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Mick sat at the writing desk in his room at the White Willow B&B. He was lucky they had a room available. But then again, it was Willow Oaks.
The owners of the B&B—Amy and Sam—were two of his sister’s best friends. Mick knew that it wouldn’t be long before his sister, Jenna, found out he was back in town. Until then, he needed to figure out what he was going to do about him and Carly—and NYJedi007 and WillowCup717.
He read the reply Carly had sent NYJedi007: Tell me the truth.
Mick bowed his head in his hands and exhaled. He rubbed his head and began to type.
I can’t tell you, he wrote and then quickly deleted it.
Mick tried again.
There was an accident. No. Not that. That’s just calling for fate to intervene.
“Just tell her,” Mick mumbled.
TO: WillowCup717
FROM: NYJedi007
I had an issue at work that I couldn't leave behind. It would have cost me a client.
Mick read it silently and then again, out loud. That would have been the truth. If there were to ever be an issue at work—which was not an impossibility—he would have had to stay behind and see to it. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was close enough.
He hit the send button and closed his laptop.
Restless, Mick put his shoes back on. Perhaps a cup of coffee would clear his mind. He wasn’t sure about the B&B house rules, but he went down anyway to see if the kitchen was open.
As he went down the wide wooden staircase, Mick noticed that the old wallpaper had been removed, exposing the house’s original timber. He recalled the last few times he was there. First was a surprise renewal of vows between his sister Jenna and her husband Dave. The second was meant to be the wedding of Ethan and Mallory. Ethan was his youngest brother. Instead, it turned out to be his mom’s wedding to the local hardware store owner, Graham. That was certainly a surprise. The third was again a wedding. That time, it really was for Ethan and Mallory. Three weddings.
When Mick walked into the kitchen, he found Amy and Sam tidying up. “Sorry, guys. I didn’t think anyone would be around.”
“Don’t be silly!” Amy walked around the kitchen island and led him to the table. “Come and sit down.” Amy pulled out a chair for him.
“What can I get you, Mick?” Sam asked. “Coffee? Tea? Something stronger?” he asked with a grin.
Mick chuckled. “Just a coffee would be great, thanks.”
“Ah! My specialty.” Amy pulled out a mug from the cupboard. “One coffee, coming up.”
“So, how’ve you been?” Sam asked as he took a seat across the table from where Mick sat.
“Honey,” Amy said, “Mick might prefer to have his coffee on his own.”
Mick shook his head when the husband and wife glanced at him. “No, no—quite happy to chat. In fact, I’m glad you’re here. It’s a bit too early for me to sleep, so I thought I’d have a bit of a look around.”
“What brings you back home?” Sam asked. “Any weddings I haven’t heard about?”
“You got me there,” Mick laughed. It was true that he was only ever home for weddings—grateful for the absence of funerals. “Just work. I thought I’d visit while I was in the area.”
“Jenna hadn’t mentioned you were coming home.” Amy placed a hot cup of coffee in front of him, alongside a little jug of milk and sugar dispenser. “Does she know you’re back?”
“Thanks, Amy.” Mick looked up at her and smiled. “Nah, I hadn’t told anyone I was coming. I didn’t really have any plans. I figured I’d tell them when I got here.”
“Is there much work for you around here?” Sam asked. Sam was a bit of an entrepreneur himself. The son of a billionaire, he had moved to Willow Oaks several years ago with his daughter. Since then, he’d restored the old B&B, bringing tourists to town. He and Amy had also invested in Jenna and Dave’s Repertory Theater, bringing artists and performers to the once sleepy town.
Mick shifted in his seat. “There’s some property that I’m interested in purchasing.” He hadn’t prepared for the third degree—but he should have known better. It was just as well that he was getting some practice with Amy and Sam. That way, when the family does find out that he’s back home, he’d have some answers prepared.
“Just on the outskirts,” Mick continued. “And while I’m here, I thought I would check out the other towns as well. See if there’s anything worth investing in.” There, Mick thought. It was a very plausible reason for being here.
“Sounds like you’ve got a packed schedule there,” Sam said. “Need a hand with anything while you’re around? What’s the current property market like?”
Mick himself was a successful property developer and everyone knew that. He’d left home when he was just seventeen years old, after a falling out with his father. Mick had done everything in his power to stay away, returning only when he’d learned of the news that his father was dying.
It had been a difficult period for Mick, battling with the guilt of not wanting to go. But he had eventually returned, though briefly, to be there for his mother. Maybe because he was the eldest son. Or perhaps he returned for closure. Except for the fact that he was going to see his father on his deathbed, the reasons for his return had always been unclear to him.
After that, it didn’t take too long for the news to spread through the town. The townspeople referred to him as the Property Tycoon. The nickname they’d given him made his stomach turn. It made him sound like a money-obsessed, unreachable mogul. But then again, Mick had always wondered if it was his wealth that made him less attractive to women or if it made him appear out of their reach. Sure, he’d had some women—here and there—but their relationships never felt genuine to him.
“It’s a bit of a tight market,” Mick said in response to Sam’s question. “But I think it’s about seeing potential in something that others don’t and turning it into a success.” The words carried a heavy weight for him. Mick’s father had never seen any potential in him.
“Is there anything specific you’d like us to tell people when they ask why you’re around?” Amy asked. “I mean...”
Mick threw his head back and rubbed his face with his hands.
“You know how it is,” Amy said gently. “They will ask.”
“Do people in this town have nothing better to do than to gossip?” Mick’s frustration at the town he once called home was beginning to rise.
“The way I see it—and I could be wrong,” Amy said. “If there’s one thing I learned since moving to Willow Oaks eleven years ago, is that to the community, it isn’t gossip.”
Mick straightened up and snorted.
“For them, it’s about knowing who needs what—and looking after each other,” Amy said. “I mean, I should be the last person to tell you about your own hometown. It used to frustrate the shizzles out of me—”
“Yup!” Sam agreed.
“But the town looks after its people. They ask, because they care,” Amy said.
Mick sighed. “Just tell them I’m here on business. They don’t need to know any more than that.”
“You got it,” Sam said.
“Listen,”—Mick got up from his seat—“I might just go out for a walk. I think the travel here tired me out too much that I can’t even rest.”
Amy laughed. “I know how that feels!”
“Any suggestions?” Mick asked. Although he knew the town well, he thought allowing Amy to share ideas was a nice thing to do.
“Of where to go?” Amy paused and thought about it. “The lakeside is always nice this time of night. I sometimes go there when I need to clear my head. Unless you want a different vibe—then there’s always the Town & Country Tavern on Oakland Drive, just off Main Street.”
“I know the one.” Mick nodded. “Thanks! I’ll see you guys later on—or in the morning, depending if you’re still up when I get back.”
“We’re heading to bed after this,” Sam said, throwing a kitchen towel over his shoulder.
“But feel free to use anything in the house,” Amy said. “The kitchen will be open—so help yourself to anything in the fridge.”
“Oh, I don’t—”
“You’re family,” Amy stopped him mid-sentence. “Whatever you need—don’t hesitate.” She tip-toed forward and gave him a hug. “Welcome home.”
Mick was glad to know that his sister had good friends. Jenna had always been the popular one, growing up. He was grateful for the welcome that Amy and Sam had shown him. “See you guys later,” Mick said.