When he didn’t respond right away, Mallory was sure she had him and he was going to agree with her. She was ready to high-five herself when…
“No one’s telling her she can’t leave,” Pops said defiantly. “Heck, it would be a lot easier if she’d go with Georgia and Beau and leave me alone! There’s plenty of food here and I have a generator and if I need anything, Jake’s right next door!”
Just the mention of Jake Summerford was enough to make Mallory’s heart squeeze hard in her chest. It had been six years since they’d had their…what? Affair? Summer fling? Whatever it was, she had ruined it by acting immaturely and Jake hadn’t hesitated to remind her of that when she tried to reconcile with him.
She’d given up after three months.
Oh, she’d still gone back to Magnolia Sound to visit Pops and her relatives, but Jake didn’t come home at all during his four years of college. The first time she saw him again was two years ago when he came back to work for Coleman Construction. It had been a shock to her system to see him, but it didn’t take long for her to realize she had never really meant anything to him. He’d gone back to treating her like nothing more than his neighbor’s great-granddaughter.
And it hurt more than anything else ever had in her life.
“…all I’m saying is I’m a grown man who can make his own decisions and I’m tired of everyone treating me like a damn child or some sort of invalid!”
Okay, she’d lost track of the conversation and yet somehow Pops was still carrying on about not evacuating.
“Just…promise me you’ll think about it,” she quickly interrupted before he went on again. “You know we’re all doing this because we love you, so…try not to be so angry, okay?”
“Hmph…”
“Pops…”
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” he said before quickly adding, “but I’m not going anywhere.”
She laughed softly. “I love you, Pops.”
“Love you too, sweet pea. When are you coming to visit? We missed you for Fourth of July.”
“I know…”
“And you didn’t come in June like you said you would…”
Yeah, life had been hectic and she was working with a company who needed a major system overhaul and she couldn’t get away, so…
“I’m finishing up with a client next week so I’ll look at my calendar and see if I can grab a week to come down. How does that sound?”
“Sounds like you’re making excuses, but that’s just me,” he grumbled.
Okay, so maybe she hadn’t wanted to go and visit because whenever she was there, so was Jake. It was like he was more a part of the family than she was and it was just…awkward. Mallory had considered asking her then-boyfriend Scott if he wanted to go with her for the Fourth of July celebration, but then thought better of it.
Avoidance was way better. The last time she was bold or defiant was that summer with Jake and…
“Here’s your mother,” Pops said, once again interrupting her thoughts. “Distract her with stories about what’s going on with you so she’ll leave me alone. Maybe start talking about whatever computer system you’re working on. I know I find that stuff hard to follow, I’m sure she will too. And with any luck, she’ll forget all about hassling me about leaving my home.”
“I’ll try,” she said with a smile and then he was gone and she could hear him handing the phone back to her mother.
“He’s exhausting, Mallory.”
“I know, but…you have to see things from his point of view. That house is his whole life. It’s his security. Leaving there–even if it’s only for a day or two–is going to stress him out a lot.”
“It’s stressing us all out. Believe me, there’s a lot of work that goes into evacuating. We have to secure the house and make sure we have all essential documents along with sorting through everything and just taking the necessities. I’m telling you, I’m a nervous wreck!”
“Is it really bad that he wants to stay?”
“Sweetheart, I understand why he wants to, but at his age, it’s just not practical.”
“Are you sure no one can stay with him?”
“Jake’s offered and I have to tell you, I’m not feeling good about that either.”
“Why not?”
“This storm is big. Really big. We’re looking at the possibility of a Category 4 hurricane when it makes landfall, and basically landfall is…”
“You,” Mallory said sadly. “Magnolia Sound is the coast so there is no land before you.”
“Exactly,” Susannah said. “Georgia and Beau already have a place for us about forty miles inland. It’s a townhouse they own and rent out but it happens to be vacant so we’re all going there. Well…almost all of us are going.”
“Mom…I really wish there were something I could do, but…”
“I know, I know. I appreciate you even trying. Georgia was here earlier having a fit and all she managed to do was make things worse. He was almost ready to pack a bag and then she came over and carried on and now he’s acting like a petulant child. I tell you, it’s maddening!”
“I know Aunt Georgia is not the best in these situations.”
“She’s not the best in any situation. Honestly, she’s almost as obsessed with this house as Pops is! I think that’s what got him so worked up again. He accused her of wanting him out of the house so she could somehow try and take it from him!”
“No!” Mallory cried with a small laugh. “I mean I know there’s been a lot of heated discussions about her wanting the house, but…how could Pops possibly think that she could use a hurricane evacuation to take it from him?”
“At one point he accused her of being some kind of witch who caused the storm,” Susannah said with a hint of amusement. “Look, Georgia is my cousin and I love her, but I swear I want to strangle her sometimes.”
“As do her kids,” Mallory said with a laugh.
“Oh, that reminds me! Parker’s graduation party has been moved to mid-September. I have the date written down here somewhere. Georgia wants to have the party at the country club, but your cousin desperately wants to celebrate someplace fun and a lot less formal. And if I know Parker, she’s going to want the kind of party that will make her mother crazy.”
“That’s reasonable. It’s her party, right? But…wait. I didn’t realize there was even going to be a party. I thought Parker wanted to go away somewhere rather than have a whole big thing.”
“They’re doing both, but the vacation is coming first. You know your aunt loves to throw a party, even if it’s not the kind of party the guest of honor wants.”
That was the truth. Her aunt was the belle of the ball of Magnolia Sound when it came to throwing parties; she lived for occasions to host one. “I’ll mark my calendar but text me the date when you find it, please.”
“Can do.” She sighed. “Okay, I need to go pack up. We’re heading out in the morning and there’s still so much to do.”
“You’re just packing up the basics, right?”
“That was the plan, but a bunch of us are helping out the local eateries and getting as much food from them as possible to help cut their losses. Some places closed shop already, but Henderson’s Bakery and Café Magnolia put the word out that they had food ready for anyone heading out of town. I’m planning on getting some things for Pops before I go.”
“If he loses power, what good will it be?”
“Baked goods will keep,” Susannah said. “And I just plan on getting sandwiches from the café that can go in a cooler.”
“Where’s Gertie? Did she leave already?”
Gertie had been Pops’ housekeeper for longer than Mallory was alive. She was practically family. “She was out of town visiting her family and when the news first mentioned the storm, we told her to stay put.”
“That was smart of you, but I’m sure she’s worried.”
“She only comes in once a week now,” Susannah said. “I think she’s ready to retire but she d
oesn’t want to leave Pops.”
That sounded like Gertie, all right.
“Okay, sweetie, I’ll call you once we’re settled.”
“Be safe, Mom. And please keep talking to Pops. Maybe have…have Jake talk to him. I’m sure he’d listen to him before anyone else.”
“Hmm…you may be right. I’ll do that. Have a good night, sweetheart.”
“You too, Mom. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Once they hung up, Mallory’s stomach growled loudly and she went back to the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. She didn’t have much to choose from and ended up with ham and swiss on whole wheat. Not the most inspired dinner, but with her plate in hand, she went back to the sofa and turned on the TV, hoping to catch the weather report.
“And now the latest on the storm that has the mid-Atlantic coast holding its breath. Hurricane Amelia has picked up strength as she seems to be heading directly toward the Carolinas. With the projected path, the storm should make landfall late Thursday night. The first evacuation orders have been issued to all coastal residents up and down the Carolina coast, with mandatory evacuation orders expected to go out within the next twelve hours. Residents on the barrier islands, Outer Banks, and Magnolia Sound areas in North Carolina look to be in the direct path of Amelia. Right now, this is a Category 2 hurricane, but predictions have it hitting Category 3 after midnight tonight with the possibility of hitting Category 4 by the time it makes landfall. And we all know when winds range from 131 to 155 mph, they can cause catastrophic damage to property, humans, and animals. Severe structural damage to frame homes, apartments, and shopping centers should be expected. Category 4 hurricanes often include long-term power outages and water shortages lasting from a few weeks to a few months, so again, it’s important for any remaining residents to have a significant nonperishable food and water supply at hand.”
Her appetite gone, Mallory tossed her sandwich back onto the plate and grabbed the remote to change the channel. There wasn’t anything she could do from here–last she checked not only was Garden City, New York still eleven hours from Magnolia Sound, but she also had zero ability to stop a hurricane.
“Oh, but if I could,” she murmured, standing and taking her sad dinner back to the kitchen and tossing it into the trash. “Now what do I do?”
Unfortunately, her first thought was to reach out to Jake and beg him to convince Pops to leave in the morning with everyone. It would be a completely legitimate reason for calling, but…
“Screw it. I don’t care about how I feel or how Jake may feel about me calling. This isn’t about us, so…if he doesn’t like it, too bad.”
Sometimes you had to put your own feelings aside and do the uncomfortable things–the things that make your heart ache and make you feel like you’re going to be sick. And as she scrolled through her phone and pulled up his number, she was seriously glad she didn’t take more than a couple of bites of her sandwich because…
“Hello?”
Just the sound of his voice was enough to make her want to pass out.
Very few things in life took Jake Summerford for surprise.
Mallory Westbrook was one of them.
Seeing her name appear on his phone filled him with a myriad of emotions, but he knew if she was calling him, something serious had to be going on. She hadn’t willingly called him in over five years.
“Hey, Jake,” she said softly and he could hear the tremble in her voice, could almost picture her fidgeting with her hair.
“What’s up, Mal?” He hoped she’d get right to the point. With this storm coming in, he had a lot to do. The only reason he was home and willing to answer a call was because he’d stopped boarding up the house so he could come inside and grab something to eat. He looked down at the sandwich he’d made and opted to take a bite while she talked.
“Um, I’m sorry to bother you – I’m sure you’re busy with this storm coming in - but I just got off the phone with my mom and she said Pops is refusing to evacuate.”
He swallowed his bite and nodded. “Yeah, I was over there earlier and he’s pretty much dug his heels in on this.”
“He can’t stay there, Jake! You have to convince him to leave!”
Tossing the sandwich down, he began to pace. “What would you like me to do, Mal?” he snapped. “No one can force him to leave and I’m not about to physically remove him from his home!” He heard her soft sob on the other end of the line and cursed. “Look, he has a storm shelter and we both know in all the years he’s lived here, storm damage has been minimal. I think the forecasters are being a little overzealous about the storm. He has plenty of supplies and even if he loses power, that’s nothing for old Zeke, you know that.”
“He’s too old to ride out a storm on his own,” she argued, but there was very little heat behind her words. “I know he’s stubborn and I know he thinks he’s invincible, but…”
“Yeah, I know,” he said, going to sit down on his sofa.
“Mom just called and put me on the phone with him and he’s not thinking clearly,” she went on. “He’s being defiant because of Aunt Georgia – at least, that’s part of it. But someone needs to make him see some sense here, Jake!”
“In his mind, he IS seeing sense! Hell, he’s lived a long time and has survived many a storm here! And on top of that, he hates how everyone is constantly trying to tell him how to live and treating him like he’s a child!”
“No one’s trying to treat him like he’s a child! That’s ridiculous! We’re all just concerned for his safety! Can’t you get the sheriff or someone from the local police to come and make him leave?”
He swiped a weary hand over his face. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not even a little,” she said stiffly, and Jake knew how much she hated to feel like she wasn’t being taken seriously.
“Mal, they’re a little busy right now with securing the entire damn community. I greatly doubt they have time to convince one resident to leave.”
“He’s a founding member of Magnolia Sound! Doesn’t that count for anything?” she cried with frustration.
“I don’t really see how that’s relevant right now to anybody,” he said, feeling frustrated enough himself. “It’s not like they’re going to go around town and check on people in the order of some ridiculous list of who’s more important. That’s just crazy.”
She was silent for a long moment and Jake knew she was simply trying to come up with a clever retort. There was a time when he used to enjoy this kind of banter–some of their biggest arguments had led to the hottest sex.
Well, that’s not going to happen right now no matter how big the argument…
True enough, but his mind still went there.
“So you’re not going to help? Is that it?”
“Mallory, I was over there already and talked to him. What more do you want me to do?” he demanded.
“Protect him! After everything he’s done for you…” But she stopped before saying anything else and he wasn’t sure if he was relieved or pissed off by it.
Raking a hand through his hair, he sighed loudly. “I’m boarding up my place now and I had a crew over at Zeke’s doing the same earlier. Everyone’s heading out either tonight or tomorrow morning, but…I can stay with him.”
Her soft gasp affected him more than it should.
“You…you would do that?”
“I talked to your mom about it and she’s not thrilled at that even being an option, but I don’t see any others. At least if I’m there with him we’ll know he’ll be okay and I’ll be able to take care of any situation that may come up with debris or damage to the house.” He paused and realized how cocky that sounded. “I mean, I can assess the damage and do my best to keep him out of harm’s way so he doesn’t try to tackle anything on his own.”
“Jake, I…it’s not safe for either of you. Maybe if you tell him you don’t think it’s safe to stay, he’ll leave.”
“Already tried. I’m telling you, I’ve
never seen him more adamant. Something about this storm has him all riled up.”
And it was frustrating as hell because really, Jake had every intention of evacuating with the masses as soon as he secured his house. It was his childhood home and when his parents decided to retire and move to Arizona two years ago, Jake knew he didn’t want another family living in it. So he’d bought it from them. They’d argued about it and eventually agreed but only after putting a ridiculously low price tag on it. He knew the place was worth so much more, but they knew what amount they needed to help them relocate. And the bottom line was they wanted to do something for him that they hadn’t been able to most of his life.
Now he was a homeowner in the town he loved more than anything and there was a chance the entire thing was going to get destroyed in a massive, once-in-a-lifetime kind of storm. He wanted to howl at the unfairness of it all, but…when had his life ever been easy?
“So there’s really nothing we can do?” she asked sadly, and more than anything Jake wished he could reassure her–give her hope. But he couldn’t.
“I’ll try again, but…I can’t make any promises.”
They were silent for a long moment and honestly, he didn’t know what to say.
Liar. Ask her how she is, how her job is, when is she coming back to Magnolia Sound so you can just see her and know she’s all right…
“I should go,” he said instead. “I’ve got a lot to get done before morning, so…”
“Oh, okay,” she said, her voice quiet. “Um…thanks for taking the time to talk to me and for looking after Pops.”
“It’s not a problem.” He paused and when she didn’t speak again, he said, “Take care, Mal.”
“You too, Jake. And please…be safe.”
And then she was gone and Jake felt all the air rush out of his lungs. Tossing the phone aside, he closed his eyes and wondered when things would change. When would there come a time when just the sound of Mallory’s voice didn’t make him wish for things he couldn’t have?
They were over. Ancient history. And when he looked back, he knew it was for the best. At that point in their lives they were going in completely opposite directions and Mallory had proven that she still needed to grow up.
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