by Tara Randel
She turned, resting her lower back against the railing. “As much as this place is in my blood, I have to see where my career leads, Deke.”
So, they were back to the previous conversation.
Curious, he said, “You don’t think it’s possible for circumstances to change your projected path?”
“Sure I do. But what I’m telling you is that I don’t want to change. Not now anyway. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am in the firm.”
Here was the part where a smart man would close the subject. Lately, around Grace, he questioned his wisdom. “What if this was meant to be?” He pointed between them. “You and me.”
“My career is what’s meant to be, Deke.” She turned her head to face him, confidence etched on her face. “I get that you’re struggling right now. Trying to figure things out. But I know where the future lies. In a law office in downtown Atlanta.”
He couldn’t blame her for wanting to return to her life. Just because being in Golden had given his troubled heart a rest didn’t mean she should stay. But what about him? The thought of returning to Atlanta gave him pause. Was he ready to give up the measure of peace he’d found here? Would returning to his home and job send him back into the dark place he’d desperately needed to escape? Slipping into the bad memories that continued to give him nightmares? No, for his own well-being, he needed to stay in Golden until he was healed, or at least as restored as he’d ever be; his recovery was something he was unwilling to sacrifice. Even if it meant losing Grace in the process.
Stuffing down his regret, he turned to lean against the railing. From here he could keep an eye out for the kids. A movement caught the corner of his eye. An older couple they’d passed on the way up finally finished the trek, hand in hand. The woman’s mouth hung open with awe as she viewed the waterfall, but the man had eyes only for his wife. He led her to an empty bench, making sure she was comfortable before sitting beside her.
The familiar band around his chest that had loosened since coming here tightened with a vengeance. Since he’d found Grace, he’d discovered he was tired of being alone. And was over being solitary. It took every bit of strength not to convince her to give them a chance, but he wouldn’t beg. Either she wanted them to be a couple or she didn’t.
An image of his parents’ wedding picture flashed in his mind. He’d admired their marriage. They were partners until the end. Not only that, they truly enjoyed each other’s company. Were each other’s best friend. Deke always thought they modeled what a good marriage looked like, even if he never pictured it for himself.
Until now. Until Grace.
“I want that,” he said in a soft voice.
Grace looked at him, then followed the direction of his interest.
“Deke—”
He held up his hand. “I’m not saying with you, Grace. You’ve made your position clear. I’m just saying, one day I want to walk through the woods with my partner.” He met her gaze. “Is that too much to ask?”
Clearly she didn’t have the answer. Her conflicted expression said it all. He was ready to move forward; she was not.
Thankfully, on the heels of his blurted admission, a couple of the boys started roughhousing. He and Grace wrangled everybody together and started them down the trail, one at each end of the group. About halfway down, the fighting started up again, only this time one of the boys lost his balance, tumbled into a girl and sent her sprawling. Seated on the ground, the girl began crying, pointing to the blood staining her ripped jeans.
Hurrying over, Deke had the first-aid kit out just as Grace knelt beside the teen.
“It’s okay, Heather. We’ll get you cleaned up.”
“It hurts,” the girl whimpered.
“I’m not going to lie, this will sting,” Grace said as she pulled out a small bottle of peroxide and dabbed the scrapes.
At this point some of the girls started yelling at the tussling boys and Deke had to act as referee to get them to calm down. Pointing downhill, he escorted the rest of the kids while Grace took care of her patient, talking to the few girls hanging around their friend. About ten minutes later Grace and her group appeared. Heather walked gingerly but at least she was smiling at something Grace said. Disaster averted.
He jogged over to Grace. “Everything okay?”
“Yes. I applied my first-aid skills with expertise.”
“Grace is the best,” Heather giggled.
Deke agreed but kept his opinion to himself, because yeah, Grace was the best.
Right on time, Mr. Newton returned with the bus. The kids piled on as Deke explained what had happened. Thankfully, Heather was no worse for wear, even though her knees would smart tomorrow. As they drove away, hands waving out the windows, he and Grace waved back.
She blew out a breath. “What a day.”
“Ready to get back to town?”
“Yes. I want to see if Faith needs any help. If not, I’m heading home for a long shower.”
They walked to the Jeep.
“You did well under pressure,” Deke said.
“I’ve handled a crisis a time or two.”
Before starting the ignition, Deke angled to face Grace. “Listen, what I said at the falls? I didn’t mean to put any pressure on you.”
“I know, Deke. And while I will freely admit I have feelings for you, I still have to focus on my family while I’m here, and then my career. You understand that, right?”
“I guess I was hoping to sway you in my direction.”
“Let’s not rush things. The Summer Gold Celebration is just around the corner, so we’ll be super busy. There is the bigger picture to think about.”
Bigger than him and Grace becoming a couple? He didn’t think so.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SATURDAY MORNING, GRACE stepped out of the office restroom and peeked around the corner. “Is anyone here?” she stage-whispered to her sister.
Faith turned from the filing cabinet, her lips trembling to hold back a smile. “It’s safe. You can come out.”
Picking up the long skirt from the 1800s-style costume, Grace walked to the desk in tight leather booties. The reams of cotton swirled around her ankles, the waist was a tad too tight and the neckline was way too constricting for a summer day in June. “I can’t wear this.”
“Why not? It’s so you,” Faith teased, tilting her head to look Grace over. “I like it.”
“Says the girl wearing a short skirt and sleeveless blouse.” She cringed, gazing down at the calico-patterned fabric. The tiny flower print made her dizzy. “It’s embarrassing.”
“The tourists truly enjoy it.”
The Summer Gold Celebration had officially kicked off. The sidewalks were filled with tourists soaking up the sunshine, enjoying the merchants’ displays and food offered by some of the best cooks in town. Every time the door opened, the savory scent of barbecue or the yeasty smell of baked goods floated in. From outside the front window, Grace could hear the strains of music from the band set up in Gold Dust Park. Traffic had been a bear, but who could complain really? Tourists meant business and business meant working on a weekend. All in the name of putting Golden on the map.
The festivities would last a week, with a dance featuring a country band scheduled tonight in the city park. With all the publicity, there’d been an uptick in business. Grace had Faith take calls and book outdoor adventures while she readied for the first walking tour this afternoon. Nathan and Deke were busy, which came as a relief. Her brother was good with people and could easily be the face of the company if he’d stay grounded.
Grace sighed. “When did Mama go old-school?”
“A few years ago. Visitors were losing interest in the walking tour so she thought the costume would inspire curiosity.”
This getup was so the opposite of the professional persona Grace had carefully cultivated
over the years. Once she stepped onto Main Street, her reputation would take a hit for sure. As she fussed over her outfit, it suddenly dawned on Grace that their mother was missing. “Where is Mama, by the way?”
Faith gathered up some loose papers from the desk. “She decided to stay home with the kids. Her friend Donna is stopping by to spend the day with them.”
“On opening day of the celebrations? That doesn’t seem like her. She loves all this hoopla.” Grace brushed a few stray strands of hair back into the makeshift bun she’d fashioned to go along with the severe look. “Is she bringing the kids later?”
Her sister tugged on her lower lip with her teeth. Grace recognized her tell. Something was off.
“Faith, what’s going on?”
Averting her eyes, Faith replied, “Mama sort of fell again.”
“Sort of?” Grace’s stomach knotted. “When?”
“Yesterday.” Fear shimmered in Faith’s eyes when she turned back to Grace. “She lost her balance and pitched against the counter. Her hip is badly bruised.”
“Why didn’t she tell anyone?”
“She probably wouldn’t have said anything at all if she hadn’t lifted Lacey to her hip. I caught her cringing and asked what was wrong. She tried to blow if off, but I hounded her until she confessed.” Faith blew out a breath. “I know I’ve been caught up in my own drama lately, but Grace, I can tell she’s scared.”
“She should be. This is beyond blaming broken steps for her tumble.” Her mind switched into overdrive. “Her balance must be off. Maybe there are neurological problems. We need to get her to the doctor for a complete physical.”
“I agree.”
Guilt and surprise seared her. How long had it been since she and Faith had agreed on something? A matter this important? At the sight of her sister’s pale face, Grace walked over and hugged Faith tight.
“There’s more,” her sister mumbled against her shoulder. Grace pulled back, hands gripping Faith’s upper arms. “While she was staying at the cabin, I noticed her lose her balance more than once. At the time I didn’t think much about it because John was underfoot, but now...”
Grace squeezed her sister, needing the connection of her sibling. “How long do you think she’s kept this a secret?”
Faith shrugged.
A sudden sense of mortality swept over Grace. The idea of Mama having serious health issues was more than Grace would ever have imagined when she came home. Nor had she thought she and Faith would be a team, bonding over their mother.
“We’ll handle this,” Grace said, infusing as much confidence into her voice as possible. “As a family.”
Faith moved away and wiped her eyes. “And Donna doesn’t mind staying with Mama.”
Pulling herself together, Grace said, “There’s nothing we can do today, but first thing Monday morning, I’m calling Mama’s doctor.”
“If she’ll go for it.”
The oldest-sibling bossiness took over. No one would ever accuse Grace of pussyfooting around a topic. “Oh, she’ll be going, even if it’s kicking and screaming.”
Faith laughed, the worry lines on her face easing.
“And we’ll need to tell Nathan. He should be a part of any decisions we make to help Mama through this.”
“Look at us, the Harper clan working together.”
Grace grinned. As much as she was nervous about what was going on with her mother, she couldn’t recall a time when she was secure in the knowledge that she and her siblings would strive together for a greater good.
The phone rang and Faith jumped back to work. Grace picked up her mother’s script from the desk. She’d read it over a dozen times. For the most part, it gave the same information Grace had written when they first came up with the idea for the historic stroll. Her mother had embellished with some of the local history, but Grace had to admit, it added a fun element. If only she didn’t have to wear this restrictive, long-sleeved dress with a muslin apron.
The back door banged open and before she had a chance to run back to the bathroom to hide, Deke and Nathan strolled into the office.
A wide grin curved Nathan’s lips. “Nice look, sis. Plannin’ on churnin’ up some butter for dinner tonight?”
“Shut it, Nathan,” Grace warned. Other than the twinkle in Deke’s eyes, he wisely kept his opinion to himself.
“I don’t know why you’re so crabby. The tourists are going to eat this whole period thing up.”
“We already sold out the two tours scheduled for today,” Faith piped in.
While Faith and Nathan discussed a tour, Deke nodded to the front door. He and Grace stepped outside to the busy sidewalk. Leaning against the building in hopes of blending in—doubtful—she looked up at Deke. “Everything okay?”
“That’s what I wanted to ask you. Have you given any thought to your siblings taking on more responsibility since our chat?”
She smoothed her skirt. “You gave me a lot to think about and, to be honest, I’m working on it.”
“I noticed Faith opened the office this morning.”
“Yes. You were right on the mark about sharing the load.”
“I’m hearing a but...”
“It’s tough.” She glanced over her shoulder to peer through the window. In the office Faith was jotting something down while Nathan paged through the appointment book. “I get they have to work this out. Together.”
“It’s a process, Grace. They’ll appreciate running the business more if you give them some space.”
She shrugged.
“When’s your first tour?” he asked.
“In thirty minutes. I’ll need to be at the north end of the park to meet up with the group.”
His eyes swept over her. “You know, you look like part of Golden history come to life.”
“Please. I can guarantee the temperature is going up and I’ll only resemble a sweating tour guide.”
“What? No perky bonnet to protect your pretty face from sun damage?”
She groaned. “I almost forgot the bonnet. It’s inside.”
“Admit it.”
She cocked her head. “Admit what?”
“You love your family. Otherwise you wouldn’t have let your mother talk you into playing dress-up.”
True. This wasn’t exactly what she’d envisioned happening during her leave of absence.
“Loving them isn’t the problem.”
“Still, I think deep down you really like this festival stuff.”
Probably more than she realized, since she’d gone along with her mother and Lissy Ann’s request so easily. “Don’t you have a group to take somewhere?” she huffed.
“I do.” He glanced at his watch. “In ten minutes. But first, I have an idea to run by you.”
Interest piqued, she pushed away from the wall. “What kind of idea?”
“I was down at the warehouse early this morning and found some newer camping equipment packed up in boxes. It all looks in good shape. What do you think about adding overnight trips up the mountain and back to your list of adventures? A combo of hiking and camping, but short excursions so as not to take up too much time.”
“I’d forgotten about the camping gear.” She curled her finger under the neckline of her dress and tugged. “We stacked it away a few years ago and, to be honest, once I started coordinating with the other businesses in town, it slipped my mind.”
“What do you think?”
“I’d have to crunch the numbers, figure out logistics on a camping area, add in supplies and time constraints...”
“You don’t have to do it right now,” Deke said. “Besides, I thought maybe I’d run it by Nathan and see what he comes up with.”
She looked at him with suspicion. “Is this part of the plan to get Grace’s hands out of the business?”
Gra
ce had to admit, Deke was right. If she wanted to make a life in Atlanta—assuming she got back there—she had to let go of some of the control here in Golden.
He grinned. “Definitely.”
“Actually, I like the idea. I’m okay with you presenting it to Nathan. I’m just not sure about letting him do all the prep work. I’ve always handled that end.”
He shot her a look that clearly conveyed “let go.”
“I can’t completely abandon the reins, Deke.”
“You won’t succeed unless you try.”
Why was this so hard? Most likely her reluctance stemmed from both Faith and Nathan’s being less than reliable over the years. They were here now, she told herself. That’s what counted, right? She knew she couldn’t have it both ways, no matter how much she tried. “Look, we’ll discuss this later. Right now I have—”
“Grace, is that you?” came the female voice she dreaded hearing under any circumstances. Worse when she was dressed like this. Sneaking a glance, she went still. Lissy Ann and a few of her friends.
“Why me?” she mouthed.
Moving around Deke, she swore she felt his body tremble in silent laughter. Mostly, though, she was thankful for his presence. He slipped his arm around her waist and she absorbed some of his solid strength. He sensed she needed someone to lean on right now.
“Hey, Lissy Ann.” She nodded to the other women, who looked familiar but she couldn’t recall their names.
“You remember Beth and Francie?”
She didn’t, but pasted a smile on her face.
“I’m so glad to see your mama resurrected the historical tour,” Lissy Ann said. “It will really add to the color of the celebration.”
Grace blinked. No snarky remarks?
“It was a brilliant idea to add the period costume,” Beth said.
Francie nodded. “When your mama suggested a candlelight tour, the planning committee was thrilled.”
“Planning committee?”
“Your mama is on the board.” Lissy Ann frowned. “Didn’t she tell you?”
No, she hadn’t. That, among other important matters. Grace opened her mouth but Lissy Ann waved her off.