What would you do if you were face-to-face with the one who got away?
It’s been years since Jennie Copley left Magnolia, NC—and her dreams of happily-ever-after—in the rearview mirror. But when her beloved nana turns ninety, she forces herself to come home for the birthday party...and runs into Lucas Michaels, the boy who broke her heart all those years ago. She’d hoped to never see him again, but life—and Nana—has other plans...
Lucas is still in love with Jennie—time and distance could never change that. When she left for college, Lucas knew she had big dreams and he didn’t want to stand in her way. Now, forced together to plan Nana’s party, he can’t get her off his mind. Jennie is only in town a little while. Can he convince her to give him one more chance?
A Magnolia Reunion
Michelle Major
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
EXCERPT FROM THE MAGNOLIA SISTERS BY MICHELLE MAJOR
CHAPTER ONE
JENNIE COPLEY BLINKED away tears as she turned into the long driveway that led to her nana’s old farmhouse.
Allergies. That had to explain her watery eyes. She rolled up the car windows, which she’d had down since exiting the highway for her hometown of Magnolia, North Carolina. The warm spring air and the earthy scent of soil made her feel both refreshed and nostalgic. How many years had she taken the scent of home for granted?
Not any longer.
Her sentimentality immediately morphed into panic as the red fire truck parked in front of the entrance came into view. She’d returned for her nana’s ninetieth birthday, and although Anna Copley had been in high spirits when Jennie talked to her during a layover in Munich, she knew things could change in an instant.
Gravel blew up behind the rental car’s tires as she stopped, dashing out of the car and up the porch stairs.
“Nana,” she called as she burst through the front door, not bothering to knock. “Where are you?”
“The kitchen, dear,” came the reply even as Jennie raced into the room.
Jennie swallowed back her worry at the sight of her grandmother at the old oak table, looking much the same as always. Tiny frame, a halo of wispy silver hair framing her face and the gentle smile that had comforted and encouraged Jennie throughout her childhood. Perhaps Anna had lost a bit of weight and her wrinkles grooved deeper than Jennie remembered. But her smile and the light in her eyes remained the same as she held out her arms. A different brand of nerves flitted across Jennie’s skin as she took in the man sitting across from Nana.
“Lucas,” she breathed.
“Hey, Jen.” Lucas Michaels, Jennie’s first boyfriend, the man who’d broken her heart five years ago, pushed back from the table and stood, smoothing a hand over the crisp fabric of his dark firefighter’s uniform. “I didn’t realize you were arriving so soon.”
Memories washed through her, and she tried to ignore the echo of her name on his lips. He also looked the same—and just as handsome—as she remembered, six feet tall with broad shoulders and a leanly muscled frame. His sandy-colored hair was cropped close to his head, a change from the shaggy cut he used to sport. His eyes, the color of Madagascar chocolate, stayed on her face, but she had no doubt he’d taken in everything about her appearance. She wished she’d thought to put on makeup or change clothes at the airport. After nearly twenty hours of traveling, she could only imagine how bedraggled she must look.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, darting a glance between Lucas and her grandmother. “Why are you here?”
She didn’t mean for her tone to come out so bracing, but she thought she’d have more time to prepare for the parts of this homecoming that might still rip at her soul. Five years away should have given her plenty of time to heal. Lucas didn’t appear at all affected by her.
His gaze remained shuttered and unreadable, but his features visibly softened as he smiled at her grandmother.
“I should go,” he said instead of answering. “Let you two catch up.”
“Yes,” Jennie agreed even as Nana shook her head.
“Don’t be silly.” Anna reached out a gnarled hand and patted Lucas’s arm. “It’s like old times having you both here.” She turned to Jennie. “Come give me a hug and then sit down, dear. You look exhausted.”
Good to know, Jennie thought. “I still don’t understand—”
“Lucas comes to visit a couple of times a week,” her grandmother explained as Jennie moved forward. “It’s a community service the department provides to some of Magnolia’s more seasoned residents.”
Jennie bent and wrapped her arms around Nana’s thin shoulders, breathing in the scents of lavender and baby powder. “I missed you,” she whispered.
“You too, my girl.” Nana gave her an extra squeeze. “I want to hear all about your adventures.”
“I really should go.” Lucas cleared his throat. “Nice to see you, Jennie.”
Nice. Jennie rolled her eyes as she straightened. “An extra dollop of cream in your coffee is nice, Lucas. This is unexpected and awkward.”
Anna laughed. “I see the nomadic life hasn’t dulled your tongue. That comes from my side of the family. You always said exactly what was on your mind.”
Which had gotten Jennie into trouble more often than she cared to admit.
“I’m a traveling nurse, Nana. Not a nomad.”
“You do good work,” her grandmother agreed with a nod. “That doesn’t mean I don’t worry.”
Jennie drew in a shaky breath. In her years away from Magnolia, she’d become an expert at independence. Her grandmother’s comment felt at once unfamiliar and comforting.
“I’m happy to be here and to celebrate your birthday.”
“About that...” Her grandmother clapped her hands together. “I have an idea.”
“Anna,” Lucas murmured, shaking his head. “Now might not be the best time. Jennie should settle in first, get caught up on sleep before—”
“I don’t need you to decide what I’m fit to hear,” Jennie snapped. “I’ve coordinated vaccinations for entire villages in a dozen different countries. I’m certain I can manage whatever Nana wants to tell me.”
She lifted a brow, daring Lucas to argue. Their relationship had once been filled with tiny battles, and a part of her had thrived on the challenge. Lucas could be stubborn and headstrong, always certain of the validity of his opinion.
She had many of the same traits and their similar personalities had pulled them together and at other times pushed them apart, two poles of a magnet, the power of attraction impossible to resist.
But now Lucas only nodded in agreement, his full mouth drawn into a tight line. “I’m sure you can handle anything.”
Anything except you breaking my heart, she thought, oddly disappointed in his willingness to acquiesce.
“Of course she can,” Nana declared, forever Jennie’s biggest champion. “Especially with your help, Lucas.”
“Help with what?” Jennie asked, fearing her affinity for speaking before thinking might have gotten the best of her in this situation.
“Planning my party,” her grandmother answered. “I’ve decided to mark ninety years with a celebration for the whole town. I want the two of you to arrange it.”
CHAPTER TWO
“DID YOU PUT her up to this?” Jennie demanded as she elbowed Lucas aside and reached for the suitcase she’d ha
uled out of her car’s trunk.
One side of his mouth curved into a smile, and he quickly hid it. She’d light him on fire if she thought he was entertained by her temper. He couldn’t help it. Her feistiness had been one of the first things he’d liked about her, way back when his family had moved to Magnolia during his fourth-grade year. Eleven-year-old Lucas needed all of a minute to fall for Jennie Copley, with her olive skin, pitch-black eyes and the dark braid cascading down her skinny back.
It had taken several years for Jennie to return his affection and a few more after that for him to ruin everything. Despite how the breakup had gutted him, he didn’t blame her for leaving. He also didn’t harbor any fantasies about what her return might mean for the two of them.
She’d come home from whatever far-flung location she was currently working in to honor her grandmother. Nothing more.
That much was clear by the way she continued to glare at him as she waited for his answer.
“Not at all. What do I know about party planning?”
She let out an annoyed humph and started to wrestle the oversize luggage up the porch stairs.
“Jen, let me get that.”
He climbed onto the bottom step and reached for the bag.
“I can do it.”
The moment his fingers brushed hers, she yanked her arm away, as if burned by his touch. That sudden movement threw both her and the suitcase off balance. She lost her footing, and he instinctively reached for her so she wouldn’t fall.
A mistake of monumental proportions. He didn’t regret saving her from a tumble, but wrapping his arms around her slim frame and gathering her close was wrong on so many levels. His body charged to life like a machine that had been dormant for five years, waiting for its missing piece. Jennie had always been the best part of him.
Her dark hair, styled in a practical bob instead of the long locks of her youth, tickled his jaw. She wore a thin cotton shirt and leggings, the warmth of her skin seeping through the fabric and into him, making him yearn for things he thought he’d given up long ago.
It was natural to lift her into his arms, reveling in the sudden hitch of her breath, and move down to the walkway. Much more difficult to force himself to let her go.
She glanced up at him, her plump lips parted, color blooming against the pale skin of her cheeks. For the briefest moment, her gaze was open and he would have sworn desire glittered there. The same bone-deep hunger he felt. A need both of them should have gotten over by now. Before he could decipher what it meant that neither of them had, she blinked and the moment was over.
“I carry boxes of medical supplies on a regular basis,” she said, twisting away from his grasp. “I can handle...” She broke off with a muttered curse as her gaze tracked to the suitcase, which had popped open, its contents spilled across the farmhouse’s front walk.
“Everything,” he finished for her then bent to collect the strewn clothing. “I know. How many countries have you been to now?”
She paused and glanced toward him, a bevy of undergarments gathered in her arms.
He focused on the suitcase. The last thing he needed was to study Jennie’s current lingerie collection. Why did a traveling nurse need red lace undies anyway?
Nope. He didn’t want to know the answer to that particular question.
“I’ve lost count of countries,” she told him. “But Nursing Globally, the agency I work for, has sent me to five different continents.”
“Do you have a favorite place?” He piled the clothes he’d collected into the open suitcase then stepped away to give her a modicum of privacy.
“Wherever I can do the most good,” she answered as she shoved the rest of her belongings into the luggage and fastened it shut again. “How long have you been a firefighter?”
“Four years.”
Her eyes closed for a moment as if she were processing the information. A breeze kicked up, molding the T-shirt to her curves. Lucas tried not to notice. Tried not to remember how it felt to have her body pressed against his. Tried and failed.
“Thank you for visiting Nana. I didn’t realize that was part of your job description.”
“I enjoy it,” he told her honestly. “As I’m sure you know, prevention is better than cure when it comes to the community. We’re not health and welfare experts, but the home visits give us a chance to notice potential issues.”
She inclined her head as she studied him. “You’ve changed.”
“I hope so,” he said with a laugh. “I was a nightmare back in the day.” He cleared his throat, memories assailing him and the familiar sense of shame following close in their wake. “Back when we were together. I’m sorry, Jennie. I know—”
“You have nothing to apologize for at this point.” She held up a hand. “You did me a favor. My sad little broken heart is what propelled me to join the agency. I owe you.”
“It shouldn’t have taken being hurt for you to pursue your dream.”
“My dream,” she repeated, almost wistfully. “Right.” She looked at him then, offering a patently fake smile. “If Nana wants a party, I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to be involved. I’m sure you’ve got plenty to keep you busy.”
One delicate brow lifted as she waited for his response. Lucas knew he should take the out she offered. Yes, he was busy between his shifts at the station and renovating the cozy fixer-upper he’d purchased last year. And he had no doubt Jennie didn’t need his assistance with party planning. Anna turned ninety the following Saturday and had told them the celebration should be held at the barn on the property. Planning would be a whirlwind and he’d likely only get in the way and drive Jennie crazy.
“I want to help,” he announced, and by the way her head snapped back it was obvious he’d surprised them both.
“Are you sure?” She shook her head. “You know Nana loves meddling. It’s likely she has some kind of secret plan to try to get us back together, which is crazy but still...”
Crazy summed it up. It was insanity to volunteer to spend any more time near Jennie Copley. Today’s short visit had his insides tied in knots. He’d be smart to stay far away.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Please put in your number and I’ll text you. You’ll have my contact information for whatever you need.”
After several weighted seconds, Jennie took the phone from him. “For whatever I need as far as party planning,” she clarified while she tapped the screen, and it was hard to tell whether she was talking to herself or to him.
Her fingers grazed his as she handed the phone to him. He shoved it back into his pocket and gave a curt nod before starting for his truck.
After two steps, he turned toward her again. She hadn’t moved.
“Whatever you need,” he repeated. “Period.”
CHAPTER THREE
“WHAT DOES THAT even mean?” Jennie punched her fist into one of her mother’s many decorative couch cushions later that night. “Whatever I need.” She sniffed. “I haven’t talked to Lucas for five years. I don’t need anything from him, and he knows it.”
Selena Copley dropped down next to Jennie on the sofa. “Did you ever consider he was being nice?”
“Lucas has never been nice, Mom. You know that.”
“He grew up while you were gone.”
Her mother’s words were spoken softly but they ricocheted through Jennie like a clap of thunder over the Ugandan plains.
“He gets a gold star for that?” Jennie crossed her arms over her chest, hating that she sounded so snappish. In her years as an international nurse, she’d balanced cultural and language barriers, learning patience along the way. But not with Lucas.
“Was it that bad?” her mother asked, reaching for the bowl of chocolate on the coffee table and handing it to Jennie.
“He was nice,” Jennie muttered, grabb
ing a fistful of candy. “And still so darn hot.”
Her mother laughed. “Some things don’t change.”
“Nothing changes in Magnolia.” Jennie unwrapped a piece of chocolate. “I drove through downtown on my way from Nana’s. It’s kind of sad, Mom.”
“No.” Selena shook her head. “It’s quiet but not sad. There are still so many great things here. Niall Reed is hosting another artists’ retreat this summer.”
“I can’t believe that guy’s still around.” Jennie slid another chocolate into her mouth. “I’ve seen a lot of artwork in the past five years but nothing quite as awful as what Niall churns out.”
“He’s an institution.”
Jennie rolled her eyes and picked up the remote. “He’s overhyped. People around here need to take off their blinders and realize Magnolia has value unrelated to its most famous resident.”
Selena dropped her head onto Jennie’s shoulder. “I missed you and your big ideas. I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished, but I missed you. Nana did too.”
“Why does Lucas visit her?” Jennie couldn’t help but ask, hoping her mother could explain it in a way that would make Jennie feel less touched by it.
“It’s a program the fire station has implemented, where they schedule—”
“Visits to elderly people in the community,” Jennie interrupted, paraphrasing how Nana had explained it. “But why him with her? Nana told me that Lucas fixed her furnace last winter.”
“I’m grateful to him,” her mother answered. “It worries me to have her out at the farm on her own. I’ve tried to convince her to sell the property and move into town with me.”
“She’s stubborn,” Jennie murmured.
“You get it honestly.” Selena shifted on the sofa so she was facing Jennie. “What’s next for you, sweetie? I thought you loved your job so to hear you’re thinking of leaving the agency...”
Jennie placed a hand to her stomach, like that would stop the uneasy churning inside her at the thought of her future. Her contract with Nursing Globally was up for renewal. She’d been offered a raise and a position with more responsibility, so there was nothing to stop her from signing on again. Yet she hadn’t committed. “I love the work and the opportunities I’ve had. But it’s been five years of having no home. I never expected that.”
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