“I always told the three of you that you would find your other half,” Daisy wailed.
“No tears, Mom,” Caleb cautioned. “We only want to see smiles while you’re visiting.”
“Okay, okay,” Daisy said. “I’d like to make the most of this short visit, so bring it on.”
“A hike by the mountains would be nice,” Xavier said. “I’m sure Jaylen would love to come with us.” True had been raising her brother for the last eight years after the death of their parents. He’d just turned ten, and he loved outdoor adventures way more than video games. Xavier had stepped into a parental role with Jaylen.
“Why don’t we go to Northern Exposure tomorrow?” Caleb asked. “Aren’t they having a line dancing night?” In addition to line dancing the establishment also had karaoke nights, open mic events, and comedy nights. As the newowner of the tavern, True was always fine-tuning the place to increase business.
“I think so,” Xavier said. “Let me text True and ask her to make sure.”
Daisy clapped her hands together. “Oh, I love line dancing. Let’s go!”
Xavier’s cell phone pinged. “Yep. You were right, Caleb. Line dancing is tomorrow night.”
“How about it, Red? Are you game?” Hattie asked her son.
Red, who had been unusually quiet up to this point, said, “Sure. I may not dance, but the people watching is always entertaining.” Caleb had the impression that Red was dumbstruck in the presence of his ex-wife. According to Landon and Xavier, he had nearly passed out when she had shown up at the engagement party. Of course Caleb had missed out on that scene while being locked away in the attic. He would have paid good money to see their first meeting after such a long time apart.
“I’m with you, Red,” Landon said, wrinkling his nose. “I’ve got two left feet.”
Hattie leaned over and grasped his hand in hers. “Don’t worry. Granny will teach you.”
Landon’s eyes widened. “Are you coming too?”
“Of course I am,” Hattie said, cackling. “You know my motto.”
“‘I may be dying but I’m still living,’” Caleb said, along with Landon, Xavier, and Red.
“Exactly! YOLO. I’ve taught you well,” Hattie said, smiling, as she looked around the table at her loved ones.
“So why don’t we take a hike by the falls?” Daisy suggested, pushing her plate away from her. “It used to be one of my favorite places here in town.” The falls was one of themost picturesque places in Moose Falls—now that temperatures had risen to thirty to forty degrees and sunlight was in effect for at least eleven hours of the day, it was the perfect spot to explore.
“We used to have family picnics there in the summer,” Red said, his gaze focused on Daisy. Caleb didn’t think he was imagining the look of tenderness etched on his father’s face.
Uh-oh. Was Red still harboring feelings for his ex-wife? Caleb didn’t think Red was indifferent to Daisy. Despite the fact that they hadn’t been together in more than twenty years, there were still feelings. Caleb didn’t know all the ins and outs of their breakup, but it was Daisy who had ended things.
“Yes, we did,” Daisy acknowledged, locking gazes with Red. “It was always such a tranquil spot.”
“Caleb, can I speak with you for a moment? There’s something I would like to discuss with you,” Hattie said as breakfast ended.
“Sure thing,” Caleb said, watching as everyone else left the room.
Hattie patted the seat next to her, inviting Caleb to sit beside her. Once he rounded the table and joined her, Hattie gifted him with a beatific smile.
“I have a business proposition for you,” Hattie said, affectionately patting his hand. Over the past four months he had been working alongside Hattie and his brothers at her hard cider company. Despite the fact that Hattie had been out of his and his brothers’ lives for decades, they had grown close ever since his return to town. Hattie held a special place in his heart. Knowing her time on Earth was nearing an end served as a daily reminder to cherish their moments together.
“That sounds intriguing,” Caleb said, curious to hear more. Working at Yukon Cider was interesting, but it wasn’t his life’s passion. He respected the company, but he’d never imagined himself sitting at a desk all day.
“I want you to be featured in the next campaign for our newest flavors. We need to shore up our younger buying base, which is why we are jazzing up the packaging with brighter colors, creating commercials with popular musical artists and bringing you into the mix.”
Caleb was taken aback by the fact that his grandmother wanted him to be part of the marketing plan. “What does that mean exactly?”
“Well, it means that I want you to be in all of the advertising for our new collection, including the print ads and our upcoming commercials. We haven’t done a great job of advertising Yukon Cider, but all of that is going to change. I think you would be a great spokesperson for the company.”
“Me? I-I’m flattered, but are you sure?” he asked, stunned by the offer. This almost sounded too good to be true. Being the face of Yukon Cider could do amazing things for his future in the entertainment industry. Instead of being notorious for a reality show, he would be aligned with an amazing product created by his grandmother.
“Of course I’m sure, Caleb. Look at you. You’re handsome as all get-out, you’ve got an athletic physique, and you’ll increase our sales simply based on your looks and charisma. Trust me, it’s a no-brainer. Plus, from what I hear, you have some acting chops. Why not put those to use to help the family business?”
