CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Coming Full Circle.

He motioned to the box she held in her hand. “Go ahead and open your gift.”

“You open yours too,” she said, her heart a mixture of joy and concern. They stood so close, but still had so much between them.

He lifted the black cashmere scarf out of the bag. Then he wrapped it around his neck. “I’ll wear this a lot, and I’ll think of you . . . a lot.”

That sounded so final, so resolved. But she knew that, right? He could say he wanted to stay, but he could also leave tomorrow. She had to be okay with that.

She carefully opened the pretty box and found luscious chocolate truffles waiting for her. “Fancy and . . . so decadent. I’ll enjoy these with a good glass of dessert wine.”

“Look underneath the chocolates,” he said, his voice more tempting than any truffle.

She lifted the plastic chocolate holder and saw another flat little envelope there. “I didn’t know chocolate boxes had hidden presents inside,” she quipped.

“Just this one, luv.”

Veronica placed the chocolates on the table and then opened the bright-white envelope. A beautiful silver chain necklace held a small matching silver circle encased with what looked like diamonds.

“Cullen, this looks expensive. Are these diamonds?”

He nodded. “I found it in an antique jewelry store and . . . I wanted you to have it.”

She stared at the necklace and then she stared up at him. “It’s beautiful, but way too much.”

He came close and took it from her, then reached around her neck to secure the clasp. Stepping back, he looked at the necklace hanging against her black sweater. “Perfect.”

She touched the circle of small, sparkling diamonds.

“It made me think of the lights shining when we went on our walk. We were on the side street, and I told you about my life. I looked up and saw the tiny lights down the way.” Touching a finger to the necklace, he said, “I wanted to give you something to remember last night and our time together, Veronica. Something that sparkles in the same way you do.”

She couldn’t speak. She remembered other bright shining lights, her pain pumping at her heart. This necklace had brought her full circle, just as he had. She couldn’t ignore the irony of it being circular. She also couldn’t deny all the things still standing between them. Finally, she said, “You must have gotten up early to find this.”

“I had to buy groceries for tonight, but I saw this little store tucked into a strip mall near the big grocery store out on the interstate. I walked in and spotted this right away.”

“You do work fast.”

He smiled and pulled her close. “Not always. With you, I plan to take my time and . . . let you do the same. No rush.”

“But Cullen—”

He leaned down to kiss her, a quick touch of his lips to hers. “I have to check on dinner.”

The man was good at being evasive, she’d give him that.

But she was too curious for her own good.

“And I have to have my head examined,” she said. Then she grabbed him by the scarf he still had around his neck and tugged him close. “You are such a mystery to me, but I’ll never forget you. And . . . I’ll think of you whenever I wear this necklace.”

“I hope you’ll think of me all the time.”

“That depends,” she admitted, “on how much of yourself you’re willing to give.”

He touched her cheek. “I’m willing to give more than you will ever know.” Then he turned and went into the kitchen.

The food, as usual, tasted amazing. But Veronica felt sure the warm feeling inside her had to be more about the people she’d come to know over the last few weeks than the taste of the food. Nurture in another way. This was an amazing group, and the ringleader had captured the part of her heart that had swiveled away from celebrating life.

Her guilt still clung to her like an invisible coat, but she pushed at it and remembered her daughter and the upcoming wedding. She would honor the loss of her husband and son tomorrow and try to hold back the horror of that Christmas Eve.

But she had to focus on the future from now on, not the past. And as much as she cared about Cullen, that future didn’t need to include him. She’d be okay if he left.

When Trudy and Hillman brought out a massive red velvet cheesecake, Veronica glanced at Cullen. “Did you have anything to do with this?”

“I did,” he admitted. “I didn’t make it. There’s a bakery in Atlanta that specializes in cheesecake. I ordered it a week ago and picked it up yesterday.”

“You never miss a beat, do you?”

“Only when I’m around you.”

Trudy and Hillman sliced huge wedges of the luscious dessert and passed around the coffee, decaf for Bethany.

Tillman ate his slice, then smiled at Trudy. “Did you tell them the good news?”

She shook her head. “I’d planned to save that for when we reach the end. When all shall be revealed.”

“What’s going on?” Veronica asked. She didn’t want any more secrets.

“It’s little Naomi,” Trudy replied with a big smile. “I’m working on adopting her. I waited until some of the paperwork had gone through, and it’s not a done deal yet, but I wanted to surprise y’all with the news.”

“That’s great,” Bethany said. “You’ll be a wonderful mother, Trudy.”

“I’m more like a grandmother, but I’m up for the task.”

Hillman gave her a grin. “I plan to help out when I can.”

Veronica and Bethany smiled. Bethany said, “You two make a great couple.”

“What us, a couple?” Trudy made a mock face. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“The way you two croon like lovebirds,” Veronica added. “I think it’s poetic justice, so enjoy.”

Cullen nodded his head. “Lovely.”

“We owe you a lot,” Hillman said to Cullen. “You brought us together.” He smiled at Trudy and shrugged. “I’m so glad.”

“And you did manage to get my Troy to come home for Christmas at least,” Bethany said, stars in her eyes. “He’s promised that and a long talk regarding his work hours, if he ever gets here.” She smiled at all of them. “Trudy is not only a good judge. She’s also a wonderful mentor and self-appointed life coach. I’ve learned more from her and all of you in these last weeks than I ever learned from my dysfunctional family.”

Veronica smiled and clapped with the others. Then she turned to Cullen, holding back the raw edges of confusion and doubt. “So your big secret is that you obviously are Santa Claus, right?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Far from it.”

She leaned close. “Isn’t this the part where you confess to everything? The part where all will be revealed.”

Cullen looked unsure, but then he let out a sigh. “I suppose it is at that.”

Veronica’s phone pinged. She saw a text from Elle. “It’s my daughter. Let me check it.”

Elle: Mom, Chase and I found a For Sale sign in the garage. Did you forget to tell me something? When you get home, we need to talk.

“Oh, no.” She got up to look outside. “I have to go. Elle’s upset. She saw the For Sale sign I’d hidden in the garage.” Glancing at the snow falling, she shook her head. “I have to get home.”

“I checked the weather a few minutes ago,” Trudy said, holding up her phone. “Roads are beginning to close, and ice and snow expected all day tomorrow.”

Bethany wiped at her eyes. “Troy might not make it home. He’s flying in from New York, with a layover in Tennessee.”

Cullen went out the front door, Lulu on his heels. They hurried after him, but when they reached the porch, Veronica realized they’d stayed here too long.

“We’re stuck,” Cullen said, holding up his phone. “My news alert said a huge tree limb fell across the main road into Hidden Mountain. It’s blocked.”

Veronica stared at him, her whole system shocked with the reality of the situation. “I’ll take my chances.”

“Veronica, you can’t drive in this. It’s getting worse by the minute. Call Elle and explain.”

She hurried out of the room with her phone, her heart racing, the old guilt weighing her down like the snow hitting the trees. Why didn’t she tell Elle the minute she’d decided? She should be with her daughter.

Her fingers shook as she texted a message: Elle, I’m so sorry. I planned to tell you but couldn’t find the right time. I haven’t agreed to any offers yet. The weather has turned bad. I might not be able to make it home tonight. Please, wait for me so we can talk.

She waited for a reply, but when her phone pinged, she saw the FAILED message. The text hadn’t gone through.

Grabbing a chair, she tried not to panic, but her breath began rushing in gulps while she tried to hold back the fear. Hot sweat covered her face and neck.

“No, not now. Not now.”

She looked up to find Cullen standing over her.

“Sit,” he said, his voice calm. “Take deep breaths. In and out. Ground yourself. It’s snowing. I’m here with you. I’m here. Breathe. Just keep taking deep breaths.”

She tried to speak. “My . . . daughter. I have to get to her.”

“I know, but you can’t drive, not in this state, and certainly not in this weather.”

“I can and I will.” She stood, her heart rate increasing, her mind on the first time she’d panicked. The night her husband and son died. She and Josh had argued over nothing. Over not having fresh cranberries so she could make his mother’s cranberry sauce. He’d left in a huff, Jay with him. Jay had wanted to get his mom one last gift. What if something happened to Elle, and she never had a chance to explain? “I can. I have to, Cullen.”

Cullen pulled her close and held her. “You can’t go out in this weather. Whatever you’re thinking or remembering, you have to tell yourself Elle will be okay. I’ll try to reach Chase, so we can make sure she’s all right.”

She pulled away. “You can take me. Drive me down the mountain.”

“I can, but I can’t get you over that limb blocking the road.”

She stared at him, but her heart and her mind were back on that horrible night. “I have to get to her.”

“I know,” he said. “I know.”

She gasped and then fell back into his arms. “She’s all I have left.”

“She is your family, but you have us now, remember? I promise we will find a way to get to Elle. Okay?”

Veronica stared up at him and saw the sincere concern in his eyes. She had to trust him, right here and right now, or they’d never get past this moment.

“Okay,” she said. “Okay.”

He let out a held breath. “I’ll try to call both of them. Give me their numbers.”

She nodded. “I have Elle’s. Chase sent me his, so I’d be able to reach one of them at his parents’ house.”

Cullen scrolled her phone contacts, glancing at her now and then. Then he found a notepad and pen and jotted down the numbers. Coming back, he put his arm around her shoulder. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Veronica looked at Cullen while her breathing began to regulate. “This is not what I expected.”

He nodded. “Fate has a way of giving us the unexpected, even when we think we’ve planned everything out.”

Veronica pushed down the panic, telling herself she couldn’t lash out at the man. If not for him, she wouldn’t be here. If not for him, Elle might not have come home either.

“You might not control the weather,” she said, pointing a finger at Cullen. “But you . . . you can’t disappoint me now.”

“There’s that attitude I love,” he said as they went back into the big den. “And Veronica, I’m so sorry.”

She could see the hurt and apprehension in his expression. “What are you really sorry about?”

“Me dragging all of you into my drama, mostly. But, at the time, I thought I had such a grand plan.”

“You’re a good man, Cullen, and I hope you’ll tell all of us what we need to know.”

He kissed her cheek, his expression somber and almost sad again. Then he announced to the room, “I’m going in the office to see if I can reach anyone out there. Bethany, I’ll try to find Troy. And Veronica, if Elle responds, I’ll let you know.”

She saw a glimmer of hurt in his eyes. The kind of hurt that changed relationships and destroyed lives. It darkened his eyes and made his expression turn hard-edged and dangerous.

Staring after him, she checked her phone again while the others talked about finding places to sleep tonight.

Trudy came over to sit down beside her. “Elle will calm down, you know.”

Veronica tried to think logical thoughts. “But I messed up. I planned to tell her, but things were so good, I hated to shatter her heart all over again. She wants to get married in the backyard of the Cearley house, and now she’s found this out.”

Trudy tapped a well-polished fingernail against Veronica’s shoulder. “Do you hear what you just said? The Cearley house. You still can’t claim it as your own.”

“No, I can’t,” Veronica said, her panic gone, her heartbeat slowing. “I always wanted to be needed,” she admitted. “Not needy, but needed. Josh needed me, Jay needed me, Elle needed me. Later, Nadene even needed me.”

“Then everyone left,” Trudy replied. “Elle seemed too far away, both physically and emotionally.”

“Yes. I had nothing, nobody. I’d become nobody.”

“Do you want to be somebody?”

“I want to be me,” Veronica said. “Just me, doing something with my life, finding a new path, enjoying being able to breathe again. I lived for my family, and I don’t regret that, but before I can give my heart to anyone again, I have to find me in there somewhere.”

“And Cullen helped with that—you beginning to find you again.”

“He did, but Trudy, he’s hurting as much as I am. I’ve got so much on my mind, mostly regarding him. And now, Elle.” Veronica checked her phone again. “I want to get home to my daughter.”

“I know how you feel,” Bethany said, her eyes red from crying. “Troy is upset, I’m upset. But none of us can control the weather.”

Trudy’s shrewd gazed moved from one to the other. “Well, then we can have a pity party, or we can make the best of a bad situation. We’re up to that, right? We did have an idea the weather could change, and here we are.” She waved her hand in the air. “We still have this beautiful, natural tree to decorate with beautiful, natural decorations.”

Veronica lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I want to go and be with Elle. I should have left by now.”

“Don’t try. We’d all be worried sick,” Bethany said. “And what if something happened to you? Elle wouldn’t want that.”

Veronica turned to the roaring fire. “I’m going to call her at least. We . . . we need this time together.” When the call dropped, she put down her phone and said a prayer. Would Elle forgive her one more time?

Trudy watched her. “She’s safe for now, and Cullen’s trying to help.”

Veronica nodded. “Cullen’s like me. He needs to be needed.”

“So, he’s on your good list now?” Bethany asked.

Veronica leaned close. “I found out more about him—he’s changed his name, erased his past, and worked hard to overcome every obstacle of the past he had here in this town as Cully Nolan.” She couldn’t tell them about Troy, not with Bethany within hearing distance.

Trudy drew back. “Cully Nolan. That name sounds familiar.”

Hillman heard them and sat down on the chair across from Trudy. Then Bethany came over to listen in.

“You knew him when,” he explained. “When you were a judge.”

Trudy let out a gasp and stared down the hallway where the office was located. “He stole a watch and . . . came before me . . . a juvenile.” She put a hand to her mouth. “That man in there is little Cully Nolan?”

“Not anymore,” Hillman said. He stood. “I’m going to see if he needs any help trying to prove himself even more.”

Bethany sat staring. “Who is Cully Nolan?”

Trudy lifted her head. “And how long has Hillman known all this?”