Chapter Thirty-Six

After a long trial, Walter Manuel was convicted for his crimes and sent to jail for at least five years. His grandmother’s home and land outside of Pine Ridge was seized, as well as his great-aunt Suzanne’s. Connie Rae and her husband fled Pine Ridge, as did her younger sister.

During that time, Kate watched firsthand as Phillip and Lila’s love deepened. Lila had come to work at the antiques store and Kate sensed it was a step toward many new and wonderful things for the couple.

One fall day, as a cool northerly wind blew in from the mountains, Kate made her way to the store, at Phillip’s request, for a visit.

The stained-glass window above the front door, in the transom, reflected greens and blues across the room. It was Ginny’s window, the last one she’d ever made. Kate had adapted it to fit the long, narrow space and sold the one she’d created to an antiques dealer from out of town. It was as it should be, she knew.

She gazed at it as she passed, and a tear stung her eyes. She was so glad to see it there, in a place of prominence in the store that Phillip loved. Its presence said so many things, mostly that Phillip was healing, learning to live with his grief and not hide from it.

“Hey, there,” Phillip said with a smile. “Didn’t you see the sign in the window?”

“What?” Kate turned to see what he was talking about.

The sign read Closed. Kate was puzzled. She looked at Phillip, but he had a smirk on his face.

“What’s going on?”

“Loving’s Antiques is closing.”

“What?” Kate couldn’t have been more surprised. “But the store is doing so well. You have a steady stream of customers.”

“I’m not closing it because it’s failing.”

Why was the man being so evasive? “I don’t understand. Why would you—?”

Lila appeared through the door to the back room. She too was smirking, and Kate looked at her for a long moment, trying to guess why they were acting so strangely.

Then Kate noticed the engagement ring on Lila’s left hand. Lila held it under Kate’s nose, and it sparkled in the stained-glass window’s beam.

“You’re engaged!” Kate shrieked. “When did this happen?”

“Last night,” Lila said. Phillip pulled her to his side and kissed her temple.

“I’m thrilled for you,” Kate said. “But what does this have to do with closing the store?”

“We’re moving closer to Eric,” Lila said.

“Then maybe we’ll go exploring,” Phillip added. “The three of us.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Kate said.

“Eli Weston is buying my inventory—at below cost, mind you—so we can be free to leave as soon as we’re married.”

“There’s one other thing,” Phillip said, causing her to pause. “Do you think we could get Paul to marry us?”