Always You (A Magnolia Falls Novel)

by Ruth Roberts

  Jillian looked at her daughter through teary eyes. “‘She’s been through a lot this year. I couldn’t say ‘no.’”

  “Looks like we are going to have two, spoiled, little girls if we don’t learn to say ‘no’ to them soon.”

  “We will say ‘no’ plenty. You just wait and see.”

  “So if Zack doesn’t breed dogs, why does he have so many puppies?”

  “He rescues them. He always has all sorts of animals he rescues. He manages to find homes for them all. Practically all the townspeople have become pet owners since Zack moved back and opened his clinic.”

  “Even Ray?”

  Jillian nodded. “He is now the proud owner of not one, but two teacup poodles.”

  The drink of lemonade Diana had just taken spewed out of her mouth, landing on her denim cutoffs, as she laughed. “No way.”

  Jillian laughed, too. “Wait until you see him walking his dogs.”

  The mental picture that statement created sent both into new peals of laughter. Diana couldn’t wait to see the tall, gruff, flannel-wearing, tough guy walking his two small dogs.

  When they finally regained their composure Jillian said, ‘‘I’ll let Zack know you’ll be coming by, so he can save a puppy for you.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it. Write down the address for his clinic before you leave.”

  “No need. It’s the old Barton farm. He bought the whole place and turned the barn into a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic. Wait until you see it.”

  “Does he live there, too?”

  “Yeah, in their old house. Now that he’s finished the clinic, he is renovating the house.”

  “Nice. Enough about me and your brother. Tell me about you. What have you been doing since you moved back here? There aren’t a lot of job opportunities in a town this small.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Jillian agreed. “But people do like cake, so I started my own business making cupcakes. I make several dozen every day and take them to the local businesses, and they sell them for me.”

  Diana sat up in surprise. “Those amazing cupcakes are yours?”

  “You’ve had one?”

  “One? Several. Cat goes out every morning and comes back with a half dozen. They are wonderful. I think Liz’s five pounds are all from your cupcakes.”

  Jillian looked pleased. “I’m hoping eventually I’ll be able to open my own cupcakery.”

  “Keep baking them as delicious as they are, and you will soon. No doubt about it. Your cupcakes will be famous on the East Coast. Especially the Key Lime Pie cupcake with pineapple cream frosting. Those are heavenly.”

  “Now who’s dreaming?” Jillian laughed.

  “Who wouldn’t dream about Key Lime Pie?”

  “Not about that, about my cupcakes being famous.” Jillian threw her napkin at Diana.

  Diana deflected it and laughed. “You just wait and see.”

  ***

  The next day Diana and Jessica drove out to the Barton farm to see Zack about a puppy. Jessica was bouncing up and down in the backseat reciting dog names. “Buster. Buddy. Anabel. Jujube®.”

  “Jujube®? You want to name your dog after a candy?” Diana asked.

  “Do you like it?”

  Diana let the name roll off her tongue a couple more times. “Jujube. Come here, Jujube!” she said trying out the name. “Actually, I do like it.”

  Diana was driving her mother’s silver SUV. Liz had commandeered their father’s red convertible. He loved his convertibles. Diana used to love going for drives with him on the weekends. They would jump in the car and just drive for hours with no destination in mind. They would stop to eat lunch and then turn around and head back home.

  When they arrived, Diana was amazed at the improvements Zack had made to the old place. The barn was bright red and so clean it almost shined. A big white sign hanging on the front read “Connelly’s Animal Hospital” in red letters. They got out of the car and went in the big double doors.

  “This is what a barn looks like inside?” Jessica asked, her eyes wide as she took in the gleaming animal hospital.

  “Not usually. This is a special barn where sick animals come to get better. Most barns are just where animals live.”

  All the stalls on the left side of the barn had been turned into exam rooms with wide windows along the front so one could see into each room. Instead of dirt floors there was gleaming white tile throughout the barn. To the right side of the barn immediately at the entrance were a check-in desk and a small waiting room with five black, plastic chairs. Toward the back were what looked like offices and storage rooms. Straight across from the front doors at the opposite end of the barn were the back doors which led to a horse paddock. Beyond that they could see a smaller barn.

  There was no one in sight. “Come on. Let’s go out back.” The back doors were split doors. The bottom half was closed, so Diana leaned over and looked around the paddock. Zack was working on the hoof of a horse. “Why am I not surprised to see Zack Connelly with a stray animal?” She asked.

  He looked up and shielded his eyes from the sun. “Diana.” He set the horse’s hoof down, patted her, and stood up to dust himself off. Diana’s eyes followed the path of his hands. The tall, lanky teenager had been replaced by a tall, muscular man, with broad shoulders that pulled the fabric of his solid black t-shirt. She couldn’t help but notice as he walked toward her he sure filled out those blue jeans nicely. She had vaguely noticed the changes in him at the funeral, but had been too upset to fully appreciate them.

  She and Jessica stepped back when he opened the door. He had the same whiskey brown eyes as Jillian, but his hair was a sandy brown. In the sunlight, his eyes matched his hair.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the two most famous Mathison sisters?”

  “Right.” Diana rolled her eyes at him.

  “Liz is the famous Mathison sister. Don’t you know that?” Jessica asked. “Everyone has seen her picture in the magazines.”

  “You mean to tell me that pretty lady isn’t you?” He asked.

  “You’re silly. Can’t you tell I’m not a grown up?”

  “Could have fooled me,” he said. That sent Jessica into a new round of giggles, setting her blond curls bouncing. Today Liz had dressed her in pretty pink jeans, a white t-shirt with yellow flowers and a pink headband with little yellow flowers on it. Liz sure knew fashion and Jessica was benefitting from that expertise.

  Zack turned his attention to Diana. She had enjoyed the opportunity to look at him while his attention was on Jessica.

  “We are here about a puppy,” she said.

  “Ah, Jillian said you were coming.”

  “She and Cassidy brought the puppy over yesterday, so, of course, Jessica has to have one now.”

  “Do you have a black one?” Jessica asked.

  “It just so happens that I do. The puppies are right over here in this room.” He opened one of the closed doors Diana had thought was an office but instead was a puppy playroom. The walls were colorful with murals of forest scenes with trees, wildflowers and bushes. There were toys of every sort and even what looked like a puppy jungle gym. Four dog doors along the side wall led to what Diana assumed was an enclosed play area.

  “Whoa. When you have children you are going to spoil them rotten,” Diana said as she surveyed the big play room.

  Zack shrugged. “All this stuff makes them feel comfortable and helps them get acclimated to go to their new homes. That’s not spoiling them, just taking good care of them.”

  “If you say so,” she said.

  ***

  Zack blinked a couple of times when she flashed him a smile. That smile took him back to long summer days spent with her and Jillian riding their bikes all over town or swimming in Falls Lake. He couldn’t remember a time back then he didn’t have a crush on Diana Mathison.

  He had been too shy to do anything about it. So he’d had to content himself with being her best friend’s brother w
ho tagged along to look out for them. When he finally got the nerve to ask her out, it was too late. He got one glorious evening with her at their Senior Prom, which hadn’t ended the way he had hoped. They’d never spoken again.

  He had seen her a couple times in town over the years when they happened to be visiting at the same time, but their paths had never crossed.

  Ten years later she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her black shorts showed off her long legs to perfection. The green top matched her eyes. Her slightly wavy, mahogany hair hung down her back, and that alabaster skin glowed in the sunlight. Her full, pink lips still looked perfect for kissing. Who was he kidding? Crush was too mild a word. He had been in love with her since he was old enough to like girls. Subconsciously, he had compared every woman he’d dated to her, and they’d come up lacking, including his pretty wife, Hannah. Now they were both back in Magnolia Falls to stay. She had always felt like the one. Would he finally have a chance to find out?

  “I want this one. He likes me,” Jessica said. A six-month-old black Miniature Schnauzer with white paws, had crawled into her lap and fallen asleep. Girl and dog looked adorable together.

  “That is an excellent choice. But he is a she so you will have to pick a girl name,” he said.

  “I already have one. I want to name her Kimi like Kimi on the Rugrats® because they both have black hair.”

  “What about Jujube®?” Diana asked her.

  Jessica looked at the dog thoughtfully. “She doesn’t look like a Jujube®. She looks more like a Kimi to me.”

  He had no idea who the Rugrats® were, but it didn’t matter. “Kimi is a great name.” He went over to the wall a lifted a pink leash off the hook and then snapped it onto the puppy’s collar.

  “I agree,” said Diana.

  “Follow me to the front desk and we will get the paperwork filled out,” said Zack. Jessica was holding onto the leash when he opened the door, and the puppy took off running, pulling Jessica behind her. Although she could easily control the puppy she ran after her, laughing, never letting go of the leash.

  “Look, Diana, she wants to go home with me.” She called over her shoulder, laughing as they ran out the door.

  Diana was about to follow them when Zack said, “They’ll be alright out there. They can’t go very far.” He went behind the desk and pulled out a package of paperwork. “They are pretty much prefilled. You just need to complete the name, address and phone number fields,” he said, handing them to her.

  She leaned against the counter and began filling them out. “How much do I owe you?” She asked.

  “Dinner,” he replied.

  She looked up at him with a raised brow. “Excuse me?”

  “You owe me the dinner you promised me ten years ago, with interest I’d say you owe me somewhere around one hundred dinners.” He put his elbows on the counter between them and leaned towards her, bringing their faces close together. “I’m free Friday if you want to start chipping away at that debt.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  She stood up straight and pushed the completed forms toward him. “That should do it.” She gathered up her purse and keys she had set on the counter. “I’ll thank you now for the puppy because at two in the morning when it has me up with its whining and howling, I will be anything but thankful. In fact, I will probably be cursing you.”

  She smiled, but it didn’t quite have the same flash as before, and he felt a web of disappointment she hadn’t responded the way he wanted her to. But he wasn’t planning on giving up that easily. “You’re welcome. And if you need any help at two in the morning or just want the satisfaction of knowing I’m not getting any sleep either, call me.”

  “I just might do that. See you around, Zack.”

  “Sure thing,” he said as she walked through the door.

  She stopped, turned around, and leaned against the door jam. A smile touched the corners of her lips. “Dinner’s at seven. Don’t be late.”

  Zack watched the sway of her hips as she walked away. Diana Mathison was the one person who had the power to take the bits and pieces that were left of his heart and put them back together. But this time if it broke it would probably kill him. He had barely survived losing Hannah three years ago. He hadn’t been on a date since Hannah. So the prospect of a date with Diana brought the memories of his sweet, young wife flooding back.

  They had married while he was in veterinary school. She was still attending college. They were young and in love. She was, anyway. She deserved so much more than he gave her. By the time he figured it out, it was too late. A drunk driver took her from him before he could give her his whole heart. A part of it had always belonged to Diana. He called himself crazy, stupid, and insane for letting a childhood infatuation consume him, but he knew it was more than that. He had dated other woman, but when he held them in his arms all he thought about was Diana, simply for the fact they weren’t her.

  He’d married Hannah out of desperation, because if anyone could make him forget Diana it was her. Only she hadn’t. She was sweet and loving and gave him all she had, all she was, and still it wasn’t enough. He was a first class bastard. He would never forgive himself, and he had no right looking for love and happiness with someone else.

  But today, when he’d looked up and saw Diana leaning out the door he still felt the same spark. It had happened at her parents’ funeral as well. Holding her in his arms that day, even briefly, was almost heaven. He thought he had buried that part of himself with Hannah. He didn’t deserve what Hannah never had the chance to have. True love.

  The regret washed over him, making him see clearly he would have to cancel dinner and steer clear of Diana Mathison. Granted, that would be hard to do in a small town like Magnolia Falls, but not impossible.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Friday night, seven p.m. and he found himself on Diana Mathison’s front porch, ringing her doorbell. He had every intention of cancelling, but Jillian and Cassidy had double teamed him, and in a weak moment, he had agreed to come. At least he didn’t have to worry about being alone with her since Jillian informed him Diana had turned it into a party, and there would be other people there. He shouldn’t be disappointed it wasn’t a date, but he was. The door opened, and he let out a sigh of relief it wasn’t Diana.

  “Zachary Connelly, how is it that you get more handsome every time I see you?” Liz asked.

  Zack stepped in and gave Liz a hug. “And your pictures don’t do you justice. You are much more beautiful in person.” He had long since made peace with Liz about her part in coming between him and Diana. Besides, he had realized if Diana’d had any faith and trust in him, she would have let him explain. And Liz had changed over the last few years. She had gotten softer. They had run into each other several times when they’d both been visiting Magnolia Falls, and he had gotten to know and like her.

  “You say that to all the girls,” she said, taking the bottle of wine from him. “Very nice vintage.” She tucked the bottle under one arm and looped her other through Zack’s and guided him toward the back of the house. “Everyone is out back. What started as a small dinner for a few friends has turned into a circus. Diana invited half the town. So are you still carrying a torch for her?”

  The abrupt question caught him completely off guard, and he brought them to a halt in the kitchen. He couldn’t formulate a smooth denial so he chose to ignore it instead. The continued on to the back yard. “You weren’t kidding, half the town is here.” Yet, amidst all these people his eyes automatically landed on Diana. She looked beautiful in a white, cotton sundress that flirted with her thighs and gold strappy sandals on her dainty feet. He swallowed hard as he let his gaze linger on her.

  “I see the torch is still burning.” Liz chuckled.

  He quickly looked away and turned his attention to Liz. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He had forgotten she was standing beside him, and he resisted the urge to shift back and forth on his feet.

  “Sure yo
u don’t.” She elbowed him in his side and laughed.

  He was saved from having to reply when his niece came running to him. “Uncle Zacky is here!” Cassidy yelled to no one in particular. Relief ran through him from the welcome distraction.

  He scooped her up into his arms. “Nice chocolate stain,” he said, touching a spot on her shirt, which just happened to be on her belly, so he wiggled his finger tickling her. She grabbed her belly and giggled. “What are you girls up to?” he asked, setting her down next to Jessica and two yapping puppies.

  “We are blowing bubbles for Kimi and Princess to chase. See.” Cassidy and Jessica blew bubbles at the dogs, and they didn’t disappoint. They jumped and ran in circles, attempting to catch every single one.

  “There’s the doorbell again,” Liz said. “I leave you in good hands.” She nodded toward the girls.

  “Uncle Zacky, will you take me to the movie tomorrow? It’s ‘Shrek Three.’® I love ‘Shrek Three.’ ® Please.”

  “If it’s okay with your mom. I’d love to take you.” Magnolia Falls didn’t have a movie theatre so the first Saturday of each month a big screen and a projector were set up in the town square while the nights were warm enough.

  “It’s okay with her. She told me to ask you.”

  “Ah.” If his sister was involved, something was afoot, and he didn’t have to wait long to find out what it was.

  “Can Jessica come, too?” Cassidy asked.

  And there it was, the setup. If he took Jessica it was very likely one of her sisters would go, too. Even though he shouldn’t, he found himself hoping it was Diana. “Sure. Let’s go ask her sister if it’s alright with her.”

  “Yay!” The two girls screamed in unison as they took off running in Diana’s direction. She was talking and laughing with Jen Hardy, owner of the Chat and Chew restaurant. When the girls approached her, she squatted down to their level. He watched as she listened aptly to one, then the other, and lifted her eyes to Zack just as he walked up to them. There it was again, the electric shock factor.