Chapter Thirteen
“T
he Merrick homestead is our final stop on today’s tour.”
Grace made the announcement as B.C. lumbered up the gravel driveway for the second time that afternoon. The tours had proven to be extremely popular with the locals as well as the tourists.
Ten people, a mixture of all ages, had clambered into the wagon when she’d stopped in front of the bank. Several of the tourists had even asked if she would pose for a photograph.
The lively tour groups would have taken Grace’s mind off Cole...if she hadn’t been obligated to recite his family history every single time.
With an inward sigh, she launched into the speech she’d prepared the night before.
“Samuel Merrick was twenty-two years old when he built the original cabin and it’s still standing today. He worked for a large lumber company, and his boss sent him here to survey the land.
“Samuel and Jeremiah Stone, his best friend, bought up a lot of the property around the lake as an investment. Jeremiah was more interested in harvesting the timber and moving on, but Samuel fell in love with the area...and Ivy Meade, the daughter of a local missionary to the Chippewa Indians.
“The couple decided to stay here and they are considered the first permanent settlers. Samuel’s initial investment yielded dividends he never expected. He built the first church. The first school.”
All the information Grace shared was part of the speech she’d memorized. A brief overview of the things she’d learned about the homestead before she’d known it would be included in the tour.
What she hadn’t realized was that researching the history of the town was the equivalent of researching the Merrick family. The two were so intertwined; there was no way to separate them.
She also hadn’t anticipated that the details she’d dedicated to memory would take on a whole new meaning.
The people she was talking about were Cole’s family. The things they’d built
his
legacy. She’d even unearthed a faded portrait of Samuel and Ivy on their wedding day in the archives at the local historical society. The couple had dared to break the current tradition by smiling for the photographer.
Grace had thought about showing it to Cole, but didn’t think he would be interested. He’d offered no excuses, or apologies, when Matt had questioned his decision to sell the property.
And yet he’d accepted their invitation to attend the worship service in the morning.
Was it possible he was a believer now?
Grace’s throat tightened at the thought.
Cole had been so grief-stricken after his father’s death, so angry over the way Sloan continued to treat his family, he had told her that he didn’t think God cared about him.
But Grace knew He did. So she’d shared passages of scripture. Prayed for him.
And she’d continued to pray even after he’d left town. Her desire for Cole to know the truth was stronger than the hurt she felt over the way things had ended between them.
“I have a question!”
The teenaged girl who’d been grumbling ever since the last stop leaned forward and tapped Grace on the shoulder. “How old were Samuel and Ivy when they got married?”
It felt like a trick question, but Grace answered honestly, knowing there were facts to back up her answer.
“Ivy was seventeen, and Samuel was twenty-three.”
The girl looked at her mother. “See?”
“Things were different in the 1800s, sweetie.” The woman shot Grace an exasperated look, as if she were the one who’d given the young couple permission to marry.
“I’m sure Samuel and Ivy were very mature for their age.” Grace tried to keep a straight face. “Ivy was the first schoolteacher in Mirror Lake, and she convinced her widowed father to serve as the church’s first pastor.”
“Which church did he build?” someone asked. “That cute little white one near the park?”
“Church of the Pines.” Grace nodded. “Although there were a lot more pine trees when it got its name.” She pulled back on the reins as the house came into view. “We have permission to tour the grounds and go into the cabin today, but I would like everyone to please stay together.”
Cole’s SUV was parked behind the house, but other than that, there had been no sign of him when Grace had taken the first tour group through after lunch.
“Does anyone in the Merrick family live here now?” a woman wearing a bright pink visor asked as she hopped down from the wagon.
“Sloan Merrick died several years ago, and the house has been vacant ever since.”
“Then what is
he
doing here?” The woman lowered her rhinestone glasses and pointed to a familiar figure striding around the side of the house, a tool belt slung low on his hips.
Some questions were easier to answer than others, Grace thought.
“He’s fixing a few things around the house before it goes up for sale.”
Hopefully, the more she said the words, the more she would believe them.
And the less they would hurt.
* * *
Cole yanked out a handful of weeds growing along the foundation of the house and almost ended up falling on his backside.
Wouldn’t that be an interesting addition to Grace’s tour?
His gaze drifted to the cabin, where the woman he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about stood in the doorway of the cabin, one hand resting on the shoulder of a red-haired girl in a bright yellow sundress. Even in the wilting heat, Grace managed to look as fresh as the bouquet of daisies she held in her other hand.
Almost as if she sensed that she was being watched, Grace suddenly turned her head in his direction.
The air emptied out of Cole’s lungs.
He hadn’t considered the possibility that he would feel anything more than simple nostalgia for the friendship they’d shared that summer. He hadn’t expected the years would have added layers to Grace’s personality, making her even more attractive.
She was physically beautiful, no doubt about it, but she was also sweet and funny and had a generous, giving heart.
And he was totally attracted to her.
So where did that leave him?
Leave
them?
Cole closed his eyes and a prayer tumbled out with his sigh.
Lord, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do here. I could use a little help.
Lots of help, actually.
Cole was starting to realize that twelve years of being apart hadn’t completely extinguished the feelings he’d had for Grace. Unfortunately, Grace hadn’t given him any indication that she felt the same way.
Thanks to the obnoxious jerk Kate had told him about.
He wrapped his hand around another patch of weeds and pulled. The last hour had been spent scraping moss and dirt away from what Cole had assumed was an old patio. But the uneven strip of multicolored paving stones he’d uncovered simply ended. Evidence of a project that had never been completed.
A piece of the foundation came up with the roots and crumbled in Cole’s hand.
He swept them into the grass and grabbed another bunch.
That’s when he noticed the numbers scratched in the rock. 1915.
The cornerstone, with the date the foundation of the house had been set.
He’d overheard some of the things Grace had been saying when he’d walked to the shed to rummage through Sloan’s tools. It was obvious she knew more about the Merrick family than he did. She patiently answered questions from the people on the tour, filling in the blanks with names and dates.
But there were a lot of things Cole didn’t know. Things he hadn’t
wanted
to know because his life—his future—was in Madison. He felt disconnected to the past, but it had never kept him awake at night.
Cole shifted his weight and as he swept aside another layer of dirt and debris, something caught his eye.
A handprint and initials next to a date, pressed into the concrete when it was still wet.
E. M.
Ethan Merrick.
Cole heard his heart pounding in his ears as he carefully aligned his fingers with his father’s.
His father had never spoken about his childhood, but Cole had overheard a conversation between his parents once. Ethan had said he’d been glad to get out from under Sloan’s control.
But had he felt the same way about leaving Mirror Lake?
A shadow fell across the grass. When Cole turned around, he found himself face-to-face with a little boy. The freckled face was a colorful mosaic of Kool-Aid stains, dirt and a sticky blue residue that looked suspiciously like cotton candy. The boy flashed a gap-toothed grin as he hunkered down beside Cole.
“Did ya find a treasure?”
Cole stared down at his father’s handprint.
“Maybe I did.”
* * *
“Where’s Cole?”
Grace tried not to sigh when a pink-tipped cane sank into the ground an inch from the blanket she’d spread on the ground before the fireworks started.
If she heard those words one more time, she was going to jump off the end of Abby’s dock and swim back to town. At least it would lower the chances of having to field more questions about Cole’s whereabouts.
“I imagine he’s still working on Sloan’s house.” So he could put it on the market as soon as possible.
Delia peered down at her, and Grace tried to hide her emotions with a smile. She must have failed because Delia clucked her tongue.
“You can sit with me and Charlie if you’d like,” she offered.
“I appreciate the invitation, but Jenna and Dev already invited me to sit with them.” So had Alex and Kate. Emma and Jake. Zoey and Matt.
And everyone else who’d noticed she was sitting alone.
“If you change your mind, we’re right over there.” Delia pointed to a set of bright yellow Adirondack chairs facing the lake. “Charlie brought a few extra ice-cream bars,” she added in a whisper.
“Thanks, Delia.”
To Grace’s astonishment, Delia patted the top of her head.
“You’ve got a whole town that loves you, Gracie. You know that, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
But right now, at this moment, Grace couldn’t help but wish that someone else did, too.
Delia shuffled away, and Grace tried to focus on the beauty of the lake, letting the sound of laughter and the waves wash over her. The sun winked low in the horizon and a spray of crimson sparks from Quinn’s bonfire shot into the air, nature’s preshow before the man-made display began.
Grace had changed into her own clothing for the fireworks, grateful to trade in the long dress for comfortable jeans, a green T-shirt and the flannel shirt she’d stolen from her father’s closet before her parents had moved to Boston.
She heard the soft thud of footsteps approaching and sent a silent message to the next person on the list who was feeling sorry for her.
Keep going. Keep going.
“Is this seat taken?”
Grace forgot how to breathe when Cole dropped down on the blanket beside her. He extended his hand.
“Hi, I’m Cole Merrick.”
Grace blinked.
“What?”
“That’s my name. Cole Merrick.”
“I
know
your name.”
“Right.” He released a slow breath. “But I’m afraid that’s all you know.”
Grace stared down at Cole’s open hand, not sure what kind of game he was playing.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“I’m not sure. I’m making this up as I go along. But humor me.” Cole smiled and it sent her heart into a free fall. “And you are?”
“Grace Eversea?” Somehow, it came out sounding like a question.
“It’s nice to meet you, Grace.” Cole took her hand, lightly squeezed her numb, tingling fingers and then let go. “I’m twenty-nine years old. And...single.”
Grace choked back a laugh.
Had he really just wiggled his eyebrows? In the fading light, Grace couldn’t be sure.
“Your turn,” he prompted.
“So am I. Twenty nine,” she added quickly.
“And single?”
“Y-yes.”
Cole stretched out his long legs and settled back on his elbows. Totally at ease. And so close their arms were touching. Grace could feel the warmth of his skin begin to seep through the worn flannel of her sleeve.
“What do you do for a living, Grace?”
“Social worker.” And why was she finding it so difficult to talk in complete sentences?
He waited.
Grace took the hint. “What about you?”
“I’m a pilot. Pretty cool, huh?” He winked at her and Grace felt it all the way down to her toes.
“Cool,” she agreed, hoping he didn’t realize the effect he was having on her.
“What made you decide to go into social work?”
As far as questions went, it should have been a simple one. But Grace suddenly found herself at a crossroad. She could respond with a simple statement about wanting to make a difference in someone’s life...or she could tell the truth.
“I met a boy...when I was a senior in high school.” She stared at the lake, unable to look at him. “His dad was a firefighter and he died when the roof of a burning building collapsed. The whole family was devastated, especially his oldest son.
“They moved to Mirror Lake to start over, but his grandfather was bitter and angry. He could have made things better. Loved them through it. But instead, he made things worse because he was trapped in his own grief. I couldn’t help the boy’s family, but I decided that if I went to college and learned the right tools, I might...I might be able to help someone else’s.”
Cole was silent for so long that Grace was terrified she’d revealed too much.
She closed her eyes.
Why
had she revealed so much?
“Ask me,” he finally said.
Grace frowned, not sure what he meant. Cole’s hand cupped her jaw and tilted her face toward his until she was looking right into his eyes.
“Ask me why I decided to become a pilot.”
“What made you decide to be a pilot?” Grace whispered.
“I met a girl...when I was in high school. She told me that I could do anything. Be anything. And I believed her.”
Chapter Fourteen
G
race’s eyes darkened with an emotion Cole couldn’t identify.
“Then why...” She tried to pull away, but Cole wouldn’t let her go. Not this time. He traced the curve of her jaw with his thumb.
“Why did it take me so long to come back?” he asked.
“No.” Grace wound one finger around the chain of the necklace she’d retrieved from Faye the moment the competition had ended. “Why did you leave in the first place?”
For the first time, Cole saw the hurt that simmered below the surface.
That’s when he realized how he should have greeted her the evening they’d met again.
With an apology.
It didn’t seem possible that Grace had thought about him as often as he’d thought about her over the years. He had been so certain she would have forgotten him. Moved on. So sure he’d made the right decision for both of them.
“Sloan and my mom got into an argument the day we left,” Cole said slowly. “She never told me what he said to her, but it must have been pretty bad because when I got back to the house, she already had our suitcases packed and in the trunk. Half an hour later, we were leaving town. She was so upset that I insisted on driving.
“I tried to talk to her, to find out what they’d argued about, but the only thing Mom would say was that Sloan was right.” Cole shook his head. “I figured she’d calm down in a few days, but she...got worse.” Cole could still remember how helpless he had felt, watching her slip away from them.
“She would get up in the morning and get everyone off to school, but she didn’t want to leave the house. Or take care of it. My sister and brothers started coming to me instead of her when they needed something. It was like Mom was going through the motions of living but not really living. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Did you talk to anyone about it?”
“About halfway through the year, I finally scraped up the courage and told one of my teachers. She said Mom was still grieving and recommended I just give her some space. That ‘time heals all wounds.’ But time went by, and things didn’t change.”
Grace wove her fingers through his. “I’m so sorry.”
“So was I.” Not only had they lost their father, but it felt as if they’d lost their mother, too.
“What did you do?”
“The best I could.” Cole shrugged. “I got a part-time job after school to help pay the bills. I loved being around planes and Cap, my boss, needed someone to do all the things he didn’t want to do. I talked him into giving me flying lessons instead of a raise and ended up getting my pilot’s license. He sold the business to me when he retired a few years ago. It worked out pretty well.”
“What about your family?” Grace ventured. “Do they still live with you?”
Cole chuckled. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Looking at all the stuff they left in my car. Sean and Travis graduated in May and joined the military together. They’re in basic training right now. Bettina went to Scotland for the summer on a study abroad program.”
“It sounds like they’re doing great.”
He heard the question Grace wasn’t sure how to ask.
“Mom is, too.” Cole smiled. “A few years ago a woman named Lily Donahue started attending our church. I’m not sure why she noticed us, but she started asking questions.” Questions he hadn’t wanted to answer. “She must have figured out what was going on because she stopped over a lot and spent time with Mom while I was at work. She cornered me in the hangar one day and sat me down for a long talk. Straightened me out about a few things.”
“That depression isn’t something to be ashamed of?” Grace asked softly.
Cole should have known she would understand.
“Lily had struggled with it for years before she admitted she needed help,” Cole said. “She wasn’t afraid to reach out to Mom. To encourage her to see a doctor. Something I should have done.”
“You were barely eighteen years old, Cole. You can’t beat yourself up about that. You didn’t understand what was happening and you were dealing with your own grief.”
“Lily said the same thing. But it wasn’t only that,” he admitted. “I was afraid if someone outside the family got involved, my brothers and sister would get taken away. I knew Dad would have wanted me to take care of them. So I did.”
* * *
But who took care of you?
The words trembled on Grace’s lips even though she already knew the answer to that question.
Cole hadn’t done the best he could. He’d done everything. Taken care of his three younger siblings. Kept the household in order. Watched over his mother.
But why hadn’t he confided in her? Why had he insisted on bearing that burden alone?
“There were times I thought God wasn’t listening, but Lily was an answer to prayer,” Cole continued. “Eventually, she talked Mom into taking a photography class in the evenings. She’d always liked taking pictures, and Lily thought it might be a good way to help her re-engage.” A mysterious smile touched Cole’s lips. “She was right.”
“She made some friends,” Grace guessed.
“You could say that. George Wilke, the instructor, noticed Mom had a natural talent, and he started to spend extra time with her.”
“That was nice of him.”
“I’m pretty sure he had an ulterior motive.” Cole’s lips quirked. “As we speak, Mom and George are on a honeymoon cruise to Alaska.”
Grace clapped her hand over her mouth. “They got
married?
”
“I walked her down the aisle last month. George is a great guy. Easygoing, and he’s got a sense of humor. Mom needs that in her life. They’re talking about moving to Arizona in the fall and I have to say, Mom seems excited about leaving Wisconsin winters behind.”
“Do you mind?”
“I’ll miss them, but for the first time I can concentrate on Painted Skies. I’ve got a few plans in the works. Things I couldn’t do while I split my time and attention between my family and the business.”
She heard the excitement in Cole’s voice and scraped up a smile.
“Is that why you decided to sell the property now?”
“I didn’t know I
owned
the property until I got Kate’s letter.” Cole raked a hand through his hair. “Yup. You look as stunned as I was when I found out. I won’t know all the details until I meet with Mr. Sullivan Monday, but I had no idea Sloan had left everything to me.
“If Kate hadn’t written, asking for permission to show people the homestead this weekend, I still wouldn’t know. Then Bettina misfiled the letter, and I didn’t find it until a few days ago. Iola always says that God’s timing is perfect.”
“But you...I didn’t think you and your grandfather had reconciled.”
“Mom and I didn’t even know he’d passed away until someone at the funeral home sent us a copy of the obituary. Sloan had requested a private burial, no friends or family. Apparently a condition of the will was that I would only find out about the inheritance if I came back to Mirror Lake on my own.”
But he hadn’t, Grace thought. Kate’s letter had prompted his return. They wouldn’t have met again.
Grace was almost afraid to believe that might be part of God’s timing, too.
“Grace? I can see the wheels turning. What are you thinking?”
“I understand why you had to leave, but why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped, any way I could.”
“I know,” Cole said softly. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“That doesn’t make any...” The rest of the sentence trailed off. “You decided you had to do it on your own, didn’t you?”
“My family situation was so complicated...I couldn’t drag you into it. You had dreams. Plans. It wouldn’t have been fair.”
So he’d left without a word. Let her believe she hadn’t meant anything to him at all when the opposite had been true.
Cole had protected her, the way he’d protected his family.
Grace didn’t know whether to shake him for making a decision without asking what
she
wanted or hug him for being so selfless.
A loud boom shook the air, a signal the fireworks were about to begin.
With a start, Grace realized the sun had gone down. She could barely see the silhouettes of the people around them. What was even more surprising was that none of her friends had interrupted their conversation.
“We’re going to have to finish this conversation in about half an hour,” she whispered.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Cole reached into his shirt pocket. “Here. I figured I owed you one.”
Grace laughed when she saw a package of Skittles in his hand.
“I can’t believe you remembered this was my favorite candy.” She smiled up at him.
“That’s not the only thing I remember.” Cole’s arms slipped around her. Before she realized his intention, he bent down and claimed her lips in a slow, searching kiss. One that brought back memories of their yesterday and hinted at a promise of tomorrow.
When they broke apart a few moments later, Grace had lost the ability to speak.
“I’m sorry, Grace.” Cole groaned. “I probably shouldn’t have done that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
He looked so upset that Grace lost the battle to keep a straight face. She peek up at him from under her lashes and flashed a mischievous smile. “After all, we just met.”
Now it was Cole’s turn to look shocked. Then he threw back his head and laughed.
“You don’t make a habit of kissing on the first date, do you?” Grace lifted a brow.
She was teasing him again, but Cole’s expression turned serious. “I don’t make a habit of dating at all. But,” he added, “I’m willing to start. I want to see you again, Grace.”
* * *
Cole could almost hear the door of Grace’s heart slamming shut. He vaulted to his feet and took her by the hand.
“Walk with me. Please.”
Fortunately, Grace didn’t resist when he veered toward the gardens he’d noticed behind the bed-and-breakfast. Luminaries lined the stone path that wound to the gazebo and Cole was relieved to see that no one else had already claimed it for a quiet conversation. He did want to see her again, but he hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that.
He hadn’t meant to kiss her, either.
But she’d melted against him, returning the kiss with a sweet passion that had left Cole reeling. And told him that he wasn’t the only one who remembered the feelings they’d once had for each other.
He guided her to one of the wicker benches and sat down beside her.
“I want to see you again,” he repeated.
She averted her gaze. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Look, I know someone hurt you—”
“What?”
“Kate...she mentioned you’d been hurt by some obnoxious jerk in the past, and it’s made you cautious.”
Grace made a strangled sound that could have been a laugh or a sob. She started to rise to her feet and Cole put his hand on hers. The contact sparked that familiar jolt of electricity. He heard Grace pull in a breath and knew she’d felt it, too.
“I didn’t expect to feel this way either,” he admitted in a low voice. “All I’m asking is that you give us a chance.”
“I already did.”
He stared down at her, trying to make sense out of the quiet statement. And when he did, the truth smacked him upside the head.
“
I’m
the obnoxious jerk.”
He saw the truth reflected in her eyes.
“You were young,” Grace finally said. “We were
both
young. When you left and never contacted me again, I thought it meant you’d lied to me. That we had a summer romance and when summer was over...so were we.”
Cole closed his eyes.
A summer romance? If anything, the depth of his feelings for Grace had scared him to death. He’d fallen in love with her. It hadn’t been easy to sever their relationship. The only reason he’d done it was because he believed it was ultimately for the best.
Now he wasn’t sure.
“I’m an obnoxious jerk
and
an idiot, Grace.”
Grace smiled but didn’t deny it. She did, however, let him off the hook because that’s the kind of person she was.
“It was a long time ago. And in spite of what Kate or anyone else thinks, I don’t expect you to ask me to the homecoming dance.”
Her attempt at humor made Cole feel even worse.
“What about dinner?”
She looked away and he hated to see the uncertainty in her eyes.
“You’re leaving.”
The words hung in the air between them.
“Have dinner with me next Saturday night.”
“You’re coming back next weekend?”
He was now.
“We won the competition, remember? We have to claim the grand prize.” He winked at her. “Along with seven other couples.”
Grace was tempted to pinch herself, just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
Cole wanted to see her again.
Equal parts of hope and panic collided.
“I’d like that,” she heard herself say.
“Should I swing by in the morning and pick you up for church?”
“I promised Abby I’d be at the inn an hour early to help set up the refreshments for the fellowship time after the service.”
“Okay. I’ll catch up with you there.”
She nodded, knowing that if she tried to say something, she would only end up stuttering like a girl on her first date.
“We can make this work.” Cole leaned over and sealed the promise with another lingering kiss.
It took all Grace’s self-control not to cling to him. As it was, she practically floated home. The evening had started out with her sitting alone...and ended with her in Cole’s arms.
Is this part of Your plan, Lord?
Was it possible that after twelve years, she and Cole were being given a second chance?
As Grace unlocked the front door, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. It was probably her parents, curious to find out how the tours had gone.
“Hello?” She sat down on the bottom step and tugged off one of her boots.
“I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“Hi, Meredith.” Grace recognized the adoption agency director’s clipped, no-nonsense voice immediately. “And no, I wasn’t asleep. I just got home from the fireworks.” An image of Cole holding her in his arms flashed through her mind. Grace was glad the woman couldn’t see her blush.