Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The timer for the stove went off as Caroline ran a duster over the fireplace mantel, and she let out a sharp breath, realizing with a start that it was the second time it’d gone off. She dropped the duster, glancing at the clock as she hurried into the kitchen and took the thankfully not-burnt pumpkin chocolate chip muffins out of the oven.

The entire morning had been like that so far. She’d overslept, staying in bed longer than usual and feeling as if she’d been dragging ever since she got up. She was trying to get back to her usual routine even with the late start, but it was hard. She was tired, felt as if she hadn’t slept well, and her mind kept wandering. When her mind wandered, she messed things up, and she had felt as if she were on the back foot all day.

She hated that she felt that way. It should have been a good day. Her date hadn’t been what they’d planned, but deep down, she’d really felt that it had been better. She’d had so much fun with Rhett and Jay, with helping out and cooking dinner and the board game after. The wine and conversation by the fire had been sweet and romantic. She hadn’t thought she could ask for anything else, that the night was going to go perfectly beyond anything she could have imagined.

And then she’d found out that Rhett was the man she’d been writing to.

She hadn’t meant to cut their evening so short, but the revelation had thrown her for a loop she couldn’t quite reconcile. She hadn’t wanted to ruin the evening with awkwardness or by letting him see how confused she was over it, and she hadn’t known if she wanted to reveal her part in that. So she’d done the most comfortable thing for her, the thing she always did when she felt uncomfortable or awkward or unsure. She just removed herself from the situation.

He’d been polite as she left, just as kind as always, but they’d left on a strange note. She couldn’t pretend otherwise. But what was she supposed to do, after finding out that Rhett of all people was her mystery pen pal?

She felt like she’d spilled her guts too much in the letters. She hadn’t imagined even for a moment that she’d ever actually meet the person who was behind them, and she hadn’t fathomed that the person would turn out to be someone she had a romantic interest in. It was beyond anything she could have dreamed up or begun to expect.

Now, she was aware that he knew all of her insecurities and doubts and worries, or at least all of the ones she’d written out in those letters. And eventually, one way or another, he’d figure out that that person who had talked about all those things was the same person he was dating.

He knew all of her secrets. She couldn’t imagine how he would still continue to want her, once he knew all of those fears and insecurities were hers . He wouldn’t want to take that on. He wouldn’t want that as his partner, not when he had so much else to concern himself with.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, she felt her phone buzz in her back pocket and pulled it out to see Rhett’s name on the screen. Her heart leapt in her chest, but just as quickly, she rejected the call.

She knew it would confuse him. She knew he wouldn’t understand what had gone wrong. How could he, when he didn’t know she was the one who’d been answering him? But she had no idea what to say to him after that.

She was more flustered and embarrassed than she could remember having been in a long time. Maybe ever. She felt like she’d blown it before they’d even really ever gotten a start. That even if he might eventually have been willing to overlook some of her insecurities, they didn’t have enough of a foundation for that yet. Whatever possibilities they might have had, she couldn’t see a way forward for them without keeping a secret from Rhett longer than she would have liked. And now she knew about his part of it, which meant if she didn’t go ahead and tell him, she was keeping something from him. That was no way to start a relationship.

A part of her knew she was being silly. That Rhett had been kind and patient and understanding so far, even when she overreacted, even going as far as to ask her out a second time when she’d soundly rejected him the first. But it was terrifying, opening up. And she didn’t know that she would have already opened up so much to Rhett, if she had known the journal belonged to him.

She looked down at the phone, debating calling him. She saw that he’d left her a voicemail. She was sure if she listened to it, he would be just as confused as she expected him to be.

She should call him back. She knew that she should. But instead, she shoved her phone back into her pocket, trying to put it all out of her head.

She just wasn’t brave enough to face it yet.

Nora nearly squealed when she saw the text message on her phone from Sabrina.

SAbrINA: All of the pieces that have been donated from the ad I ran are here at the office. Just let me know when you want me to bring them over.

It had been more successful than she could possibly have hoped. She still hadn’t seen all of the pieces, but she’d had a few others given directly to her besides the ones that Melanie and her client had donated, and they’d all been lovely in their own ways. Also, Sabrina knew how picky Nora could be, and she hadn’t given any hint that Nora might be disappointed in what was being brought in.

She was so excited, and she was ready to start piecing it together. But she knew she couldn’t do it alone.

Quickly, she made calls to Melanie, Audrey, and Rhonda, and texted Sabrina back, letting her know that she was setting up a time to get everyone together to assemble the chandelier. And then she called Caroline, hoping her sister would be equally excited.

“Nora?” It was clear from the moment Caroline answered the phone that she was a little out of sorts. She sounded distracted, and Nora might have been gone a long time, but she knew her sister’s normal tone and behavior. Something was up.

“Are you all right?” she asked worriedly. “Is something going on?”

“I—” Caroline broke off, and Nora let out a sharp breath.

“Is it the inn? Or something with Mom and Dad?”

“No.” Caroline paused on the other end of the line. “I just have some weird stuff going on. There was this notebook I found while I was out on a walk, and, well…”

Nora sank into a chair, listening dumbfounded as her sister explained what she’d been doing the last few weeks, responding to entries in a journal she’d found tucked near a tree. It made sense, when she thought about it. Caroline had never been good at talking to anyone. She kept everything bottled up, and as much as it hurt for Nora to realize that her sister had been dealing with so much and not sharing it with any of them, she could understand how putting it on paper to a total stranger could have been so much easier. Caroline had a lot of strengths, but vulnerability wasn’t one of them.

“And now I’ve found out that the person who owned the journal was Rhett,” Caroline finished. “ Rhett . Who I’ve been going out on dates with, thinking that I had time for him to get to know me, that maybe he’d never need to know how insecure I can be. And now instead, he’s read all these intimate things, that I didn’t even know I was writing to him.”

“Caroline—”

“I feel so foolish,” Caroline said, her voice cracking a little. Nora felt her chest ache, realizing how upset her sister really was. She would have to be, in order to admit any of this. Not to mention, the pressure must have really been building up for her to need that outlet in the first place. It made Nora feel more than a little guilty that she hadn’t seen it. “I wish I hadn’t blabbed about all of my insecurities, all those secrets that I don’t talk about with anyone. There’s no way he’s going to want to keep dating me now. Who would?”

“Oh, Caroline, that’s ridiculous.” Nora took a deep breath, trying to contain her own emotions and focus on her sister. “You’re being way too hard on yourself. First of all, you said you were responding to his journal entries. That means he was being vulnerable in them too, right?”

“Well, yes,” Caroline admitted. “He was talking about things he was worried about, his fears about being a good dad and things like that.”

“And did he seem like he was upset that someone he didn’t know read all of that?”

“No,” Caroline conceded. “But he doesn’t know it was me who read them and responded. He had no idea when he told me that I’m the other half of that. He still doesn’t. I haven’t talked to him since then. I don’t know what to say. So he might feel differently if he knew it was me that read all of it, that I know everything he’s worried about. It’s one thing for a stranger to know those sorts of things, someone you’ll never meet or talk to. It’s totally different if it’s someone you’re just starting to date. ”

“I still think it’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be,” Nora insisted. “He obviously cares about you and likes you a lot. It’s totally normal to be insecure. And like I said, clearly he has some of the same insecurities. So if anything, it’s proof that the two of you are good together.”

“Maybe,” Caroline said doubtfully. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well, aside from all of that, I called because I need your help. Sabrina has all of the crystals for the chandelier, and I’m getting everyone together to help me assemble it. If you want to help, I’m sure that would take your mind off of it.”

Caroline laughed at that. “You just want an extra pair of hands,” she teased. “But yes, of course I’ll help. I’d love to.”

“Do you think it’d be all right if we did it at the inn? There’s more space there.”

“I don’t see why not. Most of the guests are checking out tonight, and we don’t have anyone coming in until tomorrow, if tonight works for everyone else. There should be plenty of space to work on it.”

“Perfect.” Nora could feel the smile spreading across her face. “That sounds great.”

“What’s going on tonight?” Aiden walked into the room just as Nora was hanging up the phone, and she beamed at him.

“We’re putting together the chandelier tonight. At the inn. I just talked to Caroline.”

“That sounds like a good time.” Aiden sank down in his chair. “Who else are you calling?” He gestured to her phone as she scrolled through her contacts.

“I’m going to invite Rhett.” She found his name, glancing up at her husband.

Aiden smirked, picking up immediately on what she was doing. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I can invite anyone I want,” Nora said with a sniff. “And besides, he’s new in town. I’m just being friendly.”

“Mm-hm.” Aiden chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Sure.”

He knew her all too well. She refused to admit it, but she was inviting Rhett for Caroline’s sake.

All they needed was to be together in the same room. Then they could talk, and make up.

She was sure that then, all would be well.