He turned from the window to see his sister coming down the stairs.
“Are you enjoying being back in town?” Sage asked. “You’ve been gone a long time.”
Braden grinned. His newfound sister always made him smile. Her presence in their lives was a dream come true. Sage was always cheerful and sunny. She was wise beyond her years. Considering all she’d been through, it was downright awe-inspiring. Most people would be bitter about being raised by the woman who’d kidnapped her, but Sage’s faith had allowed her to handle the situation with grace and an abundance of courage.
“It’s going fine. I’m having fun getting caught up on all the town gossip,” he said, a teasing tone in his voice. “Of course your return was the talk of the town. In a good way of course.”
She flashed him a grin. “It was an interesting way to come to Owl Creek. That’s for sure.”
“But it all ended well, didn’t it? You and Hank found each other, and our family became complete with you in it. It was an answer to years of prayers.”
Sage nodded in agreement. His sister seemed very content with her life. She was a wife, stepmother and teacher. Braden couldn’t help but envy her.
“I may be overstepping, Braden, especially since we’re still getting acquainted—”
“You’re my sister, Sage. You can ask me anything.” He smiled. “Well, almost anything.”
“Hank told me so much about your friendship with Piper, but since you’ve been back I haven’t seen the two of you together at all. Matter of fact, Piper mentioned to me last week that you hadn’t even been over to the diner. Did you two have a falling out?”
“No. Not at all,” he said, feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about Piper. He shouldn’t be surprised in a town as small as Owl Creek that people had noticed their estrangement. Even though she was fairly new to the community, Sage had become fast friends with Piper. And now they were family too—sisters-in-law.
“She could use a friend right about now,” Sage said.
“Are you talking about the diner?” Piper had told him she’d confided in Sage, so he wouldn’t be telling her anything she didn’t already know.
Sage’s cheeks reddened. “I don’t want to talk out of turn. I promised not to say a word.”
“It’s all right. I went by the diner last night, and Piper told me everything.” He shook his head. “I still can’t believe she could lose the Snowy Owl. It’s her pride and joy, not to mention it’s a direct link to her father. They were very close.”
She bit her lip. “I wish she would tell Hank. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep quiet. We’re family now, and it doesn’t feel right not to share this with my husband.”
“I understand your dilemma, but I think Piper is afraid of disappointing her family. You didn’t know Jack, but he lived and breathed that diner. It was everything to him.” Braden felt himself getting choked up. Piper’s dad had been a hero in his eyes—a former vet who had proudly fought for his country, then settled down in Alaska and met the love of his life in Trudy, who’d been widowed a few years earlier. Trudy might find it hard to understand why Jack hadn’t told her his business was struggling. It might come as a bit of a shock.
“Hank loves her. And so do I. She’s my sister-in-law. Even if we can’t afford to help her monetarily, surely he can assist her with trying to get the diner back on track.”
Braden shrugged. “Shame can hold people back from asking for assistance. I think she
’s afraid of being judged.” He knew it from his own personal experience. It was a powerful emotion. It had been weighing on him for years.
“I’m glad she confided in you, as well. I think the more she talks about it, the less weight will be on her shoulders,” Sage said with a nod. He appreciated his sister’s perspective. She was proving to be a compassionate and wise woman.
“I agree. She wanted me to work with her to figure it all out, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. She needs an expert. There’s really not anything I can do.”
Sage appeared crestfallen. “Braden! You have to help her. You’ll never forgive yourself if she loses the Snowy Owl and you didn’t step in during her time of need.”
“We’re not as tight as we used to be,” he explained. “It just wouldn’t work.”
Sage narrowed her gaze as she looked at him. “I know there’s a story in there somewhere, but I’m not going to push you to explain what’s going on between the two of you when you clearly don’t want to share it with me.” Sage pointedly raised an eyebrow.
Braden held up his hands. “Wait a minute! It’s nothing like that. We’ve only ever been friends.”
“Well, if that’s true, then you should have no problem at least giving her a shoulder to lean on. She needs you, Braden.” Sage’s eyes were full of sincerity. With her dark hair and heart-shaped face, it was uncanny how much she looked like their mother, Willa. She radiated the same air of confidence.
She needs you.
Sage’s words served as a dose of reality. He had shut down a bit over the past few years. It was a defense mechanism born out of his desire not to feel anything. In the aftermath of Jack’s tragic death, Braden had felt everything acutely. In the end it had driven him away from Owl Creek, his family and Piper. The time away had left him homesick and without his bearings. As much as he’d tried to deny it, home was a healing balm for him.
Perhaps he should have just told the truth from the beginning. At least he wouldn’t be walking around feeling like he was going through the motions. Denying Piper his help would be heaping more pain onto her plate. She was already hurting pretty badly. Because of his confrontation with Jack, the good-hearted diner owner had crashed his snowmobile and died. Piper had lost her father, a loss she would never get over. Hank and Trudy had suffered, as well. Didn’t he owe Piper something? The least he could do was help her out of this awful mess. Maybe despite what he’d done he could make her life better. Perhaps he could ease her suffering and help her find a solution.
