“So you’ve owned this house all these years?” Landon asked. “Even though you weren’t living here?”
Red nodded. “I have,” he said. “Never wanted to sell it, even though Moose Falls hasn’t been my home base for years. Until now.”
“So you’re back permanently?” Caleb asked as he helped himself to another serving of Bolognese and a thick slice of sourdough bread. “To work at Yukon Cider?”
“I’m back and hoping to plant permanent roots,” Red said. “Your grandmother has been trying to get me to work at Yukon Cider for a long time. Only now she’s asking me to get involved with Northern Exposure as well.”
“But that’s True’s domain,” Xavier blurted out. He couldn’t help himself. It would be unfair to bring in Red to micromanage True. “And she’s dedicated and hardworking and innovative. Hattie couldn’t ask for a better person to run the place.”
“Tell us how you really feel,” Caleb said, a huge grin etched on his face. “Xavier and True are like two dogs sniffing each other out.”
Xavier scoffed. “Charming. You have such a way with words.”
“I agree with you about True, Xavier,” Red said. “She impressed me when I met with her at the tavern.” He held up his hands. “So far I’ve only agreed to brainstorm with her, nothing else. I don’t have any desire to run the place or take her job away from her.”
“That’s good to know,” Xavier said. He felt protectivetoward True, and the feeling surprised him. He was ready to go to battle for her. For a long time now, he hadn’t allowed himself to feel much of anything at all.
“I came back because your grandmother is dying. I’m determined to help her any way I can.” Red’s face tightened with emotion. “And of course because the three of you came back. I hope you know that I consider this a chance to get to know my boys—sorry, I mean my three grown sons—all over again.”
Xavier didn’t have to say the obvious. Second chances were hard to come by in this world, and they didn’t always lead to happily-ever-afters. Just thinking about how much work it would take for Red to make amends made Xavier’s head ache. His instincts told him that Red was sincere, but it didn’t erase the past. It didn’t make Xavier any less angry toward him. It didn’t obliterate the tears and the heartache and the genuine suffering. And weren’t they all just tiptoeing around a major issue? Why had Red been an absentee parent?
After dinner Red waved off their offers to help with the cleanup. Instead he’d led them into the brightly decorated living room. Over hard cider and carrot cake, they played a few rounds of Uno and looked through old albums. Although the dynamic still felt slightly awkward, Xavier was proud of himself for going with the flow. He wasn’t going to ruin this for Caleb and Landon. If they wanted to rebuild their relationship with Red, he wasn’t going to stand in their way, but for him, doing so would feel like a betrayal of their mother. And Xavier wasn’t going to do that, not for anything in this world.
On the way back to Hattie’s house, Xavier had plenty of time to go over the events of this evening in his mind. Tonight had turned everything on its head, Xavier realized. He didn’t even want to admit it to himself, but he had begrudgingly enjoyed their time with Red. His memories confirmed that when moments in their family had been good, they’d been very, very good. Knowing he came from more than a dysfunctional family gave him a kernel of peace. But one cordial dinner shouldn’t make him forget all this man had put them through with his chaotic behavior and long absences. Had he ever even apologized for smashing their childhood to smithereens? Not that Xavier could remember. Worst of all, Red had broken their mother’s heart, which was unforgivable. For a time, Daisy’s aura of love and light had been snuffed out. It had taken a long time for her to bounce back. Xavier couldn’t give Red a pass, not after everything he’d done.
“Hey! We’re back.” Caleb’s voice dragged Xavier out of his thoughts. His brothers were standing outside the vehicle, staring at him with confused expressions stamped on their faces.
He stepped out of the car and stretched. Thankfully, he’d worn his boots, since the snow went past his ankles. The house was mostly dark, save for a few glimmers emanating from the second floor.
“Where’d you go just now?” Landon asked. “Are you okay?”
“Nowhere. I’m fine. Just a little tired,” Xavier explained. There was no point telling them where his thoughts had drifted. They knew how he felt about their father being back in their lives. He didn’t want to hit them over the head with it, especially if they were feeling good about the evening. In truth, the three of them needed to keep their eyes focused ontheir inheritance and meeting the stipulations of their agreement with Hattie. Then they all had to be on the same page about whether to sell or stay.
One year in Moose Falls to make a life-altering decision! This was way harder than he had ever imagined.
Once they entered the house, Xavier immediately noticed the silence, as well as the dim lighting. Even the night when they had returned to Hattie’s place from karaoke after midnight, there had been glowing lights setting the place ablaze. And the house had never been this quiet since their arrival.
Xavier checked his watch. It wasn’t even ten o’clock. From what they’d observed, their grandmother was a night owl. With her fading health, he worried something might be wrong.
“Hattie,” Xavier called out, walking down the hall and looking in the dimly lit kitchen.
“Maybe she went to bed early,” Caleb said, shrugging. “No need to worry.”
“Upstairs is lit up,” Landon said, pointing to the upstairs landing.
“Let’s just turn in,” Xavier suggested. “We have to get up early tomorrow to meet with the distributors.”
Caleb groaned. “One of these days, I’ll learn to love sunrise. But I’m sure that it won’t be tomorrow.”
Just as they reached the landing, the sound of hushed voices and laughter reached their ears. They stopped in their tracks and looked at one another. The voices sounded intimate. Hattie wasn’t alone. Before they could beat a fast path to their bedrooms, Hattie came out of her room, her arm looped through Jacques’s. Their grandmother, dressed in a black silk robe, didn’t see them at first. She was too busy canoodling with Jacques.
Xavier wished he could sink through the hardwood floors and disappear. Landon covered his eyes with his hands.Caleb’s eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. Xavier cleared his throat to get her attention.
“Oh, my goodness,” she said, drawing her robe together. Hattie pressed her hand against her throat. “I—I thought you wouldn’t be home for a while.”
“Evidently,” Xavier drawled, his lips twitching.
Hattie couldn’t seem to drag her gaze away from Jacques. She was looking at him as if he were the sun, moon, and the stars. The only word that came to mind wasbesotted.
