The crowd laughed, and the atmosphere shifted, lighter and more relaxed now that the pressure was off. Capri stood back, watching as townsfolk mingled and laughed, a feeling of peace settling over her. The day wasn’t just about the money raised—it was about the people. The town coming together, just as they always did, to support each other.
As she glanced back at the sky, the plane’s white trail had faded, disappearing into the blue expanse. But here on the ground, Thunder Mountain’s community stood strong, and for the first time in weeks, Capri felt like maybe things would be okay after all.
31
Capri stood at the threshold of her freshly renovated cabin, her heart doing a strange dance in her chest. The smell of wood polish lingered in the air, the sunlight streaming through the wide windows Jake had insisted on installing. Everything felt...new. The house, her life, her outlook—it was as if her world had been rebuilt brick by brick, just like these walls. She glanced around, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she let out a long, contented breath.
From behind her, she heard voices—a lot of them.
“Surprise!” her girlfriends yelled, spilling into the house with grins that reached their eyes. Reva, Charlie Grace, and Lila led the charge, arms loaded with balloons and trays of food. Behind them came a gaggle of familiar faces from town. The Knit Wit ladies, Pastor Pete and Annie, even old Albie Barton with his notebook, ready to jot down every juicy detail for the next issue of the Thunder Mountain Gazette.
Capri blinked, her mind catching up to the scene unfolding before her. “Wait, what—what is all this?”
Reva gave her a playful nudge. “A housewarming party, duh! You didn’t think we’d let you sneak by with a new house and no celebration, did you?”
Charlie Grace smirked, already making a beeline for the kitchen. “I brought deviled eggs, of course. And Clancy sent over that whiskey you like. If you’re going to break in this place, you might as well do it right.”
Capri shook her head, laughing. “You guys didn’t have to do this.”
“Of course we did,” Lila chimed in, setting down a platter of cupcakes. “We’ve been with you through all the...tremors.” She winked, and Capri couldn’t help but chuckle at the inside joke. Earthquakes had shaken more than just the ground beneath them.
As more guests arrived, Capri’s gaze traveled around the house. The walls had been stripped and rebuilt, just like her heart. The hardwood floors gleamed beneath her feet, strong and polished, a reminder that sometimes, the old had to be torn down to make space for something even better.
Jake stood by the fireplace, quietly observing the chaos of the surprise party with a smile tugging at his lips. He caught Capri’s eye and grinned, his pride evident in the way his shoulders squared and his arms crossed, satisfied.
She walked over to him, heart fluttering. “You knew about this?”
He raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Me? I’m just the guy who built the place.”
She rolled her eyes, nudging him playfully. “Yeah, right.”
Jake leaned down, his voice low. “I didn’t build this alone, Capri. You’ve done just as much work here as I have...with both the house and your heart.”
Capri stilled at his words. He always had a way of saying things that made her feel grounded and...seen. The once solid walls she’d kept around her heart had been dismantled, just like the old cinderblock foundation. She might still be afraid of losing control, but with Jake standing there, she realized she didn’t have to control everything to be happy.
Before she could respond, a new wave of laughter and cheers erupted by the door. Capri turned to see her mother, looking more radiant than she’d seen her in years, stepping inside arm-in-arm with Earl.
“Mom?” Capri’s eyes widened in surprise.
Her mom’s gaze swept over the cabin, taking in the changes. “I like what you did to the place…” she said, pausing as her eyes drifted to Jake, “…and to your life.”
Capri’s heart warmed, the weight of her mother’s words settling in. She stepped forward, hugging her tightly. “I like your new life too, Mom,” she whispered with a wink at Earl, who beamed at her.
“Well, looks like we’re both getting the hang of this whole ‘letting go’ thing, huh?” her mom said, pulling back with a watery smile.
“I guess so,” Capri replied, feeling the truth of it down to her bones. Her friends, her mom, and Earl—they had all moved forward, embracing change, and now it was her turn.
Jake cleared his throat, stepping forward and offering a hand to Earl. “Glad you could make it, Earl.”
Earl shook his hand with a firm grip, nodding approvingly. “Thanks for calling with your invitation. I see you’ve been taking good care of our girl here.”
Capri’s cheeks flushed, but she couldn’t help the grin that tugged at her lips. “I’m still my own woman, Earl. But...he’s doing okay.”
Everyone laughed at that, and Capri felt the warmth of their love and support like a comforting blanket wrapped around her.
As the evening wore on, the house filled with chatter, laughter, and a sense of belonging that Capri hadn’t realized she’d missed. Nicola Cavendish stopped by with Sweetpea in tow, gossiping loudly, while Bodhi West showed up with his girlfriend from Seattle, who looked both bewildered and amused by the town’s eccentricities.
Nicola leaned in, her voice a stage whisper as she spoke to Bodhi. “I heard Mrs. Fuller’s prize-winning roses mysteriously wilted overnight. Some folks are saying it’s sabotage—probably Clara, still bitter about the bake-off,” she said, with a knowing nod. “And did you see Frank Gray last week? New toupee if you ask me!”
