“When I watched her load the last of her bags into Victor’s car, I knew it was unethical and you’d probably never forgive me when you found out, but it was worth every penny,” Julie said, her eyes glazed over as if she was back in that moment thirty years ago. “I stood watching from the doorway of the inn, holding a sleeping three-year-old Jane in my arms. She was totally oblivious to her mother leaving. The relief that flooded me when they drove away. It was like a darkness lifted from the inn. Even Jane slept better than she’d ever done that afternoon.”
“How much?” Jack said through gritted teeth, his emotions in complete turmoil. “How much did it cost you to get rid of her?”
“You must know, Jack, I didn’t think she’d take it.” Julie’s eyes met his, pleading for understanding. “I’m a mother. I’d never have given you up for all the money in the world. I couldn’t believe it when she named her price.” She swallowed hard. “What type of mother does that?”
“We all know that Pamela was never a mother,” Jack said, his voice harsh. “She had Jane to control me and her father. That’s all Jane ever wasto her. A tool.”
“It still makes me sick thinking a woman could do something like that,” Julie’s voice dropped low.
“How much, Mother?” Jack asked again, needing to hear the number.
“Three-hundred-and fifty thousand dollars,” Julie said softly.
“Mom!” Jack wanted to vomit. He and Jane were just three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to Pamela. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and she’d walked away from her own child without looking back.
“Why are you telling me this now?” Jack asked.
“In case Pamela did,” Julie told him. “She’s back. She’s working with Victor to take the inn. I couldn’t risk her using this against you somehow. Twisting it into something else. You needed to hear it from me.” She reached out and took his hand. “I’m sorry, Jack. I should never have kept this from you. But I’m not sorry I did it. It gave you thirty years with your daughter without that woman poisoning her life. Thirty years where Jane could grow up happy and safe. That was worth every penny and more.”
Jack sat there, trying to process everything. His mother had paid Pamela three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to leave. That’s why the savings weren’t as large as they should have been. That’s why money had been tighter over the years than it should have been for a successful inn.
His parents had sacrificed their financial security to protect him and Jane from Pamela.
And now Victor and Pamela were back, trying to take everything away again. His gut clenched, and he felt even worse. His parents had sacrificed more than he knew, and now he was about to lose everything… He looked at his mother. Jack knew he should be angry, but he understood why she’d done it. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “It’s okay, Mom,” he said softly. “I’m sorry you felt you had to keep this to yourself for so long.” He pushed her away from him. “But, Mom, you’re going to have to tell Jane.”
Julie smiled at Jack through her tears and nodded. “I know.” She kissed his cheeks. “I love you, and I’m so proud of you. No matter what happens, Jack, that will never change.”
13
HOLLY
Holly followed Logan into yet another hardware store, her frustration mounting with each stop. This was the fifth one they’d tried, and none of them had everything on their list.
“How many people do renovations or build during the Christmas season?” Holly grumbled as the clerk told them they were out of the specific wood stain they needed and directed them to another store across town.
“Apparently, everyone in St. Augustine,” Logan muttered, checking his watch. They’d been driving around for over an hour and still didn’t have half of what they needed.
They climbed back into Logan’s pickup truck and headed to the next store on the list. Holly tried to stay positive, but the clock was ticking. Every minute they spent hunting for supplies was a minute they weren’t working on those rooms.
Twenty minutes later, they emerged from the sixth store with only part of their order. The rest would need to be picked up from yet another location.
Logan’s stomach growled loudly as they loaded the supplies into the truck bed.
“I need something to eat,” Logan groaned, pressing a hand to his stomach. “I skipped breakfast.”
“Me too,” Holly admitted. Her own stomach had been rumbling for the past half hour. “How about a quick stop at that little café we passed?”
“Do you think we can spare the time?” Logan asked, worry evident in his voice.
“If we don’t, we won’t make it,” Holly pointed out practically as they stopped in front of the store they needed. “We won’t be long, and besides, we can’t get into the store for another fifty minutes.”
She pointed at the sign taped to the door of the hardware store they needed.Out for 50 minutes. Be back then.
“That’s rather specific,” Logan noted with a frown.
“Agreed, but it works in our favor,” Holly said. “Okay, we have everything else on the list except what’s in that store. And I don’t think any of us will have time to come back into St. Augustine later.”
“No, there’s too much to do,” Logan agreed. “Alright, let’s eat.”
