Always With Me

by Barbara Freethy

  "No, you need to leave the guitars where they are. I'm not putting them up for sale."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I don't think the woman who gave them to me really wants me to sell them. And one day, I believe she'll want them back, so I'm keeping them safe for her."

  "Who is the woman?"

  "Chelsea Cole."

  "Lizzie's sister?"

  "Yes. Chelsea is a fantastic singer-songwriter. She was on her way to the top of country music when she suddenly quit and came to Whisper Lake. She asked me to sell her guitars, and then she got a job as a music teacher at the elementary school."

  "What do you think happened to her music career?" she asked curiously. "Why did she quit?"

  "There are rumors that she had a nervous breakdown or a possibly a romantic breakup with another singer. Someone else said that she had a stalker, and she wanted to live a more private life. I don't know the truth."

  "That all sounds terrible. I saw her and Lizzie the other night, and Chelsea definitely seemed withdrawn, a little haunted, but she didn't say anything, and Lizzie told me later that she doesn't even know the whole story."

  "Well, I hope Chelsea can come to terms with whatever happened. In the meantime, keep the guitars off sale."

  "You're very thoughtful, Aunt Lois."

  "I just know that some decisions should be thought over for a longer time."

  "Well, I'm glad I asked you. Are there any other pieces in the storeroom that you don't want to sell?"

  "No, just the guitars."

  "Okay. By the way, I also had a visit from Helen Carver yesterday, and she wanted to know what was happening with the items her husband had put on consignment. But I don't know which pieces belong to them."

  "Oh, right," Lois said, a frown on her lips. "Ron sent those over the day before I broke my leg, and I wasn't able to get them into the showroom. We can price them while you're here, and Kellan can help you put them out. Is Nora working today?"

  "Yes. She said she'd be in around noon." Nora was a retired librarian, who worked part-time in the store, mostly to keep herself busy.

  "Good. I don't want you to have to work every shift."

  "I'll be fine. Getting back to the Carvers. I heard Rebecca died. That's very sad."

  "It is sad. But I guess they're blessed to have their grandchild now." Lois paused, tilting her head as she gave her a thoughtful look. "You seem rather curious about the Carvers, Gianna."

  "I am. When Helen was in the store, a man came in that I used to know when I was a kid—Zach Barrington. Helen looked at him and turned as white as a sheet. She started screaming at him, asking him why he was there. She called him a murderer."

  Her aunt's eyes widened. "That's crazy. He's someone you know?"

  "I knew him one summer a long time ago, but he was Rebecca's fiancé. He told me that Rebecca died in a fire, that she had a drug problem. He saved her daughter, Hailey, but he wasn't able to save Rebecca. While he was recovering from his injuries, the Carvers came and got Hailey and brought her here. They don't want him to see Hailey, and he's very upset about it."

  "Ron told me that Rebecca had gotten involved with the wrong people and that's why she died, but he didn't elaborate. How did this Zach Barrington react to Helen's accusation?"

  "He didn't say anything; Helen didn't give him a chance. She took off. But she was shaken. So was Zach. It seems like a bad situation."

  "It does. I'm a little surprised Helen screamed at him. She's usually very reserved and difficult to read."

  "I don't know about that. I've always been able to read her dislike of me."

  Lois gave her a disbelieving look. "Why would she dislike you?"

  "Because Rebecca didn't care for me, and her mother thought she hung the moon, so she didn't like me, either. I think the dislike even extended to Mom."

  "I'm glad I never had children—all the politics that go along with kids and their mothers…"

  "Speaking of Mom, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

  Lois smiled. "Well, this visit is getting more and more interesting. I thought we were just going to discuss furniture."

  "We'll get to that, I promise." She dug into her bag and pulled out the photo. "I found this picture in one of the boxes I picked up at the camp. The teenage girl is wearing a necklace that looks exactly like the one that came with me when I was adopted."

  Lois's eyes widened. "Oh, this conversation is about your adoption. I thought you'd decided against looking for your biological parents."

  "I had put it aside. But going to the camp was like a trip down memory lane and finding the photo…well, it brought everything back up. I spoke to Mom last night, and she gave me her blessing to try to find this girl."

  "Well, that's good. What about your father?"

  "He's angry with me, not only for bringing up my biological mother, but for ditching three men on my way to the altar."

  "Your father has high expectations, not only for himself, but for everyone around him, and that includes his beloved daughter. But you know he loves you."

  "I know. I just hate disappointing him."

  "Show me the photo."

  She handed the picture to her aunt. "I realize it's a leap to think this girl might be my mother. It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud."

  "The locket looks like the one you had," Lois murmured.

  "I don't suppose you recognize the girl."

  "I wish I did. She does have features similar to yours."

  "I thought so, too, but maybe it's wishful thinking. My biological mother was probably sixteen or seventeen when she had me. I'm twenty-nine, so she'd be around forty-five or forty-six now."

  "Which makes her about eight years younger than me and about thirteen years younger than your mom and dad. I doubt we ran in the same circles, if she even lived here."

  "True. I'd like to put the picture out in the store, see if anyone recognizes her. What's your opinion on that? If you don't like it, I won't do it."

  "I don't have a problem with you asking customers about the photo. But it's a long shot."

  "I feel like I need to try. Do you hate me?"

  "Why would I?"

  "Because it feels like I'm making a statement about Mom and Dad, that they weren't enough for me."

  "You just want to know your history; I can't blame you for that, Gianna. Your mom and dad will always be your parents, no matter what you find out."

  She was relieved to have her aunt's support. "Thanks. Shall we get to work? Let's go through the furniture, starting with the pieces you got from the Carvers. She's waiting for me to call her with an update."

  Chapter Eight

  Zach spent Saturday morning exploring the camp. He'd gone through every cabin and every room in the lodge as well as the old barn. He'd made sketches by hand, then got on his laptop computer at a table in the dining room and used architectural software to bring his ideas to life. He was feeling good about his progress when Hunter arrived.

  "How's it going?" Hunter asked as he set a bag on the table.

  "Very well. I have some new drawings to show you."

  "Perfect. We can talk about them over lunch." Hunter sat down across from him and opened the bag. "Lizzie stocked me up with sandwiches, salads and her famous chocolate chip cookies."

  "Great. I'm starving."

  As Hunter unpacked the lunch, Zach stretched his arms high over his head, feeling the knots in his neck loosen and unravel. When he was deep in concentration, he tended to hunch his shoulders, and all of his stress ended up there.

  "You can take breaks," Hunter said, noting his long stretch.

  "I was caught up in some new ideas. I was thinking about the Orphan Train and incorporating the theme of trains into the camp, and then it hit me—we should have an actual train. The younger kids would love it. There is a ton of space available."

  "Good idea."

  "Being out here has gotten my creative juices flowing. It's the first time in months I'v
e felt excited about something."

  "Sounds like the lake is working its magic."

  "It is. Have you heard from Cassidy? Is she coming up today?"

  "No. She had to change her flight. One of her landscaping jobs has to be finished by the Fourth of July, and she's running behind. I told her there was no hurry to getting up here. We have plenty of time to get settled."

  "Do you think you'll be happy running a camp instead of running into a burning building?" he asked curiously.

  "Absolutely. I have loved being a firefighter, but I've been ready for a big change for a long time. Once I reunited with Cassidy and we started talking about the dreams we had as kids, I knew it was time to stop putting off what I really wanted to do. I've always wanted to run a camp and Cassidy loves being in nature. We thought we could do something special for kids who might need it. I know you've heard a little about Cassidy's past, but there was a lot of darkness in her early life, a lot of pain. She suffered as a kid, and she wants to help other kids now. We're both very excited about making Echo Falls Camp a place of healing and a place of fun."

  "As it was for me. It's a good thing you're doing."

  "I'm grateful for my family. If they weren't supporting this endeavor both financially and emotionally, it wouldn't be happening. But with my grandfather, my parents, my brothers Dylan and Ian, my uncle Jack, and my cousins Burke, Emma, and Aiden, I was able to get enough funding to make this a reality. There may be other family members coming on board as well, including some of the Coles, although they're already invested in Lizzie's inn."

  "The Callaways and Coles are taking over Whisper Lake."

  "I wouldn't go that far, but we do try to support each other."

  "Do you think your family investors will be silent or want to share their opinions during the remodel?"

  "Callaways always have opinions," Hunter said with a grin. "I'll make sure they all have a chance to give their input, but for the most part, the decisions will be made by Cassidy and myself."

  "It's best not to have too many people in charge."

  "Totally agree."

  "Speaking of you and Cassidy running things, the former owner lived on the top floor. What are you two thinking?"

  "That we will not be living in the lodge—at least not permanently. We should keep the top floor of the lodge as an apartment, and we will start out there, but down the road, it might be used by a camp director or other staff member. I want to build a cabin behind the lodge, some place that's just ours. But that can happen in phase two."

  "Good plan. You'll want your own private space."

  "Exactly. We don't need to show the cabin on the current drawings. I want to keep everything focused on the camp. I don't want to run into any problems with local officials if this project gets too broad."

  "Agreed. On that note, we need to talk."

  "That sounds ominous. You're not breaking up with me, are you?" he joked.

  "I probably should be."

  Hunter frowned. "What are you talking about?"

  "I told you Rebecca's parents live in Whisper Lake."

  "Yes, and that you're hoping to open up communication with them, so you can see Rebecca's daughter."

  "Right. Well, what I didn't tell you is that Rebecca's parents blame me for their daughter's death, and they've rejected every attempt I've made to see Hailey, Rebecca's daughter."

  "Why would they blame you for her addiction?"

  "Because they're in denial. I thought their attitudes might change once enough time had passed, but they're still bitterly angry with me."

  "Have you seen them since you got here?"

  "I ran into Mrs. Carver yesterday at the antiques store. She flipped out when she saw me. She called me a murderer and ran out of the store. She said she'd contact the police if I didn't stay away."

  "I'm sure that was an empty threat."

  "It wasn't. I got a visit from your cousin, Adam Cole, last night. The Carvers had already been in touch with him."

  "That's crazy. They called the cops on you?"

  "They did."

  "Well, you haven't done anything wrong."

  "Adam suggested I keep it that way by staying away from them, but that's not going to happen, because I need to see Hailey. She was basically my daughter for four years."

  "Hailey is a sweet kid. I remember when you used to bring her to our basketball games."

  "I can't imagine what she thinks about me not being with her."

  "I didn't realize that there was so much animosity between you and the Carvers. I thought you'd agreed that Hailey's grandparents should raise her."

  "I didn't have a choice. They have legal custody and when they first took over, I was in the hospital. But I want you to know that this job is still my priority. I will give you my absolute best, Hunter. However, I also want to use the time to try to bridge the gap between me and the Carvers."

  "Completely understood."

  "But there's a problem. Ron Carver is on the city council. He has extensive connections in the building department. The last thing I want to do is make my problems yours or be responsible for anything getting hung up."

  "I can't see how a councilman could do that."

  "I do," he said bluntly. "And you should not underestimate this problem. I'm willing to step back if you want."

  "Are you kidding? You just came up with a train!"

  He smiled. "I can pass my ideas along."

  "And then what? Go home?"

  "No, I'm not leaving the lake until I see Hailey. I've cleared my schedule for the next few months, so I can either stay here and work on the camp or stay here and work on seeing Hailey."

  "Well, I think you should do both. Let's keep going. I'm not going to worry about Mr. Carver until I absolutely have to."

  "I just wanted to be up front with you." He paused at the sound of an engine. "Are you expecting someone?"

  "No." Hunter got up and looked through the window. "It's an older man. Maybe it's someone from the Rowland family."

  He rose and walked over to the window, his heart sinking. "Remember when you said you weren't going to worry about the Carvers until you had to? Well, you're going to have to, because that is Rebecca's father."

  As Hunter opened the door for Ron, Zach hung back in the entry, noting Ron's thinning gray hair, and the stomach paunch that seemed to get bigger every year. Ron was wearing black slacks and a light-blue button-down shirt that showed patches of sweat from the heat.

  When Ron saw him, he pushed past Hunter and stomped over to him. Ron was a good four or five inches shorter than he was, but what he lacked in stature, he made up for in his always aggressive posture.

  "What the hell are you doing here?" Ron demanded.

  "I'm redesigning the camp," he said, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

  "That's not why you're in Whisper Lake."

  "It's not the only reason," he agreed. "You know I want to see Hailey. My phone calls, texts, and emails have gone unanswered, so I decided to come here and let her know that I haven't abandoned her."

  "I told you months ago that you will not be a part of her life. That little girl has been through too much pain. I won't allow her to suffer anymore. And I have the law on my side."

  "I won't cause her pain. I simply want to reassure her that she hasn't lost the person she considered to be her father the last four years of her life. You might want to think about her feelings."

  "You are not Hailey's father. You were not Rebecca's husband. You are nothing," Ron said, practically spitting out the last few words.

  As Ron stepped forward in a menacing fashion, Hunter moved in. "You need to back off," Hunter told him.

  Zach appreciated his friend's defense, but he wasn't afraid of Ron. "It's fine," he told Hunter. "Ron and I have needed to have this conversation for a while."

  Hunter gave him a speculative look, then nodded. "All right. I'll leave you to it, but I won't be far."

  As Hunter left the room, he said, "I di
d not kill Rebecca, Ron. You know that. You have no reason to keep Hailey away from me. I am not a danger to her."

  "You got Becca into drugs. And then you threatened to leave her. That's why she got so depressed, confused. She was terribly unhappy. You're the reason she's dead," Ron argued.

  It was difficult to hear the spin Ron was putting on his past, but he knew the truth. "I'm not the reason Rebecca is dead. She was a drug addict. I got her into rehab twice, and both times I took care of Hailey while she was gone. I hoped when she came home clean and sober that it would last. It didn't. Her problems were always simmering right beneath the surface. She was haunted by things I couldn't understand. And through it all, I tried to stick with her. But she didn't make it easy. You know she was with another man the night of the fire. I'm sure you know he had a long rap sheet when it came to dealing drugs."

  "You should have saved her," Ron said, a broken note in his voice now. "You were right there. Why couldn't you get her out?"

  "I tried. I went back for Becca after I got Hailey to safety, but there was a wall of fire…" A knot entered his throat, choking off the words. He could feel the terrible heat, smell the intense smoke. "I couldn't get to her…"

  "You didn't want to get to her. She was cheating on you. You were angry."

  "That's not true. I did not want her to die. I did everything I could to save her, and I'm not just talking about the night of the fire."

  "It wasn't enough. I lost my little girl." Ron turned away from him, obviously struggling for control.

  While he had no love for the Carvers, he respected their grief, and he had to find a way to work with them, not for himself or for them, but for Hailey, who was caught in the middle.

  Finally, Ron turned around, having gotten his emotions under control, but his face was still flushed red, his eyes filled with anger and pain. "Hailey is happy now. She has a stable home. Let her be."

  "I need to see that for myself."

  Ron gave an adamant shake of his head. "I can't allow that. She was traumatized after the fire. She cried for weeks. She had terrible nightmares. It's only been the last few weeks that she's starting to act normal. Helen and I can't allow you to mess that up. She's finally getting to a better place. You'll remind her of what she's lost."