Not Until Forever (Hope Springs Book 1)

by Valerie M. Bodden

He couldn’t worry about the future right now. He needed to take the time to celebrate this moment with his family.

  He steered Sophie through the living room to the kitchen. Everyone was already at the table, one twin on Tyler’s lap, the other on his mother’s. Both boys were throwing more food than they were putting in their mouths. While Tyler was trying to make them stop, Dad’s laugh boomed out again.

  “Don’t encourage them.” But Tyler was smiling, too.

  Oh, boy. What had he brought Sophie into? He was sure meals at her house never descended into chaos like this.

  “I’m sorry, I—” But one glance at Sophie and his apology died on his lips.

  Delight danced in her eyes, and her smile lit up her whole face. “This is wonderful,” she whispered, leaning toward him.

  He nodded, heart full. It was pretty wonderful. His family, all together in one place for the first time in years. And there was no one he’d rather experience this with.

  He led her to the table and pulled out a chair. She gave him a look, but he just smiled and waited for her to sit, then kissed his mom on the cheek and clapped his dad on the back before taking the seat next to Sophie.

  “You look good, Mr. Weston.” Sophie took the bowls his mother started passing the moment they sat.

  Spencer grinned as his father ducked his head and put on a gruff act. “Not back to full strength yet.”

  Spencer scooped some corn onto his plate. “Give it time, Dad. You’ll get there.” He leaned over to whisper to Sophie in a mock-conspiratorial tone, “Dad hates to sit still.”

  “Well, what’s a man good for, if not to work?” Dad speared a piece of chicken. “I’ve felt worthless in that hospital room for the past week.”

  “You’ll be back out there soon enough.” Spencer pointed his fork at Dad. “Before harvest, for sure.”

  And once Dad was on his feet again, Spencer could start to think about his own life. About what he really wanted. Whether he could leave the farm for Sophie—assuming she wanted to be with him, of course.

  “Actually.” Mom set down her fork and gave Dad a significant look. “He won’t be.”

  Spencer stopped with a forkful of chicken halfway to his mouth. “Well, maybe a little longer then, but—” He broke off at Mom’s pointed stare.

  His head swiveled to Dad, who was shredding a napkin.

  “Your father,” Mom began, but Dad interrupted.

  “I’ll tell them, Mary.”

  Now everyone’s eyes swiveled to him. “But first I want to say something.”

  They all waited, everyone’s forks still. A churning started in Spencer’s gut. He felt like he had at the hospital—like he was waiting for bad news.

  “I just wanted to say—” Dad’s hands shoveled the shredded napkin pieces into a pile. “Thank you to all of you.”

  “There’s nothing—” Spencer started to say, but his father held up a hand to stop him.

  “No, I mean it. I know I haven’t always been a perfect father, but I’m proud of the way I raised my sons. When I needed you, you both came through. Spencer—” When Dad’s eyes lifted to him, Spencer felt the need to both sit up straighter and duck under the table. “You saved my life. And you’ve kept this farm running.”

  Spencer clenched his teeth together and blinked rapidly at the table with a short nod. Sophie’s hand covered his, and she squeezed.

  “And Tyler.” Their father turned to Tyler, who held the twins on his lap—both now miraculously quiet as they munched on cookies. “I know we’ve had our rough patches. But when I needed you, you came home. And you brought me two of the greatest gifts I could imagine.”

  “You can keep them if you want,” Tyler muttered, and they all laughed as Lucas shoved a mushy piece of cookie into his father’s mouth. Tyler spluttered but grinned.

  “And Sophie—”

  Sophie’s head shot up, and it was Spencer’s turn to squeeze her hand. She looked utterly—and adorably—startled that Dad had singled her out.

  “You brought me flowers. And you make my son happy. What more could I ask for?”

  Spencer choked on his water. “Dad, we’re not—”

  Sophie laid a hand on his arm, and he stopped. “It’s the least I could do.”

  Spencer studied her, but she pulled her hand away and refused to meet his eyes. Her cheeks had a slight glow to them.

  “Alan,” Spencer’s mother said from next to him.

  “Oh, yes, and my beautiful wife. Who hasn’t left my side once in the past week and who has stood by me for thirty-five years.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips.

  “You’re welcome,” Mom said, “but you know that’s not what I meant.” She gave him a stern look and twisted her hand to lace her fingers through his. Spencer had seen that look before. Something big was up.

  His father stared at the table. “There’s something else.” He cleared his throat as they all waited. “This second heart attack has been kind of a wake-up call. Guess the first one didn’t take.” He plucked a piece of shredded napkin off the pile in front of him and set it off to the side. “But I want to be around to see my grandchildren grow up. Which means I need to take care of myself. Avoid stress.” He blew out a long, slow breath. “That’s why I’ve— We’ve—” He looked at Mom, who gave an encouraging nod. “We’ve decided to sell the farm.”

  Spencer dropped his fork but didn’t bother to pick it up. “But you just said you feel worthless when you’re not working.”

  Dad give him a long, hard look, and Spencer struggled not to squirm under the scrutiny. He knew that look. It was the one Dad always gave when he was waiting for Spencer to catch on to something on his own. But he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.

  “Feel worthless Spencer. Feel worthless. But I know I’m not worthless. I have worth to God—”

  “And to us—” Mom piped up.

  “And to my family,” Dad agreed. “No matter what I do or don’t do. No matter how I feel. So, I’m going to rely on that.”

  “Besides—” Tyler picked up a crying Lucas, who had banged his head on the table, and passed him to Dad. “Your job now is full-time grandpa.” He glanced around the table. “We’re going to stay in Hope Springs, if that’s okay with everyone.”

  Next to Tyler, Mom burst into tears. “Ah, Mom.” Tyler leaned over to give her a hug. He shot a look at Spencer, whose mind had gone completely blank. Dad was selling the farm. Which meant he wouldn’t have to feel guilty if he left. But the thought of losing his family’s legacy left him with a hollow feeling right in his middle.

  “Sorry.” Mom waved a hand in front of her eyes. “It’s an answered prayer.”

  “Mary.” Dad’s voice held a note of warning. “We promised we wouldn’t pressure them.”

  “I know. I know.” She wiped at her eyes with a napkin. “Either way, I’m just glad I’ll be near my grandbabies.”

  “Either way what? Pressure who?” Spencer was missing something. Mom sometimes forgot they weren’t mind readers.

  “I’d like to give you boys first option to buy the farm. Either alone or together. I’d give you a good price, of course, and we could work out fair terms. And . . .” He fell silent, and Spencer wondered if he was waiting for them to jump in. But he couldn’t open his mouth, and even if he could, he wasn’t sure what would come out.

  Tyler looked equally dumbstruck. A fleeting moment of disappointment and maybe sadness flashed in Dad’s eyes but then was gone. “Anyway.” He stood and picked up his plate, but Mom plucked it out of his hands and pushed him gently back into the chair. Spencer didn’t miss the concerned twist to her mouth.

  “You don’t have to decide right now,” Dad continued. “Take some time to think about it. But please know this is your choice. I don’t want either of you to feel obligated.”

  On his other side, Sophie shifted, and he made himself look at her, much as he dreaded seeing her reaction to his dad’s offer. She was staring into her lap, where her
fingers were twisting a purple ring.

  Spencer turned back to Dad. He’d never hesitated to call this man his hero, so somehow he hadn’t noticed until this very moment that he did look older, more fragile.

  A fierce ache started in his gut at the thought that someday Dad wouldn’t be around.

  If selling the farm meant Dad would be with them longer, then that’s what Dad should do. Even if it put Spencer into the position of deciding between his family and a future with Sophie.

  Again.

  “Yeah.” He dragged a hand over his face. “I’m going to need some time to think about it.”

  Chapter 24

  “Thank you for dinner,” Sophie said quietly to Spencer’s family as she filed out the door Spencer held open for her.

  His dad’s announcement had put a damper on the celebration, and Spencer seemed in a hurry to leave. But once they were out the door, he shuffled toward his own house, barely seeming to notice Sophie was at his side.

  The temperature had dropped enough that Sophie shivered and pulled her hands deeper into the sleeves of Spencer’s sweatshirt.

  Finally, she couldn’t stand the silence any longer. “Are you going to buy it?”

  Spencer pushed a hand through his hair and sighed so deeply she thought it would never end. “I don’t know.”

  She gnawed her lip. She should keep her opinion to herself.

  But the numbers on that financial statement haunted her. This place was barely staying afloat. One more bad year, and it would go under. She didn’t want that for Spencer.

  “Spencer.” She reached for his arm, dragging him to a stop.

  The tenderness in his eyes when he looked at her was its own kind of torture. What she was about to say might erase it for good.

  But if she cared about him—and there was really no way she could pretend not to after their day together—she had to.

  Cold air ripped at her lungs. “I saw the financial statements on your table.”

  He opened his mouth, but she jumped in. “I shouldn’t have looked. I’m sorry. But—” She sucked in a sharp breath. “I have to tell you that in my professional opinion, it’s not a good investment.”

  Spencer’s eyes roved her face, and she wondered what he was searching for.

  Instead of the anger she expected, he sounded defeated. “I know it’s not. We were barely holding on, and then, after last year—” He tipped his head back and stared at the sky. There was only a sliver of moon tonight, and Sophie couldn’t read his expression in the dark.

  “But it’s my home. My family’s legacy.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I always imagined that one day I’d be picking cherries out here with my kids and then my grandkids. I just never really thought about owning the place. I guess I took it for granted that my dad would always be here.”

  Sophie nodded, even though his head was still tipped skyward and there was no way he could see her.

  “Do you ever feel like a star?” His question came out of nowhere.

  She wrinkled her nose. “Like a movie star?”

  A gentle chuckle. “No.” He pointed toward the sky. “A star star.”

  She leaned her head back, too. Thousands of stars created a tapestry of the night sky, and she drew in a stunned breath. When was the last time she’d let herself just look at the sky?

  “How do you mean? Burning bright? Twinkling?” She tried to lighten the dark mood he’d fallen into. “You definitely sparkle, Spencer, if that’s what you mean.”

  He offered a half-hearted smile. “I guess I was thinking about how many stars there are. How it seems to make each one insignificant.”

  Without thinking, Sophie closed the space between them and grabbed his arms. He pulled his gaze away from the sky, toward her. The doubt in his eyes—had that always been there, or was that her fault?

  “You are not insignificant, Spencer. Didn’t you hear your Dad in there? You saved his life. You’ve kept this place going. You matter. To your family. To God.” It felt strange to be giving spiritual advice, given that she’d only just started thinking about God again herself, but she knew it was true. Spencer mattered to God. And so did she. The knowledge gave her courage to keep going. “And you matter to me, for the record.”

  For a moment, Spencer just watched her. Then he lowered his head toward her so slowly she thought time must have stopped.

  When his lips finally met hers, the sigh that escaped her said everything she hadn’t been able to put into words.

  Sophie woke up with a smile on her face. She could still taste Spencer’s lips on hers. Still feel the gentle kiss he’d given her in the middle of Hidden Blossom’s driveway and the one he’d given her when they reached her car—deeper, longer, more certain. It was a kiss that said she wasn’t the only one with lingering feelings.

  And with his dad’s plan to sell the farm, Spencer was no longer tied here. He could leave—come to Chicago with her—without an ounce of guilt. It was perfect timing. Surely he had to see that, too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked her to dinner again tonight.

  She felt light on her feet as she sped through getting dressed. She had plenty to do at Nana’s before she could think about tonight. She’d better load up on coffee if she was going to get everything done.

  But the argument that carried from the kitchen drew her up short in the hallway.

  “I told you the bid was too low.” Irritation snapped from Mom’s voice.

  Maybe Sophie didn’t need coffee after all.

  “It was a fair bid.” Dad’s retort was hard and firm. “If you want to make a profit, you can’t go throwing money at people because you love the view.”

  “The view is what sells,” Mom spat back.

  The urge to flee, to run and climb under her blankets and cover her ears as she had when she was a child almost overpowered Sophie.

  But she was an adult now. And a skilled negotiator to boot. She pulled her shoulders back and marched into the kitchen.

  “Morning.” She tried to keep her voice cheerful. “Everything okay in here?”

  Mom and Dad were on opposite sides of the room—Dad seated at the table with a cup of coffee, Mom standing at the counter pressing buttons on the coffee maker. With a pang, Sophie remembered the way they used to huddle around their old coffee machine together, Dad sneaking a kiss the moment Mom turned to give him his mug. Mom swatting at him and telling him he’d burn himself, then setting the cup down to give him a deeper kiss. At the time, Sophie had been thoroughly disgusted. But now—now she realized what a rare thing they’d had. And they’d lost it. Just as she’d lost the rare thing she had with Spencer.

  But maybe—

  Maybe it wasn’t too late.

  “Everything’s fine.” Mom’s sarcasm yanked Sophie back to the problem at hand. “If you consider losing possibly the best land on the peninsula as fine.”

  Dad rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic, Katherine.”

  “Dramatic?” Mom plunked her coffee cup to the counter. “We could have put a whole villa on the Richardson estate. But your father wasn’t willing to go high enough to get it. Now the Pearsons have it, and you know they’re going to do something tacky with it. Probably another mini golf course.”

  “What’s wrong with mini golf?” Sophie couldn’t help the question.

  Mom shot her a glare. “The point is, the market is prime for development, and we lost out on our best shot at it.”

  “They wanted too much for it.” Dad’s voice was the calm monotone that always infuriated Mom. “More land will come on the market soon enough.”

  “And when’s soon enough, David? Six months? Nine? A year? Land like that doesn’t ever just show up on the market anymore. Most of the big farms have already been pieced out, and the rest have no intention of selling.”

  “Actually, I might know someone who’s selling.” The words were out before Sophie could think about them. But as soon as she said it, it hit her—this was a solution that would benefit everyone.
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br />   Both of her parents swung their attention to her, and Sophie almost couldn’t go on. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like the center of their world. What if they hated the idea?

  But she had to put it out there. For Spencer’s sake, if nothing else.

  “I heard that Hidden Blossom Farms might go up for sale. I could probably convince the owner to entertain an exclusive offer.”

  “Is that the orchard in Silver Bay?” Her father sounded eager. “That’s a prime spot. We’ve made numerous proposals to them, but they’ve never been interested in selling. Where’d you hear this?”

  Sophie shifted in her seat. Was she doing the right thing, telling them? Spencer’s father hadn’t made his announcement in the hope of securing a buyer. But if she didn’t step in, Spencer would let his sense of responsibility get in the way of the smart decision and anchor himself to a failing business. She couldn’t let him do that.

  There’s no way he’d be able to match any price her parents could offer. The land was worth a million and a half, easy, and that would set him and his whole family up for a very long time.

  “The owner has had some health problems,” she said at last. “He’s asked his sons if they want to buy it, but I don’t see how they could . . .”

  “We could get it for a pretty good price if they’re desperate to sell.” Her father pulled out his phone and started typing.

  A twinge of conscience pinched at the edges of Sophie’s heart. This wasn’t what Spencer would want.

  But she pushed the worry away.

  Maybe it wasn’t what he wanted.

  But it was what he needed.

  Chapter 25

  Spencer couldn’t take his eyes off Sophie as he approached the spot where she stood at the end of the pier, gazing out over the water. A simple white sundress flowed around her legs, and her hair caught the light from the sunset.

  He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, relishing the way she leaned into him, her light, flowery scent, the way her hands came up to rest on his arms.

  These moments—the perfect kiss last night, the perfect dinner tonight, this perfect sunset—were only making his decision about the farm harder.