Hometown Hope

by Laurel Blount

  “Look, like I said, we’re all really sorry,” Bobby said earnestly. “Aren’t we, guys?”

  “Yeah,” Stork promptly agreed. Bobby shot an elbow into Carl’s ribs, and he coughed.

  “Yeah. Sorry, Bradley.”

  “I’m not the one you owe the apology to. You all should go apologize to Anna, like I’m planning to do. But just saying we’re sorry’s not going to be enough this time.”

  “We get that, Hoyt, but what else can we do?” Bobby asked. “Tell us, and it’s done. Okay?”

  Hoyt craned his neck to look out the window again. Bailey’s truck was crunching out of the parking lot. He turned back to the table. “You can buy some books, that’s what you can do.”

  There was a long beat of silence.

  “Books?” Stork repeated finally.

  “Lots of ’em. You know where Delaney’s bookstore is. Just off the town square. You’re all—” Hoyt looked hard at each of them in turn “—going to go buy books. Like tomorrow. And I mean, you’re going to drop some serious cash. Understood?”

  “Yep.” Stork nodded. “We’re all buying books. First thing tomorrow. You have our word on it. Doesn’t he?”

  “Sure thing,” Bobby agreed. “Books. Lots of them.”

  “That’s not all. You’re going to see how else you can help her. Boost her business some. Maybe you can do some joint sales with your car lot, Stork. She has some of those things—those books you can listen to while you’re driving. You could throw one of those in with every car purchase.” When Stork nodded, Hoyt turned to his next victim. “And Bobby, you’re always looking for things to give away as prizes at the radio station. How about some gift certificates for books from Anna’s store?”

  “I usually get those prizes donated, Hoyt. Folks give them to me free for promotional—” Bobby trailed off. “But sure. I could buy some gift certificates, I guess. In fact, I’ll be happy to.”

  “And Carl, you can—” Hoyt stalled out as he looked at the expectant face in front of him. Carl was the local exterminator. Hoyt tried to think of some way Carl could connect Anna’s store with his business, but he came up with a big bunch of nothing. “You can buy books.”

  “Lots of them,” Bobby repeated sternly.

  Carl shrugged. “If you say so.” As Hoyt turned to head for the door, he heard Carl mutter, “But what am I going to do with a bunch of books?”

  Hoyt didn’t bother to answer. Finding a use for the books was Carl’s problem. The only thing that mattered to Hoyt right now was smoothing things over with Anna.

  Chapter Nine

  “Grab a slice, Anna.” Bailey Quinn settled Jess at a table in the back of her gourmet grocery store with a big triangle of Tino’s famous thin-crust pepperoni. Yanking off a generous swath of paper towels, she tucked them in the little girl’s collar. “There you go, sweet girl. Slop sauce to your heart’s content. I’m going to turn on the television here and you can watch that puppy show you like while Miss Anna and I talk. Okay?” Jess nodded happily.

  “No, thanks, Bailey. I need to get going. I have some things to do at Pages.” Anna had only planned to hitch a ride, not crash Bailey and Jess’s pizza party.

  “I hear you. There’s always plenty to do when you’re running a business. That’s why we’re eating here. After pizza, I have to spend a couple of hours checking inventory. But all that can wait for half an hour.” She flipped the cardboard top open and flopped generous slices on two plates. “Come on. Friends don’t make friends eat fattening stuff all alone. It’s in the handbook.”

  Anna hesitated. The smell of the pizza was awfully tempting, and her empty stomach grumbled hopefully. Then there was that whole friends comment Bailey had tossed off so casually. Anna’s heart reacted to that every bit as hungrily. The bookstore was only a short walk away.

  “I guess I have time for some pizza.” She started to pull out another chair at the little table, but Bailey stopped her with a shake of her head and a significant glance in Jess’s direction.

  “Not here. Grab those water bottles and come with me. We’ll eat out in the store. We have some things to talk about.” A pizza-laden plate in each hand, Bailey led the way out of the crowded storeroom and headed toward the front.

  Anna sighed. She should have escaped when she’d had the chance. She picked up the water bottles and followed.

  Bailey settled them down on two high stools at the high counter of her store and pushed a plate in Anna’s direction, along with a precautionary paper towel.

  “Here. Tino always goes a little crazy with his toppings. Now tell me. What happened back at the restaurant? Aaank.” When Anna started to speak, Bailey made a noise like a buzzer and held up a warning hand. “Don’t say nothing. You ran out of there like a scalded cat. What did those guys do?”

  Nothing was exactly what Anna had been planning to say. She’d never known Bailey Quinn all that well. Anna remembered her as a chubby girl with an overbite and glasses who’d huddled into the background almost as much as Anna had.

  Now Bailey possessed a fit, athletic build and a confident gleam in her perfectly corrected smile. At some point over the years, she’d grown comfortable in her own skin, and she’d certainly made a huge success of her gourmet grocery store, Bailey’s, which had recently been featured in a Georgia magazine article spotlighting up-and-coming female entrepreneurs.

  Considering that Anna hadn’t come close to pulling anything like that off herself, she’d felt intimidated around Bailey since returning to Pine Valley. Still, the other woman’s sharp dark eyes were kind, and there was something so chummy about sitting down together with greasy slices of pizza. Before she knew it, Anna was telling the whole sorry tale.

  Bailey listened, slowly nibbling her way through her slice of pizza. When she finished the last crisp bite of crust, she sighed with satisfaction. “I’ve got to talk Tino into sharing his secret sauce recipe with me. If we could bottle that stuff we’d make a fortune.”

  She wadded up her paper towel and took a deep breath. “Listen, butting into other people’s business is a bad habit, and I wouldn’t blame you a bit if you told me off and stormed out of here. But I’m sure the guys didn’t mean to upset you. Stork and Bobby are decent folks, and I’m positive they’re feeling lower than algae right now.” Bailey’s perfect smile flashed. “Carl’s kind of a goob, but even he’s probably feeling pretty bad, too, if Hoyt has anything to do with it.” She leaned back against the store’s whitewashed shiplap wall. “Trust me. They’ll all behave themselves better next time, and if Hoyt wants them to help you out with your store, they will. They listen to him.”

  “I’m not sure I want them to.”

  “Sure you do. I’ll help, too. You and I will have ourselves a sit-down soon, and we’ll figure out ways Bailey’s and Pages can boost each other up.”

  It was nice of Bailey to phrase it that way...boost each other up, as if Anna’s floundering store and Bailey’s flourishing one were on the same playing field. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Don’t be silly. I’d have offered before if I’d had any idea you’d take me up on it. I’m a big believer in supporting local businesses, for obvious reasons. Plus, you and I are friends.” Bailey lifted one dark eyebrow. “Or we’re going to be. Right?”

  Anna’s heart warmed. Bailey was well known to be a straight shooter. If she said something, she meant it. “I’d like that.”

  “Good. And as your friend, I’m asking you to give the guys another chance. They gave your dad a hard time back in high school, sure. We all did. To be fair, he gave us plenty of ammunition. Those ties, the shoes and that awful comb-over. Remember?” Bailey smiled. “But those were the things that made him lovable, too. Deep down we were all crazy about him.”

  “I hope you’re right, but it sure didn’t sound that way. My dad gave his whole life to this town, but it seemed like he was nothing but a
joke to them. Even Hoyt.” Anna set her pizza slice down. She’d lost her appetite.

  “Your dad was joked with. But he was never looked on as a joke.” Bailey spoke with conviction. “Especially not by Hoyt. He thought the world of your father.”

  “He had a funny way of showing it, then. I had no idea Hoyt was behind that dating site disaster. We dodged some of those poor women for months. And then there was the whole test keys mess. That could have destroyed my dad’s career. As it was, I nearly lost the Hayes scholarship over it. And Hoyt did lose his scholarship to UGA.”

  The confidence vanished from Bailey’s expression, replaced by a shell-shocked uncertainty. “Hoyt Bradley didn’t take those test keys, Anna.”

  Anna blinked. “Of course he did. He admitted to it.”

  “No, he never did. He just didn’t deny it.”

  “Same thing.” Anna had proclaimed her own innocence from the rooftops, not that many people had believed her. If Hoyt hadn’t been guilty, surely he’d have done that, too. Maybe he hadn’t come right out and confessed. Apart from trying to clear Anna, he’d just been stoically silent throughout the whole mess. Anna had taken that silence as a tacit admission of guilt.

  “It isn’t the same thing at all.” Bailey hesitated. “I’m not sure this story is mine to tell. But I’ll tell you this much. I know for a fact that Hoyt didn’t steal those keys.” She made a short, disbelieving noise. “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation. I mean, surely you don’t care about all that now?”

  You’re kind of going for a gold medal in grudge-holding, Delaney. Hoyt’s words replayed themselves in Anna’s memory.

  But she did care, and she wanted to know the truth. If Hoyt hadn’t stolen those answer sheets, it...changed things.

  “And you’re sure that Hoyt didn’t take them?”

  “Yes.” Bailey’s answer was immediate and firm. “I’m positive, Anna.”

  “Then who did?”

  “Somebody I was...close to.” There was a strange look on Bailey’s face now. Pain was mixed with some other emotion that Anna didn’t understand. “He admitted it to me.”

  “And you didn’t say anything?”

  Bailey’s dark eyes connected with Anna’s for a long second of silence before she answered. “No. I didn’t. And that’s all I’m going to say about it, Anna. I’m sorry. If you want the rest of the story, you’ll have to ask Hoyt.”

  “I just can’t believe he never told me.” Anna could still remember the sense of betrayal and disbelief she’d felt when she’d been confronted about the discovery. The assistant principal had made it clear that Hoyt wasn’t explicitly denying his own guilt. And Hoyt certainly hadn’t come across as innocent during the hurried conversation she’d wrangled with him in the school stairwell.

  He’d avoided her eyes, and there had been a mulish set to his jaw. He’d told her nothing apart from the fact that he was sorry and that she shouldn’t worry. He’d make it clear to the assistant principal that she’d had nothing to do with the theft.

  She’d pulled out all the stops, blasting him for jeopardizing both their hard-earned scholarships with such a stupid stunt. He’d just listened silently, apologized again and left her nursing a grudge that would last for more than a decade.

  Now Bailey was telling her Hoyt hadn’t even done it?

  She set her half-eaten pizza down on the plate. “You know, Bailey, I’m a little tired. I think I’m going to call it a night and head on home.”

  Bailey drew in a deep, slow breath, but she didn’t protest. “All right. We’ll talk soon about setting up that cross-promotion. When you see Hoyt, tell him Jess will be fine with me until you guys are done hashing all this out.”

  “But I won’t see Hoyt again tonight, Bailey.”

  The tiniest glimmer of a smile twinkled around Bailey’s lips. “Just give him the message, Anna. Okay?”

  As Anna left the store, she hesitated for a second in the shade of Bailey’s crisp, green-striped awnings. Then she turned in the opposite direction of the bookstore.

  It was still light out, and the day was cooling off. Maybe she’d take a walk around town.

  She’d been thinking that she didn’t get enough exercise, and Tino’s pizza wasn’t exactly diet food. A brisk walk would clear her head.

  And, just in case Bailey was right, Anna would be safely away from Pages until Hoyt gave up and went home.

  It was a good idea. It just didn’t work. She made it exactly six steps before she heard a truck rumbling to a stop behind her.

  “Anna?”

  * * *

  Anna didn’t turn around, but her spine straightened and she picked up her pace, striding briskly away from him. “Hoyt, I’m really not in the mood for a conversation right now. I’m going for a walk.” As she spoke, her high heel caught on the cracked sidewalk, making her wobble.

  He winced. A walk? In those sandals? The old sidewalks were pretty dicey here. She was going to twist an ankle if she wasn’t careful.

  He hurried to catch up with her. It wasn’t as easy as he’d thought. In spite of those silly shoes, Anna was logging some impressive mileage.

  When he finally came up beside her, she wouldn’t look at him.

  “I don’t blame you for being mad, Anna. Trust me, I’m mad myself. The guys—”

  “I told you, I don’t want to talk about it.” She stumbled again, and he caught her elbow to steady her.

  “Careful there. Are you sure a walk is a great idea? Those shoes and these messed-up sidewalks aren’t a good combo, and it’s starting to get dark. Let me drive you back to the store. It’s a short ride.” He paused and tried a smile. “Besides, you know you’re dying to tell me off. There’s no better place for that than the cab of a truck. I’ll have nowhere to hide. Come on. What do you say?”

  Anna hesitated, her lips pressed together in a tight line. “Oh, all right. But only because I’m about to break my neck trying to walk in these stupid things. I don’t know why I ever bought them in the first place.”

  Hoyt glanced down at Anna’s feet. The flimsy sandals sported tiny gold bangles sewn along the leather straps, and they had a toothpicky heel that looked like it would snap off if you looked at it too hard. And—surprisingly—the small toes peeking out of them were tipped with glossy rose.

  Had he ever seen Anna wearing nail polish before? He didn’t think so. His mind flashed back to the fancy hairdo he’d wrecked in front of Tino’s. Anna had put some serious effort into upgrading her looks for the dinner tonight.

  Somehow that made his heart go all tight and sore.

  “They’re pretty shoes. Just not so great for walking, maybe.”

  “And I definitely can’t afford a trip to the emergency room.” She picked her way back toward his truck. Hoyt stayed close, ready to shoot out an arm and catch her again if she looked like she was about to take a tumble.

  Once they were in the truck, he started the engine and pulled away from the curb. He said a thankful prayer for the one-way streets around Pine Valley’s town square. Having to go all the way around the block would buy him a few extra minutes. He had a feeling he was going to need every single one of them.

  “Anna, I’m really sorry about what happened back at Tino’s. I never—”

  “You lied to me about stealing those test answers back in high school.”

  “What?” Hoyt darted a quick look at Anna. Where had that come from? He’d been all geared up to apologize for dragging her to Tino’s to meet up with the Three Stooges. That was what he’d rehearsed the whole drive back from the restaurant.

  He wasn’t prepared to talk about this.

  “Don’t deny it. Maybe you didn’t actually say the words, but you deliberately let me believe something that wasn’t true.”

  He took his eyes off the road long enough to shoot a second bewildered glance in her d
irection. Anna was frowning at him, her green eyes sharp and accusing.

  “If you didn’t steal those answer keys, Hoyt, who did?” When he didn’t answer right away, she lifted an eyebrow. “What difference does it make now if you tell me?”

  That was exactly his question.

  Well, one thing was for sure. This wasn’t a conversation he needed to have while he was trying to drive, not even poking along like he was right now. He pulled the truck over in front of the church coffee shop and moved the gearshift into Park. Then he turned in the seat and faced Anna.

  Okay, fine. If she really wanted to know the truth, he’d tell her.

  “Danny Whitlock stole them. The guy was a genius with a lockpick.”

  “Danny?” Anna’s brow furrowed as she thought that through. “Abel Whitlock’s younger brother?”

  “Yeah.” He waited as she searched her memory, putting pieces together.

  “I remember Danny being kind of a troublemaker, but why would he even want them? They weren’t for any of his classes.”

  “He was planning to sell them.”

  He didn’t offer any more of an explanation about that part of it. He didn’t figure he needed to. Everybody had known that the Whitlock family had lived close to the bone. Money had been hard to come by, and only Abel had ever believed in getting it honestly.

  He waited for Anna’s next question. It wasn’t long coming.

  “Why did you take the blame? Covering for Danny cost you your scholarship, Hoyt! And if I’m remembering right, you didn’t even like him all that much. Why on earth would you do such a thing?”

  This was where things got tricky. He’d never told anybody the rest of this story. He’d never intended to.