Southern Sass and Killer Cravings

by Kate Young

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  He directed a condescending glint toward me over the top of his glasses. It was the first time he’d ever given me such a glare, which let me know how immature he thought I was. He’d never talked down to me before—it was what I liked about him when we first met—but apparently now he thought he could. I’d had enough of men with superiority complexes. They could all stuff it.

  “I’ll go see if your order is ready.” I spun on my sneakered heels toward the kitchen.

  Chapter 29

  The main hall was packed at the courthouse that night. I was smiling and trying to act natural when community members turned in my direction. Someone in this very hall could have been the one who had taken shots at me.

  Now I had to pretend like everything was peachy keen. Just me and my shadow buddy Alex, who was sitting uncomfortably close, with his arm resting on the top of the bench seat behind me. There was no getting around the rumors now. It was a tad too hot in here. I had made time to run home, let Izzy out, shower, and change into a maxi dress. Izzy had wanted me to stay and play. The sadness in her little doggy eyes when I left made me promise her hours of playtime when I got back, plus a treat. Yvonne had checked in on her twice since leaving. We had to FaceTime so she could see that Izzy was adjusting just fine. Yvonne was thrilled to announce that my phone call to Nate had indeed paid off. She would be closing on the property at the end of the month.

  Olivia waltzed past us, arm in arm with Mr. Mason’s grandson. She tossed a casual glance in our direction. Alex sat up straight, taking in her long, slender frame. She was taller and thinner than me. Her auburn hair hung down past her shoulders. Until now, I hadn’t been sure how close the two of them had been. The sullen look on Alex’s face made me want to hurl. I put a few more inches between us.

  My sister and Zach slid onto the bench in front of us. She turned around and waved. Happiness was simply oozing out of her ears. Alex removed his sour expression long enough to shake Zach’s hand. Eddie was at the front of the room, standing next to the mayor.

  The natives were restless, as they say, waiting for someone to say something. A few murmurs to my left drew my attention. What in the world was Carl Ledbetter doing here? He wasn’t accompanied by Rainey Lane tonight. No, whose hand was he holding? I leaned over the edge of the bench, glad I’d chosen an aisle seat. OMG, if it wasn’t Tally Waters.

  I gave a deadpan stare across the row where Sam was seated. He lifted his hands, showing me he had no idea why she was here. He better be telling the truth. He had a bad habit of hiding valuable information if he feared it would make him appear less than stellar.

  Eddie’s face, from what I could tell five rows back, didn’t show surprise either.

  I turned to Alex. “Did you know about this? Did Eddie?”

  “I didn’t. If he did, he sure as hell didn’t tell me.” Alex was adamant against outside investors. It was one topic we saw eye to eye on.

  “I thought this was done. Over with, for the time being,” I said to Alex.

  Jena Lynn turned around to give me the same outraged expression I had. “What is going on?”

  I shook my head.

  “I guess we’re about to find out,” Alex said.

  Mrs. Gentry arrived and I could have sworn she gave me a look of pity when she passed by our pew. My face flushed. Pulse raced. I fought for control, cradling my stomach.

  “You okay?” Alex whispered.

  “Fine,” I croaked.

  “Folks!” The mayor’s voice boomed over the sound system. “If I can have your attention, please. The Malcom Investment Corp. has asked to make a final pitch to our residents.”

  I focused on his words and slowed my breathing.

  “What’s wrong?” Alex asked.

  “Something I ate,” I lied. “I’m okay now.”

  “This is outrageous!” Poppy shouted.

  “I’m not staying around here all night to listen to that woman yammer on,” Mr. Collins stood.

  His wife, Nita, followed suit, giving her head a disgusted shake.

  “Now, Gerald,” the mayor began. “If you’ll just simmer down a minute and hear Miss Waters out.”

  “We vote no!” Mr. Collins said as his wife started for the back door. Several others followed, with the same sentiment. More than three quarters stayed behind.

  Despite the rumblings from the mayor, who seemed as exasperated as the majority, he gave Tally and Carl the floor.

  Carl stepped up to the mic. “I know, I know. This is getting old. And even after all the trauma this island has suffered, I felt I owed it to all of you and my daddy to bring you this final offer.” Oh, he was so generous. Always thinking of the island’s best interest.

  Alex leaned forward and listened.

  “What the Malcom Investment Corp. is offering is a onetime lump sum for the properties located on the west side of the island. They are no longer interested in purchasing business fronts or inland properties.” The protected land his father owned was on the west side of the island. “Since the turtle project was a bust, the land is well on its way to being rezoned.”

  More murmuring. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that now that the corporation wasn’t interested in majority island ownership, this decision would no longer be up to those of us who fought tooth and nail to keep this type of business out. If the land owners agreed to sell, there would be absolutely nothing we could do to stop it. And the one with the most ownership of that side of the island was standing in front of us encouraging them to sell.

  The doors closed loudly as a late attendee arrived. Felton Powell took a place along the back wall. That was when I noticed Calhoun sitting on the far-left bench.

  Carl and Felton locked in an ungentlemanly glare, then he gave the floor to Tally, who simply reiterated the exact same spiel. Just highlighting what she saw as positives for those of us who would still reside and conduct business here.

  Jena Lynn and I got up at the exact same time. We were closely followed by Poppy, who appeared as outraged as we were. We made a point to take our time leaving, ensuring everyone present understood our feelings.

  “At least they aren’t going to be putting up high-rises,” Alex said as we rode home together.

  “I guess. It’s not that I mind some tourism on the island. It’s having developers that couldn’t care less about preserving the beauty and natural aspects of the island that bothers me.”

  “Hey, what if it was Carl Ledbetter firing at me? I would love for you to lock him up.” There was nothing about Carl that I liked. He was a cheater and double-crosser. There was no honor in that man.

  “I highly doubt it was Carl. But even if I’m wrong, you would be the one locked up for trespassing, not him.” Alex sounded amused.

  “Oh, right.” I grumbled. “Well he sure ruined what was a great day for Jena Lynn.”

  The two of us walked into the house like an old married couple. Scratch that . . . I had to stop thinking that way. Alex and I weren’t a couple. I was just lonely and he was here. Besides, he appeared to have some unresolved feelings for his ex.

  “I’m going to bed. Can you take Izzy out for me?”

  He gave me an annoyed glance, the remote in his hand.

  “She takes like a minute to go. The game will be there when you get back.”

  “Okay. When does Yvonne get back?”

  “Oh, puh-lease, don’t even begin to act like she’s a lot of work for you. She’s the best houseguest I’ve ever had.” I scrunched up my face.

  He reluctantly agreed. Hey, this was like a marriage, after all.

  Before going to my room, I spent a few long moments going over the board in my old room. It made a lot more sense now to suspect Carl because he had the most to lose, and it was completely possible he either had his own place tossed, or—the voice of the Braves announcer blared loudly from the flat screen in the living room. And Izzy was now at my feet. I picked her up and baby-talked her a bit while I noodled
the info.

  “Hey, Alex,” I called over the banister.

  “Yeah?” He was now at the base of the stairs.

  “Did Carl report the break-in at the villa?”

  “He did. Some of the old man’s drugs were stolen. And his neighbor at Sunset Hills spotted a group of kids running from the scene. No arrests yet.”

  “Okay. Night.” Back in my room, I put Izzy down, pulled my dress over my head, and tossed it on the floor, lost in thought.

  “Marygene Brown,” Mama scolded the second I closed the door.

  I screamed. Izzy was growling and running around Mama, barking.

  Alex bolted through the door, gun in hand, scanning the room for an intruder. “What is it?”

  I held my hand over my heart, a familiar response for me now, and scooped Izzy up. Mama was giving me a chastising glare, her arms folded across her chest. She didn’t seem to like the idea of Alex sleeping in the house. She was such a hypocrite. That was when I recalled I was standing in nothing but my bra and panties. Alex devoured me with the intensity of his gape. I snatched the dress off the floor, using it to cover myself.

  “Um . . . I thought I saw a mouse. Sorry I alarmed you,” I stammered.

  “Mouse, my derriere,” Mama said. “That boy doesn’t need to be in this house. You have a blind spot when it comes to him.” She had never been fond of Alex.

  He was subpar in her eyes. He didn’t own his own business, like Zach did, nor did he come from an aristocratic family. He was a common boy who grew into a common man, who earned a deputy’s salary. Like Eddie.

  Alex had a lopsided grin. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were using that as an excuse to get me up here. A little jealous tonight, were we?”

  “You watch yourself, young man!” Mama scolded, her finger in his face. Not that he saw her.

  “Shh,” I said to Mama.

  “What are you shushing me for? Any man would think the same,” Alex said.

  “I thought I heard it,” I held my hand to my ear, “the mouse, listen.”

  He put his gun back into his holster. “Right. If you want me to stay,” he waggled his eyebrows at me, “all you have to do is ask.”

  “I mean it. You’re about to get it, young man,” Mama was waving her arms around like a lunatic, and I wasn’t certain she could do no harm. She had slammed me to the floor the other night.

  “No. I swear it was a mouse.” I shoved him out the door. “I’ll be fine. Good night, Alex.”

  “Good night, Marygene.” He grinned again as I closed the door. “If you need me, just holler.” He put extra emphasis on the word need.

  Chapter 30

  “Mama, you’ve got to stop popping up like that. I swear you’re going to kill me,” I said the second I heard Alex make his way back down the stairs.

  Izzy was now settled at the foot of the bed. She adjusted to Mama’s presence faster than I originally had.

  “What is that boy doing in this house?” Mama asked as I dropped the dress and began searching for something to sleep in.

  “Eddie asked him to keep an eye on me while they hunt down whoever shot at me the other night.” I pulled on a nightshirt. “He’s worried for my safety.” I walked into the en suite, flipped on the light, and began rummaging through the drawer that held my hair ties.

  Mama didn’t comment on the messy state of the drawer, although it was a major pet peeve of hers. She never could understand that we creative types didn’t concern ourselves with such things.

  “I thought the nonsense between you and that Myers boy was over years ago,” Mama said.

  I made a face. “Stop projecting your issues on me. Eddie wasn’t good enough for you, so Alex isn’t good enough for me. Not that it matters. He’s here because Eddie wants me kept safe.”

  She waited until I began my facial cleansing ritual before speaking. “This has nothing to do with Edward and me.”

  “Right.” I had a good lather going with my facial brush as I stared at her reflection in the mirror.

  “You aren’t in danger, not at this moment, anyway.” She left the Eddie discussion alone.

  “And you’re aware of that fact how?”

  Her shoulders rose and fell, a very atypical Mama gesture. That worried me. She was either uncomfortable with the question or something else was going on here.

  After a few splashes of water to my face, I patted it dry with a towel. “Explain how you’re privy to certain facts surrounding this situation and not to others.”

  “All I can say is if your life was in danger, I would be notified.” Pretty vague.

  I leaned against the sink. “So, that’s why you were at the Ledbetter house, then?”

  She inclined her head.

  I took it as a yes. “And the reason you were able to stay visible for as long as you did?”

  Another incline.

  “Right. And you’re here now because?”

  “To spend time with you.”

  Oh, that was rich. Laughter bubbled up in an uncontrollable fashion.

  “I’m serious.”

  “I’m sorry.” I held my hand over my face as I continued to laugh. “But I find this notion completely absurd.” I sobered. “That is just so out of character for you.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Mama folded her arms, and I decided I needed to lie down for this.

  I flipped off the lights and crawled into bed. The bedside lamp immediately came on.

  Propping up two pillows, I leaned against them. “From what I can surmise from your cryptic info dumps, you’re in limbo here. You’re forced to make amends with those you wronged to cross over to where, Heaven?”

  She didn’t respond.

  I supposed that was also some big secret. Moving on. “You presented yourself to Jena Lynn first, and her mind fractured, or was close to it, landing her in the psych ward for a week. When I came back home, your only option left was to appear to me.” I gave her an irritated grin when she opened her mouth and held up my hand. “Now, I’m exceedingly grateful to you for the other night.”

  She sat on the bed at my feet, next to a snoring Izzy. Izzy cracked one eye open then went back to sleep.

  “But let’s be honest with each other, shall we?”

  “Okay.”

  “If Jena Lynn had been able to cope with your ghost or spirit, whatever you are, I would have never seen you.”

  “Actually, I was presenting myself to your sister to discuss you. And before you go shouting I’m a liar and you’d be a fool to trust me, know this, I can’t lie.”

  Was that true? My face must have shown my doubts.

  “It is. It’s an impossibility for me now.”

  “May I ask you anything and you have to tell me the truth?” I studied her, gauging for any change to clue me in on her level of truthfulness.

  “I suppose. Yes or no answers only.”

  Oh, I had to test this out.

  “Then give me this. The next question I ask you, you must answer. No head nods or shrugs allowed. Deal?”

  She sighed and chewed on her bottom lip. A mannerism I had inherited and never realized until this exact moment. “I’ll answer if I am allowed. Some information is off-limits.”

  “Okay. So, deal?”

  “I agree. Deal.” She smiled.

  What to ask? “Why didn’t you tell me Eddie was my father?”

  She sighed. “Because it would have disgraced you. I know you think we live in a day and age where things like that no longer matter. But you must understand. Here, in Peach Cove, they mattered. At least they did when you were growing up. I honestly believed I was protecting you.”

  “You mean it would have disgraced you?” I accused.

  “Yes. It would have disgraced me too. Honey,” she scooted closer, “I said some horrible things to you. One thing has haunted me. I was having a bad day when you came home carrying on about culinary school. Eddie and I had, well, he had given me an ultimatum, and I didn’t handle it well.�
� No, Mama never did well when she was backed into a corner. “Then you wanted to leave me, too, and I reacted badly.”

  I flinched. Badly didn’t cover it.

  “Horribly, I behaved horribly.” She started to fade but not before my tears had caused hers to stream down her cheeks.

  There was a knock at my bedroom door. I was too upset to speak. Slowly, it creaked open.

  “You okay? I heard you talking and—” Alex’s brows narrowed.

  “I was just talking to Izzy. I’m having . . .” The words wouldn’t come. There was no good way to explain this.

  “Can I come in?” He stood in the doorway and waited for permission. Once granted, he came over to the bed. “Scooch over.”

  I should have pondered why I did so without question or reservation, but I didn’t.

  When he crawled in bed with me a second later, I was glad. Glad to not be alone. Glad someone cared how I was feeling. And if I was being honest with myself, I was glad that the someone was him.

  He opened his arms to me and I went. “I can listen,” he said.

  Everything I had been holding in for the last four years came out in between sobs and hiccups. Doc Tatum had been right. Holding it in was eating me alive. I fell asleep with Alex stroking my hair.

  My last thought was, Mama was wrong about Alex.

  Chapter 31

  “Marygene, can you pull and box up three more of the lime cheesecakes before you leave?” my sister called into the kitchen as I was cutting the last tray of berry crumb bars.

  “No problem.” After I wrapped the tray in plastic, I slid it onto the appropriate shelf in the walk-in. Then I began assembling three logoed peach boxes.

  Alex and I hadn’t discussed the night before. When I woke up, he was already showered and dressed. He gave me a cup of coffee before telling me I needed to hurry or I’d be late for work.

  When I was dressed, he was already in his truck, waiting to escort me to the diner. At first, I was mortified I’d confided in him about the abuse. But it had come so freely and felt so healing and right. Boy, had I needed to unburden. The weight I’d been carrying alone for so long had lifted somewhat, and elation took over. I wouldn’t focus on risks or anything else for that matter. I deserved a little good emotion.