Love Finds You in Sisters, Oregon

by Melody Carlson

  “Okay,” she told him as she picked up her mailbox key. “Let’s go back down.” Of course, once she was down there, she realized she’d forgotten to bring a plastic disposal bag with her.

  An older woman who was on the condo board gave Hope a withering glance, and Hope pretended not to notice. “Oh, dear,” she said to Andy. “I forgot your baggie, we’ll have to go back up and get it.” Then, knowing full well that Mrs. Hobbs would check later to see if Andy’s little calling card was still there, Hope rode the elevator once again and dug out a baggie, returned back down, and cleaned it up. Then, she realized she’d forgotten her mailbox key. About a dozen rides up and down the elevator later (or so it seemed), Hope finally felt like she was ready to sit down and sort out her mail, but she’d only opened one envelope when Andy decided he needed to go outside again.

  Perhaps city living with a dog wasn’t quite what she’d imagined it to be!

  Chapter Nineteen

  “My apologies for dinner,” she told Curtis as she rinsed the scorched bottom of the saucepan. “I can usually do marinara sauce with my eyes closed.”

  “I think your dog is a distraction.”

  She didn’t like how he said your dog, and she suspected he didn’t like Andy. It probably hadn’t helped that Andy had relieved himself on Curtis’s shoe when they’d taken him down for yet another potty break before dinner. She still couldn’t understand why Andy would do something like that. Well, except that perhaps he didn’t like Curtis. And some people thought dogs were a good judge of character. Or maybe Nona had a secret communication line to Andy.

  “Earth to Hope?” Curtis was peering curiously at her.

  “What?” She set the pan in the sink to soak.

  “I was talking to you, but you were on another planet.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I think I was.”

  “Which planet was it?”

  “The Nona planet.”

  His expression softened. “You really miss her, don’t you?”

  “Yes.” She dried her hands, giving him her full attention. “Now what were you saying while I was spacing?”

  “Just that your little dog, sweet as he is…” Curtis made a face at where Andy was curled up on the makeshift bed of a feather pillow and blanket, “might pose some challenges for you.”

  “He’s just not used to all this,” she defended. “First, he’s lost his beloved Nona, then I go in and tear up his happy home, then I throw him in a box and force him to fly to the city. And now he’s got to get used to condo living.”

  “My point. Condo living with a dog could be tricky, Hope.” Curtis nodded over to the growing pile of pink slips that she’d set by the phone. “What about those?”

  “They weren’t all for Andy.” She frowned. All the years she’d lived here, she’d never gotten one pink slip. Today she had three. “One of those came while I was gone…because I’d forgotten to stop my mail and it had overflowed my box.”

  “But the other two belong to Sir Andrew.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “They belong to me. I didn’t have a doggy-do bag when he did his business earlier today, which of course busybody Hobbs had to witness. But I will explain that to the management tomorrow, because I did pick it up later. And the other one is simply that I need to pay a pet deposit, which I will also explain.” Still it irked her that she was being penalized so quickly.

  “You’re missing my point.”

  She frowned at him. “What is your point?”

  “That a condo isn’t a very pet-friendly place.”

  “Andy seems perfectly happy now.” She smiled at the sleeping dog.

  “Because he’s worn out from going up and down the elevator seventeen times in the last three hours.”

  “You’re counting?”

  “No. What I’m saying is that Andy would be much happier in a real house, with a real lawn, and with someone to be home with him during the day to take him for walks.” Curtis smiled, and Hope felt confused.

  “You want to adopt my dog?” It was true that Curtis’s house did have a lawn, and since he worked from his home he would be around to keep Andy company, and he might even make a good parent, except for one thing—she was not parting with Andy.

  “I want to adopt both you and your dog, Hope.”

  “Oh…”

  “You wanted to take a break,” he began. “So we took a break. Then, you thought you were going to quit your job, quit the city, and move back home…but then you realized that was a mistake. Now here you are again…and here we are together…and I don’t think it was a coincidence that you called me from the airport or that I just happened to be nearby.”

  “What then?”

  “Fate.”

  “Oh…”

  “Think about it, Hope. It makes sense. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle are here. You and me and Andy. We could make it work.”

  She placed her palms on the breakfast bar between them and, leaning over, looked directly into his face then smiled. “You are a persistent guy.”

  He smiled back. “My dad always told me persistence paid off.”

  She wondered. “Well, you asked me to think about it, right?”

  He nodded cautiously.

  “So I will. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to call it a night. Like Andy, I’m exhausted.”

  “I’m kind of beat, too,” he said as he came around and into the kitchen. He was about to make what she knew was an attempt to kiss her. But she lowered her chin and, instead, he planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Hope. Get some rest.”

  She followed him to the door. “You, too.” She gave him a tired smile as he went out, then she locked the deadbolt and leaned against the door, releasing a deep sigh. She knew she could do much worse than Curtis Phillips. And she knew lots of women who would beat down the door to get to a guy like that. But she also knew, perhaps now more than ever before, that he was not the one.

  “Why not?” she exclaimed out loud, causing Andy’s little head to pop up and look at her with startled brown eyes. “It’s okay,” she said quietly, going over to the couch next to where she’d arranged his bed. “I’m just being the crazy lady, talking to herself. You can go back to sleep now.” She stroked his smooth coat and continued to ponder this aggravating situation. On one hand, the trip to Sisters could’ve been just what she needed to decide that everything she wanted was right here in the city. It could’ve been that final nudge to make her want to settle down with Curtis, live in his house by the river, work at the firm…settle down. Or maybe just settle.

  Instead, her visit to Sisters had stirred something up. And her encounters with Nona’s handsome attorney, though relatively few, had left her with a deep, unsatisfied longing—and something else too. Hope. Hope had finally found hope. And yet, thanks to her sisters—her sisters in Sisters—that hope had been dashed.

  She quietly stood now, pacing around her condo, and like a dog chasing its tail, her thoughts ran in circles. Stay here and settle with a man who loved her and wanted to care for her and, consequently, avoid painful family conflicts and chaos…or return to Sisters where nothing was certain except for painful family conflicts and chaos. The smart choice seemed obvious.

  Hope looked around her orderly home, which, unlike the construction site at Nona’s house, had a place for everything and everything was neatly in its place. Her white chenille sofa, her plum club chair and ottoman, her oriental rug…all fit beautifully. The lamps and tables were perfection. And her well-outfitted kitchen, with its sleek stainless state-of-the-art appliances, cherry cabinets, and granite, was any cook’s dream. Well, except for hers tonight. And even Curtis’s slightly less modern house was far more convenient and much larger than Nona’s old bungalow would ever be. And it was by the river. Really, the choice should be easy. Why wasn’t it?

  She continued to compare the two completely different worlds. Weighing the pros and cons of here and there. Here there was no angry little sister next door,
about to burst in here and shatter Hope’s peace with wild accusations. Here there was no ex-boyfriend/brother-in-law ready to come over and dump his problems in her lap. And here there was no brokenhearted and slightly neurotic older sister to show up and blame Hope for all her troubles.

  But there was also no eleven-year-old niece with her big brown eyes, her honest questions, and her frank confessions—her neediness and her helpful heart. There was also no insecure adolescent nephew, a boy who had trusted her implicitly and, like he’d promised, called her to say he’d made it safely home and perhaps would stay a week or so. Monroe still had no idea that she was not going back.

  There were other things missing here as well—the small-town charm…her old friend Erica…the mountains. And, of course, there was Lewis. Or there was the illusion of Lewis. She really didn’t know who he truly was. She didn’t understand the link between him and Cherry. Although, she found it hard to believe that someone like Lewis would chose such a compromising relationship. Still, she hadn’t asked him. Perhaps because she hadn’t wanted to know the answer…couldn’t bear to think of history repeating itself. Only this time—if she let it—it would hurt far more.

  She got ready for bed, luxuriating in her marble-encased steam shower, toweling dry with Egyptian cotton, applying expensive lavender lotion, pulling on her best silk pajamas, and finally sliding into fine percale sheets and resting her head on a down pillow—a far cry from the rustic conditions she’d just escaped. Yes, she sleepily told herself, this was the life she wanted…this was exactly what she needed.

  But three hours later, as she sat wide awake, staring blankly out the window at the city lights, she was not so sure.

  Chapter Twenty

  By morning, she was thoroughly confused. And unhappy. Not to mention tired from her sleepless night. She pulled on her sweats and leashed Andy, who’d been dancing around by the door. But as they exited the elevator, fully equipped with a plastic bag, she wondered how she could possibly settle for such a confined life. The air was already warm, and the smells of the city felt thick and heavy…and slightly suffocating. The sounds were the usual city noises—engines revving, tires squealing, the occasional horn honking, busses grinding by as they transported people to jobs and wherever.

  Hope grimaced as she plucked Andy’s still-warm deposit into the plastic bag then hurried to drop this in the handy trash receptacle. How did people live like this? Already Curtis’s offer of “adopting” Hope and Andy had become more appealing. Because, despite Hope’s initial delight at being back in her condo with all the comforts of home, she no longer felt so comfortable—or at home.

  Back in her unit, she fed Andy his breakfast and hurried to get dressed for the office. She had told Becca she was coming in, and she planned to stick to her word. What she’d say when she got there was a mystery. “You be good,” she told Andy as she reached for her bag. “I’ll only be gone a few hours. Then we’ll take a walk.” Naturally, at the mention of the word walk, he was ready to go, standing by the door and wagging his tail hopefully.

  “Not now, Andy.” She shook her finger at him. “Later. Go back to your bed. At least one of us should get some rest.” He just sat and stared at her. And then she left. As she drove to the office, she thought Curtis was right. Having a dog in the city, in her condo, was not going to be easy. Not for her or Andy. And it was probably a mistake.

  “I hear you want to come back,” Hal said when she stopped by his spacious corner office to see if he had a minute.

  “I thought I did.”

  He motioned to a large leather chair opposite him. “But now you’re not so sure?”

  “I’m confused.” She glanced at the Remington prints hanging on his walls. Hal, though a successful lawyer, was really more of a cowboy at heart.

  He just nodded. “Well, I’ve started reviewing some résumés. None as impressive as yours.”

  “Thanks.” She gave him a weak smile.

  “Still, I can’t keep your job open forever.”

  “I know. And I really thought I was coming back here to resume my old life. I was sure of it.”

  “You don’t like it in Sisters?” His brow creased with curiosity. “Lynnette’s been nagging for years to get some property there. She loves the mountains, the trees, the lakes, the charming little town. She thinks it’s heavenly.” He chuckled. “And I have to admit I’m inclined to agree.”

  “It is heavenly.” Hope sighed.

  “But you don’t want to live there?”

  “I thought I didn’t when I left. Everything just felt too hard—like it wasn’t worth it. Now that I’m back here, I’m not so sure.”

  He frowned now. “Were you running away from something?”

  She kind of laughed. “Just my own family.”

  He grinned. “Family can be a royal pain—this I know from experience. But I don’t think running away improves things much.”

  “Being there didn’t seem to help either.”

  “You gave up awfully quickly, Hope. I never thought of you as a quitter before. You used to have more fight in you.”

  His words startled her, and she wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “Did I say something to offend you?”

  “No, it’s just that someone else—an attorney in Sisters—said almost the same thing to me.”

  His brows arched with interest. “An attorney in Sisters? Someone you’re involved with, perhaps?”

  “Just a friend,” she said quickly. “He was my grandmother’s attorney.”

  Now Hal smiled. “Your face betrays your words, Hope.”

  She just shook her head. “You’ve always been good at reading people, haven’t you?”

  “I have a reputation for getting the best jurors.” He pointed his finger at her. “And I’m guessing this Sister’s attorney has sparked a little something in you. Am I wrong?”

  “Probably not. But that doesn’t mean that it’s right, either.”

  “Now, I’m no expert on matters of the heart—although Lynnette and I have been married for close to forty years—but I think you need to go back to Sisters, Hope. I think you need to finish up what you started there. And if you give it your all and it still doesn’t work out, then you come back here and we’ll talk about your job. Not that I’ll be holding it for you. Sometimes you have to give something up to find something better.”

  She nodded then stood, sticking out her hand to shake. “Thanks, Hal. And in case I never told you before, you are one of the wisest men I know.”

  He chuckled. “Hey, isn’t the Sisters Rodeo right around the corner?”

  “This weekend.”

  He shook his head. “One of these years, Lynnette and I will have to make it over for that again. We used to go, back in our younger days.”

  “Thanks for taking the time to—”

  “You just listen to your heart, Hope. And if I were you, I’d get back there in time for rodeo.”

  She shrugged. “I’m not even sure I’m going back.”

  He just grinned. “I’m pretty sure you are.” Then he waved her away. “Sorry to end this, but I need to brief for a settlement I’m trying to put to rest.”

  “Thanks!” She closed his door then was stopped by Becca on her way out.

  “So, are you coming back to work?”

  “Not today,” Hope admitted.

  “Next week?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Oh?” Becca cocked her head to one side. “Are you thinking about going back to Sisters?”

  “I really don’t know.”

  “Well, I’ve heard it’s not such a great place.”

  “Really?”

  “My older sister lived there for a while. She taught at the high school.” Becca frowned. “She hated it.”

  “Hated it?”

  “She said it was a horrible place for single people. Especially women.”

  “Really? Why was that?”

  “Not much to do. Hardly any available men. Not good on
es anyway. And even then, she said unless you hung out in bars, there was no way to meet them.”

  “Oh?”

  “She couldn’t wait to get out of there.”

  “How long ago was this?”

  “The early nineties.”

  “What’s your sister’s name?” Hope asked. “I lived there then.”

  “Lois Barton.”

  Hope suppressed the urge to laugh now. “Miss Mink is your sister?”

  “Did you know her?”

  Hope nodded with a poker face. “I had her for English.” She did not add that Miss Barton was not particularly well liked by her students and that it was no surprise she never met a “good man,” since she was such a stick-in-the-mud.

  “So you’re probably smart not to go back there,” Becca said knowingly as her phone buzzed. “I don’t blame you one bit.”

  Hope nodded and waved as Becca answered the phone. Then she went to the supply room to get a box and on to her office, which to her relief no one had touched, and she began to empty her desk. Several old friends popped in, asking her if this was the real deal or if she would be back again next week. To all inquiries, she simply told them the truth—that she didn’t know. But as she rode the elevator down, she wondered if it was really for the last time.

  Andy was barking as she came down the hallway to her condo unit. And there in front of her door was her fourth pink slip. Balancing the box in one hand, she picked it up to see that she’d been cited for barking this time. Well, that would be hard to argue her way out of. She unlocked the door, scolded Andy, and then dropped the box of office things on the counter. “What am I going to do with you?” she asked Andy. “With us, for that matter?”

  She changed out of her business clothes then, as promised, took Andy for a walk. But she could tell he wasn’t enjoying the traffic and noises and exhaust fumes any more than she was, and after twenty minutes, they were both back in the condo. She was pacing, and he was watching. “I know how you must’ve felt yesterday,” she told him, “trapped in your little carry case and not knowing where you were bound.”