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“What do you think?” Evan asks proudly, standing next to me.
“You’ve done it, man. You’re carrying on your family legacy. Richard would be so proud.”
Evan’s dad, Richard, passed away a few years back. Goldie let me know in a letter, and I was devastated for Evan. I can’t imagine losing my dad. I know coming back and taking over the inn after he passed has been rough on Evan. Then, when he came back, Hamilton McGraw tried to take the inn from him by manipulating the bank. He ended up getting fired for that. But that probably only freed up more time to manipulate through other ways around town. Like he’s doing now.
“Thanks.” He smiles sadly, then says to lighten the mood, “We did have some fun out here, didn’t we?”
I look at the ancient beat-up tractor that’s more like a pile of rust at this point than a tractor. “Is this the same tractor we accidentally put in your pond?”
“Yeah.” Evan smiles wryly. “My dad was so pissed.”
“Yeah, my dad was too. He had to come fish it out and get it running again for Richard.” I laugh at the memory that is funny now but wasn’t at the time. We got in so much trouble for that, but it was just kid stuff. The inn was a safe place for all of us kids, including Callie. Callie.I wonder if she’s been out here to the inn and if she’ll be at the fall festival. We always used to go together. I wonder if I could get her to go with me this year. To spend time withher, get to know the new version of her, and show her how muchI’vechanged. I’m a different man, who just so happens to love her exactly the same. That’s been the only constant in my life, it seems. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and I love Callie McGraw.
I open Evan’s toolbox and find what I need, and after about an hour and a half and one trip to the auto parts store, the tractor is up and running. As good as it’s going to get for the pile of rust that it is.
Evan stacks straw bales in the corner of the barn and turns to me. “I hope you planned on staying for dinner because everyone will be disappointed if you aren’t,” Evan says as he hands me a bottle of water.
“Sure, thanks.” I take a swig and set the bottle back down.
“Want to play football with us, Coach?” Caleb asks, holding a football up that’s comically huge in his tiny hands.
“We’d better get to practicing if you’re going to be future Eagles.” I hold up my hands to catch the ball.
“Yeah!” both boys cheered.
After we tossed the ball for a while, they got bored and wandered off to play on their playset. Evan leans in from his Adirondack chair beside mine and says, “How are you really doing?” His forehead crinkles with worry, and I know he’s wondering how my mental health is doing. He’s one of the few people I allow into my bubble, and he has been there for me.
“I’m okay,” I say firmly. And I mean it. I really am.
“Don’t bullshit me,” he hedges, a small smile on his face letting me know we’re keeping this light and he’s just checking in on me.
Nodding, I sigh. “The truth is, I finally feel like I have the fire back in me. It’s a good feeling.”
“And Callie’s the match?” Evan smirks.
“Very funny.” I snort. But Evan is exactly right.
“Everything good with football?”
“Still waiting to hear something. It’s frustrating. When I started volunteer coaching, Coach Murphy told me that I would be a shoo-in for this position, but to be honest, I’m not sure it’s going to happen. With my past reputation and history here, I just don’t know. A lot of people in this town don’t respect me or seem to think I’m capable of stepping in Coach Murphy’s shoes.”
“You’ve done more than you’re giving yourself credit for. More people are rooting for you to get that job than you realize,” Evan hedges. “And you’re a great guy. Everyone who matters knows that. And if they don’t, that’s their problem, not yours.”
“Thanks. I’m tired of Hamilton McGraw thinking he runs this town, and it has to stop.”
“I agree.” He nods. “That’s why we have to fight back. This is our town now. We’re going to make sure that it stops and this town is protected.”
“You can count on that. I’m not backing down,” I promise.
“I’m so proud of you. Glad you’re back.”
“Proud of you, too. You’ve got a beautiful family and inn here. You deserve this. You’ve been a good friend, and I won’t forget how you were there for me when I came back.”
“You deserve this, too, you know.” Evan looks over at me. “And you’d have done the same thing for me.”
“The only person I want this with doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“You sure about that?”
