by Debbie Mason
Since their divorce had been finalized in June, Abby didn’t understand why this had anything to do with her. But Juliette, in her desperation to save Chandler and his cosmetics company, had been looking for a loophole and found it. Abby had claimed her inheritance twenty-four hours before their divorce was final, which made Honeysuckle Farm matrimonial property. Which now included the barn and surrounding property, because Hunter had signed it back to her.
Abby had consulted with Eden as soon as she received the registered letter from LA, and learned there was nothing she could do to stop them. She had two options. First, buy Chandler’s half of the property, which had been valued at six hundred thousand dollars—not only did she own the land with the standing stones, she owned the gem mine too. Second, the property would be sold at auction. Even with everyone offering to pitch in to help her buy the property, they couldn’t come up with the funds, so Honeysuckle Farm would be sold at auction this Saturday.
“I understand that Hunter’s aunt believes she can keep the people in Highland Falls and the surrounding county from bidding on the farm, but how can she stop everyone else?” her mother asked.
“Elsa apparently has a long reach. Plus, she and the mayor have ensured that notices of the sale have been buried. The short turnaround time for the auction is also playing in our favor.”
“From what you’ve told me about Juliette, I can’t see her agreeing to anything that works in your favor,” her mother said.
“You’re not wrong. They’re bringing their buyer with them. Tiffany. What they don’t know is I’ve already talked to Tiffany, and she’s going to lowball her bid.”
“How did you get her to do that?” Haley asked.
“Let’s just say Juliette isn’t who they thought she was, but more than that, I promised the Bel Air Babes free room and board during next year’s Highland Games and starring roles in a couple of my videos.” She returned her sisters’ high-fives. “Now, what was your news?”
“We’re not going to Stanford. We’re going to UNC so we can be close to you.”
“You’re kidding? I mean, I’m thrilled. But you had free rides at Stanford.”
“We have enough money in our college accounts that you set up for us to cover a couple years, plus there are scholarships we can apply for next year,” Haley said.
“Mom, are you and Tim okay with this?”
Her mother nodded. “We like that you’re only a couple hours away if they need you and they can come see you on the weekends. And it’ll be nice that we can see all three of you when we visit.”
Haven and Haley talked about their plans and the school all through dinner, which relieved Abby’s concern that they’d made the decision for her. It would be fun having them close by, and they began to make plans for September. None of them mentioned the possibility that Abby wouldn’t have the farm. She refused to let her mind go there.
Later, as she and her mom did the dishes together, Haven and Haley came into the kitchen carrying one of Liz’s journals. “Abs, don’t be mad at us. We know you wanted to read your aunt’s journals in order, but—” Haven began.
“It’s my fault, Abs. We ran out of the shampoo, and I thought if we found the recipe, we could make some while we’re here.” Haley held up the book. “There’s something you need to see.”
Abby wiped her hands on the dish towel and walked over to the table where they placed the book. “What is it? Is the recipe there?”
Haley nodded. “And a letter for you from your aunt. Your dad too.”
“Girls, let’s leave Abby to read them on her own,” her mother said as Abby pulled out a chair at the table. Her mother put her arms around her from behind and kissed the top of her head. “It wasn’t all his fault, Abby. He’ll take the blame for not coming to see you, but I didn’t make it easy for him. I was angry. Angry he’d left us and left me to deal with the bills and a little girl who missed the daddy she adored.”
Her mother was right; her father took the blame. Hunter was right too; the guilt had eaten away at her dad. He’d blamed himself for the accident and couldn’t bear to watch her struggle to walk and talk again. But he didn’t love her any less—if anything he loved her more. At the time he wrote the letter, he expected to see her again. He had no idea he would only live for another year.
As much as life isn’t the same without you, I’ve come to love the farm. Your great aunt too. She’s a spitfire, just like you. I hope one day your mom can find it in her heart to forgive me, and she’ll let me bring you to Highland Falls. You’ll love it here as much as I do, firefly. I know you will. Liz and I are making up a room for you so you can stay the summers if you want. I hope you’ll want to, but I’ll understand if you don’t. I love you, firefly. I always will.
She wiped her eyes and then tucked the letter back in the envelope. It had been returned to sender. They had moved to Shady Mills by then.
While her dad’s letter had made her cry, Liz’s letter made her gasp in shock. She hadn’t planned to leave Abby the farm. She’d been going to leave everything to Hunter. But she’d changed her mind six months before she died. She loved Hunter like a son and worried that he’d live the rest of his life alone so she’d left the farm to both of them in hopes they’d fall in love. She’d followed Abby online and decided she was just what Hunter needed, and that he was what Abby needed. She’d instructed Eden to wait until around the time Abby’s divorce would be finalized to send the letter. She hadn’t wanted Abby to lose the farm in the settlement.
Chapter Thirty-One
Three days later, Abby was sick with nerves as she watched people wander in and out of the house and the barn. The auction was scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes. Owen was standing on the porch beside her, keeping his eye on things out here while her mother, sisters, and Elsa were keeping an eye on people inside the house.
Abby wrapped her arms around her waist. “I didn’t expect there to be so many people.”
“There’s one person I expected to see, and he damn well better show up or I’m going to go over and drag him from his lean-to.”
“He’d hate this, Owen. He’d…Oh my gosh, it’s Elinor and Kate.” She ran down the steps and walkway to greet the older women who were getting out of the car. “Stan.” She laughed when he came over and shook her hand. He wished her luck, then moved away to make room for Elinor and Kate.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She’d barely finished hugging them when Shane, Eden, and Hunter’s mother and sisters and cousins arrived, followed by just about everyone from town that she knew. She’d just told them to help themselves to the cookies and cupcakes in the kitchen when Sadie arrived with Mallory.
Abby talked and texted with them at least once a day. Last week, Sadie had shared the news that Granny MacLeod had been right not just about the kidnapping charge; Sadie was pregnant.
“You’re glowing,” Abby said to the mommy-to-be as she went to hug her. She couldn’t say the same about Mallory. Yesterday, the judge had found in Marsha’s favor, and Mallory’s world had been turned upside down. Abby hugged her. She wanted Mallory to come and stay at the farm for a couple weeks until she got back on her feet but as positive as Abby was trying to be, she had to face the possibility that she could lose the farm today.
“Abs, I think you-know-who has arrived,” Sadie said.
She turned to see Chandler and Juliette, both of them outfitted in black and designer shades with Tiffany hurrying to catch up to them wearing a pair of four-inch wedge sandals. Abby almost laughed, remembering the day she’d arrived at Honeysuckle Farm wearing a similar pair of shoes.
“Abby.” Chandler nodded. The North Carolina sunshine shone down on his shaved head, giving his tawny brown skin a gorgeous glow. He’d always been prettier than she could ever hope to be.
He removed his black-and-yellow-gold aviators that Abby knew for a fact cost more than she’d made in the past eight months. “You look good despite having to rough it out here in the middle of nowhere. At
least you’ll be able to move back to LA once we’ve sold this place.”
“Why would I? Everything and everyone I love is here.”
Juliette gave a snort of derision as she pulled an official-looking document from her purse. “That’s good, because none of the money from the sale will be going to you.”
“What are you talking about, Juliette?” Chandler asked as Abby stared on in shock.
“She broke the terms of our agreement by starting a new YouTube channel. If she doesn’t turn over her half of the proceeds from the sale of Honeysuckle Farm, then I’ll bury her in lawsuits.”
Abby waited for Chandler to say something. Surely he couldn’t be that cruel. But when the auctioneer pounded his gavel to open the auction, Chandler cast her a sheepish glance and then offered Juliette his arm to head across the meadow to the podium.
“Wolf!” Abby called, hiding a smile when Chandler and Juliette sent panicked glances around the meadow. Sadie and Mallory smothered their laughter behind their hands.
Shane and his cousins, catching on to what Abby was up to, called for Wolf too. Owen obliged by letting him out of the house.
Chandler and Juliette caught sight of him and cried, “Oh my God, it really is a wolf. Wolf!” and began to run. Juliette’s spiked heel got caught, and she fell. Chandler looked back, saw that Wolf was chasing him, and kept running.
Juliette looked up, her sunglasses askew, and her eyes narrowed at everyone laughing. “Chandler, you idiot. It’s not a wolf!”
“Actually, Juliette, he is. Half at least,” Abby said when the couple, adjusting their clothing and sunglasses, joined everyone gathered in front of the auctioneer.
When the man opened the bidding at a hundred thousand, Tiffany cried out the agreed-upon amount. “Two hundred thousand.”
Chandler and Juliette turned to stare at her.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand,” a man called out.
Tiffany glanced at her, and Abby gave a furtive nod. “Two hundred and seventy-five thousand!”
“Three hundred thousand,” a woman shouted.
Abby’s heart sank as more people got involved. They couldn’t afford to go any higher. At five hundred thousand, Tiffany glanced at her, and Abby shook her head. The auctioneer raised his gavel. “Going once. Going—”
“Five hundred and fifty thousand,” a familiar deep voice called from the back of the crowd.
Abby turned and went up on her toes, searching for Hunter. Instead her eyes locked on a ridiculously handsome man with copper-streaked chestnut hair, piercing blue eyes, and a clean-shaven masculine jaw. And while he didn’t look exactly like the man Abby knew so well and loved so much, the warm, tingly feeling she got in her stomach gave him away.
And for a minute, she just stood there staring at him, basking in the knowledge that he was here and that he loved her and that he was bidding on…Wait a minute. He can’t bid on the farm. He doesn’t have any money!
“Hunter—” she began, only to be cut off by a flurry of shouted bids.
“Five hundred and fifty-five thousand!”
“Five hundred and sixty thousand!”
“Five hundred and seventy-five thousand!”
“Six hundred thousand,” Hunter called out, the crowd parting to let him walk to her side.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, taking the hand he offered her and squeezing tight. “You can’t afford to pay—”
Before she could finish, the auctioneer raised his gavel. “Going once. Going twice.” Their family and friends were holding their collective breaths, praying that no one would bid against him, while Abby was worrying no one would and he’d get in trouble for his fake bid. “Sold to the man with the pretty redhead.”
“No! This is fixed. This is not right. The property is valued at one-point-two million. It can’t have sold for only six hundred thousand. Where’s the sheriff in this town? I demand this be investigated.”
While several people, including the auctioneer and Owen, explained to Juliette how auctions worked, Abby turned to Hunter. “I love you for trying to save the farm, but I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“How am I going to get in trouble?”
She went up on her toes to whisper in his ear, “When they cash your check and it bounces, that’s how.”
He smiled down at her, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s not going to bounce, honey. The farm is ours.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You were right. People will pay a small fortune for my carvings.”
“You sold them? You sold your beautiful carvings for me?”
“No. I sold them for us. I want us to build a life together here. I know it’s not the life you dreamed of. I can’t offer you fame and fortune. But I—”
“I don’t need fame and fortune, not if I have you. I love you, Hunter Mackenzie.”
“And I love you, Abby Everhart.” Hunter lifted her off her feet to kiss her. It wasn’t a long kiss or a deep kiss; it was a perfect kiss. A kiss that promised a lifetime of star-filled nights.
“Now I see how it is. Your boyfriend bought the farm so you think your life can just go on as if you haven’t ruined Chandler,” Juliette screeched. “Well let me tell you, I’m going to bury you in court. I’m going to—”
“Juliette, that’s enough,” Chandler said, taking her by the arm to lead her away. Then he stopped and turned. “I’m sorry. For everything, Abby. I’m not suing you.”
Juliette jerked her arm away. “If you don’t sue her, you and I are over, Chandler. Six hundred thousand is a drop in the bucket. It won’t save the company. A million would’ve—”
“Enough, Juliette. I can’t do this anymore. It’s not worth it.”
“Neither are you,” Juliette said, then called out to Tiffany, who was talking to Hunter’s cousins. “Come on. I’m done here.”
Tiffany smiled. “I’m not. Have a good trip back to LA. I’ll hitch a ride with Chandler.”
Chandler winced as Juliette stormed off.
“The two of you can get a ride to the airport with us,” Elinor offered as she and Kate joined them.
Chandler hugged his longtime housekeeper, who’d been more of a mother to him than his own had ever been. “I’m sorry. I never should’ve let her convince me to force you into retirement.”
“You were under a lot of stress. But I can’t say I’m sorry she’s out of your life.”
“Is it as bad as Juliette said?” Abby asked Chandler.
The last couple years hadn’t been good between her and Chandler. But even if he hadn’t had an affair, Abby didn’t believe their marriage would have survived. Still, there’d been a time when she’d loved him, and she knew he was a good man despite doing some pretty awful things.
He nodded. “When I get back, I’ll have to start closing down operations.”
And all those people would be out of work. “What if I told you I have a miracle shampoo and conditioner, and I’d give you the recipes? I’m not making it up, Chandler,” she said as he stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “Ask Kate, and Josie.” She waved Josie over. “They’ve used it. So have me and my sisters. It repaired the damage to my hair in less than a month.”
Family and friends crowded around them as Kate and Josie shared their experiences with Chandler, and Abby saw a flicker of excitement and hope come into his eyes. Then he looked at her. “But why? Why would you give me the rights to it after everything I’ve done? You could make a fortune.”
Abby looked up at Hunter. “I’ve already got everything I’ve ever wanted. I shouldn’t have outted the company for animal testing the way that I did. It hurt more than just you.”
“You paid for that, Abby. No matter what Juliette says.”
“I know, and I do have an ulterior motive. I’ll give you the rights, and I’ll promote you on my new YouTube channel, if you draw up an agreement giving ten percent of every sale to the Liz Findlay Foundation.”
�
�What’s the Liz Findlay Foundation?”
“It’s a foundation I’m starting in my great-aunt’s name. The recipes for the shampoo and conditioner are hers. The money will go to help women who are homeless get back on their feet.”
An hour later in the farmhouse kitchen, they’d ironed out the details with Chandler’s lawyers via Skype. Eden represented Abby and agreed to take on the legal work for the foundation.
The rest of their family and friends stayed late into the night. Owen and Elsa were the last to leave. Before they did, Hunter’s aunt leaned in to Abby and whispered, “Welcome to the Sisterhood.”
“The day couldn’t have been more perfect,” Abby said as she stood on the porch with Hunter waving goodbye to Owen and Elsa.
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Hunter said and took her by the hand.
“Where are we going?”
“To sleep under the stars.”
Abby looked up at the thousands of stars twinkling in the inky black North Carolina sky as she walked with Hunter to the meadow. Elinor had been right—only in the dark can you see the stars, and Abby had to walk through the dark to find herself and her light, a man she loved with all her heart, and this place she now called home.
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When her stepsons’ antics land them in jail, Mallory Maitland comes face-to-face with the tall, dark, and incredibly handsome chief of police in Highland Falls. But Gabriel Buchanan has his hands full with three young boys of his own. However, when the families find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of holiday activities together, they might find that no one is immune to the magic of Christmas.
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Christmas on Reindeer Road,
coming in Fall 2020.