by Ellie Hall
Phoebe held up her hand. “Hold up. What? How did Owen, the cop, get his mother to decorate your digs...and more importantly, why?”
Brynn shook her head.
“I’m missing something and you need to fill in the blank spaces.”
The comment reminded Brynn of how she’d been trying to puzzle out Owen. How there were pieces missing, things he hid. Then again, she had too.
Phoebe stomped off in a huff and returned moments later. “This must be bad because there were two full cartons of ice cream in the freezer. Usually, that’s the first to go when love is on the rocks.” She plunked down next to Brynn, opened the container of ice cream, stabbed a spoon into it, and passed it to Brynn.
The cold carton jolted her attention.
“Eat then spill. I want to know everything.”
Brynn remained motionless.
“Oh, really? This is how we’re going to do it?” She reached for the spoon and tried shoveling a bite into Brynn’s mouth. She waved her away, but the look on Phoebe’s face was so earnest, so unrelenting, she gave in. The rush of sugar hit her bloodstream and then she gave into laughter.
Empty of tears, she erupted with a fit of giggles.
“Are you hysterical? Do I need to call my aunt? She’s a therapist.”
“No, no. I’m fine.” Brynn caught her breath.
“You are not fine.”
She shook her head. “You’re right. I am not fine.” Then the tears came again. When, at last, Brynn was able to calm down, she said, “Remember I told you about the zipline? I did it because I wanted to set a good example. To show the kids that I could do anything. Getting to know Owen, I thought, you know, anything is possible, even love after so much loss.”
“You love him.”
She nodded. “I do and I thought it would be enough.”
“Enough to...?” Phoebe asked.
“To reach out to his mother and to bring them back together. I foolishly thought if I did that it would make everything better. That if I could help him get over his family stuff, then him, Harper, and I could be a family.”
“From what I’ve gathered your love for him already was enough. You didn’t need his mother and him to reconcile for the three of you to have something special.”
“But he was hung up on it. It’s like he wears this mask, hiding his emotions. I thought that was the missing piece. If they could forgive each other, I’d have the full picture, all of Owen, not just what he chose to show me.”
“Girl, I think you really complicated things. Got your own story and his all tangled up.”
Brynn gazed at her hands, stiff from gripping the cold container of ice cream. Phoebe was right. She was the one holding back sharing her whole self with Owen, including what had finally inspired her to reach out to Judith.
“Wait, there’s more,” Brynn said.
“More?”
“It gets more complicated, I mean.” Brynn went on to tell Phoebe about the photo album idea and the picture of Harper’s mother—the woman Owen always referred to as his ex-wife. He’d never actually said her name.
“We have to fix this.” Phoebe scooped up some ice cream.
“I don’t think we can,” Brynn answered.
Owen had left. He’d said she’d been a mistake, just as she always had known she was, since birth. Almost everyone in her life eventually took off.
But Phoebe didn’t. The two women talked well into the night, polishing off all the ice cream and some of the Thanksgiving leftovers as well.
Chapter 12
Owen
“Daddy, aren’t I going to Mommy’s—” Harper stopped herself. “I mean Ms. Brynn’s house today?”
Owen shook his head. He’d tried to catch up on some sleep after working overnight again, but with Harper there and not at Brynn’s, plus so much on his mind, he’d laid there restless in bed. Thoughts and gut-churning.
It was best for him to distance himself. He’d told Brynn too much, let her get too close. It was easier, better if he just kept things simple. Harper and him.
His family was too broken. There was nothing, not even a soft brown-eyed woman with a heart of gold that could fix it.
“How about you and I head down the Winter Festival?”
“Don’t you have to sleep? I can watch a show.”
His daughter was so sweet, but he wouldn’t let anything compromise him being a good father. She was all he had.
They headed down the elevator to the lobby. When they stepped onto the marble floor, Harper paused, gazing around. “I always forget how fancy it is.”
Exhausted, Owen had accidentally used the regular elevator instead of going to the rear one to avoid running into people. It wasn’t that he wanted to be rude, but for one thing, living in the resort wasn’t ideal. He wanted to give Harper a home. But he’d been telling himself it was merely a place to land until he figured things out. Never mind that a couple of months had passed.
Another one of the benefits of being a Hawkins was accommodations free of charge at any of the properties all over the world. He chose that one because it was familiar. Not because he wanted to reconcile with his family.
The chances of running into them were slim. Sort of.
Tripp was newly married and lived in the big house that their father had started building after their mother left. Easy enough to avoid.
Knowing Dallen, he probably never left the ranch.
Blake was in the tropics, proposing to pop stars.
Chances were Rocky was still hibernating in the old cabin.
Nope. Owen was in the clear.
Harper smiled and waved at someone.
He followed her gaze until it landed on the one person that he didn’t consider he’d encounter because she all but set the limo’s wheels on fire as she burned out of town all those years ago.
But Brynn had summoned her back.
Owen’s mother sat primly on an upholstered chair by the fireplace. A teacup was poised in her hand. It appeared as if she’d never left.
He started to tug Harper in the other direction. Best to avoid a scene. Lady Judith—that’s what all the employees used to call her on account of her nose-in-the-air attitude—had flown in and was already acting like she owned the place—again.
She’d given up her title and property rights, along with her family years ago. He had nothing to say to her. The night before had been agonizing enough.
“Daddy, I didn’t get to say goodbye to Granny Judy last night. Can I go say hi now?”
Granny Judy?
How much time had they spent together? Brynn overstepped the line. No, she’d jumped over it. Right into his arms. But he’d dropped her.
It was for the best.
Right?
He wanted to tell Harper no, but she tugged on his hand. Where he expected his mother to wait for them to come over, catering to her like royalty, she got to her feet and strode over with her arms open wide.
“There she, just the princess I was hoping to see. Granny Judy has been waiting here all morning, waiting for you.”
“If I’m a princess does that make Daddy a king?”
Judith straightened and looked at her son. “No. I’m not sure he wants to take the throne.” She leaned in toward the little girl and whispered, “Have you seen the beauty and the beast?”
Harper nodded.
“I think he thinks that he’s a beast.”
Harper tapped her chin as though following what her grandmother had just said and then she threw her arms around Owen’s leg and laughed. “Daddy’s not a beast. He just sounds like one when he snores.”
Judith laughed and so did Owen despite himself.
An awkward moment passed. Judith looked around and then sighed. “Coming back here, I found myself slipping back into,” she shook her head, “old habits. Old ways of thinking. Even last night. Boy, did I embarrass myself saying that Cece Sparrow was after Blake’s money. That girl could run a small country with her wealth. Also, I will a
dmit that I was suspicious of Brynn, but that was only because my own intentions weren’t always pure. Sitting in that farmhouse, I may as well have gone back in time. It’s strange how that sometimes happens. A place can make you revert to a person you’ve outgrown. I used to parade around like the queen. Oh, and the furniture in the farmhouse? What was I thinking?” She leveled her gaze at Owen. “I was thinking there was something more that I needed when everything was right there in front of me.” Her hands pressed against the center of her chest. “Then something was taken away from me, someone I loved.”
“Daddy is a good person to talk to about that. Sometimes I think he’s sad because he also lost someone he loved. We never met, but he misses his dad. If something happened to my dad, I know I’d be really, really sad.” Even though Harper was captivated by her surroundings with the sparkling chandeliers, enormous bouquets of flowers, and a Christmas tree being brought in to prepare for the holiday, she was always listening.
And she was right. Owen’s throat tightened and the muscle in his jaw twitched. He tried to hold back his emotions, but they were surfacing fast.
Judith’s eyes misted over. She stepped closer as though unsure and then she wrapped her arms around Owen, pulling him into a warm, motherly hug.
His face disappeared into her perfectly styled hair. He didn’t realize he’d needed it, but gosh, that hug felt good. They lingered there a moment longer as Owen collected himself, realizing that his eyes were also damp.
She cupped her hand over his cheek. “You were always my strong, silent boy. Never had much to say, but I could see in your face so many emotions. So many thoughts. The gears were always turning. You learned how to hide it well.”
He felt a crack forming in his façade.
Judith went on, “Sometimes when we lose someone we love, we put up shields because we think that will protect us from being hurt again. But we’re really just hurting ourselves because we’re blocking love. When we prevent ourselves from having love in our lives that’s where the real hurt happens.”
Harper wandered over to the indoor fountain that consisted of smooth river stones piled up and a hawk perched on the top. He realized then that he wasn’t a turkey at all, but a Hawkins and Hawkins men were strong, they did the right thing. They didn’t give up. Owen exhaled then and another fissure formed in the wall he’d built to protect himself.
“Son, what I did was selfish. I have no excuses. None of that ...but I did what I did because... I don’t expect you to understand. I don’t need you to understand. But I want to offer you an apology. I’m sorry. Truly.”
Her dark brown eyes met his. The sincerity was clear. “Thank you. That means a lot, Mom.”
“I don’t want us to pick up where we left off and I don’t expect it all to happen right away, but I’d like to stay at the resort a while and visit with you from time to time. Pay my respects to your father’s grave. Maybe stick around for the holidays. It was always magical here.”
“Ms. Brynn thinks so too,” Harper said, pipping up. “She said this is the first place she’s felt like she’s at home. She never wants to leave.”
“After last night, she might have changed her mind. We shouldn’t have surprised you like that. But I didn’t think you’d agree to see me if I’d reached out. Quite frankly, the fact that I have a beautiful, smart, special granddaughter named Harper was quite a surprise to me.” She pursed her lips as though lightly chastising him. “I couldn’t resist getting on the next flight out of Florida.”
“You live in Florida? I thought you said that was for—”
“For women like me. I live in a nice retirement community and have made some lovely friends. We have book club on Monday evenings, play mahjong on Wednesday afternoons, and go to the spa on Fridays.”
“Well, I guess that hasn’t changed.”
“I won’t deny that I enjoy the finer things in life, but no longer at the expense of what’s the most important thing. Family.” She squeezed Harper’s shoulder. “You boys, this sweet girl. You’d be wise to think that over. Brynn told me some personal things. I’m not sure you know her full story, but all she’s ever wanted was a family. I dare say she loves you, Owen, and Harper, too. And here you are, with a big family, four brothers, some of them married, probably have kids of their own on the way for all I know, and you all don’t even speak to each other. Why? Because your father was the wisest man I’ve ever known and wanted you to get married—so ya’ll could keep growing this family.” She shook her head.
Owen’s throat felt thick, scratchy.
“I may be old, but it’s not too late. I’m going to figure out a way to get us back together. In the meantime, give some thought to getting back together with that girl of yours.”
“Daddy has a girl?” Harper’s eyes were wide.
“It’s an expression, darling. I mean, the woman he loves.”
“Oh, that’s easy. That’s Ms. Brynn.”
The thick, scratchiness rose up and pressed against Owen on all sides, trying to escape the stone mask he always had fixed in place. They were right. They were both right.
But he’d been married once. He wasn’t sure he could ever go down that road again.
They did head outside though, to enjoy the Winter Festival. If Harper’s eyes had been wide in the lobby, they’d doubled when she saw all the booths with food, crafts, and games. In the center, an ice-skating rink was set up and a snowman was slowing gliding through the crowd.
“I’ve always wanted to learn to skate,” Harper said.
“Then I’ll teach you,” Judith said.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Owen asked.
“Owen Hawkins, are you asking me that on account of my age?”
He toed a clump of snow.
“I taught you to ski, Dallen to ride horses, Rocky to skate, and Blake to box. Surely, I can handle this.”
“You taught Blake to box?” He didn’t remember that.
“When I was growing up, my father said I was a bundle of energy but beautiful too and a girl like me ought to know how to defend herself. He was an amateur boxer so he gave me lessons. You could imagine my mother was mortified. We’d go out to the shop before anyone was up and practice, lest the neighbors see me break a sweat.” She tossed her head back and laughed.
“What did you teach Tripp to do?”
“With all you boys to feed, I suppose I started with something practical. He learned how to cook.”
Owen laughed. “In that case, I think he forgot. He’s started enough fires.” Owen scratched his head. “Maybe that’s why he’s a firefighter.”
A firm hand landed on Owen’s shoulder. “Don’t you dare tell anyone.” Tripp’s eyes crinkled with laughter and there were lines there that hadn’t been the last time he’d seen his oldest brother. His smile was just the same—big, generous, warm.
Owen stood speechless a moment and then it was like he was being attacked by a bear as his brother hugged him tightly. Sadie, Tripp’s high school sweetheart, stood next to him with her hand on her belly and gave him a polite wave. Then she hugged him too while Tripp and his mother exchanged a hug.
“I knew this day would come sooner or later,” Tripp said in his deep voice. “But I didn’t realize it would involve a princess.”
Owen introduced Harper. “This is my daughter.”
“I know. She has your eyes. Dad’s eyes.”
The five of them talked for a few minutes, catching up. Owen hadn’t picked up where he’d left off with his mother, but it was as if he and Tripp had been separated by a few weeks, not years.
Sadie announced that they were expecting a baby soon. She and Judith along with Harper walked toward the ice-skating rink.
“It’s nice to see you again, bro,” Tripp said, clapping Owen on the back.
“Likewise, but I have to say, I’m not too happy to see that Welk, fellow.” He lifted his chin in Ken Welk’s direction as he approached from a hot dog stand. He’d been looking into the fundin
g in town and at the school. Something was off, but he hadn’t figured it out other than that it had to do with Welk.
“Yeah, the board is split. Some people like him want to restructure things. When I say want, I mean they’re slipping their plans in the proverbial back door. Others are committed to Dad’s ways. I wish there was something I could do about it.” His tone lowered as the man neared and gave the two brothers a brief nod.
“I hear he’s been cutting funds for various programs at the resort. He cut the cleaning and maintenance staff.” Owen added. “And he has an in at the town hall. I think there’s something fishy going on. Reallocating funds from city programs to line their pockets.
“Skimming off the top?” Tripp asked.
“Skimming from all sides. The school is way underfunded. Now, I can’t be sure. I can’t get access to any of the numbers.”
“My hands are tied. At least for now.”
A pang of guilt struck Owen. “Dad would’ve wanted you to take the helm of Hawkins Enterprises. You knew the business best.”
“No, he wanted all of us to, together. The board was only supposed to be temporary until the five of us took our heads out of the sand and went into the biz.”
“Then why did he insist on us getting our own careers?”
“To teach us not to be spoiled, selfish brats who thought we were entitled to billions.”
The conversation reminded Owen of the will, of the falling out that the brothers had.
“He wanted us to become men who knew how to work hard and love well.” Tripp’s gaze floated over to Sadie, seated on a bench with Judith and Harper in the middle.
From somewhere behind him, the scent of cinnamon met Owen’s nose. Then a voice called, “Bake sale for the elementary school. Warm cinnamon rolls covered in maple drizzle.”
Owen gazed over his shoulder. A sign was strung from one side of a stall to the other. It said Bake Sale and the drawings and glittery decorations suggested the students in Room Four had decorated it—maybe even Harper.
Brynn’s hair was tucked under a brown and green cap—the school colors. Her cheeks were rosy and she smiled as she passed a plate topped with cinnamon rolls to a father, along with his two kids, a son and a daughter.