Last Chance Beauty Queen

by Hope Ramsay

  A collective gasp went through the crowd.

  “I say, young woman,” one of the gray-haired ladies ministering to the recovering lord said, “I do take exception to that remark.” The woman spoke with an English accent. Could this be one of Hugh’s aunts?

  Rocky cocked her head. “Are you Petal or Petunia?” she asked.

  “Petunia.”

  Rocky nodded. “Well, it’s true. He came in here all snotty and lord-like, but he’s not at all like that.” She gestured to the crowd in the council room. “And ya’ll know that, too. He gave money to your committee, Hettie. And he helped Bubba with his car. And he even played matchmaker with Bubba and Rachel. Ya’ll know this.”

  Everyone nodded.

  “What you don’t know is that someone”—she looked pointedly at Cissy—“made him an offer yesterday that would solve all of his financing and real estate problems. All he had to do was to build his factory upstate along the I-85 corridor. Building up that way would have been easier and cheaper for him. A wise businessman would have taken that chance and run with it. But Hugh deBracy didn’t.

  “And you want to know why? Because he didn’t want to sell ya’ll out. That’s why. He knew you needed this factory more than the folks up north do. He didn’t have to care about you, but he did. And if he were some snotty lord, he wouldn’t have cared. He would have just taken his business elsewhere.

  “So that’s what I mean. He’s not what you think he is. He’s a good man. In fact, he’s the kindest man I’ve ever met in my life. He’s, well… he’s a regular guy.

  She spared a moment to look at Hugh, who had regained his feet and looked no worse for having been manhandled by her older brother. She almost lost herself in his gaze. He was staring at her, with just a hint of a smile on his face. The kindness she loved so much was evident there. How could she have ever doubted him?

  She turned back to the people in the visitors’ gallery before she broke down in tears. “If you want to be angry at someone, why not be angry at Jimmy Marshall? He’s the one who sold Lord Woolham worthless swamp and then egged Lillian on with this whole notion of condemning the golf course. Jimmy should be tarred and feathered for selling that land to Hugh for the price he sold it.”

  More mouths dropped open. Behind her Jimmy Marshall stood up. “I’m not listening to this crap.” He hurried from the room. Hettie watched him go. She didn’t follow him.

  Dash watched Hettie watch Jimmy. It was pathetic.

  Caroline took another breath. “And you”—she pointed to Cissy—“you came into my hometown yesterday and got everyone all riled up, and then when Hugh didn’t agree to your proposal to build the factory upstate, you told your daddy it was my fault. That was dishonest all the way around.

  “And don’t you ever say my name again the way you said it the other day at the barbecue. My name is Rocky Rhodes. You say it with respect, because I deserve respect. You’d get on a lot better if you were more like his Lordship. He’s kind to people. You are not. And I’ve got news for you, I’m one of your daddy’s constituents. And the plain, hardworking, slightly quirky folks who live here in Last Chance are his constituents, too. So you can take your red Corvette, and you can go on back to the city.”

  “Now Caroline,” the senator said, his face getting red.

  “I’m sorry, sir. But I haven’t done anything wrong here. All I’ve done is to find the solution to Lord Woolham’s problems.”

  “You have?”

  Rocky didn’t elaborate on her solution. That was for Dash to do. Instead, she looked out at the people in the visitors’ gallery, who were watching as if this were a roller derby. “And the rest of you. Just because I love ya’ll doesn’t mean you can’t improve on some things. You need to stop with the gossip. Before you open your mouths to pass on something unkind, you can also stop to figure out if it makes any sense. You’ve been blaming me for Bubba all these years, and you know what? I let you. But I’m not going to let you do that anymore.

  “I never loved Bubba Lockheart. He asked me to marry him at the Davis High senior prom that year we graduated. The prom was in May, ya’ll, not July when we have the Watermelon Festival. I told Bubba no in May. I told him I had a scholarship to USC, and I was too young to get married.

  “And you know who supported me in that?”

  “No,” a few of the people said in unison.

  “It was Stone’s wife, Sharon.”

  “What?” Stone said.

  “Yeah, it was Sharon.” Caroline took a deep breath. She could almost feel Sharon right beside her, giving her courage. “Sharon told me I shouldn’t run away and get married. Even though ya’ll wanted that to happen in the worst way. You wanted me to be like Sharon. But Sharon told me I should be my own self. She told me that the only reason for running off with someone is because you can’t live without them.

  “Well, I could live without Bubba, all right. And I told him so privately. But he reckoned he would up the stakes, and he asked me to run off with him that night I wore my Watermelon Queen dress. Only unlike my brother, he asked me in front of everyone. What did you expect of me when he ambushed me that way?

  “He humiliated me. I didn’t break his heart—not publicly anyway. I wanted to go to college. And he wasn’t willing to wait for me. The fact that he messed up and flunked out is not my fault. He has to take some responsibility for his actions. Being a football player does not absolve him from responsibility for his own life.

  “And one last thing—it’s hard for a Watermelon Queen in this town. Girls may want romance in their lives, but an eighteen-year-old in the twenty-first century is not really interested in running off and getting married. Most of your daughters and sisters want to go to college. So quit trying to force us all into that outdated mold. I don’t know why Sharon ran off with my brother, but she was the exception, not the rule. And she knew it, too.”

  Rocky glanced at her brother. He looked ashen. She felt a pang of remorse for telling her big secret out loud this way. But maybe it was for the best. People had a way of making Sharon out to be some kind of saint. And she hadn’t been. She’d been a great friend and a good wife and a loving mother. Rocky missed her. But Sharon was a real person, and it was time to give up on the myth.

  “All right. Now that we’ve cleared the air, I want ya’ll to sit in your seats and listen to Dash. I know ya’ll still think of Dash as the bad boy orphan who came to town with an attitude when he was twelve. But you know, he’s moved on with his life, too. So y’all listen to him. He has something really important to say.”

  She handed the gavel back to Bob, then strode down the aisle and out the door and into the hot, humid day.

  Haley and the little old ladies were on a mission to save the day and the town. Haley knew this because Miriam had told everyone that’s what they were doing.

  Haley wasn’t sure exactly how the ladies intended to save the day and the town, but they had brought her here to the big government building on Palmetto Avenue just in time to see Daddy punch someone.

  Haley didn’t like that one bit, on account of the fact that the man Daddy punched hadn’t been doing anything mean or nasty. He’d been talking about something.

  And boy, the Sorrowful Angel wasn’t happy with Daddy either. She was madder than a wet hen.

  Just as soon as Daddy finished punching that man, the angel kind of moved over to stand next to Aunt Rocky. And then Aunt Rocky got mad and started talking about a bunch of stuff Haley didn’t understand.

  When Aunt Rocky stopped talking and everyone got real quiet, the Sorrowful Angel smiled.

  Haley had never seen the angel smile before. It changed the angel’s face. She looked way more like an angel when she smiled like that.

  And then the angel’s smile faded and Aunt Rocky got a funny look on her face. Aunt Rocky hightailed it out of the room and the angel followed her.

  Dash Randall started talking, but Haley was way more interested in what the angel was up to. So was Miz Petal, becau
se the old lady put out her hand toward Haley and said, “Shall we go, love. I think Aeval and your spirit friend want us to help.” She winked.

  Haley had no idea who Aeval was, but Miz Petal was really smart about angels. Haley put her hand in Miz Petal’s and let the old lady lead her out of the building.

  Hugh’s chest ached with more than the blow Stone Rhodes had delivered.

  Rocky thought he was kind. She believed in him. She thought he could make a success of himself.

  No one had ever had faith in him before.

  He was not about to let Rocky go. Not after that speech she’d just given. He couldn’t imagine trying to find happiness with Victoria when he could be himself with Rocky.

  He rushed down the aisle and out onto the small lawn in front of City Hall. He found Rocky there, standing with her back to the door, her hands balled up. She seemed to be about to scream or to cry. He wasn’t sure.

  Aunt Petal and the little girl were there. He glanced in his aunt’s direction. Her smile was gentle and kind.

  If he had learned kindness, then Petal had taught it to him. And perhaps that was why Granddad had been so hard on him all those years. Granddad had been ashamed of his daughter. Petal had never been exactly right in her mind.

  But she had been the best aunt a boy could ever want.

  She winked. It was as if she expected something of him. And it didn’t have a thing to do with Lady Ashton.

  Caroline turned and strode toward the sidewalk, her body strung tight and shaking with emotions Hugh could only guess at. When she reached the curb, she pulled off her high heels. She stood on bare feet, breathing hard. Then she said an extremely filthy curse word that sounded remarkably sexy coming out of her adorable mouth, before she heaved both shoes into the middle of the gutter. Then she took off her little gray suit jacket and tossed it into the street as well.

  She stood there looking at her conservative shoes and that colorless jacket as if she had come to a serious decision about things. At just that moment a passing Ford pickup hit the shoes with an audible crunch.

  “Good riddance,” he said as he strolled toward her.

  She turned, frowning. “You’re supposed to be inside listening to Dash.”

  “I didn’t want to listen to Dash. I’m so glad you got rid of that gray jacket and those shoes. Why did you throw them in the gutter?”

  “I don’t know. The jacket and shoes felt like they were strangling me somehow.” She took a couple of deep breaths. “Jeez, I really lost my temper in there.”

  She frowned up at him. “I’m really really sorry for blowing up at you last night, too. After I thought about it, I realized you weren’t the kind of man who would cheat Daddy out of his land.”

  “You owe me nothing. Am I really the kindest man you’ve ever met?” His voice came out husky with emotions he was trying to hold in check.

  A little twinkle lit up her pixie green eyes. “You are. You suck at business, but you’re a really nice guy.” She paused a moment. “I know I don’t exactly meet Miriam’s forecast for you, but think I’ve fallen in love with you anyway,” she said in a little husky voice.

  “I think I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”

  The light in her eyes grew a little brighter and more intense. “I fixed it so you don’t have to go marry Lady Whatshername. You can build your factory here.”

  “I can?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, that’s what Dash is in there talking about. He’s got land out the wazoo that he’ll lease to you for practically nothing. And if you treat him nice, he might even invest in the factory.”

  He laughed out loud. “Oh, my goodness, Senator Warren was right about you. You just managed a miracle.”

  She shook her head. “No. It wasn’t a miracle. It took a lot of persuading. Dash is not nearly as sure of himself as he might appear. He doesn’t realize that he’s now, officially, the richest man in town, or how much good he could do. But I’ve got this feeling you’ll help him learn. Also, I’m really sorry but I’m afraid you’re going to have to do some fence mending with Cissy. I really got carried away with what I said to her. And I know better than that, really I do.”

  “I’m sure I can charm Cissy. Besides, she’s going to want my looms. They’re better than anyone else’s. I’m not at all worried about her.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No. But there is one important thing I do need to say.”

  “Okay.”

  Her gaze met his. “Darling, will you marry me?”

  A series of catcalls and hoots rose up from the steps of City Hall.

  Rocky tore her gaze away from Hugh’s serious brown eyes.

  Holy smokes, the entire town was standing over there. Rocky flashed on that night twelve years ago when Bubba had pulled this same stunt. Everyone had hooted and hollered and catcalled that time, too.

  She turned back toward Hugh. “You really want to marry me? Even though you’re supposed to marry an heiress?”

  “Poppy feathers,” Miz Miriam said from the front row of the peanut gallery. “I didn’t tell him to go looking for an heiress. I told him to go look for the woman who would find him a fortune.”

  “Yeah, and she failed to mention that the fortune belongs to me,” Dash said.

  Hugh grinned. “Darling, I do recall that you said something a moment ago about my being a regular sort of guy. I believe that fits the bill. We’d be idiotic not to let ourselves get caught up in Miriam’s magic. In fact”—he turned and gazed at the little gray-haired lady holding Haley’s hand—“I believe Aunt Petal came all this way to help me see the truth. I’ve changed my mind about fortune-tellers, spirit guides, and even angels.”

  Emotion clogged her throat. She stood there looking at him wanting to simply fall into his arms and let him carry her away. But really, she hardly knew him. And besides, Sharon had set a very high standard.

  Could she live without him? Rocky was pretty sure she could survive. She loved him, of course. But running off with him? That was a whole different kettle of fish.

  “Aunt Rocky,” Haley said. “You’re making the angel really unhappy.”

  Rocky turned to look at Haley. “The angel is here?”

  “Oh, yes, quite,” Petal said.

  Hugh stared at his aunt. “You can see the angel, too?”

  “Oh, it’s not an angel, Huey. It’s a spirit of some kind. I think it’s a ghost. Maybe someone Rocky knew in her past. She’s quite agitated. Whatever you’re thinking, my dear, the ghost knows, and she’s quite displeased.”

  “What were you thinking?” Haley asked.

  “I was thinking about your mother.”

  “Oh, good,” Haley said. “Momma ran off with Daddy. You should run off with Mr. Hugh. I think the angel wants you to.”

  Rocky turned back to Hugh. “Your aunt is kind of odd.”

  “So’s your niece.”

  He smiled.

  She smiled back.

  She didn’t give it another moment’s thought. She just did what seemed like the logical thing to do at a moment like this. She threw caution to the wind, took a deep leap of genuine faith, and wrapped her arms around Hugh deBracy, Baron Woolham.

  And Hugh, understanding his role in this fantasy as well as anyone there, did the expected. He picked her up and carried her off down Palmetto Avenue toward his silver Mustang convertible.

  EPILOGUE

  Rocky stared at herself in the mirror. It told the truth, as always. She looked radiant today, as any bride should. She was glad Hugh had convinced her not to elope with him. A wedding was so much more fun.

  “Knock, knock. You wanted to talk to me?”

  She turned. Stone had cracked the door to the little anteroom near the vestibule of Christ Church. She smoothed down the yards of tulle in her skirt. “Yes, I did. You can come in. I’m decent.”

  Stone strolled through the door. He looked incredibly handsome today, dressed in a gray suit and a dark tie and a pink rose in his lapel. He wasn’t y
oung. A few gray hairs had started to sprout at his temples. But he exuded a kind of raw masculine energy that made women turn and watch him.

  He was a real hero. A war hero. A cop. And she loved him with all her heart, and she feared she had hurt him. Not only by telling her secret about Sharon, but by her choices on this day of days.

  He took two steps and stopped. The look in his eyes made something hitch in Rocky’s throat. “I wanted to give you warning before I marched down the aisle,” she said.

  He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Thanks.” The tears that almost filled his eyes were gone in an instant. He straightened his shoulders and went back to being iron man. It was almost sad, really, that even after six years, he’d never really allowed himself to grieve.

  Sharon wouldn’t have approved of this. Rocky knew that, deep down in her soul. And even though she knew it was completely irrational, she couldn’t help but feel that somehow Sharon had been with her that day when she’d lost her temper and told the town both how much she loved them and how much they annoyed her.

  Thankfully the town had forgiven her—mostly because she’d given them another myth.

  “You look beautiful,” he said. He continued into the room and then leaned down and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

  “Stone, I wanted to explain about the dress.”

  He shook his head. “There isn’t any need.” He turned around without another word and left the room, abridging all the things she wanted to say to him. All the sisterly advice about moving on and not being sad because of what she had chosen to wear today. But he wasn’t ready to listen. He might never be.

  She turned back to the mirror. Well, that was his problem, not hers. She wasn’t going to let Stone’s sadness ruin the happiest day of her life.

  Haley came skipping in. She was dressed all in green and pink, and she looked like a little imp with flowers in her hair and carrying a wicker basket filled with pink rose petals. “We’re all ready. And I promise I’ll make my petals last until you get all the way to the altar.”