Redneck Debutante

by Jenny Hammerle

  Redneck Debutante®

  Published in the U.S. by:

  OakTara Publishers

  www.oaktara.com

  Cover design by Yvonne Parks at www.pearcreative.ca

  Cover images © thinkstockphotos.ca: jump women in wheat field/George Mayer, 152154287

  Author photo © 2013 Terri Zollinger, www.terrizphotography.com

  Copyright © 2013 by Jenny Hammerle. All rights reserved.

  Redneck Debutante is a registered trademark of Jenny Hammerle.

  Cover and interior design © 2013, OakTara Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in professional reviews.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-60290-264-0 ▪ ISBN-10: 1-60290-264-X

  eISBN-13: 978-1-60290-451-4 ▪ eISBN-10: 1-60290-451-0

  Redneck Debutante is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity and are used fictitiously. All other characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination. The perspective, opinions, and worldview represented by this book are those of the author and are not intended to be a reflection or endorsement of the publisher’s views.

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  * * *

  To my husband, Scott,

  whose encouragement and commitment to my writing

  helped make this series a reality.

  To our sons, Wyatt and Rhett,

  for always serving as an inspiration to me

  in every situation!

  1

  West Palm Beach, Florida

  Present day

  RACHAEL HARTE WAS ENJOYING ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY in the Florida sun with her friends, Ellery and Brittany. The crashing of waves on the shoreline had almost lulled her to sleep when a whine near her ear destroyed any chance of a nap.

  “Hey! You’re blocking my rays!” Brittany griped.

  Ignoring her protests, Colten and TJ merely stood smiling down at them.

  “Hey, Rachael, what’s up with my favorite girl?” Colten asked.

  Rachael squinted up at her boyfriend, admiring his muscled surfer physique and wind-tossed blond hair. “Nothing much. The girls and I are just catching some rays before we head back to school in a few weeks. No one wants to show up pale and pasty white.”

  She was certainly in no danger of looking pale. Like her father and mother, Rachael was a native Floridian, spending a lot of time in the blazing hot Florida sun, whether it was boating, swimming, playing tennis, or any other outdoor activity. Even in the dead of winter, when it was a freezing 85 degrees in South Florida, Rachael was tan.

  Colten cocked his head. “I like the new suit. You look fantastic.” As always, his British brogue was charming.

  “Thanks. Want to go for a swim?”

  “Love to.” Colten leaned over and pulled Rachael to her feet.

  They ran down together to the water. When they were in up to their knees, he clasped her hand. At low tide, they could walk out several yards and still only be waist deep.

  “So, did you get it yet?” Colten’s eyes twinkled.

  “Get what?”

  “Your invitation to be a debutante. My mother recommended you.” He laughed. “Or, I should say, she was the first of many to recommend you. She just beat the others to it. The invitation should have arrived today. Maybe it’ll be there when you get home.”

  Rachael squealed and hugged Colten. She’d always looked forward to being a debutante—a very important tradition and rite of passage for young women of society in the South—and now it was going to be her season. She couldn’t wait for the white-tie galas, and she’d need a beautiful white gown for the occasion. She was sure her mother’s seamstress would be able to craft something stunning.

  After Colten and Rachael waded out of the water and toweled off, Brittany handed Rachael her cell. “Call your mom. I don’t know what it is, but it must be important. Your phone’s been ringing for the past fifteen minutes. When she couldn’t get you on yours, she called mine!” Brittany wrinkled her nose. “Whatever it is, I’m innocent. I didn’t do it, and I wasn’t involved.”

  Brittany had gotten herself into a bit of trouble earlier in the spring running with a group of unruly seniors. Her parents had taken away her cell and computer privileges for an entire month, effectively cutting her off from teenage Island society.

  “Don’t freak out on me, Brittany. I think I know why she’s calling. Colten told me my debutante invitation should have arrived today. My mom probably got it in the mail and is so excited she wanted to call me herself. We should all head home. I’ll bet yours—and Ellery’s—is there too.”

  “You think?” Ellery asked.

  “I know.” Rachael winked. She’d overheard her mother the week before discussing all of the girls being recommended this year. Her mother had made sure Ellery and Brittany would also get recommendations and have sponsors.

  “Hey, ladies,” Colten said, “I’ll run Rachael home, okay?”

  “Sure,” Ellery and Brittany responded in unison.

  It was no secret all the girls at their prep school had thought Colten was really cute when they first saw him last year. But they can eat their hearts out, Rachael thought. He’s mine, and I have no intention of giving him up.

  As soon as Rachael and Colten got into his Jeep, Rachael’s cell rang again. “Hey, Mom.”

  “Are you on your way home with the girls?”

  “No, I ran into Colten at the beach. He’s bringing me home. We should be there in about fifteen minutes.” Rachael paused. Something sounded different about her mother’s voice, and it wasn’t excitement. “Is something wrong?”

  “I want to talk to you and your brother. I’ll see you when you get home. Drive carefully.”

  “We will, Mom.” Rachael ended the call.

  Colten lifted a brow. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. My mom sounded upset.”

  “Did she mention the invitation?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He picked up Rachael’s left hand and tenderly kissed it. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  When they pulled into the gates of her parents’ home, her mother’s Mercedes Benz was parked out front with the trunk open and what appeared to be a few suitcases in it.

  Rachael shot a worried glance Colten’s way, and they hurried inside.

  “Mom, what’s going on?” Rachael asked.

  Her thirteen-year-old brother, Michael, was already planted on the loveseat, obviously waiting for her.

  “Have a seat, Rachael.” Her mother turned to Colten. “Thank you for bringing Rachael home. I need to speak with both my children about some private family business. Would it be possible for you to call her a little later?”

  “Of course, Mrs. Harte.” Colten walked over to Rachael and gave her a light peck on the cheek. “Bye, honey. Call if you need me.”

  Rachael’s nerves kicked in. What does Mom want to talk to us about?

  Then she heard her father’s steps on the stairs. He entered the room and sat in the armchair next to her mother’s. He’d always been a workaholic, and it was so unusual to find him home in the middle of the afternoon that Rachael hadn’t even realized he was upstairs.

  “Your father and I had a lengthy conversation earlier this afternoon, and we’d like to talk with you about what we discussed.” She looked at her husband.

  “Yes,” her father said slowly, “I need to speak with you regarding myself and some business difficulties I’ve been experiencing for qu
ite awhile. Unfortunately it will affect all of us. Being totally honest with you is in the best interest of our family.” He took a deep breath and glanced down at his hands, resting in between his knees.

  Rachael couldn’t ever remember seeing her father so worried, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

  Her father raised his head and continued in a shaky voice. “First of all, I want to assure you I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve been accused of some things concerning our family business that I had no involvement in or knowledge of. It seems the federal government has been monitoring our company’s holdings, sales, and overall business practices for over two years. I’m not quite sure of all the particulars at this moment, but they have filed federal charges of money laundering and embezzlement against me, as the owner and CEO, as well as several of my company’s officers.”

  Rachael was stunned by the news. Seeing her father’s strong hands visibly shaking, she knew mere words would not be enough to console him. Standing, she moved swiftly to her father and put her arms around him. Her brother, Michael, did the same.

  “We love you, Dad,” Rachael murmured. “We know you’re innocent, and we’ll remain strong as a family. You have our unconditional support.”

  Her father glanced at her mother, as if pleading for help on how to proceed. It was in times such as these that Rachael became aware of just how strong of a person her mother was and how much she could learn from her.

  A woman of great inner strength and conviction, Virginia Harte had been raised by a single mother, Dorothy, who had been widowed at an early age due to the Vietnam War. Dorothy had successfully raised two children—Virginia and her younger sister, Margaret—on a teacher’s salary. Because Virginia had grown up without much money and had to depend largely on herself, with her mom holding down two jobs, Virginia Harte had become very independent and strong by early adolescence.

  Her mother looked both Rachael and her brother directly in the eye. “I know this is all very difficult for you to understand, but your father will need to remain here in Palm Beach County for an uncertain amount of time. Our banking accounts and assets have all been frozen until the termination of the federal investigation. Something like this can take months or even years to resolve.”

  “Years?” Michael and Rachael gasped in unison.

  “Yes.” She held her head high. “And a situation such as this one, even though we know your father is innocent, will be quite scandalous. Our Island has only ten thousand permanent residents. We’ve known most everyone a very long time, and therefore I’m hoping for the best possible response to our situation. However, even among our close friends, there will be those who will gossip and be hurtful. We want to prepare you for that possibility now.

  “Your father and I have already met with our attorneys. He will need to stay here, for legal reasons. We, however, will have limited access to money. Therefore, it’s unrealistic to expect we can afford to continue living here in the lifestyle to which we’re accustomed. Therefore, we’ve made arrangements for us to live elsewhere until this blows over a little.”

  “Blows over?” Rachael erupted like a volcano. “How will it blow over? Everyone on the Island will know about this by tomorrow. And we’re going to turn tail and run? Where will we go? What about our friends? School?”

  “We’re not running,” her mother said firmly. “But you tell me…how can we afford to stay here, on the Island, without any income, without any credit cards, without any money? I understand this is a drastic measure, but in all honesty, I’m not sure we have any other option.”

  Her father interrupted. “Your mother is right. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to stay with Mr. Wesley and his family. I cannot even remain in our home, as I won’t have the money to keep the electric or water turned on for longer than nine months.” His eyes softened as he looked at his daughter. “We’ll all be making huge sacrifices, Rachael. I know this is difficult, but please try to understand. Your Aunt Margaret has offered for your mother, you, and Michael to come and stay with her for a while, until everything is cleared up.”

  Rachael couldn’t take anymore. She stormed out of the room. She heard Michael’s steps behind her as both ran upstairs to their bedrooms.

  Rachael cried for half an hour, having her own private pity party. Then she decided, as the big sister, it was her job to go and check on Michael.

  She found him drawing on his sketchpad in the middle of his bedroom floor. “What are you drawing?”

  “Race cars.” Michael sniffled.

  “Mind if I come in?”

  He sighed, so she sat cross-legged on the floor next to him. Deep down, she knew she had to face this situation with courage and strength, like her mother. And, no matter what happened, she was determined to protect her little brother as best she could.

  Father’s right. We can’t live on the Island while this scandal is fresh and without much money. Evidently both parents had given the situation a lot of thought and felt that time and distance would be best. Not to mention the obvious—a roof over their heads and not starving to death were always positives!

  “I’ve been thinking about Mom’s suggestion of a temporary move. It doesn’t sound so bad. What do you think?”

  “Can I bring my toys and video games?” Michael asked.

  “I’m sure you can bring anything you want.” Rachael smiled.

  “Then I guess it’ll be okay.”

  Right as Rachael gave him a bear hug, a knock sounded on the door. When she looked up, her parents were standing there.

  Her father spoke first. “I want you to know how sorry I am about this, but I know it’ll be behind us someday, and we’ll be able to live together again.” With those words he walked away. Rachael heard the study door close.

  “This came for you today,” her mother said softly. She handed Rachael an envelope.

  Instinctively Rachael knew what the envelope contained. “Thanks, Mom.” She started to open it. “I guess there’s no use for this now.”

  “Of course there is,” her mother insisted. “You can still be a debutante. Your friends are your friends no matter what. Some will turn their noses up at us, but your true friends will always support you.”

  Rachael bit her lip. She wouldn’t cry. Not tonight. Not in front of her mother or her little brother.

  “It’s not a decision you have to make tonight,” her mother assured her. “Let’s wait and see how things go. In the meantime, have the two of you given any thought to a change of scenery for a few months?”

  “Sounds okay,” was all the enthusiasm Rachael could muster. “What’s the name of the town where Aunt Margaret lives?”

  “Fruitville.” Her mother grinned, then headed out of the room. Glancing over her shoulder, she added, “No need to pack. The movers will be here tomorrow to pack everything. But you may want to call your closest friends and let them know we’ll be out of the area for a while.”

  “Fruitville?” Michael scratched his head. “What kind of name for a town is that?”

  “I’m afraid to find out.” Rachael laughed.

  Once back in the privacy of her own room, a thought struck her. Colten! What would happen between her and Colten? How far away was Fruitville, and for how long would they be gone? Rachael’s heart sank. She couldn’t imagine being far away from Colten for even one day, let alone weeks or months. How will he handle the news? Will he find someone new while I’m gone? Now she was really worried.

  After a few minutes of pacing, she phoned Colten and asked him to come over. She spent the time in between researching Fruitville on the internet.

  When he arrived, she met him with red rings around her puffy eyes.

  He frowned in concern. “What’s the matter?”

  “We’re moving,” she sobbed. “To Fruitville.”

  “Fruitville?” He paused. “I’ve never heard of it. How far away is it?”

  “About three hours, more or less.”

  “What the heck is i
n Fruitville? I can’t imagine it’s a metropolitan area with a thriving real-estate investment industry and your dad suddenly envisions moving the family business there?” Colten joked.

  “No, it’s not. It’s somewhere outside of Sarasota—or Sarasota has grown into it.” Rachael felt a little less gloom and doom after her research.

  “Sarasota.” He nodded. “Now that’s better. At least that’s a name I’ve heard of. Don’t tell anyone you’re moving to Fruit town…or whatever it’s called. Sarasota sounds so much more refined.” Colten embraced Rachael in the full warmth of his tall frame.

  “You’re not upset?” Rachael looked up, teary eyed.

  “Upset, no. It’ll make things a little more difficult, but it’s still in Florida and only a few hours’ drive. I am sixteen, after all. I can legally drive anywhere in the continental United States. Nebraska…now that would have been far! How about England? Australia? Japan?” Colten laughed out loud.

  “I’m glad you find this amusing. You haven’t heard the worst part. My father’s company is under federal criminal investigation for money laundering and embezzlement.” There it is, plain and simple. Let’s just put it out there and see what this guy is made of. Will he turn tail and run? She stood in silence trying to gauge his reaction.

  He didn’t flicker an eye. “Your father is innocent, of course. And they’ll prove he’s innocent. I’m sure of it.” Colten took Rachael’s hand and led her to the sofa. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Her head fit perfectly under his chin, and he kissed the top of her head. “I know it’s easy for me to tell you everything will be all right or easy. It won’t be, and that’s the truth of it. But I’ve fallen for you, Rachael, and I’ll stand beside you no matter what happens—whether it’s here, Fruitville, or Timbuktu. Okay?”

  Rachael’s heart melted. Colten was the perfect guy and a gentleman. He always had been, and she liked him for it. Well, more than liked him. They’d kissed before, but they were innocent, good-night kisses. Pecks on the cheek, a tender kiss on the hand, and even a few French kisses. Tonight, however, when Rachael gazed into Colten’s eyes, she knew this would be the kiss she would remember in the long months to come. The kiss that would keep her awake at night thinking of Colten.