“How did your husband die? Wade never told me.”
Reliving that moment never got any easier. “Heart attack. We were having a cookout with friends and he went inside to get more burgers and never came out. A friend went in to check on him and found him.”
Mack reached over and took her hand. “I’m sorry, Carly. I shouldn’t have asked. It must have been hard for you and Ella.”
“She was only three at the time, so she only has faint memories of him. I keep a picture in her room so she won’t forget what he looked like.” He’d been a wonderful father and husband. The perfect mate.
Thankfully they had arrived at the lodge. Carly got out and strode toward the lodge. Mack called her name, but she waved him off. “I’m going to check with Thelma. She has a list of things needing to be done in the lodge. We’ll get together later and prioritize.”
She could feel his gaze burning into her back. But she refused to get caught up in pointless sentiment and old memories. The goal was to get the lodge ready for the market. She was already thinking of how to photograph the areas to best advantage and upgrade the website to be more user-friendly.
The sooner she could attract a buyer, the sooner they could all go back to the way things were.
Dwayne was waiting in the golf cart shed when Mack pulled up. He came over and rested a hand on the cart’s roof. “Well, how did it go?”
Mack leaned back, resting his hands on his thighs. “I’m not sure.”
Dwayne chuckled. “That’s a nice clear answer.”
“I showed her everything, even the new trail Wade laid out for her. I guess I was expecting some sort of emotional reaction, but she was cool and detached the whole time.”
“That doesn’t sound like the girl I remember.”
Mack nodded in agreement. “I think she was surprised by the changes, but I can’t tell if she approved or not. She took some pictures.”
“Really? Why?”
“She said to use them on the website and in the real estate listings.”
“She’s that anxious to unload the place?”
Mack rubbed his forehead. “It’s like she can’t stand to even be at the lodge.”
“I’m not surprised. Her mama did a number on her. You know she refused to stay in Wade’s apartment.”
“Yeah. I noticed. How can she be so blind to what a wonderful man her father was?”
Dwayne adjusted his cap. “Maybe because someone else was standing between her and the truth.”
“Her mother. I get it. I don’t know what happened, but I remember the arguments. They were loud and hurtful.”
Dwayne shook his head. “That wasn’t the only thing going on, you know.”
“What else could there have been?”
The older man patted his shoulder. “You’ll have to work that out with Carly. And if I were you I’d let her know what you actually want out of this arrangement, because when she finds out you weren’t serious about selling and were only agreeing to buy time, she’ll explode. Carly has many of Wade’s good qualities, but she got some bad ones from her mother—an explosive temper and the ability to carry a grudge. Especially when it involves someone she cares about.”
Mack made his way back to the lodge trying to decipher the things Dwayne had said. He’d had the feeling his friend was trying to tell him something important without actually saying it, which was very uncharacteristic of him. He was usually a straight-talking kind of guy.
Whatever had happened between Wade and his wife had been enough to turn Carly against her dad. Which made no sense because she’d always worshipped him, following him around, helping with all the work around the lodge. Her pride in the lodge had been inspiring.
Mack walked up the steps to the front porch, Riley trotting happily beside him as his escort. A glance at his watch reminded him that it was nearly time for a call from his sister. Inside the lodge he looked for Lucy. Thelma glanced up from the registration desk and smiled.
“Lucy and Ella are on the swings out back. I think that’s their new favorite spot.”
The girls had hit it off and Mack was grateful. The last six months had been hard on his niece, losing her grandma, her mom, coming to live with him, then moving to Hastings and meeting more strangers. He wasn’t sure how beneficial a call from Val would be, but it was the only thing his sister insisted on.
Mack stopped at the deck railing and watched the girls pushing the swing to the limits as they sang a song. He had no idea what it was, but Lucy had sung it often. Before he could call to his niece, Carly stepped onto the deck. The sunlight brought out the highlights in her brown hair.
She smiled as she watched the girls. “Ella has really bonded with your niece. I’m glad she has a friend here. Longleaf is very different from what she’s used to.”
“She seems to be adapting okay.”
“I’m surprised. She’s usually so shy, but things are different now.”
“Things?”
Carly broke eye contact and called out to her daughter. Ella pouted. She was a cute kid.
“Lucy—” he held up his phone “—it’s about time.”
Lucy jumped off the swing and ran toward him. “We’ll play later, Ella.”
She hugged her uncle, and he turned and steered her into the house and found a quiet corner to wait for the phone call. Lucy held the cell like a lifeline, never taking her eyes from the screen.
Mack settled onto the couch, trying to quell the rising tension in his chest. These moments were always so difficult. Lucy would become excited to talk to her mom, only to fall into deep sadness when it was over, and he was left to comfort her. He always felt like a failure and out of his depth on how to help.
His ringtone sounded, and Lucy punched the button before it finished. She sank onto the floor and spoke softly into the phone, her face aglow. He’d always loved his niece, and being her guardian had increased that tenfold. He had embraced the feeling and the responsibility. Now he would be lost without her. She meant everything to him, and he wanted to give her the world and protect her from any unhappiness. More than anything he wanted her to have a home.
When the phone call was over, Lucy sat with the phone in her lap, her eyes glassy with tears and her lips quivering. He braced himself for what was to come. Without a word he opened his arms and said her name. She jumped up and threw herself into his lap. He held her close as she cried.
“I want Mommy to come home.”
“I know, sweetie, I know.” He kissed her head and prayed for peace for her little broken heart.
As if sensing the child’s mood, Petunia came to the couch and jumped up, thrusting her furry head under Lucy’s arm. The warm puppy momentarily stopped the tears.
Ella strolled into the room, then hurried out calling for her mom. Mack didn’t have time to deal with Carly right now. Lucy was crying again. One hand gripped his shirt and the other hugged the little dog.
By the time Carly did enter the room, Lucy was regaining her composure. She had downgraded to sniffles, and her death grip on his shirt had eased.
Carly met his gaze, her expression asking if there was anything she could do. He made a slight movement of his head.
Ella broke away from her mom and came