A Match Made in Alaska by Belle Calhoune

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    The past had taught him that happily-ever-afters weren’t meant for everyone, especially not the son of Colin O’Rourke.
    From what he’d seen, Annie was way too sensitive for his liking. He’d already made her cry. And he didn’t like the way she rattled things off as if she was a walking encyclopedia. After a while it might get old to have someone constantly spouting off facts like a know-it-all. It felt awkward that he had opposed library funding. He hadn’t had the heart to tell her that. He had been way too unnerved earlier by her tears. And something told him she would have been as mad as a hornet at the discovery.
    Considering the fact that the town was still struggling to get back on its feet, funding a library didn’t seem practical. It was one thing for the town to support businesses like Hazel’s Lovely Boots, but a library wasn’t going to bring money to Love. It was simply going to put a strain on an already tight town budget.
    All that was fine and good. But the moment Annie’s lips had pressed against his cheek, something had shifted a little bit inside him. Something that deeply worried him. She had just stirred up feelings inside him that he hadn’t experienced in a very long time. Feelings that terrified him way more than any bat ever could.

Chapter Four
    A nnie felt as if she had barely put her head down on her pallet before morning came, bringing with it hope for rescue and fear of the unknown. For a few moments, she sat back and enjoyed the sunrise as it crept into being. Oranges, pinks and purples graced the sky, serving as a reminder that God was all around her. He had created this magnificent scenery. And He would see to it that she and Declan made their way to Love. She knew it all the way down to the tips of her toes.
    She swept her gaze around her. The fire that had burned so brightly last night was now barely a flame. The warmth it had provided was a thing of the past. Her tingling fingers could attest to that fact. At least it was still burning, which meant it could be resurrected. She raised her arms over her head and stretched, casting a quick glance in the direction of Declan’s pallet. He was still propped against the tree, but his eyes were pressed closed and he was fast asleep.
    She felt a surge of gratitude for this strong, sturdy man who had been her anchor during this crisis. He had not only saved their lives by executing a perfect landing in the wilderness but also rescued her from a bat’s clutches and saved all her belongings from the plane. Declan had taken care of her, something she hadn’t experienced a whole lot in her life. One of the reasons she had always been so independent was that, other than Gram, there had been no one to lean on.
    Annie let out a sigh as she stood up and headed toward the fire. If it was going to continue to burn, she was going to have to stoke it. Declan had stayed up through the night to accomplish that task. She was guessing that he had finally fallen asleep due to utter exhaustion.
    Even though they were still stranded in the middle of Chugach National Forest and there was no hint of imminent rescue, she still felt blessed. They were alive and uninjured. And according to Declan, a search party would be looking for them today. Hope was ever present.
    “Morning.” Declan’s deep voice startled her. His eyes were now wide open, and he was greeting her with a lazy smile.
    “I thought you were asleep,” she said, hoping he didn’t think she had been staring at him. Gorgeous specimens like Declan were probably used to being drooled over. Not that she had been drooling in any way, shape or form. Simply admiring from afar.
    “Just resting my eyes,” he said. He stood up and brushed off his pants, then headed toward her. “I’m glad the fire is still going. Now that it’s morning, I’m guessing we’ll see some planes overhead.”
    “Do you think we’ll see them soon?” she asked eagerly.
    He nodded. “Once dawn broke, they