by Glynna Kaye
And if she did? Would she be back to claim Taylor?
As if reading her mind, Annalise offered a reassuring smile. “I want you to have her. No strings attached. And I’ll always let you know where I am and give you fair warning when I’m coming for a visit. If you advise me it’s not a good time to come...well, that’s your decision and I’ll abide by it. Taylor might still call me Mom, but you’re the mother her heart has chosen.”
“I don’t know what to say, Annalise. Except...” Her voice cracked as tears pooled in her eyes. “Thank you.”
Annalise’s eyes likewise filled as she held out her arms. “I need a hug from my big sister.”
* * *
As Denny slipped through the back gate, Lillian drew back from a young woman he recognized as her sister, and he hoped the hug meant they’d made up. That Taylor had returned. Then, turning startled eyes in his direction, they stared as he stood gripping a large box easily in one hand.
“I’m sorry to intrude. I—”
“I thought you’d gone back to San Francisco,” Lillian said softly, and his heart sang at the sound of her voice.
“Not yet.” He’d spent the past three days hiking the mountain trails. Thinking. Praying. And last night had turned up on Pastor Garrett McCrae’s doorstep. His cousin hadn’t been the least bit surprised.
“This is Denny Hunter.” Lillian motioned to him as he joined them. “Denny, this is my sister, Annalise.”
Her sister wiped tears from her eyes with one hand and held out her other to shake his. “Good to meet you—Mister.”
The women looked at each other. Laughed. Wiped away the last of their tears.
“Time for lunch, girls!” Viola called from the back door. She waved to him. “You’re welcome to join us, Denny.”
She said the words as if she hadn’t been surprised to see him there.
“I don’t know about you two,” Annalise said as she turned toward the inn, giving Lillian a thumbs-up and what he interpreted as a significant look, “but I’m starving.”
To his relief, Lillian didn’t follow her.
“Annalise is dropping Taylor off with you again? Didn’t I say she would?” But he honestly hadn’t expected for it to happen so quickly.
She nodded. “It’s a long story you’re not going to be—”
“I’m eager to hear it,” he said, reaching for a surprised Lillian’s hand and guiding her to a more secluded spot near the gazebo, “but not just yet.”
Her eyes held a wary look, as if unsure what to make of his sudden appearance after the way he’d left her a few days ago. “What are you doing here?”
He placed the box on a nearby wrought-iron table. “Oh, you know, the usual stuff people do in an off-the-beaten-path little town. Going for walks. Gazing at the clouds. Counting the cracks in the sidewalk.”
“Listening to crickets?”
“That, too.”
“Seriously, Denny, why are you still here?”
“Unfinished business.”
“Related to the inn?”
“You could say so. It took a little persuading, but once I gave her my word not to let Dad get his hands on it, my mother was good with selling the inn to me.”
Her eyes widened. “This inn?”
“And the two buildings on either side of it.” He had an eye on another property across the street, too, with a residence in mind. But he’d need to negotiate with the owner.
Her pretty mouth opened in surprise. “Why?”
He smiled. “Because a few days ago, a beautiful woman made me realize I’ve spent a lifetime protecting my little-boy heart. I’ve focused my energies on earning respect rather than accepting—and giving—love.”
“I don’t understand. What’s that have to do with buying the—?”
“I’ve been hiking the forest trails for days—praying about what you said about my pushing people away. Being afraid to let others—and God—get close. Not just praying about it, but really praying about it.”
“That’s why you bought the inn?” She still sounded confused.
“It’s why I had a long conversation with my cousin Garrett late last night. Realizing I was headed in a direction I didn’t want to go and had to get on the right path, I made the decision to turn my life over to God.” Denny’s eyes were bright with hope. “I’ll soon be joining a men’s Bible study and will be baptized in Hunter Creek on Sunday, like I’m told my great-great-grandfather Harrison ‘Duke’ Hunter was. Like the other Hunters who have surrendered their hearts to their Maker. I decided I don’t want to miss out any longer on what God wants to do with my life.”
“You’re taking your hands off the steering wheel and letting Him do the driving?”
“I am.”
Her eyes smiled into his, and his heart rocketed. “Oh, Denny, I’m so happy for you.”
“I woke up this morning feeling like a new man.” He mimed a yawn and stretched his arms, as if awakening from a deep sleep. “Like a man who—someday, I hope—will be known as a man of faith, for his love of God and others. Not merely as a well-respected businessman.”
“We see our faults,” she whispered, “but He sees our possibilities. If we cooperate, He will change us into more than we could ever hope or dream.”
“I have you to thank for helping me move in that direction, Lillian. You—and, unbelievably, my dad—opened my eyes to things I’d been blind to for way too long. Misconceptions. Erroneous beliefs. Things I understood in part. And among those things is the fact that God loves me whether I’m considered perfectly ‘lovable’ or not. Even when I’m at my most undeserving of love.”
“None of us deserves love, Denny. It’s a gift freely given.”
“And my love is a gift I’m giving you, Lillian. That is, if you want it.”
She stared at him, her eyes searching his, and he rushed on before he got cold feet. “Even though we’ve known each other a short time, I’ve come to love you more deeply than you will ever imagine. Do you think you could find it in your heart to forgive me for my stupid blunders? My shortcomings? The hurt I’ve dealt you?”
She swallowed, hesitated, no doubt getting snagged on the L-word. “Oh, Denny, of course I forgive you. And I need your forgiveness, as well. I’m not even close to being perfectly lovable, either.”
His heart lightened as he plunged on. “And would you be willing to consider entering into a courtship that I pray will lead to spending the rest of our lives together—in Hunter Ridge?”
Doubt filled her eyes. “But you love the city. You thrive on its energy, the activity. The corporate chase.”
“Overrated. And in fact...” Would she believe him when he told her? “I no longer want to play the game I’ve been playing for far too long. I quit my job this morning. Cut ties with GylesStyle Inns.”
“You didn’t.”
He nodded. “I’m a free man, Lillian, in every way, shape and form.”
“But what are you—? How are you—?”
“Going to earn a living? If you and your aunt are agreeable, I’d like to further expand the Pinewood Inn to the two adjoining buildings. Maybe open a bistro on the ground floor on one side. Then market it all to the max. The inn. The town.”
“But I thought you said the Pinewood would never be profitable.”
A smiled tugged at his mouth. “But as you may recall, I also said I’ve seen the most unlikely ventures succeed in the most improbable of locales, under good management.”
“I remember.”
“It will be a leap for sure, but Garrett tells me a life of faith is in many ways a life of taking risks. With my extensive innkeeping background and the assistance of a top-chef friend whose artist wife wants to get their kids out of the city, I’m cautiously optimistic. It won’t be easy. But if I give it all I’ve got and trust God to work beyond my limited abili
ties, I think we stand a good chance of making a go of it.”
We. He liked the sound of that. Please, Lord, let her buy into the dream.
“If it can be done, Denny Hunter,” she said without a hint of doubt, “you’re the man who can do it.”
“But I can’t do it without you, Lillian. Nor do I want to try. Would you be willing to think it over? To pray—”
She shook her head, and his hopes dissolved. She wanted no part of the dream he’d laid before God. No part of him.
“I’ve done all the thinking—and praying—I need to.” Her eyes now shining into his, she took a single step toward him. “I love you, Denny, with all my heart. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you.”
His heart soared, and without hesitation, he dropped to one knee.
“Will you marry me, Lillian?”
Tears pricked her love-filled eyes as she gazed down at him. “Oh, I will. I will.”
Her words rang in his ears and filtered down into his heart, yet how tempting it was to ask her to repeat them again. To make sure he’d heard right.
Denny the unlovable, loved and accepted by the woman of his dreams.
“I love you, Lillian, and when I think of how close I came to losing you, I—”
“But we didn’t lose each other.”
He traced his finger down the third one on her left hand. “I’m afraid I don’t have a ring for you yet. We’ll get one. I promise. But I do have something else for you.”
He stood to give her a lingering kiss, then drew her to the table where the box he’d brought with him rested.
She laughed. “That’s a floor-tile box.”
“That’s all I had. But good things come in odd packages.” He nodded to it. “Open it.”
Raising the cardboard flaps, she then reached in for the tissue-paper-wrapped object that was clearly a book. She gave him a curious look.
“Go on.”
Gently pulling back the yellowed paper, she stared down at the old black leather-bound volume in her hands. Holy Bible, the cover read in faded gilded lettering.
“It’s the treasure, Lillian.”
She shook her head, not understanding.
“The Newell family treasure. I found it in one of the walls we tore out. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you.”
“This is what we’ve been searching for?”
“It is. Look here.” He carefully opened the volume to the pages where births, marriages and deaths had been recorded. Then to the family tree. “Generations of your family, Lillian, from the late 1700s down to your great-great-grandparents.”
“Oh, my,” she whispered as she deciphered the faded ink. “This is a treasure.”
“Generations of Newell descendants—evidence of lifetimes of long-lasting unions based on love and vows made before God.”
“Aunt Vi will be thrilled.”
“But I know she’ll want you to have it—to pass down to the coming generations.”
Their children. Grandchildren.
She closed the book, then reverently placed her hand on its cover. “Why do you think Benjamin Newell hid this?”
“I don’t know that he originally intended to hide it permanently. The place I found it was framed with a hinged door, and it looks as if it was engineered to be a place for keeping valuables and designed to blend in with the wallpaper.”
“A wall safe of sorts?”
“Right. But somewhere over the years, that whole section of the wall was covered over with plywood, right over the top of the door and the wallpaper. No one probably knew it was there. That’s pure speculation, of course.”
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“Because I have another theory.”
She gave him a mock threatening look, then laughed. “Don’t hold out on me, Mister.”
He laughed. “From studying the family tree, it appears this Bible was likely passed down through the generations to the oldest son bearing the name of Newell.”
“Great-great-grandpa Benjamin Newell was an oldest son.”
“And in looking at the births recorded, I saw that he had only daughters. No more Newell sons to carry on the name.”
“So you think...?”
“He may have walled up the Bible himself rather than pass it down to a daughter who’d no longer bear the family name when she’d most likely marry.”
She cringed. “Kind of sexist, huh?”
“Not necessarily. Perhaps a man to whom tradition was important. Or who didn’t know which daughter to give it to.”
She gazed down fondly at the old volume in her hands. “I guess we’ll never know, will we?”
“What puzzles me, though, is that he’d apparently referred to a treasure. And let it be known it was hidden in the house.”
Lillian nodded. “He mentioned it when he was dying several years after his wife passed away. That’s what Aunt Vi says. He’d had a stroke. Could barely speak and didn’t linger long.”
“So he may have had a change of heart. Wanted one of his female descendants to have it after all.” Denny took the book from her hands and placed it in the box on the table. “And now it’s in your hands—his great-great-granddaughter. You’ve fulfilled his dying wish to pass it on to another generation.”
He opened his arms to her, and without hesitation she stepped into his welcoming embrace. He held her for some moments, their hearts beating in unison. Then he briefly touched his lips to hers.
“I pledge my life and my love to you, Lillian, knowing that just like the many couples recorded in your Bible, God has a special plan for the two of us.”
“The two of us,” she murmured dreamily.
Then with a sudden gasp she pulled back, alarm lighting her eyes. “Oh, no. I almost forgot.”
Apprehension shot through him. “Forgot what?”
“There’s...there’s something important you need to know about the future of the two of us.”
But before she could continue, there came the sound of little-girl feet pounding down the walkway behind him.
And a giggle.
“Hey, Mister! Denny! I’m home—for good!”
Epilogue
“If you have your running shoes with you, it’s not too late to make the great escape,” a smiling Denny whispered as they stood in the Pinewood Inn’s garden the evening before their June wedding day.
Softly illuminated by solar lights along the walkway and surrounded by the sweet scent of Aunt Viola’s petunias, Lillian looked up into the eyes of the man she loved.
“Sorry, Mister, but I’m not letting you off the hook. I’m not going anywhere tomorrow afternoon—except down the church aisle and straight into your arms. You’d better be standing there waiting for me.”
“I guarantee it. Lasso in hand.”
With a laugh, she playfully poked him in the rib cage. “You think you’re funny, don’t you?”
Eyes twinkling, he took both her hands in his. “And I think you’re beautiful inside and out. God truly blessed me when He brought you into my life. And I hit the jackpot with Taylor and your aunt thrown in.”
He made her feel special. Treasured. “We’re getting married tomorrow, Denny.”
“That we are.”
In less than twenty-four hours, vows taken and rings exchanged, they’d be dancing under the stars to a string quartet at a reception here in the garden of the Pinewood Inn.
What would life hold for them as they grew together in God? Church and community ministry. Building the recently expanded inn’s reputation for hospitality. Sharing life with Aunt Viola. Raising Taylor.
Reba was thrilled when Lillian turned down the full-time librarian position, opting to stick with a half-time one. And Denny had been relieved when his bride-to-be didn’t object to occasional trips to Ph
oenix for professional sporting events. He was more than happy to trade in his Porsche for a crew-cab pickup, too.
“I’m glad your mother and stepfather are coming tomorrow.”
“Me, too, but we’ll see how that goes over. Dad hasn’t spoken to my mother except through an attorney for thirty years. And he’s only met Elden once—twelve months ago, when God rescued me from making what would have been the biggest mistake of my life.”
“But you said your folks are willing to call a truce, right?”
“So they say. I think the prospect of me settling down—and maybe producing a few grandkids—has them rethinking their priorities. Makes them more amenable to compromise.”
Grandchildren. Denny’s and her offspring. A tingle of anticipation raced through her.
But there would be adjustments on both their parts—two stubbornly independent people used to making their own decisions and calling the shots without consulting anyone else. Now, as in past months, they’d continue learning on a daily basis to take the other person into consideration, to unselfishly place the other’s needs and welfare above their own.
A city boy and small-town-hearted girl.
“I hope the reality of giving up city life, your career, for Hunter Ridge doesn’t disappoint you.” She gently squeezed the strong hands that cradled hers. “That I don’t disappoint you.”
“Not a chance.” He kissed her forehead. “Besides, I’ll continue to do periodic contract work for GylesStyle and keep my toe in the hotel industry waters at large. Being forced to demote Vic last month has opened Elden’s eyes to a lot of things.”
“Including your value. He desperately wanted you to return for that vice presidency, didn’t he? Pressured you hard.” She stepped back to look him in the eye. “I don’t know how you resisted.”
“No significant resistance was required on my part. I am where I want to be. Doing what I want to do. Being with those I love and want to be with. I’m right where God wants me. And I’m proud as can be that my colleague Craig is stepping into that VP slot, and Barry is back on the job in Kansas City.”