Fireflies and Lies (A Summerbrook Novel Book 4)

by Vicki Wilkerson

  Even though time was ticking away toward the date to determine the next heir apparent for the entire estate, she could still have fun looking, right? Today, she was determined to have a little fun.

  She filled the red cups with ice, and April poured the sweet tea. Golfers stopped their carts on the path in front of the portico and stepped up for the tea. They handed out sandwiches every five to ten minutes and chatted up the participants. After a while, it even felt like…fun.

  Though she was finding the afternoon enjoyable, April seemed to be especially cheerful. She kept her eye on her friend between her reading breaks.

  Every time she heard a golf cart pull up, she’d put away her small wire-framed glasses. April was one of the few people she freely allowed to see her in her glasses. On purpose.

  “So, how’s the book?” April leaned in to read a line or two.

  “Wonderful. As usual.” She eyed her best friend carefully, put the book in her lap, and took off her glasses. “But you know what is not usual?”

  “No. But I bet you’re going to tell me.” April straightened her skirt and sat back.

  “You. What’s up with you lately? I don’t get to see you nearly as much since you’ve been working on these charity fundraisers for Ben.”

  April smiled and looked off in the distance. “I know it’s crazy, but…I really like Bullworth.”

  She searched her friend’s face and saw something there she’d never seen before—happiness. Her face was nearly luminous, glowing from somewhere within. She wanted to be pleased for April, but all she felt was…apprehension. April’s past with the biker world had scarred her.

  Except for the connotations about their images, she could see herself with a biker long before she could see April dating one. Jenna had absolutely no real issues with bikers, but she loved her best friend and didn’t want to see her hurt…or to go through the turmoil of dealing with her painful memories…or see her frozen like she was the night of the charity fundraiser.

  “Okay, tell me more.” Jenna sat back.

  April smiled, looked into her lap, then stared straight into her eyes.

  “Oh, Jenna.”

  The two had a connection that transcended words. Nothing more needed to be said. She got up and hugged April as tightly as she could and whispered in her ear, “I’m so pleased for you, sweetie. I really am.”

  There was no way she’d spoil her best friend’s chance for happiness, so she pushed all her worries deep down inside and resolved to keep them subdued—at least until she had reason to let them surface. She held her friend squarely by the shoulders, looked deep into her eyes and said, “Just be careful.”

  April touched her hand in return. “I know. I am.” All they had been through together reverberated in their touch.

  They chatted for a while, then Jenna put her readers back on and returned to her book.

  As soon as she finished reading the next paragraph, she heard Bull’s voice. She looked up, and to her dismay, Hogan was riding in the cart with him. With his mullet. It may as well have been a pink bouffant with blinking lights.

  She quickly put her glasses into her bag, not caring about which compartment they ended up in.

  The orderly world around her disappeared. Her own well-being was in jeopardy.

  “So, how’ve you been, Jenna,” Hogan said. He flashed her his electric smile that made her breath catch in her chest. Just like it had the first night they’d met.

  “Busy.” Un, deux, trois, quatre. She straightened the bottom of her Lilly dress.

  “I was hoping you’d call,” he said. “You still have my number, right?”

  She nodded. She didn’t tell him how many times she’d taken it off the refrigerator. Or how many times she ran her fingers over the engraving on the card. Jenna felt the heat rise in her face. She knew it was red.

  She would have liked to have gotten to know him—if it weren’t for his—circumstances. How on earth could someone like him ever help her save DeBordieu Plantation?

  “You left so abruptly the other night at the Oaks that it seems we didn’t finish our conversation.” He flashed her a smile and ran his fingers through the top of his hair.

  “I know.” She wanted to say more, but her anxiety had her chained to the brief answers.

  “Maybe we can finish later.” He stood in front of her like a colossus, his biceps pushing at the sleeves of his very fitted golf shirt.

  “Maybe. If I’m still here.”

  “Well, we have a golf tournament to win right now. See you after we bag the big prize.” He grinned.

  “Hog,” Bull said.

  Hogan’s confidence was magnetic. She’d not seen confidence like that in someone since before her brother had passed. In many ways, Hogan reminded her of Anson. Sans the hair surprise on the back of his head.

  The foursome got into their carts and sped off. As much as a golf cart could speed.

  “Really, April. You didn’t tell me they were going to be here. I knew you were keeping something from me when we spoke the other night.” She sat up straight and read April the riot act for not being completely honest. “You above everyone else should know how I feel about…lies. You kept this from me on purpose. I’m not going to forgive you.”

  “Wait just one minute, Miss Bellingham.”

  Jenna could count on one hand the times that April had referred to her as Miss Bellingham. She was irate.

  April turned to face Jenna and blasted her. Plus some. Hogan owned a successful business, drove a Land Rover, and was a Clemson University grad—just like Jenna. He was handsome, charismatic, and ambitious. “And you don’t have the luxury to dis everyone who comes along—if you’re even thinking about finding someone…or getting some help saving that plantation of yours.” April went on and on, and her argument was so spot on that Jenna didn’t even retort.

  For the rest of the afternoon, Jenna thought about what April had said and only half-read her novel.

  April had said some things that felt too true. Jenna was closing herself off from the world…and from men without ever giving them a chance. And there was nothing wrong with Hogan’s appearance that a barber couldn’t fix in less than five minutes. And he didn’t ride around on a Harley. Or in an old, rusty pick-up truck. He drove a nice vehicle, like a regular guy would. He was confident, and attentive, athletic and smart. He had great business acumen. Maybe he could help her figure out what to do about the plantation. Maybe she did need to give him a teeny-tiny chance. A peet-teet one.

  After thinking hard on the matter, she realized that she’d already forgiven April for not telling her the biker guys would be there. In fact, April lived forgiven. But she was the only one. Because April didn’t really lie, and any small…secret she may have had was ultimately in Jenna’s best interests. Secrets and lies from anyone else would be unforgivable.

  By the end of the tournament, Jenna was kind of half looking forward to the men from Hogan’s team returning. Well, not really. She was really looking forward to Hogan returning.

  When they did, Bull commandeered a table and dragged up enough chairs for his team and April and Jenna.

  April flitted about the room, preparing to sign people up for the donor marrow screening she’d set up for Ben, and that left Jenna at the table, alone, with her book. She wasn’t interested in her book, though. She was fascinated with Hogan as he walked around the room, talking to the other golfers. He smiled at everyone he spoke to, making that dimple of his pronounced. Boy. Was he ever handsome. And fit. She knew she shouldn’t look, but she liked the way his golf pants skimmed his round, muscled rear end. When had she ever thought such a thought? Never.

  The guys finally finished turning in their cards, and picking up their swag, and found their ways back to the table.

  “You know we’ve got this tournament in the bag, guys,” Hogan said, as he leaned back.

  She eyed the easy manner in which he sat in his chair, and she admired his off-handed way of speaking. Kind of differen
t from the way he shuffled around the last time they were at the country club—all stiff and distracted.

  “Hogan, you’re the most confident golfer I’ve ever met,” Mr. Houseman said. Bertie Houseman was April’s friend and mentor from the Humanity Project where she volunteered raising money to build homes for the less fortunate and to repair homes for the elderly. Soon, Jenna was going to be one of the less fortunate when she’d have to move out of the carriage house. Wouldn’t that be funny if things turned upside down between her and April, and Jenna became the one who needed the help the most?

  “Just stating the facts, Bertie,” Hogan said. “Just stating the facts.”

  He sat beside Jenna. She inhaled him. It was like inhaling the outdoors.

  “You need anything? A water, sweet tea? Some bread?”

  She shook her head. Who needed bread when she needed to get to the bottom of this intriguing man’s self-assurance? And good looks. She also needed to assess his aversion toward barbers. “So, how do you know you’re going to win?”

  “Numbers.” Something in his jaw moved when he smiled.

  “Numbers?” Jenna was melting all over his boldness.

  “It’s my specialty. I can turn bad ones into good ones.”

  “Oh, yeah?” She wished she could work magic with the numbers on the plantation.

  “Yeah. Our score today was so low, I know no one will come near it. Numbers don’t lie.”

  She smiled. Yep. She liked his confidence.

  “Let me show you how the numbers worked out today,” he said. He grabbed a napkin and the short pencil from his pocket he’d been keeping score with earlier and sketched on the napkin. “See, this is hole number sixteen. This is where the flag was. At the bottom of the green. I read the slope correctly and aimed for here.”

  Jenna alternately stared at what he was drawing and at his dark hair reaching over the back of his collar.

  “The ball rolled like this. Bam. Hole in one.” He smiled. “With all our birdies and two eagles on holes 4 and 12, it’s in the bag, I told you.”

  She most certainly liked his confidence.

  ⸙

  “So. You still tutoring Ben?” Hogan asked, fishing for what he needed to know. Was she as good at working with kids as he’d heard…as he thought she may be?

  She nodded. “Yes. I see him as often as I can—sometimes a couple of times a week. I create lessons that are tailored to his learning—and his interests.”

  Lessons to fit a child’s learning and interests? Not lessons copied out of some prescribed teacher’s edition textbook? Oh, boy.

  She chuckled. “I can’t let all that money my parents spent on my education completely go to waste.”

  “You ever think about teaching full time?”

  She nodded. “A lot lately, in fact. I plan to check into it more soon.”

  “So, what’s holding you back?”

  “Obligations. I never abandon them. I have irons in the fire right now.”

  He liked hearing that she didn’t abandon her obligations. He gave himself permission to turn on the charm.

  “April tells me you went to Clemson, too.”

  “Corporate finance major.”

  She twirled the liquid in her glass. “Numbers scare me. My family has an accountant on speed dial because I’m useless when it comes to spreadsheets. In fact, Hanna, our accountant, works with April. I don’t know what we’d do without her.” She glanced up at his hair.

  “Well, I sleep with numbers.” Hogan took a long swig of his sweet tea.

  “I bet your degree comes in handy at your business.” She fidgeted with the napkin he’d sketched on earlier.

  “It also comes in handy with other projects, too. I was wanting to talk to you about that.” He looked toward the door. “And a couple of other things.” He moved in closer to Jenna. “Remember the silent auction the other night?”

  “Yeah. Of course.”

  “Remember I said I was going to win something?” He raised his brows.

  She nodded and glanced up at his hair. Again.

  “Well, I simply worked the numbers, and I did.” He cocked his head. “It was for you.” He kept his fingers crossed he wasn’t going to send her running toward the door.

  Her gaze snapped up. “Hogan. You shouldn’t have. You’d just met me.”

  “Uh, huh. And as soon as I met you, I knew that it had to be yours.” He paused. “It looked like you. Been carrying it around with me on my back seat since that night. In case I saw you again.” He stood. “My SUV is out front. I’ll be right back.” He stood, started, and then turned back quickly. “Stay right there.”

  As speedily as he could, he ran to the car and grabbed the small box off the seat. He hoped it was the right thing to do. He returned and handed it to her.

  She pulled the antique pendant out of the bag. The firefly’s gold wings were etched, and its tail was made of amber and appeared to glimmer.

  “I thought it was beautiful when I first saw it, so I put a number down for my silent bid.”

  She stared at the necklace for a moment before she touched it.

  “I love beautiful things,” he said staring straight at her. “When I first saw you, there seemed to be a—glow about you—like fireflies.” He paused again. “You lit up the room.” He exhaled. “Anyway, I made sure I won it.”

  She held up the pendant to the light and eyed it thoughtfully. “I don’t think I can…” she said with some kind of hesitancy in her voice.

  “I thought it was…enchanting.” Just like this thing was between him and Jenna. Was he enchanted simply because she was so beautiful…or because of what she could possibly do for him? He needed to keep his motivations and intentions clear in his head, but somehow they were getting all mixed up together.

  “You were saying…” he said.

  “Yes. What I was saying—” She shook her head. “I don’t think—”

  The lady who was coordinating the tournament broke their little…tryst when she called out with the PA system. “Gentlemen, we have a special guest with us tonight. April Church, who is coordinating the next leg of the Ben Evans Fundraising Project, is going to speak with us about something very important.” She moved aside. “April.” She held out the mic, and April walked to the front.

  Jenna put the necklace in her lap, covered it with her hands, and turned her attention to her friend.

  April lowered her head and seemed to gather her thoughts. “This is one of the most important things I’ve ever done. A little boy’s life depends upon it.” Her voice cracked. April spoke about Ben with as much heart as Hogan had seen anyone put into anything. She explained about how Ben needed a bone marrow donor if he were to be saved. Even before her speech had ended, men had lined up in front of her small table to sign up to be tested as a possible match for the little boy. Heck, he was going to sign up, too. It steeled his heart to help all he could—even if it meant a fashion show.

  He had to have Jenna’s help for that.

  He turned to look at her. Pride beamed on her face as she gazed at her friend. Her eyes were veiled behind sheets of water.

  April finished and everyone clapped.

  Jenna seemed to clap the loudest. She leaned toward him and said, “She loves Ben so much.”

  His heart hitched. He’d never encountered friendship like that ever before.

  He took a sip of his tea and exhaled. He glanced back over his shoulder and caught Jenna eyeing his hair. Again. He moved in his chair to face her. Should he? Yes. He needed to get this on the table now. “You don’t like the mullet, do you?” He felt a furrow develop above his brow.

  Instead of replying with a real answer, she asked, “Do you?”

  He couldn’t lose her over a stupid…haircut. “Jenna, may I have your word that you won’t tell anyone about what I’m about to tell you?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, we’re not supposed to say anything to people outside the challenge—the donors or the…growers. Th
e mullet isn’t for real. Well, it’s for real. It’s just not for keeps.” He wasn’t saying this correctly. He shook his head. “Anyway, businessmen across this area are signing up for the Summerbrook Mullet Challenge, and then the organizers get sponsors for the participants. On the down low, of course. The sponsors donate various amounts each week the mullet grows. Some of my guys at the shop already had mullets, so they haven’t gotten many donations to do what they would’ve done anyway. However, with moi. Let’s just say that too many people want to see me in a mullet in front of the general public.”

  Her eyes popped. “Heavens to Betsy. You mean it’s not for real?” She put a hand up to her chest.

  “Are you kidding me? Not mine, anyhow. Even the mayor is sporting a short one like mine. He’s really pulling in the big bucks. The thing is, though, it’s supposed to embarrass us because the challenge is not public knowledge. Only the organizers, participants and sponsors know. If the general public knew we were doing it for a good cause, it wouldn’t be so much fun for the sponsors. Summerbrook Chamber of Commerce’s rules.”

  “Ahhhhh. Got it. And where is the money going?”

  “Ben, of course. It’s just a part of the string of fundraisers to help him and his family.”

  She placed her hand over her mouth and then removed it. Something in her face…in her eyes changed. “I won’t say a word. I promise.”

  “And we’ve stepped it up a notch. We’re all going to cut off the part in the back and will donate it to Locks of Love to make pieces for children with cancer when this whole thing is over. Even Hickey and Dickey who’ve had mullets since they were in the cradle.”

  Her smile beamed, and her countenance softened. He knew he’d done the right thing by telling her.

  “Ouah.” He was certain that word meant something like wow in French.

  Now was the time to tell her about one of the things he needed her help with. “But before we cut off the hair, we’re going to put on a mock fashion event in the showroom of Thorpe’s Custom Cycles. We’re calling it Leather and Lace. Thanks to some lame idea from the Lydia Stroble, mayor’s wife. Anyway, the guys sporting mullets for the challenge are the leather part. I was hoping that you could help us with the lace part. You know, getting the models and dresses and all. Or at least tell me what to do.” He flashed her a smile. “I don’t know nothin’ bout birthin’ no fashion show.”