by Hope Malory
Will. She adored him, and his actions suggested he felt the same way. Crap. With everything going on, I forgot to tell him whether I was coming to California. Why not go? Perhaps if they were together, she would figure out if it could work.
After paying the bill, she perched on an empty bench outside the café. Her pulse quickened when she punched Will’s number on her phone.
“Will, if the invitation still stands, I want to come to Tahoma for a visit.”
~ ~ ~
After devouring fresh shrimp scampi at dinner, Beasley and Jacqueline relaxed in the living room.
“Tell me more about Mama. What was she like when she was a girl?”
Jacqueline shared several stories. Too many thoughts crowded Beasley’s mind, and tears seeped from her eyes.
“You’re missing her right now, aren’t you?” Jacqueline whispered.
“Yes. But it’s more than that. I’ve never told anyone this, but I had an argument with Mama right before their accident. Until now, I’d blocked it out and forgotten what it was about. All these years, I have carried the guilt with me that it was my fault the accident happened. On an intellectual level, I knew it didn’t make sense, but in my heart, I believed it. If we hadn’t argued, maybe . . .” She put her head in her hands and sobbed.
Jacqueline wrapped her arms around her and held her until the shaking subsided. “What was the argument about, dear?”
In a quivering voice, she answered, “A boy. For a few months before the accident, I dated Calvin. He was an adventurer like me, and we had fun together. A good guy. Then, Graham and his family moved into town from the Belle Meade area of Nashville. Old money. He was in my history class. Cute, outgoing, and rich. He could have had any girl he wanted, but for some reason, he was interested in me. I gave in to his constant pleas to go out with him. Calvin found out we went out, and he dumped me. He started dating one of my friends, whom he later married. In the meantime, Graham and I were inseparable. One day, we skipped school, and he introduced me to beer, not one of my finer decisions.” After a long pause, she continued. “We talked a lot about the future. He couldn’t wait until he graduated to move back to the city. We talked about a grand life together. I thought I was in love with him and would have followed him anywhere.” She sighed. “Mama already knew about me skipping school, and she smelled the beer when I got home. We argued. She rarely raised her voice, but it upset her when I insisted I loved him and he had money and would take care of me. She came close to screaming at me. ‘Don’t depend on some rich guy to take care of you. Be your own person. You can be anything you want to be. Work hard and do something important with your life. Then, when the right man comes along, someone who respects you and treats you well like your daddy does me, hold on to him, and don’t let him go.’”
Jacqueline smiled. “Good advice.”
“Yeah, but at the time, I didn’t think so. I railed and cried, telling her she didn’t understand. The argument ended with me telling her, ‘I don’t want to be like you.’” Her voice broke. “That was the last thing I ever said to her. Later that evening, the car crash took place.” She crumbled.
“Look at me.” Jacqueline swept her hair back and put her hands on either side of Beasley’s face. “Teenagers have arguments with their parents all the time. It’s part of the process of growing up and becoming independent. Belle knew you didn’t mean it. How could you have known what would transpire?”
“True, but I felt their death was my punishment for lashing out at her the way I did.”
“What happened to your parents had nothing to do with you. None of it was your fault. Understand, they both loved you unconditionally, and an argument could never change that. Please tell me you know that.”
Beasley nodded.
“What ever became of the boy, Graham?”
“He tried to be supportive at first, but he soon grew tired of me pushing him away and of my negative moods, and he moved on. I swore off guys for a while and vowed to never get close to anyone else.”
“Is that why you gravitate toward unavailable men?”
She hadn’t made the connection before. “Possibly. Any relationships with guys I dated after that were short-lived. I’d pushed them away.” She shifted and sat upright on the sofa, and as realization dawned, she whispered, “Like I did with Will.”
They talked for a few more minutes before Beasley excused herself to pack for the trip home the next morning. Jacqueline went to her room to watch the evening news.
The week had proven to be better than Beasley planned, but she was ready to go home. With growing anticipation, she folded her clothes and transferred them to her travel bag. By this time tomorrow night, she would be home. Seven days later, she would board another plane to California. Now that she decided to visit Will, a lightness swelled in her. He sounded as excited as she was at the prospect of their time together. His suggestion to go to Yosemite Valley appealed to her. They shared a remarkable bond, starting with their stay at Yosemite. The daydream of walking with him with their fingers intertwined melded into the sweet sensation of his tantalizing lips on hers and his strong arms holding her close. Her thoughts soon turned into erotic fantasies. A warmth and tingling spread downward to her female region.
“Beasley, come look at this.”
Dang. What can be so important to spoil my daydream? She tromped through the bedroom door and froze, staring at the television screen.
The chilling image resembled a scene from a horror movie. Gatlinburg, less than an hour’s drive from Azalea Valley, was on fire. The newscaster reported the evacuation of the town. Blazes swept through, destroying homes and businesses. Residents and tourists had died. Many of the places she visited all her life no longer existed. Not only did Gatlinburg and Sevier County depend on tourism, but the state did as well.
Nausea swamped her as she relived her own recent nightmare. The horror of having her livelihood literally go up in smoke and of having trusted employees lose their jobs because of it exploded in her mind. The fire in Azalea Valley at least spared the town and the people. What a loss to the residents of Gatlinburg, to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, to those who endured the destruction of their homes and businesses, and to the millions of visitors who vacationed there each year.
Tears streamed down her face as she stood gaping at the screen. “Unbelievable.”
“Yes. It is a tragedy. My dear, you’re trembling. You’re thinking about your fire, aren’t you?”
She nodded, unable to speak.
Jacqueline flicked off the TV. “How about I make us some chamomile tea? It might help you relax and sleep better. Tomorrow will be a long day for you.”
The following morning, as much as she was able, Beasley glued herself to the TV for updates on Gatlinburg before leaving for the airport. Prior to her flight, she found a television and watched until it was time for boarding. The inferno was a life-altering event for East Tennessee and for the state. Reporters projected it would take years to rebuild.
The minute she arrived at home and saw Brenner, she asked for an update.
“As of now, the fire displaced 14,000 people, and they confirmed three dead. Fires are still burning. The rain last night didn’t extinguish them, and a national news station said thousands of acres have already burned with over two hundred buildings destroyed or damaged in and around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. People are trapped in their homes. It’s unimaginable.”
Beasley and Will had several conversations during the week about the disaster, which dominated most conversations and news reports. The death toll and extent of the damage grew before fires were extinguished.
At Beasley and Brenner’s invitation, Blake came for Sunday dinner. Beasley had given her other brothers a brief accounting of the story Aunt Jacqueline had conveyed.
“I can’t imag
ine her being rich. Why did she go along with it unless she enjoyed all those expensive things?” Blake asked.
Beasley remembered her conversation with Aunt Jacqueline on the last day:
Your mother was a Devlin. In social circles, the name meant something. In her words, it was her responsibility to attend functions with her husband. He showered her with lavish gifts. When she protested and insisted she didn’t need those things to be happy, he informed her the Devlins had an image to uphold. Behind a lot of those events were some wealthy donors for the charities she believed in. The money poured in and helped so many people. That’s what she cared about.
Beasley explained their mother’s situation as Aunt Jacqueline had told it. Brenner and Blake acknowledged they couldn’t visualize their mama as a widow or as a businesswoman. More incomprehensible was that she had lived in Manhattan as a society lady.
Now, Beasley understood her mother’s actions and why she had raised them to be self-sufficient. She appreciated the encouragement to pursue their dreams. Had she meant dreams of love as Jacqueline suggested? What she wouldn’t give to have that conversation with her mother now.
Reaching for her ringing cell, she smiled, thinking it was Will calling.
Nope, Casey.
“Hello, my friend.”
“I have news, and I didn’t want to wait until you got here tomorrow to tell you.”
Chapter 27
Apprehension gripped her. The last few times anyone had shared news with her, it was disastrous.
“Please say it isn’t bad, Case. I don’t think I could take any more.” She steeled herself for whatever would come next.
“On the contrary, you’ll like this. Cameron proposed, and I accepted. We’re getting remarried.”
She let out the breath she’d held and squealed. “Oh, Casey, that is fantastic! I’m thrilled but not surprised. The two of you looked so happy when I last saw you.”
“We are ecstatic. We acknowledged how much we still care about each other. The divorce should never have happened. The exciting part is, we decided there’s no need to wait. We’re scheduled for next week. A friend of ours will perform a simple ceremony at the cabin. You and Will can be our witnesses.”
“I would love to. I want the best for you, and I believe you and Cameron belong together. Tell him congratulations.”
“I will, and I cannot wait for you to get here tomorrow night.”
~ ~ ~
After boarding, Beasley reached for her book to avoid talking to the passenger next to her. Contemplating her floundering business, the recent discovery of her mother’s mysterious past, and her indecision regarding what to do about Will left her numb.
Not long after they closed the doors, the pilot came on the speaker and announced because of turbulence, they would not offer beverage service. He instructed the flight attendants and the passengers to remain seated with their seat belts on until they landed.
Beasley tried to read, but she couldn’t concentrate on the words. The unstable air movement distracted her. Instead, she listened to music.
As they started their descent into Dallas and flew out of the clouds, the turbulence got much worse. From her vantage point, she witnessed the plane’s movements. The wings swayed from side to side. The nose plummeted and climbed like a roller coaster. The crosswinds tossed the airplane sideways as it quaked and rattled toward the runway. She felt uneasy when the flight attendants appeared nervous.
The closer to landing, the more out of control the plane became. One of the overhead bins behind her opened, sending its contents sailing downward, hitting seats and passengers.
She braced herself against the seat as the aircraft vibrated and jerked. Was anyone hurt?
As if reading her mind, a man yelled, “Everyone is okay.”
A child wailed in the row behind her. A man in the aisle to her left gestured the sign of the cross. With the runway approaching, the plane jolted before it dipped severely to the right. The wing plunged toward the earth, missing it by a few feet. Passengers screamed. Fear showed on the flight attendants’ faces.
Terror welled inside her as she realized they might die. She conjured an image in her mind of the wing striking the ground, and the airliner tumbling end over end before exploding. Seconds after the near crash, the pilot went full throttle and pulled the airplane back up into the air. The jet shuddered until they were airborne. They made one wide loop before diving for another attempt at landing.
Thoughts of her family; of her best friend, Casey; and of Will swam through her brain as the runway came into view again. Gripping the armrest, she steadied herself. Her heart thundered in her chest.
One of the flight attendants briefed them on the emergency landing procedure. Passengers leaned forward and grabbed their ankles, assuming the crash position. Everyone remained quiet throughout the second endeavor, the tension palpable.
The winds were as violent as they’d been during the first effort. She sucked in her breath and held it at touchdown. The plane bounced on the runway, bucking and shuddering. At last, it rolled to a stop. Cheers erupted.
She uncoupled her seat belt, her stomach churning and her knees weak. Their aircraft landed at a different gate from the one originally assigned. Since this leg was a half-hour late, her connecting flight would be boarding now. Her gate was at the far end of the airport. She snatched her bags and forced herself to run. Out of breath, she rushed up to find the other passengers already on board.
The gate agent said, “Ms. McLemore, you are here sooner than I expected. Glad everyone is okay. We’ve been waiting for you.”
She exhaled and sprinted down the corridor. An employee secured the door as soon as she stepped on. Take-off was turbulent, but not as much as the landing of the previous flight. Once they ascended above the clouds, the air grew calm.
Still shaking from the earlier episode, she replayed the near tragedy and was thankful everyone had survived with only a few minor injuries from the plunging contents of the overhead bin.
Something had happened to her during those final minutes. She could have died. It was not her business she had worried about. It was the people whom she loved. The people she would have left behind if they had crashed.
Brenner and Aunt Jacqueline had been correct when they insisted there was more to life than work and life doesn’t go by an exact plan. Millie and Casey had also given her sound advice when they encouraged her to follow her heart. They all suggested she had choices. Now was the time to let go of some of her inflexible beliefs. A sense of relief and release filled her as she vowed to not take life so seriously and to enjoy living. The profound metamorphosis rocked her.
~ ~ ~
Casey must have noticed something in Beasley’s demeanor. “You seem different.”
Beasley rehashed the events from the flight. “The near catastrophe made me realize how short life is.” Wanting to switch the subject, she focused on her friend. Something transformed her bearing and appearance. “Wow, the soon-to-be bride is glowing.”
Casey laughed. “Excitement about our wedding, coupled with my pregnancy. We are going to have a baby.”
Beasley choked up, tears blurring her eyes as she enveloped her friend in a tight hug. “Your announcement about the marriage was fabulous, but this is way better. Congrats. You’ll be a wonderful mom.”
“Thank you. I’m still getting used to the idea, but we’re overjoyed. Both of us agreed we want you to be our baby’s godmother if you’ll consider it.”
“What an honor. Of course, I would love to.”
“Cameron plans to ask Will to be the godfather since he’s so patient and caring with children. Kids love him.”
“I can see him in that role. Your baby will be lucky to have him as a godfather.”
“We think so for both of you. Now, come sit
and tell me all about the mystery you solved in Ormond Beach.”
After taking a deep breath, she recapped the entire saga.
“What an incredible story. I can’t imagine your mother in that life. How extraordinary your parents kept the secret for so many years.”
A heaviness pressed on her chest. “It’s been seven years since they died, and I still think about them every day without fail. Some days I miss them so much I almost can’t breathe. Little things trigger my memory.”
“They talked about you with obvious pride.”
“I remember Mama telling us we were the best part of her. Sounds crazy, but I felt her around me the last couple of weeks. It seems like she’s trying to tell me something. I have seen cardinals everywhere recently. Nonna told me seeing a red bird is a symbol of someone who passed. She said they often show up when you most need the person or miss them. I need my parents more than ever. Brenner is the one who believes in signs. Who knows? Perhaps it is a sign.”
“All I know is they adored you and would want you to be happy.”
“I believe I could be happy with Will, but our problems seem insurmountable. The fire, learning about Mama, and now the brush with disaster on the plane altered my reality.”
Will touched her heart like no one else ever had. How could she explain it? Other than the obvious—his hot body and their shared interests—he was a man of integrity, compassionate with his friends and the public he served, and like Dalton, he was a hero. The difference between the two? Will treated her with respect. He changed her outlook of the world and helped her to believe it was possible to live a life of joy and worth the risk to love someone.