Page 27 of A Family Affair: The Cabin
“He plans to stay in Magdalena?” He’d told her he had a lot to figure out and wasn’t sure where he’d end up. Sounded like he’d decided on small-town life in his hometown. She could picture him in this place. Hadn’t he told her how much he enjoyed improving existing structures, rather than ordering them torn down?
“I’d say he’s staying.” She slid a look at Elissa, said in a soft voice, “But there are other factors to consider.” Mimi shrugged and turned back to her meal. “Guess time will tell, won’t it, dear?”
That last comment signaled the end of the conversation about Pete Finnegan and his plans. Mimi changed the subject to gardening, perennial flowers, and The Bleeding Hearts Society, a group of residents interested in beautifying the town and spreading goodwill through flowers and acts of kindness. Apparently, Mimi was part of this group and invited Elissa to attend the next meeting as her guest—if she were still in town.
“We do more than plant flowers and weed beds.” She winked and added, “Lots more. Now why don’t you head to the sitting room and relax while I clean up the kitchen. Then I’ll fix coffee and peach cobbler. The cobbler recipe comes from one of the best bakers in the area. Her name’s Ramona and she’s on a Mediterranean cruise with her husband. Just got married this past Christmas.” Her voice turned soft. “Talk about love taking a long time to find its way. Now go on ahead and check out the reading material in there.”
“Are you sure I can’t help you clean up the kitchen? It’ll be much easier with two people.”
“No, no. I can clean it up in a jiff.”
“All right, but let me know if you change your mind.” Elissa made her way to the sitting room, spotted a photo album on the coffee table labeledHeart Sent Memories. She flipped open the first page, studied the attractive couple smiling at one another, so clearly in love. Ben and Gina Reed. The next page revealed another couple, equally attractive, equally engrossed in one another. Roman and Angie Ventori. More pages, more this-is-what-love-looks-like couples. Michael and Elise Androvich, Bree Kinkaid and Adam Brandon. On and on the pages went, a visual testimony to love and happily-ever-after. What about Bree and Adam? They were the only couple who didn’t appear to be married. Were they engaged? She’d have to ask Mimi about their story…
“Elissa?”
Pete Finnegan’s voice burst through her thoughts, captured her heart. He stood in the entrance of the sitting room, tanned and rugged, wearing a white button-down shirt and jeans, a bouquet of red roses in his arms—more handsome than she remembered. “Pete? What are you doing here?”
He moved toward her, his expression serious, mouth set in a hard line. “Mimi called and told me you were here.”
That voice made her stomach do flip-flops. “Mimi?” She glanced toward the back of the house where the proprietor was supposedly tidying up and preparing coffee and peach cobbler. Sounded like she’d taken a detour to make a phone call. “Why would Mimi call you?”
He shrugged, his gaze intense. “Guess she’s trying to play matchmaker. I told you this town butts into everybody’s business, didn’t I?”
Pete had told her a lot of things, some she’d rather forget. “You did mention that. Several times.”
“Yeah, sometimes I don’t know when to shut up.” A dull red washed out the tan in his cheeks, spread to his neck. “I’m going to have to work on that.” He cleared his throat, handed her the bouquet of roses. “These are for you. I remember you said red roses were your favorite.”
They’d been talking about flowers at the cabin one night and he’d said his aunt grew roses and treated them like her children. “You didn’t pick these from your aunt’s garden, did you?”
That made him laugh. “I know better than to fool with Aunt Edith’s roses. She’d come after me with a shovel if I even thought about it.”
“Thank you.” Elissa closed her eyes and breathed in their scent. “They’re beautiful.”
“Yes, they are,” he said, his voice husky. “I’ve got a lot of apologizing to do. I…was hurt and angry. I’m sorry I acted like a jerk, and I’m sorry I took off like I did.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I should have stayed and talked it through, but I’m not used to caring enough to do that. Usually, the explosion comes from the other party and I use it as an excuse to duck out.” He sat next to her, clasped her hand, his voice dipping so low she had to lean toward him to hear. “But you were different.”
“You aren’t the only one with regrets. I should have told you about the notebook and the letters. That’s another one of the reasons I came here. I want to apologize to the people I might have hurt.” She paused, took a deep breath. “Nate and Christine Desantro, Harry Blacksworth, the MacGregors. Your father.”
“I think it’s best to let it alone. People don’t like their secrets tossed back at them, even if it’s in the form of an apology. As for my dad, Nate knows.”
Elissa blinked hard, fought back tears. “I wish I’d never sent that letter.”
“Dad went to see him right after I called. He said the conversation was long overdue. I’m not sure what happened with the letter, but it didn’t matter after that.”
“Good.” There was so much she wanted to tell him, but a sudden shyness overtook her. They weren’t in some hideaway miles from people they knew, pretending nothing existed outside of the cabin walls. A whole town surrounded them with people who’d known Pete Finnegan since he was a boy and others who still cursed Gloria Blacksworth for what she’d tried to do to their friends and family.
“Hey.” Pete touched her shoulder. “Why so quiet? What’s wrong?”
“Back in the cabin? I wasn’t pretending with you, Pete. What I felt was real.”
“I know. Me, too.”
“But real is scary, and messy.”
His lips twitched. “So I’ve heard.”
“You don’t even know my last name.”
“Cerdi. Elissa Marie Cerdi.”
