Page 30 of Always, For Love
Together, they began to move the outdoor furniture, working in tandem like seasoned partners. The cold air nipped at their fingers, but they were too focused on their task to notice. Snow crunched underfoot as they shuffled tables and chairs, creating around the heaters that they did have some cozy nooks for their guests to dine in.
As they worked, Ariel allowed herself to feel a sense of pride in their ability to adapt and persevere. Despite the setbacks they faced, they were still standing strong, ready to face whatever challenges came their way.
"All right," she said, taking a step back to admire their handiwork. "I think that's it. What do you think?"
Darcy surveyed the transformed patio with a satisfied nod. "Looks good to me. I'll go call the hardware store and see if they can deliver those heaters now. We should be able to set them up tomorrow night.”
"Thanks, Darcy," Ariel replied, her voice warm with gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
He flashed her a reassuring smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You'd figure it out," he said simply. "But you don't have to worry about that. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
With that, he turned and strode through the café doors, leaving Ariel standing in the wintry embrace of the snow-covered patio. As the door swung shut behind him, she had a sudden thought—and, like Darcy, found an almost impossible upside to the day’s disappointments.
Ariel hadn’t been able to find out anything on the rumors involving her father—which meant that no one in Endless harbor cared, anymore.
Lee Briggs had no reason not to come home now.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ariel's breath formed clouds of vapor in the crisp winter air as she approached the frozen lake. Her boots crunched on the hardened snow, breaking the stillness surrounding her. She spotted her father's Airstream parked in the distance, nestled between tall pines with their boughs weighed down by layers of white. The sun peeked through the branches, casting dappled light on the ice-covered surface of the water.
Lee Briggs sat perched on an overturned crate on the shore of the lake nearby, his line cast into a small hole he had drilled into the ice. His breath mingled with the steam from a thermos of coffee beside him, and his gloved hands clutched a fishing pole with an almost reverent grip. He didn't seem to notice Ariel approaching, too focused on the task at hand.
"Hey, Dad," Ariel called out hesitantly, her voice echoing across the lake and causing Lee to startle.
"Ah, Ariel," he stammered, clearly caught off guard. "I didn't hear you coming."
"I know you weren’t expecting me, but…you don’t have a phone," Ariel said, trying to keep her tone light despite the tension knotting in her chest. She stepped closer, taking in the details of her father's face – the lines etched deeper around his eyes, the gray hairs that had probably multiplied since she last saw him. Time had left its mark on him, just as it had on her.
"Nope," Lee agreed, his eyes darting away from hers.
Ariel clenched her fists, trying to summon the courage for what she needed to say. It was now or never. She took a deep breath, inhaling the sharp scent of pine mixed with the faint aroma of woodsmoke from her father's campfire. She looked at her dad, who sat there stoically, and felt a rush of determination.
"Dad," she began, her voice soft but firm. "I know it's been hard for you. But the people back in Endless Harbor... they've changed. We've all grown older, faced our own challenges. It's not the same town you left behind."
Lee shifted uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the ice fishing hole he had made earlier. He seemed to struggle with his response, the words catching in his throat like a stubborn hook.
"Maybe so," he finally said, reluctance lacing his tone. "But they turned their backs on me when I needed them most. How can I face them again? How can I ask for their forgiveness?"
Ariel's heart ached for her father, but she knew that this was a battle he had to fight. She stepped closer to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm, feeling the tension beneath his rough, weathered skin.
"Forgiveness isn't something we demand, Dad. It's something we earn. And the only way to do that is by showing up, by making an effort to reconnect and rebuild what was lost," she said resolutely, her eyes locked onto his as she willed him to understand.
"But what if they don't want me back?" he asked, his voice barely audible, revealing the vulnerability he so desperately tried to hide.
"Then at least you'll know you tried," Ariel replied, her own voice wavering slightly as the weight of the situation settled upon her. "And you won't have to live with the regret of not trying at all."
For a moment, they stood in silence, her words hanging heavily in the frosty air as Lee pondered their implications. He stared into the distance, his eyes clouded with emotions that she could only begin to fathom.
"Maybe you're right," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the distant creaking of ice and trees swaying gently in the winter breeze. "But you don’t have to walk through town with all those accusing eyes on you."
Ariel watched as her father's gaze remained fixed on the frozen expanse of the lake, his eyes distant and pained. The setting sun cast a warm glow on his weathered face, highlighting the lines etched by time and loss. Her disappointment was palpable, like a heavy stone in the pit of her stomach, but she maintained her composure, acknowledging her dad's pain.
"Look, Dad," Ariel began, her voice soft yet insistent, "I understand why you feel this way, but I want – no, I need you to know that no one in town remembers the scandal. I tried to find one person to tell me about it, and I got nothing."
The wind rustled through the bare branches overhead, sending a shiver down Ariel's spine as she sought refuge in the memories of a simpler time. She recalled the days when her father's presence had been her anchor, and the longing for that connection tugged at her heartstrings.
"Time moves on, and people change," she continued, her breath visible in the cold air. "We don't have to live in the past, weighed down by old mistakes and misunderstandings. We can start anew, Dad. Together."