by Lori King
She was actually the first person to say that to her. “Thank you, Claire.”
“What can I help you with today?” Claire asked.
“I need some clothes for a couple of days. All of mine went up in flames.” Bloom took in a deep breath, trying to rein it in. Everything had been in that car, and when she thought about it she wanted to cry.
“Now that is something I can help you with,” Claire announced with a big smile. “Come with me.” Claire pulled her over to the dressing rooms. “Now let me go get some things for you and you can try them on. I have excellent taste.”
“Well, I like to wear jeans and t-shirts. And I will need some bras and underwear too.”
“I will get some of those but you will need some clothes for dates and such,” Claire said, then stopped. “You’re single, right?”
“Yes, but I won’t be going on any dates. I don’t know anyone here.”
“Honey, have you looked in the mirror? You’re gorgeous. The men will be breaking down your door here in Mystery.”
“Well, I will be living here, at Scott Manor,” Bloom explained. She paused when Claire got quiet.
“You’re Bloom Scott?”
“Yes, why?” Bloom asked. Why did everyone know her name, and what was the big deal? She watched as Claire made eye contact with Freeman then looked away.
Claire glanced back at her and smiled. “No reason, it’s just Rose spoke of you often.”
Bloom narrowed her eyes. “I’ve never met my grandmother. How did she talk about me all the time when I never knew her?” Bloom asked concerned.
“She told us a lot about you. I know you graduated from Morris High School and went to college in New Port before you dropped out. Your major was accounting and you loved numbers. You love the outdoors and animals. You have always wanted a dog but never had one, and your favorite color is green.”
Bloom stared at the woman. How did she know all of that? Every single bit of it was true. Only her parents knew she loved numbers and that she had majored in accounting. “How did you know that?”
Rebecca rushed over before Claire could say anything else. “Claire, let me help you pick out some clothes for Bloom. I saw a green dress over here that would look great with Bloom’s eyes.” Claire glanced back at Freeman again, who was standing over to the side listening to everything.
Bloom looked over her shoulder at Freeman, who was watching her. She was about to ask him how everyone knew about her, but he turned away and walked over to the windows. Bloom decided that right now she needed clothes…later, she would worry about how the town seemed to know so much about her.
Bloom tried on the green dress and stared at herself in the mirror. Rebecca was right; the dress was beautiful and made her eyes pop.
“Come out, Bloom. I have to see the dress on you.”
“I’m not going to get it. I don’t plan on going on any dates.”
“Now, Bloom, before I come in and drag you out,” Claire announced.
She hated trying on clothes, mainly because she never had money to buy anything like this. When she looked at the tag, she almost fainted. “Two hundred dollars?”
The door opened and Rebecca and Claire stood there, gawking at her. “I’m not buying this. It cost two hundred dollars. No way…not for one dress!” She noticed they were both quiet and still staring. “What?” Bloom looked down at the dress. “Did I get something on it?”
“Come out here, Bloom.” When she didn’t move, Claire pulled her out of the dressing room and made her stand on the top step and turn around. When she looked up at the mirror, Freeman and RJ were both silently staring at her.
“I know it looks terrible on me. I told you already, I don’t wear dresses.” Bloom started to get down, but RJ was suddenly standing beside her. “How did you move so quickly?”
“We will take this one, Claire. Bloom looks simply beautiful in it and a woman who looks like this…well, she has to have it,” RJ’s voice was deep with desire.
“No RJ, the dress costs two hundred dollars and I can’t see myself wearing it anywhere.”
“But you can, if you will go with me to the Halloween dance next month,” RJ announced. Why was he talking so loud? Then she heard something that sounded like a growl. When she peered over RJ’s shoulder, she watched as Freeman stormed off, leaving the store.
“What’s his problem now?” Bloom asked.
RJ laughed. “Nothing. I just beat him to it.”
“What did you beat him at?” Bloom asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“You, of course.”
“Me?” Her voice choked. “Look RJ, thank you for asking but don’t use me to piss him off. I have to make this work. I know it means nothing to you, but it’s everything to me.”
“Bloom, I’m only asking you to go to the dance. As for the dress, it’s my treat.”
“I will go to the dance, but I can’t take the dress from you. If you can take it out of my money, I will just go cheaper on the other clothes.” Bloom waited to hear RJ’s answer. He could agree or she would just say no…and why would someone she just met ask her out anyway? Was he doing it because he liked her, or was he was doing it to piss Freeman off?
“You got a deal.” RJ smiled. RJ might look young, but he sure didn’t talk like it. Even his voice was sophisticated.
“Why do I think that I’m just a pawn in your little game, RJ?”
She watched as RJ just shrugged and walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, crossing his legs.
It was a blur after that, with Claire and Rebecca continuing to bring her clothes after clothes to try on. Finally, she had enough, and stopped them from bringing anything further. “Enough, girls. I think I can pick a couple of things out from this.”
“Oh, poo. We were just getting started. You are the perfect size and the clothes look wonderful on you, Bloom.” Claire informed her as she started picking up clothes and carrying them to the front.
Bloom closed the door and started putting on her clothes. She could smell the smoke on them. She couldn’t believe they’d even let her try clothes on, smelling like she did, but this place was different. She hoped that Claire and she could be friends. God knows she needed a friend right now.
She walked out and hit a brick wall. When she looked up, she saw that the brick wall was the ass himself, Freeman Butler. “I thought you got mad and left?”
“I needed to get away from RJ before I hurt him. Why would you agree to go to the dance with him?”
Bloom’s head about blew off. She backed up from him, and laughed. “What’s it to you? I’m your business partner. You’re not my boyfriend, or my husband, so why do you care?”
“Well, I don’t want to be the one who picks you up off the floor crying when he drops you like a lead weight.”
“Really?” Bloom smiled, then started laughing.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you actually think you can tell me what to do and who to do it with. Get a grip on yourself, because I’m my own boss. Not you. Me. Do you get what I’m saying? Do I need to spell it out for you?” Bloom walked around Freeman and up to the counter, where RJ stood.
She didn’t need to turn around to know that Freeman and RJ were glaring at each other. They were men, it was a given. “Turn around and leave him alone. You are trying to start something with him. Stop using me to make him mad. One day you’re going to tell me why.”
“One day,” RJ answered, but this time he wasn’t smiling. He looked away from her. She could see the pain before he hid it.
“Okay hun, your order comes to twelve hundred and fifty-two dollars,” Claire announced.
Her mouth hung open, and Bloom couldn’t speak. How was she going to pay for that? “Umm…maybe I should just wait.”
“Wait for what?” RJ asked, then put his credit card on the counter. “Here, use this, Claire.
“I don’t have that kind of money. That’s too much.” She could feel her hands start to sweat. �
�I could never pay you back.” Bloom could feel the panic attack coming on again.
“Just breathe, Bloom. You have a million dollars sitting in an account, so stop worrying about twelve hundred dollars,” Rebecca said. She started rubbing her back, noticing that Bloom had started to panic again.
Looking over at her, she whispered, “That’s not my money and you know it.”
“It will be in a year,” Rebecca answered.
“That’s a long time away, and who knows if I’m even going to make it.” Bloom took a deep breath. Claire was holding a large shopping bag toward her.
“Take it, Bloom. Worry about the rest later.” Claire pushed the bag in her hand.
Looking down at the bag, Bloom decided that right now she didn’t have a choice. She took the bag and shook her head. “Thank you, Claire, for all of your help. I hope we can be friends.”
“Oh hun, we’re already friends. I’ll come out to the farm and see you soon.” Claire smiled.
4
Bloom looked out the window as the countryside passed by. She loved all the trees and farmland. It was a whole different country to her. She hoped that everyone would like her. Unfortunately, she was off to a bad start. What she couldn’t figure out was why Free hated her, but she wouldn’t worry about that at this point.
One million dollars! Why would her father run to Chicago and live in poverty when he came from this? They had a ton of bills and had never even owned the house she lived in. There were too many secrets about her parents that she was just discovering, and she didn’t like it. Mystery, Tennessee was turning out to be just that…a mystery.
Right now she needed to keep a level head and stay focused on the business. She could make a life here. That’s what she wanted. Right?
RJ made a turn, jarring her from her thoughts. “This is the driveway to the house.”
Wow, that’s a long driveway. Who cuts the grass and takes care of the property?”
“When you’re waiting on crops to come in, you put your workers to maintaining the property and your equipment. You have a lot of tractors as well. Oh, and you have around one hundred and fifty head of cattle here too. The Scott-Butler Farm does really well, hence the million dollars in savings. Your cows are grain-fed, with no preservatives in their feed. People want all-natural meat now, and they are willing to pay a higher price to get it. The soybean and cotton fields are very profitable, too. I think Rose wanted to start a strawberry crop this year. They may already have, but that is something you can talk to Free about.
“Why does he hate me so much?” Bloom asked. It was really starting to bother her.
“He doesn’t hate you, Bloom, but he has always been a man who doesn’t laugh much, or know how to have fun. He was always raised that the pack comes first, and there wasn’t much time to do anything else.”
“Pack? Does he have a big family?” Bloom asked. She could understand if he had a lot of family to feed, or if Rose had promised him the whole farm.
“Umm, yeah he has a lot of family.” RJ glanced over at her. She narrowed her eyes when the smirk appeared on his face.
“What?”
RJ smiled and said, “Nothing.”
“Look, I don’t want to get between you two in your little argument, or whatever is going on between the two of you. I see what you’re doing, egging him on. So do me a favor and keep me out of your petty arguments,” Bloom said. She meant it, too. They were grown men, for goodness’ sake.
“Oh, Bloom, you remind me so much of your grandmother. She was feisty like you. We got along so well. She helped me a lot and I owe your grandmother. This is how I’m repaying her.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it. I never even knew I had a grandmother. This is a lot to take in. The money, the land, and now a business partner who can’t stand me.” Bloom sighed. “Yeah, I can hardly wait.”
“Look, Free is a good man. He’s just too serious all the time, and he’s never met a woman that gives it right back to him, except you. I think this is going to be good for both of you. Promise me you will try, Bloom. Your grandmother wanted you here. That’s why she made so many conditions. She wanted you to give it your all. Don’t let him get to you. Don’t take any crap from him, and shove it back in his face.”
“Easy for you to say,” Bloom muttered
“Welcome to Scott Manor,” RJ announced, pointing toward a beautiful white house nestled between two huge trees. “There’s your new home.”
Wow. It was simply magnificent. It stretched three stories high with a wraparound porch. “A Victorian-style home.”
“Scott Manor was built in the early 1900s and has been updated with all the modern touches. But they say it’s…”
Bloom turned toward him when the smile dipped from his lips. “They say what?”
“That Scott Manor is haunted,” he said with a wink.
“Seriously?”
RJ laughed, “Unfortunately, yes, but your grandmother lived here, and she said that she had made peace with them. I guess you will have to make friends with the spirits, too.”
“I’ve got to make friends with everyone, it seems.” She shook her head, knowing he was joking, or at least hoping he was joking.
RJ lifted his shoulder in a shrug. “Come on, let’s check out your new home.”
5
Bloom got out and gazed up at the house. It was simply beautiful. The house had been kept up and she could see that workers were scraping old paint off one side of the house. They had all stopped their work and were now walking around so they could get a good look at her. This had to be the perfect day for her car to catch on fire and for her to look like crap. She got the feeling they didn’t like her very much. Not one of them smiled or threw their hand up in greeting. Why was everyone acting like she had taken something from them? She hadn’t asked for this, but her grandmother wanted her to have it. Now she was here, and she was going to make the best of it.
“Seems like I’m not very popular,” Bloom said, nodding toward the workers.
“They will get used to you. Let’s go inside,” RJ said, walking up the porch. She followed him inside and immediately stopped.
Bloom swallowed hard as her eyes took in what was now hers. The hardwood floors were dark mahogany wood with wide planks. The living room was huge, with a rock fireplace that was in the center of the room. She could see herself sitting on the edge of the hearth on cold nights, warming herself as the lights from the fire danced around the room. There was a dark leather couch that made an L shape in the middle of the room, with a rocking chair sitting close to the fireplace. A crocheted blanket was draped across the chair as if it was waiting for her to sit down and cover up with it.
“What do you think?” RJ asked.
“I don’t have words to describe it. If I could build and pick out my house with anything I wanted, this would be it. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Well, if you love this, then you are going to adore the kitchen.” RJ walked over to a door and opened it. She gave the living room one last look before she entered.
When RJ flipped the switch, the kitchen lit up and she froze. “Good grief.” This was exactly like her dream kitchen, the ones she saw in the magazines she had been staring at in the grocery store. She would stand at the magazine aisles and flip through each magazine, dreaming of one day having a kitchen just like the one she was standing in right now. She’d even cut it out and put it in her journal.
“You like it?”
She was speechless as she walked around. “I just saw this same kitchen in a magazine.”
“Yeah, your grandmother had excellent taste. She said that she thought you would like this,” RJ answered. There was no way they had the same taste.
Bloom jerked around and stared at him. “She’s been spying on me.” At least RJ had the decency to look away from her. “RJ?”
Clearing his throat, RJ said, “Let’s go upstairs to the bedrooms.” Before he could walk off, Bloom stood in front of him.
“Not so fast, buddy.” Bloom narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t falling for it. “This place is exactly what I picked out for my dream home. Even the living room is what I wanted, down to that couch. I cut all of this out of different magazines and put in my dream book, but how could she know?”
RJ hesitated for a moment. He blew out a breath then replied, “Rose hired a private investigator to find out about you. I guess he saw you admiring the kitchen and living room. However he did it, the question is…do you like it?”
Bloom’s eyes widened. “Well, yeah, of course I love it, but I just don’t get it. Why didn’t she reach out to me? It would have been nice to have family after my parents died. She knew my parents were killed, right?”
“Yes, she did. I’m sorry. Your dad didn’t want anything to do with the life here in Mystery, but your mom secretly sent your grandmother pictures of you and the whole family as you grew up. Your grandmother didn’t want the pictures out when you got here, at least not until you got settled in. I was instructed to put them out once you were told.”
Bloom couldn’t speak.
“She has pictures of when you were born, Bloom. Your mother made sure she knew all about you, and what you liked and didn’t. Rose wanted you all to live here, but your dad wanted nothing to do with it,” RJ said, his tone softer.
“Why? Why would he do that? I had family. It was his mom, his own flesh and blood!”
“Those are questions I can’t answer right now. When the time is right, I will tell you what Rose told me.”
“What? When the time is right? I’m here now, RJ. This is my family. I deserve to know the truth.” Bloom wanted answers, and she wasn’t getting them.
“I’m obligated to do exactly what Rose instructed, Bloom. I didn’t like what she wanted, but these are your grandmother’s conditions, not mine. Just know that she cared deeply about you and wanted you to have this, but only when the time was right.”
“Whatever. I’m tired and want to take a shower. Let’s get this tour over with.” Bloom didn’t understand any of this and it wasn’t fair, but what choice did she have?