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Noah launched into an explanation of what Hugh had told him about the requirements of his aunt’s will, as well as filling his father in on what had happened at the town hall meeting that morning.
He omitted the fact that Mindy had been the most vocal critic of the industrial complex, opting instead to just say that some of the business owners in town were skeptical and had asked him questions he hadn’t been entirely prepared for. He wasn’t quite sure why he kept that bit of information to himself for the time being, but he figured it didn’t matter. His father had called to discuss business matters, not personal matters—and whatever complicated feelings Noah had about seeing Mindy again, they were very personal.
“Ah, Theresa.” His father huffed a breath after Noah had finished speaking. “Somehow, I’m not surprised that your mother’s sister would come up with a scheme like that for her will. Well, no matter. It shouldn’t be a difficult requirement to meet. It looks like you’ll just have to spend a bit more time in the town then. I’ll hold down the fort in the offices here in Boston while you’re gone. Don’t worry about that, kiddo.”
Any time his father used a nickname for Noah, it sounded false and hollow, like he was doing it just because he thought he should and not because it was something that came naturally to him. And the ‘kiddo’ at the end of that sentence was no different.
Noah and his father had never had a close relationship in that way, despite the fact that Noah had started to work alongside his father in their family real estate business right out of college. They could discuss market trends, financial reports, and risk management for hours, but it always felt much more awkward if they tried to discuss personal matters—so they mostly just didn’t.
He loved his father, even if the man was nearly impossible to impress. Which, of course, didn’t stop Noah from doing everything in his power to win the man’s approval. It had been like that his entire life.
“Thanks,” he said. “According to Hugh Brockton, the lawyer handling the will, I need to get to know the town. So I’ll have to spend some time doing that, whatever that means. But I can use the fact that I’ll be stuck here as an opportunity to try to win more support for the industrial complex as well.”
“Good. I trust that you’ll handle it,” his father answered before launching into the rest of what he’d called Noah to discuss.
Brett began filling Noah in on a few of their projects, and Noah suppressed a sigh over the fact that he couldn’t be there to see them all through to fruition. But his father definitely didn’t seem too bothered by the prospect of his extended absence, which Noah supposed was for the best.
When they finally ended the call, Noah let out a sigh. He was about to toss his cell phone on the bed so that he could finish unpacking, but before he could, the phone rang again. Assuming it was his father calling back to talk about something he’d forgotten, Noah didn’t even glance at the screen before answering and bringing the device to his ear.
“Yeah? What did you forget?” he asked.
“Oh.” The surprised sounding voice that came through the speaker definitely didn’t belong to Noah’s dad. “Uh, sorry to contact you so late. I was just calling to let you know that someone volunteered to be your guide in Snowy Pine Ridge, but if it’s a bad time, I can call back tomorrow.”
Noah pulled the phone away from his ear, quickly confirming who he suspected to be on the other line before answering.
“Sorry, Hugh,” he said apologetically, “I thought you were someone else. You said I have an official tour guide?”
“Yes, yes,” the lawyer confirmed in his deep voice. “I just got off the phone with her.”
Noah wasn’t sure why, but a small knot of apprehension began to stir in his gut as he asked, “I see. And who is this stand-up citizen who volunteered?”
He somehow knew instinctively the name that Hugh was going to say before the lawyer said it, but it didn’t stop the words from hitting him like a shock to the chest.
“It’s… well, it’s Mindy Harvey. She owns a small business here in town,” Hugh explained. “You may have noticed that she was a bit, uh, agitated when she showed up to the meeting today. I figured this could be a good opportunity for you to smooth things over.”
“Right.” Noah scrubbed a hand over his face. “Are you sure this is a good idea? I can just show myself around the town, can’t I?”
“Youcould,” the lawyer answered. “But it’s probably better to have someone local show you around. That way, there will be confirmation from a third party that you actually followed the requirements of your aunt’s will in good faith. I know that Ms. Harvey might seem like an odd fit for the job, but she’s clearly invested in showing you around. I think that will only help you in the end.”
Noah couldn’t think of a good reason to deny the offer, and he couldn’t decide whether or not he wanted to anyway. Part of him had perked up at the mention of Mindy’s name and the realization that he would see her again. It felt a bit like playing with fire, but he didn’t really have another option.
“Okay,” he said after a moment. “Mindy will be my tour guide.”
“Wonderful! I told her where you’re staying. She’ll be able to meet you at the hotel tomorrow after her bakery is closed for the day. I’ll confirm the definitive time with her and text it to you.”
“That sounds good.” Noah nodded, his thoughts racing. “Thank you, Hugh.”
The two men disconnected, and Noah tossed his phone onto the bed and blew out a long breath. Never in a million years would he have thought that Mindy would be the one who’d volunteer to show him around the town. He thought she’d made it pretty clear at the town hall meeting that she didn’t want anything to do with him.
But maybe that wasn’t the whole truth?
For a reason he couldn’t entirely understand, that thought made his heart skip a beat.
Shaking it off, Noah quickly finished unpacking, then settled onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He glanced out the window at the snow-covered streets outside, shaking his head ruefully.
Whether he’d planned on it or not, Snowy Pine Ridge was going to be his home for the next few weeks. Mindy Harvey, the only woman he’d ever loved, was going to be the one showing him around the town.
And hopefully, it wouldn’t all blow up in his face.
