Carolina Moon (20 page)

She closed her purse. “I’ll be in the car,” she said to J.R., and walked out.

Her legs didn’t start to shake until she sat down and pulled the door closed. Then the trembling started at her knees and worked up so that she crossed her arms over her torso, pressed hard and with her eyes closed, waited for it to pass.

She could hear the weeping, rolling like lava out of the house, and the monotonous cluck and squawk of the chickens hunting for food. From somewhere close by was the deep-throated, angry bark of a dog.

And still, she thought, over it all the birds sang, in determinedly cheerful notes.

She concentrated on that sound, and willed her mind away. Oddly, unexpectedly, she found herself standing in her kitchen, her head on Cade’s shoulder, his lips brushing her hair.

Resting there, she didn’t hear her uncle until he settled in the seat beside her and closed his door.

He said nothing as he pulled away from the house, nothing when he stopped a half mile away and just sat, his hands resting on the wheel and his eyes staring away at empty space.

“I shouldn’t have let you come,” he said at last. “I thought—I don’t know what I was thinking, but I guess I had some idea that she’d want to see you, that the two of you might be able to make some of it up with Han gone off this way.”

“I’m not part of her life except to blame for things. He is her life. That’s the way she wants it.”

“Why? For God’s sake, Tory, why would she want to live like this, live with a man who’s never given her any joy?”

“She loves him.”

“That’s not love.” He spat the words out, along with anger and disgust. “That’s a sickness. You heard the way she made excuses for him, how she put it off on everybody but him. The woman he attacked, the police, even the goddamn bank.”

“She wants to believe it. She needs to.” Seeing he was more upset than she’d realized, Tory laid a hand on his arm. “You did all you could.”

“All I could. Gave her money and left her there, in that hovel. And I’ll tell you the truth, Tory, I’m thanking God right now she didn’t want to come home with me, that I don’t have to bring that sickness into my house. I’m ashamed of it.” His voice broke, and he dropped his forehead to the wheel.

Because he needed it, Tory unsnapped her seat belt and leaned into him, her head on his arm, her hand rubbing circles on his wide back. “There’s no shame in that, Uncle Jimmy, no shame in wanting to protect your home and
Aunt Boots, to keep all of this away. I could’ve done what she asked me to do. I could have given her that. But I didn’t, and I won’t. I’m not going to be ashamed of it.”

He nodded, and struggling for composure sat back again. “Hell of a family, aren’t we, baby?” Gently, very gently, he touched his fingertips to the raw spot on her cheek. Then he shifted back into first, eased on the gas. “Tory, if it’s all the same to you, I don’t have the heart to go by and see your gran just now.”

“Neither do I. Let’s just go home.”

When her uncle dropped her off, Tory didn’t go into her house, but transferred to her own car and drove directly to her shop. She had hours to make up for and was grateful the work and rush would keep her mind off how she’d spent her morning.

Her first call was to the florist, clearing them to deliver the ficus and the flower arrangement she’d ordered the week before. Her next was to the bakery to confirm the cookies and petits fours she’d selected would be ready for her to pick up first thing in the morning.

It was late into the day before she’d satisfied herself that all the arrangements were in the most attractive spots. For a celebrational touch, she began to string fairy lights through the graceful branches of the ficus.

The little bell on her door rang, reminding her she’d forgotten to lock it after the last delivery.

“Saw you as I was passing by.” Dwight stepped in, scanned the shop, then gave a low whistle. “I was going to see if everything worked out for you, and if you needed any last-minute help. But seems like you’ve got it under control.”

“I think so.” She straightened, standing with the end of the string of lights still in her hand. “Your crew did a wonderful job, Dwight. I couldn’t be happier with the work.”

“Just make sure you mention Frazier’s if anyone compliments your carpentry.”

“You can count on it.”

“Oh now, this is nice work.” He walked over to a cutting
board fashioned of narrow strips of various tones of wood, and sanded smooth as glass. “Beautiful work. I do some woodworking in my hobby room, but nothing as nice as this. Almost too pretty to use.”

“Form and function. That’s the key here.”

“Lissy’s happy with that candle thing she bought in here, and shows off the mirror every chance she gets. Said it wouldn’t hurt her feelings if I took a look at the jewelry and found her something to brighten her mood.”

“Isn’t she feeling well?”

“Oh, she’s fine.” Dwight waved at the question as he wandered the shop. “Gets the baby blues now and then, that’s all.” He tucked his thumbs in his front pockets and gave her a sheepish grin. “While I’m here I guess I ought to apologize.”

“Oh.” Since he appeared to be staying awhile longer, Tory continued to thread the lights through the branches. “For?”

“For letting Lissy think you and Cade were enjoying each other’s company.”

“I don’t mind Cade’s company.”

“Now, I don’t know whether you’re letting me off the hook or stringing me like you are those little lights. The thing is, well, Lissy just gets the bit between her teeth on some things. She keeps trying to match Cade up with someone, and if it’s not him, it’s Wade. She’s got some wild hair about getting my friends married off. Cade just wanted to wiggle out of her last matchmaking attempt and told me to tell her he was …”

He flushed now as Tory simply studied him silently.

“That he was what you could say involved with someone. I told her how it was you, figuring since you’d pretty much just gotten back to town she’d believe it, and let things alone for a while.”

“Uh-huh.” Finished, Tory plugged the lights in, then stepped back to gauge the results.

“I should’ve known better,” Dwight went on, frantically digging the hole deeper. “God knows I’m not deaf and know Lissy tends to talk. By the time Cade got back to me
to ring a peel over my head, I’d already heard from six different people the two of you were half near engaged and planning a nursery.”

“It might’ve been simpler just to tell her the truth, that Cade wasn’t interested in being fixed up.”

“Now, I wouldn’t say simpler.” His handsome white teeth flashed again, quick, charming, and male. “I tell her that, she wants to know why. I say something like some men aren’t looking for marriage. She comes back and says it’s good enough for you, isn’t it? Or are you wishing you were footloose and fancy-free like your two best pals? I say, no, honeybunch, but by then I’ve got one foot in the doghouse.”

Trying to look pitiful, he scratched his head. “I tell you, Tory, marriage is a walk on a greased-up tightrope, and any man who tells you he wouldn’t sacrifice a friend to keep from slipping off’s a damn liar. Besides, the way I hear it, you and Cade’ve been seen around together a few times.”

“Are you making a statement or asking a question?”

He shook his head. “I should’ve said dealing with a woman’s like a walk on that tightrope. Better quit while I can still make it to safe ground.”

“Good idea.”

“Well, Lissy’s having herself a hen party, a woman’s get-together,” he corrected quickly, seeing Tory’s brows shoot up. “I’m going to wander over to Wade’s, see if he wants to grab some supper and keep me company till it’s safe to go home. I’ll stop by tomorrow. Maybe you can help me pick out some earrings or something.”

“I’ll be happy to.”

He walked to the door, paused. “It looks nice in here, Tory. Classy. This place is going to be good for the town.”

She hoped so, she thought, as she went behind him to lock up. But more, she hoped the town was going to be good for her.

Dwight walked down to cross at the light. As mayor it was important to set a good example. He’d given up jaywalking, and drinking more than two beers a night in a bar, and
driving over the posted limit. Small sacrifices, he thought, but every now and again he had the urge to shake off the restraints.

Came from being a late bloomer, he supposed, and gave a quick salute toward the beep of a horn as Betsy Gluck drove by. He hadn’t started to hit his stride until his middle teens, then he’d been so dazzled that girls actually wanted to talk to him, he’d stumbled straight into the backseat of his first car with Lissy—well, a few others, then Lissy—found himself going steady with the prettiest and most popular girl in school. Before he knew it he was renting a tux for his wedding.

Not that he regretted it. Not for a minute. Lissy was just what he wanted. She was still as pretty as she’d been in high school. Maybe she fussed and pouted some, but name him a woman who didn’t.

They had a fine house, a beautiful son, and another baby on the way. A damn good life, and he was mayor of the town in which he’d once been a joke.

A man had to appreciate the irony of that.

If now and again he got an itch, it was natural enough. But the fact was he didn’t want to be married to anyone but his Lissy, didn’t want to live anywhere but Progress, and wanted his life to keep right on going just as it was.

He opened the door to Wade’s waiting room in time to be all but bowled over by a frantic sheepdog bent on escape.

“Sorry! Oh, Mongo.” The blonde struggling to hold the leash was both pretty and unfamiliar. She sent Dwight an apologetic look out of soft green eyes, even while her Kewpie-doll lips turned up in a quick smile. “He just got his shots and he’s feeling betrayed.”

“Can’t say I blame him.” Since doing otherwise would compromise his manhood, Dwight risked his fingers and patted the dog through the mop of gray and white hair. “Don’t recall seeing you or Mongo around town before.”

“We’ve only been here a few weeks. I moved down from Dillon. I teach English at the high school—well, I’ll be teaching summer classes, then I’ll start full-time in the fall. Mongo, sit!” With a toss of her hair, she offered a
hand. “Sherry Bellows, and you can blame me for the dog hair covering your jeans.”

“Dwight Frazier, nice to meet you. I’m the town mayor, so I’m the one you come to if you’ve got any complaints.”

“Oh, everything’s been just fine. But I’ll keep that in mind.” She turned her head back toward the examining room. “Everyone’s been very friendly and helpful. I’d better get Mongo in the car before he breaks the leash and you have to give me a citation.”

“Need a hand?”

“No, I’ve got him.” She laughed as she and the dog lunged out the door. “Barely. Nice to have met you, Mayor Frazier. Bye, Max!”

“Likewise,” he murmured, then rolled his eyes toward Maxine at reception. “Didn’t have English teachers like that when I was in Progress High. Might’ve taken me a few more years to graduate.”

“You men.” Maxine chuckled as she took her handbag out of the bottom drawer. “So predictable. Mongo was our last patient, Mayor. Doc Wade’s washing up in the back. You mind telling him I’m running off to make my evening lecture?”

“Go right on. Have a nice night, now.”

He wandered back to find Wade straightening the drug cabinet. “Got any good stuff?”

“Got me some steroids that’ll put hair on your chest. You never did grow any.”

“ ‘Cause you used it all on your ass,” Dwight said easily. “So how about that blonde?”

“Hmm?”

“Jesus, Wade, you been hitting that cabinet for doggie downers? The blonde with the big dog who just left. English teacher.”

“Oh, Mongo.”

“Well, I see it’s too late.” Dwight shook his head, boosted himself up to sit on the padded table. “When you start missing pretty blondes who fill out their skinny jeans the way that one did, and remember a big, sloppy dog, you’re too far gone even for Lissy to fix up.”

“I’m not going on another blind date. And I noticed the blonde.”

“I’d say she noticed you, too. You hit on her?”

“Jesus, Dwight, she’s a patient.”

“The dog’s the patient. You’re missing a golden opportunity here, son.”

“Get your mind off my sex life.”

“You don’t have one.” Dwight leaned back on his elbows, grinned. “Now, if I was single and only half ugly like you, I’d have talked the blonde onto this table, instead of her big, hairy dog.”

“Maybe I did.”

“In your dreams.”

“Ah, but they’re my dreams, aren’t they? Why aren’t you home washing your hands for supper like a good boy?”

“Lissy’s got a bunch of women coming over to look at Tupperware or something. I’m steering clear.”

“It’s makeup.” Wade closed the cabinet door. “My mother’s going.”

“Whatever the hell. Christ knows the woman doesn’t need any more face paint or plastic bowls, but she gets bored to death when she’s this pregnant. So how about we have a beer and something to eat? Like the old days.”

“I’ve got some things to do around here.” Faith could come by, he thought.

“Come on, Wade. A couple hours.”

He started to refuse again. What the hell was wrong with him, locking himself in his apartment, waiting for Faith to call? It was as bad as a teenage girl mooning after the football star. Worse.

“You’re buying.”

“Shit.” Cheered, Dwight pushed off the table. “Let’s give Cade a call, get him to meet us. Then we’ll make him pay for it.”

“That’s a plan.”

S
he hadn’t expected to be nervous. She was prepared, she’d checked and rechecked every detail down to the color and weight of the cord used to secure her boxes. She had experience and knew every piece of her merchandise almost as well as the craftsmen who created it.

She had gone through every step and stage of the creation of her shop with a calm and often cool eye, and a steady hand. There were no mistakes, no gaps, no flaws.

The shop itself looked perfect, warm and welcoming and bright. She herself looked casually professional and efficient. She should, as she’d spent the hour between three and four that morning agonizing over her choice of outfit before settling on the navy slacks and white linen shirt.

Now she worried it was too much like a uniform. Now she worried about everything.

Less than an hour before opening and all the nerves and doubts and fears she’d managed to ignore for months tumbled down on her like broken bricks.

She sat in her storeroom at her desk with her head between her knees.

The sick giddiness insulted her, shamed her. Even as she went limp with dizziness she berated herself. She was stronger than this. She had to be. She couldn’t come so far, work so hard, then collapse inches from the goal.

They would come. She wasn’t worried about drawing in
people. They would come and they would gawk, and shoot her the quick, curious glances she was already used to seeing aimed at her around town.

The Bodeen girl. You remember her. Spooky little thing.

She couldn’t let it matter. But oh, it mattered. She’d been insane to come back here where everyone knew her, where no secret was ever truly kept. Why hadn’t she stayed in Charleston where it was safe, where her life had been quiet and her privacy complete?

Sitting there, skin clammy, stomach rolling, she wished desperately for her pretty, familiar house, her tidy garden, the routine of her demanding but impersonal job in someone else’s shop. Sitting there, she wished for the anonymity she’d cloaked herself in for four steady years.

She should never have come back. She should never have risked herself, her savings, her peace of mind. What had she been thinking?

Of Hope, she admitted, and slowly raised her head. She’d been thinking of Hope.

Foolish, reckless, she thought. Hope was dead and gone and there was nothing she could do to change it. Now everything she’d worked for was on the line. And to preserve it, she would have to face the stares and the whispers.

When she heard the knock on the shop door her first instinct was to crawl under the desk, curl up, and slap her hands over her ears. The fact that she nearly did, could actually see herself huddled there, pushed her to her feet.

She had thirty minutes until opening, thirty precious minutes to pull herself together. Whoever was out there would just have to go away.

She straightened her shoulders, ran a hand over her hair to smooth it, then started out to tell the early arrival to come back at ten.

She saw her grandmother’s face on the other side of the glass and sprinted to the door. “Oh, Gran. Oh.” She flung her arms around Iris and clung like a woman dangling off a cliff clings to a rock. “I’m so glad to see you. I didn’t think you were coming. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Not come? For your grand opening? Why, I couldn’t
wait to get here.” Gently she nudged Tory into the shop. “I drove Cecil crazy badgering him to push a little more speed out of his truck. That’s Cecil behind the corn plant, and Boots behind the mountain of him.”

Tory sniffled, then managed a laugh when Cecil poked his head around the long, bladelike leaves. “It’s wonderful, and so are you. All of you. Let’s put it…” She turned around, calculating space and impact. “Right over there, at the end of the display along the wall. It’s just what I needed.”

“Doesn’t look to me like you needed a thing,” Iris commented. “Tory, this place looks spiffy as a June bride. All these lovely things.” She hooked her arm around Tory’s shoulder, studying the shop as Cecil grunted the ornamental tree into place. “You always had an eye.”

“I just can’t wait to buy something.” Boots, polished as a new penny in her yellow sundress, clapped her hands like a girl. “I want to be your very first sale today, and I warned J.R. I was going to have his credit card smoking before I was done.”

“I’ve got a fire extinguisher.” Tory laughed and turned to hug her.

“And lots of breakables.” Mindful of them, Cecil put his hands safely in his pockets. “Makes me feel clumsy.”

“You break it, you bought it,” Iris said with a wink. “All right, honey-pot, what can we do?”

“Just be here.” Tory let out a long breath. “There’s nothing left, really. I’m as ready as I’m going to be.”

“Nervous?”

“Terrified. I just need to put out the tea and cookies, keep my hands busy for the next little while. Then—” She turned as the door jangled.

“Delivery for you, Miz Bodeen.” The young boy from the florist carried a glossy white box.

“Thank you.”

“My ma’s coming over later today. Said she wanted to see how her arrangements look, but I expect she wants to see what you got.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing her.”

“Sure got a lot of stuff.” He craned his neck to look around while Tory took a dollar out of the cash drawer. “I expect people’ll be coming in soon. Everybody’s talking about it.”

“I hope so.”

He stuffed the bill Tory handed him into his pocket. “Thanks. See ya later.”

Tory set the box on the counter and took off the lid. It was full of gerber daisies in bright, cheerful colors and fat, sassy sunflowers.

“Aren’t they pretty!” Iris leaned over her shoulder for a better look. “And just exactly right. Roses wouldn’t go with your pottery and wood. Somebody knew enough to send you nice, friendly flowers.”

“Yes.” She’d already opened the card. “Somebody always seems to know the right thing.”

“Oooh, aren’t they sweet, aren’t they pretty.” Boots fluttered her hands over the flowers. ‘Tory, honey, you’ll drive me crazy if you don’t tell me who sent them.”

Boots snatched the card Tory offered. “ ‘Good luck on your first day. Cade.’ Awww.”

Head cocked, Iris pursed her lips. “Would that be Kincade Lavelle?”

“Yes. Yes, it would.”

“Hmmm.”

“Don’t
hmmm.
He’s just being thoughtful.”

“Man sends a woman flowers, the right flowers, he’s got a woman on his mind. Right, Cecil?”

“Seems to me. Thoughtful’s a plant. Flowers are romance.”

“Now there. See why I love this man?” Iris tugged on his shirt to bring him down for a kiss, and made Boots beam.

“Daisies and sunflowers are friendly,” Tory corrected, but she had to struggle not to sigh over them.

“Flowers are flowers,” Boots said firmly. “A man sends them, means he’s thinking about a woman.” And she dearly loved the notion of Cade Lavelle thinking about her niece. “Now, you go on and fuss with them, and I’ll put your cookies out. Nothing I love more’n getting ready for a party.”

“Would you mind? I’ve got one of the raku pots in the storeroom. It’s perfect for these, and they’ll add a nice splash to the counter.”

“Go on, then.” Iris waved her away. “You just point us in the direction things need to be done. We’ll get this show on the road.”

The first customers walked in at ten-fifteen, headed by Lissy. Tory decided to take back every unkind thought she’d ever had about the former prom queen as Lissy proceeded to escort her friends around the shop and coo over merchandise.

By eleven, she had fifteen customers browsing and debating and had already rung up four sales.

By lunchtime, she was too busy to be nervous. There were stares, and there were whispers. Her eye or ear caught more than one, but she coated steel over the prickles of discomfort and boxed up the choices of the curious.

“You used to be friends with the little Lavelle girl, didn’t you?”

Tory continued to wrap the iron candlesticks in brown paper. “Yes.”

“Terrible shame what happened to her.” The woman, with her sharp eagle eyes fixed on Tory’s face, leaned closer. “Hardly more than a baby. Was you who found her, wasn’t it?”

“Her father found her. Would you like a box or a bag for these?”

“A box. They’re for my sister’s girl. Getting married next month. Seems you went to school with her. Kelly Anne Frisk.”

“I don’t remember many of the people I went to school with.” Tory lied with a pleasant smile as she boxed the purchase. “It was so long ago. Would you like this gift-wrapped?”

“I’ll do that, honey-pot. You’ve got other customers.” Iris stepped in. “So, Kelly Anne’s getting married. I believe I remember her quite well. That’d be Marsha’s oldest girl, wouldn’t it? My, where do the years go?”

“Kelly Anne had nightmares for a month after the Lavelle girl.” The woman said it with a quiet satisfaction that rang in Tory’s ears as she walked away.

Tory was tempted to slip into the back, just to breathe until her heart stopped pounding. Instead she turned to a tall brunette who was debating over the selections of serving bowls. “Can I help you with anything?”

“It’s hard to make up your mind with so many nice choices. JoBeth Hardy—Kelly Anne’s aunt there? She’s a very disagreeable woman. And you can hardly say anything to that. You always were a careful, composed creature. You won’t remember me.”

The brunette held out a hand.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Well, I was considerably younger then, and you weren’t in my class. I taught, still teach, second grade at Progress Elementary. Marietta Singleton.”

“Oh, Miss Singleton. I do remember. I’m sorry. It’s nice to see you again.”

“I’ve been looking forward to your opening. I’ve wondered about you off and on over the years. You might not have known I was friendly with your mother once. Years before you were born, of course. It’s a small old world.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Sometimes a little too close for comfort.” She glanced toward the door as Faith walked in. The two of them locked eyes, and that contact sparked before Marietta turned back to study the bowls again. “But it’s all we have to live with. I think I’ll take this one here, the blue on white’s very charming. Why don’t you put it behind the counter for me while I wander around a little more?”

“I’d be happy to. I’ll get you one out of the stockroom.”

“Victoria.” Marietta lowered her voice, brushed her hand over the back of Tory’s. “You were very brave to come back here. You always were very brave.”

She moved away while Tory stood, puzzled and surprised by the wave of grief that had flowed off the woman and into the air.

She stepped into the stockroom to clear her mind and
fetch the bowl, and was annoyed when Faith marched in behind her.

“What did that woman want?”

“I beg your pardon? This is employees only.”

“What did she want? Marietta.”

Coolly, Tory reached on the shelf for the bowl. “This. A number of people who come here want merchandise. That’s why I call it a store.”

“What did she say to you?”

“And why would that be your business?”

Faith hissed between her teeth and dug a pack of cigarettes out of her purse.

“No smoking.”

“Damn it.” She shoved them back in and began to pace. “That woman has no business flouncing around town.”

“That woman seemed perfectly nice to me. And I don’t have time for your snits or your gossip.” Though she couldn’t deny her curiosity was peaked. “Now, unless you’d like to help me replace stock, or refill the iced tea pitcher, I’ll need you to step back out.”

“You wouldn’t think she was so nice if she’d been fucking your daddy.” With that one snarling outburst, Faith whirled for the door. Tory remembered Faith’s temper very well and, anticipating her mood, Tory shifted the bowl and slapped a hand on the door before Faith could wrench it open.

“Don’t you make a scene. Don’t you dare bring your family troubles into my place. You want to have a catfight, then you just go somewhere else.”

“I won’t make a scene.” But she was vibrating. “I have no intention of giving the people around here anything to snicker about. And you just forget what I said. I shouldn’t have said it. We’ve gone to considerable trouble to keep my father’s association with that woman quiet. So if I hear any talk, I’ll know you started it.”

“Don’t threaten me. The day you could push me around is long past, so you just pull in your claws around here because nowadays I fight back.”

She would have left it at that, was angry enough to, but
Faith’s lip trembled. One small quiver of emotion and Tory saw Hope. “Why don’t you stay in here a minute? Go on, sit down until you’re calm again. You walk out looking like that and you won’t have to make a scene to set people talking. Besides, right now they’re having a fine time talking about me.”

She opened the door, glanced over. “No smoking,” she repeated, and closed the door behind her.

Faith dropped into a chair and, glaring at the door, pulled her cigarettes out again. She stuffed them guiltily back into her purse when the door swung back open.

But instead of Tory, it was Boots who slipped into the room. Just because she was having a high time flitting around the store didn’t mean she was blind to subtleties. She’d seen the hot rage on Faith’s face, just as she saw the embarrassed misery on it now.

“We sure are hopping out there.” She spoke cheerfully and waved a hand in front of her face. “I needed me a minute out of the crowd.” And thought it the perfect opportunity to corner the woman who had Wade wrapped in knots.

“Why don’t you sit down, Miss Boots?” Faith got quickly to her feet. “I was just going back out.”

“Oh, keep me company a minute, won’t you, honey? Don’t you look pretty today, then you always do.”

“Thanks. I can say the same for you.” Now that she was standing, Faith wished she had something to do with her hands. “Ah, you must be very proud of Tory today.”

“I’ve always been proud of her. And how’s your mama doing?”

“She’s well.”

“Never known her to be otherwise for long. You be sure to give her my best now, won’t you?” Smiling easily, Boots wandered over to the bakery box, selected a cookie. “Haven’t seen Wade today, have you? I expect he’ll be over.”