Perhaps there was some hope that they’d have the marriage she’d dreamed of after all.
Chapter Thirteen
“CONGRATULATIONS.” JAKEGilbert signed the deed with a flourish and handed the document to Liam.
Liam skimmed the wording. The land for the hotel was officially his. He’d expected to feel happy, and perhaps proud, but he wasn’t prepared for the lump that rose in his throat. After all the mistakes he’d made, here he was, chasing his dream again before the close of the year.
“Please don’t tell me you’re tendering your resignation already,” Gilbert said after a moment.
Liam laughed. “I can’t afford that, especially now. I’m afraid you’ll see me tomorrow.”
“Good. But now you ought to go and celebrate.” Gilbert gestured toward the door, where the snow was beginning to lazily drift down again.
“You needn’t ask me twice,” Liam said as he shrugged into his coat.
Outside, he turned his face up to the snowflakes and smiled. He was almost afraid to be too happy. The fear that everything could unravel was all too real in the back of his mind.
“Good evening, Mr. Hannan,” a woman said from nearby.
Feeling a bit ridiculous for turning his face up to the snowflakes like an eager child, Liam quickly looked down and found Caroline Drexel, who kept the general store with her husband.
“Good evening,” he said with a smile. “I hope you’re doing well, Mrs. Drexel.”
“I am, thank you. I’m glad I happened upon you.” She shifted a basket from one arm to the other before brushing away an errant snowflake from her eyelashes. “Tilly asked me to set aside some fabric for her. I had another lady in just an hour ago who wished to buy the same fabric, and there isn’t enough left for both. Would you mind asking her to come by tomorrow if she’d like to purchase it?”
“Fabric,” Liam repeated. Was Tilly wanting to sew? He didn’t particularly know what ladies liked to sew, although Deirdre had always been working on something. He’d simply never asked her what it was.
“Yes,” Mrs. Drexel said patiently. “For a dress.”
“Oh, of course.” He smiled to cover how foolish he felt. That made perfect sense. She’d arrived with just that carpetbag. She couldn’t have had much inside it. “Yes, she’ll take that fabric. And any other she was interested in, too. Put it on my account.”
“All right,” Mrs. Drexel replied. “Ask her to stop by tomorrow so I’ll know how much she needs.”
“I will.”
“She was so busy today, I’m sure she simply forgot to mention it to you.”
“Busy?” Liam couldn’t imagine what had occupied so much of Tilly’s time. In fact, he’d been feeling guilty for having to work and not showing her around or introducing her to more ladies in town.
“Oh, yes. She came by the shop today while I was weaving a few evergreen branches together and tying them up with ribbon for a handful of shops that wanted to have something festive on their doors. Tilly took over for me when I got busy at the store and had the idea to make one for every business in town. And then she delivered them all herself.” Mrs. Drexel gestured to thepine boughs tied up with a pretty red ribbon on the door to the land office.
Liam stared at it a moment. He’d had no idea it was there. “I didn’t know. She must have spoken with Gilbert while I was out.”
“Well, I imagine she’s quite exhausted now after all of that work. I’ll see her tomorrow. Have a good evening, Mr. Hannan.”
