Chapter 30
30
“That doesn’t sound like Frankie,” Abe commented, grabbing a plate as they made their way through the bustling buffet line at the town's Christmas Eve party in the lodge, his expression thoughtful.
“No way she’s getting back together with that guy, Ethan Lucas,” Chris quipped, snagging a fork as they continued down the line, filling their plates, his tone laced with disbelief.
Nick frowned. “What could she possibly see in a guy with two first names like that?”
Joe paused mid-step, shaking his head. “Two first names?”
“Yeah,” Nick nodded as if that explained everything. “Ethan. Lucas.”
Joe sighed, his grip tightening around his plate. “I heard her. She said she’d cherish the memories, but she left for a reason.”
Chris wasn’t convinced. “I don’t buy it.”
As they moved through the crowd, plates in hand, the four men reached the towering Christmas tree in the corner, its twinkling lights casting a soft glow across the room. Townspeople mingled, oblivious to the weight of the conversation Joe, Chris, Nick, and Abe were having as they stepped aside to talk.
“Neither do I,” Nick agreed, shaking his head.
Joe’s brow furrowed as he shifted his plate. “I heard her myself.”
Chris gave him a pointed look. “Yeah, well, maybe you heard wrong. Did you ask her?”
Joe faltered, glancing away. “No. I... left.”
Abe, already shaking his head, looked at Joe in disbelief. “So, she didn’t even know you were there. You didn’t tell her your news...”
Joe ran a hand through his hair, frustration building. “Which is why I’m inclined to believe she meant what she said.”
Abe leaned in slightly, his voice softer now. “Did it ever occur to you that perhaps she was referring to the city and her life there?”
Joe blinked, hesitating for the first time. “Well, no. But her whole life is there. Why would she leave everything she worked for just to come back to Bethlehem Falls?”
Chris, Nick, and Abe exchanged exasperated looks, all shaking their heads at him.
“He still doesn’t see it,” Chris muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
Joe frowned, confused. “See what?”
Nick chuckled, but his tone was more serious than playful. “She didn’t want us to sell. She built an incredible business plan and strategy to keep us here.”
Chris nodded, eyes fixed on Joe. “And it worked. We’re all coming home.”
Joe’s eyes widened as he processed that. “You don’t think she...”
Chris shrugged, his voice calm and confident. “I can work from anywhere. So can Nick. Maybe Frankie can, too.”
Joe’s gaze drifted to the window, lost in thought.
Nick threw up his hands. “He still doesn’t get it. We’re coming home, Joe. Maybe she is, too.”
Abe’s voice softened again, nudging Joe toward the obvious. “Ask her, son. What have you got to lose?”
Joe muttered under his breath, mostly to himself. “Ask her.”
Suddenly, determination sparked in his eyes, and he looked at the group. “I need to go. I need to find her.”
He set his plate down and pushed through the crowd, weaving his way toward the exit.
Abe cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered after him, “The cabin! Check the cabin!”