CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Unwrapping Cullen Murdock.

He went on to explain about his mother, giving them vivid details of living in Ireland. “Tessa Nolan wasn’t a strong woman. When my da left us, she shattered. Now I know that more than her drinking caused him to leave. She returned to Ireland as a teen, met my da, and got pregnant right away. She suffered from depression, but we had no money for mental health treatment, and so she drank away her depression and fears.”

He shrugged, glanced out the window. “After Mum died on Christmas Day, my grandmother, Fiona Nolan, who had come to America as a bride and settled here in Hidden Mountain, came and fetched me to live with her and my grandfather. He was a monster, and we hated each other on sight. I finally understood why my mum had run away back to Ireland.”

He took a breath and got up to find some water.

“As soon as I could, I found work because we had no heat, very little running water, and not much food. Gramps didn’t have steady work and he drank a lot. I got so tired of watching adults drink too much.”

Sitting back down, he continued. “I wanted to work and make something of myself, so I did odd jobs.” He looked across at Veronica. “One of the first people to give me a job was John James Cearley.”

Veronica sat up and leaned in. “My father-in-law.” She looked toward the others. “I found some receipts in his old files. The man never threw anything legal away.”

Cullen kept his eyes on her. “I raked yards, mowed, cleaned out gutters, anything he needed. He was a kind man, and he taught me a lot. I listened to him talking with his son, and soon, Josh and I became friends. But I was ashamed of my background, so we didn’t socialize.”

“That explains why you’re still so secretive,” Hillman said.

Cullen lifted his chin. “I suppose so. If I brag too much, or share too much, I might jinx things. Anyway,” he continued, “I found work and made ends meet until my gramps passed away. That left me to take care of my grandmother. I found other jobs. I never participated in any after-school activities, and I finally dropped out. I got a job right here, as a yardman on the campgrounds, because I’d been here a few times when I was younger, alone when no one would be around. I came back to work here in my teens and lived vicariously through seeing others having fun and living the good life. I wanted that one day.”

He looked at Hillman. “Once though, before I officially worked here, things were so bad at home I came and slept right here in this room. Hillman, a volunteer, arrived early for a party, and he found me and asked me why I was sleeping here on Christmas Day.”

On Christmas Day. Veronica wanted to slide deep down into her seat. He’d had a tough childhood, so he held his pain close to his heart. Too close. She didn’t know how to get around what he’d tried to do.

“And he told me,” Hillman said. “He didn’t like being alone on Christmas.” Hillman glanced around the table. “He was eleven years old. I fed him and let him help me set up, then found him a room to sleep in. He was gone the next morning.”

“So you knew him from the start?” Bethany asked.

Hillman nodded. “When he said he brought us here because he didn’t want to be alone, I figured things out—to an extent.”

Cullen nodded. “I asked Hillman to be discreet. Again, I was ashamed, so ashamed.”

Trudy held up a hand. “Hold it right there. First, you could have told all of us that and we’d have been glad to know how you rose above your upbringing. And, secondly, forcing Hillman to be your accomplice was uncalled for.”

Hillman breathed a sigh of relief. “I urged him to be honest, but it wasn’t my call to make.”

“No, because the great and powerful Cullen Murdock controls all of the munchkins,” Veronica said.

Trudy scowled at her. “Stop on the wine, okay?”

Veronica frowned at her empty glass.

“I wasn’t trying to control anyone,” Cullen said. “Troy had mentioned names a few times in our conversations, after I told him about this property.”

Bethany stared at her husband. “You passed gossip?”

“No,” Troy said, obviously surprised. “I gave him some pointers is all.”

“About us?” Veronica asked, still frowning at her empty glass.

“About the whole town,” Cullen said. “But don’t blame Troy. I picked his brain. I knew I’d be here during the holidays, so I could get ready to start construction next year. I didn’t want to spend Christmas alone, but I didn’t want the townspeople to nag me about this venture.”

Veronica could see this man still had a lost little boy inside his heart. But Cullen was no Peter Pan. He’d had to grow up far too quickly and take on too much responsibility. Hard to understand, but easy to love—that’s what he’d said about her, but it was more about him. She didn’t know how to forgive him.

“So you got this idea to look some of us up?” Hillman asked, nodding.

“I did,” Cullen said. “But to be honest, I heard The Walkers gossiping one morning in the coffee shop.”

“About me?” Veronica asked, her anger coming back full force.

“Oh, they were on a roll, but not about you. I heard about Trudy kicking her husband out. I heard about Hillman’s divorce and dilemma,”—he glanced at Veronica—“and I heard the Cearley house had a ‘Coming Soon’ sign in front of it. I went to the house immediately and saw the sign. I knew I wanted to buy the house.”

Veronica held her hands up. “And I had to hear this from Mark Calloway, who heard it at a party. My real estate agent blabbed after drinking too much. Make that my former real estate agent.”

He gave her a glance filled with regret and that bitter edge she knew so well. “I was selfish. What better revenge, because Nadene Cearley did not like me. She made it clear I was to stay away from her son.”

Veronica lowered her head. “But I found the flyer and I came here. The wrong Mrs. Cearley.”

Trudy let out a breath. “This is . . . amazing. You can’t make this stuff up.”

Veronica gave Cullen a stare that encompassed a thousand emotions. “No, you can’t. And you shouldn’t hide it either.”

Trudy hit the table. “Surely you didn’t invite me based on gossip? Which turned out to be true, of course.”

“I invited you, Judge Trudy Gladstone, because you saved me from a life of crime.”

Trudy glanced at Hillman and then back to Cullen. “Look, we’ve all figured out who you are. I remember you coming before me in court.”

“I stole a watch from the drugstore and got sent to juvenile court. You gave me a second chance after the appointed attorney told my story. I needed the watch so I wouldn’t be late for work.”

He held up his wrist to show them his TAG Heuer watch. “I never forgot what you said to me—You’re free to go, but you’ll do community service for one month, and you’ll need to pay for the watch you took. Keep working, and one day, you’ll be able to buy a really expensive watch that will show people you’ve learned to overcome life and use your time wisely.”

Trudy’s eyes lit up and she gasped. “Oh, my dear Jesus. Why didn’t I remember you right away?”

“Because he’s changed so much,” Hillman said. “I wasn’t sure either at first.”

Trudy stared Cullen down. “Obviously, you took my advice. And Cullen, your invitation had perfect timing for me. I’m not sure I agree with your tactics, but I’m here.” She lifted her wineglass to him.

“Thank you, Trudy,” Cullen said, his gaze dancing over to Veronica before they settled on Bethany.

“Anyway, that left Bethany,” he said. “I knew she was alone because Troy asked me to check on her. I told him I’d try. He didn’t know I sent her that note. I’m sorry, Bethany. I wanted to watch over you. I never imagined you’d be so upset and . . . pregnant at that.”

Troy took Bethany’s hand. “I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere. I was working too hard, and I didn’t listen to you or see all the signs. Cullen actually talked to me about taking some time off and taking the promotion.”

“The wizard strikes again,” Veronica whispered.

“Stop it,” Cullen said, his tone so sharp Lulu got up and barked at him. “Veronica, you were pulling your own strings, snooping around, asking questions. Going to a reporter.”

“If I hadn’t reached out to Mark, I wouldn’t have known you wanted to buy my house. When were you planning to tell me, Cullen?”

Cullen put his hands on his hips. “I messed up for the same reasons you didn’t tell Elle about wanting to sell the house. I didn’t want to ruin Christmas.”

Then he turned and left the room.

Cullen wasn’t in the kitchen or the office. Veronica tried to find him. He couldn’t just leave that statement out there. She was about to go outside and look for him when Elle and Chase came back from a long walk.

“Have you seen Cullen?”

Elle shook her head. “No, not on the trail around the lake.” Her daughter gave her a questioning stare.

“We’re not speaking,” Veronica said. “He did tell us everything earlier, but he and I still have unfinished business.”

Elle sent Chase a glance.

Chase took the hint. “I’ll take Lulu and see if we can find him.”

That left Veronica with her daughter. “Will you wake me up before you go tomorrow? I want to sneak out and go home before anyone else gets up.”

Elle hugged her close. “I’ll knock on your door, but if the roads aren’t clear, none of us will be leaving.” Pulling back, she said, “Mom, will you be okay?”

Veronica wasn’t sure how to answer that. “I don’t know. But I won’t be selling our home to Cullen Murdock.”

Elle lifted her chin, her eyes rimmed with a new awareness. “That’s the mom I remember. The one who fights.” Then she kissed Veronica on the cheek and headed up to her room.

Chase and Lulu came back. “I didn’t see Cullen anywhere.”

Veronica took one last look at the tree strung with popcorn and berries, greenery, and ribbons. Simple and pretty, with a small wooden star on top. The perfect Christmas tree.

A good Christmas with friends and Elle, until she’d read that text from Mark. She slipped upstairs with her dog. Then she sat by the window, watching the last of the snow drip from the trees, Lulu’s head on her knee.

She’d fallen for Cullen. Despite his flaws and his motivations, she was in love with a mysterious Irishman. He’d explained things tonight in a way that begged sympathy, but she was fresh out of that. He’d never know her feelings because she’d never tell him how much she could have loved him, not after he’d tricked her into believing in him.

Not now. Not ever. He would not get her house.