“But every day gets a little bit easier, doesn’t it?” Sharon asked. “Before you know it, you’re spending time with old friends again, doing things you never thought you’d do again. You’re even laughing.” She grinned. “I remember the first time I laughed after my husband passed, it sounded foreign to my ears.”

  Sharon was a lovely, vibrant woman who exuded positive energy, and while Taylor knew the question may be inappropriate, she had to ask. “Do you ever think about the possibility of falling in love again?”

  She surprised Taylor by giggling like a girl before she shrugged. “Who knows? It could happen. I’ve even started going to some singles dances at the senior center.”

  “Good for you!” Taylor said, hoping she would be around to see Sharon fall in love again.

  “I may not ever feel about another man the way I felt about my husband, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find friendship and companionship with another man.”

  What Taylor felt with Rush was so much more than that. He lit her up. “What I felt with my husband was easy and comfortable. We just fit together, like best friends.”

  Sharon smiled. “It’s nice when that happens, isn’t it?”

  “It is,” Taylor agreed, choosing her words carefully. “I never really considered the possibility there could be more to a relationship than that. I thought if you were married to your best friend, you were beyond blessed.”

  “I tend to agree.”

  “But what if you meet someone who really gets you?” She touched her stomach, feeling that familiar fluttering sensation she experienced whenever she thought about all that Rush had brought to her life. “A man who is your best friend, but so much more too? Who makes you laugh and shares your interests? Who inspires you to hope and dream and makes you feel alive again?”

  “Oh my,” Sharon said. “I know if I found someone like that, I’d hold on and never let go.”

  Smiling at the man in question, Taylor nodded slowly. “That’s excellent advice, Sharon.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  On the ride back to the inn, Rush couldn’t help asking, “What were you and my mom talking about?”

  “We talked about a lot of things,” Taylor said, linking her hand through his as she looked out the window. “Life. Love. Marriage. Kids.”

  “Then you told her about your family?”

  “She already knew.”

  Rush grimaced. “I’m sorry, baby. I swear I didn’t say a word to her about it.”

  “It’s okay,” she said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. “At first, I was horrified that people might find out. I didn’t want anyone to pity me. I just wanted to feel normal again. But I’ve realized that loss is a part of life everyone has to face sooner or later. Having people to share that loss with just makes it a bit easier.”

  “But you said that’s why you left Brock, because you couldn’t handle sharing your grief with your friends and family anymore.”

  “Because they were grieving too.” Taylor had given it a lot of thought over the past few weeks as she tried to figure out why sharing her grief with strangers had been so much easier than sharing the burden of grief with her family. “They couldn’t help me because they were trying to figure out how to help themselves.”

  “Make sense.”

  “I think it was so hard for my grandparents and parents to watch me, knowing what I was going through, and feeling so helpless.”

  Rush had felt that way when his father died. He wanted to be there to help his mother, but he didn’t know how to ease her pain.

  “Putting a little distance between us, allowing them to grieve their way and me to grieve my way, has probably been good for all of us.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Rush kissed her hand.

  “And it’s nice to be around people who understand what I’m going through. I know it’s not the exact same kind of loss, but you lost your father. Your mother lost her husband. Helen and Ray lost their son. The people in my grief counseling group have all lost someone they loved. It makes me feel that I’m not alone.”

  “You’re not alone,” Rush said with conviction. “You never have to be alone again. Whether you need someone to talk to, someone to listen, or just someone to hold you when you feel like crying, I’m right here.”

  “I love you,” she whispered. “More every day. There was a time admitting that would have scared me, but now it feels really, really good to be able to say it.”

  “I love you too, baby.” Summing up the way he felt about her in three little words seemed inadequate, but he hoped over time he would be able to show her how much she meant to him.

  “Are you nervous about coming back to Brock with me next weekend and meeting everyone?”

  She’d have enough on her mind without worrying about him, but he didn’t think it was fair to hide the truth from her. “A little. But it’s not about me. It’s about honoring your husband, son, and daughter. And even though I never knew them, I want to do that. I want to honor them because they were all a part of you. They always will be. They made you happy. They filled your life with joy. For that reason alone they should be celebrated.”

  “I don’t know many men who’d be willing to do what you’ve agreed to do. I mean, it’s nerve-racking enough meeting a girl’s family, but under these circumstances? I can’t even imagine.”

  “You are just about the bravest person I’ve ever met. If you can endure all that you have, I can certainly put my best foot forward when I meet the people who mean the most to you.”

  “They’re going to love you.” She leaned in to kiss him when they stopped at a stop sign. “Especially my parents and grandparents. They’ve been so worried about me. When they see that I’ve found someone like you, who makes me smile again, they’ll be so relieved.”

  Rush wasn’t so sure her family wouldn’t meet him with skepticism, but he had no intention of raining on her parade if she was convinced the meeting would go off without a hitch. “I’ll do everything I can to prove to them that your happiness is the most important thing in the world to me, Tay. Because it is.”

  ***

  Taylor was sitting in front of the old farmhouse she’d grown up in. A quarter of a mile to the right was the house she’d shared with Trevor and the kids. A quarter of a mile to the left was her grandparents’ house.

  “You okay?” Rush asked, cutting his truck engine. “If you need a little more time—”

  “No, it’s okay.”

  Her parents stepped out on the porch. Her father stood behind her mother, his hands gripping her shoulders as though he sensed she needed the support.

  “Come on,” Taylor whispered. “Let’s do this.”

  When they rounded the front of his truck, she plastered on a smile as she reached for Rush’s hand, trying to reassure him and her parents that she was fine. Of course it was a lie. She was a nervous wreck, but she didn’t want the people who loved her to worry.

  “Hey, Mom, Dad.” She gave them both a lingering hug that brought tears to her eyes. “I’d like you to meet Rush Davis.” She didn’t introduce him as her friend or boyfriend, though she knew the question would come up over the course of her stay.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rush,” her mother said, closing her hands over his. “Please call us Sue and Gary.”

  “These are for you,” Rush said, handing her the large bouquet of flowers Gabby had helped him select while Taylor was packing.

  “Oh, aren’t they beautiful,” her mother said, touching her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

  “My pleasure.” Rush shook hands with her father, who offered him a warm smile.

  “I’m glad you were able to make it this weekend,” Gary said. “I’m sure our daughter is grateful to have you here.”

  “I am,” Taylor said, linking her arm through Rush’s as they followed her parents into the house.

  The traditional two-story farmhouse opened to a living room and separate dining room. The kitchen and powder room were at the rear of the house, and three bedrooms and two more bathrooms were upstairs. The house wasn’t new or large or decorated to impress, but it was the one place on Earth where Taylor felt she belonged. She’d baked alongside her mother in the kitchen, did her homework on the back porch, and learned to ride a tractor while sharing the seat with her father.

  It was home, and being back flooded her with memories. She glanced into the living room, picturing the large tree grazing the ceiling while they all crowded around, passing out presents on Christmas morning. If she closed her eyes, she could hear her kids oohing and aahing over their gifts while they ran around the room delivering kisses and hugs to delighted relatives.

  “Uh, Rush,” her father said, his eyes lingering on Taylor. “Why don’t you and I take a walk around the property? I’d love to show you what we do.”

  “Sounds great.” Rush looked at Taylor. “You don’t mind?”

  “Of course not,” she said, patting his arm. “Go ahead.”

  They all walked into the kitchen, and her mother rushed to grab a couple of beers for her husband and their guest as they walked outside through the kitchen door.

  “Well, he seems like a nice young man,” her mother said, gesturing to her favorite family heirloom—a dark-stained walnut table she’d inherited from her grandmother.

  “He’s wonderful.” Taylor’s eyes locked on a familiar drawing her mother had kept on the fridge since the day she received it—a crayon-drawn stick-figure family with parents, grandparents, and two little kids.

  “I’m sorry,” her mother whispered, reaching for the picture. “I thought about taking it down. I should have. I just—”

  “No!” Taylor cleared her throat when she realized her tone had been sharper than she’d intended. “Don’t take it down. I remember when they gave it to you for your birthday. They were so proud of it.” She smiled. “They’d spent all day working on it, and for the two of them to get through an entire day without fighting, that was a blessing in itself.”

  Sue set a plate of homemade squares on the table. “Are you finally ready to tell me where you’ve been staying, or is it still a big secret?” Setting a pitcher of lemonade and two tall glasses on the table, she said, “Not that I’m trying to pressure you. I’d just like to know that you’re doing okay.”

  “Better than okay, actually,” Taylor said, reaching for one of her favorite homemade treats—a lemon bar sprinkled with icing sugar. “Things are going great for me in Vista Falls.” She grinned when her mother gasped. “Can you believe it? I’ve been right under your nose all this time and you didn’t even know it.”

  “Vista Falls? Why, we go there all the time. There are some wonderful little antique shops on Main Street, and we always stop for lunch at…” She shook her head as though she realized she was babbling. “Why didn’t you tell me that’s where you were staying? It would have saved me a lot of worrying, wondering where you were and whether you were all right.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t mean to worry you. But this time away has been one of the best things that could have happened to me. I finally feel like I’ve started to heal.”

  “Baby, I’m so happy for you,” she said, curling her hand around her daughter’s forearm. “And Rush has helped with that, I’m assuming.”

  “Rush is…” Taylor had no words to describe what he’d come to mean to her. “He’s been my rock. He seems to know intuitively what I need, whether it’s to talk, be held, be still and quiet while we admire the breathtaking scenery at the inn, or just kick back and watch a ball game. He really gets me.”

  “I’m so relieved to see you happy again.”

  “I still have my bad days,” she admitted. “But at least now I know it’s still possible to have good days.”

  “Tell me more about Vista Falls,” Sue said, taking a chocolate chip square from the plate. “Are the people as nice as they seem?”

  “They’re incredible. They’ve welcomed me with open arms, from the people at the inn to Rush’s friends and family.” Taylor took a bite of her square then set it on a floral paper napkin before pouring herself a glass of lemonade. “And then there’s the members of my grief support group at the church.”

  “Oh, you’re going to a support group? Thank goodness! I was so worried when you refused to talk to anyone about what you were going through. Not even our pastor could get you to open up.”

  “I wasn’t ready then. I am now.” Taylor finished off her treat while her mother did the same. “One thing I’ve learned from the group is that I can’t rush healing. I have to cry when I feel like crying, laugh when I feel like laughing, and not feel guilty about doing either.”

  “I think that’s excellent advice.” She tucked a lock of gray-streaked brown hair behind her ear as she asked, “So you and Rush…? Is it serious?”

  “It’s new, Mom.” She wasn’t ready to talk about her future with Rush in case she jinxed it.

  “That’s not an answer and you know it,” she said, pouting. “Come on now, you used to tell your old mom everything. What happened?”

  “Fine,” she said, sighing. “Is it serious?” As she pondered the question, she heard herself whisper, “Is it serious when he’s the only thing I can think about most days?”

  Sue looked delighted. “I’d say so.”

  “Then I guess it’s serious.”

  “Then you plan to stay on in Vista Falls with him?”

  Being back on the farm, back in the town she loved made Taylor wonder if she’d left prematurely. She still had a lot of unfinished business here—namely the house she’d shared with her family, which she’d left untouched when she left. “I’m not sure. The good thing is that it’s an easy commute to Vista Falls. If I do decide to come back to Brock, I could still see Rush on weekends.”

  “Would that be enough for you… or him?”

  “I don’t know.” She had so much to consider, not the least of which was the life she’d left behind. “I’ve been thinking I should sell the house. Since we went ahead and had the lot sub-divided before we built on it, it shouldn’t be a problem to sell it.”

  “It won’t be a problem at all,” Sue said. “In fact, a lot of people have asked what you intend to do with the house. I could probably put together a list of prospective buyers for you to contact, if you’re interested?”

  She considered her options before nodding slowly. “Yeah, why don’t you do that?”

  “You’ll need some help clearing out the house, won’t you? Or I could do it for you, if you think it’ll be too much for you to handle on your own?”

  Asking her mother to pack up her family’s life would have been the easy way out, but Taylor knew it wasn’t the right choice for her. “No, I’d like to do it.” She covered her mother’s hand with hers. “But I may call on you to help me.”

  “Of course, anything you need. All you have to do is ask, you know that.” She looked hesitant, her eyes darting toward the window, before she said, “Since it seems you’re still weighing all your options, you should know that your job is still open if you want it. Oh, and those nice new condos downtown are almost finished. If you bought one of those, you could still choose your colors and—”

  “Mom, please. I know you’re trying to help, but I’m trying not to rush into anything. I want to take my time deciding what I’m going to do.”

  “I understand.”

  “If we have some time before dinner, I think I’d like to take Rush down to my house, if that’s okay?”

  “Take all the time you need, sweetheart.”

  ***

  Rush’s heart ached for Taylor as he watched her move through the small house, her fingertips grazing pictures, inhaling the lingering scent on pillows, and smiling at art projects tacked to the walls and fridge. He wasn’t even sure he should be there, but since she had asked, he didn’t feel he could say no.

  “Rush, I have a favor to ask of you,” she said, turning to face him as they stood on the threshold of her son’s room.

  Without hesitation, he said, “Anything.” There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.

  “Would it be difficult for you to hire another waitress to replace me?”

  His stomach lurched, but he refused to show fear. “Uh no, not this time of year. There’s always some high school kid looking to make a few extra bucks during the summer. Why?”

  “Because I think I need to stay here.”

  “Oh, okay.” But what does that mean for us? Since he couldn’t ask that, he said, “Um, so you’re thinking about coming back to Brock to stay?”

  “I’m not sure.” She wrapped her arms around her mid-section as she stepped into the small blue room with a race car bedspread on the twin bed and a bookcase piled high with story books and stuffed animals. “Being back here has reminded me how much I missed it. This is home. And the way I left wasn’t right. I was running away. Now I’m coming back better, stronger. And you’re a big part of the reason for that.”

  So he’d helped her heal only to lose her to the life she’d left behind? That didn’t seem fair.

  “I just want you to be happy.” His voice sounded hoarse and getting the words out was difficult, but he somehow managed. “Whether it’s here or in Vista Falls.”

  “It’s not like it’s so far,” she said, reaching for his hands when she turned to face him. “I mean, we could still see each other on weekends, right? I could come and stay with you at the inn.”

  “Sure, yeah.” He stepped back, running a shaky hand through his hair. When he’d brought her home, he never imagined he’d be leaving without her, but it seemed that was what was going to happen.

  “Can you understand why I need to do this?” she asked, looking pained. “I can’t keep running away from my past. I have to face it eventually, and the first step is selling this house.”

  He looked around at the house she told him her husband had built himself. “You’re going to sell it? Are you sure you want to do that?”

  “It’s not a question of wanting to. I have to. It’s the only way. There are precious memories I’ll always carry with me in here,” she said, laying her palm over her heart. “There are physical mementos I’ll take with me and cherish always. But I can’t stay rooted to the spot where my life stopped if I expect to move forward.”