by Verna Clay
Within twenty minutes her car was loaded onto the tow bed, and since Justin and the driver agreed on the same garage as being the best in town, she decided to have her car taken there. Finally, she hefted herself into the passenger side of the tow vehicle and pondered her situation. She just hoped that all her vacation money wouldn't be blown on repairing her car. She was already up to her eyebrows in student loans and didn't need another cog in the wheel of her plans for a bright future.
Justin stepped to her door before she could close it and said, "Best of luck, ma'am. If you get a chance, stop by Dixie's Cuppa Joe and I'll treat you to anything on the menu."
Phoenix felt herself drowning in Justin's gorgeous baby blues and said hastily, "I doubt if I'll have the time. But thanks for the offer and thanks for your help." She glanced quickly away. The man was simply too gorgeous.
Chapter 3: Promise
Lucinda walked outside her duplex to dump her trash in the shared container her neighbor had moved to the curb for pickup, when a truck she recognized careened around the corner. It was Harris' vintage Chevy. The red vehicle squealed to a stop in front of her place and she wanted to run back inside and lock her door. Her heart pounded because she knew she had to face him. Time to cowboy up. Pun intended.
Harris jumped from his truck and slammed the door.
He's really angry.
He stomped toward her calling out irately, "Ward told me you were working for him and that you'd rented one of his properties. Why the hell–"
She lifted her hand and interrupted, "We can talk inside." She didn't wait for his response as she turned around still holding the trash bag and headed back to her duplex. She felt the bag being pulled from her grasp as Harris said, "Give me that," and watched him return to the street, dump the trash, and start toward her again. She hurried to her door.
As soon as they entered the front room he said, "What the hell are you doing in Paxtonville? And why in God’s name are you working for Ward Culpepper? I promise there's no more dirt you can dig on my family!"
Lucinda winced. Then she motioned toward the couch. "Please sit down and I'll explain." She walked around the bar and into the kitchen. "I need a cup of coffee. Would you like one?"
"Hell no! All I want is answers!"
Lucinda's hands shook as she lifted the carafe and poured cold coffee into her cup. She inhaled slowly and deeply to calm her nerves as she placed the cup in the microwave. Seeing Harris' anger, which was justified, was breaking her heart. Any hope she'd harbored for reconciliation was figuratively dumped into the garbage with her trash. Harris hated her.
She inhaled again, retrieved her coffee, and stepped around the bar into the living area. Harris was still standing. Placing her cup on the coffee table, she sat on the couch and folded her hands in her lap, staring at them for a moment before fingering her eyeglasses, which was a nervous habit. She resettled her glasses and then stared up at Harris. For a moment something unnamable flickered in his chestnut eyes, but it was immediately replaced by anger again.
"I'm waiting." His tone was low and gravelly.
Lucinda fortified herself before replying, "I'm really sorry about the article, Harris. In fact, you'll never know how sorry I am. And the reason I'm here is to make amends with good reporting. I plan on issuing a public apology to you and your family and the town via your local newspaper, and then responsibly cover local happenings. It's the only way I know–"
"That's a crock, Lucinda. What about The Seattle Daily?"
She had expected his rejection, but it hurt so much she wanted to cry. "I quit the Daily so I could prove to you and everyone else how much I wish I'd never written that piece." And although the part about quitting was a little white lie, it would soon be a reality.
Harris jammed on his cowboy hat that he'd been holding at his side and proclaimed, "Nothing can undo the havoc you wrecked on my family, so I suggest you leave my town and look for another job. When I think about how I fell for you, it makes me sick." He strode two steps to the door and jerked it open, and with a last glance said barely above a whisper, "I can't even stand the sight of you." And rather than slam the door, he softly closed it, which was worse than slamming.
For a long time Lucinda remained motionless; her coffee forgotten. But she finally broke into tears. Speaking into the empty room she proclaimed, "Harris, I promise I'll prove to you that I'm sorry."
Chapter 4: $2,100
"What!" Phoenix shouted at the mechanic. She'd been sitting in the garage's tiny waiting room for the past hour waiting for the verdict on her car. It was after closing time, but she didn't care that the man had stayed late on Saturday. Not when he'd just informed her that her engine was toast and repairs would cost as much as purchasing another used car. She didn't have that kind of money.
She pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to calm her panic. "Are you positive?"
"As positive as the sun's gonna shine tomorrow, ma'am," he replied inanely with a drawl.
"What if it rains?"
"It ain’t gonna rain."
Suddenly and unexpectedly, Phoenix had to quell a desire to laugh. Somehow she had ended up in Mayberry, R.F.D. and she was talking to Goober. Next, she'd be meeting Deputy Fife and Sheriff Taylor.
She cleared her throat. "Is there a used car lot in town?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am. The owner is Burley Blue and he's as honest as the day is long."
Phoenix rubbed her temples. "Is he within walking distance?"
"Yesum." He didn't say anything else.
Although she had no patience, she forced herself to slowly ask, "Can you point me in his direction?"
"Oh, sure." He pointed. "Follow Third Street to Maple and turn north until you reach Main Street. Burley's right there on the corner."
"Thank you." Phoenix held her breath and asked, "How much do I owe you? And can I leave my car here until I figure out what to do with it?"
"Well, seein's as how your car is toast, you don't owe me nothin'. And, yeah, you can leave your car here."
She released her breath. "Thank you. I really appreciate that."
Goober, or rather, Grady smiled and said, "If you wait about thirty minutes while I close up, I can drive you to Burley's Best Cars."
"Ah, thanks, but I feel like walking."
"Okay, ma'am. Best of luck to ya."
Phoenix gulped back tears, grabbed her suitcase from the backseat of her traitorous car, and started walking.
Because of Eli and Angel's wedding there had only been a skeleton crew working the coffee shop, so after unhitching the cart behind the building, Justin had stayed to help the frazzled crew with a busload of Asian tourists. Now, a couple of hours later, he saw Grady Grainger enter and immediately thought about the gal with the busted car. When the mechanic got to the front of the line, Justin finished making a Raspberry Rambo, set it on the counter, and called out, "Gertrude!" He stepped over to the cash register where Grady was paying and said, "Did you find out what was wrong with the gal's car that was towed in? I was the one who called for the tow."
"Oh, yeah, Justin. Poor gal, the engine is a goner and I thought she was going to cry when I told her. She asked if there was a used car lot in town and I directed her to Burley. I told her I'd drive her there, but she wanted to walk."
Justin blew a breath. "That stinks. How long ago was that?"
"About forty minutes."
"Well, have a nice evening Grady and tell Nan I said hello." He removed his yellow apron with Dixie's Cuppa Joe stamped inside a huge coffee cup and said to his crew, "Looks like ya'll can handle things now. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay, boss," said Tilly, the cashier. Samantha and two other workers called goodbyes.
Justin left the shop via the back door and headed toward the truck he had lovingly restored years earlier. When he drove onto the road, rather than head in the direction of his apartment, he turned toward Main Street and Burley's Best Used Cars. Almost immediately when he pulled into the lot's small parking area, he
saw Phoenix and Burley deep in conversation beside an early 1990s white Toyota Camry. He started in their direction and when he got close he heard Burley say, "Now, Missy, if I lower the price any more, I'll be losing money." Burley looked up, saw Justin, and nodded. "Hey, Justin."
Phoenix turned around and eyed him. Before he could greet her, she said, "Looks like you get around."
He shrugged. "I was working at the coffee shop when Grady entered. I asked him about your car and he gave me the bad news and said you were over here."
Phoenix glanced at Burley who was built like a sumo wrestler and motioned toward the Camry. "We've been haggling over the price of this car. I want to pay $1,000 cash and he wants $2,100. We're at an impasse."
Burley gave the woman an exasperated look. "Like I explained, ma'am, anything less than twenty-one hundred and I'm losing money."
Phoenix shot back, "How about I give you $1,200 as a down payment and you let me pay the rest in payments."
Being a cunning businessman, Burley countered with, "Since there aren't any banks wanting to loan you money, and you don't have anyone to co-sign, why should I take a chance?"
Justin watched Phoenix blush.
"I promise I’m good for the money."
Burley retorted, "And if you're not, I've got to send someone to California to repossess my car. And that costs money. Nope. My final offer is $2,100, and that's a deal."
Justin, who had been standing off to the side, saw Phoenix begin to wilt. She finally shrugged and asked, "Where’s the closest motel?"
Burley started to respond but Justin said, "I’ll drive you there. There's a good one about a mile away."
Phoenix held his gaze for a few seconds before saying in a voice not as aggressive as before, "All right. I just need to get my suitcase out of the building."
Justin walked with her to the single-car showroom with a vintage yellow and black Boss 429 Mustang, grabbed her case without asking, and motioned toward his truck. He set the suitcase in the bed and opened her door. She was silent throughout the drive to the motel and when he pulled to the front entrance he asked, "So what's your next step?"
Her voice sounded tired. "Tomorrow I'll start searching the newspaper and Craig's List for deals. Do you know of any?"
"No. But I'll keep my eyes open. When do you have to be back in California?"
"Not until the end of August. My plan was to air my head out with some travel because of the heavy schedule I keep during the school year." She shrugged. "Looks like that’s not going to happen." She opened her door and jumped down from the truck.
Justin rushed to retrieve her suitcase. "Here, I’ll take your case in."
The gal shook her head and lifted the suitcase from his hand. "I've got it." She stepped toward the motel entrance but turned and said, "Thanks again for all your help."
"I'm not leaving until you're checked in." And for the first time Justin saw her smile.
"I'm a big girl. I've been taking care of myself for a long time."
He watched her enter the motel, but didn't leave until the clerk handed her a keycard. As he drove away, he thought, What a beautiful smile.
Chapter 5: Answer
I'm screwed, Phoenix thought as she walked west on Main Street rolling her suitcase behind her. After leaving the motel and pleading yet again with Burley Blue, she'd finally given up. He wasn't going to budge on carrying a loan for her. And with her credit report jammed with student loans, she really couldn't blame him.
Now she was headed for the bus stop on the opposite end of town, and even when she'd told Burley where she was going, he hadn't shown an ounce of compassion.
An internet search of bus departures had shown her that the one she needed arrived in Paxtonville every other day around three at a local gas station. If she didn't catch it today, she'd be stuck in Mayberry another day and a half. She glanced at her watch. It was only eleven-thirty.
Because one of her least favorite pastimes was waiting for a bus, she looked around for an interesting shop to enter. On her side of the street she saw Nettie's Knitting Supplies, Oscar's Pharmacy, Beautyluscious Beauty Shop, Pappy's Pizza, and some antique shops farther down. Nothing she really cared to explore.
Across the street were Second Chance Clothing, Old Stuff Junk, Hallmark, Dixie's Cuppa Joe, and more antique shops. Phoenix hesitated only a moment before jaywalking to the other side. She might as well tell Justin goodbye. He'd been helpful and she'd been rude. However, seeing a guy who was obviously smart, spin his wheels in a nowhere profession, got under her skin. But hey, it was his life, and she'd never see him again, so why not stop and chat to waste time?
She pushed the glass door open and tugged her suitcase in behind her. A quick scan of the room revealed that Justin was the barista. He called someone’s name, set a drink on the counter, glanced to see who had entered the shop, and gave her a crooked smile.
His smile was gorgeous.
Phoenix returned his greeting with a little wave and stepped behind two people in line. While she waited, Justin called out another name and then said something to a mature woman stocking supplies in the shelves behind him. A moment later she took over his position.
Phoenix was now at the counter. "I'd like a small house coffee, please."
Justin stepped to the register. "Tilly, I've got it. No charge."
"Okay, Justin," the cashier replied.
Justin stuck a large cup under a coffee dispenser and said, "Phoenix, I'll bring it to you. Do you want cream or sugar? Also, would you like a pastry? It’s on the house."
She bristled. She didn't like charity. "No cream or sugar. And I can pay my own way."
"Of course you can. But we often treat guests to freebies because we want them to return and put out a good word. It’s called advertising."
Phoenix knew by his response that arguing would only cause a scene and make her appear unthankful, so she pointed to one of the pastries. "That looks good."
"I’ll bring your order to you," he said.
Pulling her suitcase and dodging tables, she chose a spot next to the window overlooking Main Street. Once seated, she released her breath and wondered why this guy affected her the way he did. It was probably because he seemed so laid back and content with his nowhere life.
A large coffee was placed in front of her, along with a huge pastry. Justin set another coffee across from her and another pastry. Her stomach growled, reminding her about how insubstantial the measly muffin at the motel had been. Justin sat across from her and she said, "You guys obviously believe in calories."
He gave her one of his heart stopping grins. "Hey, I'm from Texas where everything is double portions. And this is our bestselling pastry. We call it a Fluffy-Puffy for obvious reasons." He sipped his coffee and cut off a piece of his Fluffy-Puffy with a plastic fork.
Phoenix followed suit. The pastry was straight from heaven. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the bursts of flavor: pecans and walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and cream cheese filling that was sweet, but with an edge of saltiness. She opened her eyes to see Justin staring at her with his head cocked to one side.
"I told you." He grinned.
Momentarily, Phoenix forgot her unreasonable antagonism toward him. "This is fabulous! Whose recipe is it?"
"It was already on the menu when Cecelia MacKenzie," he pointed toward the woman now acting as barista, "purchased the business years ago from the original owner, Dixie Kosky, who said it was her grandmother's recipe."
Phoenix lifted her coffee to her lips. The coffee was also delicious and she said so. They ate in silence for a moment and then Justin nodded toward her suitcase. "Where are you headed?"
"Since Burley won’t sell me a car and there's nothing in the newspaper or on Craig's List, my only option is to catch a bus back to California. Grady said he’d find a buyer for my car and send me the money. I told him I’d split the proceeds, but he refused." She shrugged. "He’s a nice guy."
"And what will you do when you get to California?"<
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"See if I can find a car for a thousand bucks or so and hope I'm not being sold a pile of junk." She sighed. "If I can't find a car before school starts, I'll have to ride the bus."
"Do you have family who can help you out?"
"I have family, but they can't help me. They barely make ends meet themselves. They live in Perris in southern California and I only see them a couple of times a year."
"Why did you choose to attend college in Fresno?"
"I got a partial scholarship and I pay the rest with student loans. And like I said before, I work part time as a barista." She swallowed another bite of her Fluffy-Puffy. "But such is life. I'm good at problem solving, so I’ll figure it out." They finished their pastries and Phoenix sipped the last of her coffee. "The reason I came here was to thank you for helping me and to apologize for being rude." She briefly smiled. "I've been told more than once that I'm 'difficult'." She made air quote marks. "So, now that I have a clear conscience, I guess I'll be on my way." She started to scoot her chair back.
"Wait!" said Justin. "Maybe I have a solution to your dilemma."
Chapter 6: Chica
On Monday Lucinda entered the office of The Paxtonville Weekly Newspaper, one block off Main Street on Second Street, and was greeted coolly by the office manager Gertrude Sniper. Lucinda had met her the previous Friday and received the same reaction, but really couldn't blame her. If the tables were turned and the journalist who had betrayed the town's favorite son was being introduced to her, she'd feel the same way.
Ward Culpepper stepped from his office at the back of the rectangular room with two offices on each of the adjacent walls and enormous printers and office equipment in the center space, and called out, "Hey, Lucinda, come on back to my office and we'll talk about your article."