Coming Home (Vista Falls #4)

by Cheryl Douglas

  Juliette raised an eyebrow. That wasn’t an easy life, especially for a young woman on her own. “Do you have any experience with that lifestyle?”

  “No, but she and I have been reading a lot of books. Planning for the day.”

  “I see. Which property did your mother buy?”

  “It’s on Carver’s Road, about a half mile from—”

  “I know it.” Juliette had heard it’d sold to some folks from out of town a few years back. Since they’d never taken physical possession, she’d assumed they’d had second thoughts about taking on such a big project or living so far off the beaten path. “You’ll have a neighbor at least. Levi Rowe. He’s lived out there for years. Knows what it means to be self-sufficient, that’s for sure.”

  Erin smiled. “I’ll try to avoid bothering him. I know a lot of people choose homesteading because they prefer a quiet, solitary life.”

  Juliette laughed when she thought of her old friend. That pretty much summed up Levi. He’d always been the strong, silent type. But she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to help a neighbor in need. Especially a pretty lady. “That may be true, but I’ll ask Levi to keep an eye out for you just the same. You said something about bylaws and ordinances? What do you plan to do on the property that you feel might be in violation?”

  “Well, I’d like to have a goat, some chickens, that kind of thing. Oh, and I have a home-based business.”

  The livestock didn’t concern Juliette. They were surrounded by ranchers and farmers. But a home-based business could be a violation depending on the type of business she ran. “Really? What do you do?”

  “I make soap.” She blushed, dipping her head before she shrugged. “It started as a hobby years ago. But now… well, it’s kind of taken over my life. I can barely keep up with the demand.”

  “You ever think of opening a retail store?” Juliette asked, thinking of the two empty storefronts on Main Street.

  “I’ve thought about it, but having that overhead would just put more pressure on me. I prefer a nice little setup from home, where I can do it all.”

  “Do it all?” Juliette asked, leaning forward. “What does that entail?”

  She laughed. “Everything from packaging to marketing. Website design and maintenance. Maintaining several online stores. Oh, and making the actual product. I like to offer new scents and shapes every year to keep things interesting, so I’m always experimenting.”

  “Do you have a business card?”

  “Sure.” Erin pulled one out of her purse and handed it Juliette.

  Juliette narrowed her eyes at the aqua card. “Where have I heard of this?”

  “We’ve, uh, been featured on a couple of TV programs and in a few magazines. Um, newspaper too.”

  “You said we?”

  “My mother and I used to run the business together, but since she’s gone, I’m on my own.”

  “That sounds like a huge undertaking.” Juliette felt sorry for the girl who seemed to have more on her plate than anyone could handle. “Have you ever thought of hiring part-time help? There are a few local girls I could recommend. You know, high school and college students who’d love to make some extra money. Even some stay-at-home moms who’d like something to do during the day.”

  “That may not be a bad idea, but I’m kind of out in the middle of nowhere. You think they’d be willing to travel all the way out there?”

  “It’s not so far from town,” Juliette said, calculating the distance was about fifteen minutes. “I can ask around if you like, give you a call if I find anyone who might be interested.”

  “That would be great.” Erin smiled. “Thank you. I have to admit I was a little worried about coming out here all by myself, not knowing anyone, but everyone I’ve met has been so sweet to me.”

  “Everyone’s very friendly.” Except to Zeke, she thought, clenching her teeth. “In no time, it’ll feel like you’ve lived here all your life, I’m sure.”

  “I hope so.” She slung her purse over her shoulder. “Mama bought the property on a whim. She said she was tired of talking about making her dreams come true. She said life was too short to waste it talking and daydreaming. At the time, neither of us knew how short her life would be.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  “She’d always been my best friend,” Erin said softly. “She was young when she had me, and my father has never been in the picture.” She shook her head. “Not even forty-five when she died.”

  “That’s terrible.” Juliette’s heart ached for this girl, who seemed all alone in the world. She passed Erin one of her business cards. “It might get pretty lonely living out there all by yourself. If you ever feel the urge to talk to someone—lunch, coffee, whatever—feel free to call.”

  Erin’s mouth dropped slightly as she looked at Juliette’s business card. “I wouldn’t want to bother you. You must be so busy.”

  “Hey, I like to take a break every now and then myself.” She winked. “And you can never have too many friends, right?”

  “I wouldn’t know too much about that.” She licked her lips, which were painted with a soft nude shade. “You see, I was homeschooled, so it was really just Mama and me for as long as I can remember. Until…” She shook her head. “Well, for most of my life.”

  So Erin hadn’t just lost her mother and best friend, Juliette realized. She’d lost her whole world. “Well, you’re here now.” Juliette swallowed the lump of sympathy forming in her throat. “And one thing about small towns, you’re never really alone. Where did you live before?”

  “Just outside of Charleston.”

  “Ah, I thought I detected a bit of an accent.”

  “I was born there, but we traveled around a lot. Out of necessity. When my mother got sick, she wanted to go back to a little place she inherited from her grandparents years ago. That’s where we’ve been living the past few years.”

  “Have you started talking to contractors about the work that has to be done at your new place?”

  “I really have to wait until our old place is sold,” Erin explained. “I need the money from that to facilitate the repairs.”

  Juliette was confused. Given the press her business had been getting, Juliette would have guessed she’d been able to bank a lot of money for this move.

  “Medical expenses,” Erin said, as though she could read her mind. “They have a tendency to drain you, no matter how well prepared you think you are.”

  “I can imagine.” She thought of the dilapidated little shack that had belonged to the eccentric old man who’d rarely ventured into town. “But if memory serves, that old place you bought isn’t really fit for—”

  “I know, but I’m used to roughing it. My mama and I did a lot of camping when I was growing up.”

  Juliette suspected there was a story there, but she didn’t want to pry. Instead, she stood to join Erin at the door. “Well, if there’s anything you need, including a list of reputable contractors in the area, just let me know.” Juliette offered her hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Erin. I hope you’ll love living here.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled, meeting Juliette’s eyes. “If everyone’s as friendly and welcoming as you are, I’m sure I will.”

  ***

  As the day progressed, Juliette couldn’t get Erin out of her head. She couldn’t imagine living in a dilapidated shack in the middle of nowhere without a soul to help her. So she jumped in her car and made a trip out to see her old friend, Levi, hoping he’d agree to look out for his new neighbor.

  Juliette smiled as Levi’s house came into view. She didn’t have occasion to visit often, but every time she did, she had to admire the tranquil beauty of his land. Levi had built a sprawling single-story home with natural materials that seemed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Even as kids, he’d vowed to all of his friends that he would one day live in virtual seclusion, off the land he loved. Juliette admired him for making that dream come true.

  Levi
was chopping wood at the side of the house when Juliette cut the engine and waved to him. With dark, rugged good looks and a sculpted body born of hard manual labour, he was a sight to behold in torn, faded jeans, steel-toed boots, and a plaid shirt rolled up at the sleeves. He was rarely without a backward ball cap that advertised his favorite brand of beer, and this day was no exception. He, along with his faithful chocolate Lab, Ivy, met her on the stone path between the house and her car.

  “Hey,” he said, grinning as they embraced. “This is a nice surprise, Madam Mayor. What brings you all the way out here?”

  “I’ve missed you,” she said, linking her arm through his as they walked toward his house. “I haven’t seen you in town in a while. What have you been up to?”

  “Just doin’ what I do,” he said, winking.

  “Still busy with work?”

  Levi was a master bladesmith, and his blades were considered sought-after works of art by collectors throughout the world. Levi had once told Juliette he had enough custom orders to keep him busy for years.

  “As busy as I choose to be.” He opened the door for Juliette, with Ivy following close behind. “That’s the nice thing about my work and this lifestyle,” he said, gesturing to their simple, comfortable surroundings. “It’s not expensive to maintain. As long as I can keep the lights on, pay the taxes, and have the old truck runnin’ to get me into town now and again, I’m a happy man.”

  Juliette admired his outlook… and was more than a little envious. It would be nice to be so relaxed, so at peace. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re paid a fortune for those works of art you make,” she teased. “Rush told me they sell for, like, twenty grand.” She shook her hand. “Not bad, my friend. Not bad.”

  He inclined his head with a slight smile. “I guess, but you didn’t come all the way out here to talk about my work. But before you get into the reason for your visit, I want to hear what you’ve been up to.”

  Juliette watched him start a pot of coffee before she accepted his silent invitation to sit at the huge pine dining table dominating the open kitchen. “I met someone.”

  The thing she loved most about Levi was that he never judged other people’s decisions. In fact, in all the time she’d known him, she never heard him make a disparaging comment about anyone. “Live and let live” was his motto.

  “You did?” He turned to face her, bracing his hands on the solid counter behind him. “He’s gotta be pretty special to drag you away from that office you’re holed up in all the damn time.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t know how you do it, girl. I’d go out of my mind, being chained to a desk like that.”

  “He’s been a good influence on me,” she said, smiling. “He’s found a good work-life balance, and he’s helping me do the same. He’s even talked me into taking a vacation so I can go out to Malibu to visit him for a couple of weeks.”

  “He’s not from around here?” Levi asked, raising a dark eyebrow. “Then how’d you meet him?”

  “He, uh, is from around here. Or at least he was. He inherited a place here when his folks died. He chose to renovate it, and it’s a vacation home for him now, I guess.” Unless it became their permanent residence. As much as she loved her little house close to the downtown core, she wouldn’t have minded giving it up to share Zeke’s house.

  “Anyone I know?” Levi asked, taking two oversized mugs from the cupboard as Ivy circled her dog bed and sank down with a heavy sigh.

  “Actually, you do.” She held her breath before blurting, “It’s Matt Dyson, but he goes by Zeke now.”

  Levi turned around slowly. “Dyson? You mean the kid who killed his brother when we were in high school?”

  “He made a mistake,” she said, suddenly questioning her sanity for telling Levi at all. “One horrible mistake that will undoubtedly haunt him for the rest of his life. But come on, Levi, he was just a kid. He paid his dues. Besides, it’s not like we didn’t all do some stupid things when we were kids.”

  Levi had always been the introspective type, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t tied one on with the boys every chance he got as a kid. In fact, their beer-induced escapades were legendary.

  “Sure, we did. But come on, sweetheart, we didn’t kill anybody.”

  Juliette hating knowing the man she loved would forever be defined by one moment, but she knew that was beyond her control. The only thing she could do to help Zeke was introduce the people who cared about her, and were trying to protect her, to the man she knew him to be.

  “It was an accident. It’s not like he meant to do it. You can’t tell me you guys didn’t ‘admire’”—she made air quotes around the word—“your fathers’ guns when no one was around.”

  “Well, sure, but—”

  “But nothing. It could have just as easily happened to one of you.” When Levi winced, Juliette’s tone softened. “Admit it. Just admit that it could have happened to you… or Rush or Wes or Colt or any of your crew.”

  “Fine,” he said, shaking his head. “It could have happened to any one of us ‘cause we were all dumb, careless kids back then. Happy now?” He poured coffee into their mugs and brought them to the table.

  “That’s all I want,” she said, circling the rim of her mug with her fingertip. “For everyone to acknowledge that he’s not a monster because he made a mistake. It could have happened to your brother or your best friend or, God forbid, to you.”

  “The way you’re willing to go to the mat to defend this guy makes me think…” He observed her a long time before he said, “So it’s the real deal, huh?”

  “I’m in love with him.” She’d never expected to make a full confession when she came to Levi’s house, but saying the words made her feel as though a huge burden had been lifted from her.

  “Does he know that? Better yet, does he feel the same way about you?”

  She nodded, smiling when Ivy barked at a squirrel running up and down the huge oak tree outside the window. “He does.”

  “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

  “He asked me to marry him.” She didn’t add that his question had felt impulsive, like maybe the words had popped out before he’d had a chance to think about it.

  “Wow.” Levi scraped a hand over the stubble dusting his jaw. “I must be out of the loop. Just how long have you been seein’ this dude?”

  “Not long.” She was almost embarrassed to admit how long they’d been a couple. The brevity of their relationship would only raise more red flags. “But it feels right, ya know?”

  He chuckled. “Can’t say that I do. You know me. I don’t do relationships.”

  As far as Juliette knew, Levi had never been scarred by a previous relationship or catastrophic life event. He just preferred to live life on his terms and claimed he was too set in his ways to share his life with anyone.

  “You ever get lonely?” she asked before taking a sip of her coffee. “Because I was before Zeke came into my life. I was surrounded by people all day every day, yet I was so lonely.”

  “Can’t say that I am.” He smiled. “I like my life the way it is, just me and Ivy. If I feel like talking, I’ll venture into town, stop by Rusty’s, and maybe meet up with a buddy for a beer or a woman who knows the score. At the end of the night, I go my way, she goes hers, until we meet again. That’s the way I like it.”

  Levi had always known his own mind, and Juliette knew better than to second-guess him. Marriage wasn’t for everyone, nor were kids. She knew that. But a family was something she’d always wanted.

  “Speaking of women,” Juliette said, “that’s kind of the reason for my visit.”

  He laughed. “If you’re thinking about setting me up with some girl who’d be perfect for me, I’ll tell you the same thing I tell my mama every time she tries. I’m not interested.”

  “No, it’s nothing like that.” Juliette tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she continued to enjoy the dark, rich coffee he’d brewed. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but you have a new
neighbor.”

  “I heard a car driving down the road. No one ever drives past here, so I assumed somebody bought old Pete’s place. They’re going to tear it down, I’m guessing.”

  “Guess again.” She smiled at Levi’s look of surprise. “She intends to live in it as is, at least until she can raise the money to fix it up.”

  “She? You’re not tellin’ me that a woman plans to live there all alone, are you?”

  Juliette had heard the stories of all the wildlife that shared Levi’s property. Wolves, foxes, bears. She shuddered to think of how the sweet, mild-mannered girl she’d met earlier would react if she came face-to-face with a bear looking for food or intent on protecting her cub.

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. It seems her mother bought the place before she fell ill. She’s since passed on, but Erin wants to try to fulfill her dream, I guess. Be something of a homesteader, from what she told me.”

  Levi rolled his eyes. “I blame those damn TV shows for this. Romanticizing this way of life, making it seem like anyone could do it. It’s hard. Most people aren’t cut out for it.”

  “I know, and to be honest, I’m not sure Erin is. But who am I to tell her that, right? It’s her life.”

  “I guess.” Levi took a drink of his coffee before he asked, “You came all the way out here just to tell me I have a new neighbor?”

  “Well, I wanted to ask if you’d look out for her, maybe help her out if you could.”

  “You know I don’t do charity cases,” he said, raising his hand. “I do my thing and let everyone else do theirs. Contrary to what all these bleeding hearts think, not everyone needs or wants to be saved.”

  “I’m not saying that she does,” Juliette said, miffed on behalf of her new acquaintance. “It so happens this woman runs a successful business.”

  “Then why does she have to live in a dump like that?”

  “I told you she intends to fix it up just as soon as she gets the money together. In the meantime, would it kill you to be neighborly?”

  “It just might.” He grinned when she slapped his arm. “Fine, as a personal favor to you, I’ll check in on her from time to time, make sure the coyotes didn’t make a meal of her.”