1
CHARLIE
I always knew I’d end up back in Spring Haven. It was my home town after all. It was where my parents were. And it was where my heart had stayed for the past fifteen years since I was last here.
The moment I drive past the weathered and worn welcome sign on the outskirts of town, a sense of peace comes over me. A peace that is shattered by my mom’s loud shriek when I walk through the doors of her diner called the Loaded Hog. But the moment I was in Ma’s arms, I knew I was where I belonged.
Two hours later, with a full tummy and a happy heart, I’m sitting on a stool in Ma’s kitchen with a mug of much-needed coffee in my hands.
“You OK, Charlie Bear?” she asks, leaning a hip against the counter. I smile at the pet name only Mom has ever called me. “You seem… I don’t know. Good. Youlookgood, for sure. But there’s somethin’ amiss…”
I shrug. “I’m good, Ma. A lot better now that I’m back home. Almost forgot how long that drive was though.”
“It’s certainly a trek and a half, that’s for sure.”
That’s the understatement of the century. Two weeks ago, I was celebrating finishing the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage walk in Spain. Lots of people complete it with the aim of finding themselves and fulfilling the challenge.
I did it to prove to myself that Icould. That despite everything in my life that I’d achieved, tried, failed, experienced, and grown from, I had the courage to push past my physical and mental limits and finish what I started. Because I knew that if I could do a physical, life changing pilgrimage, I could come back to Spring Haven and fight to get my dream back–and the love of the man I’d never forgotten.
You might be wondering why I’d ever leave both my home where I knew I belonged and a man who was my soulmate. That’s a long story that’s over fifteen years in the making. But the long and short of it is that I was a big thinker who thought I wanted more, then realized life is what you make of it and that I actually needed a lot less than I thought. It was a lesson that took me thousands of miles and many years to learn.
Now I’m back and I want to be here, I’ve been looking forward to it. It’s just that now that I’m back, the realities are starting to sink in.
“Charlie?” Mom asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Yeah, Ma. I’m good.”
She arches her brow. “You already said that, my girl. How ‘bout you try again with the truth this time?”
I shrug and poke my tongue out. “Must be the truth then.”
“Still my cheeky Charlie-Bear.”
“Well, Iamborne of your loins,” I shoot back.
Mom shudders. “How ‘bout we don’t say ‘borne of your loins’ again?”
That makes me snicker. “Serves you right for that birds and the bees talk all those years ago.”
“My thirty-five-year-old daughter doesn’t need to be remindin’ me of that. I’ve scrubbed that away from my memory,” Mom says, shaking her head.
“OK, then. How ‘bout you catch me up on all the town gossip before I crash for two days straight?”
Mom hums. “You want to know about happenin’s in town or are you just goin’ to ask me straight about what youreallywant to know, which is about the Graham Brothers? Or just the one in particular?”
I bite back a smile, ignoring the confusing emotions swirling in my stomach. “Just the town tea is enough for now,” I say, lifting my mug to my mouth to hopefully avoid any more questioning.
“He’s single, you know.”
Suddenly I’m not swallowing my coffee, I’m choking on it. “Mom…” I warn, knowing I haven’t had nearly enough sleep ortimeto process being back in town in order to have this conversation.
Austin Graham. The boy of my dreams and the man I’ve come back to town for. Except I’m anxious, worried–OK, kind of terrified–about how he’s going to be when wedosee each other again.
A wry grin plays on her lips. “What? I’m just sayin’.”
“So how about those Grizzly Bears, huh,” I reply, making her cackle when I mention the Spring Haven High School football team. Hearing the sound in person warms my heart because for so long, all we had were phone calls and letters.
“OK, OK. I’ll leave it be.”For now, she doesn’t say. “When do you start your new job? I saw the head of the hospital yesterday. He’s a fan of my cherry pie if you ever want to sweet talk him.”
