Chapter 31

RILEY

After dessert with Eric, Mom and I walked into our side of the cottage. Spending time with him had calmed my nerves and made me less worried about the burglar coming back. "I'll make us a drink."

Mom nodded. "That sounds wonderful." She sat on the big, comfy sofa we bought many years ago at a market. "Eric's cherry pie was incredible."

I made sure the coffeepot was hot. "It was." Just thinking about the layers of cherries and pecans made my mouth water all over again. "The top layer of chocolate was so worth all the calories we ate."

"We should go for a walk in the morning."

"If the day had turned out differently, I'd suggest going now." I handed Mom a mug of coffee. "But tomorrow's a much safer option."

"Don't let the burglary scare you. Between that lovely man called Matt and the police, they'll soon have whoever was here behind bars."

I wasn't so sure. The Italian police were still investigating the theft of my paintings. If the American police worked just as slowly, it would be Christmas before anyone identified the person in the security camera.

Mom held the mug close to her nose and closed her eyes. "The coffee smells heavenly."

"It's a special blend. Jenny sells it at the general store."

"How are Jenny and Allan?"

"They're happy and busy. Do you think they'll ever retire?"

Mom smiled. "I don't think so. Last time I spoke to them they were looking at expanding their business. The store beside theirs was for sale and they thought they could make use of the space."

"That's why it looked bigger. I thought my memory was playing tricks on me."

"Not this time. How did you feel when you saw the cottage?"

I took a deep breath. "Sad. When I stood on Eric's veranda, I half expected Grandma to open the door."

"She had a way of filling up the world with kindness." Mom's hand trembled as she placed the mug on the coffee table. "They died so suddenly."

I understood the grief in her voice. It had been a hard twelve months for everyone. "I'm sorry I didn't come home more often."

"You needed to stay in Europe."

Regret, grief, and guilt churned in my stomach. "Not all the time."

"You were busy creating more wonderful paintings. After your grandparents died, I was more worried about you not getting the chance to say goodbye."

Hot tears filled my eyes. "I need to tell you the truth about why I didn't come home for their funeral. It wasn't the exhibition that stopped me from being here. I stayed in Europe because I felt guilty. I let Grandma and Granddad down. After everything they did, I hardly ever saw them. If I'd visited or called more often, they would have known I loved them."

"Come here." Mom pulled me into a fierce hug. "Your grandma and granddad knew you loved them. They enjoyed hearing about what you were doing. Visiting them in Sunrise Bay was a big ask, especially with the schedule you had."

"It didn't have to be that way."

"Maybe not, but it made a difference to your career. Granddad understood. He used to say you were a chip off the old block."

I wiped my eyes and remembered my amazing grandfather. When I told my family I was gay, I was terrified of what he'd say, especially after Dad refused to talk to me about it. But Granddad took the news in the same way he lived his life: with kindness, unconditional love, and a hug that made me cry.

"Granddad sent me his set of pilot wings," I told Mom softly. "He said they were a good luck charm to help my dreams fly."

"Your grandparents knew you wanted more than the life you had in Sunrise Bay. Grandma said you were destined for great things, and she wasn't wrong. You needed to be in Europe."

"I wish I'd come home."

Mom pushed a strand of hair off my face. "I know you do. Have you visited the cemetery?"

I shook my head. "I nearly went there last week."

"How about we visit their grave together?"

"I'd like that." Fresh tears stung my eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Mom wrapped me in another hug. "I used to say the same thing to your grandma. But no matter how hard it is, when someone you love dies, you find the strength to put one foot in front of the other and keep going."

I rested my head on her shoulder. The thought of ever losing her was more than I could bear. I took a deep breath and tried to see something positive in all the heartbreak.

Changing the past was impossible, but I could change my future. And I knew just how to do it.