by Rebeca Seitz
Tandy slammed her hands down onto the hard granite surface of the island. “That’s it!”
The sisters turned to look at her.
“Somebody tell me what’s going on. Now!”
“Oh, Tandy, stop being so dramatic. That’s Kendra’s bag.” Meg nodded toward their flamboyant sister.
Tandy closed her eyes. Had she stepped into a dream or a nightmare? She took a deep breath and tried again. “Fine. I’m calm. Now will someone please tell me what you all seem to know that I don’t?”
Joy came back to the island and took the bowl of fruit, pirouetting back toward the breakfast table, every inch a ballerina. “It’s nothing to be excited over, Tandy. Clay opened a diner downtown since your last visit, and we thought you should know before you go wandering around down there. That’s all.”
Tandy’s stomach hit her toes. If it was a big enough deal for them to have discussed who would tell her and how, then it had to be Clay Kelner. Opening a diner would be hard to do from a jail cell, so maybe he hadn’t become a felon or followed through with his military dreams. Unless he served his time and now he’d come back home to make something of his life …
Either way, all she had to do was avoid downtown for the next two weeks. “Just to be clear, we’re talking about Clay Kelner, right?”
“What other Clay would there be?” Meg cocked her head.
“I don’t know. Maybe another Clay moved to town by now.”
“If it was another Clay, why would we care if you knew?” The ever-logical Meg.
“I have no idea sometimes how you three think together. So I can assume it’s Clay Kelner?”
“You would assume correctly,” Joy said. “Breakfast is ready. Somebody go get Daddy and tell him Tandy knows and she didn’t spontaneously combust.”
“I’ll get his sorry behind.” Kendra headed for the door, a woman on a mission. “He should have told her the minute she drove up. Imagine if she had gone downtown this morning!”
“It’s okay, Kendra. I’ve been over Clay for years. He’s old news. I’m fine. He made his choices. I made mine.”
Kendra slid open the glass door leading out into an expansive backyard. “Daddy! You can come in now!” She closed the door and turned back toward the room. Her dark eyes bore down on Tandy. “When’s the last time you saw Clay?”
“You know, of course.”
“You haven’t seen him since then?”
“Nope. Not even for a millisecond.”
“Wait, wait.” Joy held up her hands. “You haven’t seen or talked to Clay since the night you left town for college?” All three sisters looked at Tandy as if she’d sprouted a third ear.
On her forehead.
Tandy stared at the black granite, its speckles reminding her of the stars that night. A scene played vividly in her mind. Sneaking back into the house at 4:00 a.m., she’d been caught. And Daddy, too tired from fighting the battle to join his wife in death, didn’t even fuss at her. He’d just looked at her with worn-out eyes that said more than anything his mouth and tongue could ever conjure. Tandy had been angry. Angry that he was still so depressed two months after Momma’s death. Angry that he didn’t care enough anymore to punish her for coming in late. Angry at cancer for taking Momma before Tandy had been able to share any portion of adulthood with her. And angry at Clay Kelner for … well, no need to go there.
“No, I haven’t.”
“Girl, that is some dedication. You’ve been holding that grudge for ten years?” Kendra shook her head.
“I’m not holding anything. I don’t even think of him anymore. And if I don’t think of him, then why would I talk to him?”
“The lady’s got a point, girls,” Joy said. “Besides, it’s too lovely of a morning to waste talking about such divisive issues. These muffins are going to get cold.”
“And woe to the person who lets any of Joy’s food get cold.” Kendra circled the breakfast table, pulled out a chair, and plopped down. “You don’t have to call me twice.”
“Me, either.” Tandy took her customary chair beside Kendra. Meg sat down to Tandy’s left.
“Meg, should we get James and Savannah?” Joy asked.
“Oh, no. They had oatmeal before we left the house this morning. As good as your breakfasts are, they don’t warrant testing the patience of two young children.”
“Good point. Daddy, if you’ll take a seat then we can get started,” Joy said.
Daddy sat down across from the girls, and Cooper flopped down at his feet. Joy came and stood behind an empty chair. “Tandy, welcome home. I’m sorry Scott couldn’t be here, but he had a showing this morning.”
“Not a problem. The real estate business stops for no one, right?”
Joy smiled and nodded. “Daddy, if you’ll say grace for us, please?”
Daddy bowed his head and offered thanks for the food, requesting a blessing on their days and guidance for their paths. The deep tones of Daddy’s faith rolled over Tandy. Her throat filled up as it had in the scrapping room, and she swallowed hard. God was easier in Orlando. She could keep him at arm’s length by standing anonymously among thousands of people in a mega-sanctuary. Daddy finished his prayer with a heartfelt amen.
“So, Joy, is Scott still enjoying being a realtor?” Tandy asked as they began passing bowls heaped with eggs, grits, sausage, muffins, and biscuits around the table.
“He loves it. As soon as he got his broker’s license, he was off and running. He outgrew his first office, is now in his second, and is thinking of moving into a larger space by the end of the year.”
“Wow! Who knew there was so much real estate to sell in sleepy Stars Hill?”
Joy nodded. “That’s what one would think. It turns out, however, that a lot of the folks from Nashville are moving outside of the city. People are working from home or traveling to the office only two or three days a week. The rest of the time, they prefer to be away from the hustle and bustle.”
“I can identify with that. Every morning when I’m sitting at a standstill on I-4, I wonder why I’m doing it.”
“Why are you doing it?”
Tandy squirmed a bit in her seat at Kendra’s question. “You know why. I’m an attorney. If I want to succeed, I need to be in a big city. And I’m familiar with Orlando, so it’s a logical choice.”
“You could succeed right here,” Meg said.
Tandy snorted. “I highly doubt there’s enough legal business in Stars Hill to keep me busy.”
“One could have said that about real estate,” Joy said. “But Scott would beg to differ.”
“Y’all, she hasn’t even been home twenty-four hours,” Kendra said. “How about we let her remind herself why she loves Stars Hill before we give the full-court press?”
Tandy shot Kendra a grateful look.
“We’re not pressing her.” Meg waved a forkful of egg in the air. “We’re just letting her know she’s wanted here if she decides to get out of the city.”
“And I thank you for that.” Tandy smiled. “Really. But I’m happy in Orlando.” Happy may have been stretching it a bit, but it was close enough.
“So long as you’re doing what you’re called to do, we’re fine with it,” Daddy said as he slathered honey on a biscuit.
“Thanks, Daddy.” She poured lemonade from a glass pitcher that had oranges and lemon slices floating in the top.
“Oh, before I forget, did you retrieve my Simple Scrapbooks from Mother’s studio?” Joy said.
“I did. It’s out in the car. I’ll get it after breakfast. Man, going up there sure brought back some memories.” She stuffed a forkful of eggs in her mouth before blurting out anything else.
Meg nodded. “I know. There’s just something magical about Mom’s studio. I mean, I can’t be nearly as creative in my own place as I can there, you know? I think she must have sprinkled some artsy dust around or something.”
“Let’s go with ‘or something,’” Kendra smiled, “and pretend you haven’t lost
your mind.”
“No, I know what she means,” Joy said. “I can scrapbook for hours here at the house and still not end up with as lovely a layout as I would have if I’d just gone over to Mother and Daddy’s house.”
“Fess up, Daddy. What was Momma’s secret?” Tandy stabbed her eggs again.
Daddy chuckled. “I wish I knew, girls. She just had that special something about her, and I guess she left it behind in that room for you girls to use.”
“Then we’d better not let it go to waste, right?” Kendra raised a hand. “Who’s up for scrapbooking tonight?”
“Oooh! Count me in!” Meg threw her hand in the air. “Daddy, can I bring the kids? Do you have time to watch them tonight?”
“If I don’t, I’ll find something to keep them busy, I’m sure.”
“Great!”
“That’s two of us.” Kendra dropped her hand and went back to her food. “Anything to avoid a deadline. My editor is breathing down my neck, but if she can’t find me, she can’t threaten me, right?”
“Who’s the article for?” Tandy asked.
“I’m doing a series for Southern Living about art in the South. It’s one article a month for twelve months, and I’m four months into it.”
“That sounds exciting!”
Kendra nodded. “Most days, yeah. But I’m really jazzed about this new sculpture, and every time I sit down at the keyboard to write the article, I think of something to do with the sculpture, so I’m getting nothing written.”
“Well, I suppose I can scrap tonight if Scott doesn’t have plans for us,” Joy said. “Let’s say, oh, seven?”
“Seven it is,” Tandy broke apart a biscuit. “Is that okay with you, Daddy?”
“Fine as frog hair, split three ways.”
“Perfect!” Tandy reached for the jar of homemade strawberry jam. “Joy, this breakfast is divine, as always.”
“Oh, it was nothing.” Joy shook her head. “I’m just pleased you’re home for a bit.” Her small mouth curved into a smile.
“Speaking of being home, have you made plans for today yet?” Meg asked as she bit into a muffin.
“I thought I’d walk around downtown, see what’s changed, that sort of thing.”
“So you’re going to check out Clay’s diner.” Kendra took a big bite of waffle.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Mm-hmm. Who do you think you’re fooling?” Kendra swirled another bite in syrup. “We all know you still have a thing for him.”
“I do not have a ‘thing’ for him. I just wanted to see downtown again. What’s so wrong with that?”
“Nothing’s wrong with that if you’re really interested in downtown,” Meg said. “But this is Big City Tandy we’re talking to, and we know you couldn’t care less about what’s happening in Stars Hill. You’re going down there to see Clay, and I think it’s marvelous.” She held out her arms and began to sing. “’S wonderful, ’s marvelous …”
“Meg, stop it. Everybody’s life is not a song.”
“Sure it is! You just may not know the tune yet. Though ‘As Time Goes By’ is a pretty good try.”
Tandy cast a pleading look down the table. “Joy, help me out here.”
Joy shook her head, her sleek hair swishing against a slender neck. “Wish I could, sister dear, but I’m on their side. I think it’s about time you spoke with him.”
Tandy pushed back from the table, her appetite gone despite the sumptuous food laid before her. She folded her arms across her chest, then unfolded them when she realized it made her look defensive.
“I’m not interested in having a conversation, in having anything with Clay Kelner. I’m here for two weeks. Period. Then it’s back to work and life and none of that has anything to do with Clay. Got it?” She drilled each of them with a look.
Kendra laughed. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, sister. Just keep saying that when you’re standing under the Clay’s sign in a little while.”
Five
Later that day, having dropped Daddy off at home, Tandy and Cooper made their way again downtown. It looked different in daylight but no less charming. A banner announcing the upcoming Iris Festival parade now hung across Lindell. If the sisters kept at her about Clay, it might be worth missing the parade to escape to the anonymity of Orlando. She drove under the banner and turned into the library parking lot.
Tugging Coop’s leash, she walked one block over to Broadway. Not to avoid Clay’s Diner, of course. The Color Shoppe still sat at the end of Broadway. She and Momma had spent more than a few hours in there working out wallpaper and paint schemes for different rooms in the house. A new business stood next door, and she squinted to make out the painted window still a block away. Looked like an interior design business. Had The Color Shoppe opened an addition, or was some competition in town now? She shrugged and walked on.
The beauty salon, Styles On Broadway, looked like it had gotten a major makeover. A quick glance inside the plateglass window revealed a décor updated to reflect the current obsession with all things Tuscan. Brown and mustard yellow seemed to be the colors of the day as women occupied every available chair, covered in capes of swirling earth colors and tended by hair stylists dressed all in black.
She walked on and passed an upscale children’s clothing store that looked new. Making a mental note to see if they had anything appropriate for James, Savannah, and Hannah when she didn’t have Cooper with her, Tandy came to the end of the brick sidewalk. She sighed. Lindell beckoned her. What right did Clay have to keep her from enjoying her hometown anyway?
Turning on her heel, chin high and back straight, Tandy tugged a now tiring Cooper back the direction they had come.
When they passed the library parking lot again, Cooper whined and pulled her toward the car. “Come on, buddy. Just a little farther, and we’ll head home to that comfy chair and a rawhide I’ve been saving since Florida.”
She glanced up the street and saw the sign swaying in the breeze, brashly proclaiming the home of Clay Kelner’s culinary pursuits.
Why was this so hard? Clay was back in town. Not a problem. So they’d parted ways in a less than amicable manner. He shouldn’t have left for the military in the first place. Why bother, when here he was, back in town and the owner of a diner—which he could have done from the very beginning. Though if he had, Orlando might never have become her home. In the end, perhaps the incompatibility of his dreams and hers meant something. Otherwise, she’d be right by his side in there, flipping burgers, taking orders, and—
“Tandy? Tandy Sinclair?”
No. Her heart clenched at the voice coming from behind. She balled her fists, the leash handle digging into her skin. No. No. No. Red dots appeared behind her eyes as she squeezed them shut, not ready for this. Not even close to being ready for this.
“It is you!”
At the sound of the voice now in front of her, her eyes popped open. “Hi, Clay.”
Oh, great.
He looked good.
His deep-blue T-shirt was stretched across a chest that had filled out more than she remembered, and black curls brushed his ears. Sea-green eyes were open wide and sparkled with humor. Strong fingers curled around the bottoms of two paper grocery bags.
Cooper woofed.
“Hey, cute dog!” Kneeling, Clay set the bags down and scratched Cooper’s ears. The dog laid down, rolling over to offer his belly.
Traitor. “Yeah, I think so.” She tried to sound lighthearted but came off strangled instead.
He looked up at her and she swallowed hard. No need to let him know her heart had relocated to her throat. Or that the sight of him loving on her dog was making her consider the life of a waitress.
“How long have you been in town?”
“Got in last night.”
“Everything okay? I saw your dad yesterday and he seemed fine. The guardians?”
“The sisters are fine. I’m just visiting for a couple of weeks.”
; He stood and raised an eyebrow. “Two weeks?”
“Yeah, no big deal. I hadn’t been home in a while, and Daddy was threatening to call the National Guard.”
“I can believe that.” They stood in awkward silence, years of unspoken words choking the air around them.
“So, you have a restaurant now, I guess.” Aren’t you brilliant, Tandy? Great conversation starter.
“Oh! Right. Can’t play soldier forever, remember?”
“Sounds like wise words.”
“I think so, too.”
She started. He thought so, too? “You didn’t when you first heard them. I seem to recall someone telling me how awesome it would be to travel the world on the government’s dime and never be tied down to one place very long.”
He blew out a breath and took a step toward her. “I was a dumb kid. I think we both know that.”
She stepped back. “What I know is I’ve gotta get back to the house in time to scrap with the sisters. So I guess we’ll just have to have that conversation another time.” As in never. “Besides—” she nodded to the plate-glass window and began backing away—“you have customers waiting.”
“Tandy, come on.” His eyes—eyes she’d tried so hard to forget, eyes now framed by the faintest of lines—softened.
“Don’t, Clay.” She shook her head, pulling Coop along and away from a past that had no future. “Just don’t.”
She turned and darted across the road, running to the safety of her Beamer as fast as Cooper allowed.
This was a mistake. Stars Hill, missing Momma, seeing Clay—it was all a mistake. A weakness she’d indulged. A universe spinning with emotion and mess. She shifted hard and backed out of the parking space. It would be dumb to leave tonight and drive eleven hours back to Orlando. But first thing in the morning should be soon enough.
“Coop, you ready for some sand and sun, boy?” She checked the rearview mirror and saw Cooper cock his head at her. His Are-you-nuts? look was hard to miss.
There were tourists in her apartment. And Meg would have her head on one of Joy’s engraved silver platters if she left before spending some time with James, Savannah, and Hannah. Maybe a couple more days would be all right. If she didn’t come downtown and only spent time at home or one of the sisters’, there was no chance of running into … anyone. The rental company could let her tenants know she was coming back sooner than planned and they’d need to find a hotel.