The tears rushed back into Vivian’s eyes, and she blinked them away as she laughed. “I know he did. And if there was something I wanted, sure, I would have kept some of the money for me. But there isn’t, honestly. I have good health and a house I adore, and I just don’t feel like traveling when there are so many people and places right here in Rosewood Beach that I love so much.”
There was a pause, and then Terrence started to applaud. The whole table took up the action, and soon the air was filled with the sounds of people clapping and cheering.
“This feels right,” Hazel said to her mother once the applause had died down and Vivian had wiped away more tears. “I think this is what Dad would have wanted.”
“I’m sure it is,” Julia said softly.
“It feels like we finally have closure,” Alexis said. “On the whole thing. That’s a gift that’s almost as good—and in some ways, better—than the money.”
“Cheers to that,” Dean said, holding up his glass of wine. His voice still sounded a little husky, and he shared a look of joy with his mother.
“Cheers,” Vivian said, feeling as though healing had swept over her along with the closure.
The Owens family continued to talk and celebrate long into the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Faith stepped off the front porch of her place, zipping up her cozy pink jacket against the slight nip in the air. It was dusk, and the lights of the houses around her glowed golden in the twilight. She shivered a little, but she didn’t know if it was from the cold or from expectation. She was on her way to Ryan’s house for dinner, and because of his busy schedule it was the first time they’d had a date in what felt like too long. She’d still gotten to see him, since they were essentially working together, but it had been a while since they’d sat down to a meal together or done anything romantic.
She hadn’t minded, knowing that his work was important and wanting to support him while he was dealing with the difficult transition of learning how to take over the running of the brewery. She’d shown up to his office with snacks or coffee plenty of times, and he’d often returned the favor, sometimes having a treat waiting for her at the brewery when she arrived. Once he’d even had a whole box of doughnuts delivered to her house, where she did most of her work.
We’re so good at supporting each other,she thought contentedly as she began to stroll along the sidewalk.I love making sure he has what he needs, and even though he’s beenso incredibly busy, he’s still found the time to think of me and do sweet things for me. I appreciate that so much.
She was just lifting up her face to enjoy the feeling of the autumn wind when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out, hoping it was a text from Ryan, and she grinned.
Her smile disappeared a moment later, however, and was replaced by a look of surprise.
“I’m not home,” she murmured as she read the text a second time, wanting to make sure that she got it right. “But you should go to my house anyway. There’s a note waiting for you on the front door.”
Itching with curiosity, Faith picked up the speed of her walking and hurried to Ryan’s house. She still enjoyed the evening as she went, but her heart seemed to be beating at a tempo that didn’t match the serene music of the wind whistling in the branches overhead.
I wonder what on earth he’s up to,she thought, smiling and nestling her hands deeper in her pockets as she walked. She was glad that she’d put on sensible, low-heeled boots to go with her dress, leggings, and jacket.He’s always been fun and goofy with me, but he’s never done anything like this before.
She reached Ryan’s house a few minutes later, and sure enough, there was a note. She tugged the yellow piece of paper off Ryan’s red front door, blinking at the words written there in confusion.
“Go to the McCormick kitchen,” she read slowly, feeling more puzzled than ever.
Was it a clue hunt?she wondered as she made her way toward the brewery. She skipped a little as she went, feeling delighted by the prospect. She hadn’t gone on a clue hunt since grade school, and she loved that Ryan had taken the time to make her one even in the middle of his busy schedule.
She reached the brewery and made her way toward the back of the building, where there was a door that opened directly into the kitchen. She felt a little awkward about knocking on it, since she’d never been in the kitchen without Ryan before and she didn’t want to interrupt them in the middle of their busy dinner rush, but just before she reached the door, it opened.
“Hi, Faith!” Amalia, one of the chefs, grinned at her. “We’ve been expecting you. Come on in.”
“Oh. Um, thanks.” Faith smiled, deciding that Ryan must have planned a special dinner there at the brewery for them instead of cooking at his house. It made sense—he had been busy, so going out to eat would take less time than cooking, even with a clue hunt thrown into the equation.
Faith stepped into the kitchen after Amalia, delighted by how many delicious smells filled the air. She could smell burgers and fries, certainly—the brewery’s menu was very heavy on burgers and fries, offering various fun burger varieties rather than a wider array of options, like pasta or pot pie, like The Lighthouse Grill did—but she could also smell something sweet. She took a long sniff, assuming it was one of the milkshakes that the brewery offered. A moment later, however, she felt sure it must be something else. The smell was richer, somehow.
“That’s for you,” Amalia said, gesturing to something that was resting in a corner of the counter.
“For me?” Faith stepped up to it curiously, and her jaw dropped when she saw that it was a gorgeous little crème brûlée. On the top, in chocolate sauce, was drawn an expertly formed outline of Rosewood Beach’s town square gazebo.
“That must be where I’m supposed to go next,” Faith said, feeling a thrill. It really was a clue hunt! She grinned, thinking to herself that she hadn’t had this much fun in a long time.
“Take it with you,” Amalia said, handing her a spoon. “It’s for eating too. But take a picture of it first, please. That’s the best one I’ve made yet.”
Faith gave Amalia a hug, thanking her, and took a picture of the beautiful dessert with its fabulous chocolate decoration. She dutifully took the spoon and the little dish with her, stepping back out into the crisp dusk.
She made her way toward the town square, enjoying the delicious crème brûlée as she walked. She had a feeling that Ryan would be at the gazebo waiting for her, since many of their most important moments as a couple had been shared there together.
