Her gaze went to the huge building in the distance.
Blitz’s Candy Factory.
The place had once been bustling, practically the epicenter of the town. Now the massive red-and-white structure was faded, with grass growing in the cracks of the parking lot and graffiti on the walls.
Jake seemed to follow her gaze and pressed on the brakes to give her a moment. “Brings back memories, huh?”
“It sure does.” Faith’s voice caught as the truth rushed toward her. “Everyone blames me, don’t they?”
Jake remained quiet for a moment before softly saying, “When the factory closed, it was hard on everyone. It turned their lives—and futures—upside down.”
“I had no control over it.”
“I know. But your family did. People were angry, especially at your father. They put your dad’s picture on dart boards and held tournaments. They wrote mocking songs about him to sing at town festivals. They—”
“You can stop there.”
He nodded. “Needless to say, it was a hard time in our town’s history.”
Faith’s dad had owned the factory, the town’s lifeblood and most local people’s livelihoods. But when he got an offer from an overseas company to buy the business, he hadn’t been able to resist. The buyout had meant he’d be set for life.
He could finally leave this town.
He’d never wanted the factory anyway. It had been handed down to him from Faith’s Granddad Blitz. Granddad Blitz, her mother’s father, had loved the business and had built it from the ground up. Faith’s mom had died giving birth to her, and her dad had become Granddad Blitz’s righthand man. He’d been groomed to take over—and he had when Faith’s granddad died six years ago.
Apparently, life as a factory owner hadn’t been everything her dad had dreamed it would be. It had taken up all his time. Unbeknownst to most who knew Fred Winters, he’d always dreamed of life near the beach and elite social scenes.
The decision to sell the company hadn’t just affected her dad. It had affected the whole town. About 90 percent of the residents had worked there at the factory. Their pay had afforded them simple lives, where they could pay mortgages on their cozy homes and put warm meals on the table for their kids.
Then all of that was gone.
Faith had just graduated from college when the sale happened. She was living in New York when her dad had called to tell her. The decision had already been made, and she’d had no idea the change was coming.
Jake had been shocked at the news. Jenny had still been working at the factory. She’d lived off unemployment for a while but had been looking for a new job.
“I begged my dad not to send the jobs overseas.” Faith’s voice came out raspy with emotion. “I told him this town would be devastated if the factory closed. That families would be forced to move. If not, they’d go hungry.”
“I know it wasn’t your fault, Faith.” Jake’s voice came out soft, almost empathetic.
But did Jake really mean his words? He’d been so angry the last time they’d spoken—and Faith could totally understand why. When she and Jake had broken up, she could hardly bear to come home and face this mess by herself.
Through everything, Jenny had fiercely defended Faith. But Faith didn’t want to put Jenny in that kind of position. So she’d stayed away from the town, from the drama. Faith had told herself it was so she could work on her career. But maybe she just hadn’t been able to face the truth that her dad had single-handedly destroyed this town.
“He’s in Florida now, you know,” Faith said after a moment of quiet. “Down in Miami. He’s not even working. He’s just living off the interest of the sale of this company. He bought a yacht. Has a girlfriend with expensive tastes. Enjoys eating oysters and foie gras.”
Jake kept his hands on the steering wheel but made no effort to move from their view of the factory. “I guess you don’t see him very often?”
Faith shook her head. “No, I don’t. He . . . well, he’s busy. I think in his own way he loves me, but he wants to live the life he always wanted. Being a single dad with a demanding job wasn’t his dream.”
“I’m sorry, Faith.”
She shrugged. She’d come to accept family matters for what they were. “That’s just the way things work sometimes, right?”
“I guess so.” Jake stared at her another moment before opening his door. “You ready to go talk to Mr. Jameson?”
“I guess so.”
Before he got out, he reached into the backseat and grabbed something. “I know these are way too big for you, but here they are if your feet get cold.”
He handed her a pair of his old snow boots. He was right—her feet would drown in them. But some warmth would be nice. “Thank you.”
With the oversized boots on, Faith stepped out of the car, and a brisk wind caught her. As she hobbled toward the end of the street, she paused and sucked in a breath.
The view from this part of town was breathtaking. Chestnut trees stretched up the mountainside as far as the eye could see. The lines of trees were planted evenly in rows for harvest season, when the orchard would be full of people coming to search for ripe nuts.
In the middle of the farm stood what had been a sprawling three-story house.
Faith’s old home.
There were so many memories in this old town.
It’s just not the same without you here. That’s what Jenny kept telling her in the emails she sent. It’s like the life of the party left and took the party with her.
Her words weren’t exactly true. Jenny had always been the one with sparkle.
“Did you think about staying there while you were in town?” Jake asked, appearing beside her and following her gaze to her old home.
Faith didn’t even have to think about her answer. “No. Not in a million years. Plus, I heard there’s been some vandalism . . . maybe even a fire.”
Jake nodded. “We never caught who did it, but . . . I suspect it was an act of revenge. We reported it to your father, of course. It was just one more way people who lost their jobs tried to make themselves feel better.”
“I somehow wondered if the place might be trashed by now. It’s not surprising.”
Just as they stepped toward the garage door, Jake’s phone rang. He put it to his ear and mumbled a few things into it before turning to Faith. “Listen, I just got a call I need to take. Do you want me to leave you here?”
She remembered her chilly reception earlier. Would Mr. Jameson even fix her car? There was a good chance he’d say no—unless Jake was with her. Without a car, she’d have to walk to the inn in the cold.
“No, I don’t really want you to leave me here,” she said.
Jake stared at her a moment before nodding. “Okay, how about if I talk to Mr. Jameson and then you ride along with me to kill some time? I’ll swing you by here later to pick up your car. Would that work?”
Against Faith’s better instincts, she nodded. “That sounds great.”
It was like Faith’s granddad had always said after he’d inherited a three hundred-acre chestnut farm at the age of eighteen. If life hands you chestnuts, make chestnut blitzes. It had only taken twenty years to see any success.
6
Faith felt a sweep of nerves capture her as she climbed back into Jake’s SUV.
It had been a long time since Faith had been as close to him as she had today. Had been this alone.
Jake had been her first love, the man she’d been sure she would marry.
How had they ended up where they were right now? How had life torn them apart this way? Or had it really been life, or had it been Faith’s choices?
It didn’t matter anymore.
Her conversation with Mrs. Duvall floated back into her mind. She’d asked if she could be the one to tell Jake about the choral arrangement at this weekend’s festival. There was no better time than now.
She cleared her throat. “Jake, there’s something I need to say—”
&n
bsp; Before she could finish, his phone rang again. Jake answered and muttered several things into the mouthpiece. Faith could vaguely make out a female voice on the other end.
Was it a girlfriend? Why did the thought cause a surge of jealousy in Faith? Of course, Jake was probably dating someone. Faith hadn’t expected him to wait around for her. It had been two and a half years since they’d broken up.
As she waited for him to finish the conversation, nerves trickled down her spine. She wanted to tell Jake everything, but she didn’t want to at the same time. How would he react?
Faith had meant this upcoming performance to be a kind gesture. But with the hard feelings between them, it was difficult to say how Jake would interpret things.
“Send Deputy Axel over. It’s probably nothing—just some bored teenagers. If you need backup, call me.” Finally, he ended the call and glanced at Faith. “Sorry about that.”
“Everything okay?”
“Someone reported someone lurking outside of the factory,” he said. “It’s not entirely unusual. Even though we’re close, I sent a deputy over. He’ll call me if it’s something more serious.”
“Sounds like a common problem.”
“There’s not much crime in this area. It seems to pick up around the factory at Christmastime.”
“Why is that?”
“This town . . . it’s drying up. I want it to survive more than anything. But sometimes it just feels like it’s all an exercise in futility, you know?”
“Has it really been that bad the past two years?”
“Four stores on Main Street have closed. Mr. Dabney shut down his farm. There’s just not enough business to sustain life, I guess. Even our annual Christmas extravaganza is only a shell of what it used to be.” He shrugged. “Everything seemed to start to die in this town when the candy factory shut down.”
Her cheeks flushed at the reminder. “I see.”
He shifted back toward her. “So, you have something you want to say?”
“There is.” She glanced at her hands. “Jake—”
He pulled to a stop in front of a house in a neighborhood that backed up to the downtown area.
Faith glanced over at the family who waited outside for Jake to arrive. “You know what? Never mind. It can wait until later.”
“If you’re sure. Feel free to come with me or to stay. Your call.”
She watched from the window as Jake strode up the driveway, exuding that confidence that Faith had always loved. He’d always made her feel so safe. So loved. So protected.
It had been a long time since she’d experienced any of those old feelings. Life as an actress was filled with insecurity, scrutiny, and unanswered questions, it seemed.
One of the little boys, probably four years old, ran toward him and threw his arms around Jake’s legs. Faith’s heart ached yet again.
Jake had always had a way with people. Back in high school, he’d been the quarterback on the football team. Faith had been voted the most likely to succeed. Jake had been the quiet one. She’d been outgoing. Together, they’d seemed like the perfect couple.
Faith rubbed the glass as steam from her breath clouded the window. The scene outside looked like something from a book. The house was quaint. The windows were lit with orange from the light inside. Christmas decorations had been strung across every available surface. And an adorable-looking family stood on the porch.
She squinted. Was that . . . Lucy Johnson? They’d gone to high school together. Now Lucy had a family—a husband and two kids, apparently. How time had flown.
Lucy glanced over at the SUV, and Faith offered a little wave. As the woman continued to stare, Faith finally opened her door and stepped out, realizing she might be perceived as rude if she didn’t. Nerves captured her—nerves stronger than any of those she’d experienced on opening night at one of her musicals.
How would she be received?
Lucy’s eyes widened in the distance. “Faith?”
Faith waved again, still feeling painfully self-conscious and wishing she could hide.
“Oh, my goodness . . . I can’t believe it’s you!” Lucy tore across the yard and threw her arms around Faith.
Faith, stiff at first, loosened at her friend’s warm greeting.
“You look great!” Lucy stepped back to get a better look at Faith. Her words had a bouncy rhythm, one that had been there since high school.
“Thanks,” Faith said. “So do you.”
Lucy had been head of the school’s pep squad. She’d been a natural with her shoulder-length blonde hair, a wide smile, and happy demeanor. Faith had always liked her.
Faith glanced in the distance, at the porch. “You’re married now? Two kids?”
“That’s right. That’s Drew, Ella, and Tyler. Drew ran track two counties over. I’m not sure if you ever met him, but he came to Chestnut Grove for a couple meets.” She grinned as she looked back at them.
Faith briefly studied the stout man on the porch with thinning hair and glasses. “No, I don’t think I did.”
“Well, he’s great. He’s an accountant here in town.” Lucy’s words ended with a wistful breath.
“An accountant? That’s nice.”
She shrugged, and some of her perk seemed to disappear. “It is, but business has been slow. We . . . we might have to move. He was offered a job in Charlottesville—one where we wouldn’t have to worry about money. But this place . . . this place is home. We’re really hoping things will pick up. But if we can’t pay our bills . . .”
Faith squeezed her arm. “I understand. That’s difficult.”
“We’re trying to make the most of what might be our last Christmas here. We set out all of our decorations. And I do mean all of them. One hundred fifty-two pieces all together. Can you believe that someone stole our snowman?”
“Your snowman?” Faith repeated.
“It was one of those plastic molded ones. Nothing fancy or expensive, but it’s been in my family for generations.”
“Oh, that kind of snowman.”
“Yes, silly. Did you think it was actually—never mind.” Her expression sobered. “But yes, Harry is gone. Harry was always Jenny’s favorite. She used to come by here and pretend she was dancing with Harry. They were about the same height.”
Faith smiled bittersweetly. “I vaguely remember her doing that.”
Lucy’s expression matched Faith’s. “Someone in this town is determined to ruin Christmas for everyone.”
“Why do you say that?” Faith questioned.
“Why else would people’s Christmas decorations be missing?”
Faith remembered the missing Christmas train at Ms. Gingham’s. “I guess this isn’t an isolated incident?”
“Oh, no. This is at least the fourth one I’ve heard about in the last two weeks.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Why in the world would someone steal Christmas decorations?”
“That’s a great question. Maybe Jakey boy over there can figure it out.” Lucy paused and observed Faith another moment with the shake of her head. “It really is good to see you. Maybe we can catch up sometime while you’re here. How long are you here?”
That was a great question. Faith had some big life decisions to make. “I’m not sure. But at least through Christmas.”
“Perfect. I look forward to seeing you around.”
Maybe not everyone in this town hated her. Maybe there was hope.
Maybe.
7
As Jake drove back to the inn, his mind replayed the scene they’d just left. He pictured Lucy and Faith talking, just like old times. Almost as if nothing had changed.
Yet so much had changed.
Jake didn’t think he’d have to remind himself of that fact. Yet he did. Being with Faith had always felt so easy, so natural. But she’d shown her true colors when Jenny died, and he couldn’t forget that.
“Thanks for driving me back.” Faith’s voice cut through the quiet of his SUV.
; “It’s not a problem.” They’d talked to Mr. Jameson a few minutes ago, and he said he wouldn’t be able to get to Faith’s car until tomorrow morning. Until then, Faith would have to depend on other people to get her around town—or she’d have to walk.
For now, Jake would drop her off and be done.
“The missing Christmas decorations are just weird, aren’t they?” Faith asked, her lips puckered in a pensive frown as they headed down the dark street.
“Yes, they are. It’s just like a grinch is trying to share his misery.”
“Any leads?”
“Not really, but I have some feelers out.”
“I hope you find the person responsible.”
“Me too. Unfortunately, my main job right now is to give out speeding tickets.”
“What?”
He nodded. “They’re revenue and the highway on the edge of town is a speed trap. The mayor called me into his office and made it very clear what his expectations were.”
“That doesn’t sound fun.”
“It’s not.” Jake pulled up to the curb and, before Faith could argue, he parked and hopped out. He’d walk her to the door—both to be polite and so he could get his boots back.
Ms. Gingham greeted them at the door with a wide smile and flour-smudged apron. “Perfect! You’re just in time for dinner.”
“Oh, no,” Jake started, not prepared for more time with Faith than necessary. “I couldn’t impose.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve eaten with me plenty of times before and never called it imposing.”
Jake couldn’t argue. In truth, he mostly didn’t want to impose on Ms. Gingham’s time with Faith. Or he didn’t want to be around Faith any more than necessary. The more he was around her, the harder it was to stay mad. He wasn’t ready to release his tight grip on the emotion yet.
This evening had only confirmed that time had made the woman more beautiful. He hadn’t even thought that was possible. Faith had always been breathtaking. But now, three years after she’d left, she’d thinned out in some places and filled out in others. Her eyes held a new kind of depth, of wisdom. Her movements seemed more grounded and her actions more purposeful.
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