When Love Returns

by Lorana Hoopes

  Joy smiled and waved as she bounded out of the shop, and Presley returned to wiping tables. She had just finished re-wiping the glass case when the bell sounded again and Paula sauntered in, a black knit dress clinging to her large frame. A white fur coat covered most of her top half.

  “Well, hello Paula, what can I get for you today?”

  Her bright red lips pursed as she perused the offerings in the case. “I’ll have that.” She pointed an equally red fingernail at a mini chocolate pie, and Presley bent down to snag it from the case. “Where is that handsome man of yours?” she asked, peering behind the counter as if she hoped to find him stashed back there.

  “He had to take a trip back to his job, but he’ll be back soon.” Presley placed the pie in a little brown box and closed the flaps.

  “It’s not another woman, is it?” Her voice was low and conspiratorial as if they were sharing a secret. Presley didn’t bite.

  “No, just work, Paula. Here you go. That will be two fifty.”

  She handed over the money, looking disappointed that Presley had no gossip to share with her. After a final look toward the back of the shop, she rolled her eyes and left.

  At six p.m., Presley bundled up, locked the door, and headed home to change. Her stomach was a wad of knots at seeing Brandon again and hearing how his presentation went. She didn’t want to hope it hadn’t gone well, but she couldn’t stop the thought.

  Changing into a blue sweater that brought out her eyes, she ran a brush through her hair, checked Niko’s food and water, and then headed back out into the cold.

  Chapter 17

  As the taxi pulled up to the house, Brandon took a deep breath before throwing open the door. This was not going to be easy, and though he’d been practicing the words to say the whole way here, nothing sounded right.

  The driver popped the trunk, and he removed his bag and placed a tip in the driver’s hand. He tapped his head and got back in the car, leaving Brandon staring at the house.

  Another deep breath gave him the strength to climb the first step. The door was unlocked, and he entered quietly, hoping to surprise Joy. Somehow, he doubted she would be enthused by the news, and he wanted to see her happy for a moment before facing the tears he knew would come.

  Noise from the kitchen drew him that direction, and he turned the corner to see his entire family, Presley included, gathered around the table. The happy picture struck him, and he wondered again if he was making the right decision.

  “Daddy.” Joy saw him first and scrambled off her chair. Her hug was so forceful it sent him back a step.

  “Hi, Bug. I missed you too.” He bent down to give her a proper hug. His eye caught Presley’s over Joy’s shoulder, and she smiled and flicked a small wave.

  “How was your trip?” his mother asked.

  It was his opening, but he was too scared to take it right now. He would save his news for later. “It was good, but I am famished. There was no food in my place, well no real food anyway. Please tell me you’re cooking something amazing.”

  “Roast and potatoes and salad.”

  His mouth watered at the words and the scent of roasting meat he could now smell. Joy tugged his hand to the table, and as he sat, she told him everything they had done over the last two days. Presley took the chair to his left, and her hand found his under the table and squeezed. He hoped she would feel the same way after she heard his news.

  After dinner, Brandon decided he couldn’t wait any longer. “Can everyone join me in the living room?” Their faces were a series of questions, but they headed that direction. His father even used his walker without complaining, which helped Brandon feel a little better about leaving.

  “So, you guys all know that I was doing this presentation the last few days. Stewart really liked it, and he offered me a job working for his company.”

  “That’s wonderful,” his mother said, but her voice relayed her true feelings. She didn’t find it wonderful at all.

  “Where is the job?” Presley’s voice was soft, and her blue eyes filled with sadness as they met Brandon’s.

  “New York.”

  “Where’s New York?” Joy asked. The somber mood had hit her, and her voice was full of fear.

  “It’s up north, honey, but it will be fun. We’ll get to live in a big building, and they have lots of fun places to see.”

  “I don’t wanna go.” She crossed her arms and stomped her foot. “I wanna stay here with family and with Presley. I like it here.” This was exactly the reaction Brandon had expected.

  “I know you do, Bug, but this is a great opportunity for Daddy. One that will set us up for a good life.”

  “It’s always about you,” she said, water filling up her eyes. “How come you never ask me what I want?”

  “Because I’m trying to do what’s best for both of us.”

  “No, you’re doing what’s best for you, like you always do. I hate you, and I don’t want to go.” With that she ran from the room. His mother rose to go after her, but Brandon held up his hand.

  “Just let her go. She needs to cool off a little.” The tension in the room pressed down, and he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He had known this would be hard but had been hoping for some happiness or heartfelt congratulations at least.

  “When do you leave?” Presley asked.

  “Next Friday.” There was so much more he wanted to say to her. He wanted to ask her to come with him, but it would have to wait until they could be alone.

  “You’re leaving before Christmas?” This time the shocked voice was his mother’s.

  “I know the timing is bad, but Dad is looking better, and I pushed for as late as I could.” Brandon had tried to push the start date back to the New Year, but Stewart was adamant Brandon be in place before the end of the year.

  “I can’t believe you, Brandon. The one Christmas we would get to spend with our granddaughter and you leave early. Have you even thought about how much this will upset her?”

  Brandon’s anger boiled over, and he lashed out at his mother. “Of course I have, Mom. I tried to push it back, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can’t let it pass me. I’ll finally get to have everything you and Dad did before you moved here.”

  His mother’s jaw dropped open, and his father, who had been sitting quietly, cleared his throat. “Do you not remember why we moved here, Brandon?”

  “You retired, and we needed a smaller place.”

  He shook his head. “No, I retired because I didn’t like what the money was doing to us. Your mother was hung up on all the latest fashions and spending more on shoes than food each month. You and Anna were quickly following in her footsteps. I didn’t want to lose my family to money, so I took an early retirement and moved us here, so we could start over and focus on what really matters.”

  “I won’t get like that again, Dad. I know how to avoid it now, but I need to do this for Joy.”

  “For Joy or for you?” His face was as serious as his voice as they locked eyes. He could tell himself it was for Joy, but as he held his father’s stare, he was no longer sure.

  “Well, this sounds like a family affair, so I think I’ll be going,” Presley said, rising from the couch.

  “Wait, Presley, I need to talk with you. Let me walk you home.” She shrugged but didn’t say no, so he took that as a yes.

  When they stepped outside, he reached for her hand, and while she allowed it to be held, she did not return the grip. “Presley, I want you to come with me. I can’t imagine going without you, and Joy adores you. You always talked about working in a big city. You could open a shop there and live your dream too.”

  Her shoulders rose with her breaths. “I have a life here, Brandon, and my own shop. I’ll have to think about it.”

  It was not the answer he had hoped for, but it wasn’t a firm no, which gave him hope. “Please do.” When they arrived at her doorstep, he leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head, and his lips landed on her chee
k.

  “Just give me time,” she said, and before he could say anything else, she had entered her apartment and shut the door. He stood staring at the white door and wondering how everything got so messy.

  Chapter 18

  After Brandon left, Presley entered the main house, looking for Ryan. He was not normally her confidant, but she needed to process. He was parked in front of the TV watching sports.

  “Can you turn that off a moment?”

  Without questioning, he flicked the remote and turned his attention to her. He would make some woman very happy one day. Presley sat on the other side of the couch from him.

  “Brandon just told us he’s taking a job in New York, and he wants me to go with him.”

  His eyebrow inched up his forehead. “Are you going to go?”

  “That’s the thing, I don’t know.” She grabbed a piece of hair and twirled it in her fingers. “I want to be with him, but I like it here. I like the slower pace and the people are friendly. Weird, but friendly. It’s home, you know?”

  “I do now,” he said, nodding. “I’ve been thinking about coming back myself.”

  “Before or after you saw Anna?” Presley punched his leg.

  “Before,” he smiled, “but I certainly wouldn’t say no to being closer to Anna.”

  “Why did the two of you break up anyway?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t even remember. Something stupid would be my guess. That’s usually why people break up. I haven’t seen you with Brandon, but I know how much you cared about him in high school. Are you sure you want to lose that?”

  Presley shrugged. She wasn’t sure of anything except how unsure of everything she was. “Thanks, Ryan. I guess I have some thinking to do.”

  “And some praying.” He rose from the couch with her and offered a hug before flicking the remote back on.

  Presley walked back to her apartment, more confused than when she came over. With a sigh, she got ready for bed, hoping everything would be clearer in the morning. Crawling into bed, she gave it over to God.

  The next morning, Paula was waiting outside the door to the shop when Presley arrived.

  “Am I late, Paula?” She checked her watch, but it showed five till seven.

  “No, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I heard Brandon is moving to New York.”

  Presley blinked at her. How on earth had she heard that information so quickly? She was like some kind of super magnet for gossip. “He is, but I’m fine. Thank you for asking.” She shouldered past Paula to insert the key in the door.

  Paula followed her inside. “Not that we want you to leave, but are you thinking about going with him?” She was fishing now. Maybe this was how she received her information.

  “I don’t know, Paula. I haven’t decided.” Presley flicked the lights on and headed to the back.

  “Oh, well, while I’m here, perhaps I’ll see what you are offering today.” She sidled up to the counter.

  “Right, give me a second.” Presley hurried into the back and grabbed the left-over pastries. Paula waited patiently while Presley unwrapped them and placed them on the trays. She would have to do some cooking today as the inventory was running low.

  Paula selected her pastries and waved goodbye. When the door closed, Presley headed to the back to grab the ingredients needed to make some new desserts. She spent the day whipping up new batches of muffins, brownies, and cookies in between the customers that walked in the door, asking the same questions Paula had. By the time it was closing time, Presley was exhausted both from cooking and from answering questions, but she finally had her answer.

  She nearly lost her nerve as she stepped onto Brandon’s porch, but it had to be done. Her breath came out in a giant sigh as she pressed the doorbell. Brandon opened the door, and his eyes, so full of hope, nearly changed her mind.

  “I was hoping you would come by tonight,” he said, opening the door for her to come in. He leaned in to kiss her, and because she knew it would probably be the last one, she savored the feel of his lips on hers.

  She must have done something differently though because she could see in his eyes when he pulled back that he knew something was off. “Can we talk somewhere?”

  He nodded, and taking her hand, led the way to his room. As the door shut, Presley took a deep breath. “Brandon, I adore you and Joy, but I realized today that I love this town and the people in this town. I’ve never been to New York, but if it’s like Paris, you don’t get customers like that, people who care about you and come in to ask you how you are.”

  “Maybe it will be different than Paris.” The hope in his voice pulled at her heart.

  “I can’t go, Brandon. It’s not just that. You are different when you work that job. You’re so relaxed and kind here, but whenever your phone rings, you change. You become this stiff, focused, almost angry man, and I wouldn’t be able to bear seeing you like that every day. I would resent you and the move. It wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

  She could tell she’d struck a nerve as he bristled and took a step away from her. “Fine, Presley. I shouldn’t have asked you to come anyway, but I thought you wanted a chance to realize your dream.”

  Presley let the harsh words slide. She knew his ego was bruised, and he didn’t really mean them. “I’d like to say goodbye to Joy, and then I think it would be best if I don’t come back before you leave. I don’t want to make it any harder on Joy.” The words scraped like a razor blade against her heart as they poured out of her mouth.

  “That’s probably best.”

  There was a wall between them now, an invisible field of tension that saddened her. This was not the way she had wanted it to go at all. Nodding, she opened the door and headed down the hallway to the living room. The family was gathered there watching a movie.

  Joy looked up at the sound of footsteps and came running. Presley caught her in a hug, and the tears she had been holding back so well threatened to pour down her cheeks.

  “Presley, I wondered when you would get here. Come watch with us.” She twirled her hands in Presley’s hair.

  “I can’t, Joy. I came to say good bye.”

  “Good bye? Where are you going?” Her face scrunched in confusion.

  “I’m not going anywhere, honey, but I’m not coming to New York with you either, and since I’m not,” and since Brandon and I just broke up, “I thought it would be best if I didn’t come back around. I don’t want to make it harder on you when it’s time to go.”

  Her blue eyes shimmered as they filled with tears. “No, you have to keep coming, Presley. I don’t want you not to come back.”

  “I know, Joy, but one day, I think you’ll thank me for this.”

  She threw her arms around Presley’s neck one more time and sobbed into her shoulder. The sound broke the last wall Presley had built around her heart and her tears joined Joy’s.

  When Joy pulled back, she flashed her eyes at Brandon. “This is your fault,” she said. “I hate this move, and I hate you.” As she ran from the room, the rest of the family stared after her, unsure what to say or do.

  The uncomfortable weight settled on Presley’s shoulders, and she stood, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Bruce, I’m glad to see you improving. Beverly, thank you for a wonderful few days. Anna, I’m sure I’ll be seeing more of you.” She turned to Brandon who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “Brandon, I . . .” She wanted to tell him she loved him, but this didn’t seem the time or the place. “I had a wonderful time, and I will miss you incredibly. Most of all, I’m sorry.”

  He said nothing, but his hand rubbed his beard again, and his eyes pulled to the right. She could tell he was fighting emotion too. Before she became a blubbering mess, Presley exited the room and showed herself out of the house.

  The tears hit full force as the front door closed behind her, and a loud sob escaped her lips. Pain like she’d never felt before ripped through her body, shattering her heart into a million pieces. Head dow
n, she hurried home and threw herself onto her bed. Niko jumped up beside her, but even his purring and butting her with his head couldn’t change her mood. She felt broken and empty and immediately wondered if she’d made the right decision.

  Chapter 19

  The taxi pulled up in front of the high-rise apartment building, and Joy’s eyes widened. “We’re going to live here?”

  “Only for a month or so. The company is putting us up in their suite until we decide where we want to live.” Though she was not entirely on board, it was good to see Joy finding some happiness in the move. Leaving the family had certainly been tough.

  The day Presley said she wasn’t coming had been the worst. Brandon had expected she wouldn’t leave. Star Lake was her home and she fit there, but hearing the words had created a pain he hadn’t known could exist. Joy had taken it even harder, clinging to Presley and then spewing hatred at Brandon. She had spent the rest of the day in her room, not even coming out for meals.

  Brandon couldn’t fault Presley. He knew she was trying to make it easier on Joy, but it sure had been harder the next few days. Joy had been nearly mute, only answering when directly spoken to. Even on the airplane ride, which she normally loved, she had been stony silent.

  The company had offered to pack up their apartment and ship the car, and Brandon had taken them up on it. He and Joy had only packed a few changes of clothes and her favorite toys of course.

  As Joy stepped onto the sidewalk, her head swiveled from one high rise to the next. Her mouth opened in a nearly perfect “oh” shape. Brandon grabbed the bags from the trunk and tipped the driver. Then the taxi pulled away from the curb and joined the flood of traffic. Brandon wanted to hold Joy’s hand, afraid to lose her in the sea of people, but his arms were full of luggage.

  “Come on, grab my pocket,” he said. The crowd was much larger here, and his fear of losing Joy in a car accident was quickly being replaced by her being abducted or shuffled away in the throng of busy New Yorkers who had their phones attached to their ears and their eyes on their watches. He’d forgotten how impersonal busy executives could be.