should’ve saved it for Christmas, but…” It was silly to be this nervous. She wanted to please him and the holidays were still six weeks away. Besides, she couldn’t think of a better way to tell Paul she loved him.
“But what, love?”
“But I thought you deserved it now.” For calming her angry tirades, for being so patient with her, for his gentleness and a hundred other admirable qualities. And because she longed to be his wife in the truest sense of the word.
Carefully, Paul removed the paper and held up the Irish cable-knit sweater. “Caroline, I’m…stunned. It’s a fine piece of work.”
“If it doesn’t fit, I can redo it.” She couldn’t believe she’d made that offer; the pattern was difficult and complicated. If it hadn’t been for Tanana’s and the other women’s help, she would’ve given up and unraveled the sweater weeks before.
“I’m sure it’ll fit perfectly.” To prove his point, he stood and pulled it over his head. “Where did you get the yarn?” he asked, running his hands over the sleeves. The sweater was a lovely shade of winter wheat and far lighter than the material the village women typically used.
“I sent away for it. Mary Finefeather had a catalog.”
“How did you pay for it?” She’d never come to him for money, although he would’ve been more than pleased to give it to her. They had little need for cash in Gold River. The supply store and grocery sent him monthly accounts and his paychecks were automatically deposited in the Fairbanks Savings and Loan.
“I used my credit card.”
He nodded and kissed her lightly. “Thank you, love. I’ll always treasure it.”
Caroline’s returning smile was weak, as though she was disappointed by his response. Paul watched her leave and wondered if he’d said something to offend her. He began to doubt that he’d ever understand her.
Hours later, Paul lay at her side. His even breathing convinced Caroline he was sound asleep as she lay on her back, wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling. She was now certain that she was a failure. For two weeks, she’d been trying to tell Paul that she was ready to be his wife in
every
way. How a man could be so completely blind was beyond her. If it hadn’t been for a few secret looks of longing she’d intercepted, she would have abandoned her cause. She made excuses to be close to him, to touch him. All the signals she’d been sending him would have stopped a freight train! The sweater had been her ace in the hole, and even that had failed. In return, he’d kissed her like an affectionate older brother.
Ah well, there was always tomorrow. Maybe if she wore the nightgown her aunts had given her…She smiled and her eyes drifted shut. She couldn’t get any more obvious than that.
—
The next day was a busy one. The small town was holding an early Thanksgiving feast, and it seemed half of Alaska had been invited. People had been arriving from the outlying areas all morning. Caroline and Tanana were responsible for decorating the meeting hall, and the two of them made a comical sight. Caroline wouldn’t allow Tanana, who was in an advanced stage of pregnancy, to climb the ladder to hang the crepe-paper streamers, so Caroline wrapped them around her neck and hauled them up herself.
“This isn’t fair,” Tanana complained. “All I’m doing is holding the ladder for you.”
“I’m not going to let you stand on this rickety old thing,” Caroline muttered, stretching as far as her limbs would allow to stick a thumbtack into the beam.
“If Paul ever saw this, he’d be mad.”
“He isn’t going to know, and you’re not going to tell him—right?”
“What will you bribe me with?”
Caroline laughed. “Hush, now, and hand me another streamer.” She climbed down a couple steps and Tanana gave her the next set of bright orange and yellow crepe-paper strips.
When they’d finished, the two women surveyed the hall, proud of their accomplishment. It was astonishing
“But what, love?”
“But I thought you deserved it now.” For calming her angry tirades, for being so patient with her, for his gentleness and a hundred other admirable qualities. And because she longed to be his wife in the truest sense of the word.
Carefully, Paul removed the paper and held up the Irish cable-knit sweater. “Caroline, I’m…stunned. It’s a fine piece of work.”
“If it doesn’t fit, I can redo it.” She couldn’t believe she’d made that offer; the pattern was difficult and complicated. If it hadn’t been for Tanana’s and the other women’s help, she would’ve given up and unraveled the sweater weeks before.
“I’m sure it’ll fit perfectly.” To prove his point, he stood and pulled it over his head. “Where did you get the yarn?” he asked, running his hands over the sleeves. The sweater was a lovely shade of winter wheat and far lighter than the material the village women typically used.
“I sent away for it. Mary Finefeather had a catalog.”
“How did you pay for it?” She’d never come to him for money, although he would’ve been more than pleased to give it to her. They had little need for cash in Gold River. The supply store and grocery sent him monthly accounts and his paychecks were automatically deposited in the Fairbanks Savings and Loan.
“I used my credit card.”
He nodded and kissed her lightly. “Thank you, love. I’ll always treasure it.”
Caroline’s returning smile was weak, as though she was disappointed by his response. Paul watched her leave and wondered if he’d said something to offend her. He began to doubt that he’d ever understand her.
Hours later, Paul lay at her side. His even breathing convinced Caroline he was sound asleep as she lay on her back, wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling. She was now certain that she was a failure. For two weeks, she’d been trying to tell Paul that she was ready to be his wife in
every
way. How a man could be so completely blind was beyond her. If it hadn’t been for a few secret looks of longing she’d intercepted, she would have abandoned her cause. She made excuses to be close to him, to touch him. All the signals she’d been sending him would have stopped a freight train! The sweater had been her ace in the hole, and even that had failed. In return, he’d kissed her like an affectionate older brother.
Ah well, there was always tomorrow. Maybe if she wore the nightgown her aunts had given her…She smiled and her eyes drifted shut. She couldn’t get any more obvious than that.
—
The next day was a busy one. The small town was holding an early Thanksgiving feast, and it seemed half of Alaska had been invited. People had been arriving from the outlying areas all morning. Caroline and Tanana were responsible for decorating the meeting hall, and the two of them made a comical sight. Caroline wouldn’t allow Tanana, who was in an advanced stage of pregnancy, to climb the ladder to hang the crepe-paper streamers, so Caroline wrapped them around her neck and hauled them up herself.
“This isn’t fair,” Tanana complained. “All I’m doing is holding the ladder for you.”
“I’m not going to let you stand on this rickety old thing,” Caroline muttered, stretching as far as her limbs would allow to stick a thumbtack into the beam.
“If Paul ever saw this, he’d be mad.”
“He isn’t going to know, and you’re not going to tell him—right?”
“What will you bribe me with?”
Caroline laughed. “Hush, now, and hand me another streamer.” She climbed down a couple steps and Tanana gave her the next set of bright orange and yellow crepe-paper strips.
When they’d finished, the two women surveyed the hall, proud of their accomplishment. It was astonishing
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