Page 92 of His One True Wish

The Cessna rolled down the runway picking up speed, both propellors whizzing as it lifted into the air and glided into the sky above.

Both Mason and I paused to watch the bird take flight. I never got tired of watching planes take off. There was something beautiful about that moment of lift-off. I understood the physics behind flight, but still, the moment of magic when a machine that weighed thousands of pounds lifted into the sky as if made of feathers was awe-inspiring.

“Pretty plane,” Marcus said, giving me a side-eye.

“Yep,” I said.

“So did your pretty landlord go home?”

I snorted and put my hands in my pockets. “Yeah, she’s gone. And I’m going, too.”

Marcus clucked his tongue. “I’m sorry to hear that. It’s been good having you out at the cabin.”

“Well, I know you said that Louise hand-picked me for the job, and my lease isn’t over for another six months, but business is calling me back to Florida.”

Marcus laughed. “I still can’t see you in Florida.” He squinted his eyes at me. “There’s something about you in the sun that doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” We started walking together, headingback to the café. “So, Marcus, I have to ask, why didn’t you tell me about Louise?”

Marcus stopped on the covered steps of the café, pulled off his hat, and scratched his head. “I feel like that is a conversation over whiskey.”

“No time,” I said, nodding at the runway. “I wanted to give you my notice, close up the cabin, and then Cam and I are heading out of here.”

“I can tell you this much,” Marcus said. “Louise was my friend. She asked me to manage you and the property. She didn’t want me to share anything about her business, so I didn’t.”

I laughed. “Let me guess. You make it a practice not to mess with a Prescott woman.”

Marcus sighed. “I try. I don’t always do it right, but I try, my friend.”

Inside, Angel passed the window holding a tray of dishes. There were a few more cars in the parking lot. It looked like some of the locals were coming out of hiding from the big snow, looking for one of Mason’s legendary cinnamon rolls.

“You mind if I do one quick thing on the computer before I go?” I said, pointing to the airport office.

“Be my guest,” Marcus said. “Make sure you say goodbye. I’ll send you with a box of baked goods or at least some homemade dog biscuits for Cam. Don’t tell anyone, but Ethan uses the kitchen to make dog treats when I’m done with the morning bake.”

“I don’t want you or the boys to be put out,” I said. “You all have got to be exhausted.”

“Nonsense,” he said. “You’ve been a good friend to us, and I’m sorry you’re leaving, Axl, but I understand.”

I reached out to shake his hand, but Marcus pulled me into a hug. It wasn’t goodbye, but the hole in my chest felt a bit bigger. I knew it was silly to feel like I was leaving home. I’d only been here for six months, but I felt like I was leaving something magical. Smoke River was more than a place. It was a moment in time, and now it was over.

CHAPTER 28

BILLIE

Abby and I chatted until the first worker knocked on the back door to start the morning shift. I hugged her, and she headed off to her open house. I took over managing the home repairs.

As Abby exited through the kitchen door, it occurred to me that this was the back door entrance she used when we were in high school, and something healed inside of me. We were just kids when we fell out with each other. A part of me still felt like a teenage girl nursing a broken heart, pointing fingers and placing blame. It was time for me to realize I was a grown woman now.

Listening to the steady thump of hammers, I went back upstairs. Mom’s door was still closed, and if she managed to sleep through this noise, I wasn’t about to wake her. We had two days of construction before we needed to empty out the rest of the house if Mom wanted to put it on the market.

I planned to pack up my old room and then Gran’s so it would be clear for the stagers next week. I supposed I could go back to Seattle before the open house, but I wanted to talk to Mom before I made any decisions.

In an hour, my room was packed. A stack of boxes sat in thecorner. Instead of driving the boxes to Smoke River, Abby had secured us a temporary storage unit that cost almost nothing.

I sat on my bed and stared out the window at the Rockies. Sun glinted off of the snow-covered mountains. Blue sky finally replaced the thick, gray snow clouds. I hugged myself, thinking how relieved Mason and everyone up at Smoke River would be by the break in the weather. I just hoped the snow didn’t melt too fast and flood the town.

I carried boxes downstairs and then tackled Gran’s old room. I cracked open the door and inhaled. The comforting scent of cinnamon and lavender greeted me. My eyes flooded with tears like a reflex. I was overwhelmed by a feeling of loss. As I surveyed her room, my feelings of grief shifted to frustration. Why hadn’t she told me about Axl? I rubbed my forehead, knowing there were no answers for me here.

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