by Nancy Naigle
He let the silence stand for a moment, until she looked at him as if waiting on an answer.
“Nothing,” he said. “I’m who I am because of every yesterday. I’m just not going to base my future on them. You seem to be building a wall around your future so that no one can get over. Aren’t you afraid you’ll miss something ahead?”
Her eyes narrowed, a slight tilt to the curve of her lips. “Were you trying to get over my wall?”
She definitely had his attention. “You’re different. I’m curious.” And you scare the hell out of me.
“Well, I don’t think I need to worry about you. You don’t seem the relationship-seeker type.”
“I’m a type now, am I?” He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be offended. “I’ll have you know that I’ve been in a couple pretty long relationships. Been engaged twice.”
“Really? But you didn’t get married. What made them leave?”
“They didn’t leave me.”
“See. Not the relationship type.”
“I called off those engagements, because they changed. Not me.”
“You sure about that? You are the common denominator there.”
“Positive. Once I placed that engagement ring on her finger, everything changed. Second time, just the same as the first.”
“Why’d you break it off?”
“The rules changed. Their attitude changed. Suddenly all the things we’d done weren’t interesting. Maybe they wanted the lifestyle or the money and not me, or they were chameleons willing to act like what they’d thought I wanted. They were good at it if that was what it was.” And damn if I didn’t learn from that mistake. Or have I, because right now I’m thinking all kinds of things.
“Sorry that happened to you. Twice.”
“Me too. So you can see why I might be a little hard to get close to. Most girls aren’t interested in the things I’m interested in anyway. And then there’s you.” His heart clenched, wondering how she’d respond to that.
“Me?”
“You’re different. I really like that. You’re confident. Secure. Fun. You even like cars.”
“I sure do.”
“If you sold me the DeSoto, that could solve a lot of problems for you financially.”
“Why do you seem so worried about my financial stability?” Her lips bunched, and not in a happy, I-want-to-kiss-you way.
“I’m not worried. I like the car. I’d totally buy it from you.”
“Not . . .” She stood up, looking across the way.
“What is it?”
“I thought . . .” She walked forward and then turned, wide-eyed. There wasn’t anything peaceful about the man Megan was focused on, and he was heading their way. At least they’d been out here when he showed up. “It’s Angie’s ex, Rodney. He’s here.”
Noah jumped from the bench and laid a protective hand on Megan’s arm. “What’s he doing here?”
“I have no idea. But it’s not good news. He always spells trouble.” Her chest heaved with each breath.
“Calm down. We’ll get him turned around and out of here before he sets foot inside the building.”
“He’s coming this way right now,” she said.
Noah stood there. “I’ll handle this.”
She stepped back as Rodney got closer.
“You the sorry ass getting ready to marry my wife?” Rodney asked, flailing his arms as he spoke.
“I don’t think you were invited,” Noah said.
“You gonna make me leave?”
Megan’s heart pounded. She could smell the whiskey on Rodney’s breath from where she stood. If he made a scene, it would ruin the mood for the whole weekend. “Rodney, you just go on back home. Y’all’s divorce has been long over. You’ve got no reason to be here.”
“Thought I should warn the poor sucker who was going to marry her,” Rodney said. “You him?”
“No one’s interested in what you have to say. Why don’t you get back in your truck and leave? You don’t want to make a scene.”
“I ain’t making a scene. I’m gonna save that sonofabitch some damned heartache’s what I’m gonna do.” Rodney staggered and Noah caught him by the arm.
“You have no business here tonight.”
Rodney raised his chin. “I got business. My son is in there. I’m his father. His dad. That kid’s always my business.”
“You don’t want him to see you like this. Come on, man.” Noah spun Rodney around and grabbed him by the arm. “You’ve had about one too many. Want me to call you a cab?” Noah paused, looking Rodney right in the eye. “Or a cop? Your choice.”
Rodney pulled his arm back. “Don’t need your help.”
Megan had dialed 911 and requested assistance when Noah first approached Rodney. Even though the goal was to get him to leave, she couldn’t let him drive off drunk either. She looked up, and she couldn’t believe what she saw. Rodney was already halfway back to his truck. Noah was still standing where he had been, just off to her side.
“Thank you so much, Noah. I called the police. I hope they get here before he gets that truck started.”
“Clearly he’s not over her.”
“It’s been a long time. He was an awful husband and father. Angie would die if she knew he’d shown up. Can we not tell her?”
“Fine by me. You can tell your friend or not,” Noah said. “But I feel like I have to let Jackson know. He has a right to know. Especially if this guy might show up again.”
“If Jackson knows, he needs to tell Angie. They can’t start their marriage with a secret.”
“But we can keep a secret from our friends? That doesn’t seem right.”
“You’re right. Tell him. Let him tell Angie. He can assure her everything will be okay . . . or not. Up to him.”
“Yeah, we’ll let them figure it out,” Noah agreed.
A police car pulled into the parking lot and right up in front of Rodney’s truck.
Megan went back over and sat on the bench. “Poor Billy. He’s still young, but I have a feeling Rodney is always going to be a problem for them. I’m so glad he has Jackson to look up to now. They make a good family.”
“Yeah. I’ve never really thought I’d have kids. Don’t think I’d ever heard Jackson talk about it either, but watching Jackson with Billy, I can see that it was meant to be.”
“I know. And that cool room makes me almost want a kid.” Megan pondered and then shook her head.
“I bet you’d be a good mom.”
“Thank you . . . I think.”
“Maybe you’ll have a little girl who looks exactly like you someday. I bet you were an adorable little girl.”
“I was awkward. And a tomboy.”
“You want to have kids?”
“I’ve never thought I’d have children. Maybe if I met the right man I’d think differently. I’m not against it. I’m just not one of those girls with a clock ticking. If it’s meant to be, I’ll know it. But I’m not the marrying type.”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard a woman say that about kids. Do you really mean that?”
“Yeah, I do. My parents ended up divorced. Daddy marched to his own beat. He’d always been an embarrassment to Momma the way he drove around in his big white pickup truck with six-foot American flags flying from the two back corners of the tailgate. I personally thought it was kind of funny. He seemed to be having one heckuva time. But people in town were used to the behavior and, after a while, they barely even stared when he cruised by waving. He’d become the self-proclaimed welcome center for Boot Creek.”
“That’s kind of funny.”
“Mom said he wasn’t like that before he retired. She said retirement gave him a touch of the crazies.”
“Or just the freedom to be he who he really was,” Noah said.
“But he wasn’t the man Bootsie had fallen in love with, and try as she did to be an understanding wife, eventually it got so bad that she’d left him and moved into the upstairs o
f the bakery.”
“That had to have been hard.”
“It was. Especially when not two weeks later Daddy had hooked up with a bleached blonde dancer from the go-go club up off the interstate. She’s not but a few years older than me. He sold the house, gave Momma her half, and bought himself a big house in the next town over.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, Momma divorced his butt so quick. But Daddy was high-functioning crazy. Using his retirement money to gamble his way into that little dancer’s heart. But through it all, Daddy had never risked losing that car.”
“Can’t blame him.”
“I don’t want to end up like either of them. And sometimes people fall in love for all the wrong reasons, but one of you is completely in the dark.” Her eyes clouded. “I can’t go through that. And it’s not even just my gut, look at all the data I have.”
“That’s yesterday’s data.”
“It tells a story.”
“It’s history.”
“I had a bad feeling about Rodney all along, but Angie wouldn’t listen. If she had, she could have avoided that whole heartache.”
“That was Angie’s path. Not yours. And she got Billy out of all of that. And now Jackson. That doesn’t seem like such a bad path to me.”
“I love Jackson for her. But you didn’t see the hell Rodney put her through. And he did treat her good before they got married. I can see how she didn’t see it, but I had that feeling.”
“Probably made her stronger. The great mom that she is. The thoughtful partner. The partner that will stand up for herself, and Jackson loves that about her.”
“He does. Doesn’t he?”
“Yeah. Never thought I’d see him like this. But it suits him.”
“That’s what’s important.” She nodded with a smile. “And Angie is over the moon happy.” She paused. “How about you? You seem to have the same views on marriage that I do. Why is it okay for you and yet you question me?”
“Double standard. You’re right. I apologize.”
“I’m not asking for an apology.”
“I want to be me. I love my life. The creativity of building the cars. The excitement of the projects. Starting with a mess and creating something that dazzles the mind.”
“Won’t keep you warm at night.”
“That is a problem.”
She cocked her head. “Somehow I doubt that.” And why was she wondering what it would be like to wake up to that face each morning?
“There you are,” Jackson said. “We’re ready to head out. Angie’s hanging here awhile. You coming with us?”
Noah hesitated, but he got up. “Yeah. Sure.” He looked back to Megan. “Good talking to you tonight.”
“I really enjoyed it.” Her smile was easy. “A lot.”
Me too. He nodded toward Jackson, in their unspoken agreement that he’d tell him about Rodney showing up. “Yeah. I’ve got this.” He gave her a wink as he walked away.
He walked inside with Jackson. Ford and Derek were hanging by the door where Jackson had parked.
They all got in the truck, and Noah said, “So, there was a visitor tonight. An uninvited one.”
“What are you talking about?” Ford asked.
Noah directed his words to Jackson, but was glad to know that all four of them would be on the same page. “Angie’s ex showed up earlier. Drunker than hell. Wanting to share advice with you.”
Jackson spun around. “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope. Megan spotted him while we were sitting out there talking. I had a quick chat with him and sent him on his way. Not sure if he’ll show up tomorrow, but we probably should be prepared for it.”
“He’s an ass.”
“I gathered that. And a little crazy eyed. And he’s big by the way.”
“I don’t care how big he is.”
“Easy to talk big and bad, but he’s that kid’s dad and no matter what a jerk he is, he’s going to be in y’all’s lives until that kid is eighteen. Hell, maybe longer.”
“He’s not a father to Billy. And, trust me, I’m crystal clear on the custody agreement. That loser doesn’t even care.”
“You will be a great stepfather. I know you will be, but Jackson, don’t you kid yourself into thinking it’s going to be this cozy three-person family, because that guy is going to be swooping and stirring shit whenever he damn well pleases.”
“I don’t doubt that he’ll stir up trouble. But that was part of the package from the start. She’s worth it.”
“Okay. I’m just saying.”
“I know. Noah, I hope you meet someone who turns your every belief on its head one day. I know what you’re saying and I know that you mean well, but I love Angie. She makes me feel like my life is worth living. I want to wake up every day and see her face. I want to raise Billy, and if having those two in my life means that I have to pay the price of some bad days . . . it’s a small price.”
“I’m honestly happy for you. And Angie really does seem great.”
“I knew you’d like her.”
“I do. I think she’s good for you.” Noah couldn’t dispute their obvious connection. “Now, that doesn’t mean I feel any differently about marriage. I’m still not a believer. I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid, but I do believe you’re happy. And I’m proud to be your best man.”
“That’s all I can ask of you, man.”
Only it was easy to say that he wasn’t drinking the Kool-Aid, but something in the water here in Boot Creek must be doing something, because he was having some serious feelings about Megan in just a few short days. No woman had ever made him feel this way. This right. Right enough that he didn’t even care if he couldn’t get the car. As long as he could get the girl. It was like a late-night, alien-body-snatching B movie.
He looked out the window into the dark countryside. Probably a crop circle out there right now.
Chapter Thirteen
Megan took a deep breath in and let it out. The meteorologist had hit the nail on the head—for once. The heat wave had finally offered a reprieve and the skies were brilliant Carolina blue against cotton-candy-like clouds.
A perfect day for a wedding.
Perfect for a couple to start their happily ever after.
And yet Megan felt like she could cry or fall apart at any moment.
If it wasn’t so darned early in the morning, she’d pour herself a drink to calm down. But that wasn’t going to solve the problem.
She could have solved the problem last weekend, only she’d chickened out. Now she had no choice but to get in that car and take it over to the church.
It’s a car. This is ridiculous. This is not a big deal.
But it didn’t matter how many times she said it. To herself or out loud up on the rooftop patio. It felt huge.
Still in her pajamas, she sipped coffee from a tall mug. The morning air was fresh, and the birds seemed to be pretty happy about it too. Squirrels chattered, and the sounds of Boot Creek waking up and getting to work on a Saturday morning reminded her she’d already been sitting there too long. And she wondered how much her opinion of this nice morning had been influenced by the time spent with Noah. He’d buoyed her mood and sparked interests in things that she thought she’d set aside for good. But anxiety coursed through her, making her muscles ache.
She had no good reason to feel this way. Dad had been the one to say yes to letting Jackson and Angie use the car to begin with. He’d trusted Jackson. Why couldn’t she? Angie was her best friend and her dad had treated her like a second daughter. He’d have loved to have been here for this wedding. He’d originally been the one that was going to give her away. It had worked out fine that Derek would do it. They were as close as any two friends could be.
She’d washed her hair before coming outside, and now it was nearly dry. A tangle of curls, but Flynn was doing all of their hair in updos for the wedding anyway. She’d stalled just about as long as she could.
With her mug in hand, she w
ent downstairs and turned off the coffeepot and put her mug in the dishwasher.
She changed out of her pajamas into a pair of yoga pants and a loose fitting baseball-jersey-style shirt that had BLESSED across the front in a bright blue, swirly font, the same color as the sleeves. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops and picked up the tote bag she’d packed with all of the things she’d need to get ready at the church.
Dread filled her as she walked toward the garage. Her hand slipped on the knob as she twisted it, her palm sweaty.
She flipped the light switch.
Daddy’s car was now hers. This car made a statement. It was the perfect representation of Daddy. Big, audacious, shiny with unexpected strength and charm.
She walked in and set her bag down next to the car.
Not once, ever, had she driven it. Daddy had always done the driving.
Anxiety swept over her.
Keep moving. Just do it.
The huge metal-and-glass overhead door that opened to the back parking lot was an old manual-pull type.
She walked over and wrapped her hands around the weathered rope pulls. She tugged with all of her weight. It was in working order but was always hard to get moving. The first few inches were a booger-bear every time.
One day I’m going to be able to afford an electric opener for this thing.
She gave it one more good tug. The pulley and gravity finally took control, sending the door rolling up with a clatter.
On edge, she jumped back, even though she’d gone through the routine of opening this door dozens of times. But it was her own fault that she was now in this position. Had she been brave enough to confide in Angie about the car and told her about the limo, she probably would’ve understood. Not that even she herself really did. It didn’t make sense, and in her mind, she knew it was an over-the-top desire to hang on to an old memory through a car, but it was there. And it felt all too real. And regardless . . . it was too late to change it. Calm down.
Licking her lips, she walked back over to the car to open the driver’s-side door. Standing there, she stared inside. She let her hand rest on the gold ragtop. He’d held up well. A strong car. Like Daddy. He always made an entrance. An impression.