One year later…
The whole town shows up to the grand opening of the new shop. I look at the big sign at the front: C & C Home and Hardware store. Clarke and Croft. People are already calling it C&C’s, and it feels like we’ve been accepted into the community. It probably helps that everyone thinks Aiden burned the hotel down. Everyone except the McCoys were celebrating for weeks.
He finally told me that his brothers and the sheriff were the ones who did it. I didn’t know how to react. I still don’t know what to think of it. It’s wrong, obviously. Arson is never right. But somehow it feels appropriate here. The hotel was like a stain on the mountainside, and now it’s gone. The company decided to take the insurance money and abandon the site. There’s been a half-assed remediation attempt, but for the most part it’s been left to the forest to reclaim. The police investigation never solved the crime, obviously. Sheriff Bill Whittaker has had a bounce in his step for a whole year.
I glance around at our new shop and shake my head. I’m a small business owner in a small town. It’s nowhere near as prestigious as working for my father’s company, or being a rising star as an environmental engineer, but I don’t care. I’ve realized that none of that matters. Aiden has taught me what does matter, and that’s love, and life, and wilderness.
There are balloons, and music, and food, and drink. Everyone comes in to see the new store. Aiden is beaming, wearing his new branded “C&C’s” shirt. I’ve never seen him as happy as when he got rid of the old coveralls that had the McCoy name on the front.
Old Man Wilson comes up to me and shakes my hand. “You did a great job with the place,” he says to me, glancing around. “And a great job with the man,” he adds with a wink. I laugh, looking over at Aiden again. He’s smiling and talking more than I’ve seen him do since the day I met him.
My heart feels light. Aiden appears beside me and slides his arm around my back. He kisses my temple and I melt into him. I’ll never get tired of being in his arms. The front door jingles and in walk Mara and Margaret McCoy. Aiden tenses beside me and I rub his back to help him relax. They look around the shop and saunter over to us.
“Congratulations,” Mara says with the same fake smile as her mother.
“Thank you,” I respond. The four of us stand there awkwardly.
“So I guess you’re our new competition,” Margaret says as she looks Aiden up and down.
“I guess so,” Aiden responds. “Back to the way it was before.”
Margaret purses her lips and I squeeze my arm around Aiden. I can feel the tension in his body and I know how hard it is for him to keep his cool. He’s stiff until Mara and Margaret nod, turn around and walk out. Aiden and I exchange a glance. He sighs.
“I’m going to take back Dad’s business,” a voice growls behind us. I turn to see Dominic staring after Margaret and Mara. He glances at Aiden. “I know that you’ve moved on, and I’m happy for you. You should enjoy your new life. I’m not ready to move on, though. Not yet.”
“What are you going to do?” Aiden asks. He stares at Dominic for a few moments and I feel like there are wordless things being said between them. Dominic cracks first as a grin breaks across his face.
“I’m not going to burn the McCoy hotel down, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Aiden laughs and shakes his head. “Just don’t get yourself into trouble.”
Dominic nods and glances at me. “I’m happy for you. For both of you.” He wraps his arms around me in a big bear hug. I laugh and try to pull away when the breath feels like it’s being squeezed out of me. He finally lets me go and winks at me. “Take care of my brother.”
“Will do. Take care of yourself.”
“Always.” He shakes Aiden’s hand and heads off out of the shop. I glance at Aiden and he shakes his head.
“I can’t control him,” he says with a shrug. “I just hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble.”
I don’t know what to say, so I rub Aiden’s back in response. We turn back to the customers and greet and smile and laugh until CC’s grand opening is over.
My eyes are closing after an exhausting day. I can hardly stay awake as we drive up the mountain, back up toward the cabin that I now call home. I know every twist and turn and by the time the car stops I’m ready to collapse into bed. Aiden glances over at me and smiles.
“Come on,” he says. “I want to show you something.”
I know that look in his eye, and I can’t say no. I take a deep breath and force my eyes open as I get out of his truck, following him up the path. When the big house comes into view, my jaw drops. For the past three weeks, Aiden hasn’t let me anywhere near it. I had no idea he was done. He lets me in the front door and the ground floor steals the breath out of my lungs.
It’s tastefully decorated, with old and new furniture. The whole place is open, and I can see the gleaming new kitchen at the back of the house. My hands fly up to my face as I look around. I finally look at Aiden and shake my head.
“Aiden, it’s…” My voice trails off and I take a step into our new home. “It’s beautiful.”
“You like it?”
“Like it?” I say. “You did this?”
Aiden laughs. “I had some help.”
“I feel like I’m on HGTV or something,” I say with a laugh. “This is incredible!” I’m like a kid, running from room to room and squealing over everything. I helped him choose the finishes and paint colors and furniture, but seeing it all put together is better than I could have imagined. There are a few picture frames on the shelf in the living room, and I see a photo of my dad next to one of his. My chest tightens and Aiden puts his arm around my shoulder. He kisses my forehead and the two of us look at the pictures of our fathers, side by side in the place of honor on the shelf. He takes my hand and guides me up the steps. He opens the door to the master bedroom and the tears finally start falling down my cheeks.
I have a new home, a new business, and a man that I love. I didn’t know happiness like this was possible. Aiden wipes the tears off my face and wraps his arms around me.
“What do you say we christen the new bed,” he says with a wink. I laugh and tilt my chin up toward him. When he kisses me, I feel happier than I’ve ever felt before. I’m more than happy. I’m in love, and I’m finally home.
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