Annie’s heart dropped. “And what do you think about that?” she asked, struggling to keep the panic from her voice.
Tommy looked down at his lap, silent for so long that Annie’s chest felt as though it would explode. “I wish he would visit more often, but I wanna live with you, Mama.”
Relief catapulted through her, leaving in its wake sorrow that her son should be put in this position. “Oh, baby, that’s what I want, too,” she said, squeezing his arm. “Can you just trust me that I’m going to make sure of that?”
He looked up at her and nodded. And Annie was grateful and relieved for the love in her son’s eyes.
Krispy Kreme offerings in arm, she and Tommy landed on Clarice’s front porch an hour ahead of schedule.
Clarice answered the door with hot curlers in her hair. “You’re early?”
“Ah, you know how important it is to be early for the bake-sale setup.”
“It is?”
“It is.”
Tommy shook his Krispy Kreme bag. “Mama, can I eat my doughnut now?”
“Sure can.”
“Kitchen’s all yours, Tommy,” Clarice said.
Tommy bounded down the front hall. “We got you whole wheat, Aunt Clarice,” he threw over his shoulder.
“You know better than to use my jokes!” she called after him.
Tommy giggled.
Clarice turned to Annie and whispered, “Couldn’t stand another minute with J.D.?”
“He’d better break fast.”
Clarice smiled and headed upstairs, tugging curlers from her hair as she went. “I guess we’ll be early for the bake sale.”
* * *
THEY COULD NOT have ordered a more perfect day.
The sky was a beautiful blue, not a single cloud marring its surface. The air held just enough of a nip to make a sweater comfortable.
The Lord’s Acre Sale was one of the most anticipated events in Langor County. All the churches participated, regardless of denomination. Standing under the tent set up by Macon Point’s First Baptist, Annie felt newly grateful to be a part of a community like this one. All around her, women from the congregation were busy pulling cakes and pies from Tupperware containers, setting them up on the tables at the edges of the tent.
Clarice had offered to operate the cash register, since baking was not in her repertoire. Pitching was, though. She’d already sold more than a dozen cakes in add-on sales. And she was at it again. “Mrs. Teal, these cookies look wonderful, but did you see that apple-walnut over at the corner of table one? Honest to goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cake that moist. And it’s so nice to stick in the freezer for unexpected company.”
“What a good idea, dear. Well, maybe I’ll just take a quick look.”
“You go right ahead. I’ll hold on to these cookies for you.”
Watching, Annie smiled, grateful that she and Clarice had cleared the air between them.
Annie scanned the crowd as far out as she could see. Tommy to her right with a group of boys and girls playing Red Rover. J.D. coming through the front entrance.
No sign of Jack. He wasn’t here. To her discredit, she’d been watching from the corner of her eye all morning. Disappointment hung inside her like a water-filled balloon.
She glanced at her watch and made her way over to the register, where Clarice had just rung up another cake sale. “Dunking-booth time.”
Clarice shook her head, taking Mrs. Teal’s money. “You’re really going through with that?”
“Part of the mayor’s job.”
“I’d resign. Effective immediately.”
Annie smiled. “It won’t be that bad. I get to wear a wet suit.”
Clarice laughed. “May your customers all have bad aim.”
* * *
PETE ARRIVED in Macon’s Point just after eleven. He’d called Jack on the way, and they’d agreed to meet in the high-school parking lot.
He pulled up in the old white Suburban he used for hunting trips, window rolled down. He was wearing a Redskins baseball cap and small-lensed sunglasses. He’d given up smoking six months ago and taken up bubblegum, his jaw working it like a weight lifter building biceps.
Leaning against the door of his car, Jack folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. “Afraid you were going to get ambushed on the way?”
Pete got out, chuckling. “West of D.C., it’s travel at your own risk, isn’t it?”
Jack clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll buy you lunch for the added risk factor.”
“So what is this, anyway?”
“Lord’s Acre Sale. County’s been having them every fall as far back as I can remember. Come on, you’re in for a treat.”
They walked the perimeter of the parking lot, ending up outside the Second Presbyterian tent, where they were selling chili faster than they could put it in bowls.
“Man, that’s good,” Pete said after they’d gotten theirs and headed back through the crowd.
“Let’s see if we can find a spot on the sidelines,” Jack said. They parked and ate.
“That hit the spot,” Pete said when he’d emptied his bowl. “So what’s on your mind? The suspense is killing me.”
“Things have worked out a little differently with the factory than I anticipated. I’m thinking I’ll stay on and run it awhile.”
Pete’s eyebrows shot toward the bill of his cap. “Wow.”
“Any interest in buying me out of the consulting business?”
“Any interest in selling cheap?”
Jack laughed. “No, but I’ll entertain offers.”
“You’re serious.”
Jack kicked a toe against the pavement and folded his arms across his chest. “I can’t do both, Pete. This feels like something I need to do. Like the outcome will matter to a lot of people.”
“Well, from a selfish standpoint, I wish like hell you didn’t feel that way. But I understand why you would. I assume you think you can turn the business around, or you wouldn’t be considering taking it on.”
“With a lot of hard work. I’m not kidding myself. It won’t be easy. But I have to try.” That was the feeling he couldn’t shake. He had to try. This town had worked its way back into his heart, and he wanted to do what he could to make sure it didn’t have to change. Staying here under the knowledge that he would likely run into Annie with J.D. felt like a club to the chest, but he was in too deep now to walk away.
To their right, a crowd began to gather around the dunking booth set up at the edge of the asphalt parking lot. Reverend Landers stepped forward and hung a sign on the front: DUNK THE MAYOR: 1.
Annie appeared from the front and climbed the short ladder on the side, wearing a wet suit. Jack’s mouth went suddenly dry.
Pete pursed his lips in a silent whistle.
“Get in line,” Jack said.
“Just when you think there aren’t any surprises left. She wouldn’t have anything to do with your sudden decision to turn country on me, would she?”
“You mean aside from the fact that she just got back with her ex-husband?”
Pete’s face scrunched in disappointment. “Man. That’s too bad.”
“Tell me.”
They watched while a line formed straight out from the booth. Two boys took a shot with windup throws and missed. Three teenage girls, all giggling, followed without success. An older man took the next, and he missed. Another dozen takers lined up, all of whom missed. Good-natured laughter rumbled through the crowd.
Annie wiped her brow in comic relief.
Jack couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was adorable.
“Honey, you can’t sit in there and not get dunked even one time.” This from J.D., who stepped out of the crowd up front near the booth.
“Hey, isn’t that J.D.—”
“Yeah,” Jack said before he could finish.
“That’s too bad.”
“How about letting me take a shot?” J.D. pulled some money from his wallet and
handed it to a surprised Reverend Landers.
The crowd went instantly silent.
Annie’s face drained of color.
“Five shots,” J.D. said. “All or nothing. If I miss, I’ll pay double.”
“Big of him, huh?” Pete said.
“Seems to be the kind of guy he is. All heart.”
“You think he’ll really dunk her?”
At that moment, J.D. took aim and threw.
Splash! Annie hit the water.
She stood up, smiling, looking, to her credit, as if J.D. were just any other citizen playing the game. She climbed back onto the board, water streaming from her hair.
Not a man or woman in the crowd laughed. Or for that matter said a word.
The only person enjoying this seemed to be J.D. It was a little like watching someone spear fish in a bucket.
Pete leaned close to Jack. “Doesn’t it say somewhere in the marriage manual that husbands aren’t allowed to do that to wives?”
“They’re not married anymore, but if it doesn’t, it should.” Jack raised a hand and called out, “You miss this one, how about giving me a shot with you in the booth?”
J.D. turned around, his gaze landing like a laser on Jack, as if he’d known exactly where he was standing. “Deal,” he said, confidence oozing from the word.
He wound up, made an exaggerated pitcher’s pose, threw. And missed.
The crowd erupted in a cheer. J.D.’s expression fell. He quickly put a smile back in place and said, “Deal’s a deal.”
Annie climbed out of the booth, took the towel Reverend Landers handed her. Jack looked at her and winked.
Was it his imagination, or was there relief in her eyes?
“Five shots,” Jack said, handing the reverend his money.
J.D. pulled off his shoes—expensive-looking shoes—and climbed in. Jack wished he’d kept them on. He really wanted to get those shoes wet.
The area around the booth had gone completely quiet. The crowd had deepened, and people were standing on tiptoe to see.
Jack stepped up to the line, focused for a few seconds and threw the ball. He missed.
J.D.’s smile was practically blinding. “Don’t choke now, Corbin,” he said.
Jack picked up another ball, focused on the target, thought about the look on McCabe’s face yesterday when he’d announced he and Annie were getting back together. He threw again.
This time, he didn’t miss. J.D. hit the water with a satisfying ka-thwunk.
The crowd erupted in a roar of approval.
Jack did not look at Annie. He didn’t dare.
J.D. climbed up, his expression decidedly more somber. “Everybody gets lucky once,” he said.
Jack took aim and threw. Again, J.D. hit the water.
Another roar from the crowd. J.D. climbed back up, looking a lot like the wet rat Jack personally thought him to be.
The fourth throw, Jack missed. J.D. got a little of his confidence back, crossed his arms across his chest and smiled.
“Last throw,” Reverend Landers said. “Make it a good one, son.”
Jack didn’t disappoint. The last throw carried with it every ounce of his frustration that a guy like J. D. McCabe could end up with a woman like Annie.
The ball hit the target with a thump, and J.D. went down.
A simultaneous cheer went up from the crowd. “Whooo, Corbin! Way to go!”
For the first time since his return to Macon’s Point, Jack felt as if he belonged. As if this were his team, and he mattered. He liked the feeling. He understood, then, what Annie had meant about belonging.
He let himself look at her then. Her gaze was pinned on him. She was smiling. He smiled back.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
STILL MANNING the cash register for the bake sale, Clarice missed the excitement at the dunking booth. But she heard all about it from every customer who passed through the tent. Just the thought of seeing J.D. take a bottom-first dip into that booth made her want to go find Jack and hug his neck.
He was as good a guy as she’d pegged him to be from the start. And if she couldn’t have him, she hoped Annie could.
“Last call at the First Baptist tent,” she called out to passersby. “We’ve sold fifty-four cakes this morning. Only two left.”
“I’ll take them.”
Clarice turned around to find a pair of amused brown eyes staring at her. Very nice, amused brown eyes. The rest of the package, at a quick glance, was pretty nice, as well. He looked like someone who spent a good deal of time outdoors, with red cheeks, a nose that had been sunburned a few times. “I have to charge extra if you buy both. They’re all we have left.”
The man let out a choked-sounding laugh. “You are good.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
“No doubt.”
He was flirting with her. Clarice’s face went warm. She was blushing! In a very uncharacteristic moment, she couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“So what kind are they?”
“What?” she asked, distracted again by those brown eyes.
“The cakes.”
“Oh, those. Ah, Myrtle, what were those two last cakes?”
The white-haired lady at the other end of the table scanned the tags on the boxes. “Carrot and white chocolate.”
“Mmm,” he said. “And if I bought them, could I talk you into a slice with some coffee or something?”
“Well, I... There’s an offer I haven’t had this morning. Appealing as it is, I don’t make a habit of sharing cake with strangers.”
“I have references,” he said, palms raised.
“Really?”
“Really. That’s my buddy over there.” He turned and pointed. “He just defended the honor of the town mayor—”
“My sister.”
“Your sister. Two beautiful women in the family.”
Oh, all right, so flattery worked for her. “Jack’s your buddy, huh?”
“He can tell you how harmless I am. When do you get off cake duty?”
“You just bought the last ones. How about now?”
“Now sounds just right.”
* * *
ANNIE CHANGED BACK into her clothes in the ladies’ room of the high-school gymnasium. She stood in front of the mirror drying her hair with the dryer she had thankfully brought with her. She couldn’t get ready fast enough. Not another hour would pass where she let J.D. think they were getting back together. She had done nothing but insult herself for not standing up to him, for not telling him she would fight him tooth and nail for Tommy and that he did not deserve either one of them.
No more games. She had put her heart into making a new life for Tommy and her. She liked her life. Wanted to keep it. J. D. McCabe was not going to take it away from her. Not a single piece of it.
Determination roared up from that place inside her where she had put away all the unaired slights accumulated during her marriage to J.D. It was time to pull them out again.
And just as soon as she’d done that, she intended to find Jack. She had some things to tell him, too.
A few minutes later, Annie hurried across the gymnasium parking lot. At the edge of the asphalt, J.D. was standing under an old maple tree talking to three members of the town council. His back was to her. She slowed several yards away from the group and then stopped altogether.
J.D.’s voice carried clearly. “No doubt I couldn’t bat my eyelashes at Corbin with near the effectiveness my wife did. But is that the sole talent you expect from the mayor of this town? Eyelash batting?”
Uneasy laughter rippled out from the three men.
“Now, J.D., that might be a tad—” Earnest Holt began.
Annie didn’t wait to hear the response. She shot across the pavement with fury as a propellant. “And you consider that my sole talent, J.D.?”
J.D. whirled around. “Annie.”
All three council members looked as if they’d rather be anywhere else in the world at that moment.
J.D.’s mouth twisted to one side. He started to speak, stopped, then with serious agitation said, “Annie, can’t this wait until we get home?”
“No, it can’t. Because you don’t have a home here. You gave that up. I have a home here. A place where I belong. Where I matter. It’s one I intend to keep. And I’m not going to give any of it up just because you were hit with a temporary itch you needed to scratch. I’m staying here, J.D. Tommy is staying with me. And if it suits this council, I intend to finish out my term as mayor of this town. If you try to change any of that, I will give you a fight like nothing you’ve ever imagined. I will drag out every single rotten thing you ever did as a husband and father, J.D. And I will be ruthless.”
For once in his life, J.D. was speechless. He stood there staring at Annie as if he had no idea who she was. As if she’d just dropped into the parking lot via a hole in the sky, species unidentifiable. He jerked and swung a glance at the three men standing behind him, all of whom were suddenly busy studying their shoes.
“You know what, Annie.” J.D. poked a finger in her direction, his words stumbling out on a sputter. “A woman like you does not deserve a man like me.”
“She most certainly does not.”
Jack stood a few feet to their right, his expression cold enough to instantly freeze boiling water.
Annie’s heart fluttered, spun a circle like a top set in motion by something outside of its own ability to control.
J.D. slicked a hand across his hair, anchored it at the back of his neck, then blew out a whoosh of indignation. “Do you people have any idea what my name alone can do for this town—”
“A name doesn’t count for much without a person behind it who’s willing to get in the trenches for the things they believe in.” Jack again.
Annie set her gaze on him and for the life of her could not pull it away.
“That’s who Annie is, you know. Or maybe you never did know. And that, in my opinion, is an unimaginable shame. To think that a man could have a woman like her and not have any idea what he has.”
Mayor of Macon's Point Page 19
