Small Town Boss

by Cheryl Michaels

  Her mother set a plate of homemade squares on the table. “Are you finally ready to tell me where you’ve been staying, or is it still a big secret?” Setting a pitcher of lemonade and two tall glasses on the table, she said, “Not that I’m trying to pressure you. I’d just like to know that you’re doing okay.”

  “Better than okay, actually,” Claudia said, reaching for one of her favorite homemade treats—a lemon bar sprinkled with icing sugar. “Things are going great for me in Landon.” She grinned when her mother gasped. “Can you believe it? I’ve been right under your nose all this time and you didn’t even know it.”

  “Landon? Why, we go there all the time. There are some wonderful little antique shops on Main Street, and we always stop for lunch at…” She shook her head as though she realized she was babbling. “Why didn’t you tell me that’s where you were staying? It would have saved me a lot of worrying, wondering where you were and whether you were all right.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t mean to worry you. But this time away has been one of the best things that could have happened to me. I finally feel like I’ve started to heal.”

  “Baby, I’m so happy for you,” she said, curling her hand around her daughter’s forearm. “And Brady has helped with that, I’m assuming.”

  “Brady is…” Claudia had no words to describe what he’d come to mean to her. “He’s been my rock. He seems to know intuitively what I need, whether it’s to talk, be held, be still and quiet while we admire the breathtaking scenery at the inn, or just kick back and watch a ball game. He really gets me.”

  “I’m so relieved to see you happy again.”

  “I still have my bad days,” she admitted. “But at least now I know it’s still possible to have good days.”

  “Tell me more about Landon,” Sue said, taking a chocolate chip square from the plate. “Are the people as nice as they seem?”

  “They’re incredible. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, from the people at the inn to Brady’s friends and family.” Claudia took a bite of her square then set it on a floral paper napkin before pouring herself a glass of lemonade. “And then there’s the members of my grief support group at the church.”

  “Oh, you’re going to a support group? Thank goodness! I was so worried when you refused to talk to anyone about what you were going through. Not even our pastor could get you to open up.”

  “I wasn’t ready then. I am now.” Claudia finished off her treat while her mother did the same. “One thing I’ve learned from the group is that I can’t rush healing. I have to cry when I feel like crying, laugh when I feel like laughing, and not feel guilty about doing either.”

  “I think that’s excellent advice.” She tucked a lock of gray-streaked brown hair behind her ear as she asked, “So you and Brady…? Is it serious?”

  “It’s new, Mom.” She wasn’t ready to talk about her future with Brady in case she jinxed it.

  “That’s not an answer and you know it,” she said, pouting. “Come on now, you used to tell your old mom everything. What happened?”

  “Fine,” she said, sighing. “Is it serious?” As she pondered the question, she heard herself whisper, “Is it serious when he’s the only thing I can think about most days?”

  She looked delighted. “I’d say so.”

  “Then I guess it’s serious.”

  “Then you plan to stay on in Landon with him?”

  Being back on the farm, back in the town she loved made Claudia wonder if she’d left prematurely. She still had a lot of unfinished business here—namely the house she’d shared with her family, which she’d left untouched when she left.

  “I’m not sure. The good thing is that it’s an easy commute to Landon. If I do decide to come back to Brockville, I could still see Brady on weekends.”

  “Would that be enough for you… or him?”

  “I don’t know.” She had so much to consider, not the least of which was the life she’d left behind. “I’ve been thinking I should sell the house. Since we went ahead and had the lot sub-divided before we built on it, it shouldn’t be a problem to sell it.”

  “It won’t be a problem at all,” she said. “In fact, a lot of people have asked what you intend to do with the house. I could probably put together a list of prospective buyers for you to contact, if you’re interested?”

  Claudia considered her options before nodding slowly. “Yeah, why don’t you do that?”

  “You’ll need some help clearing out the house, won’t you? Or I could do it for you, if you think it’ll be too much for you to handle on your own?”

  Asking her mother to pack up her family’s life would have been the easy way out, but Claudia knew it wasn’t the right choice for her. “No, I’d like to do it.” She covered her mother’s hand with hers. “But I may call on you to help me.”

  “Of course, anything you need. All you have to do is ask, you know that.” She looked hesitant, her eyes darting toward the window, before she said, “Since it seems you’re still weighing all your options, you should know that your job is still open if you want it. Oh, and those nice new condos downtown are almost finished. If you bought one of those, you could still choose your colors and—”

  “Mom, please. I know you’re trying to help, but I’m trying not to rush into anything. I want to take my time deciding what I’m going to do.”

  “I understand.”

  “If we have some time before dinner, I think I’d like to take Brady down to my house, if that’s okay?”

  “Take all the time you need, sweetheart.”

  Brady’s heart ached for Claudia as he watched her move through the small house, her fingertips grazing pictures, inhaling the lingering scent on pillows, and smiling at art projects tacked to the walls and fridge. He wasn’t even sure he should be there, but since she had asked, he didn’t feel he could say no.

  “Brady, I have a favor to ask of you,” she said, turning to face him as they stood on the threshold of her son’s room.

  Without hesitation, he said, “Anything.” There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.

  “Would it be difficult for you to hire another waitress to replace me?”

  His stomach lurched, but he refused to show fear. “Uh no, not this time of year. There’s always some high school kid looking to make a few extra bucks during the summer. Why?”

  “Because I think I need to stay here.”

  “Oh, okay.” But what does that mean for us? Since he couldn’t ask that, he said, “Um, so you’re thinking about coming back to Brockville to stay?”

  “I’m not sure.” She wrapped her arms around her mid-section as she stepped into the small blue room with a race car bedspread on the twin bed and a bookcase piled high with story books and stuffed animals. “Being back here has reminded me how much I missed it. This is home. And the way I left wasn’t right. I was running away. Now I’m coming back better, stronger. And you’re a big part of the reason for that.”

  So he’d helped her heal only to lose her to the life she’d left behind? That didn’t seem fair.

  “I just want you to be happy.” His voice sounded hoarse and getting the words out was difficult, but he somehow managed. “Whether it’s here or in Landon.”

  “It’s not like it’s so far,” she said, reaching for his hands when she turned to face him. “I mean, we could still see each other on weekends, right? I could come and stay with you at the inn.”

  “Sure, yeah.” He stepped back, running a shaky hand through his hair. When he’d brought her home, he never imagined he’d be leaving without her, but it seemed that was what was going to happen.

  “Can you understand why I need to do this?” she asked, looking pained. “I can’t keep running away from my past. I have to face it eventually, and the first step is selling this house.”

  He looked around at the house she told him her husband had built himself. “You’re going to sell it? Are you sure you want to do that?”

  “It’s not
a question of wanting to. I have to. It’s the only way. There are precious memories I’ll always carry with me in here,” she said, laying her palm over her heart. “There are physical mementos I’ll take with me and cherish always. But I can’t stay rooted to the spot where my life stopped if I expect to move forward.”

  “That makes sense, I guess.” He’d suggested his mother sell their family house when his father passed, but she’d declined, claiming it was her home and she wasn’t going anywhere. “Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you.”

  He knew loving her meant letting her go… if that was best for her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Brady sat in the parking lot of his inn, parked next to the truck he’d given to Claudia, wondering if she’d ever drive it again.

  He spotted Ray sitting on a lawn chair by the water with his beloved dog sprawled out at his feet.

  After hopping out of the truck, Brady made his way down the grassy hill, stopping to take in a lungful of the crisp, post-rain air as he stared at the lake he loved. He understood Claudia’s attachment to Brockville. He felt the same way about Landon. So how could he expect her to leave the place where her heart belonged to start a new life here with him?

  “Hey,” Ray said, looking over his shoulder. “I thought I heard someone. You just get back?”

  “Yeah.” He sank down beside Ray, running a thumb over a raised piece of wood on the armrest.

  “How’d it go?”

  “There were lots of tears, hugs, laughter, smiles.” He thought of the rainbow of balloons being released into the clear blue sky and questioned whether he’d ever seen a more poignant sight. “I think it was good for Claudia. I won’t say it provided closure because I’m not sure she’ll ever have that, but maybe it was another step toward healing.”

  Ray leaned over and picked up a stick. He tossed it for the small dog, who made a beeline for it, looking ecstatic just to be free of that awful cone. “Where is Claudia now?”

  “She decided to stay in Brockville. She thought it was time for her to sell the house she shared with her husband and kids.”

  Ray threaded his fingers over his paunch. “Sounds like a step forward to me.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.” Brady removed his ball cap and threaded his hand through his hair before replacing it. “She asked me to find another waitress, which makes me think she’s not planning to come back.”

  “Did she tell you that?” Ray asked, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

  He nodded. “She said Brockville was her home. She missed being there and thought she left for the wrong reasons… because she was running away from the memories.”

  “I can understand that,” Ray said, shaking his head. “Sometimes running from the pain that’s chasing you feels like the only way to survive it.”

  Brady was glad he had someone like Ray around, who could relate to Claudia and her experience. “I get the feeling she’s tired of running. Now she’s ready to face it.”

  He smiled. “That’s good. Real good.”

  “Is it?” Brady felt selfish for even asking, but he knew Ray wouldn’t judge him. “But what if she doesn’t want to come back here and decides Brockville is where she needs to be?”

  “It’s not like it’s on the other side of the world, son. You could still see each other a couple of times a week, right?”

  “Yeah, but that’s a short-term solution.” He was thinking about the future and the life he eventually wanted to build with her. Right here on the land he loved. “You can’t be married to someone and live in two different places. Well, I guess you could. People do it, but that’s not the kind of life I want.”

  “But you do want a life with this girl?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Then you just have to be patient, wait it out. Let her decide what she wants. When she does, she’ll come to you.”

  That was his only option, but Brady hated the thought of sitting around doing nothing while the only woman he’d ever loved may be planning a life that didn’t include him. “And if she doesn’t?”

  He winced. “This is going to sound cliché, but it’s the truth. If she doesn’t come back, it wasn’t meant to be, Brady.”

  “But everything in me tells she’s the one.”

  “Then she’ll still be the one a few months from now, won’t she?”

  As her mother had predicted, Claudia had an offer on the house within days. A nice young couple she’d known for years bought it. In fact, she’d babysat for the groom-to-be when she was a teen. His parents owned a neighboring farm, and he and his bride were anxious to have a place to call home when they returned from their Caribbean honeymoon in a few weeks.

  “How’s the packing coming?” Her mother walked in, several empty boxes in hand. “Dad picked these up at the grocery store. He thought you could use a few more for your books.”

  “Thanks,” Claudia said, feeling fatigue settling in. She’d been working practically around the clock for days, and it was catching up to her. “You can just set them down by the bookcase.”

  “Do you want me to come with you to see the condo?” her mother asked, sitting on an ottoman in front of Trevor’s favorite armchair.

  “Sure. Maybe we can grab some lunch after the appointment.”

  Claudia wasn’t sure about buying a condo in Brockville, but she’d agreed to have a look at it to satisfy her curiosity. She felt she’d know, intuitively, whether it felt like home.

  “It’s great that the kids wanted to buy the house with all the furniture, isn’t it?” her mother said, stacking some books into one of the empty boxes. “It’ll save you from having to sell or donate it. Most of this stuff would be too big for a condo anyhow. You’d want some small-scale furniture I think, something like—”

  “Mom, don’t get ahead of yourself.” She sighed. “I haven’t even decided whether I’m going to make an offer on the condo. I’m just going to look, remember?”

  “Right,” she said, dipping her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

  “It’s okay. I know you’re just concerned about me. You want to see me settled.”

  “How did Brady take it when you told him you intended to stay on here?”

  “He understood.” Or at least he’d pretended to. Claudia could tell when she kissed him good-bye that he’d left with a million questions, namely when or if she’d be back.

  “He really does seem like a great guy. I’m sure it won’t be easy for you to leave him. But you know there are plenty of wonderful young men right here. It won’t be hard for you to find someone.”

  Claudia sat on the sofa where she used to nurse her children and ran a hand over the soft fabric as those sweet memories brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes. “I wasn’t looking for someone like Brady. I didn’t even think it was possible for me to fall in love again, but I guess God knew better than I did.”

  “You think meeting Brady was divine intervention?” she asked, wrapping her hands around a series of Mark Twain books. “That it was meant to be?”

  Claudia rested her chin on her hands as she stared at her mother. “Yes, I do.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “What?” Claudia asked, knowing there was more to her mother’s thoughtful expression than she let on. “What are you thinking?”

  “Just that fate is a powerful thing. Trying to ignore it can lead to all kinds of heartache, in my experience. And you, my sweet girl, have had to deal with more of that than anyone should have to.”

  “What are you saying?” she asked. “That I belong in Landon with Brady, not here?”

  “That’s not for me to say. Only you can decide that, honey.” She stood, setting the books in the box. “Well, I’m going to freshen up for our appointment. I’ll meet you up at the house.”

  As she watched her mother leave, Claudia felt split in two. A part of her wanted to stay here, with the people she knew and loved, but the other part of her wanted to be in Landon with the peop
le who’d welcomed her when she needed them. Not to mention the man who had introduced her to a whole new world of possibilities.

  Claudia walked from one tiny room to another, trying to picture her life in this space. She’d miss the wide open spaces and sounds of roosters waking her. But this place would be more practical. No lawns to cut, flowers to water, or snow to shovel.

  “So what do you think, Claudia?” her mother asked, giving her a one-armed hug. “Could you see yourself living here?”

  “I’m not sure,” she said, looking out the large living room window overlooking the park.

  “You could do so much with it,” her mother’s friend and realtor, Maria, said, clutching the folder containing the paperwork that could change Claudia’s life. “I know it doesn’t look like much now, but wait ‘til I show you the model suite. That’ll give you a much better sense of the space.” She smiled. “And you wouldn’t even need a car. The school’s just down the street. So is the grocery store and—”

  “Maria,” Susan interjected, “could I have a minute alone with my daughter?”

  “Oh, of course. I’ll meet you down at the model suite. It’s 103, whenever you’re ready.” She held up the folder. “I have the documents right here, so we just have to fill them in and sign.”

  “Thank you,” Claudia said, feeling a tightness in her chest that felt like anxiety. Was she making a huge mistake? “We won’t be too long.”

  Susan waited until her friend left and closed the door before she said, “You don’t have to do anything, Claudia. If you’re not sure about this, there’s no harm in waiting. You can stay with me and Dad until you decide what to do.”

  She watched two preschoolers playing on the swings. “I think I’ll miss teaching.”