She smiled. “Just a few keepsakes,” she told him. Her new diamond engagement ring sparkled as it caught the sunlight as they followed Earl onto the porch.
Her mom suddenly turned; her eyes filled with tears. “I love you, baby.” She pulled Capri into a tight hug, gripping her like a vise. When she finally let go, she brushed a kiss against Capri’s cheek and then ran for Earl’s vehicle, too filled with emotion to turn back.
In the distance, black thunderclouds rumbled in over the tops of the mountain peaks, leaving the air heavy. It was as if the sky was turning edgy, tense, and expectant, waiting for the inevitable storm to hit.
Earl stood still on the porch, looking uncomfortable. “I’ll take good care of her,” he promised, his voice strong and earnest.
Capri felt her throat closing with emotion. She simply nodded and looked at this man, staring at the buttons on his shirt, as if that would provide a clue as to why her mother loved him.
Then he leaned forward, looking her in the eyes, and a weird thing happened—he drew her into an awkward embrace.
She was unsure whether or not she could hug him back. With all the effort she could muster, she lifted her arms and placed them on the other side of his robust frame. Clearing her throat, she gave him a slight hug.
When he stepped back from her, he paused, softening, but pressing on. “I love her, you know.” There was an intensity in the man’s eyes—the kind that signaled Earl thought he was the luckiest man on the earth. His expression was raw and vulnerable yet filled with strength.
“Some people would say that’s a good thing,” he added. Then, he turned and joined her mother in the car.
Capri watched as her mother waved wildly from inside the truck. She kissed the palm of her hand and threw the kiss in her direction, just like when Capri was a little girl.
Earl started the engine. Capri released a long sigh as he pulled slowly out, circled the drive, and proceeded down the lane toward the highway.
And just like that, she was alone.
11
Capri Jacobs tugged the brim of her baseball cap lower, blocking out the glare of the late afternoon sun. Her hands were steady, calloused fingers deftly working on the engine of Dick’s old truck parked outside her cabin. It was the same truck he’d taught her to tinker with when she was just a kid, the one they’d spent countless hours fixing together. She could practically hear his voice, guiding her, telling her to “keep at it until it purrs like a kitten.”
Today, though, the truck’s stubborn silence mirrored the turmoil inside her. Her mother’s sudden marriage to Earl had left Capri feeling untethered, like a raft with no anchor. The small cabin that once bustled with laughter, arguments, and shared meals now echoed with emptiness.
Fixing things—engines, appliances, even the old wooden steps leading up to the porch—was something Capri had always done. But now, it had become her lifeline, a way to keep her hands busy and her mind from spiraling into the abyss of loneliness that seemed to grow wider each day.
She had no one to blame but herself. No one had made her devote her life to taking care of her mom and Dick—making sure the bills were paid, the doctor appointments were scheduled, and their lives were kept whole and happy. She’d even paid off the house to keep them debt-free.
But now here she was.
She straightened up, wiping her hands on a rag, and stared out at the distant mountains. The peaks, still dusted with snow even in the early months of summer, had always been her refuge. But today, they offered no comfort. With a sigh, she reached for her phone, a desperate thought flickering through her mind.
Charlie Grace would know how to make her feel better. Her friend had a way of seeing the world through a different lens—literally since she was always behind one these days. Capri dialed her number, hoping to hear a familiar voice.
“Hey, Capri!” Her girlfriend’s voice came through the cell phone, bright and cheerful as always.
“Hey,” Capri replied, trying to match her friend’s energy. “I was thinking maybe we could grab coffee or something? I’d love to catch up, just you and me.”
There was a pause, and Capri could almost see Charlie’s face, her lips pursed in thought. “I’d love to, but I’m swamped with this photography exhibit in Jackson Hole. It’s opening in a few days, and I’ve got to get everything just right. Rain check?”
Capri forced a smile, though the rejection stung. “Yeah, sure. No problem. Good luck with the exhibit.”
After hanging up, Capri tried Reva. If anyone could spare a moment, it would be her. Reva was always the quintessential friend, the one who had a knack for making everyone feel at home. Maybe they could meet for lunch.
“Capri, hi!” Reva’s voice was warm, but there was an undercurrent of stress. “What’s up?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out, maybe grab lunch or something,” Capri asked, her voice hopeful.
“Oh, I wish I could. But Lucan’s got the sniffles, and I’m taking him to the doctor just to be safe. You know how I worry,” Reva said, a touch of apology in her tone. “Another time? But I’ll see you Friday night at Lila’s?”
“Of course,” Capri said, her heart sinking further. “Give Lucan a hug from me.”
Last, she tried Lila. The two of them had always been close, especially since Dick passed. Lila understood what it was like to lose someone, to feel that gaping hole where love used to be.
