Mrs. Presley was one of those people who truly belonged in the hospitality industry, taking joy in making people feel welcome and like family. But even her cheerful presence couldn’t shake me out of my sulking mood.
If anything, she was just another thing I was going to miss when I left today.
I had made the decision after sneaking out of Shelby’s bed before the sun was up. Leaving her had been one of the most difficult things I had ever done, but as painful as it had been, she was right about making a clean break. I was the messy bitch in this situation, doing everything I could to make our parting devastating.
I couldn’t believe I’d told her I love her. It was true, but she had asked me not to say it. And Shelby had not said it back, even though I was sure she felt the same way. She was stronger than I was.
I suspected I would be remembering sayingI love youfor the next couple of decades, probably when I was trying to fall asleep.
No one at Allory expected me back for a few more days but there was nothing keeping me in Ferris now. My work was finished. The PR stuff was on track. Shelby wouldn’t be participating, but that turned out to be for the best.
She had been the one behind the negative buzz. If we had used her in the campaign, we would have needed to address the closure of Whitaker Farms directly, and I had no adequate response to that disaster. It had been a cash grab, plain and simple, with no consideration for what it would do to the town or its people.
After digging into the details of that deal, I had lost a lot of respect for my father. He had always been a hard-ass, but I never realized just how ruthless he was. It tainted everything at the company. How could I celebrate its success when I knew it was built on a crushed community? I was starting to feel disillusioned with the whole thing.
Allory Enterprises was my family’s legacy, but was it a legacy I wanted to carry on? Was it a legacy I could be proud of and pass on to my own children?
That remained to be seen. If I could keep the company on the new trajectory, I might be able to turn things around. Dad’s influence was still a problem, since he insisted on staying on the board, but if I could show better results using my approach, I could probably get more of the board on my side.
It would be an uphill battle but I had the rest of my life to work on it. Since I no longer had Shelby in my life, I would have nothing but time to focus on my work at the company.
I nibbled on some toast, not really having an appetite. I needed to pack up my suitcase, load up my car, and hit the road. The drive back to Los Angeles would take a couple of days, which would give me plenty of time to mourn my lost relationship and brainstorm ways to guide Allory Enterprises into a brighter future.
I couldn’t keep Shelby with me but I could keep her memory alive and strong by never hurting anyone else the way my father’s decisions had hurt her. She could be my guiding star whenever I was faced with a difficult decision between profits or people. I would never destroy an entire town’s livelihood to make a few bucks. There were better ways to make money.
I went upstairs to pack my bag, which I’d been living out of since I arrived. Mrs. Presley had been kind enough to let me do laundry at Honeyrose, but she always teased me about the day she’d caught me fixing Shelby’s dryer in my underwear.
It was a good memory, so I didn’t mind.
I had made a lot of good memories in Ferris, despite only being there for a little more than two weeks. For a place that lived at a snail’s pace, it had changed my perspective on a lot of things. I had seen the appeal of small-town living, and I had learned I could fall in love, which I hadn’t been entirely sure about before Shelby.
I hadlikedplenty of women in the past, and they had liked me right back. But I had never felt a deep connection with any of them like I did with Shelby. She was something special. It felt like a cruel twist of fate that her roots were firmly planted in Kentucky soil. My country rose would wither in the city if I tried to take her with me.
With all my stuff packed up, I hefted my bag down the stairs and went to find Mrs. Presley in the kitchen, tidying up after breakfast. She was at the sink, washing dishes and humming to herself.
“Does that suitcase mean you’re leaving me, Carter?” she asked without looking away from the dishes.
I walked over to lean on the counter beside her. “I’m afraid it does, Mrs. Presley.”
“Easter is tomorrow,” she said, wiping a mug. “You’re going to miss out on some fun. It’s no bake-off, but someone always acts the fool at the egg hunt, and we have liquor at this event.”
“Are you telling me you get drunk at the Easter Egg Hunt?” I smiled as I imagined it.
She chuckled and splashed some soap suds at me. “A couple drinks aren’t enough to get me tipsy.”
“Were you wild back in the day, Mrs. Presley? Because that’s the impression I get from you.”
“I’m still wild,” she said with a wink.
I laughed. “I’ll bet you are. But sadly, I need to be heading back. This isn’t my home.”
“It could be,” she said. “People move all the time. And for way worse reasons than love.”
I held up my hands. “Hey, now, no one said anything about love.”
“You didn’t have to. I can see it plain as day when the two of you are together.” Mrs. Presley heaved a sigh. “It was so nice to see Shelby happy again. Things have been so hard for her. But you make her smile. And now you’re leaving.”
My mouth fell open and I narrowed my eyes at her. “Are you trying to guilt me into staying?”
