Page 70 of Brass Anchor Inn

He opened the first box and found even more photos. He picked up a photo of his mother with a baby in her arms. It must be him. He peered closely at it. He couldn’t help but wonder if his mother had stayed on the island with him if things would have turned out differently.

He thumbed through the stack of photos, finding his aunt holding him. And then there was another photo of what he presumed were his grandparents holding him. The pictures confused him because his mother had always said her family wanted nothing to do with either of them. That certainly hadn’t been the case when these photos were taken. Along the way, something drastic must have changed.

He opened the next box and found old letters. They were addressed to his mother. He picked them up and noticed they were unopened and stamped Return To Sender.

He didn’t recognize the address they were made out to. He opened the first letter.

Dear Vera,

I’m sorry I haven’t been able to send you any profits from the inn. We hit a rough patch. There was a fire in the kitchen, and the insurance didn’t cover all of the repair costs. While it was being sorted, business declined. It was a rough year.

But I’m pleased to report that we now have a new kitchen and business is picking up. Soon things will be back to normal. At least I hope.

We miss you and Lane. Please come home for a visit. You’re always welcome.

Love,

Sandy

Lane leaned back in the dining room chair. He could hardly believe what he’d read. There was no animosity from her family. They had wanted them. So why had his mother lied to him?

He continued sorting through the letters, hoping to reveal some evidence of a big fight between the sisters, but he found nothing but love. He knew his mother had mental health issues; he just didn’t realize until that moment just how deep those troubles had gone.

All those years she’d kept him away from a family that loved and wanted him. The wall around his heart crumbled. He could no longer shield himself by claiming he was unlovable and unwanted. It wasn’t the truth.

He had a family—a family that wanted him very much. He lifted his gaze and looked around at the house that had suddenly become a home to him. This was where his ancestors had lived—this was where he belonged—with Jo.

These thoughts startled him. Was this really what he wanted? The answer immediately came to him. It’s what he’s always wanted. He’d just been too afraid to admit it to himself or Jo.

But was it too late? Not for the inn because it was the one subject where they both finally agreed. The Brass Anchor Inn would continue to host people for many years to come.

It was the part about Jo and himself—about their relationship—that he wondered if it had been irretrievably broken. Surely there had to be some way to rectify things. But how?

His mind was spinning so fast he had to get out of there. He had to get some fresh air and make sure whatever he did was for the right reasons. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt Jo again.

And so, he set off, walking along the beach until he reached the steps that led up to Beachcomber Park. He made his way to the park, and it was there he found Harvey sitting on a bench. This time it was Lane who asked if he could sit down.

Harvey said, “Sure. Have a seat. You look like you have a lot on your mind. I thought you would have been excited to win the contest between you and Josie.”

“Have you ever found that what you thought you wanted didn’t end up making you happy after all?”

Harvey’s brows drew together. “I think so. Does this have something to do with Josie?”

“It has everything to do with her. I made the biggest mistake of my life, and now I need to figure out how to win her back.”

A smile lifted the corners of Harvey’s mouth. “Tell her that.”

Lane shook his head. “I messed up really bad. I need more than words if she’s going to believe me. I need to show her how much I care and that I’m not going anywhere.”

“I don’t know. I’m out of practice, what with being a widower.”

Lane searched his mind for something that would prove to Jo that he wanted a future with her in it. He went over the events of their relationship. It took a bit, but then it came to him. The idea was perfect. But he couldn’t do it alone.

He turned to Harvey. “I know what to do, but I’ll need some help.”

The man’s eyes lit up. “Whatever you need just ask.”

“It’s going to take more than just you and me.”

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