Magnolia Lake
Emily Paige Skeen
Praise for Magnolia Lake
“Told in southern belle charm from Cora’s side, Magnolia Lake is a charming story for readers both looking forward to the end of high school and those looking back.”
—Lisa J. Lickel, Award-Winning Novelist
“…laced with gripping drama and a heartwarming ending.”
—Victoria Pitts Caine, Christian Romance Author
“I recommend it for anyone fourteen to a hundred and four!”
—Julie B. Cosgrove, Award-Winning Author
“Emily Paige Skeen's debut novel…has it all: action, adventure, some romance, and a great story line.”
—Dixie Jo Jarchow, Author
“I very much enjoyed this book and recommend Magnolia Lake to teenage and adult readers who enjoy a great romance, served with a side of action, drama, comedy…”
—Readers’ Favorite Reviewer
Magnolia Lake
Copyright © 2016 Emily Paige Skeen
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.
Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the author. Please purchase only authorized editions, and do not participate in the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Published by No Greater Love Publishing
Second Edition, 2020
Published in the United States of America
For Mark—my love, my partner, my Saturday-morning-breakfast-maker, my rock
Prologue
In the southern part of Georgia, there’s a small town by the name of Davis. This is where I was born and raised, and where I still reside. I love this place. I love the small white churches, the historical downtown buildings, and the fact that everybody knows you. I love that there’s only one high school and that I’ve had classes with the same people since I was five. I love sitting under huge oak trees, watching pink flowers bloom on dogwood trees, and inhaling the sweet scent of honey-suckle. I even love the tiny, run-down corner shops with their chipped paint and worn-out signs.
It’s from this town that my friends can’t wait to escape, and not long ago, I agreed with them. In fact, I would have laughed if someone had told me I’d come to love all these things. Instead of cherishing the quaintness of my hometown, I was dying to leave it. Dreams of a bigger and better life occupied my every thought. I had such different plans for my future, but life rarely goes as planned.
Chapter One
I screeched to a stop in front of Davis High School, flipped down the sun visor to check my reflection, and jumped out of my baby-blue convertible. It was the first day of my senior year and I was running late—as usual.
A light breeze tousled my long dark-brown hair as I grabbed my purse and schoolbooks from the backseat and decided to leave the top down. I hit the car’s alarm button and hurried toward the double doors of my alma mater, thinking about how good life was. Captain of the cheerleading squad, girlfriend of the quarterback.
I grinned—Jeffrey Colton was charming, handsome, and athletic…and the heartthrob of every girl in school. As cliché as that sounded, it still warranted a smile.
I took a deep breath and pulled open the large wooden doors of Davis High. This is gonna be the best year ever.
“Cora!”
I barely recognized my best friend’s voice over the roar of rowdy high school students. I turned around, scanning the windowless hallway for Valerie. Pushing through the crowd, I finally spotted a tall, pretty blonde next to her locker, waving frantically at me.
“Hey, Val! Where’s your first period?”
Valerie sighed and rolled her eyes. “I’ve got P.E. first, and apparently so does Jason Robbins. He caught up to me in the parking lot earlier and showed me his schedule.”
Jason had been in love with Valerie since we were all in kindergarten. He wasn’t very high on the social ladder, so most girls never gave him a second thought.
I laughed. “Sorry, Val. Looks like you might have to play nice this year.”
“Why would I do that? He bugs me!” She sighed and slammed the door of her dull gray locker shut. “I swear he does this every year—I always have at least two classes with him. Tell me that’s not planned.”
“Well, you know he’s just about every teacher’s pet.”
Val was obviously annoyed, but the whole thing was hilarious. I could almost guarantee that if she ever gave Jason a chance, she might actually like him. He wasn’t that bad looking, just a little on the dorky side.
“I love how funny you think this is,” Valerie retorted. “Anyway, what about you? What do you have this period?”
“Calculus…with Jeff.” My heart raced just a bit faster and I smiled, thinking about my long-term boyfriend. We’d enrolled in the same classes every semester since we’d started dating sophomore year. “I better go. He’s probably waitin’ for me in front of the gym.”
Valerie flung her book bag over one shoulder and tugged down on her denim miniskirt. “Okay. I’ll walk with you since I’m goin’ that way.” As we walked, we gossiped about which couples hadn’t survived the summer, and I probably bored her with all the details of Jeff’s and my plans for the year.
“We should go ahead and get a group together for prom,” she suggested. “That way we won’t be scramblin’ to fill up the limo like last year. I was thinkin’ it should be you, Jeff, me, whoever I decide to go with, Lacy, Mike, Kayla, and Troy. Can you think of anybody else? I think eight’s a good number. Four couples. What do ya think?”
I listened as she named off our closest friends. Lacy was on the cheerleading squad with Valerie and me, Kayla had been our friend since seventh grade, and Troy was Kayla’s steady boyfriend. Mike was Lacy’s on-again, off-again fling, but he’d become a good friend of ours during their tumultuous relationship. “That sounds good, but what if Lacy and Mike don’t end up goin’ together? Which one would we boot?”
She contemplated my question for a minute. “Well, Lacy was our friend first, but Mike’s so much fun! Maybe we’ll just have ten people. They can both bring a date.”
“That’s a great idea.” I rolled my eyes. “Talk about drama! No way can that happen. This needs to be the best prom ever. It’s senior year!”
“You’re probably right. We’ll have to talk to Lacy. Anyway, I better go. See ya at lunch!” Val started into the gym, turning to wave back at me.
“See ya later, Val. Don’t be too mean to Jason!” I called after her.
I was still laughing when I heard someone walk up behind me. “Hey, baby, you with anybody?” The low voice in my ear was easily recognizable.
I blushed and turned around. “Hey, Jeff! How was your night?”
He grabbed my waist and crushed my body against his. Then his lips met mine with breath-taking force. “It was fine. Doin’ much better now that you’re in my arms, baby.” He kissed me again in a way much too private for the cinder-block walls of our small high school.
Catching my breath, I pushed him away and playfully swatted his arm. “Now, Jeff, you know better than that! Principal Long’ll be out here in no time pourin’ cold water on us!”
He winked and leaned in for one last kiss. He was much gentler this time, softly brushing his lips against mine. “Sorry, babe. You know I can’t resist.”
Just then someone bumped into him, nearly knocking me down. “What th
e—”
“Yo, Colton!” Christopher Johnson, one of Jeff’s teammates, interrupted me and rammed against my boyfriend again. “What’s up, man?”
“Hey, man!” He turned to Christopher, who was oblivious to my presence. “What’s up? Where’s your first period?”
“I’m headed to English on the 300 hall. How ’bout you?”
“Calculus, dude. Sucks.”
I cleared my throat. “Um, Jeff, don’t you think we should get to class? Don’t wanna be late on the first day.” Out of all Jeff’s friends, Christopher bothered me the most. He was cocky and egotistical. He had a habit of sleeping with girls, dumping them, and then bragging about it to all his friends. Not exactly a stand-up guy.
“Well, howdy, Miss Stephens.” He grinned. “Didn’t even see you there.”
“’Course you didn’t,” I mumbled. “Can we go now, please?” I tapped my high-heeled shoe impatiently. The carpeted floor muffled the sound, but my expression wasn’t hard to read.
“Yeah, babe, I’m comin’. Later, Johnson.” Jeff turned away from Christopher and grabbed my hand. Once we were out of Christopher’s hearing range, he demanded, “What’s your problem?”
I came to an abrupt stop and put my free hand on my hip. “Oh, nothin’. Just that every time that guy comes around, you forget I even exist.”
“You’re gonna have to get over that. Chris is my buddy. We play football together. You oughta start bein’ nice to him. Now let’s go.” He yanked on my hand and pulled me forward. This was definitely not his most charming moment.
We walked the rest of the way to class in silence, me pouting and Jeff being stubbornly quiet. We barely said three words to each other during the next few hours, until it was finally time for lunch.
Deciding to be the mature one, I sighed and gave in, as usual. “Where are we gonna sit this year?” I asked, glancing around the crowded cafeteria.
Jeff’s expression was smug. He knew he’d won. “Chris is holdin’ a table for us.”
Was he seriously suggesting that I sit with Christopher every time I ate lunch for the next nine months?
He gave a half-hearted attempt to pacify me. “Don’t worry, baby, there’s plenty of room for your friends, too.” He grinned down at me, knowing I wouldn’t argue.
Valerie and Kayla were already seated with Christopher and a couple of other jocks by the time Jeff and I got our food. Valerie was chatting it up with Christopher. She thought he was cute, even though I’d repeatedly warned her about his reputation.
“Hey, Cor! Saved ya a seat,” she said, smiling ear to ear. I could tell she was stoked that the jerk was noticing her.
“Thanks, Val.” I sat down and propped my elbows up on the cold, hard table.
Jeff sat next to me and draped his arm around my shoulders. Then he glanced at Kayla, who was being quieter than everyone else. “Hey, Kayla. Where’s Troy?”
She looked up from her salad and sighed. “He’s got lunch next period. It’s the first time in five years we haven’t had lunch together.”
“That’s a bummer,” I answered. I knew Jeff didn’t really care about Kayla’s feelings; he was only trying to be polite when he’d asked about Troy. “But, hey, you’ve got us, right?” I joked.
“Yeah.” She laughed. “I guess.”
The rest of the day passed just as expected. I had every class with Jeff and a couple with Valerie and Kayla. The three of us talked more about prom, then about homecoming plans. Val and I had one class with Lacy, so we asked about her status with Mike.
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll take me to prom,” she said. “We spent the whole summer together, and things are gettin’ pretty serious. There’s no way he’d go with anybody else. Besides, he knows I’ll look good in all the pictures.” She giggled and flipped her dark red hair. “I’ve already got my dress.”
Valerie and I exchanged a glance and I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. Typical Lacy, bragging about her looks.
When the school day ended, I met Jeff next to my car in the senior parking lot. Pulling away from a deep kiss, I looked up at him. “So, what time will you be at my house?”
“I don’t think I’m gonna make it today, baby,” he replied, running his hand through my hair and twisting a couple of strands between his fingers. “It’s our first practice since camp, so it’s probably gonna run long. Then I promised Mom I’d be home to help with laundry.”
“Laundry? You?” I joked to hide my disappointment. I’d been excited about getting back into our school-year routine: he had football practice, I had cheerleading practice, and then we ate and did homework together. I couldn’t believe he was ditching me already—and for laundry. Something was definitely not right.
“I’m just tryin’ to be a good boy, Cora. Don’t you want me to grow into a responsible man someday?” he teased.
I batted my eyes up at him. “’Course I do. Because someday, Jeff Colton, you’ll be doin’ our laundry.” I reached up to peck his cheek, then opened my car door and slid into the seat. Putting the key in the ignition, I gave him a sly smile. Then I pressed the pedal to the floor and sped away.
Chapter Two
The next morning, birds chirped and the sun shone through the window, casting shadows on my pale pink bedroom walls. Despite the beautiful day, I woke disoriented and frustrated. I couldn’t remember having any dreams but felt like I’d tossed and turned all night. Groaning, I slung both feet off the bed onto the plush carpet and forced myself to stand.
I slumped down the hallway to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Once clean and presentable, I jogged downstairs and into the kitchen where my parents were having breakfast.
Mama looked up from her spot at the table, coffee mug in hand. “Mornin’, sweetie. How’d you sleep?”
“Fine, Mama.” I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then grabbed a granola bar from the pantry.
“Why don’t you sit down and eat with us, Cora?” my dad asked.
“Sorry, Daddy. Runnin’ late. I should really go.” I held up the granola bar. “This oughta be enough to hold me over ‘til lunch. See y’all this afternoon. Cheer starts back up today, so I should be home around five.”
My mother gave me a quizzical look. “Will Jeff be here for supper tonight?” She had caught me off guard yesterday asking why I was setting the dinner table for three instead of four. I’d tried to play it off and act like there wasn’t a pit in my stomach, but I knew she didn’t buy it. She was all too keen with that mother’s instinct thing.
She frowned. “I just assumed, since he didn’t come over last night, that he’d be here this afternoon. Is everything all right with you two?”
“Of course it is,” I lied. “Just because he’s not here one day…Geez, Mama, you’re such a worrier.” I attempted a laugh. “I’m sure he’ll be here tonight.”
She examined my face and must’ve found something that pacified her. Maybe I wasn’t as bad a liar as I thought. “Okay, well then…have a good day at school. Love you.”
“Okay. Bye, Mama. Bye, Daddy.” I grabbed my bookbag and rushed out the door. My mother was too perceptive. If I hung around much longer, I’d end up spilling my guts about the way Jeff had acted yesterday.
The school day began, and my worries eventually subsided. Jeff seemed normal again, like himself. We laughed and flirted, held hands walking down the hall, and sat together in his truck after school.
“I’ve gotta get to practice,” I mumbled breathlessly between kisses.
“Just a few more minutes,” he whispered in my ear. His hand slipped under the bottom of my shirt and started inching its way up.
I inhaled and pushed his hand away. “Jeff, stop. Too far. Besides, I really can’t be late. This is our first practice of the year.”
He sighed and sat back against his seat, staring up at the gray cloth ceiling of the brand-new truck. “All right, guess you better go. We can finish this later.” He winked and my heart skipped a beat. Even after all this time, he still got t
o me. There was something about him besides just his good looks. Something inherent in his personality. He could sweet-talk his way out of any situation, which was probably the reason I always gave in when we argued—and the reason every girl at school wanted to be me.
“So you’ll come over?” I bit my bottom lip, that nagging feeling rumbling around in my stomach again.
“You got it. Whatever you want, cupcake.”
For some reason I couldn’t quite grasp, the nickname felt more patronizing than sweet. “Cool, then I’ll see you later. Have a good practice. Kick some butt!” I responded—a little too enthusiastically.
He kissed my cheek and was out of the truck before I could blink. I sat there for a minute, knowing I should hurry into the gym but too confused to move. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
With a sigh, I pushed open the passenger-side door. Straightening my blouse and hair, I grabbed my gym bag and hopped out. A glance at my watch told me I’d have to change into practice clothes in less than five minutes. I took off at a sprint toward the gym, nearly knocking someone down as I shoved the back doors of the school open.
“Hey, kid, watch where you’re going!”
I skidded to a stop, looking up to see who had the nerve to call me kid. I grinned when I recognized the face staring down at me. “Hey, Landon! Sorry to bump into you. Late for practice.”
Landon and I had grown up together, ever since his family moved to Davis when we were in the third grade. We’d even dated some before Jeff and I got together.
He chuckled. “What’s new? I guess some things never change, do they, Cora?”
“Guess not.” I smiled. “Good to see ya, Lan. We’ll have to catch up soon. I wanna hear about all the girls after you this year.”
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