by Jenny Hale
Holly pushed her carry-on bag under her seat with her foot as the plane began its journey down the runway. With the holiday, options had been limited and, on such short notice, Rhett had only been able to get them business class seats. He didn’t seem to mind, though. He wriggled excitedly next to her, completely oblivious to the gawkers, his eyebrows raised and a goofy grin on his face, making her laugh—she was happy for that. She explained about Joe’s father on the way, and apologized for making Rhett wait, but he’d been over it before they’d even hit the road, offering to get her another coffee at the airport. Holly didn’t want to prolong the conversation anyway, because it was time to start a fresh chapter of her life.
But it must have been on his mind longer than she’d thought because, once they were in the air, he said, “Tell me seriously, you really didn’t have the hots for that guy?”
For a second, Holly battled the urge to hide the truth, but then it occurred to her that Rhett had been very honest with her the whole holiday. Now, with no way to ruin anything for Joe, she finally admitted it. “I really liked him.”
“I knew it.” He looked past her through the window, over the wing of the plane. “You’re so easy to read.”
Following that comment, she wondered now if Joe had also known her feelings. “It hurt to see him marry Katharine,” she confessed. After all, Rhett had been the one person she’d told these kinds of things to growing up.
“You’ll get over it,” he said, and she was surprisingly annoyed by the way he brushed it off as if her feelings for Joe meant nothing. But she knew that it was because his jealousy was surfacing.
“How do you know?” she asked, irritated, and her eyes met his. “You’ve probably never been hurt like that, and you never will, given who you are.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked quietly.
“You’re Rhett Burton, Mr. Nice Guy, the sensitive songwriter. Who would want to hurt you?”
“That’s not true. You act like being a singer entitles me to some kind of perfect life. Well, it doesn’t. Why do you think I came back home?”
“Why did you come back?” she asked, her interest overpowering her frustration over his lack of sensitivity.
“I met someone after I left. She lives in Nashville—a singer, struggling to make it in the business. We dated seriously, and it ended badly. She cheated on me,” he said in almost an inaudible whisper. Holly could see the shock still there as he said it. Rhett could be a handful at times, but one thing that was always true about him was his honesty. He’d never cheat on someone, so Holly could only imagine the complete disbelief he probably had when someone had betrayed him that way.
“That was when I knew that the price I pay for fame is not being able to trust anyone. I feared it before I even left, and that just sealed the deal. She was with me for my name and my face, not for who I am. It was terrifying.” He looked out at the clouds as they billowed past them through the window. “After that, I bought the land in Leiper’s Fork. I didn’t want to live anywhere but home. Home is where the real people are, the ones who know me best. Right before I went out on the road, I started to have feelings for you. But after that break up, that was when I knew that you were the one for me.”
Holly let this new information sink in, processing it. “So I’m the one for you because some woman in Nashville cheated on you? I don’t follow.”
“That’s not it, Holly. All I’m saying is if you and I were together, I’d know that you were with me because you love me, not the guy on stage every night. I know I can trust it.”
The flight attendant came and took their drink orders. Still thinking about what Rhett had said, Holly ordered a Coke. The attendant handed her a small bag of peanuts, but they sat unopened on Holly’s tray. All her energy and focus was on Rhett right now, her skin prickling with unease. She shook her head, everything becoming clear. “Rhett, we had an almost-kiss right before you left and you keep trying… But it isn’t right and you know it.” She twisted toward him, taking his hand, looking around to make sure she wouldn’t be on the headlines tomorrow. Instagram Girl was reading her book, thank goodness.
“I don’t know it… I have no idea why you think it isn’t right,” he said.
“Yes, I think you do. You just don’t want to admit it.”
The attendant returned and held out a white napkin with a small cup of Coke, the fizz popping against the ice cubes. Holly took it and set it down, only half acknowledging the attendant with a smile, still engrossed in her conversation with Rhett.
“We’re best friends,” she reminded him. “But you’re not in love with me… You’re just scared to take another chance. Because it hurts to be let down.” She knew that from experience. “But you can’t hold on to the past and run away from life just so you won’t get hurt again.”
Rhett leaned his head back against the seat, thinking. She wasn’t entirely sure he believed what she said. But Holly knew she was right. And in that moment, Holly realized she was ready to live life as if she’d never suffered a broken heart before. The only way to do anything was to go into it full steam ahead without any reservations. She wanted to have stories to tell Papa when they met again—he’d be asking.
It was time to make herself a life with no regrets, and she was going to start right now.
Thirty-Four
One Year Later, Christmas
New York was so different from where Holly had lived most of her life. She’d spent the last twelve months traveling, only a week of those twelve months with Rhett. It had only taken that week for him to see that they were better as friends. On their last night travelling together, they’d had a long talk about it, and she’d never forget what he said.
“I think the closeness you and I had confused me for a while there,” he told her. “I love you so much.” He flashed that contagious smile. “It’s unlike any love I’ve ever had. It’s different than the way I love Mama or your papa or even old ex-girlfriends. When I find the words to describe it, I’m gonna write a song about it.”
She reached across the table and took his hand, never feeling closer to him than she had in that moment.
“Our week together, away from all the noise from people, our past, expectations, everything that surrounded us, brought a lot of clarity for me; it gave me a chance to sift through what I want from you and me together. And I know now that the two of us are better off as friends. I just want you to be happy.”
Before she left for her flight the next day, he’d given her another kiss, but this time it was on the top of her head. Then he put two fingers to his eyes and then pointed at hers. “My world,” he said. “It’s good.”
As she headed out the door, she turned around one last time. “Hey,” she called to him before tossing a tin through the air. Rhett caught it and looked down at the tobacco container in his hand. “I checked with Buddy. That’s his kind.”
That was when Rhett ran over and hugged her.
Holly decided to use some of the money Papa left her and go out on her own, traveling all over the US and Europe. But she’d saved the one place she’d always wanted to go for last.
She still thought about Joe. She hadn’t heard from him at all, but she hadn’t reached out either. It would just be too hard to stay in touch. And she’d considered going home to be around family, but Holly wanted to be isolated for a while to find herself, so she could ponder her true desires in life. She hadn’t even told Nana about traveling solo during their weekly calls.
While traveling, Holly decided to start her own design firm, specializing in restoration and upcycling of family heirlooms. She thought about wedding planning, but decided she’d like to use her talents in a quieter line of work. She’d done a few decorating jobs already across the country. She met with the client to get a feel for how they wanted the pieces incorporated in her design of the room.
One of her customers in Seattle asked her to completely repurpose an old trunk as the shell of a farmhouse-style kitchen sink.
They’d built rustic legs on it, drilled holes for piping and the sink itself, and refinished it to a distressed but highly clear-lacquered shine. Then they dropped a porcelain sink into it and finished it with brush nickel taps and a granite counter on top. With a jar of wildflowers next to the tap, it was magazine photo material. That had been her most favorite project so far.
There wasn’t anything quite like Holly’s business in Nashville, and she knew that there would be a market for it. She planned to start small, with a clean and simple website, only doing a few choice projects that really inspired her. She put the photos of the jobs she’d done so far on her page and her new email address she’d opened was already filling up with requests, so she made a questionnaire to send out to help her choose which project to do. The first question was, “Is there a particular piece you’d like to incorporate? Tell me its story and how it inspires you.” That was what she’d finally understood about Papa. He hadn’t ever chased the money or The Big Deal because in the small things, he was inspired, and that was what life was all about. As he said, he’d never worked a day in his life. That was because he’d spent his whole professional life in a dream, just like she was now. She couldn’t imagine anything better.
She also wanted to share all that wonderful furniture from her childhood. Memories like that shouldn’t be piled up in a barn. She planned to refinish a few more pieces of Papa’s furniture when she got home, presenting them as one-of-a-kind design options, and she was going to offer free one-room furniture placement consultations in the Nashville area to ensure their best placement. She couldn’t wait to see Papa’s furniture in their new homes be a part of another generation making family memories.
Holly couldn’t wait to tell Nana about it all, but not from New York. She’d postpone the news until they were together.
“Rhett called,” Nana said through the phone as Holly sipped her White Chocolate Peppermint latte and took in the view of the New York City street outside from Rona’s. People bustled by with their holiday packages, their boots and winter shoes clipping along at a hurried pace, while the snow fell around them.
“I figured Rhett would call you for Christmas,” she said to Nana, holding her warm cup in one hand and her phone in the other.
“He says you two went your separate ways.”
“Yes.” Holly peered down at her coffee. The bells on the door jingled, announcing another patron’s entrance. She didn’t look up, her mind on the call. “We’ll always be best friends, Nana, but I needed some time to myself.”
“I know, child.”
“He knows I love him, and he promised he’d call me after the tour.”
“I’m sure he will.” Holly could almost feel Nana’s smile coming through the line. “When are you flying in?”
“This afternoon. My flight’s at three o’clock.” She pulled her phone from her ear to view the time and then came back to the call. “That’s four hours. I’ll be back at the cabin for Christmas, just like I promised.”
“Ah, my girl’s coming back home. Finally. I can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t wait to see you either! Is everyone coming—the whole family?”
“Yes. They should be arriving any minute. I’ve got the house full of food!”
“I’m so excited! I’ll call you once I land in Nashville, okay?”
“All right, dear.”
It would be nice to see a familiar face. Holly had spent a whole week alone in New York, seeing the sights, but this morning, she’d wavered in her resolve and found Rona’s café near Times Square, the one that Joe mentioned all those nights ago. She still had the print that he’d gotten at the gallery—she packed it before leaving with Rhett, and she carried it in her suitcase the whole time.
The café was a cozy little spot, tucked away just enough from the busy street that she could warm herself by the small fire, sip her coffee, and read a book but still have quite a view through the large picture window framed in thick Christmas garlands. The inviting and relaxed ambiance was right up her alley, and she knew why Joe had thought she’d enjoy it. It was like a little slice of home right in the center of the city. She could just imagine his parents talking over steaming mugs, their eyes having silent conversations, the two of them lingering because neither wanted to leave… It was that kind of atmosphere.
Perhaps one day she’d be lucky enough to find a second person that could light up her day the way Joe could—that was the thought that kept her warm on those cold nights, even though she didn’t always believe it could happen. Joe was uniquely wonderful, and chances of finding someone who could even come close to the way he made her feel seemed impossible.
If life were like the movies, he’d come bursting through the door, wrap her in his arms and walk with her into their happy ending, but, as she looked around at all the unfamiliar faces, she knew that wasn’t how things really went. And that was okay. She wished nothing but happiness for Joe and hoped he’d found his soul mate in Katharine. And she wondered how things were going with Harvey. Had they come to terms with the past and started to build a future as father and son? She hoped so.
Being alone for this long had taught Holly to cherish her time with family, and she was so excited to get back to Nana. Nana told her that Otis was having his usual gathering for Christmas Eve tomorrow. Holly would get to see Tammy and Kay, Buddy, and all their other friends who were like family to her, and her own family was coming, thanks to Nana’s invite. Her mom, dad, sister Alicia, her husband Carlos, and little Emma would all be there.
Holly was ready to get back to the life she knew so well. She’d miss having Rhett there this year, but she was sure that he’d return home, and in a matter of time, he’d be with them again on Christmas like he always had. They’d grown so close—their friendship was so much stronger with all their thoughts now out in the open. They were better than they’d ever been. She wished he could be there this year. But he was following his heart, living his dream, and he was where he was meant to be.
With the New York City snow starting to fall more heavily, Holly finished her coffee, tucked her book back into her bag, and walked out into the beautiful Christmas chaos that only a city like that could provide. She meandered down side streets until she got to Rockefeller Center where she took her last look at the Christmas tree as it dazzled passers-by. Then, when she felt like she was finally ready to leave, Holly hailed a taxi for the airport.
* * *
The flight into Nashville had been relatively uneventful, but Holly felt the sleepiness that travel caused washing over her. It had been a long year. She dropped her bags off at the cabin. The smell of Nana’s cooking, all her family’s bags tucked in every free spot, and Emma’s toys nearly bringing her to tears. She took a quick shower to get the airport exhaustion off her. Then she dressed herself in a new outfit she’d bought in New York and headed to Otis’s barn to see Nana and her family.
With everyone from town in attendance this year, it was quite a crowd at Otis’s. She scanned the faces for Nana, waving to people as she searched. Kay hugged her, and little Hattie, the kitten, ran by with a jingle bell around her neck.
“Looking for me?” Nana said from behind.
Holly turned and threw her arms around her grandmother, breathing in the scent of her, the comfort of home so strong that she didn’t know if she could ever leave again. It had taken time away to really appreciate what Holly had there and she knew now that this was exactly where she belonged. While it wasn’t the happy ending of movies, it was real and it was wonderful. And it was hers.
“Everyone’s been waiting for you,” Nana said, pulling back to offer Holly the most gorgeous smile she’d seen Nana produce in years. “Turn around.”
Holly followed Nana’s gaze and squealed at the sight of her sister Alicia, Alicia’s husband Carlos, their daughter Emma, and Holly’s parents all grinning at her. Emma ran over to her and embraced her middle. “You’re getting tall, Emma!” she said, fighting back the tears. Holly greeted ea
ch of her family members with a giant hug, so thrilled they were all there.
“Want to head over to a table?” Nana suggested. “My feet are killing me.”
They all settled in, and Holly noticed the quiet that descended upon them.
“I have a surprise for you,” Nana said.
And then, when she thought she couldn’t be any happier, a familiar first chord rang out on the stage, demanding her attention. Holly threw her hands up to her gaping mouth just as Kay grabbed an empty seat beside her, Hattie in her lap.
“He got himself two days off just to come.” Kay put her arm around Holly’s shoulder.
Rhett had changed the words to the song they’d started last Christmas, the one with the lyrics “she’s gone.” This time, he sang, “She’s gone but she’s with me everywhere I go. On the road, in those cold hotels, her smile lingers. My best friend, my girl.” He winked at her. She used his old gesture and pointed two fingers at her eyes and then at his as a sign of their unity as friends and his new promise to always be there for her.
When everyone had settled into quiet chatter, Rhett started to play a new song about love and soul mates. “Holly, come up here,” he called into the microphone between lyrics. She wondered what he was doing. It was all a little reminiscent of the last time he’d professed his love to her, and she hesitated, not sure of his motives. But this was different than last time. Waving his arm in a beckoning fashion between chords, he urged her with his smile to join him.
She crinkled her eyebrows together, trying to show her confusion, but he just hooked his finger in the come-up-here gesture. A tingling sensation snaked down her limbs and her heart sped up. He did understand, right? She had gotten it through to him that they were just friends… Surely, he wasn’t going to tell her he’d changed his mind and he still had feelings for her, was he? He kept singing lyrics about love, his eyes on her, making her stomach start to swirl with unease. She looked to her family but they all just seemed to be swapping glances, their faces giving her nothing.