Chapter 56
Chapter Fifty-Six
I n the days between hospital shifts, Finn drove back to Evers Hollow. He stayed with Rose in the cottage while they continued to heal both mentally and physically from their respective injuries.
The cottage on the Briar House estate looked and felt different now.
Less like Rose. Maybe it was the boxes she’d stacked in the entryway that hadn’t moved because of the fire.
Perhaps it was the absence of pieces of furniture he’d helped move to the big house before the fire.
Some were lost in the blaze. Those that survived awaited professional cleaning from smoke damage.
Finn’s nightmares hadn’t gone away. Recurring, they were a mix of the past and present.
Some nights he was on the landing over the stairs, opening his eyes and watching his Evie fall.
Others, he dreamt of Lady and the barn fire.
On the stairs, sometimes he lost Rose to the swirl of flames below; sometimes they both fell.
The barn fire one remained the same every time.
He’d been in Asheville this past week, working, transitioning back to full time as the distance from that horrible night lengthened. He realized his apartment wasn’t a home; he’d missed waking up beside Rose. Yet he had over a year left of his residency.
He wanted to spend forever with her. He saw the rest of their lives together. Children, hopefully, a dog or two. And moments of rescuing her in the rose garden. She’d snagged a pair of cargo pants last week before he’d left for Asheville.
“It’s not my fault. The wind did it, sent the branches right into me.”
Funny how the roses stayed still while he unstuck her from their barbs.
A curse came from the bedroom. Doc Mason insisted she continue to use a leg brace and had prescribed her physical therapy.
He found her seated on the edge of the bed, fastening the plastic buckles around her leg.
Unlike the rest of the cottage, her bedroom still looked like her. Multiple pillows leaned against the headboard. A stack of books sat on her nightstand. She stood as she wound a hair band around the long braid of her hair.
“I’m ready. Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“No.” Finn pulled out his phone, typed a brief text and hit send.
His nightmares drove him to make this phone call.
These past weeks, he and Rose talked about her birth story, and the lack of information around it. Finn wanted answers for her.
Despite her recovery progress, she seemed off kilter. It wasn’t just her leg, or the obsession one man carried for her. Nor was it the fact that she’d lost someone vital to her life.
Rose didn’t like unfinished puzzles. Her birth story was one of them, the identity of her father another. Her childhood drive to find answers hadn’t diminished, but she needed the next clue.
The question of Rose’s birth father was one of those.
Together, they locked up the cottage and climbed into his SUV. She held the cane Simi loaned her. He could tell she was trying not to use it.
Before he buckled his seatbelt, she asked, “Are we going to another birthday party?”
If only. Two weeks had passed since he’d driven her to Landon’s eighth birthday party. Rose had taken to the little boy along with Dare, Kendra, and the twins. The hug Kendra gave her implied the family felt the same. They’d left with promises to get together in the future.
He said, “We’re meeting someone.” He didn’t want to say who. She’d talk him out of it.
Finn left the gravel drive and turned toward town. As they passed Cracked Egg Cafe, he spotted The Elders inside, at their usual spot by the front window.
They reached the north edge of town, passing the turnout for the newer subdivisions. He took a right onto Cemetery Road. Almost bare trees whipped by his vehicle. Fallen leaves swirled around them, curve after curve. He slowed, took a steep, paved driveway up and parked when it leveled off.
A squarish split-level cabin stood in front of them, likely built in the fifties. Yellowed wood planks covered the outside. A short wooden staircase led to a green door. Finn stayed in the car, hoping they wouldn’t have to wait long. A glance at his phone gave him his answer.
“Who lives here?”
“Patience.” His eyes turned to the rearview mirror.
Minutes later, another set of tires came in behind him. An old pickup pulled into a carport off to the side. Finn got out.
Rose followed, eyes curious.
Finn moved to her side, clasped her face in his hands, and kissed her gently before putting an arm around her. Her leg may have improved, but she still needed TLC.
A tall figure in a barn coat climbed out of the pickup.
Finn’s arm tightened around her when her steps faltered.
“Hal?” She looked at Finn. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t we go to the cafe?”
Hal motioned toward the front door. “Come on in.” He held the door, motioned toward the table. Rose sat.
Finn moved a chair so she could elevate her leg if needed. He knew he hovered, but he needed to.
Hal closed the door and hung his coat up. “I’ll make some coffee.” He moved past them into a hallway kitchen. “Make yourselves at home.”
Paneled walls the color of honey stood behind a sagging burnt orange couch along one wall. Embroidered pillows sat at either end. A dark brown recliner sat catty-corner to it. Framed photos of wildlife hung on the wall. A few more of Hal and his wife sat on the mantle of a stone fireplace.
Hal pulled out three mugs from a cabinet while the coffee maker percolated on the counter.
He set a cracked yellow sugar bowl and a can of powdered creamer on the table.
Rose sat quietly, looking around the room.
The yellow and maroon wallpaper looked from another time. His mom would have liked the yellow.
Hal filled the mugs, then folded his tall frame onto one of the wooden chairs. “What’s this about?”
Finn glanced at her before answering. “We have some questions about Magnolia.”