by Landra Graf
“You’re right. It’s good to see you,” she replied, summoning up her skills of polite conversation. Mrs. Hopkins, her mother’s closet companion and confidant, would alert every one of her arrival, a reminder of why she enjoyed city life where people came and went as they pleased without causing a stir or inciting concern.
“You, too, dear. Be slow. Remember the speed limit.”
She sighed at the reminder, spouted out to each visitor and resident. In the old days, Mrs. Hopkins also used to mention, “Watch out for children.”
As she passed each street, there were more signs that idyllic Charming had fallen in stature and no longer resembled the town she’d once roamed. Faded signs, cracked paint, and for sale signs littered the main strip. The hardware store and pharmacy were still operating, though the post office had a sign announcing new part-time hours, and the local diner only stayed open until three in the afternoon now. When she was a teenager, the diner had served ice cream and fried goodness deep into the night, especially on Fridays after football and basketball games. She’d worked at the flower shop next door, conducting deliveries, but it had shut down when the owner moved out of state to be closer to her daughter.
Turning off the main road, she pulled out her phone to dial Rose.
“Hello—”
“Hey, just got into—” She cut off at the sound of Rose’s voice rambling on.
“You’ve reached Rose Briar, hospice nurse for Mason’s Family Practice. If this is an emergency, dial 911 or call Dr. Mason. Otherwise, leave a message at the tone.”
With a sigh, Emma continued, “Just got into town. Things look a heck of a lot different. You and Daddy never told me that we’re down to one gas station. Anyways, still planning to swing by in, oh… about an hour. You’d better be ready.” With a snap of the phone and twist of the key, she exited her vehicle, purse in hand. She stopped and stared for a minute at the two-story farmhouse in front of her, the tire swing still hanging from the big oak in the front yard. They’d twirled each other on that swing clear through high school. Things had been simpler then.
The memories buoyed her, and she grabbed her bag from the backseat of her Ford Taurus on a wave of child-like energy. A few quick steps from the yard to the front porch and she spotted the heart-shaped doorbell her mom claimed was proof the house was filled with love. She rang the bell.
Someone’s shoes shuffled across the floor on the other side of the door, followed by her mother’s distinctive, high-pitched squeal. “Ooh, Herb, hurry. She’s here.”
The door flung open, and she threw herself into Mom’s arms. Her father lumbered down the hall, his six-foot-frame equipped with the standard professor cardigan, button-down shirt, and reading glasses perched on his Roman nose. “Here you are. Home at last.”
“Well, of course she is. You say that like she’s a ghost or something,” Edie Fay scolded as she pulled out of Emma’s embrace. “Turn around, dear. Look at you in that fancy suit. Chicago’s treating you well.”
She smiled. “Yes, so good I can buy slacks and a jacket like any self-respecting chemical engineer. It’s not that impressive.”
“I’m sorry. I know I exaggerate things, but your father and I are proud of you. Now, when will we meet the boyfriend?”
“There isn’t one.” Mom always brought up the topics she didn’t want to discuss.
Dad wrapped her in a hug; he usually followed with questions she didn’t want to answer. “Does it matter? She’s home for once, and I’m glad we don’t have to entertain someone else.” She caught her dad’s wink as he released her from the hug. “What have you been up to, though, if there isn’t a man?”
And here we go. They’d been bugging her for months to come home. For holidays, for a quick stay, whatever they thought of, the idea got hurled her way. The fact that her parents failed to see how happy the city and her engineering job made her hurt. What hurt more was their lack of interest in visiting her on her home turf, opting to push for home field advantage every time. “Working. Testing a new product with the qualities of ammonia. Complicated and too boring to talk about all night.”
She repositioned her purse straps and took stock of the new prints her mother had put on the walls along with the new shade of daisy yellow brightening the hallway. There were other reasons she couldn’t discuss her job in detail, including the massive non-disclosure agreement she’d signed. The potential to re-open old wounds and ignite her typical parental issues was another.
Mom patted her on the shoulder. “I’m sure your father will want to hear all about it over breakfast. For now, we’ll let you get ready.”
“Ready? I’m not in a hurry. It’s okay.”
Both parents let out a laugh that echoed through the house. Her dad raised his eyebrow. “Three years doesn’t change anything. We know when you’re ready to get a move on. When are you meeting Rose?”
“I’m supposed to pick her up from her place at six thirty.”
“Oh, Then we’d better let you get ready. It’s already six. You don’t want to be late,” her mom said, putting a hand on Emma’s back.
The enthusiasm on her face was a bit too “I’ve got something planned.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing, dear,” she replied, walking past, headed for the kitchen at the end of the hall.
“Don’t be too upset. You know she just wants the best for you.”
“If the best is me marrying some grownup football jock who never looked at me in high school and owns a farm, I’d rather pass. There’s no work for a chemical engineer here. If Charming Chemicals hadn’t closed down, I would have moved back after UI.” She looked up at her father, hoping her expression said “make Mom back off.”
“I know, I know. It’s not easy since the plant closed, and we’re just an old folks’ town now. We need a way to draw the young people back.” Dad gave her a couple of soft pats on her shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re home, finally. Get your stuff up to your room and then make a getaway while I keep your mom busy. You can spend time with us tomorrow.”
“I plan on it.”
She smiled and gave her dad another hug. It didn’t seem to matter how often they annoyed her or how much they wanted her living in Charming, she enjoyed their pestering on some level. Those moments made everything right in the world and the years they’d been apart fade into the background like she’d never left.
The carpet soft on her heels, she recalled the dozens of times she and Rose had raced the stairs with Jason chasing behind them. Yes, he’d always been coming after her friend, not her, but the thrill of the chase had still made her heart pound. Reaching her bedroom, she took a deep breath to stave off the butterflies swamping her stomach. Would the room be different or just like she remembered it?
Opening the door, she caught the smells, the sights—all the same from her light-blue walls with clamshell trim to the four-poster canopy bed Mr. Wilkes, their next-door neighbor, had built her as a birthday present when she turned twelve. Even the smell of fall fields mixed with apples wafting through the room confirmed this place as her home, the same home she’d been so desperate to escape.
Throwing her suitcase on the bed, she shut the door and let the memories swallow her. The pastel yellow dresser next to the closet held emotional markers, mementos from childhood adventures. She picked up the picture of her, Rose, and Jason at the senior carnival, one of the last times they’d spent all night together, playing games, laughing, and being carefree. He’d been gorgeous back then, and she hoped he’d lost some of those boyish good looks. No doubt her bestie would love him no matter what, but she couldn’t stand up against his deep-blue eyes. When he trained them on her, her good sense was swallowed up like the waves of the ocean gobbling up off-balance surfers. Her hands traced over his face and then moved on to the jewelry box where she found her “best friends forever” rose-shaped necklace. Its partner rested on Rose’s neck. Her fingers grasped at more pieces of history�
� the New Kids on the Block ticket stubs, their first concert, and at least a half- dozen other trinkets from their years together. They’d spent every weekend in each other’s pockets and tormenting relatives since they’d been five-years-old. Nothing could keep them apart, not even a boy. But her friend hadn’t known about her infatuation, and, as far as Emma was concerned, she never would.
She slid into jeans and a wrap-around purple top. Her slinky black dress had been the original outfit of the evening, but a sudden inspiration to save that for the reunion had come over her. Brown boots replaced the two-inch heels she’d shown up in. Being home called for shoes fit for traipsing in fields.
As she said good night to her folks and slid behind the wheel, her purse started vibrating, the muffled sound of a trumpet belting out “La Vie En Rose” playing in the background.
“Hey, gal. I’m just getting ready to leave Mom and Dad’s driveway to get you.”
Rose coughed. “That’s funny. My perfect timing. I wanted to tell you to go on without me. It took me a little longer to wrap things up. I just got home.”
There was a note of happiness in her friend’s tone, but her words seemed labored.
“All right, but are you okay?”
“Perfectly fine. How about you find us a table, and I’ll be there in an hour, tops. Oh, snickerdoodles.”
Emma frowned at the alternative way of cursing. The girl truly existed on another plane. Her heart went into pounding mode when she heard a clatter followed by the steady hum of static.
“Sorry, dropped the phone. I’m back.”
“What the hell happened?”
“Chipped a nail. This reunion and possibly seeing Jason again. I’m fumbling and stumbling all over the place.” Rose let out a laugh. “Clumsy as ever, I guess.”
“You’re not clumsy. You’re a student of the graceful art of drop-itsu.” She chuckled. “Now, get ready. See you soon.”
***
Emma pulled into a spot a block away from Sound Awake, since the tavern parking lot was crowded with cars and people. In her high school days, members of the Masonic Lodge and American Legion had used the bar for meetings and to escape their families. Now it’d become the local hot spot, taking the place of the diner.
She’d picked out a few folks from forensics class, but hesitated when it came to getting out of the car. Nerves from limited social interaction held her back. Hanging out with people wasn’t her strong suit, which lent credence to why the last ten years had included two dates and one boyfriend who’d loved her, but not her career or the amount of time her job took up. Instead of hanging with friends or looking for a husband, she’d made big bucks researching ways to transform dangerous waste into benign substances. While her bank account had grown, her social life had taken a dive and—
That’s when she saw him, and, damn—he looked better than he had in high school. Back then, he’d been equal proportions of muscle on top and bottom, but since then his shoulders and upper body had filled out.
He looked like a bronzed god. Even though it was fall, he still sported a tan, his blonde hair a shade lighter than she remembered, most likely from time spent outside. Seeing him sparked errant thoughts of finding out what he was doing now. His eyes connected with hers.
His lips moved, but she couldn’t hear anything as he walked her way. She rolled down the window when he reached her door and angled down to lean against it.
“Emmaline Fay, what are you doing? Hiding in the car like a scaredy cat?”
The rich, deep sound of his voice coupled with his childish taunt made her feel self-conscious, and a flush of heat and anger coursed her skin. She’d forgotten about his ability to aggravate her at the drop of a dime.
“No, just trying to decide if this is a good place to park. You know how you country boys tend to scuffle your way over and around cars after a few too many.”
“True, but we’re men, and we have to impress the ladies somehow. You can’t tell me a scuffle doesn’t make you smile.”
She tried to keep her expression civil even when Jason’s familiar scent found her nose, inspiring a fresh round of stomach squirminess. “The only time I feel like smiling is when the cops show up to make an arrest.”
Jason grinned. Even his teeth were perfect. Rose had definitely picked a winner. He took a step back and winked. “Come on out of the car, kitty claws. Maybe we can find a scuffle together if you’re that excited about the law.”
“Always the jokes and nicknames. You haven’t changed.” She rolled up the window and removed her keys from the ignition. Hilarious how he riled her up and got under her skin with only a few sentences. Keeping her distance should be her key objective of the night. Otherwise she might lean in and sniff him or, worse, engage in one of those arguments she loved to start. Pathetic. Maybe her decision to stay out of the dating game was a liability.
She walked to the curb, Jason trailing behind. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him jerk his head up, and she stumbled on a piece of raised sidewalk.
“Whoa there. Everything okay?” He put a hand to her waist, and she barely kept herself upright.
Her skin went hot. Everywhere. “I’m fine.” But she wasn’t.
As he pulled his hand away, the once-captain of the football team stared at her butt. Hers. Internal alarms sounded. She couldn’t be excited, wouldn’t be. He belonged to her best friend. “So…Rose will be here soon.”
“I heard. In fact, that’s about all I’ve heard since I got into town. Dad tells me that, besides nursing, she’s been busy attempting to get the town some sort of historic status and lobbying for government grants to dismantle Charming Chemical in hopes of drawing people back to this place.”
He walked alongside her, and, like a magnet drawn to a metal pole, she wanted to lean in closer. Never in her wildest dreams would she find the courage to ask if he’d experienced the same urge, and, honestly, it was better not to know. The door to Sound Awake stood two feet away. She’d definitely find a place inside to avoid him until his soon-to-be fiancée showed up.
“That’s our Rose, intent on saving everyone and everything. She would’ve made an awesome lobbyist.” The thought of the petite prom queen on the steps of Capitol Hill fighting for big causes and small towns everywhere made her grin.
“True, but she could’ve been anything, and they would’ve loved her, no matter what. Too bad she believes the town deserves her devotion.” He held the door open for her, and, as she walked in, she prepared to be overwhelmed by the smell of stale beer and sweat. Instead, the smell of burgers filled the air, and everything was fine until Jason reached out and wrapped a hand around her wrist. A jolt raced through her, and she jerked back, landing against the bar.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Not what I expected.” She’d never admit it was the flare of heat he incited when he touched her. It now filled her gut with guilt rather than pleasure. “The bar, I mean.”
“New owners have taken over since we were kids, and it definitely looks it.” He rubbed his fingers together, eyes on her face. As she’d predicted, his stare possessed the ability to devastate. She searched the room, looking for anything to take her attention away from him—him and his damn soul-searching gaze.
The atmosphere was different here than in city bars with their flashing lights and too-large crowds, the environment more friendly and less concerned with drinking. The patrons, with their small town mentality, concentrated on the gathering.
Her nervousness began to dissipate as she let her hands glide along the dark-stained, smooth surface of the bar. Then she subtly slid away from a certain gorgeous male, refusing to give in to the urge to see if he followed her.
Emma kept moving until she lined up with a face she recognized, a guy behind the bar, pouring drinks. “Hey, bartender, can I get a Bud Light?”
“Coming up, but I’ll need to see identification.”
She looked the bartender up and down as he
grinned at her, all muscle and good looks. His spiked hair reminded her of the urban males she’d often encountered during college. He’d been different when she knew him: quiet, short, and shy, a late bloomer. “Ewan Davis, all grown up and bartending. Wow, you’ve changed.”
He slid an open bottle of Bud in front of her. “For the better, I hope, but you haven’t changed at all. Still look as pretty as ever and afraid to admit it. ID?”
She handed him her driver’s license and smiled. For some reason, all the boys in Charming were losing their minds, especially if they were attempting to flirt with her. Her mom had said not to pass a good thing by, so she decided to flirt back.
“Hey, why don’t you get back to work before I tell your manager you’re chatting up the customers,” Jason said, sidling in close to her. He was so near, his scent tangled up and around her again. It reminded her of the nights they’d spent swimming by the lake. She and Rose had huddled in close because of the chill. He’d held them both to keep them warm.
She needed to change the subject, change the mood, anything. Thankfully, Ewan did the work for her.
“In most cases, that would be successful, but since I’m the boss, there’s no one to report me to.”
Em took a long swallow from the bottle, eyes darting between the two men. The looks they exchanged were less than friendly. Prime time for her to take charge. “So, do you hang around with my bestie much? Now, there’s a girl to get a number from, Ewan.”
“Tried to, but she belongs to Mr. Prince. Always has and always will.”
No one would ever forget Jason’s once-upon-a-time relationship with Rose Briar. The entire trip had proved exhausting, so far, especially since he couldn’t go anywhere without someone mentioning his ex. Comments, questions, and the inevitable, “When are you going to make an honest woman out of her and come back to lead the town?”
Yes, she’d earned the titles of town sweetheart and beauty queen. He’d always be the mayor’s son, the golden haired prince, but he’d fallen from the pedestal they’d put him on long ago.