Page 31 of A South Hill Christmas Keepsake
Nate exhaled through a laugh. “Yeah. Got it. No problem”
When the boy ran off, Hannah Leigh met his gaze again, trying not to smile too wide. “Timing’s everything, huh?”
“Apparently, mine isn’t as good as I thought.” His eyes lingered on her for a beat longer than necessary. “We’ll finish that conversation later.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Nate’s parents taught him to trust his gut feelings. And right now, Nate’s gut said this Ruthie Danvers woman held the missing piece to a love story that deserved better than rumors and half-truths.
By the next morning, he’d tracked down an address through one of his old coaching contacts whose aunt worked at the county assessor’s office. A few phone calls later, he and Hannah Leigh headed toward Laurel Creek, the next town over, where Ruthie now lived at a place called The Camellia Residences.
It wasn’t what he expected. The senior community looked more like a bed-and-breakfast than a care home. Brick buildings framed by porches and rocking chairs, with wreaths hung on every door and a camellia bush blooming pink against the frost.
Inside, the front desk nurse looked up over her glasses as they approached. Her name tag readGloria.
“Morning,” Nate said with that movie-star grin. “We were hoping to visit one of your residents. Miss Ruthie Danvers.”
Gloria’s eyes narrowed in that way that warned off both salesmen and snoops. “Are you family?”
“Not exactly,” Hannah Leigh said. “We’re helping with a town heritage project. There’s an old story we’re trying to confirm, and Miss Ruthie’s name came up. We were hoping to ask her a few questions.”
The nurse folded her arms. “Miss Ruthie doesn’t get many visitors. She’s sharp as a tack, but I don’t want anyone upsetting her.”
“Promise we’ll be respectful,” Nate said, sincerity steady in his voice. “If she’s not up for it, we’ll head right out.”
Gloria hesitated, then sighed. “All right. Wait here.”
A few minutes later, she reappeared, holding open a hallway door. “She’ll see you. Follow me.”
As they walked, Nate took in the space. It was bright, warm, and filled with little touches that made it feel like home. Handmade quilts hung in the hallways. Someone had placed poinsettias in every window.
“Pretty place,” he whispered.
“Sure is,” Gloria replied. “We like to keep things cheerful. Miss Ruthie’s apartment even has a garden patio. She’s our resident plant whisperer.”
They stopped at a door near the end of the hall. Through the window, Nate glimpsed a tidy sitting area. The edge of Ruthie’s patio held about every color of pansy he’d ever seen.
Gloria knocked, cracked the door. “Miss Ruthie? You have guests here.”
“I do?” A moment later, a small woman appeared, her white hair swept back, her sweater a soft shade of rose.She studied them with bright, curious eyes. “Well, don’t just stand there in the hallway,” she said to them. “Come on in before you let the cold follow you.”
The warmth hit him first, the kind that wrapped around a person and made the air feel safe, but he was already getting too warm. Crocheted blankets hung folded across the back of the sofa.
“Ms. Danvers, ma’am,” Nate said, holding out a hand. “My name’s Nate Collier, and this is Hannah Leigh Parker. We’re from South Hill.”
Ruthie tilted her head. “South Hill, you say? Haven’t heard from anyone there in quite some time. What brings you by?”
“We’re helping the Chamber of Commerce dig into some of the town’s old Christmas traditions,” Hannah Leigh said. “One story keeps coming up. The dogwood tree and the love story that ended under it one snowy Christmas Eve.”
Something flickered in Ruthie’s eyes. “That old story?” she asked softly. “I hope you’re not here to make fun of me.”
“Not a chance, Ms. Danvers.” Nate said.
“You may as well call me Ruthie if you’re going to be all in my personal business. It’s not a love story. There was no happy ending. It was a sad life story. A love that never earned its time.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Ruthie,” Nate said. “We’re just trying to understand what happened.”
“We think we may have found a missing piece to that story.” Hannah Leigh was so gentle with the old woman. He watched respectfully as the woman turned to her and softened.
