Welcome to Serenity (9 page)

“Yes, hello,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt.

“Tom, it’s Cal.”

He nearly sighed with relief at the distraction. “Cal, I meant to call you earlier about your Little League proposal. I wanted to let you know that I haven’t had time to get to it, but I haven’t forgotten.”

“Not a problem,” Cal assured him. “Actually, I thought maybe you’d like to hang out with Ronnie Sullivan—you know him from the festival committee, I think—Erik Whitney from Sullivan’s and me tonight. We’re going to toss around a football in the park, maybe have a few beers after. Interested?”

“How soon?” he asked eagerly.

“Twenty minutes,” Cal said. “We’ll be by the gazebo. Can you meet us there?”

“Absolutely,” Tom said. “I just need to drop off my briefcase at the inn and change.”

Thank heavens, he thought as he stuck his cell phone back in his pocket. He hoped these guys took their games seriously. He figured it would take a solid hour of hard sweat and a whole lot of inconsequential guy talk to work the memory of that smoldering kiss out of his head. Two hours later, Tom was drained of thoughts and energy. These guys played even a casual game of football with an intensity that had challenged him. He was also on his second beer, which had loosened his tongue.

“So, what’s the story on Jeanette?” he asked before he could think through the consequences of bringing up her name with these particular guys. “You all know her, right?”

Cal, Ronnie and Erik exchanged amused looks.

“Told you,” Cal said, holding out his hand to the others.

“Pay up.”

Tom frowned. “Told them what?”

“That you had a thing for Jeanette and that it wouldn’t take more than two beers for you to start asking questions about her,” Cal said.

“You bet on this?” he asked incredulously.

“We bet on everything,” Ronnie said, handing over five dollars to Cal. “Keeps us on our toes. We’re a very competitive bunch.”

“I’m paying you under protest,” Erik said as he gave Cal his money. “The deck was stacked in your favor. You’ve seen the two of them together. We haven’t.”

“Stop whining,” Cal told him, seizing the five-dollar bill. “I know perfectly well that Helen and/or Dana Sue has clued you in about this. Probably both of them. And Ronnie’s on the Christmas festival committee, so he’s at least seen them together once.”

Erik grinned. “Well, maybe I had heard something, but I’m busy when I’m at Sullivan’s. I don’t always pay attention to whatever Dana Sue’s going on about in the kitchen.”

“And your wife?” Cal taunted. “Do you tune her out, too?”

“Helen?” Erik said. “Impossible! She makes sure I hear every word she says. It’s the lawyer in her.”

Tom held up a hand. “Can we back up the train a minute?

All of you, your wives included, have been speculating about me and Jeanette?”

“True,” Ronnie said, giving him a commiserating slap on the back. “Welcome to the world of the Sweet Magnolias.”

“Damn,” Tom muttered. “She told me they meddled, but I had no idea to what extent.”

“Take it from the three of us, these women work as a team,” Cal reported. “You show a little interest in Jeanette, they’re going to be all over it.”

“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” Tom said. “It seems to be scaring off Jeanette. She claims she has zero interest in me specifically and in men in general.”

“Trust me, they were all skittish when we came into their lives,” Cal reported. “With Maddie and me, it was the age thing, plus my job was threatened by the whole supposed scandal of her dating a younger man, who also happened to be her son’s baseball coach. With Ronnie and Dana Sue, let’s just say there was some history he had to overcome the second time around.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Erik added, giving Ronnie a playful punch in the arm.

Cal continued, “As for Erik here, well, he was just about as reluctant to get involved as Helen was. Ronnie and I had a great time watching the mightiest of the mighty fall.”

“So what’s made Jeanette so skittish?” Tom asked, probably too eagerly.

“Beats me,” Cal said. “She was flying solo when she got to town and that hasn’t changed in the time we’ve known her.”

“Hold on,” Ronnie said. “Wasn’t there some guy she was living with before she moved here? I think Dana Sue said they broke up over her working so much and wanting to leave Charleston.”

“Jeanette used to live in Charleston?” Tom asked. “I didn’t know that. Is that where she’s from?”

“No, she’s from someplace south of here,” Erik said.

“Another little town.”

Ronnie shoved another beer in front of him. “Okay, let’s get to the point, man. Are you serious about her or are you just looking for a distraction?”

Tom stared at him. He’d been here less than a month, known Jeanette for a couple of weeks and they wanted to know if he was serious? “Come on,” he protested. “Serious?

As in looking for a wife?”

“That’s the one,” Cal confirmed.

“I barely know her.” Tom shrugged. “And if she has her way, it’ll stay like that.”

“We could help you out,” Cal offered casually. “If we thought you were serious.”

“Help me out how?” Tom asked, suspicious of anything these three might be plotting. Obviously they were doing it with the blessing of their wives, which pretty much gave him hives.

“For starters, everyone is coming to our place for dinner on Sunday, including Jeanette,” Erik said meaningfully. “I could invite you.”

“But only if my intentions are honorable,” Tom concluded. All three men nodded somberly.

“Otherwise, you hurt her and we’d have to beat you up,”

Ronnie said, his expression still totally serious. Tom laughed, but not one of them seemed to share his amusement. He sobered. “Okay, then, message received. Jeanette has three men looking after her.”

“And three tough women,” Cal added.

“Dana Sue lifts weights,” Ronnie warned. “She’s very fit these days.”

Tom shook his head. “Maybe I should consider going out with Mary Vaughn, after all.”

Again, the men exchanged a look, though this time there was real worry in their eyes.

“I think we may have come on too strong,” Erik said.

“Possibly,” Cal agreed.

Tom stared at them. “So this was basically a test,” he said.

“Pretty much,” Ronnie told him, looking vaguely chagrined.

“We were under orders,” Cal explained.

“Did I pass?” Tom asked, more curious than offended.

“Beats me,” Cal said. “You seem like an okay guy, but I don’t think my opinion counts.”

“Well, I think you’d better come on Sunday,” Erik said.

“The women will let you know if you pass muster.”

Tom wasn’t at all sure he wanted his love life subject to the scrutiny of these so-called Sweet Magnolias. He already knew Jeanette wasn’t one bit happy about it. Still, if he won the rest of them over, there was a very good chance they’d give Jeanette a little shove in his direction. It couldn’t hurt.

“Count me in,” he said at last.

“Brave man,” Cal said approvingly.

“Gets points in my book,” Ronnie said.

Erik just grinned sympathetically, like a man who’d once been in the same spot he was in.

Tom shook his head and gulped down the rest of his beer. What the hell had he gotten himself into? One mindblowing kiss and it appeared he was neck deep in quicksand. The Sweet Magnolias were having one of their increasingly sporadic margarita nights. These occasions gave them a chance to catch up on spa business and on each other’s lives. Normally Jeanette loved the casual gabfests, but something told her when she first walked through the door at Helen’s that tonight was going to be an exception. The buzz of chatter died on her arrival.

“What?” she demanded.

All three women regarded her innocently. Helen immediately filled a margarita glass to the brim and held it out. Jeanette accepted it warily, then took a seat on the floor.

“Somebody needs to tell me why you all shut up the second I walked in,” she said.

“She’s right,” Maddie said. “She should know.”

“Of course she should,” Dana Sue said, turning to Helen.

“You masterminded this. You tell her.”

“I did no such thing,” Helen protested.

“Tell her,” Maddie and Dana Sue said in unison.

“Tom’s coming for Sunday dinner,” Helen admitted.

“The guys asked him last night.”

Jeanette studied each of her friends in turn, then settled in on Helen. “And this was your idea?”

“Not exactly,” she said, regarding the others with a touch of defiance. “We all wanted to get a look at the two of you together. Okay, not Maddie. She’s already witnessed the fireworks firsthand, but Dana Sue and me.”

“And how did the guys just happen to see him and invite him?” she queried.

“Oh, you know guys,” Dana Sue said. “They were getting together to play a little football. Cal called Tom. Then they had a couple of beers together. Guy stuff.”

“They were checking him out, weren’t they?” Jeanette accused. “This wasn’t some innocent little get-together. I know how you operate.”

“We were just protecting your interests,” Maddie said.

“We know how you feel about getting involved with anyone and we figured if you’re finally ready, it needs to be with someone trustworthy.”

“I am not getting involved with Tom,” Jeanette said for the umpteenth time. “Why won’t you listen to me?”

“Because you don’t sound convincing,” Helen said. “I’m a lawyer. I know when people are lying to me…and to themselves.”

“Okay, fine,” Jeanette said in disgust. “You all conduct your independent review of the new town manager. I don’t have to be there.”

“You can’t back out now,” Maddie protested. “Come on. We want you there.”

“And I invited you first,” Helen reminded her. “And you said yes.”

“Did I really? I seem to recall you assuming that I would come.”

“You’re bringing tequila,” Helen said. “I made a note of it.”

“Of course you did,” Maddie said, patting her hand.

“You make notes on everything.”

“Especially since I had the baby,” Helen said with a sigh. “I can’t remember anything if I don’t write it down.”

“Try having five kids,” Maddie said. “I make lists of my lists.”

“The bottom line,” Helen said, gazing directly at Jeanette, “is that you’re coming. If you absolutely insist, we’ll simply tell Tom to stay away.”

She frowned at them. “You know I can’t do that. It would be totally rude to have you take back your invitation to him. He’s new in town. He probably doesn’t know a lot of people. In fact, why don’t you invite some others?

Mary Vaughn, for instance. I have it on good authority that she’s interested in him.”

“Then I’d have to stay home,” Dana Sue said flatly. “And keep Ronnie there, too.”

“Ronnie doesn’t give two figs about Mary Vaughn,”

Maddie said impatiently. “He never did.”

“Not the point,” Dana Sue said. “I don’t trust her near my husband.” She frowned at Jeanette. “And you shouldn’t want her anywhere near Tom.”

“How many ways do I have to say that I don’t care about Tom McDonald?”

Maddie’s expression turned thoughtful, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “As many as it takes to convince us. You’re not even close yet.”

Jeanette clamped her mouth shut. There was no point in belaboring this. It was a debate she couldn’t possibly win. Helen beamed. “Good, then we’re agreed. It’s going to be a great evening.”

Jeanette didn’t want to burst her bubble, but from her perspective, it promised to be hell. The memory of that kiss she and Tom had shared made her blood sizzle every time she thought about it. She was going to have to resist any repeat of the experience, and the sad truth was, she wasn’t sure she had the willpower.

Tom was in the middle of an incredibly steamy dream about the elusive Jeanette when his phone rang on Sunday morning.

“Oh, honey, I didn’t wake you, did I?” his mother inquired.

He sighed as the last image of Jeanette faded from his mind. “It’s okay, Mother. I need to be up soon, anyway, if I’m going to get to church on time. What’s up?”

“Your father and I were just talking. I know you weren’t expecting me until next week, but the plans we had for today have been postponed, so we thought we’d drive over to Serenity to have lunch with you and take a look around your little town. Will that work for you?”

Tom bit back a groan. She made it sound like an excursion to a not-very-respectable amusement park. He’d planned on looking at a few houses this morning, doing some work on revising the budget, and then getting ready to go to Erik and Helen’s at four. Of course, his mother had mentioned lunch. That would put them here around noon and he could probably send them on their way by two. That should work. And at least it would put this hoped-for, but much-dreaded, visit behind him.

“Sure, Mother. That would be great. We can have lunch at Sullivan’s. We need to be there early, though. It’s usually packed right after church and they’re only open until two on Sundays.”