Summer on Honeysuckle Ridge (Highland Falls Book 1)

by Debbie Mason

  Honestly, she didn’t know what had possessed her to ask Elinor to print off the photo and wave it under Tiffany’s nose. Oh, please, of course you know. She rolled her eyes at herself. She’d done it to make Tiffany jealous. What she didn’t understand is why her once-best friend’s opinion mattered to her.

  Okay, so she knew that too. She just wished those feelings from back in her high school days weren’t so deeply embedded in her psyche that she couldn’t get rid of them. It was almost a decade since she’d graduated. You’d think she’d be able to let it go. She was no longer the girl who didn’t fit in or have any friends…Oh my gosh, she was so that girl! She no longer fit in in LA, and she didn’t fit in here, as today had so clearly shown.

  And friends? Other than her sisters, who she wasn’t sure counted because they were family, and maybe Elinor, the one person she’d begun to think might be a friend had tried to have her arrested. And, as Puppy-Gate had proven, Tiffany and the Bel Air Bs weren’t her true friends either. Right then, she realized just how incredibly hurt she’d been when they’d chosen Chandler and Juliette over her. Sometimes it really did feel like the people who she cared about abandoned her when she messed up.

  She returned her attention to Elinor and the reason Abby had called her in the first place. They talked about the older woman’s plans for the future. Elinor sounded upbeat, which alleviated some of Abby’s guilt. She was carrying around so much of it right now that her shoulders sagged under the weight.

  “Kate’s yelling at me so I’d best go and get some of these boxes unpacked. Just remember, Abby, it’s only when it’s dark that you can see the stars. I’m sure your young man will forgive you.”

  “He’s not really my young man, but from your lips to God’s ears that he forgives me, Elinor. Don’t you and Kate overdo it.”

  Abby had barely gotten out her goodbye when Haven FaceTimed her. Her sisters had decided to buy one phone and share it. Gorgeous, brilliant, kind, and fiscally responsible? No one should be that perfect. She accepted the call without thinking, and she knew she should’ve thought when Haven and Haley appeared looking absolutely stunning in the matching Tory Burch ivory silk maxidresses Abby had bought them last summer.

  They stared at her, crying out at almost the same time, “Abby, what happened? You look like—” They glanced at each other as though searching for a word that wouldn’t make her feel worse than she obviously looked.

  There was no way she’d tell her sisters what a mess she’d made of things. “Nothing serious. I just touched something in the garden that I’m allergic to, and my eyes swelled.”

  Her sisters leaned forward as Abby inched back and nearly tore the muscles in her arm holding the screen as far away from her face as possible. Sometimes she hated FaceTime. Why couldn’t her family have a normal phone call anymore?

  “Oh, wow, Abs. That’s really bad. Your eyes are almost swollen shut. They look—”

  “Not good, I know. It didn’t help that I got caught in a torrential downpour.” She was losing the battle to keep her cheerful smile in place so she turned the phone in the direction of the dining room window. At least the weather outside was backing her up, she thought. Although she could’ve just as easily held up the phone for them to listen to the wind and rain battering the tin roof.

  “Um, Abs, that storm looks pretty bad. Did you listen to the weather report?” Haley asked.

  Haven nudged her sister. “I’m sure it’s fine. She doesn’t need a weather report. She’s got Hunter.” She smiled at Abby. “Now tell us, how was the farm tour?”

  “It—it was…” Her bottom lip began to tremble, and she clutched it between her teeth to make it stop.

  “Aww, Abs, don’t cry. It can’t be that bad,” Haven said, sounding like she might cry too.

  Her sister’s sympathy broke the last of Abby’s control over her emotions, and she sobbed out her story. Ten minutes later, curled up on the couch with Bella in her lap, she dabbed at her eyes with a pillowcase from the laundry basket.

  “So I’ve ruined everything. I have no—” She stopped herself from saying she had no money because they’d feel guilty and offer her some. “No one to help with the house now.” She rubbed her cheek against Bella’s head and waited for the pep talk she was sure would follow. No doubt her sisters would tell her how awesome she was and that Hunter had overreacted and would come around. And she’d soak up every ounce of their sympathy because she could really use some right now. It had been hard retelling the story to her sisters. She’d relived every horrible, embarrassing moment of it.

  “Abs, how could you? After everything he’s done for you.”

  Stunned, Abby stared at Haley.

  “You know, just because you think his woodwork is incredible and deserves to be seen doesn’t give you the right to invade his space.”

  “Hals—” Haven tried to interrupt her twin.

  “No, I won’t stop. Can you imagine how Hunter felt seeing all those people going into his home without his permission? Just think about it from his perspective, Abs. Not yours. You’re crazy-outgoing, a total extrovert. You love people and parties, the bigger the better and the more the merrier. In Hunter’s shoes, you would’ve been over the moon that someone thought your work was so fabulous it deserved to be seen by the whole world, but he’s the exact opposite of you.”

  Abby continued to stare at her sister but not in shock. “You’re absolutely right,” she whispered. “I did feel horrible for what I’d done, but honestly, I didn’t truly understand his reaction until just now. Thank you, Hales. It’s not easy to hear that I’m a horrible, unfeeling biatch from my sister, but I’m glad you told me. I really did need to hear it.”

  “You’re not a horrible, unfeeling biatch, because we wouldn’t love a horrible, unfeeling biatch as much as we love you, but you have to make him understand how sorry you are.”

  “I will. I’ll figure out a way. Somehow.” Because as much as she wanted to, he didn’t want anything to do with her. And she had a feeling that, if Hunter Mackenzie didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’t be. “And now that the farm tour was a bust, I have to figure out how to make money.” She held up her hand when her sisters opened their mouths. “No. We’ve already had this conversation. I just have to find someone in Highland Falls who’ll hire me.”

  “What about the tour bus lady?” Haven suggested. “You said she was really nice.”

  “Sadie’s great, but she’s hardly making enough money to pay herself. And after today’s fiasco, she’s not going to get any referrals from the tour.” She was just one more person Abby owed. “And honestly, given the influence that Hunter’s aunt Elsa seems to hold over this town, I doubt very much that anyone will hire me.”

  “So do what you did when you moved to LA. You were only nineteen. You didn’t know anyone, and you had nowhere to live and barely any money. With everything you’ve learned in the past nine years, you should be able to make money on a new YouTube channel almost right away,” Haley said.

  “It’s a great idea, but first, as part of the settlement with Chandler, I’m legally not allowed, and second, I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere. It’s not like people are going to tune in to watch me bake scones and fix up this place.”

  “Haley’s right. This is exactly what you need to do. And you can. No, just hear me out,” Haven said when Abby went to object. “First, Abby Everhart is not allowed to use social media to profit in any way.”

  “Um, Haven, the NDA, remember?”

  “I’m pretty sure no one is taping this conversation, but anyway, it’s kinda easy to figure out why you disappeared from social media. All anyone had to do was put two and two together. But you don’t want to be Abby Everhart, anyway.”

  “I don’t?”

  “No, you told us you have to reinvent yourself and here’s your opportunity.”

  “I meant I had to reinvent myself for LA, not here.”

  “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Haven smiled. “You
said that when we spilled yellow paint on your green dress.”

  Abby laughed. “I remember; you were ten. But it was easier to turn the yellow blobs of paint into lemons than it will be to turn Honeysuckle Farm into something YouTube worthy.”

  “No, it won’t. You always thought that the reason you became a YouTube sensation was that you can intuit what the next big thing will be, and you absolutely can, but that’s not why over forty million people subscribed to your channel and watched your videos. It was because of you, Abs.”

  “Haley’s right. Abby Everhart Does Hollywood didn’t go viral because people wanted to see the highlights of LA. They wanted to see them through your eyes. You’re funny and fun, and it helps that you’re cute and klutzy too. People can relate to you. They were cheering you on when you dragged your butt up the hillside to the Hollywood sign wearing the Marc Jacobs wedge sneakers you declared would be big the following year. But they didn’t tune in because you were absolutely right. They tuned in because when you posed by the sign you tripped on your shoelace and rolled down the hill.”

  Haley laughed. “That was the best, and your day making sushi at the food truck you were promoting was a close second.”

  “But your fall in the pond and being bitten by a copperhead snake could totally outdo either one of those,” Haven said.

  “They were not funny!” Abby protested, then thought back to the day she met Hunter, and her lips twitched. “Okay, so mine and Hunter’s first meet was kinda funny. But there’s no way I’m reenacting it for a video.”

  “But that’s the thing, the farm and Highland Falls are rife with opportunity for you,” Haley said.

  “If you mean rife with the opportunity to be stung by a venomous spider or snake or eaten by a bear, then you’d be right.”

  “Any good story has to have an element of death, so people will be dying to follow your adventures.” Haley laughed. “You can call it City Girl Goes Country or Abby Does Highland Falls instead of Abby Does Hollywood.”

  Haley might not be laughing if she heard Granny MacLeod’s prophecy, Abby thought. Although it could make for an interesting opening. She could do a teaser trailer to get people interested. The thought surprised her. She was actually considering doing this. “There’s one problem. I’m only here until I sell the house.”

  “Well that could take some time, which is a good thing because you can make a ton of videos and then you’ll have all the content you need to keep your channel going when you’re back in LA,” Haley said.

  “Or you might want to stay. What?” Haven said at the face Abby made. “You might. You haven’t given it a chance. Anyway, Haley’s right, death sells, but so does sex and sexy highlanders. We showed our friends the picture of you and the guys in their kilts, and they were ready to pack their bags and come for a visit. Which we totally are, by the way. We’re coming for the Highland Games, and don’t say you won’t be there. It’s like a month away.”

  “That’s it.” Abby straightened on the couch, feeling a tiny sliver of optimism and excitement. “I couldn’t see the hook, but now I can.”

  “You’re going to do it! She’s going to do it!” The twins squealed at almost the same time, then high-fived each other.

  “I’m going to do it.” She smiled. “And it’s thanks to the two of you. I mean, I have to figure out my new persona, find some equipment, and I probably should have someone else register it. No, not you guys,” she said when her sisters raised their hands. “You’d be too easy to trace back to me.”

  “What about Sadie?” Haley asked. “You said she’s a graphic designer, and you like her.”

  “I do, and I owe her, so this would be the perfect opportunity to repay her for ruining today’s tour. I can promote Highland Tours and she can help me with the channel. I’m going to call her right now.”

  As soon as she got off the phone with her sisters, she called Sadie. It took her no time at all to get the other woman onboard. She even gave Abby the perfect event to video and to make some money at.

  Every year the town celebrated Summer Solstice on the Village Green. According to Sadie, Liz always had a booth where she sold her products from Honeysuckle Farm. Sadie checked the vendor listings for this year, and Abby’s aunt was still listed. So she could use her booth and sell her baked goods to earn some money. Better yet, Sadie even had some of the equipment Abby would need and knew of a place where she could rent the rest.

  After she disconnected, Abby held up Bella and kissed her nose. “I don’t want to jinx it, Boo, but maybe Elinor’s right. Maybe I had to go through all the crappy stuff this past year to get me here.”

  Abby had barely gotten the words out of her mouth when a jagged flash of lightning out the living room window was followed less than a second later by a violent boom of thunder that rocked the house. The kitchen lights blinked out, and she was left sitting in the near dark with her dog. She hoped it wasn’t a sign of things to come, or the Universe’s commentary on her new idea.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Another bolt of lightning and roar of thunder sent Bella off and under the couch.

  “It’s okay, Boo. It sounds worse than it is.” While praying that was the truth, Abby turned on the flashlight on her cell phone. The rain now sounded like hail as it hit the tin roof, and the wind whistled through the cracks and crevices of the old house. The one comforting thought was that the farmhouse—built more than a century ago—must’ve survived storms much worse than this.

  Abby got down on her knees in front of the couch to coax Bella out. “We’ll get nice and cozy in the bed and snuggle. Maybe Wolf and Hunter will come check on us.” Wishful thinking on her part, she knew, but at least the mention of Wolf drew Bella from under the couch.

  Abby gathered her into her arms and headed for the kitchen pantry. The shelves didn’t have much in the way of food, but there were three flashlights and two large battery-operated lanterns on the bottom shelf. Their presence seemed to validate her thought that Honeysuckle Farm had survived its fair share of storms. Though her aunt was undoubtably much better prepared to do so than Abby.

  Unhooking a reusable shopping bag from the back of the door, she gathered up two flashlights and a lantern, then collected supplies to get them through the night. A bag of cookies, ice cream (she couldn’t let it melt and go to waste), a spoon, two bottles of water, and the last of Bella’s dog treats.

  As Abby turned toward the back staircase, the wind gave a ghoulish howl, and she ran as though her life depended on it. She took the stairs two at a time, breathless when she reached the landing. She turned toward her bedroom, but with windows on either side of the brass bed, she decided her aunt’s bedroom would be safer.

  She’d taken a peek at the master bedroom the day she’d arrived. The room was much bigger than the guest bedroom, with a reading nook at the far end. There were two comfy-looking chairs with a window behind them but the windows were far enough away from the bed to offer a measure of comfort.

  When she opened the door, Bella didn’t whine or act strange. Abby took that as a good sign. She wasn’t superstitious, but still…She glanced out the window as she walked to the bed to put down her supplies and held back a nervous shiver so as not to worry Bella. Abby was worried enough for both of them. She’d never been in a storm like this before.

  “We’ll just get you all cozy,” Abby told Bella around the phone she’d stuck between her teeth, the flashlight shining down on the bed. She placed the bag on the floor at her feet and then pulled back the heavy white comforter to tuck Bella underneath, ensuring she piled the down pillows high enough around Bella that she couldn’t see out the windows. Once Abby had unloaded the supplies, she gave Bella a treat before setting the lantern on the bedside table and turning it on.

  “Look at that, it lights up the whole room, Boo.” She didn’t know about her dog, but she felt a little better with the room lit up like it was two on a sunny afternoon.

  Now to take care of the view that was ruining her att
empt to stay positive, she thought, and walked to the reading nook. She leaned over the chair to close the heavy green drapes. Then, turning to do the same at the other end of the bedroom, she noticed a book on the floor.

  She went to the bookshelf and crouched to pick up the book. Instead of returning it to the shelf, something, call it a gut instinct, made her open the book. Which was a little weird for her. She rarely picked up a book of her own volition. She didn’t enjoy reading. She found it tedious and difficult and it brought back memories of her struggles in school: the teasing she’d endured at the hands of the high school mean girls. It was why she’d never joined the Bel Air Bs’ book club.

  Still, she looked down at the floral-covered book in her hands and turned the page. She knew right away it wasn’t just any old book. It was a journal written by her great-aunt Liz in 1972. She wrote in a loopy style of cursive that made it more difficult for Abby to read. She studied Liz’s penmanship, sounding out the words.

  The wind was howling and whipping around the trees when my father pulled up to the farmhouse. Inside, I was howling too, but my father didn’t care. He didn’t want me anymore. I was an abomination. That’s what he said. I had to look up the word. I wish I hadn’t.

  I don’t think my grandmother wants me either. She probably thinks I’m an abomination too. Except she gave me this journal when she heard me crying yesterday afternoon. I don’t know what I’m supposed to write. I’m fifteen years old and stuck in the middle of nowhere. I miss my friends, I miss my family, not my father, but my mother, my brother, and my sisters. I miss riding my bike in Central Park, going to the New York Public Library, window shopping on Fifth Avenue.…I just want to go home.