Chapter 44 Zandra
FORTY-FOUR
Zandra
It was a crisp, early-autumn day when I stepped into the Silver Ridge Cemetery.
Not many of the aspens had changed yet, so their leaves were still vivid green, quaking with the breeze. It wasn’t hard to find Jessa’s headstone. Even though I hadn’t been here in over a decade and a half, I still remembered.
When I reached her grave, I sat on the grass in front of it and placed a bouquet of daisies at the base of the stone.
“Hey, Jess. Sorry it took me so long to get here.”
Over a week had passed since that night at the creek with Winnie.
Since I’d finally learned the truth. Callum hadn’t left my side for more than a few minutes.
We’d stayed home mostly, in his bedroom.
I still technically had the room next door, but at least half my stuff had migrated to Callum’s by now.
I smiled as I pulled my braid over my shoulder, wrapping the end of it around my hand.
“Callum and I are so in love it’s disgusting.
My teenage self would be gagging at us. He’s been giving me some more cooking lessons.
We made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies the other day, and you wouldn’t believe the mess we made. ”
Of course, I had a lot more to fill her in on.
Most of it less pleasant. I stretched my legs out on the grass.
“Ian’s still in the county jail, but I heard through Dixie Haines that he’s probably going to accept a plea deal for a lesser charge than attempted robbery and false imprisonment.
Saves me from having to testify. He’ll probably serve a few months in jail, and then I hope he heads back to Chicago and forgets he knows me. ”
My nose scrunched up as I thought of Tommy Pickering. “Dixie also told us Tommy’s going to be charged for blackmailing Paula about Leo. It’s been too long to charge him for the blackmail in high school, but at least it’s something. My real question is, how does Dixie find out these things?”
I pulled at a loose thread on my jeans as I next told Jessa about Leo and her mom.
I was pretty confident Paula wouldn’t be charged criminally for the fire at Hearthstone.
For now, she was in a hospital still being assessed.
My heart ached when I thought of everything Jessa’s family had gone through because of Winnie.
“Your brother is probably going to serve time for that bar fight and skipping bail. When I talked to him a few days ago, he was completely stunned by what Winnie confessed. Probably even more than I was. But at least he knows the truth now. He’s going to share it with your mom, if he feels like she’s ready to hear it. She’s getting help now.”
I rested a hand on the smooth stone, right below Jessa’s name. I’d wondered if Paula and Leo would find more solace if Winnie were charged for Jessa’s death. But that sounded unlikely, given that it had been so many years and would be so hard to prove she’d meant to kill Jessa.
Winnie would be serving prison time for my attempted murder, though, if a jury found her guilty. The district attorney was not going to be making any deals.
“And then there’s Russ. He came by yesterday.
First time I’ve seen him since he told me he was your crush.
He really cared about you, and he’s been holding that in for all this time.
Along with his guilt. I told him you wouldn’t want him to feel that way.
For what it’s worth, I think you guys would’ve been sweet together. ”
There was one more thing I had to say. Though it made a lump gather in my throat.
“I reread my diary. It reminded me of so many great times we had together. I love you so much, Jessa, and I promise, I will never forget you. Friends forever.”
I’d dried my last tears by the time I made it to the cemetery gate. Callum was waiting for me there, holding a single small sunflower. He’d offered to come visit Jessa’s headstone with me, but this time, I had needed to do it by myself.
Without a word, he pulled me into a hug, tucking the sunflower behind my ear. We stayed just like that for a full minute.
Then he pulled back, and he started walking me toward his truck. “I hate to rush you, but if I don’t, we’ll be late. I know you hate that.”
“Two or three minutes at the most. I’m sure Grandpa will survive.”
“But will we?” Callum muttered.
When we arrived at Hearthstone, Grandpa was waiting by the hostess stand, leaning on his walker. “About damn time! You two might think you have all the time in the world, but I don’t. Could’ve had a heart attack and been resuscitated in the time I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Papi,” Rosie scolded. “That’s not true.”
“Sorry, Manny,” Callum said cheerfully, not sounding remotely sorry.
“Well, come on, sit down. Let’s get this done.” Grandpa led the way into the dining room and sat at one of the long tables. Callum and I took chairs across from him. From deeper in the building, construction noise buzzed in the background.
“I’ll just be over here,” Rosie sing-songed. “Waiting to be your ride home, Pop.”
“This is a business meeting, daughter of mine. I’ll ask you not to interrupt.”
“Fine, I’ll go sit quietly at the bar.” Rosie snickered and gave me a look. I smiled back.
Grandpa cleared his throat, and I snapped to attention.
“This meeting was delayed for unfortunate reasons that we all know. But Zandra, you’ve assured me you feel up to it.”
“I do. I’m eager to hear your decision.” Then I reached for Callum’s hand under the table. “We’re eager to hear it,” I corrected.
“Yep,” Callum said. “Hit us with it, boss.”
I’d already told Grandpa I wanted him to consider Callum for the general manager job, regardless of anything Callum had said. And I’d also shared that with my boyfriend too, because I hadn’t been trying to go behind his back.
Whatever happened, whichever of us Grandpa chose as general manager, I would be fine with it.
But still, I sucked in a breath and held it as Grandpa glanced between us, his face unreadable.
“You must’ve figured it out by now, haven’t you? My decision?”
“No,” I sputtered. “I have no idea what you’re going to say.”
Callum shrugged. “Me neither.”
“Even I’ve guessed it,” Rosie said, drifting over from the bar area.
“Want to fill us in?” I asked tightly.
Grandpa huffed. “I mean, come on. I’m choosing both of you! You’ll be co-general managers.”
My head turned to the side, meeting Callum’s shocked gaze beside me, along with his toothy grin.
“Even before I knew you were dating, I was going to choose both of you. Also before your email bowing out of the running, Callum, which I had decided to ignore. That made a lot more sense after I learned how you feel about Zandra, by the way. But the two of you have worked well together almost since the beginning. Everyone at Hearthstone said you had things running better than ever. After I got over being offended at that, I realized what it meant.”
“Which is?” Callum asked.
Grandpa shifted on the wooden chair. “At the risk of sounding sentimental… I realized you two remind me of Julia and I.”
“My grandmother,” I whispered to Callum.
“Zandra, your nana and I ran Hearthstone together for many years. We were an ideal team. I think you and Callum could be the same. That comparison fit all the more after you revealed your relationship.” His expression darkened.
“Just don’t screw it up. Either my brewpub or your relationship.
Hurt my granddaughter, Callum, and losing your job will be the least of your worries. Don’t make me regret this.”
Callum leaned over to kiss my cheek, then looked back at my grandfather. “I’m going to take good care of Zandra, sir. And Hearthstone. We both will.”
While Grandpa went to harass the construction workers about the repairs, Callum slipped behind the bar. “Can I get you ladies a drink? I think we need to celebrate.”
The bottles were underneath a sheet of plastic, but Callum reached beneath to grab one.
He selected a few shot glasses from a low shelf and poured us each a shot of whiskey.
The bar top was dusty under our elbows, but none of us cared.
I coughed as the whiskey went down. My throat was much better now after the smoke from the fire, but not a hundred percent.
Rosie, on the other hand? She tipped back her shot like it was water and tapped the rim for another. Callum poured it, then aimed a glance my way.
I knew exactly what he was thinking.
Reaching into my purse, I pulled out a small gift box and set it on the bar. “We bought something for you, Auntie.”
She downed her second shot and set the glass down with a thump. “For me? How sweet of you, Baby-Z! Whatever for?”
“For letting me stay with you. And generally being amazing.”
“I picked it out,” Callum added, bouncing on his toes. “Can’t wait for you to open it.”
Rosie opened the lid of the box. I’d expected a laugh or a shout or something, but instead her eyes glistened as she lifted the ceramic figurine from the styrofoam cushion.
“It’s perfect! How on earth did you know?”
Callum smirked. “Lucky guess.”
We’d found it at a gift shop a couple days ago, when we’d ventured beyond Callum’s bedroom and into the world. I’d needed my pistachio latte fix from Silver Linings. The gift shop had been just down the block, and Callum had pulled me in after spotting a bunch of tchotchkes with sunflowers on them.
Then, we’d seen the gnomes.
Rosie held up her new figurine. Two gnomes in pointy hats, one with bright red curls, the other with a grizzled black beard. They were holding hands. It was downright eerie how much they looked like Rosie and Jimmy.
“This is just the sweetest.” She wiped her eyes. I squeezed her arm.
“You and Jimmy have been great to me. Callum and I are getting our own place at some point, and when we do, you’re welcome any time. Also, Chloe would love to see her favorite auntie and uncle.”
“Oh, Baby-Z.” She threw her arms around me. “And you don’t even know the big news yet!”
“What news?” I asked.
“We’re getting married! I asked Jimmy just last night, and he said yes.”
“Rosie, congratulations!”
Callum whooped and grabbed the whiskey bottle. “This calls for another round.”
“What’s all the racket?” Grandpa was making his way toward us. “What’re you doing drinking my booze?”
“We’re celebrating,” Rosie said defiantly. “Callum, pour my father a shot too. He needs one.”
Grandpa grumbled. “Celebrating what? It’ll be another month before Hearthstone can open again. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Especially my new co-general managers.”
“We’re celebrating because love wins!” Rosie shouted.
After that, it was only natural for us to call Jimmy and the rest of our friends and family to come to Hearthstone for an impromptu engagement party.
We dusted off more of the tables, Grandpa begrudgingly let us break out more of the alcohol, and Rosie dashed over to the market for some pre-made party trays.
I wound up behind the bar with Callum, pouring shots one handed so I could keep my arm around him.
“So, co-general managers,” he said in my ear. “We’ll be spending a lot of time together.”
“True.”
“I can think of a few ways to make that time more enjoyable. A benefits arrangement, if you will.”
“Callum O’Neal, are you propositioning me? Your coworker?”
“Good thing you love me.”
“I do. I love you, co-general manager.”
Because love wins.