Welcome to Serenity

by Sherryl Woods

  “Because I’ve told you otherwise.”

  “Words,” he said, his tone dismissive. “Nothing but words.”

  She frowned at him. “You don’t have to have dinner with us, you know. You can drop me off. Mary Vaughn and I can celebrate without you.”

  “But that would hardly prove whatever cockamamie thing she’s trying to prove, would it?”

  “Not as effectively, no. Seeing all three of us together will show Serenity that there are no hard feelings.”

  “Then it’s my duty to play this out,” he said solemnly. “Never let it be said that my mother didn’t raise me to be a true Southern gentleman. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect a woman’s honor.”

  “You don’t have to get carried away,” Jeanette said.

  “Apparently I do.” And something told him, he was going to regret it.

  Inside Sullivan’s, Jeanette abandoned him the second they’d been shown to a table. He stared after her in bemusement as she headed directly for the kitchen. Maybe she was going to share the news that she’d contracted to buy a house, but he suspected she had a few other tidbits she wanted to share with her friends, as well.

  Something told him he could spend the next fifty years with her and never entirely understand her. Of course, unraveling her secrets would definitely give him something to look forward to. And his anticipation of that prospect was something refreshingly new to him. Never before had he found a woman so intriguing that he could envision growing old with her.

  * * *

  Mary Vaughn sat in her car in the parking lot at Sullivan’s retouching her already flawless makeup and trying to work up the courage to go inside. The instant she’d uttered the invitation to Jeanette and Tom, she’d regretted it. She had considerable experience pretending all was right with her world when it was crumbling around her, but she wasn’t sure she was capable of putting on such a display tonight. This latest setback was still a little too fresh.

  “Nothing for it,” she muttered, and exited the car. She would not let one single soul in Serenity know how she felt about having yet another man stolen right out from under her. Not that Tom had ever been hers, but she’d wanted him. The whole darn town probably knew that, just the way they’d always known what was going on with her folks and had never said a single word, much less stepped in to protect her or her mother.

  As an only child, Mary Vaughn had learned to keep silent about her problems from a master. Her mother had endured years of abuse—verbal and physical—from her alcoholic husband without asking for help. When Mary Vaughn had been old enough to ask her about it, she’d denied that there was a problem. She had bruises because she was clumsy. The raised voices were nothing more than “discussions.” Because her mother had refused to acknowledge what was happening, Mary Vaughn had been forced into silence, as well.

  She’d always told herself that things would be different if her father had ever attacked her, that her mother would leap to her defense and take them away from the whole awful situation, but she’d harbored her doubts about that. Thankfully her theory had never been tested. Her father had been content to take out his anger on her mother.

  She’d gone to school with her chin up and ignored the whispers from neighborhood kids who’d seen her father weaving his way home from Serenity’s most notorious bar, who’d heard the inevitable shouting that followed his arrival. She’d denied the abuse when compassionate, concerned counselors had sought to help. She’d become as masterful as her mother at living a lie.

  She’d fallen for Ronnie Sullivan in part because he’d been new in town and hadn’t looked at her with pity the way others at school did. She’d married Sonny because he’d loved her in spite of her troubled background. He’d even claimed to admire her for rising above the situation and striving to make her own way in the world.

  By then her father and mother were both dead, her father from complications from cirrhosis of the liver, her mother from a heart attack. Mary Vaughn hadn’t truly mourned either one of them. What she’d mourned was the family she’d never had.

  Sonny—son of the town’s most respected citizen—had become her whole family, and then Rory Sue. She’d known from the beginning that whatever her marriage to Sonny might lack in passion, she would always be safe and she would always have his respect. And because of his family, she’d have the town’s respect, as well, though she’d worked darn hard to earn that for herself. She’d told herself that safety and mutual respect were more than enough, and they had been for her. It was Sonny who’d eventually wanted more.

  When he’d left her, she’d been forced once again to keep her chin up and ignore the whispers. She drew on that experience now to walk into Sullivan’s without letting anyone see how her heart was aching. She was here to celebrate the sale of a property and, by gosh, no one was going to think otherwise.

  There wasn’t a false note in her voice or a wavering of her smile to suggest that she was anything other than thrilled for Jeanette for getting the house of her dreams...and maybe the man that Mary Vaughn had wanted, as well.

  When the champagne came, she lifted her glass. “To a wonderful future in your new home,” she said, then clinked glasses with Jeanette and with Tom. “I hope you’ll be happy there.”

  “You do know this is my house, right?” Jeanette said wryly. “Tom is still looking. Maybe you can think of something he would like.”

  “Well, of course I can,” Mary Vaughn said, cheered to know that whatever was heating up between these two hadn’t reached a stage where they’d be moving in together. She beamed at Tom. “Did you like the style of the house you saw today, or would you like something newer and a little more modern? Maybe something more impressive that befits your stature as town manager and as a McDonald? I’m sure you’re used to a large house.”

  “Actually, what I’m used to is something not much bigger than my room at the Serenity Inn,” Tom said. “I spend so much time on the job that all I need at home is one room where I can relax, a refrigerator to hold a few necessities and a bedroom.”

  “I think we can do better than that,” she said. “You know, I didn’t want to mention this earlier, but I had a call from your mother the other day.”

  Tom’s expression turned dark. “Oh?” he said, his voice like ice.

  “She’d apparently picked up one of my brochures on her last visit and saw a few houses she thought might be appropriate for you. She said she’d call next week and schedule an appointment to look at them.”

  “I don’t think so,” Tom said. “If she calls back, tell her that you’re working for me, not her.”

  Mary Vaughn winced. She’d already gathered that Clarisse McDonald had a mind of her own and would not take kindly to being dismissed. “I think she’s just trying to take some of the burden off your shoulders,” she said, hoping to pacify him. “After all, you’re incredibly busy getting settled into your new job, plus the Christmas festival takes a lot of your time.”

  He leaned forward. “Mary Vaughn, I would greatly appreciate it if you did not show my mother any houses in Serenity, unless she’s planning to live in one of them herself. I’ll make my own choice when the time comes. If that’s a problem for you, then I’ll work with another agent and you and my mother can look to your heart’s content.”

  Obviously she’d stepped into the middle of some family dynamic she didn’t understand. “Of course it’s not a problem, Tom,” she said, backing down at once. It would have been a coup to have someone of Clarisse McDonald’s stature as a client, but a good relationship with Tom was more important. “Don’t worry. If she calls again, I’ll make some excuse to put her off.”

  “Thanks.”

  Mary Vaughn turned to Jeanette. “Do you have a contractor in mind for any renovations once the house is officially yours?”

  Jeanette shrugged. “I’m still a little
dazed that I actually signed a deal to buy a house today. I suppose I’ll talk to Ronnie. He knows most of the contractors in town.”

  “And, of course, she has my promise to help,” Tom added, giving Jeanette a meaningful look.

  “I thought I’d declined your offer,” she said, regarding him with amusement. “It came with too many strings.”

  “We can always negotiate,” Tom said. “That could be fun.”

  Mary Vaughn sat back, barely containing a sigh. Okay, they might not be moving in together, but there was definitely something there. She was practically being singed by the sizzle in the air.

  What was wrong with her? She was much more suited to a man like Tom McDonald than Jeanette was. She understood style. She had money and social graces. She’d worked hard to create a polished, well-educated, successful life so she would never be trapped in a lousy marriage as her mother had been. She’d been determined to have options. Sonny might not have been her first choice, but he’d been a decent guy from a good family. He’d adored her, and yet he’d left her. In some ways, that had been harder to take than losing Ronnie Sullivan the first time.

  Obviously she had some kind of fatal flaw when it came to men, but for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it was. Was she too aggressive, too self-confident, too independent? Or was it the exact opposite? Was she too needy?

  Ironically she’d always been so focused on her relationships with men that she’d done little to cultivate friendships with women, so there was no one she could ask where she was going wrong. Up until today, she would have considered asking Jeanette, but that was out of the question now. It would be too humiliating to ask the woman Tom was clearly infatuated with.

  One of these days, though, she needed to figure it out, because she was tired of going home alone at the end of the day. All the money and success in the world couldn’t compensate for having no one special in her life beyond a daughter who was mad at her half the time.

  She took one more sip of champagne, then cut herself off. The last thing she needed was alcohol to deepen the funk she was already in. The only thing less attractive than a sore loser was one who was throwing herself a pity party. Mary Vaughn was not going to be that woman. She was a survivor, dammit! No matter what else happened, she wouldn’t ever let herself forget that.

  * * *

  Jeanette, Tom and Mary Vaughn were just finishing up a shared slice of chocolate-decadence cake, when Helen and Maddie arrived, along with their husbands and kids. At the same time, Dana Sue emerged from the kitchen with another bottle of champagne, a bottle of sparkling cider for the kids and glasses for everyone. Erik and Karen were on her heels. Elliot arrived just minutes later with Karen’s kids.

  “What’s going on?” Jeanette asked, staring at them in amazement. “What are you doing here?”

  “You bought a house!” Maddie exclaimed. “That deserves a celebration. Not just for you, but for us. It means you won’t be leaving us.”

  “How did you know about the house?” Jeanette asked.

  “Did you really think Dana Sue wouldn’t call us the second you told her about making an offer that Nancy Yates accepted?” Helen scoffed. “She, Maddie and I have been terrified you’d pack it in one of these days and leave Serenity. After all, you’ve lived in Charleston and even Paris. We figured Serenity couldn’t keep you forever.”

  “Still, it’s not as if anything’s final,” Jeanette protested. “I haven’t even applied for the loan yet. I can’t do that until Monday.”

  “Oh, please, you’ll get the loan,” Helen said. “Just use all of us as references. I’m telling you, it’s a done deal.”

  “So, this definitely qualifies as big news,” Dana Sue said in her own defense. “It’s something you share with friends.” The last was said with a look at Mary Vaughn that came very close to suggesting she was an unwelcome interloper.

  Jeanette saw the quick flash of hurt in Mary Vaughn’s eyes, but doubted anyone else did—she’d covered it too quickly. In an instant, the Realtor was on her feet, a smile firmly in place.

  “I’ll leave you to your celebration,” Mary Vaughn said, reaching for her purse.

  “No,” Jeanette said, sending a warning look toward Dana Sue. “You have to stay. At least for one glass of champagne.”

  “I don’t know,” Mary Vaughn said, glancing warily at Dana Sue.

  “Stay,” Dana Sue said, clearly taking her cue from Jeanette. The single word might not have been uttered with much warmth or graciousness, but it was enough to have Mary Vaughn sitting down again, albeit on the edge of her chair, clearly prepared to flee.

  Most of the other diners had left, so Ronnie helped Dana Sue pull some tables together. Maddie’s Kyle and Katie were instructed to keep Jessica Lynn and Karen’s son and daughter from destroying the place, while the babies slept quietly in their carriers.

  “Okay, tell us how this happened,” Maddie instructed Jeanette. “I had no idea you were even looking at houses.”

  “I wasn’t,” Jeanette admitted. “Tom was. I went along with him after work today. I stole this one right out from under his nose.”

  “Broke my heart, too,” he claimed with a heavy sigh. “I loved this house.”

  Jeanette frowned at him. “Oh, you did not. I saw the expression on your face when you saw all that chintz in the living room.”

  He grinned. “Well, all those flowers were a little overwhelming, but the furniture’s going.” He turned to Mary Vaughn. “It is going, isn’t it?”

  “What difference does it make to you?” Jeanette inquired. “You’re not the one who has to live with it.”

  “Hey,” he protested. “I thought we had a deal.”

  Helen regarded him with a withering look. “What deal?” She turned to Jeanette. “Tell me you did not make some kind of deal with him without letting me look over the paperwork. I’m still a little miffed that you didn’t discuss the contract for the house with me before you signed it.”

  “I had to act quickly to get the house,” Jeanette told her. “There was another bidder. You can handle the closing for me, I promise. In fact, you can handle every detail from now on. I’m clueless about this kind of thing.”

  “But what about this deal Tom mentioned?” Helen persisted. “What’s that about?”

  Jeanette scowled at him. “He thinks he’s being amusing. He got some crazy idea about renting a room from me in exchange for his help with some of the renovations.”

  “It’s a good deal,” Tom insisted.

  Ronnie regarded him with amusement and maybe just a hint of admiration for his ingenuity. “Nice plan, but I have to ask. Do you know one end of a hammer from another?”

  “I have plenty of skills that are useful around the house,” Tom said.

  “But do any of them have anything to do with renovations?” Cal asked, then got a sharp nudge in the ribs from Maddie. He frowned at her. “Hey, what did I do?”

  “You’re embarrassing Tom and Jeanette,” Maddie told him.

  “It was a fair question,” he protested, looking to Ronnie, Elliot and Erik for support. “Wasn’t it fair?”

  “Definitely fair,” Ronnie agreed. “Just not smart.”

  Tom turned to Ronnie. “You can check me out yourself. Turn me loose with a few tools.”

  Jeanette rolled her eyes. “I don’t care if you receive a stamp of approval from these guys and show me a diploma from trade school, you are not moving in with me. I intend to hire a qualified contractor. Ronnie, can you recommend someone?”

  “You name the time and I’ll look over what you need done and help you find the right guy,” Ronnie told her.

  “Traitor,” Tom murmured.

  Ronnie grinned. “I go home with one of these women. When push comes to shove, I take my cues from them.”

  “Whatever
happened to men sticking together?” Tom lamented.

  “Obviously those men are not married to Sweet Magnolias,” Cal said, still rubbing his side where Maddie had poked him.

  Jeanette glanced at Mary Vaughn during this exchange and saw the wistful look in her eyes. For once it didn’t seem to be directed toward Ronnie in particular, but rather the whole group. She was glad she’d included her. This wasn’t the first time she’d sensed that despite her success, Mary Vaughn was lonely. Jeanette had a feeling she wanted desperately to be included, but didn’t know how, especially with her history with Dana Sue and Ronnie.

  Jeanette looked around at those gathered. “This is so nice of you guys. I think one of the things I like most about living in Serenity is that I found such good friends here. It’s like being surrounded by family.”

  “Family isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be,” Mary Vaughn said bitterly, then looked surprised and embarrassed at having spoken.

  “Amen to that,” Tom said, giving her a commiserating look. “What is it they say? You get to choose your friends, not your family.”

  “Which is exactly why I count myself lucky to have found all of you,” Jeanette said. “I think we should have another toast, this time to friendship.”

  “I can certainly drink to that,” Maddie said.

  “Absolutely,” Helen chimed in, as did Dana Sue, Karen and even the men.

  Karen’s eyes were misty. “I can testify to how important all of you are in my life. You turned it around.” Her gaze held Elliot’s. “You and Elliot, of course.”

  “Of course,” Maddie said dryly. “Have you two set a wedding date yet?”

  “I’m pushing for an elopement,” Elliot said. “But Karen and my family seem to have their hearts set on a huge church ceremony. For that we have to wait until Karen’s annulment comes through. The priest says that could take a few more months. I’m trying to be patient.”

  “Which is not his strength,” Karen said, linking her fingers through his. “But I want to do everything right this time. It’s going to last forever.”