Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
RHEA
This morning feels off. My world is suspended, about to change in ways I can’t yet grasp. My emotions are turbulent. The aroma of coffee and pastries, along with the sound of the espresso machine, normally soothes me, but unease lingers.
Gray's words from last night spin in my head, stirring fear and excitement about what's ahead. The decision before me looms large, and I feel both torn and compelled, caught between doubt and curiosity for a future unknown.
“Come with us. Be our tour assistant again. We can do this together.”
The offer weighs heavily in my chest. My choice is between eight months on the road with Case in Point or staying with everything I've created here in Dogwood Hollow.
It's choosing between the stability I fought for after chaos and risking it all for adventure and being with the man I love.
I'm afraid to abandon my hard-won peace, yet I worry that I’ll miss new experiences with him.
Each path calls. But one comforts, while the other promises new discoveries.
Which future do I choose?
“You're going to wear a hole in that countertop if you keep scrubbing it like that,” Emma observes, appearing beside me with her usual morning energy. “Want to talk about whatever's making you anxious?”
“Gray asked me to come on tour with them,” I say without preamble, setting down the rag I've been using to clean the same spot for the past five minutes.
Emma goes completely still. “The big tour? The eight-month tour?”
“That's the one.”
She's quiet for a long moment, busying herself with checking the pastry display while I can practically hear the gears turning in her head.
Emma has become more than my employer over these months.
She's also become my closest friend and the sister I never had.
The thought of leaving her makes my throat tight.
“What did you tell him?” she asks after a beat.
“That I needed time to think. But Emma, this feels like one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. I'm unsure of what to think right now. This place, this life, it's everything I never knew I wanted. It's safe, beautiful, and mine. But Gray...” Why am I so torn?
“But Gray is the love of your life, and you're terrified of being separated for eight months.” She hits the nail on the head.
“Exactly.” I slump against the counter, tracing the wooden grain with the rag.
My mind is anything but calm, replaying Gray's words and feeling the weight of the peace I've finally found.
The cafe, once my sanctuary, now blurs with my uncertainty.
The thought of giving up my apartment, my bookshelves, and my routine fills me with apprehension.
Yet, I worry that staying may prevent me from achieving the dreams and experiences I've yet to imagine.
The decision presses down on me. One path may lead to adventure, while the other offers security. Which is worth more?
“Maybe, you don't have to choose.”
Before I can ask what she means, the bell chimes, and Mrs. Patterson shuffles in for her morning coffee and wisdom dispensation.
She takes one look at my face and settles onto her usual stool with the air of someone preparing for a serious conversation.
“You look like someone ran over your favorite book. What's got you so twisted up, honey?”
“Life decisions,” I say vaguely, but Mrs. Patterson has known me long enough now to see through diplomatic non-answers.
“The kind that involves a certain handsome musician?”
Emma and I exchange glances. The village gossip network moves faster than fiber optic internet.
“Gray's been offered a major tour for eight months, which means eight months on the road. He asked me to come with them.” I confess, since there’s no reason to hide it from her, as she is an integral member of the Dogwood Hollow Grapevine Coalition.
“And you're torn between following your heart and staying in your comfort zone,” Mrs. Patterson says with the kind of matter-of-fact wisdom that comes from over six decades of watching people make life choices.
“Honey, let me tell you something. I've been married for fifty-two years, raised four children, and buried two parents and a sister. You know what I regret most?”
“What?”
“The chances I didn't take because I was too scared to leave what felt safe.” She accepts her black coffee with a grateful nod. “My Harold wanted to move to California when we were young. He had a job offer, and we could’ve had adventures and seen the world. But I was too comfortable here, too afraid of the unknown. So, we stayed.”
“Do you regret staying?”
“Not exactly. We had a good life here, but I regret making the decision out of fear instead of love.” She sips her coffee thoughtfully. “The question isn't whether you should leave or stay, sweetheart. The question is what you're going to regret more, taking the risk, or playing it safe.”
As her words sink in, I picture those two paths.
One is life on tour, a whirlwind of new places, days filled with new experiences, and time with Gray.
On the other hand, the comfort of Dogwood Hollow, my home, and the stability I've come to depend on brings me so much solace.
Both options seem real and daunting, but the decision point boils down to a choice between risk and tranquility.
“Follow your heart but use your brain.” Mrs. Patterson leaves with her usual blessing.
The coffee shop settles into its mid-morning lull. Emma and I work in companionable silence until she finally speaks.
“I'll hold your job for you,” Emma breaks through the silence.
The words hit me unexpectedly. “What?”
“If you decide to go on tour, I'll hold your position here.
Find someone temporary to cover while you're gone.” Emma's voice is steady, but I can see the emotion in her eyes.
“I've been thinking about it since last night.
You've helped me make this place into an amazing village staple, but I can see that your heart is pulling you in other directions.”
“Emma, I can't ask you to do that. Eight months is a long time to hold a job for someone.”
“You're not asking, damn it. I'm offering. Rhea, you came here running from heartbreak and helped me build something beautiful. But you can't stay here forever just because it feels safe. You're meant for bigger things.” She rubs my shoulder and smiles, letting me know she’s sure about her decision. It means there’s no talking her out of it.
“I'm not hiding—”
“Aren't you?” She turns to face me fully, and her expression is gentle but direct. “You found peace here, and that's wonderful, but there's a difference between healing and staying small because you're afraid to risk getting hurt again.”
The conversation is interrupted by the dramatic entrance of Leslie, who sweeps through the door carrying fabric samples and a clipboard.
“Ladies! I need your aesthetic opinions on drape configurations for my guest bedroom.
Additionally, I couldn't help but overhear, through the completely coincidental positioning of my morning walk, that we're having a life crisis meeting. How can I help?”
Despite everything, I laugh. “Does nothing happen in this village without you knowing about it?”
“Suga Boo Boo, I know when Mrs. Chen changes her tea blend before she does. Your romantic dilemmas are hardly going to escape my notice.” He settles into a chair with the air of someone preparing to solve all the world's problems. “Now, talk to Uncle Leslie.
What's this about tours and life-altering decisions?”
For the next twenty minutes, I find myself laying out the entire situation to Leslie, who listens with the kind of focused attention he usually reserves for interior design crises. When I finish, he's quiet for a small eternity, tapping his perfectly manicured nails against his clipboard.
“Suga Boo Boo, can I tell you something that might sound harsh but comes from a place of love?” he asks.
“Please do,” I encourage him.
“You're approaching this like you're choosing between two completely different lives, but that's not actually what's happening here. You're choosing between a tour with your man and stagnation.”
“I'm not stagnating—” I argue.
“Boo Boo, you're twenty-nine years old and you have a beautiful life in this small mountain town where you've found sanctuary and a healing environment.
That's a significant achievement, and it's truly admirable.
You have a stable foundation, which is essential for success.
However, there are times when we must remember that life's beauty also comes from taking risks and embracing the unknown. Life is about finding your footing again after you’ve been knocked down, and maybe it's time to see what adventures await.” His words hit deeper than I expect.
“So, you think I should go?” I worry my bottom lip as I wait for Leslie to convey whether I properly understood him.
Just then, Gray's truck pulls up outside the coffee shop, a visible sign of the decision awaiting me.
Emotion swelling, I take a deep breath and allow myself a moment of clarity.
It's not just about him and what he wants.
It's also about me and what I want, what I need.
Despite all the advice and encouragement, this choice remains mine.
With a newfound sense of determination, I'm ready to face him and speak my truth.
As if sensing my turmoil, Gray catches my eye through the window and gestures, making a small, heartfelt request that slices through my anxiety.
His eyes are steady, searching mine for affirmation as he places his hand over his heart.
“Speak of the devil,” Emma murmurs.
“I should go talk to him,” I say, but I don't move.