Mountain Getaway

by Pine, Heather

  Patsy straightened her back and nodded. “Oh yes. This was one of the first places he looked after he saw you left your campsite. He said he didn’t know where you had gone off to and that you might be angry with him.”

  “Why would I be angry?” she asked. Molly stared at the menu. If she looked at Patsy, her eyes would give away the truth. Her actions embarrassed her. It occurred to her that it might have been better to confront him and say what was on her mind instead of rushing off in the height of her emotion, to a campsite at a smoky destination.

  “Well,” Patsy quieted her voice. Molly turned to see the customers watching their conversation, interested in what they had to say. “From what I heard, you left after Rick's old fiancée stopped by. There are rumors that the two of them are back together.”

  Molly laughed and leaned against the pastry display. Not only was she gorgeous, he was going to marry her… or still might. She took a deep breath. “Whatever he wants to do with his life is good for him, I guess.”

  “True, but we all thought you and Rick had been hitting it off rather well.”

  “You and who else?”

  “Just me and some friends who watched the two of you these past few days. I have never seen Rick so taken by someone.”

  Molly laughed louder this time and faked surprise. “Me and Rick? What gave you that idea?”

  “I guess I thought when the two of you came here the other day, and they said at the Farmers’ Market the two of you…” Patsy's smile lessened as she pulled out her notepad. “I should learn to mind my business.”

  A wave of guilt rushed through Molly. Patsy was right, and the last thing Molly wanted was to make her new friend feel bad for seeing the truth. There had been something between her and Rick, but she didn't appreciate the entire town talking about it, especially when it was over. Whatever had existed between them was no longer of any importance to her. If the town was going to make a big deal about it, she was going to regret having returned. Hopefully, her conversation with Patsy would end the gossip.

  “Don't worry about it,” Molly said, trying to be polite to someone who showed kindness to her during her stay in Lemon Grove. She still needed a friend around these parts. “Why is Hudson sitting at the front? Did Rick go somewhere?”

  “Yes. To find you.”

  “Really?” Her guilt increased. Because of her, Hudson was now sitting outside the café alone.

  “Rick asked me if I would watch Hudson for a few hours while he tried to find you and make things right. I figured he must have caught up with you. He left early this morning.”

  “I haven't seen him since the Farmers’ Market. Hudson has been here all day?”

  Patsy smiled and pulled out a jar of dog treats from the cupboard. “Hudson knows if he stays put, there are more treats coming his way. Since he has already been to the campground this morning, he won't go wandering off. He likes to stick close to where the food is. He's a smart one.”

  Molly chuckled and shuffled in place. She would miss Hudson when she left this town for good. She already missed Hudson, and wished there was some way she might spend time with him, even when she was no longer on good terms with Rick. Hudson had done nothing wrong, and it wasn’t his fault the two of them no longer got along. It would confuse a dog to not be able to see someone who had given him love and attention. Then again, he has spent years wandering into a campsite where people only visit for a few days at a time. This felt different to her. She had made room in her heart for her furry friend, and how could a dog not sense that she cared? They had to be more intuitive than humans gave them credit for.

  And there was that guilt again, building strength and consuming her thoughts. She dreaded the end of the week, when she would pack up again.

  Patsy leaned toward the pass-through window into the kitchen. “Sarah, would you mind covering me for a bit?”

  “Sure thing,” a voice called back.

  “One second, Molly.” Patsy grabbed two coffee cups and prepared two steaming mochas before returning to the counter, passing one to Molly. “Come with me.” Molly reached for her purse and Patsy shook her head. “It's on the house.”

  “Thank you.” Molly was certain it wasn't often that Patsy gave away free coffee. She had to make money to stay in business. It wasn't as though Patsy would turn Molly into a regular customer when she had to return to the city in a few days. It would be an excellent strategy if Molly was staying, but she wasn't. Not when things were as they were with Rick.

  Patsy led her outside to the picnic tables and sat at the same table Molly had shared with Rick. Hudson lifted his head when they approached and let out a loud sigh before rolling onto his back for a scratch on the belly from Patsy. “Good boy, Hudson.” Patsy stretched out her legs and groaned a little herself. “I'm getting too old to be on my feet all day.”

  “You're not that old.”

  Patsy's laugh echoed around them. “My goodness. I should have retired years ago.”

  “How long has the café been for sale?”

  “On and off, here and there, for two years. I have been waiting for the right buyer. One day, the economy will force me to sell it to someone who doesn't share my vision for this place. I’ve been told once or twice I need to give up control and let the next owners have their way with it. I'm just not ready to do that.”

  Molly nodded. The exterior walls of the café looked as loved as the interior. While time had aged the building, Patsy had taken care of it. A testament to hours of cleaning, painting, time and money. It was easy to understand why Patsy would be hesitant to sell to just any buyer.

  “I didn't bring you out here to talk about the café, although I am confident you would be a great fit, if you were so inclined.”

  “Then why did you bring me out here?” Molly took a sip of coffee and exhaled. She would need to learn Patsy's secret recipe, although she doubted it would be easy to get it out of her when her secrets would be part of a purchase agreement.

  “I wanted to talk to you about Rick and figured you'd be more comfortable away from prying eyes and listening ears.”

  Molly held a hand to her cheeks, fearful her color had changed. Talking about Rick was not something she wanted to do. She was here for coffee, not to discuss the man who had broken her heart and made her the talk of Lemon Grove. “Maybe that isn't such a good idea.”

  “I disagree. Besides, I gave you a free drink, so the least you can do is talk to me until you finish that coffee.” Patsy’s trap had closed and Molly had no choice. “Tell me, why did you run off?”

  “Because I can't compete with a tall, leggy blonde, and she clearly wanted him back, if she didn't have him back already.”

  “What makes you suppose she has already got him back?”

  Molly kept her focus on the coffee. If she looked up, she would stare straight into a pair of warm and caring eyes. Patsy was the mothering type, capable of pulling everything out of Molly with only a few simple questions. Even though she wanted to avoid the conversation, she wanted to share her story with someone other than Carla.

  “Have you seen her?” Molly asked.

  “I have.”

  “Then you are aware she's gorgeous... and she knows it. I stood there while she strutted in front of him like I wasn't even there.”

  “And what did Rick do?”

  Hot tears flooded her eyes as she recalled the events. It had hurt to see Valerie stroking his arm and chatting with Rick like she owned him. After seeing a future with Rick, in an instant, she lost him.

  “Rick talked to her.”

  “And?”

  “He didn't tell her to go away.”

  Patsy picked up her coffee and took a sip. “What do you know about Valerie besides that she is gorgeous? For what it's worth, I don't think she's anything special. It's all clothes and makeup.”

  “I know she is his ex-fiancée. That's about all.”

  “Then you don't know that Valerie's father has close business ties with Rick's father, who m
akes his life very difficult if he does anything contrary to his father's plans.”

  “I didn't know that.”

  Patsy took another sip of coffee.

  “You're going to say I would have found that out if I had asked him instead of running away.” She glanced furtively over her cup.

  “I wasn't going to say anything... but you're right. Knowing Rick, he would have told you. You have made a powerful impression on him and I have never seen him this way, not since he first moved here and he fell in love with that cabin. You should have seen him acting like every day was spring. The ladies loved his positive attitude and lined up for a chance to be looked at like he looked at his cabin. He only had eyes for that cabin, even when they brought him casseroles and desserts to win him over. Now, he only has eyes for you. I don't agree for one second that he has any interest in Valerie. After the way she treated him, and how I saw him look at you the other day when the two of you sat here, I'm convinced he's in love with you. Why else would he have asked me to watch Hudson so he could take off after you?”

  Molly cradled the cup of coffee and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She wanted to agree with Patsy about Rick. How nice it would be if it were a big misunderstanding, and she was wrong about what happened at the Farmers’ Market. Even if she were, she would leave in a few days. Would it be worth patching things up with Rick, only to leave again?

  “So you think it was ridiculous for me to leave?”

  “You did what you needed to do. It is good to be alone with your thoughts now and then.”

  “I didn't come back because of Rick.”

  “But you came back. Maybe try to think about what made you want to be here instead of going home?” Patsy smiled and rose from her seat. “I think I have said enough. It isn't my place to interfere with you and Rick. All I want is for that boy to be happy. He has done so much for me, and I don't want to see him miss out on a good thing because of outside meddling. Give him a chance to explain and I think you'll get all the answers you need. Besides, I still want you to buy my café and that won't happen as long as the two of you aren't getting along.”

  Molly laughed and stood beside her. “I wish I could buy it. It would thrill me to own a place like yours.”

  “Well, when you're ready, I hope you will make me an offer.”

  “Of course.”

  Molly watched Patsy give Hudson another scratch before reaching into her apron pocket to hand him a treat. Hudson rolled over and pulled the treat from her hand and munched the cookie into smaller pieces. Patsy waved and returned to the café, leaving Molly by Hudson's side.

  “I hope you will come and visit me tomorrow. And I guess it will be okay if you brought Rick along with you. I'm still mad at him, though. Just because I'm willing to talk to him doesn't mean we're getting back together, okay?”

  Hudson looked up as he munched on the remnants of the treat. Molly smiled and knelt beside him. She hadn't expected to come to the café and have a talk with Patsy about Rick. She had come for coffee and was leaving with a fresh perspective. Patsy knew Rick longer than Molly. Things were more complicated than a simple visit from an ex-fiancée. Perhaps what she had expected from Rick was unrealistic and possessive, or maybe even controlling. If the roles were reversed, she would be the one running from someone so emotional over the sight of an old flame. Yet, Rick was in his truck looking for her. He wasn't angry over her reaction and instead wanted a chance to explain and win her back.

  She spent a few more minutes petting Hudson before she walked back to her car. Soon, she would need to have dinner and, in the meantime, she would need to set up her campsite, hopefully for the last time.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  He had stood at the front doors of the company building for too long, waffling over what he would say to his father. He wasn’t sure whether ten minutes, fifteen minutes, or even an hour had passed. Rick recognized the stress had upset his stomach and tormented his mind as he second-guessed his plan. He knew he had no other option. If he wanted to be with Molly or anyone else, he would never be happy as long as he allowed his father to interfere. He needed to make clear he was his own man, capable of making his own decisions. Unfortunately, his father would not take the news kindly.

  He lifted his chin and took the last step through the door, to the elevator, and rode up to where he found his father's office empty.

  “He's in a meeting,” his secretary said, holding a stack of papers. “Did you need me to make you an appointment?”

  “I'd like to speak with my father without an appointment.” It seemed impossible to have an unscheduled father and son talk anymore.

  “I'll see what I can do.”

  “Could you please tell me where he is? It won't take long.”

  With directions from the secretary, Rick moved down the hall, refusing to look at any of the faces in the offices he passed by. Some of them he recognized from his days in the office, and were faces he doubted he would meet again after what he was about to do.

  The doors to the meeting room at the end of the hall were closed. Through the glass wall, he spotted his father at one end of the table, and several business associates in seats around the table, with Valerie's father at the far end. Rick took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and cracked open the door.

  “…And that is why we need to move on this,” his father said. "There is no time for us to be sitting around discussing this when we need to take action and—” A look of surprise replaced a scowl on his face. “Rick.” His father rose from his chair and straightened his blazer. “I wasn't expecting to see you today.”

  Rick stepped into the room and to one side of the door. “Sorry to interrupt. Am I able to speak with you for a moment?”

  “Of course.” His father remained in place at the end of the table, waiting to learn what Rick had to say.

  “It would probably be best if we spoke in the other room.”

  “I can't leave these people to chat, Rick. We're in the middle of a meeting. Say whatever you need to and do it quickly so we can get back to business.”

  Rick looked at each of the associates and Valerie's father. This was not the place for the conversation he had planned, but he needed to get back to Lemon Grove and find out from Carla if she had talked to Molly. He cleared his throat.

  “I'm sorry for having this conversation in this room with all of you, but my father would like us to speak in here.” His father lowered his chin and stared into Rick's eyes from across the room. It was a paralyzing stare, daring him not to say something his father disapproved of, and Rick resisted the urge to back through the door into the hallway. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and spoke. “I have decided it is time for me to leave the company.” The executives exchanged glances across the table. Valerie's father leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as Rick’s father stood stern-faced at the end of the table. “I have been with this company since I was old enough for employment, and while I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to learn and grow, it is time for me to step out on my own and do something different.”

  His father laughed and approached him. “Come on now, Son. This is no way to negotiate a raise.” He grabbed Rick by the bicep and attempted to push him toward the door. Rick stood firm.

  “I'm not trying to negotiate anything.” He shrugged off his father's grasp. “I've given this a lot of thought. It will be healthier for both of us if I'm not working for you. I want to be your son and not your employee. I realize this isn't easy for you to understand, but there are things I want to do and I don't want to worry about the stability of my employment because we disagree about the decisions I'm making in my personal life.”

  “Is this about the cabin? I swear, you have become increasingly stubborn since you moved away. Had you stayed in the city, you would see things differently.”

  “You mean, I would look at things your way.” Rick gestured toward the door to continue the conversation outside of the room, and now it was his fathe
r’s turn to stay put. He was going to save face.

  “Who do you think will hire you when they learn you walked away from your own father?”

  “I'm not walking away from you. Only the business. Every time I want to talk to you, I need to make an appointment with your secretary, when all I want is to stop by and talk to my dad. Even after work. The business is hurting our relationship and the best thing for us is for me to walk away.”

  “What do you know about relationships? I found out what happened with you and Valerie.” He leaned to the side. “She paid you a visit, and you turned her down. Isn't that right, Charles?”

  Valerie's father glanced down at his arms.

  “Valerie and I talked it out. We aren't getting back together and there are no bad feelings. Besides, I met someone, and I'd like for you to meet her sometime.”

  His father laughed and shook his head before strolling back to his position at the head of the table. “Talk with Jolene to make an appointment and we can talk about this further. For now, I need to get back to my meeting. In the meantime, if you want to quit, you can clear out your desk.”

  “I don't have a desk here, remember? I work from home.”

  His father said nothing and stood with a smile at the end of the table, attempting to regain the attention of his guests. “Again, I apologize for the interruption.”

  Rick backed through the door and eased it closed.

  “Wait up, Rick,” Charles Thomas called out.

  Valerie’s father moved into the hallway and closed the door behind him as Rick's father glared at them through the glass wall, still holding his place at the end of the table.

  “That was a very brave thing you did back there, Rick.”

  “Thank you. He never really understood what I was getting at.”

  “I heard you loud and clear. It is what I've always appreciated about you, Rick. You’re a man who follows his heart rather than chase the money. It is why I had always hoped you'd end up with my Valerie…” He grabbed Rick's shoulder and give it a squeeze. “She told me she went to see you the other day. I'm glad the two of you talked. I'm also happy you were brave enough to tell her the truth and didn't string her along like others have done. You're a good man and I will one day have to accept the fact that I won't have you for a son-in-law.”