Homecoming Reunion

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “I don’t think she was being selfish,” Garret said. He swallowed down his own flicker of sorrow. “I remember how much my mother cried when she thought she wouldn’t see me and Carter grow up. I’m sure your mother felt the same way. I’m sure she hoped that what she did was an investment in the future. A future with you and your father.”

  Larissa was quiet a moment, then she looked up at him her eyes shimmering with the remnants of her tears. “Thank you for that,” she whispered.

  Garret kissed her again. “You’re welcome.” He smiled down at her, then reached into his pocket, wanting to move the conversation to a happier topic. “And speaking of investments...”

  He pulled out the necklace and let it dangle from his finger.

  She frowned when she saw the gold nugget at the end of the chain catching the sunlight, throwing it back at her.

  “Is that one of the necklaces your grandmother had made out of the nuggets?”

  Garret nodded. “Hailey, Shannon and Naomi all wear theirs. But Carter gave his to Emma.” Then he carefully slipped the necklace over Larissa’s head. “And I’m giving mine to you. It’s my way of saying that I want you in my life. That I choose you just like August chose Kamiskhak. That I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep us together.”

  Larissa fingered the gold nugget, a lone tear trickling down her cheek as she did. “I...I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t need to say anything. Just nod. Or, if you don’t accept, you can just turn and walk away.”

  Larissa turned her face up to his, “Of course I accept. You’ve always been the only one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Garret smiled, gave her another kiss and slipped his arm around her shoulder. “With or without the inn?”

  “With or without the inn,” she agreed. “I know the inn was too important to me. Too much a legacy from my mother. I put it in the wrong place in my life. I learned that the past few days. So if you think you should sell your share to my father, or if you want to sell it to someone else, then that’s fine.”

  “I thought you said you heard everything I said to your father.”

  “I know, but it isn’t necessary.”

  “But it is. Because this inn was a place of healing for me,” he said quietly, his fingers caressing her shoulder. “It’s a place where I realized the importance of legacy and community. And now that I know about the loan, I’m even more determined to make a go of this place.” He paused, in spite of his brave words, still feeling the remnants of faint panic clawing at him. “I’ve cashed in my investments. I’m using that money to buy out your father and now that I know why the inn hasn’t been making money, I’m sure we’ll be able to make a profit.”

  Larissa gave him a wistful smile. “Paying out that loan won’t be as hard as you think. Apparently my mother had also used my grandparent’s legacy to pay for some of the treatments. Money that was supposed to come to me. To protect her secret, Orest paid me from the income of the inn, even though the inheritance was all used up by my mother.”

  “Your father told me about that money,” Garret said, lowering his arm. “He said that you were able to supplement the income you got from the inn with that.”

  Larissa’s laughter was a surprise to him. “I didn’t supplement my income at all. Every penny I got from that inheritance was put into a savings account. I was hoping to use it to eventually buy out my father. It wasn’t enough for that, but it is enough to do some of the renovations I wanted to do in the first place.”

  Garret was surprised at the relief he felt at her declaration. “So all along, you’ve been getting by on what you’ve been drawing from the inn?”

  “Of course,” she said, sounding surprised. “More than getting by.” Then she gave him a mischievous grin, as if she knew what he was thinking. “And you know exactly how much that amount is. I’m not the spoiled high-maintenance girl you seem to think I am.”

  “Never spoiled and never high-maintenance,” he said, with a touch of shame.

  “But you did think that at one time.”

  “I was an idiot at one time,” he returned. “But I know you better now and I know myself better now. I’d like to think we’ve both grown up. I know I’ve had to learn where to store up my treasure.”

  Larissa smiled at him. “I have, too. And I am praying that together we can help each other trust in God as well as each other.”

  “I’m praying the same thing,” he said with a gentle smile. He pressed a kiss to her lips, then brushed her hair away from her face and slipped his arm around her, and looked out over the property. “This is a good place,” he said. “I think we’ll do well here.”

  “I know we will,” she said, tucking herself against his side. “Mostly because we’ll be working on it together.”

  “I like the sound of that,” he said, pulling her close.

  She sighed a little, then drew back to hold his gaze. “So you won’t regret not buying the mill? You have as much of a chance to get it as my father, right?”

  Garret heard the uncertainty in her voice and shook his head. “No. I won’t regret it at all.” He looked past her at the trees sheltering the creek and the grass rolling away toward the inn, so settled into the landscape. “The mill can never give me what this inn can.”

  “And what is that?”

  “All the cake and pie I can eat and a place for my cousins to have their wedding,” he joked.

  They laughed, but then he grew serious as his fingers drifted over her beloved features. “The mill is a business, but this place is a way of life. A vocation if you will. Something that we can do together. Which means more to me than any income the mill could generate.”

  Larissa’s smile shone brighter than the sun overhead. He kissed her again and caught her by the arm. “We should be getting back before your father leaves,” he said. “I have something I need to talk to him about.”

  Larissa tilted her head to one side. “And what would that be?”

  “We need to resolve some of the business stuff. About me taking over the inn.”

  Her hopeful expression faded a little but then she rallied with a quick smile. “Of course.”

  “And I need to take care of a little detail about my plans for his daughter’s future,” he added.

  Larissa grinned up at him. “I see” was all she said.

  He held out his arm to her and she tucked hers into it.

  “Shall we do this together?” he asked.

  “I think that’s a great idea.”

  He took her arm in his and this time they walked back to the inn, their footsteps reverberating on the wooden bridge, a faint echo from their past life.

  He paused at the end of the bridge, then looked around at the grounds of the inn. “You know, you always had the right idea.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He turned to her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “I think this inn is the perfect place for a wedding.”

  Larissa’s only response was to step up on her tiptoes and give him a gentle kiss.

  Garret held her close, feeling as if his life had come full circle to this amazing, wonderful place. As if all the struggles they had both gone through, the choices they made were now vindicated.

  Then he took her hand, gave it a light squeeze and a gentle smile, and he thanked God that they were now, finally, reunited again.

  * * * * *

  Look for Carolyne Aarsen’s next novel

  in her HOME TO HARTLEY CREEK series,

  CATCHING HER HEART,

  available in March from Love Inspired Books.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt of Reunited for the Holidays by Jillian Hart!

  Dear Reader,

  Like Garret, I’ve often been caught up in the idea that money will give me a measure of control over my life, but every day it seems that I have to learn not to put my trust in riches, but to realize that I need to say, like Job, “The Lord g
iveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

  In North America we have so many material blessings that it becomes difficult not to put our trust in them for happiness and peace. Every day I feel that the Lord teaches me to seek Him first and store up treasures in heaven, not earth. I don’t know if you struggle with that, but if you do, I pray that you too will find peace in knowing that all we have is only given to us by God, and that nothing we have here on earth is of lasting value compared to knowing that someday we will be living with God in the fullness of eternity.

  Carolyne Aarsen

  P.S. I love to hear from my readers. You can write to me at caarsen@xplornet.com or visit my website, www.carolyneaarsen.com.

  Questions for Discussion

  Garret thinks that money would give him more control in his life. Why does he think this? Have you ever felt the same?

  Why do you think Larissa’s father wanted Garret out of her life when they were younger? If you were in his shoes, would you have done the same or acted differently?

  The inn was very important to Larissa because it was her one connection to her mother. If you’ve suffered the loss of a parent, did you find yourself clinging to objects or places that reminded you of them? If so, what were they?

  One of the concepts this story deals with is the place of money and material possessions in our lives. How hard is it for people to develop the right attitude toward money? What do you treasure that you would have a hard time parting with?

  Mistakes from the past caused problems for Larissa and Garret in their relationship. What was the difference between Larissa’s version of why Garret left, and Garret’s? Have you ever had only partial information about a difficult situation? How did you feel when you found out the whole picture?

  Garret and Larissa had to let go of things in their life in order to strengthen their relationship with each other, and with God. What were some of the things they had to let go of?

  What are some of the things you have to let go of in your life that are hindering your faith?

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired story.

  You believe hearts can heal. Love Inspired stories show that faith, forgiveness and hope have the power to lift spirits and change lives—always.

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  Chapter One

  Dr. Brian Wallace plucked the ceramic frog out of the flower bed, tipped it upside down and shook hard. The spare front-door key fell onto his palm as he squinted into the watery afternoon sun. It was good to be home. Late November air crisped over him and he shivered, goose bumps traveling down his arms. Weak from an extended illness, he gripped the railing to steady himself. The long trip from rural Texas had taken a toll on him.

  The old adage There’s No Worse Patient Than a Doctor had never been more true, he thought, as he struggled up the stairs. Easily winded, he paused a moment at the top, thanking God he was here to see the colors of sunset. His near brush with death had marked him. He couldn’t deny it. He’d missed his life here in Fort Worth. He missed his kids—although they were grown, they were what he had left of his heart.

  He ambled to the door, leaned heavily against the wall and inserted the key. The door creaked open. Every part of him vibrated with a mix of weakness and exhaustion. As he crossed the threshold into the comfort of the house, memories surrounded him. It had been years since his children had lived here, but he recalled the pound of music from an upstairs bedroom, the chatter of his daughter on her phone, the drum of feet as one of the boys prowled the kitchen.

  Emotion dug into his chest, claws sharp. Yes, looking death in the face changed a man. It stripped away everything extraneous, leaving what mattered most.

  His footsteps echoed in the lonely living room. He eased onto a couch cushion, sighing heavily as fatigue washed over him like water. Maybe he should have listened to his colleague—he’d valued Dr. Travors’s expertise, which had saved his life—but he’d had enough bed rest. He needed to get home; he needed to be here. The Lord had put a deep call into his heart. He couldn’t explain it as he reached for the phone to try his children again. He needed to see them.

  He dialed his daughter’s number first. Dear Maddie. Many things had crossed his mind while he’d lain on a spare cot in the corner of a migrant worker’s temporary home—a shack beside many others on a remote Texas farm. His failings and regrets hit hard, but none as cruelly as his missteps in his personal relationships. He’d always had a difficult time opening up. He had to try to fix that. He’d been given a second chance.

  He waited for the call to connect. A muffled ringing came from what sounded like his front porch. The bell pealed, boots thumped on the front step and joy launched him from the couch. He set down the phone, listening to the faint conversation on the other side of the door. His kids were here? Theirs were the voices he’d missed during his illness, the ones he’d most longed to hear. He gripped the brass knob, tugged and set eyes on his children. All three of them.

  Praise the Lord, for bringing them here safe and sound. “You got my messages.”

  “You left about a dozen.” Maddie tumbled into his arms. “Dad, you have no idea how good it is to see you. No idea.”

  “Right back at you, sweetheart.” The endearment stumbled off his tongue—he wasn’t good with them—but he had to get better at speaking his feelings. He had to try harder. His dear Maddie, so like her mother. His chest ached with affections too intense to handle, so he swallowed hard, trying to tamp them down as he held her hands in his after their hug was done. “I was gone a little longer than I’d planned this time—”

  “A little?” Her voice shot up. “Dad, you have no idea how worried sick we’ve been over you.”

  “I don’t even know how to say how sorry I am—”

  “What matters is that you’re all right.” Her hands gave his a warm, understanding squeeze.

  “Where have you been?” Grayson, his oldest child, stepped in to join the reunion. Tall, dark and handsome. Pride swelled up, making it hard to look at the boy properly.

  “Grayson.” Those couldn’t be tears in his eyes, of course not. Brian wasn’t a man given to tears. Maybe because he had thought of his two other children when he’d been fighting for his life on that cot. Yet another son and daughter, lost to him forever. His biggest regret of all. Emotion clumped in his throat, making it impossible to say more.

  “We’ve been looking for you.” Grayson’s hug was brief, his face fighting emotion, too. “We found your wallet in a ditch and we feared you were missing. The police—”

  “Missing?” He swiped a hand over his face, grimacing, hating what he’d put them through. “I was in rural Texas, you know that, sometimes without phones or cell service. I would have gotten a message to you kids, but I lost my cell—”

  “I know. We found your phone, too.” Carter, his youngest from his second marriage, stepped in, healthy and whole, back from war. “We were afraid you’d gotten ill. Are you all right, Dad?”

  “Now I am.” He wrapped his arms around Carter, holding him tight. When he ended the hug, he held on, drinking in the sight of the boy—okay, he was twenty-three, but Carter would always be his youngest, a seasoned soldier home from deployment safely. When Brian let go, it was hard to see again. He was grateful to God for returning his youngest son home unharmed.

  “We heard you caught a virulent strain of strep.” Carter ambled into the living room, making himself at home.

  “And that you’d been treating a family who were dangerously ill.” Grayson headed straight for the couch.

  “We feared the worst, Dad.�
� Beautiful Maddie with her auburn hair and a stylish fashion sense swept through the doorway, anguish carved into her dear face.

  “I never meant to worry you.” He shut the door, swallowing hard. His case had been severe and there’d been days, even weeks, where it hadn’t been certain he would live. He didn’t know what to do with the emotions coiled in his chest, so he shrugged, tried to play things down. “I survived, so it wasn’t so bad.”

  “This is just like you. Always keeping us out instead of letting us in.” Maddie sounded upset, on the verge of anger or tears, maybe both.

  He hated upsetting her. Frustrated at himself, he crossed his arms over his chest. Remember your vow, Brian. You have to try harder. “I didn’t mean it that way, honey. There’s nothing to worry about now. I’m on the mend. That you kids are here, that you came, means everything.”

  It wasn’t easy, but he got out the words.

  “Oh, Daddy.” Maddie swiped her eyes. “Don’t you dare make me cry. I’m choked up enough already.”

  “What do you mean? What’s got you choked up? Is something going on?”

  “Dad, you’d better sit down for this.” Grayson patted the seat beside him.

  “This can’t be good.” He studied Carter’s serious face and the troubled crinkles around Grayson’s eyes. “Something happened while I was gone. That’s why you were trying to reach me?”

  “It’s not bad news, but it could give you a real shock.” Grayson cleared his throat, waiting until Brian eased onto the cushion. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to do it. We found Mom.”

  “Uh...” Brian’s brain screeched to a halt, unable to make sense of those words. He was hearing things. No doubt due to his exhaustion and weakened state. “Sorry...say that again? Your mom’s buried. She died when Carter was three. You remember the car accident.”