Chapter Twenty-Seven

A winter storm blew in a few days after James returned from Chicago. Cold wind whistled and moaned around the entrance of the Celts Oak cave in a keening plea from the earth. Warning or welcome? He glanced at his grandparents, calmed by their familiar expressions and unwavering support.

“Let’s do this. I want you to feel comfortable bringing Reese here,” Grams said and linked her arm through his. “Everything is still going okay between you two, right?”

“Yes. We talk several times every day.” They were having a lot of important conversations. The kind they should’ve had from the beginning. Their long-distance relationship was difficult at times but so worth it to have her in his life. He gave a nod to Grandpa. “Lead the way.”

They flicked on their flashlights and stepped out of the wind into the stillness of the cave. Moisture dripped and glistened on the rock walls and the air was warmer than expected. The narrow passage and low ceiling were the kind of thing that used to haunt his nightmares, but with one deep calming breath, James focused on his goal.

His boot slipped on a loose rock. “Looks like a dead end up ahead.”

“It’s not,” Grandpa said. “The passageway gets bigger around the corner. Can you keep going?”

“Yes.” He looked over his shoulder. “Grams, you good back there?”

“Just dandy.” Her small hand rested on his arm. “I got your back.” She chuckled at her own joke.

They approached the illusion of a dead end, and as Grandpa promised, it took a sharp U-turn and opened into a larger passageway. The air was cool and still and smelled of damp earth. The increased height of the ceiling made him breathe easier, and he was feeling good. The sound of running water grew louder the deeper they went, and the passage opened into a wet cavern that sparkled like topaz gems in the beams of their lights. Water ran from a hole in the back corner, swirled in a pool, then flowed down an incline through cracks in the rock. Tree roots snaked down from above and dipped into the underground river. No one spoke, but his grandparents beamed proud smiles.

“I’m in a cave, and I feel great,” he whispered, then grinned, feeling lighter than he had in a long time.

“Never doubted you for a moment,” Grandpa said.

Grams dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

“Reese is going to love this. Are we under Celts Oak?” James asked.

“Clever lad. We are. It’s part of the magic in the tree. Her roots drink from this nectar of the earth. Have I ever told you I first kissed my Ellen under Celts Oak?” He put his arm around her and pressed his lips to her cheek. “Magic, I tell you. I got the love of my life.”

James chuckled. “Surprisingly, I don’t believe you’ve told me that story.” I kissed Reese under Celts Oak. Could it mean…

“Magic,” Grandpa repeated. “And you never know what might happen when you bring Reese here. I’m going to write a letter for the two of you to read when you come here together. This place is a treasure and we need to keep it protected.”

His grandfather’s wink and emphasis on certain words gave James another clue to the mystery.

…

December in Ireland was so much colder than Texas and had taught Reese the value of long underwear and wool socks. She perched atop a stone wall and got her last few shots of the enchanting Irish countryside. The castle stood out against the icy white background, like an invitation to walk through a magic portal into a time long past. Getting to stay in the castle for the night was an extra perk of the trip, and she couldn’t wait to explore and photograph the inside. The only thing better would be having James here, warm against her in front of a fire.

Greer stepped up beside her. “We’ve lost the light. Let’s go get warm and have dinner.”

They gathered camera equipment and left a trail of footprints in the crusted snow.

They stopped at Reese’s room for her to change clothes, and Greer sat on the bed. “Did you take all these photos in Texas?”

She turned to see her looking through the small photo album she kept on the bedside table. Pictures of James, the ranch, and Cypress Creek. “Yes. What do you think?”

Greer tapped her chin and studied her before answering. “Come here and look at them with me.”

She put down the hairbrush and joined her on the bed. Greer opened the album to a shot of James laughing as he sat on Tavish, and Reese traced her finger along his image.

A sad smile grew on her friend’s face. “Your heart is back in Texas.”

The words made Reese’s breath catch and her throat burn. She bit her lip to stop the tremble.

Greer wasn’t fooled and put an arm around her shoulders. “Darling Reese, you have a special talent with a camera. You can have a wonderful career, but I want you to also have a wonderful life. A happy life. You haven’t been truly happy since I met you.”

“This job is something I’ve always dreamed of. The travel and new places and new people. It’s what I’ve always wanted, and I don’t want to let people down.”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

Her friend and mentor settled back against the headboard. “You’ve heard me talk about my late husband. We had many great years and were lucky to be in the same business. We traveled around the globe together.”

Jealousy rose, but she tamped it down. “Would you have wanted to do it without him?”

The other woman thought before answering. “I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed my career nearly as much without Sean being a part of it. You know I’m set to retire soon, but I’m starting to think that’s not what I really want. I mean, look at me being here with you. I don’t have to make these trips anymore, but I was dying to get out of the office and wanted to come. It’s been my life for so long that even without Sean, I can’t imagine giving it up. What would I do while sitting at home? I hate knitting.”

They both laughed. Greer knew how to make her smile and feel better, just like Lila.

“Then don’t retire. Keep doing what you love.”

“I might do that.” Greer rubbed her palms together. “Now, about you.”

“What about me?”

“You got the job you wanted. You achieved that goal. You have shots that will make it into the magazine. Think about this. Maybe you’ve done what you needed to do and it’s time to follow your real dream.”

“My real dream?”

Greer chuckled, took the photos Reese had clutched to her chest, then pointed to James and smiled.

“Oh,” Reese whispered.

“Just something to think about. I don’t want to lose you at National Geographic, but you can take photographs anywhere. You could go back to the freelance jobs you’ve spoken so fondly about.”

Reese’s heart beat a little faster at hearing someone else voice her thoughts. “I’ve been thinking about doing a collection of Texas photos as well as one about cowboys and their horses. Maybe even a children’s book featuring some of the adorable kids in James’s equine therapy program.”

Greer squeezed her hand. “Beautiful ideas. I know an art gallery owner in Austin who will love your work. I’ll give her a call.”

“That would be amazing.” Reese closed her eyes and admitted some of the thoughts tugging at her mind. “I love traveling and seeing new places, but I wake up every day wanting to be on the ranch.”

…

Back in Chicago, Reese flipped through the pages of her grandmother’s handmade, leather-bound journal, hoping to magically find answers to her questions about life. She studied a hand-drawn map of the places medicinal herbs grew around the farm. A Celtic knot drawn beside a tree caught her eye and she sucked in a quick breath. Her blood surged as missing pieces dropped into place.

“It’s the Celtic knot from the MacLachlan mystery.” She ran her finger along an unfinished edge of the map. “Oh my God. This is the other half of the map!” A wave of tingles rushed across her skin.

She’d had it all this time. But how, and why, was it in this journal? She turned the page and looked on the back of the map. Reese heard Grandmother Sara’s voice as she read, Follow your calling and join your hearts.

Was this the sign she’d been looking for? A sign she should follow her heart…home to James.

…

Reese stood in baggage claim searching for her parents. A familiar voice drifted through the noise, and she was pulled into a strong embrace. Her mother’s glass-bead earrings jangled against her cheek and the familiar scent of jasmine momentarily took her back to childhood.

“My little girl. We’re so glad to have you home early for Christmas.”

Dad joined the hug, sandwiching her between them. “Welcome home, honey.”

“It’s so good to be here. I’m starving. Let’s get my bags and go eat.”

Reese told them all about her travels while satisfying her craving for tacos and enchiladas. “James said you two visited Cypress Creek.”

“I made your dad take a few days to relax. It was nice to see the town again and visit with James and his grandparents. He’s grown into such a handsome man.”

Dad rolled his eyes and scoffed at that.

Her mom ignored him and continued. “He took us to your grandparents’ cottage. He’s really kept the place up.”

“Yes, he has.” She covered her mouth with her napkin to hide the grin as she thought of their time in the loft.

“He invited us to spend Christmas in the cottage,” Mom said. “I told him I’d give you the news.”

Reese wanted to spring to her feet and do her happy dance. “That sounds wonderful.”

Dad handed his credit card to the waiter. “Did you know it was in my parents’ will that if I sold the farm, it had to be offered to the MacLachlan family first?”

Reese perked up at this interesting piece of news to add to the mystery. “I didn’t know that.” She pulled the herbal medicine journal from her purse and flipped it open. The one that had been left to her in that same will. “Do you know anything about this map?”

Mom leaned in her chair to study the page. “No. You know this book way better than your dad or me. Sara was the best mother-in-law a girl could ask for, but I didn’t share her passion for medicinal plants and herbs.”

“What is the connection between Grandmother’s family and the MacLachlans?”

Her dad glanced at the page. “The relationship goes back generations. The two families came over from Scotland around the same time and were always neighbors.”

“On the back of this page it says, Follow your calling and join your hearts.” Reese traced her finger under the handwritten words.

Her mother smiled and dabbed a tear that trickled from her eye. “Do you remember Sara saying her dreams told her the future?”

Reese sat back in her chair. “She was serious?”

“Yes, and almost always right,” Dad said.

Her mom stroked Reese’s hair. “She knew you were a girl before you were born and predicted your love of photography.”

Her chest tightened with the ache of missing her grandmother. “She never told me that.”

“My mom didn’t want to influence your decisions and said it should happen naturally.”

“Dad, if you knew that, why did you fight it when I changed majors in college?”

He shrugged and stood. “I thought photography could be a hobby, but a business degree would get you a good job. Guess I was wrong. You have a great job. I need to wash my hands. Meet you at the front door.”

That evening, she and her mom curled up on the sofa with a favorite rom-com, The Holiday, playing on the TV in the background.

Reese passed the popcorn and took another sip of hot chocolate. “When you and dad got married your singing career was just taking off, but you stopped touring. Have you ever regretted that?”

“No. Never. I followed my heart and I’ve had a wonderful life.” Her mom leaned closer. “So, are you going to see James tomorrow?”

“Trying to get rid of me already?”

“No, my darling girl. I know you, and you’re dying to see him. Am I right?”

“Right as usual. Being away from him has been hard.”

“You love him.” It wasn’t a question.

“I do,” Reese admitted and sipped her drink. “I finally find love and get my dream job. Why did I get everything I ever wanted, only to find the two don’t line up?”

“That’s often the way it happens in life. Choices must be made. He loves you, too. You should’ve seen his eyes light up when he talked about you. He’s almost as proud of you as we are. Do you think he’d ever consider moving to be with you?”

“I would never ask him to give up the ranch to follow me around. He’s a part of that place.”

“Did he ask you to give up anything?”

“No. He’s always encouraged my dreams.” But she was thinking about giving something up for him. No, that wasn’t right. She was considering altering her career for them.

“Go see him tomorrow, talk, and see how things go. Dad and I will meet you there before Christmas. I’m not going to tell you what to do. You have to make your own decisions, and I trust you to make the right ones.”

“Mom, I…” She bit her thumbnail, afraid to say the words aloud.

“You don’t have to say it. I know what you’re considering. And don’t you worry about what your dad will say if you leave Chicago. I’ll handle him. You do what you need to. Mother’s orders.”

James wasn’t expecting to see her for another week, and she wasn’t planning to call and say she was coming early. Seeing his reaction to her surprise visit would help with her final decision about the future.

My life is in my hands, and I plan to follow my heart.