Their Family Blessing

by Lorraine Beatty

  She moved toward the front, taking a seat on one of the wooden bench pews.

  Mack set his hands on his hips. “Can you believe this? The Lord must have had his hands covering this place.”

  “I always imagined I’d be married right here. Growing up, we held Sunday services regularly. I was going to have two white wheelbarrows behind the cross filled with blue and yellow flowers.”

  “Wheelbarrows, huh?”

  She smiled. “It sounded romantic at the time. My mom used to paint our old wheelbarrows and fill them with flowers. It was so pretty.” She glanced back at the pulpit. “There’d be a white wreath of roses on the cross and white cushions on all the pews. Two large gold candle stands on the podium. And candle stakes at the end of each row with white tulle and ribbon streamers. My twelve bridesmaids would wear blue dresses and carry yellow daisies.”

  “Twelve?”

  Carly laughed. “I know. It’s overkill, but at the time I wanted to include all my best friends.”

  “And what about you? What would you be wearing?”

  “A white princess-style dress, simple and elegant, with a bouquet of white magnolia blossoms.”

  She fell silent, flooded with childhood memories that had been buried too long and the dreams that would, now, never be. “Ella could have been married here.”

  Mack took her hand. “What brought about this change of heart? All this time, you’ve dug in your heels.”

  “I’ve discovered that things I believed, that I accepted as truth, weren’t true at all.”

  Mack held her hand, his thumb rubbing across her skin in a slow soothing rhythm, encouraging her to go on. “That little lies can lead to big problems, that even a small twist on the truth can ripple on forever. Things aren’t always what they appear to be and we shouldn’t just accept them. We need to ask questions. I just listened to what I was told and believed it as gospel, and it ruined my life.”

  “I agree. We need to be honest with those we care about. Tell them how we really feel because they can’t read our minds. We can’t just make assumptions on what we see or what we’re told, because we don’t always know the whole story. I don’t want to live like that. It can hurt too many people.”

  Was he trying to tell her something? What unspoken truths were there between them? “I should have believed you when you told me my dad wouldn’t cheat on my mom. Deep down, I think I knew that, but I couldn’t get past the hurt.”

  “Another one of those distorted truths that have caused so much trouble.”

  “Exactly.”

  Carly inhaled a slow breath. “In the interest of honesty and openness, I need to tell you something. I came back that last summer because of you. I wanted to see you again. I missed you.”

  “You did? You never said anything.”

  “We had a good time that first week. It was like we’d never been apart. And then...”

  Mack exhaled and nodded. “And then I blew it by kissing you.”

  Carly tried to hide her hurt. “Just what every girl wants to hear.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.” He stared at the lake a long moment. “I’d wanted to kiss you for a long time. But I didn’t want to cross any barriers and I wasn’t sure how you would feel about it.”

  “What barriers?”

  “Carly, you were my boss’s daughter. Not to mention underage.”

  “That shouldn’t have mattered. Besides, I would have been eighteen in a week.”

  “But you weren’t, and it mattered to me, because I owed your father so much. He was my mentor and the father I never had. I wasn’t going to jeopardize our relationship by taking liberties with his only child.”

  “But he adored you. He probably wouldn’t have cared.”

  “Did you ever ask him?”

  “Well, no, but...”

  “So why did you kiss me? Just to satisfy your curiosity?”

  “Partly. But more so because I’d had a crush on you from the moment I met you. When I was twelve.”

  “You had a crush on me that long?”

  “More than a crush, actually. But you kissed me, then ran back to Natalie. I saw you both in the canoe the next morning.”

  “That was a mistake. I was trying to forget the kiss.”

  “Again. Thanks a heap.”

  Mack took her hand. “I didn’t regret it. But I was trying to put it behind me, and I thought if I spent time with Natalie I could forget, plus I didn’t want to risk upsetting you or your dad.”

  “Why would I be upset?”

  “You have to admit, ours was a love-hate relationship. There were times when I thought you couldn’t stand me.”

  “There were. I resented the close relationship between you and my daddy. I felt left out.”

  “Daddy? That’s the first time you’ve called him that since you’ve been back.”

  “I miss him. He’d be so upset by all this damage.”

  “He would, but he’d dig in his heels and put it all back together.”

  “But I can’t. And it’s all my fault.”

  “No. We’ve both been stubborn. This is a poor time to tell you this, but I had decided to agree to sell the property.”

  “Why? I thought you wanted to raise Lucy here to run the lodge and give her a home?”

  “I do. I did, but I realized I was being selfish. Wade was your dad. Not mine. No matter how much I loved him and the campgrounds, this is your family legacy. Not mine. I should never have gone against your wishes.”

  “But he left Longleaf to both of us. Though I’m not sure why.”

  “I think he hoped we’d be partners and run the campgrounds together. That would have made him happy.”

  “I suppose we’ll never know for certain.”

  “Let’s not give up until you talk to the attorney tomorrow. There might be a silver lining behind this black cloud.”

  Carly smiled up at him. “I’d forgotten how optimistic you can be.”

  “That’s not optimism, that’s avoidance. I don’t want to think all is lost until I have to.”

  Carly slipped her hand in his as they walked back to the lodge. The connection helped her block out the debris and destruction all around them. He’d always made her see the good in everything. Much the same way her father had. Maybe that was why she loved him.

  She stole a glance. Should she tell him? Or was this one of those secrets she should keep to herself? For now she’d have to wait and see.

  * * *

  Mack steered his SUV down the long winding driveway of the Longleaf Lodge and Campgrounds a few days later, wondering if this would be one of the last times he took this journey. He glanced over at Carly, who was sitting slumped in the passenger seat staring out the window. She’d been unusually quiet and reflective since yesterday. He couldn’t blame her. He felt like he’d taken a sledgehammer to the chest. He wished he had something hopeful to say to her, but the bottom line was the lodge was going up for auction today in less than an hour. They’d decided to wait it out by taking the girls to the marina and letting them play and have lunch to keep them distracted. Neither of them had any idea how they would tell their daughters why they wouldn’t be able to visit the lodge anymore.

  Mack reached over and squeezed her hand. “You did all you could. If there’d been a way out of this, Holt would have found it.”

  “I know. But I could have avoided all of this if I’d been honest with myself. Instead, I’ve wasted time and now I’ve lost everything.”

  “I’m not blameless, either. I should have sided with you sooner.”

  “Blaming ourselves won’t help now.”

  Mack’s chest tightened. With every moment that passed he realized more and more what he’d lost. Not only the dream of a home for Lucy, but his relationship with Carly. With the lodge gone, she’d have no reason to s
tay in Lake Hope and he’d never see her again.

  Maybe it was time to start thinking about the next phase of his life. One that didn’t include Carly and Ella.

  The marina restaurant wasn’t crowded, so they took a table near the beach playground so they could talk and watch while the girls played. Mack ordered burgers and fries, but only the children seemed able to enjoy them. The food turned to dust in his mouth and Carly must have felt the same way. She toyed with her fries, twirling one around in the ketchup cup a long while before taking a bite.

  She met his gaze, and the pain and sadness in her brown eyes broke his heart.

  “Funny how good news and bad news seem to go hand in hand.”

  “Meaning?”

  “I heard from the medical assistance organization my friend told me about and they’ve accepted my application. They’ll start working on my case immediately. I can stop worrying about the hospital bills, but now I have to face the loss of the lodge.” She exhaled a heavy sigh. “This will be the longest afternoon of my life. No. I take that back. Waiting for Ella to come through surgery was the longest. But this runs a close second.”

  “Standing at the front of the church waiting for a bride who never showed up.”

  Carly jerked her head up. “What do you mean?”

  “She changed her mind.”

  “You never told me you were engaged.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry, Mack. That must have been hard.”

  “Not as hard as waiting on your child to come through heart surgery.”

  “Apples and oranges. Did she tell you why?”

  Mack grinned. “She said that my heart was never fully hers. That I loved someone else who I couldn’t get out of my system and she didn’t want to be my consolation prize.”

  “Oh. Was she right?”

  He rubbed his thumb over her finger. “She was.”

  “So why didn’t you marry the other woman?”

  “She was already married and I hadn’t seen her in a very long time.” He looked into her eyes, and he could see questions forming. Maybe now was the time to tell her everything. He had nothing to lose. Everything he’d hoped for was over. At least he could finally admit his feelings. If she didn’t feel the same, it no longer mattered. After today they would probably go their separate ways.

  “I never thought of you as the dating-a-married-woman type.”

  “We never dated. We only kissed once. But my fiancée was right. I’d given this woman my heart, and it was impossible to give it to someone else.”

  Carly’s eyes widened and her cheeks blushed pink.

  “I couldn’t marry her because she wasn’t you. I lost my heart to you, Carly, from the first moment I met you. I was fourteen and you were twelve but you were so feisty and funny and strong and smart. I didn’t realize it was love until we were much older, but I knew no other girl ever made me feel the way you did. That kiss was the benchmark that I judged every other woman by. When you came back here, I knew nothing had changed. I love you, Carly. I always have. I’m sorry if it makes you feel uncomfortable or if you’re troubled by my admission. But we may never see each other again and I wanted you to know how I felt. Have always felt.”

  He braced himself for her rejection.

  “Mack. I wish I would have known sooner. We’ve wasted so much time.” She reached out and touched the side of his face. “I’ve tried to deny it most of my life, but I love you, too. I think I have since the first day you came to work for us at the lodge. I was too young to understand what my feelings were, but when I came back the last time, it was clear to me. But I was too afraid to hope.”

  His heart took wings, afraid to believe what she was saying. He drew her close and kissed her. “Carly, I—”

  Her text tone shattered the moment.

  She blinked as if coming out of a daze. He knew the feeling. She looked at the screen. “It’s Dwayne. The auction is over. We need to go back.”

  His joy over Carly’s admission was replaced with the dread of learning the fate of the lodge. Neither of them spoke as they drove home. He couldn’t remember a time when his emotions had soared and crashed in such a short span of time.

  He didn’t want to think about what tomorrow would bring. The lodge was gone. They would go their separate ways. Were their admissions of love enough to change the future or only a sweet moment in time, never to be mentioned again?

  * * *

  Carly fought the heavy weight of sadness that was lodged in her chest. Her gaze took in the lush surroundings outside the car window as Mack turned into the driveway at the lodge. This could be the last time she’d see the land her family had owned for three generations.

  She tried not to think about the new owners and their plans for the grounds. She glanced over at Mack. Was he feeling the same? They should have tried harder to work together. “What are you going to do now?”

  “Go back down to Gulfport, I suppose. I have my job and an apartment. I think I might study for the bar exam. It would be a safer profession than being a deputy.”

  “I thought you loved law enforcement.”

  “I do. But I have to think of Lucy. What about you? What will you do now?”

  “I guess we’ll return to Atlanta. I still have a job, and I can keep promoting the marina stores on social media from anywhere.”

  “Is that what you really want to do?”

  She didn’t answer. What she wanted to do was stay here and run the lodge like her father wanted. Ella deserved the kind of childhood she’d had growing up, playing among the trees and beside the beautiful lake. Here she’d have the freedom to explore and thrive. Ella would learn about the family business, and eventually she’d take over some of the tasks Carly had done growing up. But that dream was dead now. Her throat tightened and tears stung her eyes.

  Mack stopped the car in front of the lodge but didn’t move. He met her gaze and a link of understanding passed between them. Neither of them was looking forward to hearing the fate of Longleaf Lodge. But they had to face the hard truth that each of them had contributed to this disaster. Pride. Anger. Self-interest and misunderstanding had brought them to this point.

  Carly opened the door and got out, opening the back door for the girls.

  “Can we play on the swing set?”

  “No. Not yet. We need to see if it’s safe after the storm. Why don’t you find a movie to watch. There’s still too much debris for you to play outside right now.”

  Mack came around the vehicle and held out his hand. She took hold of it, feeling her courage lift. They walked toward the entrance and climbed the porch steps slowly, as if approaching the guillotine. He stopped at the door and faced her. She searched his face, noticing how his blue eyes had faded to gray. She wanted to comfort him somehow, but there was nothing she could say.

  He took her other hand in his and met her gaze. “Did you mean what you said at the marina? About loving me?”

  “Yes. With all my heart.”

  “Then stay here with me. We’ll build a new future together. The lodge might be gone, but that doesn’t mean we have to part ways. I’ve lost you twice. I don’t want to lose you again.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I love you. I love Ella. I want you both in my life forever. We can move to the coast. I’ll get a bigger apartment or we’ll find a house. Or, if you want, I’ll come to Atlanta. I can always join one of the law enforcement departments there.”

  “Was that a proposal?”

  “Yes. I’ve waited a lifetime to ask you. There’s never been anyone else for me but you. You’re the dream I’ve held in my heart since I was fourteen.”

  She smiled up at him, her senses overcome with her deep love for this wonderful man. “Yes, yes. I want nothing more than to be your wife.”

  He pulled her into his arms, his blue eyes reveal
ing the depth of his love. His lips captured hers tenderly. Carly floated on the joy of his kiss and the knowledge that at long last the barriers between them had been removed. Mack ended the kiss and she rested her head on his chest, reluctant to let the moment end. But they still had to learn the fate of Longleaf Lodge.

  Mack released her, cradling her face in his strong hands. “No matter what happens, no matter the fate of the lodge, we’ll have the most important thing in life. Each other.”

  She nodded and slipped her arm around his waist. “I guess we’d better get this over with. Then we can start making plans for the future.”

  Mack opened the door and they stepped into the lodge. Dwayne called to them from the office. He was seated behind the desk with an unreadable expression on his weathered face. An unusual thing for him. His feelings were usually clearly visible and readable.

  “Have a seat.”

  Mack and Carly sat, keeping their eyes on the man. Thelma moved to his side, an odd expression her face, as well. The extended silence was making Carly anxious. “Well? How did it go? Who bought the property? Will they keep it as is or are they going to—” Her throat seized up. “Are they going to tear it down?”

  “No. The new owner isn’t going to change anything. It’ll all remain exactly as it always has.”

  Carly exchanged a surprised look with Mack. “Really?”

  “Who bought it?”

  Thelma laid a hand on Dwayne’s shoulder and smiled. Carly studied them both. They looked happy, almost mischievous. “I don’t understand.”

  Dwayne leaned back in the chair, resting his hand on top of his wife’s. “We’re the new owners of the lodge.”

  His statement refused to register in her mind. “What are you talking about?”

  Mack seemed equally confused. “Dwayne, you’re not making sense.”

  “I couldn’t let my friend’s family legacy be auctioned off to strangers. Who knew what they’d do to the place? So Thelma and I talked it over and we decided we’d step in and bid on it. And we won.”