by Lia Riley
ScrabbleLuvR: I’m boycotting The Bachelor after last week. I don’t think any of the hussies left have class. And I had to drive Earl to the podiatrist this morning so I couldn’t bake. Instead, I passed on my favorite cookie cutters to Ida May to see if they got a rise out of her. Speaking of bachelors, has anyone heard if Beau Marino is bringing a date to the ball? Will it be Tuesday Knight?
IdaMayI: Those were dirty cookie cutters. Lucille Vernon, I’d say you need Jesus except it is too funny. You should have seen the look on Pepper’s face when I dropped off our Back Fence contribution. Also, about that Tuesday Knight business. Well, well, well. There are some chat boards in New York City that are making very interesting allegations about little Miss Princess. Turns out she has quite the skeleton in her castle.
Chapter Fifteen
The ocean was as calm as a lake. Beau gestured at the Calypso’s limp sails and slumped his shoulders. Sometimes Mother Nature was a real bitch. “Ready to head back, or keep racing along at two fucking knots?” There wasn’t so much as a breath of wind. Any hopes for a decent sail were bust.
“I vote to stay out unless you’re itching to get back to something at city hall.” Rhett stretched his long legs on the foredeck and nodded to the five gallons of fuel lashed to the deck. “We’ve got a full tank and a freshly topped jerry jug. Why not putz to the closest anchorage and have a cold one from that new Hogg Jaw brewery?”
“Ten four.” Beau stuck on his shades to cut the sun glare on the water. “I’ll motor to the northwest side of Hope Island. Shouldn’t be too crowded if we put in by the creek.”
It took a half hour to let down the sails, fiddle with the choke on the finicky engine, and get to the pine-lined cove framing a sliver of golden sand devoid of people.
“All right, you’re right. Even a no-wind day is better than most spent on land.” Beau lowered the anchor, not budging until he felt it set on the bottom.
“That’s the spirit.” Rhett dug in the ice-packed cooler for two beers. “Now, what’s on your mind?” He popped the cap before passing over a bottle.
“Not much.” Beau picked at the label.
Rhett shrugged before taking a long swig. “Shit, that’s good, hoppy as hell. And fine. Suit yourself. But just so you know, I’ll be right over here, in case words start coming out.”
Beau studied his buddy’s relaxed profile as he enjoyed his beer. Rhett had stumbled on the real deal after being jilted at the altar. His ex-fiancée, Michelle, was a good person, even if she’d royally screwed up by panicking the morning of the wedding rather than ending their relationship face-to-face. But Beau had always half understood why she’d pulled the stunt.
Rhett had a hell of a big heart. A good guy who never wanted to let someone down, even when his long-term relationship had devolved into nothing more than friendship. He’d stuck by his original youthful commitment, for better or worse, despite any private misgivings. It had forced Michelle to go with her gut, needing more from life than a sense of stubborn obligation. But the two had eventually worked it out, and now both lived in Everland on good terms.
“Got big plans for tonight?” Beau resisted the urge to cringe. Small talk came as natural to him as a drunk cow on roller skates.
Rhett made a noncommittal gesture. “Pepper has her hands full organizing a bake sale fund-raiser for the shelter and Lou Ellen asked to borrow our wolf pack.” His big sister took their dogs from time to time to entertain her five hyperactive children.
“Must be a change going from Everland’s most confirmed bachelor to happily engaged?” Drunk cow. Fucking roller skates.
“The funny thing is that Pepper makes me more of who I am, not less.” Rhett caught his gaze. “Thinking about getting back out there?”
“Me and Jacqueline got together first semester in the dorms at UGA. I’ve never been out there,” he snapped. He’d thought by marrying young they were getting a jump-start on forever, but if love was blind, marriage was one hell of an eye-opener. All they’d done was jump into the fast lane of making each other miserable.
“Couldn’t help noticing that you and Tuesday hit it off at our dinner party.”
“So?” Beau scrubbed all feeling from his tone. “We’ve got nothing in common.”
“So…don’t know if that’s the whole truth.” Rhett shoved his hat back and swiped a hand over his forehead. “From where I sat, it looked like you shared a deep love for driving each other bat-shit crazy.”
Beau managed a casual chuckle. But Tuesday had made him admit one thing. He was crazy lonely. He might not be the right guy for her, but his failure with Jacqueline didn’t mean he could never get behind the wheel again. A woman could be out there, one he could make happy.
He swallowed more beer. Hard to get out the next words, even to an old friend who wanted nothing but the best for him. “Suppose I have been thinking about dating. Last night I drew up an itemized list of positive attributes for a potential partner ranked from ‘must have’ to ‘nice to have’ to ‘lesser importance.’”
“Say what, now?” Rhett winced. “Jesus. Is this list also in alphabetical order? Color coded?”
He ignored the jibe. “I thought I should start by trying to find someone more like the female version of me.”
“You?” Rhett coughed into his fist. It seemed to be masking laughter.
He flexed his jaw. Maybe talking was a bad idea. “It wasn’t anything fancy. I’d like someone who enjoys being out on the water and who’s career minded. See, I have big plans for Everland’s future development, plans that require commitment and elbow grease. I need someone who’ll appreciate that work can be life and that’s okay.”
“And a fellow workhorse will make you happy?” Rhett didn’t bother hiding his skepticism.
“Yeah.” Beau shoved away the mental image of Tuesday kicking in that damn rain puddle or straddling his lap and kissing him stupid. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Rhett pulled an unconvinced face. “Got to say, I doubt it, man. I doubt it very much. But you know what, I’m going to do you a solid. There’s a new Realtor in town. Meredith Green. Have you heard of her? Total overachiever. I met her in line at Sweet Brew and she had her business card in my hand in under twenty seconds.”
“Sounds promising.” Beau’s gut clenched. This was exactly what he’d asked for, so why did his body reject the idea like a bad virus?
“I’m going to shoot straight though, man.” Rhett gave him an indecipherable look. “Love doesn’t follow rules, and it sure as hell doesn’t always make sense.”
“My parents came from two different worlds, but look how easy they had it. My marriage…wasn’t.”
Rhett frowned. “All relationships take work. Even the good ones. The trick is finding someone worth the effort. But know what? I’m going to swim and cool off before we head back.” Rhett seemed to realize he’d hit the end of his endurance and stood, ripping off his shirt. “And now we can scratch ‘sharing deep thoughts about love’ off our friendship bucket list.”
“It’s been real,” Beau shot back.
Rhett chortled like a smug bastard before diving into the crystal-clear water.
They spent the rest of the trip back to the marina trading good-natured insults and engaging in general shit talk. If Rhett happened to insert Tuesday into more than a few stories, Beau pretended not to notice, even though he ended up chewing his cheek half bloody to avoid asking follow-up questions.
He shouldn’t be curious.
He shouldn’t wonder.
Tuesday shouldn’t be a topic that interested him on any level other than that of an engaged constituent.
Ignoring her shouldn’t be this hard, should it?
“I’m going to get you Meredith’s number,” Rhett said as they pulled into the slip in the late afternoon. “Because you think it’s what you want. But remember.” All joking erased from his tone. “Careful getting what you ask for.”
* * *
Tuesday bolted upright. “What the heck
?”
The peacock pillow that had just bounced off her nose tumbled to the floral-patterned rug next to the couch.
“Rise and shine, sunshine,” Pepper chirped in an annoyingly perky voice.
“Ugh. What time is it?” Tuesday rubbed her sand-filled eyes, disoriented.
Pepper waved her ever-present wristwatch. “It’s 1:37 on a Saturday afternoon.”
“And your point is?” Tuesday ignored her sister’s disapproving tongue snick in favor of rolling over and burrowing her face into the back of the couch.
“My point?” Pepper grabbed her by the shoulder and rolled her back over. “That unless you’re sick, nap privileges get revoked the same time as diapers.”
“How are we related? Naps are the best thing to do on a lazy afternoon. Wait, correction.” Tuesday flashed a wicked smile. “The second-best thing.”
Her sister held up three fingers. “One, naps make me feel like crap. Two, they aren’t productive. Three, I have perfected a sleep schedule and refuse to throw it off.”
“Have you been binge-watching YouTube makeup tutorials or something?”
Pepper knit her brows.
“All I’m saying is that you do an exceptional job masquerading as a human.” Tuesday plucked the fallen pillow and hurled it back at Pepper. “I want to know what foundation lets you cover up your green skin and scales, you no-nap monster.”
“Why, you little…” Pepper jumped on top of Tuesday and pinned her arms.
“Get off, you goose. I can’t breathe.”
“Don’t let your mouth write a check that your body can’t cash.” Pepper proceeded to tickle her relentlessly.
“Oh my God. Oh my God, stop. Oh my God, please.” Wetting herself became an actual concern. “Please, I beg you,” she pleaded between peals of laughter.
Pepper finally relented and retreated to adjust her perfect A-line bob with a smug expression. “Glad to see I still got it in me.”
“But for real.” Tuesday sat up and tugged down her T-shirt. “You don’t nap during the day?”
“Never,” Pepper answered.
Tuesday mulled the disturbing admission for a moment. She definitely took after their free-spirited father, who believed siestas were the key to a long life.
“But what about last week? Remember how I came over in the middle of the day and you and Rhett were in the bedroom and…” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “Rhett. You. Bedroom.” She made a gagging sound through muffled fingers. “Oh, good gravy, I totally busted you, didn’t I?”
“Yup. In flagrante delicto.” Pepper burst out laughing. “Rhett was mortified.”
“Gross. Gross. Gross.” Tuesday shuddered from the horror. “You hornballs need to start hanging a sock in your front door.”
“That would go over well with Miss Ida May. She’d probably invest in a periscope.”
“Do you know the Back Fence started a poll predicting when you’re going to get knocked up?”
“No they haven’t!” Pepper went four shades of red. “There isn’t even a wedding date yet.”
“It was the poll right beneath picking the best time of year for your impending nuptials. Wait, no, it was beneath the one trying to give you guys a nickname. Choices were Alett and Rpepper. Terrible mergers to be honest. ‘Rpepper’ sounds like a nasty itch, doesn’t it?”
Pepper stared toward the ceiling and took a deep breath. “I’ve been practicing meditation every morning. It’s the only way I’m going to survive small-town life. In Moose Bottom most people lived in the woods. We weren’t ever in each other’s business like this.”
“The Back Fence tagline is true though; they truly do share ‘all the news you care about.’” She glanced at the tablet on her coffee table and bit her lower lip. Better to focus on small-town gossip than scroll through Broadway tattle on the New York Theatre Guide.
She shouldn’t have looked. Looking was dangerous, stupid, and pointless because she was never going back to that world. After reading about all the latest castings, she’d forced herself to sleep in order not to go cry in the shower.
“As much as I’d love to hear what the specials are at Mad Dawgs, who is rumored to be carrying on with a handyman, or drama about the upcoming Fall Ball or Harvest Festival, I have my own share of small-town melodrama,” Pepper said. “That’s why I’m here. Do you have the goods for the bake sale?”
“Goods?” Tuesday stretched until her lower back gave a satisfying pop.
“‘Good’ is maybe a little ambitious, but I mean your baked good donation.”
Tuesday clasped a hand over her mouth.
Pepper narrowed her eyes. “Oh, come on. You didn’t forget.”
“I’m so sorry,” Tuesday said. “I spaced it. I’ve had so much going on.”
“Yeah.” Pepper eyed her disheveled living room. “I can see you’ve been busy. Never mind. It’s just a bake sale to raise money for the Everland animal shelter. You know, the one I’m the new executive director of and in charge of getting the last fifteen thousand for the capital campaign. I thought I could count on my one and only sister to help support the cause. And she promised, so you know…”
“I do know!” Tuesday swung her feet off the couch and stood. “Gah. I’m sorry. I’m such a mess.”
“I didn’t think it could get worse than when the Back Fence biddies dropped off their donation, a plate of gingerbread cookies with the men and women all having conjugal relations.”
“Not going to lie—that’s sort of funny,” Tuesday said with a giggle.
“Some things can never be unseen,” Pepper replied grimly. “I might never recover.”
“Okay, I can salvage this. I have a pack of chocolate chip cookies in the pantry. How about I whack them on a pretty plate and call it good. They are chewy and extra chocolate chip.”
Pepper thought it over. “Nothing X-rated.”
Tuesday flashed her old Girl Scout sign. “Scout’s honor.”
“What the heck, that would be great. Thank you. Every dollar counts.”
“I am sorry for letting you down. I know how much the shelter means to you.”
“Get a planner. Write a few things down.”
“Yes.” Tuesday nodded. “Yes, that is exactly what I should do. Planner. Calendar. Maybe some cute pens. Stickers for the planner. Ooh, washi tape. I could start wearing pencil skirts and smart-looking updos.”
“Come back to real life.” Pepper touched her shoulder. “You don’t need to get carried away and throw yourself overboard by assuming a new role. I love you just the way you are.”
“Hot mess and all?” She studied the black-and-white photograph of the tightrope walker balancing between two New York City skyscrapers that hung on her wall.
Pepper nodded. “Hot mess and all. How about start with a weekly calendar and check it each day?”
Tuesday sighed. Pretending to be organized and actually being so were two vastly different things. “Do you want help for the bake sale?”
“There are five volunteers meeting me at the community center to do pricing. I’m more than covered.”
Tuesday stood and walked to the kitchen to get the cookies. “Text if you need me to stop by and pitch in. I’m going to the Everland Library,” she called.
“That wasn’t my first guess,” Pepper called.
Tuesday popped her head back out the kitchen door. “I want to read up on the art of persuasion. Happily Ever After Land is trusting me to be their lobbyist. Imagine me, Pepper. Mr. Wilcox, Toots, Lettie Sue, Gil…all of them need their jobs and not just for the money.” The odd collection of misfits were a real family.
Pepper’s features softened. “Everland’s gotten to you.”
“I don’t know what’s happening.” Tuesday ducked back in the kitchen and opened the cupboard with too much force. “The park isn’t my dream job any more than being a birthday-party princess. But the place is special. It’s what I need right now, and more importantly, it’s bigger than me. I can’t afford to m
ess up Happily Ever After Land. Not like I messed up New York or even your bake sale. I have to research, get it right.”
“Forget the bake sale a sec,” Pepper said, walking in behind her. “You know that you’ve never given a straight answer as to why you left New York. All you said was you weren’t involved in anything illegal. I’m sure you meant those words to be comforting, but I’ve been worried. Performing on Broadway was your dream.”
“Emphasis on the was.”
Pepper cast a pleading look. “Don’t shut me out.”
“I’m not trying to.” Tuesday opened the pantry, grabbed the cookies, and tore open the package. “I’m not trying to be mysterious. Look. It’s just…I…got hurt and am embarrassed about it.” She dumped the cookies on the plate and arranged them in a circle. “For the first time in forever I’ve started feeling like I’m moving forward and don’t want to go backward right now. I want…I need to keep looking ahead. Please.”
Pepper chewed the corner of her lip. “You know evasiveness drives me crazy.”
Tuesday exhaled in relief. “It’s one of my superpowers.” Her straightforward sister was going to give her space. Pepper was the best.
“Do you need my help knocking sense into Beau? Should I barricade myself to the park gate opening until he agrees to your demands?”
Tuesday swallowed back tears as she handed over her half-assed bake sale donation. Despite it being new to her, Everland felt familiar with Pepper here. Home was more about the people than the place.
“I don’t need you to go the full civil disobedience hog just yet. But do you have any insights on how to sweet-talk the mayor? All I know about lobbying I’ve learned from binge-watching the first season of House of Cards this week. I’m grasping at straws here.”
Pepper leveled one of her intense, MRI machine–style stares, scanning her from head to toe. “I’m going to take the liberty of administering a hefty dose of straight talk.”