Wildfire and Roses

by Hope Malory

Benjamin had come closest to achieving his boyhood dream by signing with a minor-league team, the Birmingham Barons. The following season, the triple-A-ranked Nashville Sounds recruited him. Benjamin enjoyed bachelorhood, and at twenty-six, he had no desire to change that.

  The youngest of the McLemore sons at twenty-five, Blake coached baseball and taught biology at Azalea Community College. Coach McLemore appreciated the ladies and was an outdoor guy who claimed fishing as his favorite pastime. The townspeople, his students, and his players respected him. He took boys and made them men. His mantra was “If you lose, suck it up and move on. Practice harder.” Several of his better athletes had gone on to four-year colleges on scholarship, and two of them made it to the pros.

  Blake didn’t pick on his sisters as much as the older brothers did. Grateful for that, Beasley and Brenner grew closer to him. Still protective, any of their boyfriends had to undergo his scrutiny.

  Blake drove up in his extended-cab pickup custom painted in his team’s colors, blue with a white stripe.

  “Hey, sis. Where’s Brenner?”

  “On her way. Tony picked her up, and they’ll be here soon.”

  “About this Tony character, he’s a long-haired musician who doesn’t like sports.”

  She elbowed him. “You wouldn’t think of stereotyping, would you?”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it. Mark my words, he’s bad news.”

  “They just got here. Be nice.”

  She’d had her own doubts about Brenner’s boyfriend when she learned he got drunk and manhandled her after their date a few weeks ago. Even though he apologized afterward and, in her sister’s opinion, tried hard to make it up to her, Beasley was still skeptical.

  With a callous glare, Blake shook Tony’s hand but avoided further interaction with him. Around Brenner, Tony acted like the perfect gentleman.

  Blake brought in the TV. “I want this hooked up before the UT/Florida game this afternoon. It starts at three-thirty. What time will the technician be here?”

  Beasley frowned. “They said they couldn’t come until Monday.”

  “Crap.”

  Tony overheard the conversation. “My buddy works at the cable company. He owes me a favor. I’ll call and see what I can do.”

  Blake’s neutral expression softened somewhat. “Thanks, man.”

  When Tony returned, he was grinning. “He’s reworking his schedule and will try to be here by one o’clock. We’ll be able to watch the game.”

  “I didn’t think you liked sports,” Blake said.

  “It’s true I didn’t play on a team, but I’m a huge UT football fan. During baseball season, I root for the Braves.”

  Blake’s eyes lit up. The two of them talked about UT and the Braves.

  After his friend connected the TV, Tony left to pick up lunch and beer. When they finished eating, they unloaded the truck until game time. All the heavy furniture pieces were in place. They stacked boxes in the appropriate rooms. Because Beasley and Brenner had labeled everything, they could unpack the essentials and finish the rest at their leisure. It was now time for a break.

  Tony passed the beer around as they rested and watched a part of the first quarter.

  “It’s been eleven years since UT beat Florida. About time we won,” Blake said.

  At a pause in the action, they removed more boxes, stopping when UT was close to the end zone. A roar reverberated through the house whenever their team took the ball past the goal line.

  The four of them took a time-out for the remainder of the game when Tennessee made a five-yard run, giving them a thirty-eight to twenty-one advantage with eight minutes remaining. Florida’s quarterback threw a ten-yard touchdown with over four minutes to go. UT held on for the win, thirty-eight to twenty-eight.

  Blake pulled Tony aside after the final whistle blew. “Hey, pal, I’m sorry if I was rude to you earlier today. As for my sisters, I want to make sure they’re treated with respect. You appear to be a decent guy. But, if you hurt my little sister, remember her four older brothers will come and visit you, and it won’t be pleasant.”

  Tony laughed. “Point taken. I like and admire Brenner, and I promise I’ll treat her right.”

  Blake later told Beasley, “Maybe this dude isn’t so bad. He managed to get the TV activated, he’s a UT and a Braves fan, and he was considerate of Brenner. I may have misjudged him.”

  “You think?”

  Beasley also observed Tony, who she noticed had a sense of humor. If Brenner forgave him, I should too.

  After the guys left, Beasley and Brenner slumped in the living room, too exhausted to move.

  Brenner spoke first. “What’s going on with your accountant? I mean after you fired her. The legal stuff.”

  “Dianne is working with Rhoda’s lawyer to settle this. She agreed to repay the money, claiming she had ‘borrowed’ it to help her son through a rough spot and that she planned to pay it back. Dianne thinks they will give her probation and community service.”

  “Will your company survive?”

  “I built it once; I can build it again.”

  Chapter 15

  When Casey left work, she called Beasley. “Have you moved yet?”

  “Yes, over the weekend. I’m glad to be in our old house. Lots of memories here.”

  “Did you find out any more about your grandmother’s mysterious papers?”

  Beasley updated her about the bankruptcy and Grainger Devlin’s suicide. “Yesterday, as I unpacked the books to arrange on the bookshelves, an old photograph of him fell out of one. So, there must be a connection, but I can’t figure out what it is.”

  “What about the embezzlement? Are you going to be all right financially?”

  “The auditors found more unpaid bills. This is a setback for sure. The business took a huge hit, Case. Our slowest season is coming up, and my balance sheet looks grim. I depleted my emergency account and may need to take out some loans to stay afloat until spring.”

  “Ouch. I’m so sorry.”

  “Have you seen Will?”

  There was a long pause. “Understand I didn’t want to mention him, but I bumped into his sister a few weeks ago, and she reported Will and Madison were together again. Hate to be the bearer of this news.”

  “No problem. The, uh, what’s important is he’s happy.”

  Casey changed the subject. After pulling into the driveway, she rested on her porch for thirty minutes until her conversation with Beasley ended. Once inside, Casey built a fire and stretched out on her butter-soft brown leather sofa. The cabin wasn’t spacious, but it was hers. She had bought it after her rafting operation showed a profit. The phone rang soon after she pulled an afghan up to her shoulders to relax. When she checked the screen, her eyes narrowed. Why was her ex calling?

  “Cameron? Is everything okay?”

  “Not so much. I wanted to tell you about Mom’s breast cancer.”

  Casey’s hand flew to her mouth, and she gasped. “Oh, I’m so sorry. What’s the prognosis?”

  “The doctor discovered it during a routine exam. The assumption is she will have a complete mastectomy. The oncologist may recommend a short round of chemo and radiation, which should destroy any stray cells.”

  “How is she handling the news?”

  “She’s a trouper. Mom tries to cheer us up.”

  “Thanks for telling me. I’ll try to visit her one day this week.”

  “Thanks. She’ll like that. She read the article in Sunday’s newspaper featuring your company and called me. Congratulations, you’ve built it into a booming business.”

  “The expansion is running me ragged, but when you’re the owner, it’s natural to want to do more. Growth takes time. Will told me you opened another outfitter store. Four stores must swamp you.�
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  “Yeah. I had little time to snowboard last winter, and this one may be worse.”

  “You’ll find a way. Thanks for calling me about your mom.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Gary, Cameron’s dad, answered when Casey called her former mother-in-law. They chatted for several minutes until Madge said, “Let me talk to her.”

  The ladies conversed for over half an hour and made plans for Casey to come for dinner one evening.

  “Only if you’ll allow me to bring the meal.”

  Madge laughed. “Oh, I was hoping you’d say that; you’re such a fantastic cook.”

  On the night she had promised to go to the Adkissons, she prepared a chicken and artichoke casserole, buttered broccoli, fruit salad, rolls, and banana pudding—a tribute to her southern heritage.

  The Adkissons’ mountain home exuded warmth and comfort with the soaring beamed ceilings, a massive stone fireplace, plenty of natural light, and casual furniture. The panoramic view of the mountains from the upper and lower decks at the rear of the home was spectacular.

  Casey drove into the driveway and spotted Cameron’s truck parked to the side of the house. “Either this is a coincidence or Madge is playing matchmaker,” she muttered.

  After parking beside a group of massive boulders, she retrieved the oversized basket of food from the floorboard. A flagstone path curved around to the entrance. Tall pines surrounded the house, a gazebo stood to the side, and a stone walkway led to a patio on the basement level.

  Climbing the steps to the generous porch, Casey smiled at the ‘Welcome to Our Home’ sign. The door opened before she rang the doorbell.

  “Come in, young lady.” Gary hugged her and took the basket from her. “It means a lot to both of us that you came.”

  “Thanks for inviting me.”

  “Cameron stopped for a visit. He and Madge are on the deck. Let’s tell them you’re here.”

  When Casey stepped outside, Madge broke into a grin. “Look at you, beautiful as ever.”

  Her ex-husband rose from the Adirondack chair and strode over to her, enveloping her in a friendly hug. “Hello, Case.”

  “I didn’t expect you to be here, but I’m glad you are. There is enough food for all of us and plenty for leftovers. Is anybody hungry?”

  Cameron rubbed his hands together. “Always for your cooking. Let me help you set everything up.”

  While they ate, they caught up on what had transpired in each of their lives.

  After a relaxing meal, Madge asked, “Why don’t you two sit on the deck and visit while Gary and I put the food away?”

  Cameron plopped down beside Casey on the swing. “Are you happy?”

  Casey cocked her head at his question. “Yes, I suppose I am. It isn’t perfect, but it’s a decent life.”

  For a moment, neither of them said a word, until he interrupted the silence. “May I ask if there is a man in your life?”

  “No one now. My business consumes most of my time. What about you? A lady, I mean.”

  “Same here.” His gaze shifted toward the mountains, and his demeanor suggested he was struggling with something. He didn’t speak again for several minutes.

  His mouth turned down. “Will asked me not long ago why we broke up, but I didn’t have a valid reason other than I was immature, selfish, and too stubborn. I had to be right. Baby, I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

  A pause followed. “I’m sorry too. All of those adjectives describe me as well.”

  “If we could go back . . . I regretted giving up on us so soon. Do you ever think what might have been if we’d tried harder to work out our differences?”

  “Yes, but why dredge up the past?”

  “I miss you. I miss us, and I realize we can’t go back. What would your reaction be if I asked you to go to dinner with me sometime as friends?”

  Glancing away and hesitating for a moment, she turned toward him and said, “Sure. I would be happy to.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Cameron arrived ten minutes early at the restaurant in downtown Truckee on Donner Pass Road and parked in a crowded lot. Upon entering, he sauntered up to the bar and ordered a longneck while he waited for Casey. Since she needed to work late, she had asked him to meet her. Nursing his beer, he watched a game on one of the televisions scattered throughout the dining area.

  He sucked in a breath when she glided through the door with her flowing bronze-colored hair and brown eyes flecked with gold. Her stylish flamboyance attracted attention. The bright colors in the peacock-blue pullover; long red triple-strand beaded necklace; and blue, red, and yellow maxi skirt matched her personality. The provocative sweater showed off her curves and tiny waist.

  As she approached, he stood and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You are stunning.”

  “Thanks. You remembered this is my favorite restaurant.”

  “Oh, yes, I remember.”

  Cameron motioned to the hostess, alerting her they were ready for a table. While strolling toward their table, he put his hand on Casey’s back and smiled when she shivered.

  After the server brought their food, they eased into a comfortable rhythm of conversation. She had a lilting voice and expressive eyes, and her hands were in constant motion when she talked. The television over the bar flashed the score for the University of Tennessee.

  Cameron pointed at the screen. “UT won their game today. Seems like forever ago that we met there.”

  “Sophomores.”

  “At a frat party.”

  “Yes. We both went outside to avoid the crowd.”

  “How could I forget the gorgeous girl who almost literally knocked me off my feet?”

  “Yeah, well, I was in such a hurry to get outdoors I didn’t see you standing there. My friend dragged me with her. I didn’t want to go.”

  “Neither did I until then. A couple of my teammates insisted. As it turns out, I was glad they did and thankful you agreed to ditch the festivities and slip away to the park. Lucky for me, you carried the conversation, because I was speechless. Did I ever tell you how nervous I was?”

  “You? The popular football player? If you recall, I talked too much, but you asked me out despite my babbling. Two years later, our parents flew in for our graduation one day and our wedding the next. The only place I’d lived was East Tennessee before moving across country from Azalea Valley to a small town in California I’d never heard of.”

  His eyes clouded. “Too bad our marriage lasted just a year. Can you believe it has been two years since the divorce? From what I detect, you’ve come a long way since then and turned into a full-fledged businesswoman.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m a regular adult. Sometimes, it’s hard being a grown-up.”

  “My thoughts exactly. Listen, Mom suggested I check to see if you’re going to Tennessee for the holiday weekend. If not, they would love for you to come to their house for Thanksgiving dinner, and so would I. Will you consider it?”

  Smiling up at him, she responded, “Yes, I would love to.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Beasley checked the weather app on her phone before going for her morning run. Aware of the temperature, she took her hoodie out of the closet and tiptoed through the house and out the front door. The cool blast of air invigorated her. Muted sunlight sprinkled through the trees as the sun peeked over the horizon. She jogged along Main Street and past Molly’s Diner, the one restaurant that opened at six o’clock. The rest of the establishments wouldn’t open for another hour. The town was peaceful before residents woke to their alarms.

  In the distance, a thick fog resembling smoke hovered over the peaks and valleys, shadowing the summits aptly named the Great Smoky Mountains. She regarded them as her playground. She had hiked and climbed them her entire life. The ridges and rivers
were as familiar as the street she lived on. A sense of peace washed over her. The forest was her refuge. Some of her crucial decisions and more creative ideas had occurred there: to buy the landscaping business, to expand, and to move into the house.

  “How am I going to survive the slow season until spring?” she asked herself as she jogged past Beasley’s Gardens. Sales of Christmas trees and decorations from her shop should help, but they were not enough to carry her through the winter.

  She balled her fists and bolted faster, cursing her accountant for stealing her money. The judge had ordered Rhoda to repay in monthly installments. Not enough each month to keep me afloat without depleting my other funds and taking out loans. At least she didn’t have to pull as much out for living expenses since she no longer paid rent and didn’t have a mortgage.

  Pleased with the renovations, she knew her mama and daddy would have approved of her and Brenner moving in and of the changes they had made to the house. The home was comfortable and reflected both their styles.

  Thanksgiving, their first without Nonna, was two days away. The holidays after her parents died in the accident had been unbearable, and this one would be difficult too. To ease some of the grief, they invited all the brothers and their families to join them for the feast. Only Baxter and his family in California couldn’t make it.

  Tony had accepted Brenner’s invitation to come. Wouldn’t it be amazing if I had someone to invite? Will came to mind. The news from Casey he was dating Madison again distressed her more than she had expected. When she was in California and saw them together in the restaurant, she sensed there was some unfinished business between them. Apparently, she was right. After calling him about the embezzlement, she talked to Will often giving him many opportunities to tell her. Wonder why he hasn’t mentioned it.

  On the reverse route, she brooded about Will until she approached the Yellow Butterfly Café and found it open. A hot cup of coffee at her friend Mia’s place would lift her mood.