Swan Point

by Sherryl Woods

  “I have to concentrate on being a good mom right now,” Adelia argued yet again, even though it seemed her words were falling on deaf ears. Raylene was nothing if not stubborn. “The kids need me more than ever to make sure they feel safe and loved.”

  “And who’s supposed to make you feel that way?” Raylene asked.

  “Not Gabe Franklin,” Adelia said.

  “Maybe not,” Raylene agreed. “But there is a man out there who is right for you. Think of Gabe as practice, if you want to.”

  Adelia frowned at the suggestion. “That hardly seems fair.”

  “Sweetie, I don’t know Gabe that well yet, but something tells me he can take care of himself. Worry about what you need for a change.”

  “And you think what I need is to flirt outrageously?” Adelia asked skeptically.

  Raylene gave her wicked grin. “Couldn’t hurt. And if you don’t trust my opinion, then come over to my place tonight. The Sweet Magnolias are getting together for a margarita night. You can run the idea past everyone. And before you get all crazy and say something about the Sweet Magnolias being some secret society, let me assure you that everyone is on board with you joining us. Karen will be there. So will Lynn and Sarah. You’ll know all the others, too. You should at least give us a chance.”

  Adelia had to admit that the prospect of forming a bond with other women, many of whom had been through what she’d been through and, in some cases, even worse, held a lot of appeal. She’d already promised herself that if she ever had the chance to get to know them, she’d grab it.

  And she needed a night like this, not so much to kick up her heels, but to do something for herself. It had been all about the kids lately, especially the decision to walk away from Gabe before they got too attached or misinterpreted why he was around. It was one thing for Tomas to idolize Gabe as a role model. It would be quite another for him to start thinking of Gabe as potential dad material.

  “Okay, I’ll come,” she said at last. “What can I bring?”

  “Nothing this time,” Raylene told her. “But next time we’re going to want you to bring one of your mother’s famous Mexican dishes and maybe that secret mole sauce I’ve been hearing so much about.”

  Adelia laughed. “Not even I have that recipe, but I’ll talk Mama into making it for us. Maybe Dana Sue can dissect it and figure out the ingredients since she’s such a great chef. My sister-in-law is pretty good at that, but Karen hasn’t been able to figure it out. It’s driving her a little nuts.”

  “So, you’ll be there,” Raylene pressed.

  “I’ll be there,” Adelia agreed.

  “Perfect. I’ll see you tonight around seven,” Raylene said. “If you need someone to stay with the kids, I can send Carrie or Mandy over. Babysitting gigs on margarita nights keep them in pizza money. Or is Selena babysitting them these days?”

  “I don’t mind leaving her in charge after school, but nights are another story. I’ll check with my mother. The kids could use a night with their abuela. If she’s not available, I’ll let you know.”

  She watched as her boss left the store without asking a single question about anything work related. She’d even left it to Adelia to decide about sending out those email alerts. Surprisingly, that felt wonderful. She realized it demonstrated just how much Raylene trusted her to be on top of things. Being invited to a margarita night was just the icing on the cake.

  * * *

  “I brought coffee,” Mitch said, settling onto a folding chair across from Gabe. He handed over a supersized to-go cup from the bakery.

  “Thanks. To what do I owe this?”

  “I thought maybe the caffeine would improve your mood,” Mitch said. “I’ve had half a dozen complaints today that you’re behaving like a bear with a thorn in its paw.”

  Gabe studied his cousin with narrowed eyes. “Is that so? Who’s running to you to tattle?”

  “Not the point. Is it true? And before you try to deny it, you should probably know that I have to believe it must be true because of all those reliable sources.”

  “Then why even ask?”

  “Because I wanted to give you a chance to explain.”

  Gabe regarded Mitch curiously. “And if I have nothing to say?”

  “Then I will be forced to remind you that I am the boss and that I don’t like dissension on my work sites, especially when the man responsible for it is my cousin and my second-in-command.”

  “There you go, pulling rank again.”

  “Frankly, I don’t like doing it,” Mitch said, looking surprisingly uncomfortable. “I shouldn’t have to.”

  Gabe sighed. “No, you shouldn’t. And I’ll apologize to, well, everybody, I guess, since you refuse to be specific about whom I’ve offended.”

  “Just correct the attitude,” Mitch suggested. “And talk to me.”

  “About what?”

  “Whatever put you in this mood.”

  Gabe regarded him incredulously. “Do you honestly want to have some long talk about my feelings and that sort of stuff?”

  Mitch looked horrified, just as Gabe expected.

  “Absolutely not,” Mitch said at once. “Lynn just thought I ought to try to get to the bottom of it.” His eyes narrowed. “She doesn’t think it’s a coincidence that Adelia seems to be making herself scarce at the bakery.”

  Gabe avoided his cousin’s penetrating gaze. “I wouldn’t know about that.”

  “Because the two of you had some sort of falling out?”

  “Mitch, please do not go there. My personal life is just that, personal.”

  “So this is about Adelia,” Mitch concluded, looking pleased with himself. Or maybe he was just happy at the proof that his wife had nailed the problem. “Want to talk about that?”

  “No!” Gabe said emphatically.

  Mitch tried to hide a grin but couldn’t pull it off. “Interesting.”

  “Go to blazes!”

  His cousin’s laugh echoed through the work site. “And there’s the attitude I’ve been hearing about.”

  At Gabe’s sour look, Mitch’s expression sobered. “Okay, here’s the deal. The women are all getting together for one of those Sweet Magnolia things tonight. I imagine they’re going to roast you for whatever you did.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” Gabe protested.

  “Doesn’t matter. Perception is everything. My point is that when they get together like that, the men play hoops. Frankly, my knees are giving out, but it’s nice to hang out, work up a little sweat and tell tall tales with a bunch of the guys. You’re coming along tonight.”

  “Was that an invitation or a command?” Gabe grumbled.

  “Call it whatever you want, as long as you’re on the court in the park by seven. Want me to pick you up?”

  “I can find it,” Gabe said.

  Actually the idea of a little physical exertion sounded good. Maybe if he was sweating hard, gasping for breath and making a few baskets, he could push all the thoughts of Adelia out of his head. Of course, that might be asking an awful lot of a casual basketball game with the guys. He was pretty sure his steamy thoughts about Adelia weren’t going to go away so easily.

  * * *

  When Gabe turned up at the basketball court that night at seven, he was surprised to find several men he remembered there, including Ronnie Sullivan, who now owned the hardware store on Main Street, high school baseball coach Cal Maddox and Adelia’s brother, Elliott Cruz. A lot of the others were new to town, proving that Serenity had provided a draw to men from very diverse backgrounds. It made him look at the town with a new perspective.

  Perhaps most surprising were Travis McDonald, a former pro baseball player who now owned the country music station, his cousin Tom, who was the town manager, and Carter Rollins, the police chief who Mitch
said had moved to town from Columbia in search of a quieter place to raise his two sisters after their parents had been killed in an accident. These were men who could have settled anywhere, but they’d chosen Serenity, seen its potential.

  Before the game started, Elliott pulled Gabe aside. Expecting a lecture or worse, he tensed. Instead, Elliott merely asked how the work was coming along at Adelia’s.

  “The roof’s solid now and the demolition is mostly completed. I’m trying to get all the kids’ rooms painted so they’ll feel settled,” Gabe reported.

  A smile tugged at Elliott’s lips. “I’m surprised you’ve had the time to accomplish all that, what with the tea parties you’ve had to attend.”

  Gabe groaned. “You saw the picture?”

  “Oh yeah,” Elliott confirmed. “Selena sent it to my daughter. Naturally she shared it with her mom and me and heaven knows how many other people.”

  Ignoring yet more evidence of how far that blasted picture had spread, Gabe focused on the rest of what Elliott had said. “I didn’t think you and Karen had been married long enough to have a daughter Selena’s age.”

  “Daisy’s actually a little younger. She was my stepdaughter, but we started adoption proceedings a while back. She and her brother, Mack, will be my kids officially before long.”

  Something in his voice suggested there was a story behind that, but Gabe didn’t pry.

  “Are you guys ready to get on the court?” Carter called out. “I, for one, could work off a little steam. I had to deal with the mayor today, and that usually tests my patience.”

  “Amen to that,” Tom McDonald said in heartfelt agreement.

  The men chose sides and hit the court. It didn’t take long for Gabe to realize that most of them played for blood. He was panting in no time, but he felt as if he was holding his own as he blocked a shot by Travis McDonald, then took the ball down the court and dunked it to score the winning points.

  Mitch was bent over, but there was pride in his voice, when he said, “And, gentlemen, that is how it’s done. Now, if you don’t mind, I need water and maybe some oxygen.”

  Tom followed Mitch to the bench and sank down beside him, then handed out water bottles all around.

  “I hate to admit it,” Ronnie Sullivan said, “but I might be getting too old for this.”

  “Join the club,” Mitch said, clearly commiserating with him.

  “If you guys suggest we quit this and take up golf, I swear I’m going to have to leave town,” Travis said. “I can’t be surrounded by a bunch of wimps.”

  “Say that when you’re my age,” Ronnie countered.

  “Or mine,” Mitch said.

  Travis shook his head. “Pitiful. Just plain pitiful.”

  “Oh, cut them some slack,” Cal suggested. “Old geezers deserve our respect.”

  Gabe laughed at the indignant expressions that spread over Ronnie’s face and his cousin’s. Since Mitch was only a couple of years older than Gabe was, he probably shouldn’t be laughing at all.

  “Maybe we should change the subject,” Carter said, “before I have to call in deputies to break up a brawl.” He turned to Gabe. “So what’s this I hear about you dating Adelia Hernandez?”

  Gabe flushed at suddenly having all the attention focused on him. If they’d been asking about the Main Street renovations or even his work at Adelia’s, it would have been one thing, but this was clearly a trap he’d fallen into.

  “I have no idea where you got your information,” he said carefully, only to see Elliott’s expression darken.

  “I had the impression you were seeing my sister,” Elliott said.

  “Were, past tense,” Gabe said, aware that silence had fallen and all the men were listening attentively to his response. “She and I agreed we should stick to being friends.”

  That was a bit of a stretch, but it was better than revealing the truth, that they’d called it off before it really got started, mostly because he’d made it clear they had no long-term future.

  “I warned you,” Elliott said, his voice low, his scowl firmly in place.

  Gabe leveled an even look on him. “Her decision,” he said quietly. “Ask her if you don’t believe me.”

  “Oh, I will,” Elliott assured him. “And if I don’t like the answer—”

  “Guys, guys!” Carter said, intervening again. “I think we could all use a time-out and something cold to drink.”

  “Beers at my place,” Ronnie said. “Or more water, if that’s your preference. And the pizza will be delivered by the time we get there. I’ve just called the order in to Rosalina’s.”

  Gabe turned to Mitch. “Maybe I should take off.”

  Mitch shook his head. “No need. These are good men. They’re a little protective of their women, but they’re not unfair. You need to stand your ground.” He held Gabe’s gaze. “That is, if you’ve done nothing wrong.”

  Gabe wanted to believe Mitch was right. He’d never had buddies like these men appeared to be. It had been nice to feel like a real part of something, even if it had been a casual basketball game.

  He nodded eventually. “I’ll hang out and see what happens.”

  After all, he really hadn’t done anything wrong. All he’d done was let himself be tempted for just a minute by a strong, beautiful woman. Not a one of these men, all of whom were happily married from what he knew, could possibly believe that was a crime.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The Sweet Magnolia women gathered in the new family room at Raylene’s, with its high ceiling and soaring windows, were all people Adelia had known most of her life in one capacity or another. Two or three were even friends.

  She was really looking forward, though, to getting to know the original trio of women who’d formed the group. Dana Sue Sullivan, the owner of Sullivan’s restaurant, and Maddie Maddox, who ran The Corner Spa, were practically legends in town.

  In a way she already knew Maddie as Elliott’s boss and an indirect partner in the men’s gym he’d created with some of the husbands of the women in this room. Their brief exchanges when Adelia had gone to the spa to try to get fit in a last-ditch effort to save her marriage had been mostly casual, though. She also knew that Maddie had coached Lynn through making her business plan for the bakery. She was obviously generous and kind. Like all the Sweet Magnolias, she was someone worth knowing.

  Adelia already knew the third member of that original group, Helen Decatur-Whitney, professionally. Helen had been her divorce attorney, and she’d fought to ensure that Ernesto provided well for her and for the children. Adelia was determinedly setting most of that support money aside for college for the kids. Some of her lump-sum alimony would go toward the house renovations. Beyond that, she wanted to prove they could live on what she was able to provide on her own these days. Amazingly, thanks to her budgeting skills, which she’d practiced even when living under Ernesto’s roof, they were making it. She headed in Helen’s direction to thank her yet again for her support. She wondered if a lifetime would be long enough for her to convey the depth of her gratitude for Helen’s fierce loyalty.

  “You look incredible,” Helen said, studying her outfit. “I wish I had your sense of style.”

  Adelia laughed. “You must be kidding. I recognize that blouse you’re wearing. It’s from the new designer collection I saw in a boutique when I was over in Charleston a couple of weeks ago. And your shoes are Jimmy Choo.” She leaned down for a closer look. “Stunning.”

  Maddie joined them just then. “We all know those are Jimmy Choos, even if we don’t have a lick of style. Helen’s expensive taste in shoes is her trademark. Before she had a daughter and college expenses to worry about, she indulged in shoes. Lots and lots of shoes.”

  Helen held out a foot and regarded it with a sorrowful expression. “These are beautiful, aren’t
they? Sadly, these days I seem to spend a lot of time in sneakers, trying to keep up with my daughter.”

  Maddie turned to Adelia. “I’m so glad you were able to come tonight. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better. I’ve watched your progress at the spa and listened to your brother bragging on you.”

  “Elliott brags about me?” Adelia asked, surprised.

  “He takes personal credit for turning you into an exercise junkie,” Maddie reported.

  “No way,” Adelia said adamantly. “I show up. I work out, but I hate every second. I’m there in spite of my brother, not because of him. That’s why he’s not my personal trainer.”

  Maddie chuckled. “Working out with your brother might be counterproductive. If I know anything about sibling relationships, I can guess you’d probably do the opposite of anything he suggests.”

  “Exactly,” Adelia confirmed.

  “Well, I know Raylene thinks the world of you,” Maddie said. “She says she can take time off to be with the baby when it comes, because she knows the boutique will be in excellent hands. She says she really lucked out the day you walked in the door looking for a job.”

  Though she’d heard the same thing from Raylene herself, it was praise Adelia never tired of hearing. Raylene’s confidence in her had been the first step on her path toward rebuilding her confidence in herself. “I certainly intend to try hard not to let her down,” she told Maddie.

  Raylene came over just then. “No way could you let me down. My business doubled after you came to work for me.” She turned to Maddie. “Adelia has this amazing eye for what women should wear and she has this soft-sell approach that always works. Nobody walks out without buying something and they usually buy a lot more than they intended to. Earlier today she sent out an email to our top customers about a new line of lingerie. By the end of the day most of it was sold.”