Page 3 of Hometown Girl

She’d been so confident once. A high performer, an overachiever. She’d grown up believing her father when he’d told her,“Beth, I don’t care if you’re a woman in a man’s world. You were born to lead.”

Michael had taken that from her.

Leaving should’ve made her stop loving him. It sickened her to think of how many times she’d wished she’d never found out the truth. It would’ve been easier to go on believing everything was fine.

Her own weakness disgusted her. She’d never been this woman before. Or maybe she’d never had occasion before for her weakness to show through.

But here she was. Still running the office at Whitaker Mowers. Still living in Willow Grove. And still completely unwilling to even consider putting herself out there again.

Most days she was fine with the way her life had turned out, but lately—and always when she ran into old friends from high school, especially the ones who’d moved away—she had this disheartening sense of discontent.

She should’ve made more of herself by now.

And now she was stuck. Her father’s death had left her with a responsibility to carry on the family business. Did it matter that she didn’t love it? No. She didn’t get to be choosy after the mistakes she’d made.

Still, sometimes it gnawed at her—this idea that maybe she’d lost herself along the way. Had she become the opposite of what her father had wanted her to become?

Had she become the kind of woman who wanted a man to bring her flowers?

She shook the taunting thoughts away. She didn’t want to think about her poor judgment right now.

Beth forced herself to focus on Dr.Berry’s assessment of her mother’s condition. The words “miraculous recovery” and “near 100 percent” caught her attention. Did Dr.Berry know that her mother hardly moved from her chair in the living room? Did he know she still required help in the shower? Mom still needed her. Otherwise, Beth would’ve moved out and into her own apartment. Maybe even finally found a job in the city like she’d always intended.

Wouldn’t she have?

In the car on the way home, a soft smile rested on her mother’s face.

“You look happy,” Beth said.

Her mom glanced at her. “Why does it sound like an accusation when you say it?”

Beth kept her eyes on the road. “Obviously the doctor was a bit optimistic, don’t you think?”

She could almost hear her mother frown. “No, I don’t. I agree with everything he said.”

“Near 100 percent? Mom, you still need help walking around the house. That’s not a full recovery.”

Her mother was quiet for a long moment. “Have you ever thought that maybe I don’t actuallyneedhelp? But that I’m not going to turn it down if you offer it?”

“I don’t understand.”

“You heard Dr.Berry. I’m better, Beth. A little slow, maybe, but the day of my stroke, we didn’t even know if I’d be able to speak again.”

Beth remembered. She’d been so filled with panic, so full of guilt. She couldn’t help but think that if her father were still alive, none of this would’ve happened.

And she couldn’t help but think that her fatherwouldstill be alive if it weren’t for her.

“Well, I still think you’ve got a ways to go.” Beth turned onto their road, a private, tree-lined drive that took them to the front of the large white house out on the edge of town. Daddy had done well for himself and continued to take care of his family even after his death.

What she wouldn’t give for just one more conversation with him. Would he have still pushed her toward the big dreams—the city life—if he’d known he wasn’t going to live? Or would he have changed his tune, telling her to take care of their family business, to watch over everything he’d spent his life building?

Beth killed the engine in front of the garage, but before she could get out, her mother rested her hand on Beth’s.

“Are you happy, Beth?”

She hated it when her mom took on this serious tone. It seemed like Lilian Whitaker was plenty lighthearted with everyone except Beth these days.

Beth made her mother’s brow furrow.

---