“You didn’t want to run Porter’s,” Buck said.
“I know.”I was selfish too.“I assumed the business and farm would always be connected—the family legacy—but when you let that conglomerate buy you out with no discussion with me, it was like our whole family tree had toppled.”
“But it didn’t. I made sure you and those horses were separate. You’d stand alone.”
“I didn’t want to be alone. I wanted our family to continue to build on what we had.”
“Times are changing, Mike.”
“Tell him the rest, Buck. It’s time.” Vanessa stared at Buck.
Buck shifted his weight. “I used the money from the sale of Porter’s to persuade the hospital to come to our town.”
“You what?” Mike looked incredulous.
“We couldn’t attract a good hospital no matter what we’d tried, so I made it a very attractive deal with good perks to get one here. Maybe, if we’d had a hospital right here, we wouldn’t have lost the people we loved. Maybe we would have, but I couldn’t sit back and take the chance on letting it happen again.”
He stared at his grandfather, and then at Vanessa. “You did that?”
Buck nodded. “It was the right thing to do. I’m getting a very nice return on it too, so don’t feel too bad for me.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t willing to listen.”
“I could have handled it differently, but that’s the past. Now Porter’s has new breath bringing it back to life, and Vanessa is the new owner.”
Vanessa straightened. “But the whole town is up in arms with me. The gossip has already swept through this town like a wildfire.”
Mike turned to Vanessa. “What do you need me to do?”
“Believe in me. Help me.” Her lashes lowered. “Please?”
“Come here.”
She went into his arms, and he pulled her in close. “Together, as a team, we can make this easy work.”
“I like the sound of that,” Buck said.
“I’m so sorry, Grandpa. I probably wouldn’t have understood at the time. It was just too close to Grandma dying. It was like losing Olivia all over again.”
“I know, Mike.” He cuffed his hand on his grandson’s shoulder. “I know.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE
Vanessa stood in the concession building at the high school waiting as the town flooded into the seats on the evening before Christmas Eve.
Snide comments peppered the conversations as people speculated what was to come next for Fraser Hills.
Anna walked over to her and pulled Vanessa’s hands into her own. “You’re going to be fine. I’m so excited about the prospects of our future here in this town.”
“I know,” Vanessa said. “Don’t make me cry.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just so happy. For the town. For both of us. Your mother would be beside herself. You are such a remarkable young woman.” She dipped her hand in the quilted tote bag she had hung over her arm and pulled out a shiny red box. “I hope you like this. It’s not fancy, but it’s the most precious memory I have of you and your mother together. I want you to have it.”
Vanessa’s brows pulled together as she took the box in her hand. “This can wait until Christmas.”
“No. I don’t think it can. Please. For me,” she said.
Vanessa turned and set the box on the counter, and lifted the lid. “Is this…?” She pulled out the old tin. The rattling sound was like a whisper from heaven. “Mom’s button tin?”
