Homecoming Reunion

by Carolyne Aarsen

  Wondered if he ever gave her another thought. He had certainly never written her or tried to call.

  And why should he?

  He had taken her father’s money and run.

  She dragged her gaze away from his and pulled her arm free. “I’m fine. I just caught my heel on the carpet.”

  Garret glanced at the floor and Larissa knew he thought the same thing she did whenever she walked down this upstairs hall inspecting the rooms.

  The carpet needed to be replaced. As did the faucets in the room she just showed him and it seemed every time she checked the rooms another tile was loose, another stain in the carpet couldn’t be removed.

  For too long the inn had been hobbling along on halfhearted repairs and lackadaisical upkeep. Uncle Baxter and her father claimed there wasn’t enough revenue coming in to make major repairs and while they were right, neither seemed inclined to help her find a way to increase it.

  “Are you looking at other business opportunities in the area?” Larissa asked, wishing she didn’t sound so breathless. For most of the tour she’d struggled to keep a sense of distance both from him and from the dreams that had been dashed by the phone call this morning. As she showed him around, she couldn’t help but think of all the things she would do if she had ownership in this place.

  She wondered at how their roles had reversed. At one time Garret had been the one without money, without prospects. At least according to her father. Now he could, potentially, become her boss.

  “I’ve checked out a few. Nothing that really jumps out at me.”

  She kept up a brisk pace as she strode down the hall, but even though he looked like he wasn’t rushing, he easily kept up with her.

  “So will you be quitting your work as a petroleum engineer?” she asked, hoping she sounded more casual than she felt.

  “How did you know what I did?” Garret asked. His voice was pitched low and it sent an unwelcome shiver of remembrance down her back. “Were you keeping tabs on me?”

  They were at the top of the stairs now and Larissa laid her hand on the worn wooden railing, gripping it as if centering herself.

  Did he know she periodically went online and checked his Facebook status? Did he know that any mention of his name created a moment of awareness? Did he know that every time she saw Carter Beck around town her heart flipped over in her chest, then began to race when she realized it wasn’t Garret but only his twin brother?

  Uncle Baxter had barked at them to get over it. For ten years she had been trying and she thought she had done exactly that. She’d dated other men, for goodness sakes, and had made her own plans for her life. But when Garret showed up it was as if all the intervening years melted away.

  “This is Hartley Creek,” she said, forcing a light laugh but unable to meet his gaze. “One trip to Mug Shots tells me more about our expats than a dozen letters or emails could.”

  “Of course,” he said, conceding her point. Thankfully he didn’t press the matter. “But yes, I won’t be working as an engineer if I buy this place, though this wasn’t what I imagined myself doing when I decided to come back here.”

  “So why are you doing this?” She shot him a quick glance disconcerted to see him still looking at her. “Thinking about buying the inn and settling down in Hartley Creek?”

  He lifted his shoulder in a vague shrug. “Your uncle convinced me it was a good investment.”

  “It doesn’t make that much money, you know.” She didn’t know why she said that. She was supposed to be selling the inn to him.

  She didn’t want him to buy it. She didn’t want anyone to buy it. She wanted it for herself. She wanted to show her father what it could become if he let her take charge of it.

  “I think it has a lot of untapped potential,” he said.

  “I’ve always thought that.”

  “You were always pretty connected to this place.”

  His expression was noncommittal and again Larissa wished she could feel as disconnected as Garret seemed to be. Throughout the tour of the inn and the property, she had been far too aware of his presence.

  They say you never completely forget your first love. You probably never forget your first taste of faithlessness either. Garret had given her both.

  “What made you come back to Hartley Creek?” As soon as she spoke the words, she wished she could take them back. It sounded like she was soliciting for some reference to their past relationship as a reason for his return. “I mean, you could hardly wait to leave it.”

  Just stop talking already, she thought, mentally smacking herself on the forehead. You’re sounding as if you’re stuck in the past.

  “Ever since Nana’s heart attack she’s been angling to get all the kids back home. Now that I’ve got more options available to me, I figured this was a good time.”

  “Options as in...”

  “Money.”

  It was the way he said that single word along with the tilt of his head and the narrowing of his eyes that made the hair on the back of her neck lift. As if he challenged her.

  “So you think money gives you more options?” she retorted.

  “I don’t think it, I know it.”

  “You do realize you’ll be a partner with my father if you take this on,” she said, lifting her chin. She could challenge him too. “A minority partner.”

  “But you have a say as well.”

  “A whopping two percent,” she said, unable to keep the slightly derisive tone out of her voice.

  “That two percent makes all the difference, Larissa,” Garret gave her a level glance as if testing where her loyalty lay. “If I buy this place and your father and I disagree on which direction to take the inn, your decision will tip the balance. You have more power than you think you do.”

  She looked at him then, trying to ignore the faint thrum of her heart as what he said settled into her mind. Her Uncle Baxter and her father never disagreed on what was to happen with the inn mostly because her uncle didn’t seem to care one way or the other what happened with it and her father was loath to make changes.

  Both of which had a negative affect the inn’s business.

  But she sensed Garret would have different ideas if he were to buy the inn.

  The thought made her uneasy but at the same time created a puzzling sense of anticipation deep within her. Movement. Change.

  Working with Garret.

  She spun away from him and hurried down the stairs to the main entrance, making sure she didn’t fall again. A quick glance through the doors of her office just off the foyer showed her Uncle Baxter sitting at her desk, his back to them, still talking on his phone.

  What could he be talking about that took so long?

  But, thankfully, her part was done.

  With a sense of relief, she turned back to Garret with a bright smile. “So, that’s all I can show you. Do you have any more questions?”

  Garret slowly shook his head. “Not yet. But I’m sure I’ll think of some later on.”

  “Okay. Then we’ll see you when we see you.” She gave him a bright smile and without another word, turned back to the registration desk to relieve Colleen of her duties. As Colleen left, the front doors of the inn flew open and an exuberant group of people burst into the foyer, laughter and chatter following in their wake.

  Larissa quickly stepped behind the front desk and pulled up the registration program.

  “Hey there, we’re the Leusink party.” A tall, broad shouldered young man stepped up to the desk, leaning on its top. “And we’re here to party.” He added a wink that seemed meant to include her in the joke.

  Larissa stifled an inward groan, and put on a professional smile as she clicked on their registration. “I take it you are Les?”

  “More or less.” He thumped the desk and looked back at the group of six people behind him who released a collective groan.

  Old joke, Larissa thought.

  She quickly checked them in, took Les’s credit card number and g
ave him his key.

  “I hope you enjoy your stay. If there’s anything we can do for you to make it more pleasant, please let us know.”

  Les leaned forward with a smirk and Larissa knew exactly what was coming. “You could come up to room 207 when you’re done working here,” he said, tapping his key on the counter.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll be busy,” she said, keeping her polite smile in place, hoping, praying that Les and his group weren’t going to cause problems.

  For the most part the patrons were polite and respectful, but once in a while the inn got a group requiring extra vigilance. She hoped this group wouldn’t be one of them.

  “Too busy to come and spend time with me?” Les leaned a little closer and Larissa stepped back. “We promise not to get too rowdy.”

  “I think she has other plans.” Garret suddenly appeared beside Les. “And I appreciate that you will be respectful of the other patrons of the inn,” he said, his voice holding a tone that brooked no argument.

  Les appeared to take note both of Garret’s height, which topped his by about an inch, and the breadth of Garret’s shoulders. His presence seemed to overtake the lobby and Les straightened and stepped back.

  “Yeah. Of course. No problem, right, guys?” He glanced over at his friends who all shook their heads as they took their turn collecting their keys.

  “Enjoy your stay” Garret said, his smile still intact.

  As Les and his group walked away, Larissa felt the apprehension gripping her neck ease away. She gave Garret a quick smile. “Thanks for your diplomatic handling of that situation.”

  “I’ve had to smooth a few ruffled feathers in my job from time to time,” Garret said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as his smile settled into easier lines.

  A subtle undertow emanated between them at the shift in the atmosphere and for a moment Larissa couldn’t look away. Nor did she want to.

  “So, tour all done?”

  Uncle Baxter’s booming voice broke the moment. Her uncle stood in the doorway of her office, a grin on his face as he glanced from Garret to Larissa.

  To her dismay, Larissa felt a flush creep up her neck and she quickly averted her eyes, glancing back at the computer as she finished up the booking.

  “Yes. I learned a lot,” Garret said, pushing away from the counter.

  “I know Larissa put the inn’s best foot forward. The inn is her baby. She loves it like her mother did.” Baxter gave her a quick smile as he joined them. “Sorry I couldn’t come. One phone call led to another. I thought I’d be able to help out. But, Garret, do you want to go for lunch?”

  “Sorry. I’ve a few other things to do,” Garret said, “So if we’re done here, then I’ll say goodbye. But I’ll be in touch.”

  “Sure. Sorry I couldn’t show you around, but like I said, Larissa is the better person to do that anyway.” This netted Larissa another quick smile and then Uncle Baxter was escorting Garret out of the inn.

  As the door closed behind them, Larissa sank down on the stool Colleen had just vacated. Her legs felt like they couldn’t hold her up anymore.

  Dear Lord, she prayed. What is wrong with me? Why do I still feel this way about someone like him?

  But she received no divine notification. When Garret had left her all those years ago, she had prayed and cried and shed tears, but hadn’t received any answer then either.

  Larissa had been a young girl of seventeen, shy, innocent and protected by well-off parents who had their own plans for their only child. Larissa was destined for a proper marriage into a proper family after receiving a proper education.

  On that fateful day, however, she was done with school early and, bored, she went to the mill to see her father. She didn’t find him. Instead, she found Garret. He was working on the lumber sorter, a tall, gangly boy of nineteen. He had icy gray eyes and long, wavy dark hair. He looked dangerous and frightening.

  His piercing gaze seemed to hold hers as he worked and while it made her uncomfortable, on another level his interest gave her the tiniest thrill.

  Larissa was intrigued by the young man with the insolent stare. The next day she found some other reason to go to the mill after school. Garret was working that day as well.

  And the next.

  On the fourth day he was on his break and he sauntered over and asked her point-blank why she was hanging around the mill.

  She didn’t know what to say.

  Then he asked her out.

  She knew her father wouldn’t approve so at first she said no. But Garret asked her again. And again. Then, the day before her parents were supposed to leave for another trip to Mexico, she finally accepted.

  They arranged to meet in town. Larissa didn’t want her father or mother to find out so she nixed the movie Garret wanted to go to and suggested a walk instead.

  To her surprise he agreed and seemed to enjoy being with her. At the end of the date, when he brought her back to her car, he asked her out again.

  On their third date he kissed her.

  On their sixth he asked her if she wanted to be his girlfriend.

  They dated for almost a year, always being careful, always meeting either at the ranch where he lived or in another town half an hour down the road.

  But Garret grew tired of sneaking around and wanted to be more open about their relationship. Larissa tried to explain that her parents wouldn’t approve. Especially not her father. If they just waited and got married, her parents would have to accept him once that happened.

  Garret wanted to be accepted now. Wanted her parents to know they were a couple now.

  They had their first real fight and at the end Garret demanded to know who she loved more. Her father or him. Larissa was reduced to tears. She loved him. Only him. How could he doubt that?

  She was so naive, Larissa thought, pushing her tight high heels off her feet, pressing her toes against the cool wood of the floor. Then she really thought Garret’s only motive was honor and a desire to be open about their relationship.

  So she finally agreed to go and meet her parents.

  Larissa easily recalled that day. They walked, hand in hand, to her house.

  When her father answered the door, the anger on his expression almost made her back down. However, he invited them in, but didn’t call Larissa’s mother to join them. Which puzzled her.

  They stood in his study, her father behind his desk dominating the space.

  In stumbling words Larissa told him she was in love with Garret Beck. That they were starting to make plans. Garret told her father that he loved Larissa. That he would take care of her.

  Her father’s cold silence was even more frightening than his anger could have been. He finally asked about their plans. How Garret would provide for his daughter. Where they would live.

  He grilled them for half an hour. When they left, Garret was shaken and pale. He kissed her goodbye and for a couple of days she heard nothing from either her father or Garret.

  Then, one evening, her father called her into his office again. He told her that Garret had only dated her for revenge. That Garret’s mother used to work at the mill and had been fired. By him. Garret had never forgiven him and started dating Larissa to get back at him. She didn’t believe him.

  Then her father told Larissa about the money he had offered to Garret to stay away.

  He showed her a check he had made out for ten thousand dollars to Garret Beck. Cashed.

  The next day Garret had the nerve to come to the house but she refused to talk to him. Next thing she heard was Garret had enrolled in college in Vancouver, a thousand miles away. Obviously her father’s money had helped pave the way for that particular opportunity.

  She never mentioned Garret again and neither did her parents.

  The memory still stung, Larissa thought, resting her elbows on the counter, wishing, again, that her mother was still alive. Wishing she had someone who she could talk to about this.

  Garret had been a vague shadow, hovering on t
he periphery of her consciousness for the past ten years, his betrayal creating a distrust of men for many years afterward.

  Now he was back and might be about to become her boss.

  A cold finger slid down her spine. What was she going to do about that? She didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

  And will you manage that? He could end up being your father’s newest partner.

  She could quit. Find another job. Work somewhere else.

  And what about the inn? What about your plans for that?

  She pressed her fingers to her temples, making circles with her fingertips, trying to massage away the confusion and the pressure building behind her forehead.

  Then the front door opened and she looked up expectantly. But it was just her uncle. “So, I think that went well,” he said with a satisfied smirk. Then he caught Larissa’s expression and his smile faded and he strode over to the desk. “Oh, honey. I forgot to ask you if you heard from the bank?”

  She waved his question off.

  “No. I need to know. Garret seems interested, but if you got approval, you get first crack at this.”

  Larissa looked down at the papers she had left on the desk before had shown Garret around the inn. The papers she had spent so much time and effort getting exactly right. All for nothing.

  “They turned me down. The loans officer said the financial statements weren’t robust enough. Whatever that means.”

  Uncle Baxter lifted his shoulder in a shrug. “You know yourself the inn has been losing money. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to sell my share.”

  Larissa leaned forward, her hands clasped on the desk in front of her. “We haven’t been doing enough here,” she said. “We need to fix things up. Put some money back into the place. Look for new business.”

  Uncle Baxter pulled in a long, deep breath. “I don’t have the energy and your father doesn’t have the will.”

  Larissa knew part of her father’s reluctance had to do with making changes to a place his beloved wife loved so much. “I think he’s too caught in the past,” she said looking down at her joined fingers.