The Loner's Thanksgiving Wish (Love Inspired)

by Rustand, Roxanne

  “Thank you, Jack. Please tell him that I’m fine. I just wish I could get out of this room and go to him.”

  “I’m heading back to him right now. I’ll let him know.” Jack glanced over his shoulder at Mei and winked. “Keeping Jasmine here all this time must’ve been a challenge.”

  A light, witty response would’ve been perfect.

  Or a thoughtful expression of concern.

  But now, feeling as awkward as she’d been back in high school, Mei could only summon a small shrug in return, and memories assailed her as she watched Jack leave the room.

  “You two have known each other a long time, haven’t you?” Jasmine asked, giving Mei a curious look. “Like, did you two ever date?”

  Surprised, Mei laughed. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  “He’s handsome. You’re pretty. You’re both nice and about the same age.”

  Oh, the simple logic of youth—imagining that anything in the world was possible if only one wished for it. “No, we never did.”

  Jasmine fidgeted on the gurney. “So tell me all about things back then. When Cade’s mother came to town and all.”

  “Haven’t you and Cade talked about all of that already?”

  Jasmine made a face. “His version. But guys skip all the good stuff.”

  “Good stuff?”

  “The details.” She shot yet another impatient glance at the clock. “And the way things are going, we could be here forever.”

  “So you’re bored and need a distraction. Okay…very well.” Mei pulled a chair closer to Jasmine and sat down. “This is a small town, and it was even more quiet ten years ago. Jack was a grade ahead of me, but I still remember the day he showed up at elementary school.”

  “Love at first sight?” Jasmine teased.

  Mei folded her arms over her chest. “Not then or now, young lady.”

  “Please—go on.”

  “His mother had just married my uncle Charley, and newcomers in school weren’t that common in this dusty ranching town back then. But although most new kids were withdrawn at first, Jack had a chip on his shoulder from the first day I saw him walk into Ms. Berkowski’s fourth-grade classroom. He made no effort to talk to anyone on the playground or anywhere else.” She released a breath. “Now that I’m a teacher, I realize he was probably trying to hide the fact that he was scared. He was facing a lot of changes in his life, with a new stepfather and a new school.”

  Yawning, Jasmine swung her legs up onto the gurney and rested her head on the pillow. “Cade says Jack was mad about his mom’s marriage. He says Jack and Charley never got along.”

  “I wouldn’t know about that. I just know that Lorelei’s marriage to Charley lasted only a few years—not much beyond Cade’s birth—but she and the kids stayed on in town nonetheless.”

  “So did you and Jack ever get to be friends?”

  Mei smiled. “Have you forgotten elementary school? Boys are a lower life-form at that age. Wrestling and yelling and being rowdy.”

  “What about high school?”

  “Different social circles, I guess.”

  Jasmine levered herself up on one elbow to look at Mei. “Did you know Cade?”

  “I saw him around town. He was the cutest little boy ever, with those big brown eyes.”

  “Then why didn’t Charley try to be a good, attentive dad? He had shared custody, but Cade says he failed to show up most of the time and yelled a lot when he did have Cade with him. It’s so unfair.” Her expression clouded. “And it’s even unfair now.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You should hear the things he says about Cade and me getting married.”

  “About how young you both are?”

  Jasmine rolled her eyes. “Everyone has brought that up. He’s worse, saying crazy stuff about how I’m in ca-hoots with your grandpa George’s ‘clan’ since I’ve been living with Arabella. And how Cade has no business getting mixed up with the likes of them. Granted, Charley’s always been volatile, but these accusations are ridiculous!”

  “There’s some bad history between the two sides of the family,” Mei said carefully.

  Jasmine snorted. “Old history.”

  “Painful, to some.”

  “But it’s all in the past. I know about how your grandpa cheated his brother in some sort of land deal that left George rich and Samuel poor, and how Samuel has been mad ever since.”

  It was hard coming up with a defense of anyone’s actions—but Samuel’s side of the family tree had found endless ways to cause trouble over the years in retaliation. “Maybe…Charley is only following his father’s lead, then.”

  “But it shouldn’t drive Cade and me apart. It just isn’t fair.” She sighed. “That’s why I’m thinking about putting on a big Thanksgiving dinner all by myself for both sides of the family. If I can get everyone face to face, maybe they’ll finally grow up.”

  Ah, the innocence of youth. “It might not work out quite that way.”

  “But someone needs to try,” Jasmine said with a stubborn lift of her chin. “And because I have the most at stake right now, I guess it needs to be me.”

  “What does Cade think of all this?”

  Jasmine’s mouth twitched. “He doesn’t think anyone will show up, but I think they will. And he knows how much this means to me.”

  “Just be careful to not pressure people too much, honey. I’m not saying you don’t have the right idea, but there’s a long, long history between some of these people, and what some of them have done to seek revenge against each other has left a lot of open wounds.” She shrugged. “Maybe some battles aren’t worth the cost.”

  “Well, this one is.”

  Mei arched a brow.

  Jasmine yawned again and closed her eyes, and in a few minutes her breathing became deep and even. Poor thing—she had to be exhausted from all she’d been through.

  Mei grabbed the only magazine in the cubicle—an old Sports Illustrated—and settled back in her chair with the magazine unopened in her lap. Life could sure change in a second. A dangerous landslide, the unexpected arrival of Jack McCord…

  He’d been just another boy to her during elementary school, but she hadn’t shared the rest of the story with Jasmine. Things certainly changed in high school, when his dark, sun-streaked blond hair and tall, muscular physique reminded her of a Californian surfer and his reckless, defiant attitude promised trouble. His bad-boy allure had been undeniable.

  But beneath that tough shell of his she’d glimpsed something else that had touched her heart. A flash of pain and loneliness in those mesmerizing blue eyes, coupled with an undercurrent of simmering anger that flashed fire if anyone mentioned the name of his former stepfather.

  Mei had known from the first moment of girlish attraction that, though he was far beyond the reach of a shy nobody like her, they were far more alike than anyone could’ve ever guessed. Soul mates, she’d thought then, with the naïveté of a young girl.

  She’d tried to hide her secret, painful crush on him. Then she’d been humiliated beyond measure when her cousin Vincent somehow ferreted out her feelings and broadcast them throughout the school with vicious glee.

  The gentle sympathy in Jack’s eyes when they bumped into each other in the school library a few weeks later had made her humiliation a thousand times worse because then she’d known that he’d heard the gossip and felt sorry for her.

  Her one saving grace had been that he’d gone off to college somewhere on the West Coast and had shaken the dust of Clayton, Colorado, off his feet long ago, while Mei had headed for college in the opposite direction the following year. She hadn’t expected to ever run into him again.

  Yet her traitorous heart had picked up an extra beat at just seeing him again. She’d been sure that he would’ve forgotten her—it would be no surprise. She’d been nearly invisible back in school, just an inconsequential shadow in a sea of boisterous students who’d excluded her.

  Though if Jack had looked her wa
y, there wouldn’t have been any chance to date him.

  She shuddered, remembering once again the vehement dislike between the two branches of the Clayton family tree. Maybe Jasmine and Cade’s generation would finally bring peace to the family, but that hadn’t been a glimmer of a possibility before.

  Grandpa George’s side was filled with good-hearted, hardworking folks, whereas his brother Samuel’s side was filled with resentful ne’er-do-wells who seemed to cause endless trouble…or so her parents had always said.

  That Jack had once been associated—even briefly—with the family from the other side of the tracks had made him completely off-limits.

  It felt good to be older now. Mature. Beyond caring about high school cliques and the subtle social structure that existed even within her own family. In twelve more months she could leave and never look back.

  A young doctor with curly auburn hair slipped into the room, and Mei shook off her thoughts.

  Jasmine immediately sat up straight. “Dr. Kerber—is something wrong? Is Cade all right?”

  “First you, young lady.” A flicker of a smile softened the woman’s stern expression. “Your CT scans, X-rays and labs show no indication of internal bleeding, no fractures. Everything seems to be normal…other than a mild wrist sprain and some minor lacerations, scrapes and bruises.”

  “I’m free to go?”

  “Yes, but I still want someone to be with you for the next forty-eight hours. You experienced quite a fall, and head injuries can still fool us no matter what the tests say.”

  “She lives with my cousin Arabella Michaels,” Mei interjected. “Supervision won’t be any problem at all.”

  “Good, good.” Dr. Kerber looked down at the clipboard she held in the crook of her left arm. “The nurse will be here in a bit to give you a tetanus shot, Jasmine, some going-home instructions regarding your sutures and warning signs of any head injury complications. I’d guess that you are going to be pretty stiff and sore for a few weeks, and you will probably experience headaches. Do you have any questions for me?”

  “Just—”

  “About Cade. I know.” The doctor smiled. “He signed a permission form so I could share his information with you.” She shook her head in wonder. “Given the distance of the fall and the massive weight of the boulders that went down with the two of you, it could’ve been so much worse. All I can say is that God must have been with you both. You not only survived but missed serious head and spinal cord injuries—all too common in this kind of accident.”

  “God was with us.” Jasmine closed her eyes briefly. “I’ve never prayed so hard in my life—especially afterward when Cade was bleeding so much.”

  Dr. Kerber glanced again at her clipboard. “He wasn’t quite as lucky as you, I’m afraid. He has a severely sprained ankle and significant, deep bruising. It took ten sutures to close up that laceration on his head and another eight on his arm. He also has a severe concussion and some mild confusion, so I’m keeping him here for observation for a day or two.”

  “A concussion?” Jasmine paled and grabbed for Mei’s hand. “That sounds bad.”

  “I think he’ll be fine, but I just don’t want to take any chances. After he’s discharged, I’d strongly recommend that he stay away from contact sports, rodeos or any other activity that might place him at risk for a second head injury.”

  A tear trickled down Jasmine’s cheek. “We were supposed to get married next month on Christmas Eve.”

  The doctor smiled gently. “Don’t worry. Give him a few weeks to heal and you’ll never guess that he’d had such a close call.”

  Mei freshened up in the ladies’ room at the hospital, then drove to her mother’s home on Bluebird Lane, at the northwest edge of town, and parked out in front. Lisette Clayton stepped onto the wide porch of the two-story brick house before Mei could reach the front door.

  “Hi, Mom.”

  Widowed for years now, she still wore her silver hair in a short, perfectly coiffed style, and always dressed elegantly. Today, her gold necklace and hoop earrings picked up the subtle tones of her champagne cashmere sweater set and matching slacks. As usual, her French manicure was flawless.

  She hugged Mei briefly, then scooped up Albert, the fluffy white Maltese dog at her feet. “I was surprised to hear you’d decided to come now instead of waiting until Christmas.”

  “Change of plans,” Mei said, choosing her words carefully.

  “Well, do come on in. I can’t believe it’s this cold already, and it’s only the first of November.” A wry smile briefly touched Lisette’s mouth. “I thought you’d arrive much earlier, so I had your cousin cater our lunch today. She dropped it off before she left for Denver.”

  “Arabella?” Mei felt her stomach rumble in anticipation. “The pies she brought to Grandpa’s funeral luncheon were incredible.”

  “I’m glad she opened a business that matches her talents. I had her bring pastries for our breakfast, too. I’m not much of a cook anymore.”

  “It’s a lot of bother when you’re on your own.” Mei shouldered out of her crimson down jacket as she stepped into the marble-floored entryway and tossed it onto the fanciful Victorian settee she’d loved as a child. She took off her shoes, and followed her mother down the central hall leading past the formal living room, parlor and dining room to the spacious kitchen. “I—oh, wow.”

  Nothing seemed familiar as she stepped into the room and surveyed the rich, dark cherry cabinets and granite countertops. French doors now opened up to a snow-covered patio and, beyond, a charming, snowy view of Silver Creek.

  “When did you do all of this?”

  “After your grandfather’s funeral in July.” Lisette shrugged. “Some of my investments have been doing quite well, so I thought I’d do a few upgrades.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “Do you mind what I’ve done?” Lisette’s expression turned pensive. “I’ve kept the rest of the house the same since your father died.”

  Remembering how distant and sad Lisette had been since Dad’s car accident, Mei smiled. “You deserve a home that makes you happy, Mom.”

  “I don’t suppose Lucas will care either way.” Lisette’s voice still held a hint of bitterness at the mention of her son’s name, even after all this time.

  Mei was already a college sophomore when Lucas hit his high school senior year, so she hadn’t been around for the rebellious phase that had put him and their parents at constant odds. As far as she knew, he hadn’t been home since their father’s funeral.

  Lisette started a pot of hot water and set a basket of assorted teas on the counter. “Did you have car trouble?”

  “No. I stopped to walk on one of the trails and came upon an accident. I lent a helping hand and it took longer than expected. So…what did Arabella make us?” Mei added with a bright smile, hoping to shift the topic away from a side of the family her mother had detested for years.

  Lisette studied her closely. “What happened? Anyone we know?”

  Mei held back a sigh. “Jasmine Turner. And…um, her fiancé, Cade.”

  “Cade. Cade Clayton?” Lisette’s nostrils flared. “I heard about their so-called engagement over the summer and couldn’t believe such foolishness.”

  Mei just shook her head slightly, knowing it would do no good to argue.

  “Couldn’t Arabella go to the hospital and deal with them?”

  “She left for Denver, remember?”

  Lisette snorted. “If you ask me, your cousin needs a tighter rein on that girl.”

  Mei closed her eyes briefly, wishing she hadn’t mentioned the accident up on the trail. When would she ever learn? She should’ve known it would set her mother off. “Jasmine is of legal age and Arabella has no say, really. It’s not like she’s her mom.”

  “Well, Jasmine ought to respect the woman who took her in and kept a roof over her head these past few years. And of all people—letting her marry a son of Charley Clayton is just unbelievable.”

 
; “I—” Mei faltered to a stop, unable to find any words to defend her infamous uncle Charley. He was widely known as a lazy, disagreeable man who had claimed to have “back injuries” for years to collect disability. If he’d ever had a long-term job, no one in town could remember it.

  “Your great-uncle Samuel spawned a family of troublemakers, and his son Charley is one of the worst.”

  Apparently the animosity between the two sides of the family hadn’t changed in all the years Mei had been away. “Cade and his half brother Jack aren’t anything like the others. Jack isn’t even a blood relation to the Claytons.”

  “Blood relation or not, those boys are associated with Samuel’s side of the family.” Lisette’s voice turned to ice. “Jack was one of the boys who tried to ruin your brother’s reputation in high school, remember? Imagine, him daring to say Lucas got some lowlife girl pregnant.”

  “I always figured Vincent was behind the rumors.”

  “You can be very sure it wasn’t just him who spread those lies.” Lisette’s mouth twisted with distaste. “I shudder when I remember that you had a crush on Jack in high school. Of course, you were young and very foolish back then.”

  Mei flinched. “You need to let go of the past, Mom. Whatever anyone did or didn’t do, it was a long time ago. High school–aged kids sometimes do stupid and thoughtless things.”

  “Young or old, that family is wicked, from Samuel on down.” Lisette gave an unladylike snort. “Cade’s ridiculous wedding to that girl is just another case in point. Poor judgment, impetuous behavior. It just doesn’t end.”

  “Jasmine says Arabella, Brooke and Vivienne were against it at first, but now they’ve come around and plan to help out with the wedding.”

  “So none of your cousins are thinking straight, either.” Lisette offered a thin smile. “That’s one wedding I’ll be sure to miss.”

  Probably a good thing, for all concerned.

  His coat clipped in his usual fluffy puppy cut, Albert looked harmless, but he automatically bared his teeth when Mei inadvertently got a little too close. She darted back a step.

  “Silly puppy,” Lisette crooned, giving the grumpy little furball an affectionate hug. “Albert doesn’t like company.”