Home to Chestnut Grove

by Christy Barritt

  On that day so many years ago, they’d both realized at the same time that they were standing under mistletoe. Jake had been waiting for just the right opportunity to show Faith how he felt about her. He’d been walking on clouds ever since she’d said yes to their first date. And their first kiss . . . he’d never forget it.

  Jake snapped back to the present. He must have been staring at Faith because her cheeks reddened.

  If he could forget himself for a minute, he’d admit that he’d like nothing more than to pick up where they’d left off. But the history between them felt so vast and unpassable. Not only that, but Faith no longer had a life here. Soon, she’d leave. Go back to New York. Her roots would again become something of her past.

  And Jake would be left here trying to figure out how to save this town . . . or if he should just let it die.

  Faith cleared her throat. “You know what this makes me think of?”

  His lungs froze. “What’s that?”

  “It makes me think of you and I sneaking out here and you singing ‘Christmas Don’t Be Late’ after inhaling helium at my family’s Christmas party.”

  Her words broke the tension, and he burst into laughter. “You weren’t supposed to ever bring that up again.”

  “Hey, it’s one of my favorite memories of you because it’s a side of you that not many people got to see. That and your colorful socks.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You had your own quirks, I’ll have you know.”

  She mirrored his expression. “Like what?”

  “How about how you never shop with a cart and will only buy what you can carry?”

  “That has saved me a lot of money.”

  He nodded. “I can’t argue that. And the way you always wear red?”

  “As soon as my father told me that it was my mom’s signature fashion, I knew I wanted to do it in her memory.” She touched the red scarf around her neck.

  His smile slipped. “You’ve always been sentimental.”

  Tension settled between them a moment until Faith finally cleared her throat. “Maybe we should get that tree.”

  With a somber nod, Jake agreed. “We probably should. We’re burning daylight, aren’t we?”

  “Burning daylight,” she repeated with a gentle smile.

  They left the mistletoe behind and continued down the path.

  Jake rubbed the back of his head before turning toward her. “Look, I’m sorry if I got snippy with you yesterday.”

  “You don’t have to apologize.”

  “No, I really do. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions and assume the worst. You don’t deserve that.”

  She looked over at him, surprise in her eyes. “I appreciate that.”

  “Grief . . . it can . . .” Jake sighed. What was he trying to say? “It can do a number on people.”

  “I know. I’m grieving too. Despite what you might think of me, I loved Jenny.”

  He nodded slowly. “I know you did. I just . . .”

  “You just what?” Snowflakes caught on her eyelashes.

  “I just needed you here. For me.”

  Her expression softened. Before he realized what was happening, Faith pulled him into a hug. Her sweet vanilla scent surrounded him, instantly putting him at ease.

  For a moment, they were two people grieving. Together. Two people who understood each other’s loss.

  This was what Jake had craved. What he’d needed. What he never wanted to let go of.

  When Faith pulled away, that soft compassionate look remained in her gaze. Understanding passed between them—understanding that life would never be the same without Jenny.

  “We better get that tree, huh?” Faith finally said.

  Jake nodded, his entire body tense at Faith’s touch. “Yes, I guess we should.”

  Because any more interaction like that with Faith and he might do something he regretted—something like falling in love again with someone who would only break his heart.

  Three hours later, Jake and Faith paused in front of the Chestnut Inn. They’d found the perfect Christmas tree, decorated it at Jake’s place, played some Christmas music, and even warmed up with some coffee. They’d had so much fun together that picking up her car hadn’t seemed important. She’d figure out a way to get it tomorrow instead.

  All in all, the day had been surprisingly great. Faith felt like she and Jake had made some progress. Things might not ever be the same again, but she hoped that Jake might eventually stop hating her so much. However, she still knew there were more conversations that needed to be had.

  Right now, Faith stared up at Jake, feeling unwanted flutters in her heart. He’d always had that effect on her. Part of her hoped he always did.

  “It was fun today.” Jake’s lips curled, almost like he wanted to smile. “Thank you for making me get a Christmas tree.”

  “Thanks for letting me make you.”

  They exchanged a smile, and Faith felt a pulse of attraction race through her. For a little while, it had felt like old times. It had felt like nothing had changed.

  But everything had changed. She had to keep that in mind. There was no better way to keep it in mind than to talk about Jenny.

  Faith shifted, knowing this conversation would probably be uncomfortable, to say the least. But there were things that needed to be said, comfortable or not.

  She shoved a hair behind her ear. “Jake, I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the funeral. I really am. But there’s nothing I can say that will make you forgive me, is there?”

  Tension crossed his face and any of the lightheartedness from earlier disappeared. “I can’t imagine any excuse that would make things better.”

  She touched his arm, but Jake flinched and pulled away. She’d deserved that, but the rejection still stung.

  Her throat ached as she said, “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what the right thing was.”

  “Being there for your friend, of course.” His lips pressed together with unrelenting certainty.

  “It wasn’t that easy. It was opening night. I was starring in this play.”

  “There are more important things to keep in mind.” His expression became more hooded, shadowed.

  Desperation to make him understand began to claw at Faith, and her voice rose in pitch. “I’m not denying that. Don’t think I didn’t come because I didn’t care. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

  He shrugged, making it clear he still didn’t accept Faith’s explanation. “You’ve always chosen your career over us, Faith.”

  Hot emotion rushed through her. How could he think that? Jake knew her better than anyone. He had to know that wasn’t the truth. “It’s not just my fault we broke up, you know. You could have tried to meet me halfway.”

  His eyes widened as surprise seemed to spread through him. “And move to NYC?”

  “Why was I the only one expected to sacrifice?”

  He twisted his head, as if her words were unexpected. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “I think it was.”

  They stared at each other, tension cutting between them. Before either of them could say anything else, the front door opened, and Timmy tore outside, headed right toward them.

  “You guys,” he shouted. “It’s Ms. Gingham. She fell and isn’t talking. Please help!”

  15

  Jake sat in the stiff chair at the hospital in Charlottesville, where Ms. Gingham had been taken. Jake and Faith had followed behind the ambulance in his SUV, not saying a word the entire trip. They both obviously had a lot on their minds.

  Ms. Gingham had been found lying on the floor in the kitchen, just as Timmy said. When she hadn’t responded, Jake had feared the worst. Thankfully, the rescue squad had arrived in record time and whisked her away.

  Right now, Faith sat with one chair between them in the waiting room. Her eyes were mostly glued to her phone, but every time someone new came into the room, her head jerked up. So did Jake’s. They were both obviously anxious for an
update.

  He remembered their conversation, remembered Faith’s proclamation that their breakup wasn’t all her fault. He wanted to deny the words. But what if they were true? He needed to take some time to think through the implications of her statement.

  Their breakup had always felt like Faith’s fault . . . from his perspective. But had he ever truly considered her point of view? Not really. He’d been buried in too much pain.

  He closed his eyes, the pungent smells of the hospital bringing back too many memories. This is where Jenny had been, where she’d spent her final moments. Flashbacks nipped at him, tried to take away any semblance of peace he had.

  He remembered being here, waiting to hear if the doctor had been able to revive Jenny. His parents had been here. Several people from town had stopped by.

  He’d kept waiting for Faith to appear. All the times Jenny had been in the hospital, and Faith hadn’t shown up once. How could she turn her back on her friend like that? Especially when Jenny had needed her the most?

  Emotion burned in his throat.

  “I hope Ms. Gingham’s okay,” Faith whispered, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

  “Me too.”

  The doctor stepped out of the room and glanced at them. “Ms. Gingham is awake and she’s requesting to see both of you.”

  Both Jake and Faith jumped to their feet.

  “Is she okay?” Faith asked.

  “I think she’ll be just fine. I’ll let her tell you herself.”

  They stepped into the room, and Jake spotted Ms. Gingham sitting up in bed with her usual pleasant smile on her face. She waved at them as if this were a casual visit.

  “Faith and Jake! You didn’t have to wait around for me.”

  Jake frowned and stepped closer to her bedside. “We were worried.”

  “What happened?” Faith asked. “The doctor wouldn’t tell us what’s wrong.”

  Ms. Gingham’s eyes perked. “Nothing’s wrong. As a matter of fact, everything is right!”

  Jake and Faith exchanged a glance.

  “What do you mean?” Jake finally asked.

  “I mean, I passed out from excitement. I got an offer in the mail to buy my house for even more than I was going to ask for it.”

  Jake’s eyes widened. “What? Are you sure?”

  “The letter was certified. It definitely looked real.” Ms. Gingham’s smile widened. “There’s more. The buyer said I could continue to live in the house as caretaker for as long as I felt up to it.”

  Jake had learned that if something seemed too good to be true, it probably was. Warning flags rose in his mind. “You have no idea who this person is?”

  “No, I don’t. The offer was on some kind of corporate letterhead. But Jake, maybe I can finally retire. I can finally stop worrying so much.”

  “That . . . that would be great news, Ms. Gingham.” Jake was unconvinced of the legitimacy of it all, yet he didn’t want to burst Ms. Gingham’s bubble. “But I don’t like not knowing who’s trying to buy it.”

  She beamed. “I’ll have someone look at it, of course. But it sounds like an answer to prayer to me.”

  “What’s the name of the company?” Jake asked.

  “Starlight Incorporated.”

  As realization spread through Jake he turned to Faith. “It’s you, isn’t it? That’s what you called your company when you did that project in high school.”

  Faith glanced at Ms. Gingham before rubbing her throat and nodding. “Yes, I made the offer.”

  “Faith, you have that kind of money?” Ms. Gingham’s voice came out breathy with surprise.

  That was a great question—none of his business, but a great question, nonetheless.

  “My father left me a trust fund. All these years, I’ve felt too guilty to touch it. But now I realize I need to use it to help this town. Buying the inn is one way I can do that.”

  “Oh, Faith . . .” Ms. Gingham squeezed Faith’s hand. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Faith shrugged. “There’s nothing to say. It’s time I make things right. It’s past time, for that matter.”

  Three hours later, Ms. Gingham was safely back at the inn. Her friend Melba had come over to spend the night and keep an eye on her. Though the doctor said Ms. Gingham would be fine, she still had a bump on her head and needed to be monitored.

  Faith turned to Jake as they stood in Ms. Gingham’s kitchen. “Look, I know it’s been a long day. Any chance you want some hot cocoa and to sit outside on the porch?”

  Her stomach tightened as she waited for Jake’s response. She fully expected him to say no. To reject her. Scold her.

  It was obvious he was still holding on to some hurt, that he still blamed Faith for their breakup and for not being there for Jenny. For every stride forward they took, they also took two steps back.

  Instead, he nodded. “That sounds nice.”

  Several minutes later, they both had blankets over them and held steaming mugs in their hands as they sat beside each other on the porch swing. Though it was dark, Faith could sense the mountains in the distance, protecting them and hugging this small town, just as those mountains always had.

  Jake cleared his throat. “You bought this place?”

  Faith slowly nodded. “I did. Or, I’m going to, I should say.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking—why?”

  She stared off in the distance for a minute. “I couldn’t stand to see it close down. This place, in some ways, has seemed like the center of the community, you know? There’s so much history here, so many memories.”

  “How are you going to run the inn and act?”

  “I told you—I’m hanging up my hat. I’m done with New York and Broadway.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I am. I haven’t figured out all of the details yet. But I’m ready for a new adventure. Besides, I couldn’t bear the thought of the wrong person getting their hands on the property.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” Jake shrugged. “But I do know this area is ripe to be revived.”

  “Chestnut Grove is the perfect location.”

  “You’re right. There’s just so much potential here.”

  Faith nodded, excitement taking hold in her. “I was thinking about some of the ideas you threw out when we had dinner with Ms. Gingham. I can envision more than just an inn. I can see a little restaurant here even, somewhere to sell chestnut blitzes, some vanilla chestnut lattes, even that chestnut soup that Franny makes at her restaurant . . . this place could be a hit.”

  “It’s a great idea,” Jake said. “Things like this . . . people are looking for experiences, things that get them away from technology and back to the simpler times of the past.”

  Their gazes caught. For a moment, Faith was catapulted back in time. Back to when she and Jake had been madly in love. When their futures together had seemed so bright.

  Something seemed to catch Jake off guard also. His face went still, and his eyes seemed to swirl with depths that prodded into his soul.

  “I missed you so much when you left here, Faith.” His voice sounded hoarse with emotion as he turned toward her. Warmth—and fading pain—radiated from his eyes as they latched onto hers.

  “Leaving here—leaving you—was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Hearing the words leave her lips caused a rush of relief in Faith. She’d been wanting to say that for so long.

  Jake swallowed hard, his eyes still capturing hers. “I kept praying you’d come back, Faith. That your love for this town—for me—would be bigger than your love for Broadway. I knew it was selfish of me, but I couldn’t help but mutter the prayers anyway.”

  “I had to try to make it in New York.” Her voice came out at just above a whisper. “I couldn’t live with myself not knowing. And what I said earlier was true. You could have joined me.”

  “You know it was more complicated than that. My family . . . they depend on me to help them out
.”

  “They would have understood.”

  “They’re barely paying the bills, Faith. With no one in town making ends meet, hardly any tithe money has come into the church. Dad’s gone down to part-time. I use part of my paycheck to help them out. There was no way I could even afford to live in New York.” He broke their gaze and shrugged. “Besides, that kind of life . . . it’s not for me. I like quiet.”

  “I know you do.” Though Faith had secretly hoped he’d join her in the city, she’d never been able to picture him there. In honesty, it was one of the things she loved about him. He liked the simple things in life.

  “I bought that house thinking about you, you know,” he said quietly.

  “You did?” Faith’s heart pounded in her ears. “When we broke up . . . you acted like it didn’t affect you.” Had that all been an act?

  “I don’t think I’ve been the same since then,” Jake admitted, reaching for her hand. His fingers squeezed hers. “I also bought a ring. I told myself the next time you came back, I was going to pop the question. That never happened, though.”

  A ring? He was going to propose? A pang of sorrow echoed in Faith. Things could have been so different. How would her life look right now if they hadn’t broken up?

  She squeezed his hand. “Oh, Jake . . . I had no idea.”

  “You didn’t, and it was better that way. I figured what was meant to be was meant to be.”

  “Is that how you feel now?” Her throat constricted as she waited for his answer.

  “I’ve spent the last few months trying to change things that are out of my control, Faith. My future used to seem so certain, but now I’m not even sure if I’m going to have a job tomorrow. This town is so close to shutting down. The revenue from speeding tickets will only last so long.”

  “I never wanted to hurt you, Jake. I only wanted you to be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. You wouldn’t have been elected sheriff if I’d stayed with you.”

  He sucked in a breath as realization rolled over his features. As soon as Jake had told Faith he wanted to run for sheriff, Faith had known he’d never have a chance if he was dating her. Their dreams hadn’t seemed compatible.