However, it sure feels like year-round school. First day of school this year is Monday, August 2, which means there’s only one full week of summer vacation left. Didn’t it just start?
I take my purse off my shoulder and sit in one of our rockers with my phone still in my hand. No other messages or emails so guess everyone else’s plans are unchanged. We have guests for the B&B coming this afternoon. I’d told them if I wasn’t here when they got here, I’d be back soon. But now I don’t have to worry about that. And Jackson will be home from South Georgia in a few hours, depending on Atlanta traffic.
Pushing my feet to get the rocker started, I take a deep breath. This week has been nonstop. Bonnie’s dental appointment turned into an unexpected three days of procedures, so she couldn’t work. Laney, of course, is still at home with Cayden. She’s planning on going back to being in charge of the books for Crossings next week. But those two out of commission meant both places were run solely by me, without Savannah to help. Yes, I’ve come to realize she is actually quite a bit of help. Bryan, not a bit. Well, unless you count the garden, and guess I really should count the garden. He’s out there every morning, so then the rest of the day he’s on his own. Mostly up at Grant’s in Laurel Cove or out at the Lake Park.
Will is less help, and actually more work, than Bryan, and I can’t wait for him to move to the apartment with Anna. Missus has had the painting crew Gertie hired to do Blooming Books and Andy’s Place painting the apartment this week. Every night Will has been with Anna at the apartment getting it ready, and I believe she’s already moved in. Have to hand it to Missus, she did have a good idea this time. They are nesting and making a good starting place for their little family.
I’m so relieved to not be starting over with a new baby here, I’m not even upset about Will being stuck in Chancey anymore. Funny how your perspective can change so fast. When a white SUV stops on the other side of the track before slowly crossing into our driveway, I wave. There’s our guests. It’s a first for Crossings, a girls’ trip. I booked them earlier this week, and it wasn’t the trains that interested them, it was having three available rooms.
Five teachers, they just wanted a few days away before school starts, the one I talked to told me. As the SUV doors open, I can hear the laughing and chatter already. I stand up, wave again, and realize—this may be our loudest weekend yet.
“Susan has planned a School’s Back cookout at the Lake Park tomorrow night,” I say to Jackson as he eats a big portion of the Mexican casserole me and the kids had earlier. We’re sitting out on the deck and the smell of bug spray mixes with the smell of the seasoned ground beef and the hot sauce he’s poured liberally over the melted cheese topping. He’s strewn a handful of lettuce and chopped tomatoes over the plate of spicy food—a small handful. He hit Atlanta right at rush hour, so he got home later than he planned.
A swell of laughter comes from down the hill as we watch our guests slowly make their way back to the house. The ladies are a little older than Jackson and me, and they will be easy, once we get used to the noise. But it’s fun, happy noise, so the only one it really bothers is Savannah. Not a problem. Right?
“I’m working from home tomorrow. Still doing the wine and cheese?” Jackson asks between bites.
“Yep, then we’ll go to the lake. Glad you’ll be here for all of it. I’m kind of sad the summer is ending, but it’ll be good to get back into a routine. It’s great we were able to work in the trip to the beach.”
“Mother sure has a sweet place there. Did I tell you I talked to Dad on my way home?” Jackson looks up at me, and when I shake my head, he sighs and says, “Hate to say it, but he got what he deserves. He doesn’t complain about Shelby, but she’s got his Hillbilly Hank schedule maxed out and has ordered workers to fix up the house.”
I just shrug and stand. Shelby’s move to the master bedroom from the back bedroom has given her just the confidence she needed to take control. But I’m not mentioning that to Jackson. The less said about Shelby is best. I hold my hand out for his plate, “Can I get you some more?”
“Naw, I’m good I think.” He stands up, too, and asks, “So when does Will get home? I tried calling him this past week, but he never answered. Guess he’s working a lot?”
We enter the dimly lit kitchen. “Yeah, at the car lot and at the apartment, too. I haven’t seen him but for a few minutes as he’s come through to change, leave his dirty clothes, then make a mess getting something to eat in the kitchen.” Disgust in my voice is clear, and I don’t even say everything I’m thinking; his moving out means I never did have a talk about him becoming more responsible. Let Anna fix him. They’re the ones who were in an all-fired hurry to get married.
Jackson stops at the garbage can to clean his plate off and tilts his head up at me. “So he and Anna are good? Just like that?”
“I told you that she was here with him while we were at the beach, didn’t I?”
He nods and lets the garbage lid close. “Yeah, you mentioned you thought that was what was going on. Have you seen Anna?”
“No. First of all, she was working extra since Savannah was gone, and honestly, I think too much family was part of the problem. So I’ve been avoiding her. Let them work it out together. How can I tell Missus to stay out of it if I’m getting involved? Besides, I’ve been so busy this week. Thank God Bonnie will be back tomorrow at Blooming Books.”
When we hear the ladies nearing the deck, Jackson dips his head at me and gives me a distracted kiss. “I’m going to go on up and take my shower. Tell the ladies I’ll meet them tomorrow.” He slides out of the kitchen just as they open the back door. The noise level covers his running up the stairs. And believe me, he was running.
Chapter 38
“Did you hear Alex is staying?” Savannah asks as she folds her legs up underneath her on the couch in the morning. I only hear her because there was a pause in the laughing and talking coming from the dining room where our guests are having mimosas and muffins. I’m sticking to coffee and muffins, but thinking I might want to add champagne to our wine and cheese afternoon. The ladies really seem to like the bubbly, judging from the empty bottles in the trash.
Not that I’m judging.
I click my tongue against my teeth. “Yes, I did hear he might stay.” Judging from the look on my daughter’s face, she didn’t get over him, despite the beach and cheer camp. Great.
Okay. Now I’m judging. Kind of my job as a mom.
She stretches back and rests against the couch cushions, then lifting the remote, clicks on the TV. “Can’t believe I told Anna I’d come to work today. It’s like my last day of summer with practice starting next week.” She speaks up to be heard over the ladies and now the TV. “But I’ll be off early enough to help Alex at the party tonight at the Lake Park. He’s trying out the food truck.”
I raise an eyebrow. “He already has a food truck?”
She turns up the TV some more and shrugs. “Borrowed it.” Then she gives me a side look. “I’m trying to watch this.”
Getting up, I throw a couch pillow at her. Jackson is working from home today, but not sure he knew it would be this loud. I fix him another cup of coffee and take it upstairs where he’s set up a little office in the corner of our bedroom.
He’s on a call, so I set the cup down beside him, kiss him on the top of his head, and go look in my closet. Of all the things I knew would change with this move, my wardrobe never crossed my mind.
Library work requires stooping and bending and climbing, so I wore pants all the time. Black pants usually. Though they show the dust that gathers in libraries, they don’t show the dirt. And with so many people, especially kids, there’s always dirt. That left just shirts to worry about. And they couldn’t be low-cut, since I did a lot of bending over, or too short, because ditto. Not sleeveless because, upper arms, you know, and air conditioning. As we’ve already established, I’m not a big shopper, so I had a bunch of basically similar shirts in different colors and
patterns. Easy.
But not so easy now. I’d die of heat stroke wearing long black pants running around this house, inside and out, and then at work the air isn’t that great with such a high ceiling. Plus, they look too dressy, too business-like to me. My shorts are for fun times. Can’t wear them to work. I have one blue jean skirt that I tend to overwear and a couple pairs of capris, but I’m wearing out the few shirts that go with them.
I push to the back of the closet and gaze. Yep, today’s the day.
I’m going to wear a sundress.
A sleeveless sundress. A pink, sleeveless sundress. There are three of them (not all pink, of course) shoved behind everything else. My mother and I bought them when they visited for Will’s graduation. His high school graduation. I wore the pink one to the graduation but felt so out of place, I buried them. For four years I’ve ignored them, but now it’s time. On vacation I remembered these dresses were hanging in my closet and wished I’d thought to pack one of them. I made myself a promise I would wear them once we returned home. It’s taken me all week to work up to it (and to work through all my clean shirts that go with my capris).
Jackson is still on his phone call and facing out the back doors to the rickety porch outside our bedroom. We have to get that fixed so we can actually go out there. Dressed, I slide into the same white sandals I bought with my mother for the graduation, and then pull the spread up over the bed as I hear Jackson winding up his call, then hanging up.
“Well, I’m going downtown, but I’ll be back to get things ready for wine and cheese time. It’s all in the fridge,” I say. “Then the Back-to-School thing at the Lake Park is later.”
Jackson stands up and stretches out his back. “Okay, I’ll be done here by lunch. What are the kids up to today?” He picks up one of the throw pillows from the floor to place on the bed.
“Will’s at work all day, I guess. Didn’t see him this morning. Did you talk to him last night? When’s he officially moving into the apartment?” I ask as I walk over to pick up another throw pillow, which, when Jackson is traveling, never get put back on the bed.
Jackson, hands pillow-free, holds his arms out for a hug. As I settle into them, he says, “No, I saw him for just a bit last night. Like you said, he was just passing through. I asked about the apartment, and he said it was all coming together. Maybe they’re taking their time.” He pulls back to smile at me. “Which would be a welcome change for them. I like the dress. Pretty.”
We hug again, then with a quick kiss he excuses himself. “Have a conference call starting. Love you. See you later.”
Swaying down the stairs, I repeat his words to myself. Pretty. Yes, I feel pretty. Pretty good. Pretty cool. Pretty happy.
My dress matches Blooming Books. I feel light and classy, just like the store. Bonnie is back, and she’s happy to be back, sans tooth pain. Shannon is busy with a weekend wedding order, so her area of the shop is exploding with flowers, pink and green and white everywhere. The pink perfectly matches my dress. Our chatter reminds me of the ladies staying at Crossings, and when they show up to look around midmorning, the place practically vibrates with their oohs and aahs. Then Peter brings us all trials cups of a new frozen coffee drink, and it really is like a party.
One of the B&B guests finally stands from the couch, saying, “We want to go check out that Andy’s Place. On Facebook and TripAdvisor it’s listed as a ‘must-see.’”
“Andy’s is a ‘must-see’?” I ask.
Another of the teachers agrees. “Oh yes, he has quite the eclectic collection of things apparently.”
As they move to the front door, Shannon and I look at each other and shrug. Then Shannon speaks up. “But don’t forget to stop in and see Peter next door at the Bistro, right? He did bring those delicious drinks.”
They all say, “Of course” and “Next stop.” The last one leaving says with a wink and a laugh, “And Carolina, you tell your Jackson he better keep a close watch on you, that Peter couldn’t keep his eyes off you in that dress.”
The door closes behind her, and Shannon marches back to her work table. And it wasn’t a happy march.
Now it’s my turn to shrug with Bonnie, who says, “I have heard good things about Andy’s Place. Up in Laurel Cove it’s all the talk. Antiques, collectibles, but then just the right amount of junk. Even the husbands enjoy shopping around in there. Every room is full, both floors and even the basement. Have you been over there?”
I shake my head. “No, but how did they get it so full so quick?”
Bonnie waves a hand. “Look at this place. Gertie gets more done in a morning than most folks do in a week!”
And all the talk at Wine and Cheese at Crossings? Andy’s Place. And a lot of giggling. Even Jackson started looking confused. The teachers kept making funny eyes at each other and laughing. The ladies from up at Laurel Cove just looked smug, like they were in on the secret. Laney ignored them as she had Cayden sleeping in the little office off the kitchen. She was excited to be having a glass of wine, since she’d given up on breastfeeding.
“Carolina, I do like that dress on you,” she says from her seat at my kitchen table. Everyone has left, or gone off to take a nap in the case of our guests. She holds up her glass and adds, “And that’s not the wine talking. Although it could be. I might need a ride over to the Lake Park. Y’all are going, aren’t you?”
“Yes, did you hear Alex is trying out the food truck tonight?” I ask as I sit down across from her.
“Of course. Angie is very excited about it,” she says. She nods her head at the old ice cream churn still sitting on the counter. “Is that the mystery ice cream maker that showed up? Susan told me about it.”
“Yeah, you didn’t leave it?”
She looks up at me through half-lowered eye lids. “Oh, yes, I wasn’t busy doing anything else the last few weeks.” She laughs and shakes her head. “Not me.” She then starts digging around in the diaper bag beside her. “Where is Zoe? She said she’d meet me up here.” She pulls out her phone. “Oh, she texted me.” Laney reads for a minute, then sighs. “More drama with Kimmy. That woman is her own reality show. Zoe is going to meet me later at the Lake Park, so I’m on my own for another hour.” Then she smiles up at me. “Except for you. You’ll watch Cayden while I take a little nap, won’t you?”
“I guess,” I answer. “Where are you going to nap? The rooms are all full.”
She stands up. “You forget how tiring having a baby is. I can sleep standing up, but I have my eye on the recliner in the living room.” She yawns and heads out of the kitchen. “His bottle is right there, and he doesn’t need it warmed. Thanks.”
Chapter 39
First thing we see as we pull into the parking lot is the food truck. It’s tall, and there are people crowded around it. Plus, it’s painted bright orange.
Hanging on the side of it are banners, and the logo looks familiar. Laney sees them, too. She mutters, “What’s going on?” and I just respond with a shake of my head. We park, and then try to gather everything that goes with Cayden. Everything that goes with Laney. Everything that goes with me.
Finally, I say, “Just leave some of it. When Jackson gets here he’ll bring the rest of it in, or I’ll send Bryan out to get it.”
As we get closer to the food truck we see we weren’t mistaken about the logo. A big AC in a circle, the same logo on the pillows made by Angie when we opened Crossings. Angie and Alex are framed, elbow to working elbow, in the serving window, and the smell of the food is spicy and enticing. They are both wearing blue jeans and black T-shirts with the AC logo and some fancy artwork that matches the truck signs.
Neither Laney nor I have said anything because we’re not sure what we’re looking at. Then we hear someone that always has something to say. Savannah.
“Alex, I’m here to help you out. This looks like fun! Oh, hey, Angie. Aren’t you burning up in that black shirt and those jeans?” Savannah obviously changed from working at the Dollar Store. She has on a
white peasant blouse and jean shorts. Short jean shorts. Very short jean shorts.
Alex looks up, sees her, and stops working for a minute, then waves a spatula at her and goes back to work saying, “Think we’ve got it.”
Angie doesn’t look up at all, but as Savannah weaves her way to the steps at the end of the truck, Angie does lean out the window and look at her friend. Then, she speaks up loudly and clearly, none of the usual Angie quiet mumbling. “He said we’re good, Savannah.”
Savannah rolls her eyes, laughs, and marches right on up the steps. She opens the door, and as she begins to step inside, she’s met by Angie.
Angie pushes out and causes Savannah to back down to the ground. Angie points around the truck’s side. “Do you see that sign? AC? We’re a team. It’s Angie Conner and Alex Carrera, get it? We work together and are together. Like as a couple. I tried to tell you, but you just won’t listen.”
My mouth is not the only one hanging open. Savannah’s is for a moment, then she swivels her eyes to Alex, who has stepped up behind Angie. He also looks a bit stunned. His mouth is hanging open and his eyes are wide. Angie cocks her head at him, folds her arms, and closes his mouth with one word, “Right?”
Alex looks at Savannah, looks back at Angie, then nods. “Yeah, we’re a team, a couple.” He shrugs at Savannah, lays one hand on Angie’s shoulder, then with the other hand, reaches out for the inside handle on the door. With a quick smile at my bare-shouldered daughter, he says, “Sorry.”
The door shuts, and Angie shows back up in the serving window talking to the customers standing there. Savannah tosses her hair and walks—no, sashays—toward the Lake Park entrance pavilion. Only her mother sees that everything in her wants to retreat to her car.
Kids are Chancey Page 27