed if it turned out she wasn’t my sister.” He let out a brittle laugh. “Every Christmas when I was a kid I used to insist on hanging up a stocking for my baby sister. At first I think it made my parents uncomfortable, but over time it became something special we did to hold her close to our hearts during the holiday season. Not that she was ever far from us. My family always believed she would come home to us.”

“Faith,” she murmured. “They believed in something they couldn’t see or touch.”

“Yes,” he answered with a nod. “My folks never gave up on the notion that they would be with their Lily again. It taught me so much about holding fast to one’s beliefs.”

“Your family sounds incredible. I’d give anything to be with mine right now. Don’t get me wrong,” she quickly added, “I really value the opportunity to stretch my wings by working for your family’s company. I suppose I’m just a bit homesick.”

Connor heard the catch in Ella’s voice, and it threatened to knock him off his feet. There was so much yearning in her voice. It made him ache for her. She sounded vulnerable and a little bit lost.

He needed to take a step back from this woman, because with every moment they spent together she reeled him in more. And Connor wasn’t sure he had the wherewithal to put a stop to it. She’d gotten under his skin. All he could think about was getting closer to her when he knew he should be putting distance between them.

* * *

The words had slipped past her lips before she could stop herself. Talking about her family was off-limits. She was really talking up a storm tonight and letting things slip that she shouldn’t. She prayed Connor didn’t ask her any questions. She really didn’t want to have to fabricate a story. It was becoming increasingly difficult to justify her lies. It wasn’t making her feel any better by telling herself that the WITSEC program and the danger she was in mandated it.

“Invite them to visit. This town will roll out the red carpet for them. Visiting Alaska makes for a nice family getaway.” Connor sounded so excited about the possibility of her family visiting.

“That’s not possible,” she murmured. Their eyes met and Connor’s were full of questions. “They’re not in my life at the moment,” she admitted. The enormity of the situation came crashing over her. Despite being at an event crowded with people, Isabelle was achingly alone. There was no one who would wish her a happy birthday or bring her chicken noodle soup when she was sick.

Tears pooled in her eyes. Don’t cry, she told herself. Becoming emotional would only draw more questions from Connor. How could she ever explain herself? Isabelle felt moisture on her cheeks. Despite her best efforts, the tears were flowing. Before she knew it, he was whisking her away from the main area and toward a copse of trees, where they were almost hidden from the festivities.

“Oh, Ella. Please don’t cry. It’s going to be all right.” Connor quickly swallowed up the distance between them and placed his arms around her. She let out a muffled sob against his chest. She felt his hand moving in a circular motion on her back as he murmured soothing words. It was so comforting to be held by him. Isabelle breathed in the woodsy, masculine scent of him. Although she knew it wasn’t possible, she didn’t want this moment to end. It had been a long time since someone had made her feel safe and protected. For so long now she had been keeping a stiff upper lip and trying to protect herself and her family members from harm. It was nice to take shelter, if only for a little while, in Connor’s arms.

After a few moments, Isabelle pulled away from him. Embarrassment made her cheeks feel flushed. She’d been clinging to him as if he was a life preserver.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, dabbing at her eyes with the hem of her sleeve.

Compassion flared in the depths of his blue eyes. “There’s no need to apologize. Clearly you love your family. Don’t ever give up on making things right with the ones you care about.”

She shook her head. “It’s not likely to happen. We might never be a part of each other’s lives ever again.”

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