Chapter 25
Jonah avoided the resort until Sunday afternoon. He knew Lauren well enough to realize she needed space. Even after two days
he still wasn’t sure how he’d be received. That was how he found himself in the lodge, straightening the brochures, adding
oil to door hinges, and vacuuming the floor.
His truck was in the lot. If she wanted to seek him out, she could. If not... the lodge could stand a little extra attention.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned and found his mom staring at him as if he had three heads. He flipped off the vacuum, ushering in silence. “What’s
wrong?”
“What are you doing in here? I told Lauren you’d come help her. Didn’t you see how many guests signed up for the pumpkin carving?”
Jonah glanced out the window though he couldn’t see the pavilion from here. So close yet so far. He remembered the anger sparking
in Lauren’s eyes on Friday. The flaring of her nostrils. The tears trickling down her cheeks. “Maybe you should help her.”
Mom crossed her arms and pinned him with a gaze that made him squirm. “Funny, she said the same thing. What happened between
you two? You were getting along so well.”
“Lauren found out she gave up the job in Boston.”
Mom’s eyes lit. “She remembered?”
“No, she called Olivia.”
“Oh.” Mom’s brows pressed together. “I guess she was pretty upset about it.”
“An understatement. I should’ve told her right away.” He’d been beating himself up all weekend. “Now she hates me.”
Mom put her hand on his arm. “Oh, honey. I’m sure that’s not true. She’s just angry. It’ll pass. At least she didn’t leave.”
“That’s only because she may still have a shot at the position. She’s waiting to hear from Olivia.”
“That’s great. Or not. Oh, phooey, I don’t know what to hope for anymore.”
Jonah had battled the same emotions all weekend. “If that job is what she most desires, then that’s what I want.” As much
as he longed for her, he wanted her to have whatever made her happy—even if it wasn’t him.
Mom squeezed his arm. “Don’t give up on her, sweetheart. You made her happy before—you can make her happy again.”
He’d thought so initially. He wasn’t so sure anymore. “I’d love that, Mom, but it takes two people to make a relationship,
and half of us don’t want that anymore.”
“There must be something we can do. Can’t we help her get her memory back? Therapy or hypnosis or something?”
He’d done plenty of research. “There are psychotherapies and cognitive behavioral therapies that can help. And yes, even hypnosis
can be effective. So can looking at pictures and experiencing familiar smells and sounds. But all of these require a patient
who actually wants to access those memories—and that’s not Lauren.”
Mom’s eyes tightened in a wince. “I’m sorry this is happening to you guys. I keep praying her memory will return.”
“You and me both.”
His mom regarded him with sympathy for a long moment. “Well, how’s school going? Are you enjoying your ethics class?”
“It’s fine. My grades are good. Just two months left.” He didn’t know what he hoped she would say. Maybe something confirming
he’d fulfilled his end of the bargain and she knew he was the right person for the job.
“I’m glad it’s going well.” She glanced out the window and frowned. “Are you sure you don’t wanna assist Lauren? It might
help clear the air between you.”
“I think she’d prefer if I didn’t. Besides, these floors won’t sweep themselves.”
“I’ll go on out then. If you change your mind, you’re welcome to join us.”
A moment later Mom slipped out the door and Jonah turned the vacuum back on, letting the loud drone of the motor drown out
his melancholy thoughts.
***
The day was perfect for carving pumpkins. Too bad Lauren wasn’t in the mood. She was a professional, though, and made sure
none of the guests knew she’d rather crawl into bed and pull the covers over her head. Jonah was on property somewhere—she’d
seen his truck in the lot over an hour ago. But he had yet to seek her out.
“Those are great eyes, Mia,” Lauren told the eight-year-old girl working alongside her father. “Very scary.”
“I’m making a friendly jack-o’-lantern,” her brother said.
“I love his smile,” Lauren said.
“Miss Lauren, can you help me with these ears?” Janae asked. “They’re too pointy.”
“Of course.” Lauren moved down the table and assisted the tweenager. All the while her gaze kept darting toward the lodge where Tammy had disappeared minutes ago, seeking Jonah. With any luck he’d be busy studying or something.
But Lauren was running pretty low on luck these days. And after their confrontation on Friday, Jonah would probably jump at
the chance to help her. He’d made himself scarce this weekend and she was glad for that. She was still angry.
Then there was the anxiety over the job at Glitter. She might hear from Olivia as soon as tomorrow.
At the sound of a closing door, Lauren glanced toward the lodge. It was just Tammy heading back toward the pavilion. When
their eyes met, the woman’s smile faltered.
So Jonah had told her about their argument—and apparently turned down the chance to help Lauren. Just as well. Maybe Tammy
would stop trying to force the two of them together. If Lauren didn’t know better, she’d think Tammy orchestrated the whole
trapper’s cabin episode.
The whole family knew she’d given up her future position and none of them had told her. Lauren couldn’t help feeling betrayed
and also a little stupid because she’d had no clue. But it had been Jonah who’d made that call. That was the only thing that
kept Lauren from being upset with the whole family.
They’d been so good to her after her accident. And really, how could she blame them for trying to protect Jonah’s heart after
she’d inadvertently stomped all over it? She was perfectly happy to let Jonah absorb all the blame on this one.
Tammy joined the group and assisted the guests, which kept them both busy for twenty minutes or so. Then they found themselves
working side by side.
“I’m so sorry about the job, honey,” Tammy whispered.
“Are you?” One glance into the woman’s puppy-dog eyes and Lauren regretted her harsh tone.
“Oh, sweetheart. As much as I’d love to keep you here forever, I want what’s best for you even more.”
The woman’s authenticity made Lauren feel small and petty. In all the weeks she could remember, Tammy—the whole family, really—had
been nothing but kind and gracious. Lauren’s background had made her distrustful and cynical. It hadn’t been as obvious in
Boston as it was here in this small town where people were so nice and accepting.
She glanced at Tammy. The woman had been more of a mom to Lauren than her own mother had been. It wasn’t nothing. “I appreciate
that, Tammy.”
Her arm circled Lauren’s waist. “You know, honey, I’d be happy to put in a good word for you with Olivia. She owes me one—the
debt goes all the way back to college, and I’ve just been waiting for the chance to collect on it.”
Lauren’s heart seized at the thought of securing that position. Surely if Olivia was on the fence about Lauren, she’d listen
to her friend. With one simple phone conversation, Lauren’s dream job could be salvaged. It was so tempting. And yet...
Lauren cleared her throat. “Thank you, Tammy. I appreciate the thought. But if I get that job, I want it to be on my own merits.”
Tammy’s eyes shone with something like pride as her lips tipped up in a smile. “Very admirable. You’re a fine young woman,
Lauren, and an excellent manager. She’d be crazy to turn you down.”
“Miss Tammy, I can’t make the teeth look right.”
“Well, let’s see what we can do about that.” Tammy gave Lauren one last squeeze, then moved around the table to help the younger
girls.
Tammy’s beaming smile and vitality added a wonderful energy to the affair. And her generous affection with every guest was
heartwarming. If she was a little overbearing sometimes, Lauren could forgive that.
She realized belatedly that in offering to rescue Lauren’s job, Tammy would’ve ended up hurting her own son. Did she care that much for Lauren? How was that even possible when her own mother had left her so easily? She wasn’t sure she understood that kind of sacrificial love.
The rest of the event Lauren went through the motions, but she struggled to tame her troubling thoughts.