One Last Gift: A Small-Town Romance (Oak Grove series Book 6)

by Nancy Stopper

  She glanced at her phone and her eyes fell to the date. She stifled a gasp. With everything that had happened, she’d lost track of the date. Today was the one day each year she looked forward to and dreaded at the same time. She always tried to make it special for Riley to cover the deep heartbreak that would overwhelm her. Maybe Riley had noticed and turned the tables on her.

  She studied Jack. Did he remember what today was? He quirked an eyebrow at her, his expression thoughtful and questioning, but didn’t give any indication that he remembered the worst day of their life.

  “Riley wanted to make you breakfast.”

  “Yeah, Mom. Jack helped me and we made you bacon and eggs and toast and coffee.” Riley was so proud of himself. Once again, he was taking care of her when she should be taking care of him.

  After he slid the tray in front of her, she brushed a hair off his forehead and thumbed the darkened skin. “How are you feeling today? Any headache?”

  “No, Mom. I told you I’d be fine.” He jumped off the bed and hurried to the door. “See ya’ later!”

  “Wait, Riley—” Her words fell flat as he ran down the hall and out of earshot.

  Jack climbed onto the bed beside her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Good morning.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. As much as she’d questioned her decision to allow Jack to stay last night, she couldn’t deny how much she appreciated waking up to him and Riley snuggled with her on the bed. Like a family.

  He nudged the tray in front of her. “Go ahead. Eat. I already called the lot and have extra coverage for today. You just stay home with Riley.”

  “But Jack—”

  “No buts. You need a break and Riley’s supposed to take it easy anyway. Spend some time together. Just the two of you.” Jack’s intense stare penetrated her and she shivered. Maybe he did remember.

  Her meager attempt at a protest failed. She wasn’t about to turn down the opportunity to spend the day with Riley. Especially today. “Okay.” She sipped from the mug of coffee, letting the heat seep into her. She would stay home, but nothing would keep her from her visit to the cemetery tonight. She’d already confirmed that Jackie could stay with Riley. This was something Casey did alone every year.

  Should she invite Jack along? Probably, but she couldn’t bear the heartbreak if he didn’t want to join her. The one thing she’d learned over the years was that each person dealt with grief in their own way. Jack’s way was to run. Casey, on the other hand, drew comfort from visiting Travis. The first year, her visits had been frequent, but as she grew stronger, her visits had trickled off to just his birthday.

  “Great.” Jack brushed his lips over hers again, his tongue darting out to trace her lips until she open to him. His tongue tangled with hers, giving and taking, while his arms encircled her, claiming her with their strength. “Yum. You taste like coffee. And Casey.”

  “What does Casey taste like?” She loved this playful side of Jack. She’d missed him so much in the years since they’d been together. Her one pathetic attempt to replace him in her life had proven that no one could take Jack’s place in her heart.

  “Delicious.”

  She reached for him, but he laughed and stepped back. “Oh, no, you don’t. I have to get to work. I’ll call and check in later.”

  “Okay.” She grabbed a slice of bacon and sank back into the pillow, enjoying a few moments of peace.

  Chapter Fourteen

  JACK HADN’T HAD a chance to sit in hours, covering for Casey on one of the busier days of the season. The last Saturday before Christmas meant hours full of shopping and decorating and baking for most families.

  Being home over Christmas had shown Jack exactly what he’d been missing in Boston. Sure, he could have invited more Christmas spirit into his life, but it wasn’t just the season. It was about being around these happy families. And Casey and Riley. The family he’d almost had and maybe could have again. He was determined to find a way to make it work—even if it meant uprooting his life and resettling in Oak Grove.

  Jack rang up a transaction and handed over Emma McKenzie’s change. “Thanks so much, Mrs. McKenzie. I hope you enjoy your tree.”

  “Oh, we will, young man. And you tell your father Emma’s thinking of him. I hope to see him at the shop soon.”

  “I will. Thanks. Have a Merry Christmas.” As she tucked away her change, his phone rang in his pocket. He pushed the button to ignore the call, but a minute later, it rang again. He snatched it out and stared at the screen. “Excuse me a minute. I have to take this.”

  Jack stepped away, pressed a button, and brought the phone to his ear. “What’s up, Dan?”

  “Jack, we’ve got a huge problem. Conico is threatening to pull out of the merger. They aren’t happy with the negotiations.”

  Jack raked his fingers through his hair as he paced behind the greenhouse. “What the hell happened?”

  “They didn’t connect with Abigail. You’ve got to come back, Jack. We need you or this deal is gonna fall apart.”

  Jack studied the scene around him, unable to block out the happy, raised voices filling the late afternoon. Kids toasted marshmallows over the huge fire pit Dad had built a few years back, and a couple of dogs joined their owners in picking out just the right Christmas tree.

  His past and his present were warring for control of his future.

  Regardless, the most pressing issue was on the phone right now. “Okay. Have Patricia book me on the last flight out of Philly tonight and I’ll be in tomorrow morning. Bob can call me if he wants to talk in the meantime. Just don’t let them walk away from the table until we have a conversation.”

  “You got it. But Jack, hurry back. We need you here.”

  Jack clicked off. He didn’t like this at all. He still needed more time to come up with a plan for him and Casey. Something that allowed them to be together. He didn’t think he’d misread her—she wanted the same. But she wouldn’t go to Boston, he was sure of it. And this call was proof that he couldn’t stay here.

  His phone vibrated with a text containing details of his flight. Patricia. Efficient as always. She’d been loyal to him for a long time. She, and the other employees, gave their all for the firm. Much like he had, at the sacrifice of a private life. But he was the one in charge. He had obligations, staff who depended on him. He couldn’t leave them high and dry because he’d fallen in love.

  He checked his watch. He had just enough time to shove his clothes in a bag and stop by Casey’s before heading to the airport.

  Less than an hour later, he parked the rental in front of Casey’s house and knocked on the door. He stared out at the quiet street while he waited for her to answer. The sun was setting and a cold breeze cut through him. He pulled up the collar of his jacket and sniffed the air. There would probably be more snow tonight.

  He’d rehearsed what he would say to her in the car during the drive from his parents. The door opened behind him and he spun around, “Casey, I have— Mom, what are you doing here?”

  “Hey Jack!” Riley waved and bounced on the balls of his feet just behind Mom.

  “Hey, bud. Where’s your mom?”

  His mother cleared her throat. “She went out. She’ll be back later.”

  “What’s going on, Mom? Why are you here?”

  “Casey had somewhere to go, Jack.” Mom’s voice was terse. She was rarely short with him, except when he was in trouble. As far as he knew, he hadn’t done anything wrong. At least not yet.

  “I need to talk to her. I have to tell her that I’m leaving.”

  Mom tilted her head and studied him. “You’re leaving? I thought you were staying through Christmas.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. He’d promised Dad that he’d help out. But his firm needed him—they counted on him. “I know, Mom. Something came up at work. I need to talk to Casey. Where is she?”

  Mom’s lips pressed into a straight line and her brows lowered. “T
hink about it, Jack, and you’ll find the answer you’re looking for.”

  “What?” He searched his memory for what he knew about Casey. Where could she be? He checked his watch. He only had a little time left. Then, all of a sudden, he noticed the date on the face. December twentieth. “Oh, crap.”

  He jumped off the porch and ran to the car. “Thanks, Mom,” he yelled back. “I’ll call you.”

  A few minutes later, he parked beside Casey’s car in the small lot of the Baptist church on the outskirts of town. Thick white snow hung on the huge oak trees that surrounded the building and its adjoining graveyard, like they had been standing guard over its residents.

  It had been a long ten years since he’d been here. Since the day they’d buried Travis.

  Jack should have known, should have said something to Casey this morning. He was an ass. No wonder she’d been quiet.

  As he stepped through the small field dotted with granite stones and decorative flowers, he spotted Casey. She sat huddled on a bench with her back to him. Her head was down and he wasn’t even sure she knew he was here.

  “Casey.” His voice rasped, betraying the emotion that clogged his throat. This was why he’d left in the first place. He hadn’t been able to deal with the loss and Casey’s grief on top of that. He didn’t know what to say or to do to help her, and she’d grown worse over the ensuing months. Instead of figuring something out, he moved to Boston and buried himself in building his career. And tried to forget about Casey and the pain.

  Her head tilted up and she swiped under her eye. “Oh Casey.” He dropped onto the bench and pulled her to him.

  She melted into him, her hands gripping his shirt as she buried her nose against his chest.

  He stroked her back until she stopped trembling. “How long have you been here?”

  “I don’t know. A couple hours. I’ve just been talking to him, telling him what we’ve been up to…and talking to him about you.”

  “What did you tell him? That he has a jerk of a father who hasn’t bothered to come visit him in all these years?”

  “No, I told him about the wonderful man who would have been a great dad had he been given a chance. I’ve seen how you are with Riley. Travis would have been lucky to have you as a dad.”

  Jack blinked back the tears. “I wish we’d had a chance to get to know him. To see him grow up.”

  They sat silently for a moment until Casey straightened. Then Jack stood and brushed the snow off of Travis’s headstone, running his fingers over the etched letters.

  Travis Patterson Murphy

  December 20, 2007

  Here for a moment, loved forever

  Jack couldn’t help but wonder how different things could have been if Travis had lived. Or even if Jack had stayed in Oak Grove after Travis died, building a life with Casey instead of being apart all these years. But he couldn’t wish for what could have been. He had to focus on the here and now and the potential of a future with Casey.

  But the vibrating phone in his pocket was a constant reminder of what he had waiting for him. Dammit. He didn’t want to leave Casey. Not now. Maybe not ever. But he couldn’t ignore his business. He had people counting on him.

  He settled back on the bench and took Casey’s hand. “Casey. I need to tell you something.”

  She stared at their joined hands.

  “I have to go.”

  She pulled her hand away and wouldn’t look at him. “I thought you weren’t leaving until after the holiday.”

  “I wasn’t. But a crisis came up at work.”

  She turned her gaze on him. The gentleness in her eyes grew cold and she gritted her teeth. “Do whatever you have to do, Jack. You were going to leave anyway.”

  “Casey, I don’t want to leave…but people are depending on me.”

  “People are depending on you here, too, Jack. What about your dad?”

  “Dad’s doing better every day. He’s going to make a full recovery.”

  “That’s not what I mean and you know it. You came to help him and you’re leaving your family in the lurch.”

  And her, but she didn’t have to say those words for him to hear them in his mind. “You’re doing a great job, Casey. You don’t need my help.”

  “Don’t patronize me. Why did you bother to even tell me? Did you want me to try to talk you out of it?”

  “I didn’t want to leave without telling you. I don’t want this thing to end between us, Casey.” He’d expected her to be upset but he hadn’t anticipated the anger.

  She waved her hand between them. “There is nothing between us. A meaningless fling. I live here, you live in Boston. It could never work.”

  He tried to grab her hand again but she tucked it under her leg. “Don’t say that. Nothing about our relationship is meaningless.”

  “Jack, really, just go. I’ll say goodbye to Riley for you. He’ll be heartbroken that you won’t be here for the holiday. But he’s used to it just being me and him.”

  Everything about this sucked. He didn’t want to leave here, but he couldn’t leave his business in the lurch. “Casey, please, let’s talk about this.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.”

  She rose from the bench and walked past Travis’s grave, leaving Jack alone. Dismissing him. It was probably for the best. She was right about one thing. He didn’t live here. His business and his life were in Boston. He was foolish to think he had a chance of something with her. She would never leave Oak Grove. He couldn’t leave Boston. This crisis at work was just proof of that.

  He ran his hand over his son’s grave one more time and checked on Casey, who stood across the yard with her back to him. She didn’t turn around. After another minute, he returned to the car. After throwing one last glance at Casey, he pulled out and headed to Philly. He’d barely have time to make his flight as it was.

  He should have never gotten involved with Casey again. He’d had the right idea when he shut himself off and kept everyone else at arm’s length. At least then he wouldn’t experience the pain that was currently stabbing him in the heart.

  Chapter Fifteen

  CASEY PRESSED THE button on the cash register to ring up the bushy blue spruce the family of four had picked out. The jingle of the bell when the cash drawer opened usually gave her a small thrill, each ring signifying another happy family celebrating the holiday season. But she took no pleasure in the gleeful smiles of the customers today. It was just another day of dragging herself into work when all she wanted to do was huddle in bed and pull the covers over her head.

  But she was a mother. She couldn’t afford to shut out the world and cry for her loss. Not like the last time when Jack had run off to Boston without her. Sure, he’d made fleeting promises that they’d work it out. But she’d heard that before. Hollow words. She wasn’t going to waste her life pining away for something that wasn’t going to happen.

  She was having a hard time convincing her heart.

  She screwed on a smile and extended her hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Simmons. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.”

  “We will. And please tell Sid that we’re thinking about him.”

  Casey forced a smile. “He’s really missing everyone this season.” She handed over the receipt, and Mrs. Simmons hustled her kids to the car where one of the employees was strapping their tree on the roof.

  When Casey and Riley had visited Sid last night, he’d been subdued. Like the light Jack’s homecoming had brought to Sid’s eyes had been extinguished. Casey hated to see the disappointment in Jack’s parents because of his abrupt departure. Sure, they said they understood how important his business was, but they couldn’t hide the hurt. Casey wasn’t sure even they realized how much they’d missed having Jack home until he had been…and then left again.

  Casey could kill him for putting his parents through that.

  She scanned the lot. The last of the customers were wrapping up their purchases. It was almost time to shut down for the night. Tomor
row was Christmas Eve, and then they’d be closed for the rest of the holiday season. Normally, by this time of the year, she and Riley would be knee deep in Christmas spirit, baking cookies and wrapping presents. But she’d lost all the joy for the holiday season this year.

  Everywhere she looked, she saw Jack. The way he laughed and joked with the other employees, leading by example with a charisma that made people want to follow him.

  No wonder he’d been so successful at his job.

  She also couldn’t walk into her bedroom without picturing his eyes darkening as he hovered over her just before he entered her. Remembering the way his masterful hands had brought her to pleasure over and over again, and the way he’d held her in his arms like someone to be revered and cherished.

  And then there was Riley. Riley had warmed up to Jack and his absence had been reflected on her son’s face since Jack left. She shouldn’t have let him into their lives. But Jack had a way of digging in and grabbing hold. She couldn’t deny their past—Jack was the only man she’d ever loved.

  Casey closed down the lot and headed home.

  As soon as she walked through the door, Riley yelled and gestured to the large box on the coffee table. “Mom, look, you got a package.”

  “Really, who’s it from?” She scanned the plain brown wrapping but there was no return address. There wasn’t even a street address for Casey’s house. Just her name scrawled in black ink across the top of the box. “How did this get here?”

  “I don’t know. It was on the porch when I got home. Open it. See what it is.”

  Casey tore off the brown paper and used her keys to slice through the tape that sealed the box. Inside she found another box, this one covered in bright red paper and wrapped with a wide gold sparkly bow. On the top was a small white envelope with her name neatly printed in block letters. She opened the envelope to find a single notecard inside with words scrawled across the front.

  Do Not Open until Christmas!

  “What’s it say, Mom?” Riley snatched the card out of her hand. He flipped it over and back again. “Is that it? It doesn’t say who it’s from.”