“That was Sonia’s side of the story. I always told Wade he should have fought for joint custody, but he thought Carly would be better off with her mom.”
Lucy came in from the backyard. “Uncle Mack, is that little girl and her mom coming here to live? It would be nice to have a friend to play with.”
“I’m not sure, kiddo. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Car doors slamming drew everyone’s attention. The lodge door opened, and Carly and Ella entered, stopping inside the entrance. Carly slowly surveyed the large main room, and from the expression on her face, Mack’s hopes began to deflate.
Having Carly in his life again was going to be more awkward than he’d expected. He had wondered if seeing her once more would have any effect on him, and it had. The old attraction was stirring to life again. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, though much of the sparkle she used to exude was missing now. One thing he couldn’t deny was that seeing her back in the lodge felt right.
“Welcome home.”
She met his gaze, her brown eyes hard and determined. “My home is in Atlanta.”
His last thread of hope vanished. He’d envisioned a new beginning for them, and a return to the old friendship they’d shared. Getting Carly to remember how happy she’d been at Longleaf Lodge might be a bigger task than he’d anticipated.
From the look on her face, she had no warm memories of the lodge, and if that was true then his hopes of keeping the place and providing a real home for his niece were slim. For the first time in sixty years, the Longleaf Lodge might not be in the Porter family.
And that broke his heart.
* * *
Carly was keenly aware of the intense stare Mack was sending in her direction, and she tried to ignore her fluttering pulse. His blue gaze had always had an unsettling effect on her, and she wasn’t pleased to find that it still had the power to elevate her heart rate. Her gaze traveled around the large open room that was the heart of the lodge. The place hadn’t changed at all. Three large leather sofas were positioned in front of the tall stone fireplace. A wagon wheel light fixture hung overhead. Floor-to-ceiling windows at the far end of the room looked out onto the beauty of Lake Hope with comfy furniture arranged to take in the view.
For a brief moment she remembered her days as a child when she had found so much joy and comfort within the large log lodge. But that was long ago, before her world had fractured.
Dwayne stepped forward, arms outstretched. “Welcome back, Cupcake.”
Her heart warmed at the old nickname, because that was her favorite dessert, and his wife, Thelma, made the best ones. She accepted his hug willingly. The Thompsons were the only bright light in this trip back to Hastings.
“It’s so good to see you again. Ella, this is Mr. Dwayne, a very old friend.”
Ella smiled up at him. “Why do you call her Cupcake?”
Thelma hurried across the room from the direction of the west wing, where the owner’s apartment was located. “Because she couldn’t get enough cupcakes as a little girl.” Thelma hugged her and placed her hands on Carly’s cheeks, her eyes moist as she looked at her. “It’s so good to have you back. We’ve missed you.” She transferred her attention to Ella. “And look at this sweet thing. You look just like your mama did when she was little.”
“Can I have a nickname, too?”
“Of course. What’s your favorite snack?”
“Cookies.”
“Then that’ll be your pet name. Cookie.”
Ella nodded and smiled. “We’re Cupcake and Cookie, that’s cool.”
Lucy entered the room and hurried toward the new arrivals. “Hi. I’m Lucy. You wanna come play with me on the swing set?”
Ella glanced up at her with a hopeful face. How could she refuse? Besides, she needed to run off some energy after the long drive to Mississippi.
“Go ahead, sweetie. But don’t wander off. Stay close by.”
The girls dashed toward the back door as Thelma slipped her arm in Carly’s and led her toward the hall off the registration desk. “I have the apartment all ready for you and Ella. All your daddy’s things have been packed up and stored for when you’re ready to go through them.”
Carly stopped in her tracks. There was no way she was going to stay in her father’s home—the section of the lodge that had been designed for her family. Too many bad memories. “No. We’ll just stay in one of the guest rooms. We won’t be here that long.” She slanted a glance at Mack, who had been standing at the desk silently, studying her with his piercing blue eyes filled with confusion and a bit of disgust, no doubt. Her only goal now was to convince Mack to sell the property as quickly as possible. Surely he had a life elsewhere?
Thelma exchanged looks with her husband. “Well, of course, dear. Right this way.” Thelma led her to the other side of the lodge, settling her in the corner room with the best view. No memories here.
“Well, I’ll let you get settled. You know where everything is, but if you need anything you let me know.”
She gave the woman another hug. Dwayne and Thelma had been the two constants in her life. The dear aunt and uncle she’d never had. Her dad was always busy running the campgrounds and keeping the place in order. Her mom used to manage the lodge but stopped when things became strained between her and Carly’s father. Dwayne and Thelma, however, had never changed.
“I was sorry to hear about your husband.”
“Thank you. I miss him.” No more than at this moment. Troy always knew the right thing to do.
It took her only a few moments to unpack the few belongings she’d brought. If they were going to stay here for any length of time she’d have to go shopping soon. Her gaze drifted to the large window that looked out over the lake and the long sloping lawn. Age-old oaks, sweetgums and longleaf pines, for which the lodge took its name, swayed in the late-spring breeze. Farther along the back, tucked in a pine grove, was a small worship center.
A yard swing hanging from the branch of a massive live oak at the edge of the water was still there. Swings were a symbol of the lodge. Her dad had them everywhere. They were on each porch around the main lodge; each campground had a swing, and picnic tables and swings were scattered around the pool area. There was a private one on their apartment porch. But the one by the water had always been her favorite. Her dad said swings were the perfect place to think, reflect and relax.
And now two little girls were enjoying the swing set her father had built for her closer to the lodge. Lucy, with her curly blond hair and blue eyes, and Ella, her brown-eyed, brown-haired treasure. It was nice to see her daughter with a friend. She’d been without any for a long while.
Stepping into the hall, she glanced up to see Mack at the top of the stairs. She braced for a barrage of questions about her not staying in her dad’s rooms. He wouldn’t understand her feelings. He had always been her dad’s ally.
“Your daughter is adorable.”
His comment caught her off guard. “Thank you. She’s my whole life.”
“I understand that now more than ever.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m Lucy’s guardian. She came to live with me six months ago. I’ve had a steep learning curve on fatherhood.”
Mack, a dad? She hadn’t expected that. She’d assumed he was watching his niece, not raising her, though she remembered he’d always been good with the kids who came to the lodge and campgrounds. “Where’s Valerie?”
He took a long moment to respond, and she could tell by