There was so much about my life that my parents didn’t know, because they didn’t ask. I didn’t volunteer the information because it always seemed like they were calling me out of duty, not because they genuinely wanted to hear how I was doing.
Chapter Fifteen
Noah
* * *
Talking to Parker the other night had made me realize I’d been too much of a hermit lately, avoiding going into town and throwing myself into working at the resort.
Sure, I may dislike the task of grocery shopping, but it got me into town, and I forgot how much I used to look forward to my trips into town. I forgot how much I loved how friendly the residents were in Hartwood Creek, I couldn’t walk into a store without recognizing someone and stopping to catch up. I forgot how much I loved how everyone in the community took care of each other.
If something bad happened to someone, everyone in the community would rally and help them however they could. When the Stewart’s house burned down a few years ago before Christmas, everyone pulled together to make sure that the three young Stewart kids still had a magical Christmas.
Grant Hillman, a real estate mogul with several rental properties he mostly kept open for the summer tourism session, allowed the Stewart’s to stay in one of his houses until their house could be rebuilt. He didn’t charge them rent, he only asked that they covered utilities while they were there.
Nix Hutchinson and Dan Truman, two contractors with competing businesses, offered their services free of charge to help with the rebuild, and ended up setting aside their differences and working together on the job. The Hutchinson Lumber Yard and the local hardware store donated supplies.
A local roofing company, Shingle Shenanigans, owned and run by Easton’s friends, Torin Davis and Lucas Black, donated supplies and labour to complete the roof. Expenses for the roof had been covered by their monetized social media accounts, which only propelled their popularity online and helped them further grow their roofing company. They now had two crews and did a lot of work all over the place.
When Alma Durand, who lived in one of the apartments above the hardware store, got cancer six years ago, the town rallied together to make meal trains to stock her refrigerator and freezer. People in town took turns driving her to her radiation appointments in Springwood.
Those were a few examples of the people of Hartwood Creek taking care of each other.
On the regular day to day, townspeople shopped local and paid it forward in small but significant ways. Sure, it could be a little stifling at times, what with everyone seeming to know everyone else’s business, but I still wouldn’t trade it for the indifference of big city life. The community’s involvement with each other kept us all afloat and thriving.
My nieces were celebrating their birthday tomorrow, so I’d decided to stop off at the toy store before grocery shopping. I’d gotten them several gifts for Christmas, but being a December baby myself, I knew how disappointing it could be to have a birthday around the holidays. I always made sure to spoil them extra on their birthday.
I perused the shelves for something that they’d like, and that Damien would hate. It was my calling as an uncle to make sure whatever gift I got my nieces was either super loud, or incredibly messy. The magic potion kit kept drawing my eye. I knew Damien would despise it, and that alone made it a worthy contender.
Another contender was the mini karaoke machine. It came with a portable Bluetooth speaker, and two wireless microphones. It was also pink, which the girls would love.
“Noah Wood, is that you?” an all-too familiar voice cooed. I turned my head, not at all surprised to see the Hartley sisters staring at me with their scheming smiles.
The Hartley sisters were triplets, but aside from sharing a family resemblance and a love for pantsuits, they all had a different style. Betty dyed her hair red and kept it short. Dorothy had let her hair go white without a fight and kept it long and usually braided over her shoulder. Alice had also let the white stay but kept her hair short like Betty’s.
They all dressed to complement one another perfectly, and they’d been doing so their entire lives.
“Oh, it is! I told you, Betty! Booker said he got a haircut,” Dorothy interjected, gently knocking Betty’s arm.
“We love it, Noah! It’s about time you chopped that mop off. It’s nice to see your handsome face.” Alice grinned.
“Any reason in particular for this sudden change?” Betty inquired, a knowing glint in her eyes.
“Just wanted a change, ladies. Don’t read into it too much,” I answered, knowing that they would. That was the Hartley triplets—always reading into everything. They were Hartwood Creek’s most notorious busybodies, always scheming and gossiping. They weren’t malicious about it, they genuinely cared about everyone in town, but they didn’t often concern themselves with boundaries.
“Well, regardless of your reasoning,” Betty said, exchanging a knowing look with Dorothy and Alice, “your haircut looks lovely, dear.”
“Thank you.”
“We also heard you hired Sage’s friend, Nellie, was it, to work at the resort? That was kind of you.”
“We needed to hire a new receptionist, and she needed a job. Nothing kind about it, really.” I shrugged, on guard. I knew what they were insinuating. They weren’t exactly being subtle about it.
“Regardless, what a wonderful opportunity for you both,” Alice said. “I love a good workplace romance.”
Betty elbowed Alice, as if she was warning her to watch her mouth.
“Who said anything about a romance?” I narrowed my eyes at all three of them.
