The Way Home

by Eliana West

  Taylor flinched. “I wasn’t lying to you, Jo.”

  “There’s nothing more to say, Taylor. You’ve made your choice.”

  Jo paused when she started to walk out and turned back to Tessa. “I’m sorry to disappoint you but I’ve put a lock on my door so you won’t be able to steal anything else from me.”

  She left on unsteady legs and barely made it to her car before collapsing into the driver’s seat. She dropped her head to the steering wheel, and let her tears flow. When she saw Taylor come out of the house and head in her direction she swiped her eyes and jammed the key into the ignition. She sped out of the driveway watching Taylor call after her in the rearview mirror. She drove on autopilot, ending up in front of the Catfish Café. She took a deep breath and got out of the car.

  “Jo, what’s wrong, honey?” Tillie asked as soon as she set foot through the door.

  “Tillie, I…” She couldn’t hold it together anymore. She broke down and started to cry.

  “Come on, sweetie.” Tillie put her arm around her shoulder and quickly led her to the back of the café.

  Instead of stopping at a booth she took Jo through the kitchen, calling out to the cook to take over as she led her out the back to a small cottage across the street.

  Tillie pushed her through the front door into a cozy room with warm white walls and wood floors. The fireplace was framed by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with cookbooks and mystery novels. The space was warm and inviting. She instantly felt at home. Tillie gestured for Jo to sit on the sofa covered in magnolia blossoms on a pale royal-blue background while she started a fire. She tucked a soft blanket around Jo’s shoulders before going into the kitchen to turn the kettle on. She returned with a cup of tea and a bottle of whiskey.

  “Take your pick.”

  Jo wiped her eyes and took a sip of tea. “I’m sorry, Tillie, I didn’t mean to lose it like that.”

  Tillie leaned back against the cushions, looking at her thoughtfully. “Are you ready to talk about it?”

  Jo swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I’m so embarrassed and mad at myself.”

  She went on to tell Tillie about what happened. When she finished Tillie had a glass of whiskey in her hand and a thunderous expression on her face.

  “The thing is I wanted him to pick me. I wanted him to choose both of us working together to make Halcyon something really special. Was I wrong to think we could have had that?”

  “Any woman in love would expect nothing less.”

  Was she in love? Meeting Taylor made her think she might be ready to fall in love again. Maybe not the head-over-heels kind of love that had broken her heart before but with Taylor she’d started to believe she would have something more. A lover who was also a partner, someone who respected her, and made her feel…wanted.

  She took a deep breath, fighting a losing battle against another round of tears. “I can’t leave and start over this time.”

  “That’s not true—you could sell Taylor your half of the house,” Tillie said, bluntly.

  She shuddered at the thought. “Oh no.” Jo shook her head vehemently. “Leaving Halcyon would break my heart again. I love living here. I’ve never felt more at home than I do in Colton.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear,” Tillie said with an approving smile.

  “I’m just tired. I feel like all I’ve done since I moved into Halcyon is defend myself and Ada Mae’s memory.”

  “Let’s look at this like the smart, savvy businesswomen we are. Tessa and Taylor have a partnership that has given her the idea that she can claim part ownership of the house. Even if that were true—and I doubt that it is—half of Halcyon is yours. Don’t think of it as negotiating with Taylor; you’re negotiating with the production company. If getting the show filmed is as important as he says it is and they want to film in the house they’re going to have to negotiate with you.”

  Tillie was right. She had to put her feelings for Taylor aside and safeguard Halcyon.

  “You need a plan, honey. What is it that you want? Do you want Taylor to stop filming the show? You could kick him out and insist on hiring another contractor to do the work.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “You can’t be all wishy-washy when you meet with him. You have to know what you want.”

  Thank goodness for Tillie’s calm reasoning. Of course she was right—when she saw Taylor again she needed to be able to state her position clearly and without emotion.

  Tillie insisted that Jo spend the night. They sat up late into the night making a list of demands for Taylor while they drank whiskey and overindulged on pie and fried chicken. With a full belly and a confidence boost Jo headed back to Halcyon the next morning.

  Tillie gave her a fierce hug before she left. “There’s a whole bunch of folks who are rooting for you, honey, and we’ve all got your back. Just remember that.”

  Jo gave her a kiss on the cheek and braced herself to face Taylor. On the short drive from town, she did her best to ready herself for the conversation she was about to have. Jo reminded herself when she walked into the house that while Ada Mae didn’t have the freedom to leave, Jo had the right to choose to stay. It was a privilege that she wasn’t going to take for granted.

  He was sitting at the kitchen table when she got home. This time she noticed how his clothes were rumpled and saw the dark circles under his eyes. She ignored the sympathetic stirrings of her heart and sat down at the table, clasping her hands in front of her.

  “Jo, I—”

  She held up her hand. “I have some things I’d like to say.”

  “Okay.”

  “Since you decided to be careless and sign away your ownership of Halcyon to your production company and if what Tessa said is true, you may not have an equal stake in the house. If I’m the majority owner of the house, all decisions must be approved by me. I am not going to make you stop production on your show.” She softened her voice. “I wouldn’t take away something that you love.” He gripped the edge of the table, and she knew her words had hit home. She couldn’t back down now. She straightened her shoulders and continued. “I understand that Tessa is a part of your production team and will be working on this project; however, she is not allowed to be in this house unless she is under your direct supervision. You may film in the other parts of the house; however, the small parlor and the garden are off-limits.” She fought against the tears she refused to let fall. “You should have been honest with me from the beginning and told me that you had put your ownership of the house in the production company.”

  Taylor remained silent for a few minutes before he took a deep breath and said, “You’re right—I should have said something. To be honest I didn’t think…” He grimaced. “Obviously I didn’t think about a lot of things.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t know if I can guarantee any of your conditions.”

  “That’s your problem not mine. My terms are nonnegotiable.”

  He looked at her with eyes filled with anguish. Any sorrow she felt for him was smothered by her determination.

  “And what about us?”

  His blue eyes held hers, searching her face for what—hope? She pressed her lips together and shook her head.

  “We are partners in Halcyon and nothing else. I deserve to be with someone who will value what’s in his heart over a business relationship. I was foolish enough to fall for a man who lied to get what he wanted once; I’m mad at myself for doing it again but I’m lucky I found out now before…” Her voice hitched. “Would you have slept with me to get what you wanted?”

  Taylor clenched his fists. “I can’t believe you would think I would do that.”

  “And I can’t believe that you would think I would be willing to let Tessa back in this house after what she did.”

  “I don’t have a choice, Jo.”

  “Yes, you do!” she shouted.

  “I can’t. You’re asking me to give up everything I’ve worked for.”

  Jo shook
her head. “I don’t know what to say to convince you that I’m not asking you to give up History Reborn. This is about you, I don’t understand why you’re willing to let Tessa have so much control.”

  Taylor ran his hand through his hair. “Tessa has always looked out for me; I owe her a lot. History Reborn wouldn’t be a success without her.”

  Suddenly, Jo understood. “You’re afraid.”

  Taylor jumped up. “That’s bullshit.”

  He jumped up and stormed out of the room. His reaction proved that she was right—he was scared. She sat down with her computer and sent an update to her lawyer. When she finished she went to her room and climbed under the covers. She drew her knees up to her chest and finally allowed her tears to fall.

  It was almost unbearable to stay in the house in the days that followed. She and Taylor continued to barely speak to each other. Taking a break from the tension Jo decided to treat herself with a mocha and some new gardening magazines from the bookstore and coffee shop Callie had opened next door to the library. The Spring Street Book and Coffee Co. was charming with walls lined with books and small tables featuring different themed book displays. There were overstuffed chairs scattered around the room where customers could take their time perusing books while they enjoyed a coffee and pastry. One customer in particular caught her eye when she walked in.

  She rushed over to where Chloe was sitting crying quietly.

  “Chloe, what’s wrong?”

  “I’ve been fired.”

  “What?”

  Chloe wiped at her eyes. “Tessa fired me.”

  Jo sat down next to her. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  “She…she said I wasn’t a team player and I couldn’t be trusted since I talked to you.”

  “I see.” Jo tried to sound calm for Chloe’s sake.

  “Tessa will never give me a reference and she said she’d make sure I never got another job. I was sharing a house back in LA and I gave up my room. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  Jo put her arm around Chloe’s shoulders. “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to figure something out.”

  “I just feel so dumb. Tessa kept promising me that she would promote me to be a production assistant. That’s the job I really wanted but she always had an excuse for why she couldn’t and I believed her. I think she knew the whole time.”

  “Knew what?”

  “That I’m mixed. I’m light enough that most people just assume I’m White and I thought if I didn’t say anything…” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  “Why would that matter?”

  “It’s kind of a known thing that Tessa doesn’t want any minorities working on the show. Even the homeowners that they feature are always White.”

  Jo drew back with a frown. It made sense now, why she didn’t want Sam and Minh back to work on the house.

  “Just when I thought Taylor couldn’t be any worse,” Jo muttered.

  Chloe shook her head. “The thing is, I don’t know if Taylor realizes.”

  “Being willfully ignorant isn’t an excuse. Taylor doesn’t matter anymore. What does matter is helping you and I have an idea.”

  *

  Jo took Chloe across the park to the Barton Building.

  Dax looked up with surprise when Jo walked in with Chloe.

  “Dax, remember how we were talking about hiring an office assistant? Well, I’d like to introduce you to Chloe Michaels. She needs a job and I think she would be an excellent candidate.”

  Dax raised his eyebrows. “Okay.”

  “Chloe also needs a place to stay and I thought if you haven’t leased it already she might be interested in renting the apartment you let me use when I first came here.”

  Chloe’s eyes grew wide. “I can’t. I’m sure I can’t afford—”

  “I pay my employees a living wage, Chloe. I’m sure you’ll be able to afford it.” Dax pulled a key out of his desk drawer. “It’s the second door on the left. Why don’t you go on up and take a look to see if you like it,” he said pointing to the stairway.

  Chloe took the key and turned to Jo, her eyes bright with unshed tears and said, “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Yes, I do. You deserve better than what happened to you and I’m going to make it right.”

  Jo gave Chloe a gentle push toward the stairs. As soon as Chloe was out of earshot Dax looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Care to share what that was all about?”

  “I’m sorry to ambush you like that but I had to do something.”

  “That’s fine, but what happened?”

  Dax swore under his breath when Jo shared Chloe’s story.

  “I can’t believe he would do something so stupid,” Dax muttered under his breath when she finished with what she’d learned about Taylor’s ownership of Halcyon.

  “I’m sorry, Jo, I wish there was something I could say or do but honestly, I don’t know what that would be.”

  “Neither do I. All I could think about was making sure Chloe was taken care of. Now, I need to do everything I can to protect Halcyon from Tessa.”

  “What about Taylor?”

  “He made his choice.” She swallowed, trying to keep her voice from breaking. “I can’t fight whatever hold Tessa has on him.”

  When Chloe returned Dax said, “Chloe, you’re hired. You can start tomorrow and keep the key to the apartment. You can move in anytime.”

  “Thank you.” Chloe’s voice broke and she started to cry again.

  Jo gave Chloe a hug. “We’re happy you’re here.”

  *

  That night her dream was so real and sharp it took her breath away. It was another dream where Ada Mae was pleading with the colonel.

  “You refuse to listen.” Ada Mae’s voice was filled with anguish. She held the colonel’s lapels fisted in her hands. “You can’t have everything you want. You’ll have to give something up.”

  When the colonel spoke, he looked directly at Jo. “Don’t give up on him. He’ll learn—I wish I had.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Taylor did a double take when he pulled up to Uncle Robert’s house and saw the other man sitting next to him.

  As soon as he got out of the truck his brother got up and walked toward him with a thunderous expression and shoved him. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  His eyes flicked toward Uncle Robert. “I guess you heard about what happened with Tessa.”

  “How could you be so stupid?” His brother shoved him so hard he almost lost his balance.

  “Why doesn’t anyone understand? You know Halcyon means the world to me but I have the show to consider.”

  Uncle Robert got up and strode over. “You got a lot of folks upset with you, son.”

  His brother muttered an oath and walked back to the house. The door slammed behind him. Growing up he’d seen his brother annoyed with him and they’d had their fair share of sibling arguments but he’d never seen Dylan angry with him the way he was now.

  He headed to the porch and dropped into one of the rocking chairs with his head in his hands. Uncle Robert went inside and he could hear the low murmur of voices from the two men. A moment later his brother came out and sat down next to him.

  “Explain to me why you think you can bring Tessa back to Halcyon and expect Jo to be okay with it?”

  “I don’t have a choice. I have a contract with the network and Tessa is my partner in the production company. I can’t fail at this. I’m going to prove you wrong once and for all.”

  Dylan frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”

  “You, Mom and Dad—I know I’m the family disappointment. Restoring Halcyon is my chance to show you that what I do matters. I may not save lives in an operating room but restoring old homes has its own value.”

  “Taylor, no one thinks of you as being a disappointment. Where did you even get that idea?”

  “Mom and Dad talk about you with so much pride. They brag about
you to all of their friends. I can’t even get them to come and visit me on the set. The three of you have always spoken this language of medicine and science and I’m sorry I don’t understand it but just once I’d like it if any of you tried to understand the language of history that I speak.”

  “I’m sorry if you’ve felt left out, I really am. I can’t speak for our parents but I’ve never thought of you or your accomplishments as anything less than mine.”

  “Then what do all the comments about not taking things seriously mean?” Taylor shot back.

  Dylan sighed and hung his head for a moment. “Taylor, you’ve always been the golden child. Let me finish,” he growled when Taylor scoffed.

  “You’re one of those lucky people who walks into a room and everyone says hooray, Taylor’s here. I envy you for that. I’ve watched you over the years. If there are two paths and one is harder than the other you always choose the easier one.”

  “What do you mean by that? I work hard I—”

  Dylan held his hand up. “Yes, you do work hard, but I’ve watched you give Tessa a lot of free rein to take care of some of the more difficult aspects of the show and your life.”

  “Why is that a problem? She’s the producer.”

  “Because over time she’s taken over more than just the show; she practically runs your life. I get that it’s convenient for you to have her manage the show but she’s managing you too.”

  “You’re exaggerating. Tessa is a good friend and my business partner. She looks after me, and she’s saved me from making some really bad decisions. At least she believes in me.”

  “Does she? The few times I’ve been around her all I hear is her questioning your judgment.”

  “Maybe if you made more time to visit, you’d get to know her better.”

  “Every time I try to arrange to see you, Tessa makes sure there’s a reason that I can’t. She does the same thing with Mom and Dad, Taylor.”

  “That’s a lie. Tessa wouldn’t do that.”

  Dylan’s mouth pressed into a thin line as he pulled his phone out. He scrolled through his screen for a minute and then handed it to Taylor.