Christmas Home (The Coming Home #6)

29. Ruther

twenty-nine

Ruther

I noticed Corey talking to a strange man and wondered what it was about. We’d loaded up the rental car, and I’d just returned the condo keys to Catherine and came out to see Corey and the man talking.

Corey nodded my way when he saw me, and I got into the driver’s seat and waited. When he climbed into the passenger seat, I asked what that was about, and he shrugged. “No idea, just Tennessee overfriendly, I suspect. Nothing to worry about, but we do need to get moving if we’re going to catch our flight. You ready to go?” he asked.

I looked around the little town, searching for any feelings of panic, but felt none. “I guess so, mission accomplished and all that.”

Corey looked at me and smiled. “I’m glad, but…I’m sorry about Clyde.”

I shook it off. “Don’t be. I wanted something he wasn’t interested in. Not his fault. I’m just a bit of a fool, is all.”

“A bit of a fool, is it?” Corey asked, and when I looked over, he smirked. “Let’s get you home before you turn into a hillbilly.”

I smiled, but Clyde’s words from the night before struck me. Hillbilly . Was Clyde a hillbilly? I didn’t know. Was that even really a thing? Sure, he and I came from different worlds, but he was an amazing human being. One I’d loved to have gotten to know better.

I glanced over at the café, then shook my head. “You’re probably right. Let’s get going.”

Corey nodded, adjusted the satellite radio to the station I liked, and I drove out of town. I knew we’d be back. The project we’d started dictated that. Corey would probably have to come back this way sooner than me, though.

Regardless, it was time to go. I’d come to face the demons of my past, and, for the most part, I had. There was more work to be done there, like facing the librarian and his famous singer husband, and maybe even talk them into letting me tour the house, but for now, I’d fought the devil and won.

At least I could be proud of that.