by Unknown
Laughing, she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “No, you didn’t.”
“Maybe I never asked, but I definitely thought about it.” He stole the box from her and placed it on the table. Flipped the lid open. “Ham and sausage. A little bit of paradise.”
“I figured your affection for that combo hadn’t changed.” She closed the door behind her and handed Levi his bottle of soda.
“We’re paper plating it today.” He undid a blue twist tie, pulled two plates from the bag then set them on the table.
“Works for me.” The aroma of basil in the sauce rose to her nose, making her stomach growl. “I’m starving. There was a problem at the hotel today with one of the guests, and I worked straight through lunch.”
“Did it get worked out?”
“Yes, eventually. We had to offer them a free night as compensation, which I don’t mind doing because it was our fault, but it irks me that it happened.” She lifted a piece and pulled at the stretching cheese.
“What happened?” Levi grabbed a slice for himself.
“My new desk clerk accidentally assigned our last handicapped room to a couple when it was reserved for a family who needed the room. The couple was already settled in when it happened and weren’t happy about lugging their belongings upstairs.”
“At least they didn’t go elsewhere.”
“That’s true.” Paige sighed. “Even though it was Austen’s mistake, it looks bad on me since I’m the supervisor. He’s new and still in training, so I should have told Beth to double-check his work.”
Levi finished chewing a bite. “How did you end up in that position?”
“Not long after you left, I needed something to keep me busy in the summer. I couldn’t spend all day on the beach and country club, so I got a job. I always loved meeting the tourists, and the job fell into place.”
“Did you finish college?”
“Yes. My parents flipped out when I took the job and only calmed down when I promised I’d finish my degree.” She smiled and winked. “Little did they know I never planned to drop out of college. I do use my business degree in my position, and it helped me when it came time for promotion. I love what I do, even if it’s not what my parents had in mind for me.”
“I’m glad you found a career you love.” He set down his slice and looked at her with pensive eyes. “Part of me always worried you’d cave to your parents’ demands and be miserable.”
“Are you admitting you thought of me over the years?” She tried to play it off like a light statement, but her heart thudded against her chest.
“Of course, I did, no matter how hard I tried not to.” A fizz erupted when he opened his soda, and he wiped down the sides of the bottle.
His answer brought her happiness, followed by a profound sense of loss. By Levi’s own admission, he had less than a week left in Treasure Harbor. He’d said he would only be here for two weeks at the most, and one had already past. There’d been no talk of him delaying his return to Indiana, and she was too chicken to make the suggestion.
“The house looks good,” she said.
“Thanks. It’s amazing how much can get done in a week when focused.” He offered an appreciative smile. “Of course, it helps when you have good friends working with you to make it happen faster.”
“All you have left to do is go through Peter’s belongings?”
“Yes. I know it’s not fun, but I appreciate your moral support.” He paused and licked his lips. “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow by taking you somewhere.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Like a date? “Where to?”
“Your choice.”
“Anywhere I want?” she asked for clarification, with a hint of mischief.
“Uh oh. Perhaps I spoke too soon.” Levi laughed. “What do you have in mind?”
“A ghost walk.”
He shook his head. “You know how I feel about those. I don’t believe in ghosts or trying to summon evil spirits.”
She scrunched her nose. It’s the battle they’d had multiple times while dating. “I understand and respect your beliefs. As I’ve gotten older, I also agree, but the ones in town now are different. They still call them ghost walks, but the word is more of a usage along the lines of a ghost town. The tours are all about the history and local folklore, no talk of the supernatural.”
Acquiescence rested on his tongue. “Okay, we’ll play tourist tomorrow night, but after I take you out to dinner.”
“That’s an easy agreement.” She struck out a hand to shake on it. “Wear comfy shoes.”
They finished eating in relative silence.
Levi closed the box with the leftovers and stuffed it into the refrigerator. “Ready to get started?”
“Where should we begin?”
“Let’s start in the back bedrooms and work our way forward. I called the homeless shelter, and they’re going to take all the clothes and household goods.” He grabbed a box of trash bags off the counter. “We’ll need a bunch of these for the clothing and linens. I have boxes and paper for wrapping dishes and trinkets.”
“Are you saving anything?”
“A few items that have sentimental value. And a few things I’ll keep for renters to use, but Uncle Peter had a tendency to collect more than he could need, so I’ll clear out the excess.”
“Still determined to go back to Indiana?” She wished she would have kept her mouth shut, but the words slipped out.
A regretful sigh lingered between them. “I have a life there. I can’t just abandon all that I’ve worked for.”
“What if God meant for you to move back to Treasure Harbor?”
“I don’t know, Paige.” An exasperated scowl crossed his face. “It’s only been a week since my life was thrown into a tailspin. I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened.”
She rubbed two fingers over her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”
He raised his hand and pressed it against her cheek. “I didn’t expect any of this, but I need time.”
Covering his hand with hers, she looked him in his eyes. “I know.”
“We should get busy.” Levi pulled away. “We’ll do Uncle Peter’s room first, then the spare.”
“All right.” She followed him into the furthermost bedroom. “I’ll start with the dressers.”
“I’ll get the closet. The one in the spare room will be the worst.”
She grabbed two bags and went to the dresser. Starting at the top drawer, she pulled clothes out one by one. Some were worn beyond wear and went into the bag for trash. Those that could still be worn were placed in the second bag to give away.
Levi remained unusually quiet as he cleaned out the closet. Paige assumed his silence was due to the solemn task they performed, but when she looked behind her, she spotted him sitting on the bed with a box in front of him.
“What is that?” She took three steps to reach the bed and sat on the edge.
He scratched his neck. “Letters.”
“From who? What do they say?” Her brain conjured up unlimited possibilities. I might have watched one too many movies.
“I’m not sure. They’re all addressed to my uncle, except this one.” He held up a plain envelope, yellowed from age, with no writing on the outside.
“We should read them.”
“That’s an invasion of privacy. I wouldn’t feel right.” A definitive lack of conviction existed in his protest.
“Peter saved them for a reason. Maybe he wanted you to find them after he was gone.” Okay, I admit, my motives aren’t completely altruistic, but my nosiness has the better of me.
Levi twisted his mouth, his features set in a contemplative state for several moments. “I think he’d want me to read them, but anything we discover, if we find out anything, stays here. It doesn’t leave this room. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” She was honored he’d trust her with something that potentially held great importance.
He handed one to he
r. “Do you want to read the first one?”
She started to take it, but her hands shook. Primitive instinct told her the letters held clues to missing links. “You do it.”
Taking the letter, Levi furrowed his brows. He untucked the flap and withdrew the paper. His eyes stilled, and he gasped. “Do you know who Mona Burton is?”
“The name sounds familiar.” She ran down a mental list of family members then snapped her fingers. “My mother had an Aunt Mona, but she died long before I was born. No one has ever said much about her.”
“Read this.” Excitement quickened the pace of his words, and he handed the letter to her again. “Seems Mona and my uncle had a romance.”
“What?” This time, she eagerly grabbed the letter and read the words with greedy anticipation.
Dearest Pete,
How I miss you. You must think I am silly since I only just left you, but the nights apart are difficult. The day will come soon when we no longer have to say goodbye when the sun falls. Until then. I shall write you every night to keep you close to my heart until the morning comes.
Forever your love,
Mona
“Wow.” She stared at the paper and read it a second time. “What do you think kept them apart?”
Levi arched both brows. “What do you think? What kept us apart?”
“The feud?” The weight of loss crushed her curiosity for a second. “How many lives has it affected?”
“Too many.”
“Should we read the rest?”
He nodded. One by one they read the letters. A mounting sense of desperation emanated from each page. Paige had thought her parents were difficult, but as she read Mona’s words, her heart ached for the woman not allowed to love the man her heart chose. Toward the end of the pile, a particular letter brought tears to her eyes.
Dearest Pete,
Tonight was the worst night of my life. The tragedy of pretending to be engaged to a man my parents chose while you were forced to watch from the outside as the family gardener! What a cruel joke the universe has played. I can’t do this any longer. I took every champagne offered to me just to exist through the evening, yet my body felt dead. I must get away from here, or I fear what will happen. We are meant to be together my sweet, gentle love. Let’s elope and be done with my family.
Forever your love,
Mona
P.S. That is not the alcohol talking. Come morning, when I see your handsome face and slip this into your strong hands, I’ll still feel the same way.
“That’s so sad.” She wiped at her cheek. “What do you think happened?”
Levi’s face turned a pale gray. “This.”
He slid the tattered newspaper clipping across the bed. The bold headline stared at her in ominous typeset. Local beauty queen killed by husband in drunk driving accident.
She put a hand to her mouth as she silently read the article. According to the report, Peter and Mona had snuck away for a few days and married in Jones County. On their way home to Treasure Harbor, their car had veered off the road, and Mona was killed instantly. Peter was arrested for drunk-driving and charged with manslaughter.
“What a terrible tragedy. No wonder the Burtons despised him so much, and the Callahans must have felt betrayed by his marriage to a Burton.” She grabbed a tissue from a box on the nightstand.
“Hold on. Don’t be so quick to judge.” He shot a terse scowl her way.
“I’m not judging anyone, but you can’t deny it’s tragic.”
“It is, but read this.” He shoved another letter her way.
It was different than all the rest. The others had been written on pink stationery and had a delicate, feminine handwriting. This letter had been composed on a plain white sheet of paper, and the writing was decidedly masculine.
Dear Mona,
Three weeks have passed since you left this world. As long as I live, I will never forget the beautiful day we spent as husband and wife. Though sorrow fills me now, I wouldn’t have traded our time for anything. The sum of our love, brief as fate made it be, will sustain me all the years of my life. My heart will never belong to another.
How could I give my heart when yours stopped beating because of me? I knew you shouldn’t have driven that night because you’d had too many celebratory drinks, but I’ve never been able to say no to you, my sweet Mona. Had I been stronger, you might still be here by my side.
I must confess, I had to tell a lie. When help arrived at the scene, I told them I’d been the one driving. Please forgive this falsehood, but I can’t bear the thought of your reputation bearing further insult.
Though death separates us, I will forever be yours with unending love.
Faithfully,
Pete
A tear rolled off her cheek and landed on the paper. “He lied to protect her. He let everyone believe the worst in him because he loved her that much.”
Levi glanced away, and she suspected he tried to gain control of his emotions. “We have to tell people the truth. It’s not right.”
Paige rose to her feet and crossed to the other side of the bed. She sat beside Levi. “You know we can’t. It’s not what your uncle would have wanted.”
“But he’s gone now. I want to clear his name.” His jaw set in a stubborn line.
“I understand, and I agree that it’s not fair, but your uncle chose this for himself. He could have cleared his name if he wanted.”
A dark shadow covered Levi’s eyes. “Are you sure you just don’t want the beloved Burton name tarnished?”
She jerked backward. “I know you're upset, so I’ll pretend you didn’t say that.”
Shock widened his eyes as though he’d only now realized what he’d said. “That was uncalled for. I’m sorry.”
“If you want to honor your uncle’s memory, the best thing you could do is end this feud between the two families. Too many families have suffered heartaches and loss because of it, dating back to the original feud.”
“How, exactly, am I supposed to end a feud that’s been ongoing for centuries?” His gaze focused on the box of letters. “Not that I wouldn’t love to see that happen, but I don’t think it’s possible.”
“It is, Levi. I believe it in here.” She closed a fist over her heart. “Now is the time. The families are beginning to experience healing and joining. Let’s use that to our advantage.”
“You’re not answering how.”
“What is that Peter said in this letter? The Sum of Love.” Excitement built in the core of her heart. “That’s how. We’ll talk to each member of both families, start with the younger generations ready to put this behind them. We’ll show love and kindness and forgiveness. Maybe it won’t work, but if it does... think what the sum of it all will be.”
The way Levi looked at her, she could tell he was still skeptical, but to his credit, he didn’t denounce the idea. He’d have to meditate on it, process the idea before responding. “Do you really think it could be that easy?”
“It has to stop sometime. People are tired of it, but they don’t know how to end it.” She took his hand, pleading with her eyes. “What do we have to lose?”
“Nothing.” He leaned in, to where his breath caressed her cheek. “But we have everything to gain.”
Chapter Six
“When are you coming home?” Aunt Ellen’s familiar voice was a balm for Levi’s heightened nerves.
“I’m not sure. I’d planned to come home next weekend, but a few issues have come up.” Namely Paige. He’d come so close to kissing her last night, but he couldn’t—not until he knew if his future was in Indiana or North Carolina.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“No. Well, maybe.” He’d been debating on whether he should tell her about Paige.
Aunt Ellen laughed quietly. “I know that tone of voice. Vince had it many times when there was girl trouble.”
“Goodness knows he’s had enough of it.” Levi let out his own chuckle. His cousin had qu
ite the reputation as a ladies’ man, although it was unfairly deserved. “Did he and Emily make up?”
“Not yet, but I don’t think they are far from it. She came over this morning and had tea with me. Sure doesn’t sound like the act of a girl done with her boyfriend.” Aunt Ellen cleared her throat. “But don’t go changing the subject on me. Tell me about the girl.”
For the next fifteen minutes, he brought his aunt up to speed. She already knew everything leading up to his abrupt departure from Treasure Harbor, which saved some time in the retelling of events.
“What do I do?” he asked once he’d finished.
“First, you need to pray and ask God for direction. Then you need to have a long talk with yourself and find out what you want.”
“I want to be with Paige. I know it’s only been a week, but I can’t shake the feeling.” He paused thinking about all the years wasted. “The love is still there like it never left. We’re different people now, I know that, but even if we had married, we would have changed over the years.”
“Have you prayed yet?”
“Yes, and I believe He wants us together.”
“Then what’s the problem?” In typical Aunt Ellen fashion, she cut right to the point while maintaining a compassionate air.
“My life is there now. Her life is here in Treasure Harbor.” He scratched the spot above his brow.
“Love makes compromises. Have you discussed this with her?”
“No.” He plopped onto the sofa cushion. “I haven’t even told her I’ve thought about a future. Actually, I told her there wasn’t a future.”
“Levi Callahan.”
He felt the force of her reprisal through the phone line. “That was the first night. My thoughts were so jumbled, I didn’t know what I was saying. And after all that we’d gone through, a future together seemed an unattainable dream.”
“Men.” Her huff sounded like a harsh wind blowing over a spring meadow. “The first thing you need to do is tell her how you feel and let her know you’d like to explore the possibility of a future.”