The Twins' Alaskan Adventure Read online

  “You didn’t answer... Are we friends?”

  “Absolutely.” Tate brushed past Eliana to get the cereal in the pantry so he didn’t have to make eye contact. “Thanks for agreeing to keep watching the twins. They really like you.”

  “Good. I’ll get them to camp.”

  Too many questions spooled in his head. Had she infuriated his parents by challenging the zoning change? If the zoning didn’t change, were they still willing to sell, but just not to a Madden?

  And why had she reduced their relationship to a business transaction?

  That part hurt the most, especially after all they’d shared.

  But what could he say? Tate wasn’t about to beg for a relationship. Or stand in the way of her dreams, especially if she wanted to pursue a new career.

  If their families were ever going to end the festering conflict, maybe the change started here. Now.

  He’d show Eliana that he’d changed. That he wasn’t the selfish guy who’d left her behind all those years ago...

  Heidi McCahan is a Pacific Northwest girl at heart but now resides in North Carolina with her husband and three boys. When she isn’t writing inspirational romance novels, Heidi can usually be found reading a book, enjoying a cup of coffee and avoiding the laundry pile. She’s also a huge fan of dark chocolate and her adorable goldendoodle, Finn. She enjoys connecting with readers, so please visit her website, heidimccahan.com.

  Books by Heidi McCahan

  Love Inspired

  Home to Hearts Bay

  An Alaskan Secret

  The Twins’ Alaskan Adventure

  The Firefighter’s Twins

  Their Baby Blessing

  An Unexpected Arrangement

  The Bull Rider’s Fresh Start

  Visit the Author Profile page at LoveInspired.com.

  THE TWINS’ ALASKAN ADVENTURE

  Heidi McCahan

  Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.

  —Psalm 33:20

  For my sister Heather: I wouldn’t trade our unconventional Alaskan childhood for anything. I’m thankful we shared it together.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Excerpt from Her Forbidden Amish Child by Leigh Bale

  Chapter One

  Today she’d make Rex Adams an offer on his property he couldn’t refuse.

  Eliana Madden studied her landlord over the rim of her coffee mug as he claimed the last vacant stool at the counter in the Harbor Lights Café, the business she’d poured every ounce of herself into since she started waiting tables here over ten years ago.

  When the previous managers had retired and moved to California, she’d boldly approached Rex and his wife, Tammy, and asked to manage the café. No one had been more surprised than her when they’d offered her the position. People in Hearts Bay as well had believed in her, a twentysomething recent college graduate with zero management experience. The customers’ loyalty meant everything, and she wouldn’t have succeeded without them. Now if only she could convince Tammy and Rex to finally sell her the business.

  If they’d accept her offer for the building and the property, she’d be able to get started on her renovation plans instead of submitting frequent maintenance requests for the leaky roof and cranky old water heater.

  Rex and Tammy were formidable obstacles standing between her and her dream of owning the café. Their families had been arguing for years over who deserved to own this swath of waterfront property in Hearts Bay, Alaska.

  She couldn’t let that bitter conflict discourage her, though.

  The bell on the front door jangled as more customers filed in, pulling her from her thoughts. It was time to put her plan into action.

  The café hummed with the usual weekday morning crowd. Outside the wall of windows spanning the far side of the dining room, a light rain was falling. Fog had draped its lazy fingers around the masts of the boats in the harbor and languished over the water surrounding Orca Island. Voices filled the air, silverware scraped across plates and the aromas of coffee and eggs mingled. There wasn’t an empty seat in the whole place.

  An unexpected tightness made her throat ache. If her brother, Charlie, were here, he’d lean one elbow on the worn Formica countertop and tell her to go for it. He’d also be the first to show up and help blow out the side wall and add more seating. He used to eat breakfast at the café all the time. Third stool from the end. She avoided sitting there after hours and only served the customer in that seat if no one else was available. She’d secretly entertained thoughts of removing it in honor of her late brother, but that seemed a little over-the-top, even for her.

  This week marked two years since he’d been gone. A fishing boat accident had killed him and Abner, her sister Mia’s fiancé.

  Man, she missed them.

  “Order up.” Anthony, the line cook, pushed an omelet with a side of bacon through the service window.

  Eliana set down her yellow mug with the café’s logo printed in blue letters and wiped her suddenly clammy palms on the blue apron tied around her waist.

  “Kelly, will you take this to Jim at table three, please? There’s someone here I need to speak to.”

  “Of course.” Kelly grabbed the plate and strode toward Jim, her strawberry blond ponytail bobbing against her sunshine-yellow T-shirt. The woman was a gift. Always on time and happily picked up extra shifts whenever anyone asked her to cover for them.

  Anthony caught her eye through the service window and winked. “Go get ’em, boss.”

  Eliana flashed him a wobbly smile. Her sneakers felt like they were loaded with mud as she inched along her side of the L-shaped counter. Anthony had found her in the pantry this morning, praying about how to convince Rex to let her buy him out. When Anthony praised her bravery, she’d almost believed him.

  More like a foolish girl with a pie-in-the-sky idea. She didn’t feel brave. Not with the mayor, two town council members and her middle school basketball coach eating their breakfasts at the counter. All lined up. Right next to Rex.

  With his short-cropped dark hair graying at the temples, brow permanently furrowed from years spent on his flying bridge, guiding countless fishing charters through the unpredictable waters off the island’s coast, and facial features that reminded her of a bald eagle, he’d always made her nervous. While he thankfully hadn’t passed that stern expression onto his sons, the gray-blue eyes reminded her so much of Tate that it physically hurt to look at Rex.

  She’d always imagined Rex would someday be her father-in-law. Her babies’ grandpa. Someone she’d eat Sunday dinners with from now until forever. Instead, they barely spoke unless they had café related business to discuss, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in his house.

  Rex paused, his coffee mug halfway to his mouth. Whatever conversation he’d been having with Mr. Struthers, the local fish and game warden, screeched to a halt when Eliana hovered in front of them.

  “Good morning.” She tried for a casual greeting. Her cheeks immediately flamed when her words came out almost an octave higher than normal.

  Not to mention earning curious stares from at least six of the twelve people at the counter, who had all angled their heads to listen in. Orca Island had about eight thousand residents and less than fifty miles of highway from one end to the other. All the news traveled quickly through the community of Hearts Bay and beyond. Even folks in the outlying villages, who needed a plane or a boat to get to town, didn’t have to wait long to hear the latest and greatest updates.

  “Hello, Eliana.” The crevices in Rex’s forehead deepened. His piercing gaze drilled into her. “Something I can help you with?”

  “Actually, yes.” She tipped her chin up and drew a ragged breath. “I want to make an offer on the café. The building, the business and the land.”

  Rex frowned. The sound of silverware scraping across plates faded into the background. Her heart climbed into her throat.

  Just answer me.

  “You’re too late. A developer from Portland already made an offer. He wants to build a luxury hotel with a convention center. We’re signing the paperwork next Friday.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” She slunk away like a fox with its tail tucked between its legs, outsmarted once again.

  Next Friday was only ten days from now. Eliana felt the weight of Anthony’s sympathetic gaze as she picked up two plates of pancakes, then plastered on a smile and delivered the food to her customers at a table by the window. Rex’s words had poured gasoline on the flames of resentment kindling in her abdomen.

  A luxury hotel and convention center?

  What a horrible idea. The modern steel-and-glass facility she envisioned would ruin Hearts Bay’s pristine coastline. She wasn’t interested in prolonging the dispute over this land, but she refused to sit back and let Rex and Tammy crush her dreams. She had to find a way to stop them from closing t
he deal with the developer.

  * * *

  Dumbest decision ever.

  Two flights, one sleepless night in a cheap hotel, plus a ten-hour ferry ride across an angry ocean with four-year-old twins had left Tate Adams dangling at the end of his single-dad rope.

  Holding his breath, he shoved Hunter’s soiled T-shirt into a plastic bag he’d begged the attendant in the dining room to give him. Willow and Hunter clung to his legs as he stood near their seats in the ferry’s front cabin, trying desperately to keep them calm until they docked at Hearts Bay.

  The poor kids had battled seasickness almost the entire trip. They couldn’t even keep down the chewable medication an empathetic passenger had offered.

  Adams, you’re an idiot. So much for giving Willow and Hunter an authentic Alaskan experience. When Jade, his ex-wife, had begged him to care for their twins for the entire summer, he’d agreed, if she allowed him to bring the kids to Orca Island. He’d been so excited to come home he hadn’t considered that taking the longest route possible from Boise might be too much for his landlubbers to handle.

  “Daddy, I want out.” Willow pointed out the rain-spattered window. “Let’s go watch for whales.”

  “It’s raining, pumpkin.” Tate tried and failed to peel Hunter off his leg. Poor kid. He still looked green. And miserable.

  “We can wear our new raincoats.” Willow plucked her shiny white jacket with pink polka dots off the vinyl chair nearby. “Put yours on, too, Hunter.”

  “No.” Hunter shook his head and tightened his grip on Tate’s leg. “I don’t want to.”

  Both kids had their mother’s unruly golden curls. Willow’s hair skimmed her shoulders, while her twin brother’s flopped over his forehead. They looked like they hadn’t seen a comb in days.

  “The fresh air might make you feel better.” Tate reached for Hunter’s lime-green coat with the frog face on the back. “We’ll come back inside if you get too cold.”

  “I won’t get cold.” Willow shoved her feet into the bright pink rain boots she’d discarded earlier. “Hurry, Hunter. I want to see a whale.”

  “Fiinnne.” Hunter dragged the single syllable word out, complete with a dramatic eye roll.

  Splendid. Must’ve learned that from Jade.

  An older woman sitting in the row of chairs nearby shot Tate an amused glance. He pretended not to notice and wrangled Hunter into his coat and green rain boots.

  “Let’s go.” Willow skirted around the row of chairs, then hurried toward the door.

  “Wait for us, please,” Tate called over his shoulder. The girl had no fear. He couldn’t let her leave the cabin alone.

  Hunter clutched Tate’s hand. “What if I throw up again?”

  Tate gently guided him away from his seat. “You’re not going to throw up.”

  Please, Lord, don’t let him be sick anymore.

  They crossed the cabin, and Tate opened the door. Willow scrambled out onto the deck while Hunter hung back. The captain had slowed down. They glided through the emerald-green water at a snail’s pace. Frigid air enveloped them as Tate clasped Willow’s and Hunter’s hands in his and led them toward the railing near the bow.

  Rain pattered their faces. Willow tipped her head back and squealed with delight. Hunter glued himself to Tate’s side. Poor little fella.

  “Look.” Tate pointed to the snowcapped mountain rising out of the gray mist. “That’s Mount Larsen, the tallest point on the island.”

  “Can we climb it?” Willow pressed up on her toes, one hand gripping the ferry’s railing.

  Tate chuckled. “We can’t climb to the top. There’s a hiking trail and an observation deck. By the way, your great-grandmother was a Larsen. That mountain is named after—”

  “I’m cold.” Hunter shivered. “Can we go in?”

  “But I haven’t seen any whales yet.” Willow’s brows scrunched together. “Where are they, Daddy?”

  Oh, boy. Tate swallowed an impatient sigh. It was going to be a long summer. He squeezed their hands and breathed in the familiar briny scent he’d always associated with home. Home. After being away for almost eight years, he’d never imagined he’d return as a single dad with twins. Life hadn’t gone at all like he’d planned. Even though he regretted his failed marriage, Willow and Hunter were tremendous blessings. He hoped and prayed this trip would soothe their hurt and confusion over not seeing their mother for three months.

  “Is that Grandpa Rex’s boat?” Willow pointed to a commercial fishing boat chugging past the ferry.

  The Matilda Jean. Charlie Madden’s boat. Tate’s chest tightened. “No, honey. That’s a seiner. It’s made for catching thousands of pounds of salmon. See the nets?”

  He pointed to the black nets suspended from the boat’s massive gray rigging. Her white bow sliced through the blue-green water. The black stripe and hand lettering on the boat’s stern flooded Tate with memories of Eliana, her family and everything they’d lost when Charlie died.

  Tate should’ve come home for the funeral. He’d wanted to. But the twins had been a challenge that summer, and his marriage had started to crumble. Besides, he’d been too ashamed to face Eliana. Their friendship had meant a lot to him. He’d felt guilty that he’d married someone Eliana had never met. Not that he needed her blessing or anything, but best friends usually attended each other’s weddings. He hadn’t even invited Eliana. Frankly, he’d been a coward. Let his family influence his choices, and then he’d convinced himself that Jade was the ideal woman for him.

  “Then where’s Grandpa’s boat?” Hunter asked.

  “We can’t quite see the boats in the harbor yet.” He released Willow’s hand and gestured toward Hearts Bay’s ferry terminal visible in the distance. “That’s where the ferry will dock in a few minutes.”

  Hunter’s blue eyes welled with unshed tears. “Do I have to get on Grandpa’s boat today?”

  Tate dropped to one knee on the deck. Water soaked the fabric of his jeans. He pulled Hunter into his arms. “Buddy, you’re safe with me. You don’t have to ride on Grandpa Rex’s boat if you don’t want to. I promise we’ll have lots of fun together, even if we stay on land.”

  Hunter buried his face in the Gore-Tex fabric of Tate’s jacket. His little body trembled. Tate squeezed his eyes shut. What have I done?

  “Where are we going to live?” Willow tapped her boot in a puddle of water pooling on the deck. “With Grandma and Grandpa?”

  Hunter pulled away and swiped the back of his hand across his cheeks. “What does our house look like?”

  “I’ll show you when we get there.” Tate stood, keeping one hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “It’s a two-story building overlooking the harbor. In a few minutes, you’ll be able to see its blue metal roof. Our apartment is upstairs, above Grandpa Rex’s fishing charter office.”

  And right beside the café that Eliana managed. His mother had mentioned that at least twice when he’d called to discuss his summer plans. He and Eliana hadn’t seen one another in years, but he still hadn’t forgiven himself for ending their friendship when he’d moved to Idaho. Maybe he’d be so busy with the twins and helping Dad with his fishing charters that they’d rarely cross paths. Maybe she’d married by now and started a family of her own.

  The notion doused him with another wave of regret. Ugh. He had really messed up.

  “Who will watch us when you go fishing?” Hunter stared up at him. Tears still clung to his dark eyelashes.

  The fear in his son’s eyes pierced Tate’s heart. “Don’t worry. I’ve hired a babysitter, but it’s going to be a while until I need her to watch you.”

  Hunter quirked his mouth to one side. “How long is a while?”

  “Check it out—we’re almost to the dock.” He redirected Hunter’s attention to the long wooden pier jutting out into the ocean. Seagulls lined the edge, like an unofficial welcoming committee.

  Crew members hustled to their duty stations. A woman in a yellow raincoat stood at the end of the dock, waiting to disembark passengers and vehicles. The vessel creaked and groaned, churning up water as it eased into position.