Along Came Trouble

by Sherryl Woods

  At the realization that Daisy was actually coming to her home after all these years, Liz was suddenly struck by an attack of nerves worse than anything she’d ever experienced entertaining on a grand scale for Larry.

  “We should go into the den,” she said. “And I think there’s probably time to cut some fresh flowers and bake another batch of cookies. These are a little crisp around the edges. Maybe people would prefer iced tea. I could brew a pot.”

  Anna-Louise stopped her as she began to pace. “Whoa! The kitchen is just fine. It’s cozier. And these cookies are delicious. I should know. I’ve just eaten three of them. The lemonade is perfect. Who doesn’t like lemonade on a hot day?”

  Liz sighed. “I’m stressing out for no reason, aren’t I?”

  “Sweetie, you might not win Daisy over in a single night, but this is a huge step toward mending fences,” Anna-Louise assured her. “Just be yourself and don’t expect miracles.”

  “I thought you were in the miracle business,” Liz lamented.

  “I think we can thank Gail for this one,” Anna-Louise said. “She got Daisy over here.”

  “She’s not here yet,” Liz murmured, but just then the doorbell rang.

  “Why don’t I get it?” Anna-Louise said. “You try to stop hyperventilating.”

  Liz nodded, then caught Gail’s gaze fastened on her.

  “There really is bad blood between the two of you, isn’t there?”

  “On her side,” Liz said. “There hasn’t been a day in the last six years that I haven’t missed having her for a friend. I wasn’t just Tucker’s girl years ago. I was a real part of that family. Even King treated me like one of them. Now he won’t even look me in the eye, unless it’s to tell me to steer clear of his son.”

  Gail nodded. “Then it’s time to heal the wounds. We’ll start with Daisy. Don’t worry about a thing.”

  Liz gave her a wan smile. “Easier said than done.” This was about more than regaining Daisy’s trust. It was about solidifying her connection to all of the Spencers. Nothing would ever happen again between her and Tucker if she couldn’t find a way to make peace with Daisy and King. Just the thought of trying to win over King was enough to make her shudder. First things first, she told herself. Daisy did have a soft heart. Liz just had to find some way to reach it.

  She stood up, plastered a welcoming smile on her face and kept it there as Anna-Louise returned not only with Daisy and Jenna, but with two young people.

  “This is my daughter, Darcy,” Jenna told her.

  “And this is Tommy, Daisy’s son,” Anna-Louise said, when Daisy remained stiffly silent.

  Liz held out her hand and shook theirs. “I’m very glad to meet both of you.”

  “Okay, kids, cookies and drinks outside,” Jenna said briskly, then looked at Liz. “Believe me, you don’t want these two dropping crumbs all over your carpets. Do you mind if they go outside and prowl around?”

  “Of course not.”

  Tommy headed straight for the back door, then paused, his expression awestruck. “You’ve got a pool,” he said. “Can we go swimming?” He looked toward Daisy. “Please?”

  “If it’s all right with Liz, I suppose so. You can wear your shorts,” Daisy said. “Shallow end, though. And no diving. Got it?”

  “I don’t have a suit,” Darcy said, her expression dismayed.

  Liz led her to the door. “See that room over there?” she asked, pointing toward the small bathhouse and pool room she and Larry had added when they’d first moved in. “You should be able to find something that fits in there.”

  “Awesome,” Darcy said, a grin splitting her face.

  “Last one in’s a rotten egg,” Tommy challenged.

  “Not fair. I’ve got to change,” Darcy protested, but she was already racing past him and out the door.

  When they promptly heard a splash, Jenna sighed. “So much for changing into a suit. Darcy would rather win. If you’re not careful, they’re going to want to move in,” she warned Liz. “Those two are like little fish. The second they spot water, they want to be in it.”

  Having the noise and commotion of a couple of kids underfoot appealed to Liz more than she could admit. One look at Daisy’s face and she saw that she felt the same way. No one had ever craved motherhood and family more than Daisy. Liz knew some of the details about how Tommy—and ultimately Walker—had come into her life. There had been a lot of talk in Trinity Harbor at the time, and some had even reached her. She was glad for her, especially after the way that fool fiancé of hers had bailed on her years ago.

  “Okay, let’s get down to business, shall we?” Gail said briskly before the tension could start to mount again. “Anna-Louise, why don’t you explain to the others what you and I have been discussing?”

  The pastor nodded. “For the past year or so, ever since Darcy was injured by several young bullies here in town, I’ve been concerned that our young people don’t have enough to do. They need a place where they can get together in a supervised setting and have some fun. We have programs at church certainly, but those don’t suit all kids from all faiths. Hopefully, what Gail and I are talking about will bring them together, teach them about tolerance and getting along, and prevent the kind of mischief and trouble the kids were getting into back then.”

  “But it’s been better,” Daisy argued. “Once you, Bobby and Jenna talked to the parents, they’ve been taking a more active role in supervising their kids, haven’t they?”

  “True, but young people still need an outlet for all that energy,” Gail said. “All kids do. So Anna-Louise and I got to thinking and came up with an idea for a youth center.” She sat back and surveyed them expectantly. “So? What do you think?”

  “I think it’s a fabulous idea,” Liz said at once. “What can I do?”

  “We need people to put the design for it down on paper,” Gail said. “That’s where you come in, Jenna. The boardwalk has been a huge success. I think this can be viewed as an extension of that in some ways. Are you interested?”

  “Absolutely,” Jenna said eagerly. “I’d do anything that might prevent another kid from being hurt the way Darcy was. It wasn’t just the physical injuries. Those healed. But the intimidation and the fear that resulted from that have taken a much higher toll. I’m definitely in.”

  “Okay, then. We’re also going to need the land and the funds to build it,” Anna-Louise said. “Liz, you have a real track record in Richmond as a fund-raiser, and Daisy, you have the right community ties to get the job done.”

  Liz held her breath at the outrageous suggestion. They wanted her to work with Daisy. She detected Anna-Louise’s scheming all over this idea. The town might need a youth center, but the plan to implement it now and get her and Daisy to coordinate the effort was ingenious…and downright sneaky. How could either of them refuse?

  Liz met Daisy’s wary gaze. “I’m willing to give it a try, if you are.”

  Daisy had never been one to back down from a challenge. She met Liz’s gaze with an unblinking stare. “Fine,” she said tightly. “It’s for a good cause.”

  Anna-Louise beamed at them. “Perfect. I’ll tell Richard he can announce it in this week’s paper.”

  Obviously, she didn’t intend to give either of them time for second thoughts.

  “Shouldn’t we have the plans drawn up first?” Jenna asked. “I can make it a top priority, but I doubt I can have anything finalized for you to look at for a couple of weeks. And it would be even better if we had a site in mind, so I can make sure it all works together.”

  “I don’t think we should delay the announcement,” Gail said, clearly picking up on Anna-Louise’s unspoken agenda. “We’ll just promise that the complete plans will be forthcoming. It never hurts to get people excited early. Daisy and Liz will need to recruit volunteers for their committee as soon as possible. The more people working on something like this, the better.”

  “Absolutely,” Liz agreed. “We want to start building momentum, g
etting people invested in the idea.”

  “That’s settled, then,” Anna-Louise said. “I’ll tell Richard. Then we’ll meet again in a couple of weeks to look over Jenna’s preliminary plans. In the meantime, we can all be looking for a location that seems suitable. And Daisy, you and Liz can get together to begin formulating a strategy for a fund-raising campaign. How does that sound?”

  Liz nodded, her gaze on Daisy. “I’ll call you to set up a meeting.”

  “Whatever,” Daisy said, her expression still unyielding.

  Liz took small comfort from the fact that at least Daisy hadn’t slammed the door on the whole idea. As the women were leaving, Liz managed to take her aside.

  “Thank you for going along with this,” she said. “I know you’re uncomfortable with it.”

  “It’s not as if I had much choice,” Daisy retorted, casting a glance toward Anna-Louise.

  “You could have said no.”

  “And let you throw my pettiness back in my face for years to come? Not a chance. Besides, it is a worthwhile cause, and you are an excellent fund-raiser,” Daisy conceded grudgingly.

  “We can make it work,” Liz said.

  “If we don’t, it won’t be for lack of trying on my part.”

  “Or mine. Good night, Daisy. I’m really glad you came tonight.”

  There was a flicker of surprise in Daisy’s eyes at her words. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

  “Of course, I do. I’ve missed you.”

  Daisy held her gaze, still looking vaguely startled, then nodded and abruptly walked away. It wasn’t much, Liz thought, but she was almost certain she had seen a softening in her former friend’s attitude.

  “It’s going to be okay,” Anna-Louise said, joining Liz after Jenna and Gail had left. “Daisy’s got a big heart, and nothing’s more important to her than family. As long as she sees you’re not out to hurt Tucker again, she’ll forgive you eventually.”

  “Thank you for dreaming up this idea,” Liz said.

  “I didn’t dream it up for your benefit,” Anna-Louise assured her, then grinned. “It’s just a handy coincidence that we can kill two birds with one stone.”

  “Even so, I’m grateful,” Liz said, giving her a hug.

  Just then headlights cut through the inky darkness as a car approached the house.

  “Don’t look now, but more company’s coming. Tucker, I imagine,” the pastor said. “You have a lot of news to share with him, so I’ll be on my way.”

  Liz stood on the porch as Tucker and Anna-Louise stopped and chatted quietly. When his gaze shot to Liz, she guessed that the minister had told him about Daisy’s visit. He sprinted up the steps with a worried expression.

  “Everything okay?”

  “You heard that Daisy’s been here?” she said.

  “Yes, but not why. If she was on your case again—”

  “She wasn’t,” Liz assured him, relieved that Anna-Louise hadn’t shared all the details of the amazing evening. “Let’s go out back. There’s a breeze off the river.”

  “And a full moon,” Tucker noted. “Want to walk down to the shore?”

  She heard something in his voice she hadn’t heard in years, the faint hint of a teasing dare, a touch of longing. “Should I bring a blanket?”

  His gaze locked with hers. There was a flicker of hesitation, but then it was gone. “Sure. Why not?”

  “There’s lemonade left. You want some?”

  “I’m not sure how well that would sit with beer,” he said. “I’ll pass.”

  “Okay, then, give me a second to get the blanket.”

  She stopped in the bathhouse, picked up an old quilt that had made many a trip to the beach, then joined Tucker on the lawn. To her surprise, he reached for her hand and held it as they walked through the damp, sweet-smelling grass.

  “It’s a beautiful night,” he murmured, almost to himself.

  “The prettiest I’ve seen in a long time,” she agreed. “I’d forgotten how many stars you can see in the sky here.”

  He grinned at her as he spread the blanket on the cool sand. “Want to count them?”

  It was a game they had played a million times in years gone by. Back then it had been an excuse to lie side by side, hand in hand, staring at the sky, content merely to be in each other’s company. Sometimes it had led to more. Much more. Tonight, Liz would be grateful simply for the peace and companionship.

  At least, that’s what she told herself until the instant Tucker lowered himself to the blanket beside her and turned on his side to study her face. She barely resisted the urge to lift her fingers to his chiseled cheeks and that now-familiar furrow in his brow. The heat of his hard, lean body was reaching out to her.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are with the moonlight splashing its silver light over you?” he asked, his gaze locked on her face. He, too, seemed to be struggling to keep his hands to himself. “God, I’ve missed you. Missed this.”

  “Tucker?” she whispered, a catch in her voice. “What’s going on?”

  “I realized something today.” He caught a wisp of her hair, curled it around a finger, then released it with a sigh.

  “What?”

  “That I still want you, even after all this time, even after everything that’s happened. You’re in my blood, Mary Elizabeth. I don’t know how to change that.”

  Some of that was the beer talking. She couldn’t deny that, no matter how desperately she wanted to believe every word. Nor could she ignore the fact that there was a hint of despair and regret in his pretty words.

  “But a part of you hates that, doesn’t it?” she asked.

  He sighed heavily, rolled onto his back and stared at the sky. “I can’t deny that,” he said, his voice sad. “I wish it were different.”

  “Me, too,” Liz whispered, unable to stop the tears that welled up and slid down her cheeks. “Me, too.”

  19

  If there had been a fancier place to take Frances, King would have opted for it, rather than the marina restaurant where his son would no doubt keep an eye on every move he made and report back to the rest of the family. Unfortunately, Bobby’s menu was the best for miles, and King was determined that tonight he would see that Frances had only the best. He’d debated calling ahead and asking Bobby to prepare something special, but had concluded that Frances would simply view that as yet another of his fumbling attempts to control things, rather than let her choose her own meal.

  He rang her doorbell promptly at seven, wearing his best suit, a starched white dress shirt and a tie. He seldom got this decked out, even for church. Frances’s jaw dropped when she saw him. That alone was reward enough for the effort.

  Of course, she had gone all out, too. He’d told her to wear something daring and she had. Her red dress had a slit in the skirt and a neckline that should have been outlawed. Damn, but she was a fine figure of a woman. He had trouble believing they were the same age. She looked a decade younger.

  “You look real pretty,” King said, fumbling for words like a teenager on a first date.

  Frances grinned. “You had a hard time spitting those words out, didn’t you?”

  “Only because I couldn’t catch my breath,” King said honestly. “You really do look amazing, Frances.”

  The pink that bloomed in her cheeks only added to the sparkle in her eyes. “Shall we go?” she asked.

  “I just have one concern,” he told her as they walked to his car. “I’m not sure I’m up to defending your honor against all the men likely to be gawking at you tonight.”

  “Oh, let ’em gawk,” she said cheerfully. “It’ll do my ego good.”

  King chuckled at the saucy comment. “You constantly amaze me.”

  “Only because you’re finally starting to pay attention,” Frances told him. “I haven’t changed, King. You have.”

  “Of course, you’ve changed,” he argued. “The new haircut, the new figure…” His gaze roved over her appreciatively. “That dress.”
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  “All superficial,” she said. “I haven’t changed a bit from the first night you took me to bingo.”

  King grappled with the message until it finally sank in. She was trying to tell him that she’d been right in front of his eyes for years. It had simply taken him a long time to notice how incredible she was. That’s what happened when a man started taking a woman—any woman—for granted.

  For years he’d viewed Frances as a competitor, a smug kid who’d whipped his butt in a spelling bee in elementary school, then as the daughter of a man who’d always felt his family lineage was better than the Spencers’. King hadn’t really looked at Frances in any other way until she’d been searching for a home for Tommy, and Daisy had set out to claim the boy. When King had objected, Frances had calmed him down. When he’d been about to do something that would strain relations with Daisy and later with Bobby, Frances had interceded with her instinctive wisdom. She was like an older version of Anna-Louise, sensible and steady as a rock. Lately, though, there was an edge of unpredictability about her that livened things up.

  He glanced over at her, his pulse lurching at the effect of that red dress. She was sexy, too, by golly. She was going to keep his golden years from turning dull, that’s for sure. Assuming, of course, he could pin her down and get a straight answer to his bungled marriage proposal.

  He drove into the crowded parking lot at the marina, glad that he’d had the forethought to call ahead for a reservation. Not that Bobby wouldn’t have seen to it that he got a table eventually, but he wanted tonight to go off without a hitch.

  As he and Frances strolled through the restaurant, every eye was on them. King had little doubt that their presence here tonight, especially with Frances all dolled up in that provocative dress, would be the talk of Earlene’s in the morning. Well, he could stand the ribbing he was bound to take. In fact, he was looking forward to it.

  “My, my, don’t you two look incredible?” Anna-Louise said as they passed the table where she was sitting with Richard. “King, I’ve never seen you look so dapper, and, Frances, you are stunning in that dress. You should wear red all the time.”