“I didn’t see its potential then, that’s for sure,” Mark said, sitting at his spotless desk. “I went down to our old swimming hole before I sold the house. I found a few pieces of the rope we used to jump in the water.”
A rope they’d liberated from the remains of the mill, as Gabe recalled. They’d tied it to a tree out by their grandfather’s campsite and would swing out over the river and leap into the water. All in all, perhaps not the safest pastime, but he doubted their parents had ever realized what they were up to on those hot summer days.
“If it gets hot enough while I’m here, we can find another rope,” Gabe said. “I’m staying with Felicity, by the way. Guest room in the back.”
His brother tilted back in his chair. “That’s a nice room. She’s adding her own touches to the house. She’s making it her own.”
“Her touches involve lavender and balloons.”
Mark laughed. “Of course they do. She’s been talking about daffodils and hollyhocks, too.”
Gabe grinned. Mark had gone for natural landscaping, without any non-wild flowers, even on the deck. “She’s always liked the idea of a cottage garden.”
“She’ll find a way to meld one into the existing landscaping, I’m sure. If she doesn’t, I’ll just have to endure,” Mark said lightly. “It’s her house now.”
“She thinks I’m upset because she bought it.”
“Why would you be upset? You sold your interest to me. If you’d wanted the house, you’d have said so.”
“Yeah. I’m probably reading into things. It’s a great house, Mark. You do good work.”
Gabe wasn’t even sure himself what he was getting at. He hadn’t expected to feel ambivalent about the property going to someone else—out of Flanagan hands. Away from Knights Bridge, it’d seemed reasonable. He hadn’t thought much about it.
Of course, that was before he’d found out Mark had sold the place to Felicity.
“Felicity seems happy there,” his brother added.
“Yeah, she does. She always liked Knights Bridge just fine. She didn’t have the issues you and I did, but she knew she needed to get out if she wanted to reach her potential as a financial analyst.”
“I can identify. I never thought I’d be back here, but I couldn’t be happier.”
“That’s great. Is Felicity happy as a party planner, as far as you know?”
“As far as I can tell. Hell, Gabe, ask her. You’re staying there.”
“I will.” Time to exit that subject. “When do I get to see Jess? How is she doing as a mother-to-be?”
Mark shuddered and smiled at the same time. “Just don’t call her that. You know Jess. She’s adjusting.”
“Ah. Got it.”
“You don’t have a clue and you know it.” Mark pushed back his chair and got to his feet. “Come on. I’ll give you the grand tour.”
Gabe followed Mark out of the office, down a corridor with a display of the straw hats that had prompted the construction of the mill in the mid-nineteenth century. They checked out a function room with dramatic views of the dam and waterfall and then went downstairs to the ground-level inner workings of the building. “We use hydropower,” Mark said. “Just like they did back when they made hats here.”
“I should have paid closer attention to what you were up to out here,” Gabe said as they headed out the back along the river.
“You were selling your company. You had enough on your mind without coming out here to watch the construction workers.”
“They did a good job.”
They walked along the edge of the quiet millpond to the separate building, connected by a breezeway, where the apartments were located. Gabe liked the industrial feel of the place, tempered by warm woods and tile along with the picturesque location and natural landscaping.
“We have a furnished apartment you can use while you’re here,” Mark said.
“Thanks. I’ll let you know if I overstay my welcome with Felicity or decide to stay past Sunday.”
“You’re leaving then?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Kylie and Russ’s apartment is on the second floor. They’re doing cosmetic work on the house they bought up the road. Quite a whirlwind romance between those two.”
“I met Kylie’s badgers last night.”
“You should stay for her book party next week,” Mark said. “It’s at the library. Felicity’s planning it. It’s Kylie’s way of thanking people in town for giving her the creative space to work. She kept her identity as Morwenna Mills to herself until after she and Russ met in the spring.”
“Secrets, secrets,” Gabe said with a smile. “I can’t imagine it caused too much of a stir.”
“It’s a good excuse for a party. That’s what counts.”
They exited to the front of the building. Gabe realized he was enjoying this time with his brother, getting the tour of the mill and a taste of what Mark did day to day. Yet in no way, shape or form did Gabe regret or even question his decision to get out of his hometown and stay out. Knights Bridge wasn’t where he belonged. It never had been.
“Going to see Dad while you’re here?” Mark asked.
“I imagine so.”
“He has a new girlfriend. She owns an old BMW he’s kept on the road.”
Gabe grinned. “A match made in heaven.”
“What about Gramps? Will you see him?”
Their paternal grandfather was now in assisted living in town. Gabe nodded. “I’ll stop in before I leave on Sunday. I call them both once a week.”
“Boston might as well be the moon as far as Dad’s concerned, but you’re never there, anyway. Any thoughts about where you’ll go after you sell the condo?”
“Thoughts,” Gabe said. “No decision yet.”
“Good to have choices.”
“Yeah, it is. Thanks for the tour. I’ll see you later on.”
Mark returned to his office, and Gabe climbed back in his car and exhaled a sigh. He’d been all-in with his work since Felicity had left his apartment and stiffed him on the brownies that cold February morning. With remote employees and contractors, he could work anywhere, and he did. Or he had. Everything
