Grant stood inside the barn, leaning on the back wall as he listened to Jasper Farrow giving the closing remarks at the festival’s final event. They’d organized a mixer for industry professionals and others wanting to attend.
The weekend had been long and arduous for Grant, and others in Canyon Creek, but so rewarding on many levels. The familiar tingle of excitement he’d been missing for so long had finally started to emerge.
He listened to Jasper’s easy voice ring through the barn. Even though he’d helped organize and facilitate the festival—and directed one of the featured films—Grant felt Jasper was a better candidate to give the closing remarks. He held a wealth of knowledge in the industry.
Jasper stood at the lectern and motioned toward Grant. “I would like to thank the town of Canyon Creek and all those who helped organize this festival, including Grant Sumner and his family, and other business owners.” A round of applause rang through the air. “I know this festival was a labor of love for many of you. I hope it will become an annual event.”
“Yes,” many of those in attendance said, and Grant smiled. He would love to see the festival return to Canyon Creek every year.
Jasper cleared his throat. “People often ask me what the key to my success is. I believe it comes down to one word. Heart. Well, two actually. Head and heart.
“I’ve been blessed in this life, able live my passion and fulfill my dreams. It’s been a lot of hard work, I won’t lie, but I credit those smarter and braver than me for my success. I listened to their words, followed the paths they’d forged and heeded the lessons they taught me.”
Grant leaned in, instinctively knowing Jasper was about to impart words of wisdom he needed to hear.
“One of my favorite quotes that’s driven me all these years still remains in my journal to this day,” Jasper went on. “It’s from Nelson Mandela. ‘A good head and a good heart are a formidable combination.’”
Grant pondered the quote. Had his head and his heart every been good? At the same time?
“I’ve been able to pursue my passions and live my dreams by always making sure, every day, that my head and my heart are not only good but they’re in sync,” Jasper said. “Hard work means nothing if you’re headed down the wrong path.
“If your head and your heart aren’t in sync, if they’re not headed in the same direction, you’ll never know real peace, and thus you’ll never know true success.” Jasper’s gaze caught his and held for several moments. “You’ll never truly be happy.”
Grant pondered the idea of whether or not his head and heart were on the same path. When he first met Sophie he thought so, but now he wasn’t so sure.
His career had always mattered most. Being successful and accumulating accolades from critics and fans had driven him to work harder. But now he realized his heart hadn’t been good and so the work had finally worn him out.
What he needed was Sophie. She held his heart. It was her he craved more than anything. His head and his heart were on a path to win her back. Nothing had ever felt more right.
Jasper’s eyes moved from Grant’s as he stared out over the crowd. “Be prepared for hard work and a lot of rejection. A lot,” he added with a laugh. “But if your head and your heart are in the right place, if they’re on the same page, you’ll always find a way to live your dreams.” He paused and everyone stood silent. “Thanks for joining us this weekend. Please feel free to stick around and mingle.”
Applause erupted throughout the barn as the audience jumped to their feet.
Grant kept to the back of the barn, not ready to talk to others just yet as Jasper’s words burrowed deep in his mind.
“You did a great job here.”
Grant shook his head, turning toward the voice beside him.
Warner Noble stood next to him. Warner’s family owned the ski lodge on the other side of the mountain. His daughter Elle was engaged to Emmett, and Warner and Grant’s Aunt Sally had started dating over the last year.
“Thanks,” he said, his mind still thinking of Jasper’s words.
If your head and your heart aren’t on the same path you’ll never know real peace.
“It looks like the festival was a huge success,” Warner said.
“You and Maggie were a part of that success. I couldn’t have done any of this without your help here.”
“It was actually kind of fun,” Warner said, sounding surprised.
“What, hobnobbing with industry pros and fans?”
“That, too.”
“What else?”
“Well, attending a Sophie Day concert had to be one of the highlights of the weekend.” He smiled.
“For you and lots of others, I’ve heard.”
“For you as well?” he asked.
Definitely, he thought.
Grant wasn’t sure how much of his and Sophie’s history his aunt had shared with Warner but it was really silly to think he wouldn’t know about some of it. Their break-up had made international news. People’s fascination with the humiliation of public figures always bewildered him. He wondered how others would fare in the spotlight if all their dirty laundry were aired for the world to see.
“Grant?” Warner asked.
“Yeah?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Of course it wasn’t, but he didn’t want to disclose that bit of information.
“I’m sorry,” Warner said, “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t,” Grant said, trying to appease Warner. “It’s hard sometimes, talking about Sophie since we split up.”
“It’s been a while hasn’t it, since you’ve been separated, I mean?”
Grant nodded.
Warner sighed and leaned against the back wall of the barn. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”
Grant turned to stare at him.
“What did you say?” Grant asked.
“The heart wants what the heart wants. That’s what your aunt said about us. You know Sally and I were separated for almost forty years before we finally got together earlier this year.”
Grant did know that. His Aunt Sally and Warner had been high school sweethearts but due to misunderstandings and family loyalties, they’d broken up and married other people, creating lives apart from one another.
The thought of Sophie moving on without Grant, of loving another man and creating a family with that person, made Grant physically nauseous.
“What do you think finally brought you back together again?” Grant asked.
“I was afraid to go after what I wanted. My head and my heart weren’t on the same page, as Jasper would say.”
“For my aunt?” Grant chuckled.
Warner smiled and nodded. “Yeah, surprise, right?” His Aunt Sally was no one to trifle with.
Grant laughed but he knew how much Warner loved his aunt, and how much his aunt loved Warner. It had been strong enough to last for decades.
“I made a choice,” Warner said.
“What choice?”
“I was tired of living without her. I decided to suck up any humility I had left and tell her how I felt. I told her I wanted her back in my life.”
“What if she doesn’t agree?”
“Sophie?”
Grant nodded, unable to say the words out loud. What if Sophie didn’t miss him as much as he’d been missing her, what if she really did want to end their marriage?
“You can’t force her, you know that. But life is too short not to try, Grant.”
If anyone knew about life ending too soon, Warner Noble did. He’d lost his wife over thirty years ago giving birth to his daughter, Elle. And six years ago, Elle had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. She was now past her five-year cancer-free mark but Grant knew their entire family still lived in fear of recurrence.
“Sometimes it’s about timing,” Warner went on. “I think Sally and I may not have made it if we’d married as teenagers. We both had a lot of growing up to do. But I wasted a lot of time not trying.”
“I think I’ve convinced Sophie to stay with me for a month.”
“Then I’d say you need to make the most of it.” Warner smiled. “Do you still want the cabin?”
Grant had talked to Warner a month ago when the idea of asking Sophie to stay with him for a month had entered his mind. Warner had a small, secluded cabin on his land and Grant couldn’t think of a better place to escape the media circus that surrounded him and Sophie. They needed to get away, spend time together, just the two of them.
“Does the offer still stand?” Grant asked.
Warner slapped him on the back. “Always. I just want to warn you.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s where I talked Sally into giving me another chance.”
“Let’s hope the cabin works it’s magic for me too then.”
“The heart wants what the heart wants.” He smiled.
Yeah it did. And his heart wanted Sophie. He just hoped she felt the same way.