“That’s good. I’m sure that would make her mom happy.”
He studies me for a second. “God, you look really familiar.”
I can understand why, and I’m surprised that no one immediately saw the resemblance when I walked in. To me it’s there, but maybe because I know what I look like as a brunette versus the dyed blonde hair I’ve had for years.
“I don’t think we’ve ever met,” I say.
Jed walks back over, a welcome interruption to our conversation that was hitting a little close to home. I promised myself that when I arrived in town, I would go to the source. I would go right to Clara and tell her before anyone figured it out. Now I can’t help but feel as if there’s a ticking clock hovering over my head.
Coming here was a mistake. All I wanted was to hear some happy stories about Clara’s mom, to understand what kind of woman she was.
“Here you go,” Jed says. “This is the best one. It’s—”
“Peach?” I finish for him.
He turns to Cade with narrowed eyes. “Regardless of sour grapes here, it’s the best flavor we’ve done.”
“Jed!” a blonde across the room hollers.
Jed places the beer down in front of me. “I’ll be back, let me know what you think.” He rushes off.
I slide the beer closer to Cade. “I’m not sure I can drink any more beer. It’s really not my drink.”
He’s quick to stand. “Let me get you something else. We have some cider. Or I can make you a mixed drink.”
“I’m fine, really.” I slide off the stool. “I should get going anyway.”
He stands as well, and that’s when I realize that we’re way too close. “I can get Clara—”
“No. No. Leave her be. Thank you for keeping me company, and please thank your brother for me too.”
“Do you need a ride or anything?” Cade asks.
I shake my head. “No. Thanks though.”
I step around him without waiting for him to say goodbye. When I pass Clara, her gaze flickers up and our eyes lock for a moment, making me pause. The Xavier guy I thought was her husband comes over and says something to Clara, tearing her gaze away from mine.
I’d love to go over and whisper in her ear, “You’re not alone.”
Instead, I walk out the door and onto the street of a town that should have been my home.
“Let me guess—you scared her away?” Jed comes to my side as I stare at the blonde walking out of the brewery. She pauses near Clara and almost looks as though she’s going to say something, but then she continues on.
Nikki steps between us. “You know, they say funerals bring out the dark secrets of people’s pasts.”
I raise my hand, not wanting to hear Nikki’s crap right now.
“Well your next segment is walking down the street right now,” Jed says. He picks up the glasses. “There’s obviously something wrong with her.”
“Why? Did she give any clues as to who she is?” Nikki asks.
“No, she was more into Cade than me.” Jed shakes his head. “Like I said, definitely something wrong.”
I scoff and push his shoulder. “You know I have more game than you.”
“Game? You don’t even have a man on the board.”
My brother Adam walks into the brewery, dressed in his forest ranger uniform, and stops at Clara, hugging her and offering his condolences. I’m sure most of the room is watching him carefully because we’re all still confused as to why Adam’s wife left him two weeks ago. He married too young. I told him that back when he was marrying his high school sweetheart. So maybe it’s not that big of a surprise that she up and left without a reason. At least not one he’s sharing with us.
My sister Chevelle heads our direction with concern on her face. “He’s got bags under his eyes,” she whispers because she wants me to fix it.
Another eldest son responsibility. I fix everything for Chevelle, but that’s because she’s my youngest sibling and has had a rough go of it since my mom died.
“I know, but he’ll get through it. He’ll move on,” I say.
The four of us stand there, watching our brother hug Clara, both of them looking on the verge of tears.
“We should do something to cheer him up,” Nikki says.
“How about a game night?” Chevelle asks. “He always loves card games.”
“I say the guys do a run to the strip club in Anchorage,” Jed says.
Nikki smacks him on the back of the head.
Adam separates from Clara and looks around the room. We all turn around as if we weren’t just talking about him. I collect dirty cups from some tables then carry the stack to the kitchen to get them washed, and on my way out, I find Clara in the hallway by the bathroom. Before I can say anything, she pushes the back door open and steps outside.
I glance down the hallway, not seeing Xavier, who’s been at her side the entire day. Going back into the kitchen, I grab a plate of our signature quesadillas that’s just come off the grill and follow her.
She’s sitting at a table we keep in back, separated from customer parking by a wall, for the employees when they’re on break.
“Hey,” I say, sliding in across from her and pushing the quesadillas toward her.
“Hi, Cade.” She looks up. “Is someone looking for me?”
I shake my head. “I saw you sneak away.”
She nods like she figured someone would. “I can’t take the sad eyes anymore. I mean, it was expected. She was sick.”
“It doesn’t make it any less hard.” I pull apart the quesadilla. Hopefully, if she sees the gooey cheese, she’ll be enticed to eat something.
“I think it’s more because I’m the last one. I have no more family.”
I squeeze her forearm. “You have us, the Greenes. You know that.”
She nods again as though she understands what I’m saying. Maybe I’d be better off to leave her alone.
“There’s so much to do. Her house needs to be emptied. And the store.” Clara shakes her head. “I mean, I have time when I’m not working at the library, but it’s all so daunting. I have to go to Trent Lawson’s office tomorrow to go over the will. It’s just a lot.”
“If you need help, we’re here. I can help with the store or help move some stuff from the house. Whatever you need. Xavier will be here for a few weeks since the season is over and tourist season isn’t for another two months. We’ll get it all handled.”
She stands and heads over to the store beside the brewery, digging the keys out of her pocket. She opens the back door. There are cobwebs and dust on the door because no one has stepped foot in there in some time. She swivels the key off the chain and holds it out toward me. I stand and walk over to her then open my palm.
She places the key there. “I have no use for this. It’s yours. I know you and Jed have been wanting to expand the brewery.”
“Are you sure? We’ll pay you of course.” Her mom would’ve bought this storefront decades ago, so Clara will get a good profit by selling it to us.
We step inside, and she flicks on the lights. It smells musty, and it’s obvious no one has been in here for a while, but when I look around, all I see is potential and profits for our business.