Entangled

by Melissa Brayden

  “You don’t come in enough,” Patsy said, then dropped a coaster with the Scoot’s logo in front of Joey and topped it with a can of vanilla porter from a Portland microbrewery. She said it like an accusation, and Joey winced because ever since she’d begun spending time with Becca, her old routines had taken a hit. She missed Patsy right back.

  “I know, and I plan to remedy that.”

  Patsy softened and grinned warmly. If Loretta was a second mother to Joey, Patsy was a third. “Then all will be forgiven.” She grabbed Joey’s face across the bar and kissed her cheek.

  “How’s your pretty girlfriend?” an older women’s voice asked from behind her. Joey turned to see Maude and the rest of the Biddies decked out in boots and cowgirl hats. Oh, that was right. The foursome liked to line dance on Fridays.

  “I think you’re talking about Becca Crawford, and she’s doing really well. The Jade is booked up for the holidays, keeping her on her toes.”

  “I’m so happy you found someone new,” Birdie said, with a pat on Becca’s shoulder. Of the four, Birdie was the softest spoken and reminded Joey of everybody’s favorite grandma. Without the other three to influence her, Birdie would likely cause a lot less trouble.

  “Me, too,” Maude said.

  Janet nodded wholeheartedly. “Especially now with Simone and Constance tying the knot.”

  Joey paused her beer midway to her mouth. She’d not heard that news. She watched as the other three Biddies passed Janet a chastising stare.

  “What?” Janet asked. “The whole town is talking about it. I figured Josephine knew.”

  Joey set the beer back on the bar and caught the look on Patsy’s face. Her eyebrows drew down and the sides of her mouth pinched in sadness. No—in sympathy, and Joey hated it.

  “I didn’t know.” She forced herself to smile even though the world felt strange. “Good for them. It’s about time, right?” Three years to be exact, her brain supplied.

  The Biddies exchanged another curious series of looks because Joey wasn’t appropriately devastated. Only she was. Just inside. She wasn’t in love with Simone anymore, but that battle scar hadn’t faded entirely. Joey was once the one planning a wedding with Simone and remembered acutely how excited Simone got each step of the way, as they chose their colors, cake flavors, and attendants. Joey had been more excited for the life they would get to lead together. She’d expanded the cottage on the edge of the Tangle Valley property, the one farthest away from anyone. It sat empty now. Joey couldn’t bring herself to repurpose it, even though it would be a nice upgrade for Loretta or Bobby. No one even asked about it, understanding the touchy nature of the topic.

  “When?” Joey asked the Biddies with what she was sure was a stupid grin still frozen falsely on her face.

  “Oh, I believe I heard the spring,” Janet said. “The flowers will be so pretty that time of year. I imagine the wedding would be outdoors, but I don’t know.”

  Of course it would be outdoors. Simone had always imagined an outdoor wedding, and so had Joey. “They will be,” Joey declared, feeling everything in her downshift.

  “And who knows?” Maude said. “Maybe one day Joey here will be tying the knot herself.”

  “It will be a big day,” Birdie said, trying to turn this thing around. “I look forward to that.”

  Joey nodded, her words absent. The thing was, she didn’t want Simone back. She was no longer in love with her and realized that theirs was a childhood romance that wasn’t meant to carry into adulthood. But the anguish hit anyway, hearing about the wedding. Call it unresolved issues, PTSD—whatever it was, Joey felt the acute impact like a runaway train smashing into her unexpectedly. She took another gulp of her beer and stared at the label, feigning interest in the illustration on the packaging of what looked to be a purple phantom. The metaphor resonated as her past trauma reared its ugly head, haunting her all over again.

  “Another brewski for you?” Patsy crowed, trying to lighten the mood. The Biddies heard a Tricia Yearwood song they apparently loved and headed off in a furious flurry to scoot.

  “Nah.” Joey waved her hand. “I think I’ll finish this one and head home.”

  “Are you sure, Joey? Don’t let this get you down. Damn it,” Patsy muttered, eyeing something over Joey’s shoulder. She followed Patsy’s gaze to the door where she saw, speak of the damn devil, Simone and Constance smiling and holding hands. They both wore shiny new rings. There wasn’t a ton to do in town at night, so the odds hadn’t been awful that they’d run into each other. Still. Joey’s gaze landed on Simone’s, and though she tried to glance away quickly, it was too late.

  “Hey, you,” Simone said moments later, sliding onto the stool next to Joey’s.

  And here we go…

  “Oh, hi. Good to see you,” Joey said, doing her best to play it like she’d not noticed them walk in. “Hey, Constance,” Joey tossed over her shoulder to Constance, who stood a few feet away. She waved back with a warm smile. Joey had never been able to hate her, and she’d tried. “How are the animals of Whisper Wall?”

  “Passing around a stomach flu, but we press on.” She raised a fist to communicate they were fighting the good fight, and Joey raised one back. Nothing had ever felt more awkward.

  “How have you been?” Simone asked with extra peppy energy. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages. Since the funeral, probably.”

  “Right? Time flies.” She took a pull from her beer. “Just doing everything I can to put Tangle Valley on the map.”

  “This year’s pinot.” Simone made a mind blown gesture and let her hand rest on her chest in reverence. “Your dad was a whiz. And Maddie’s taken over, yeah? That’s fantastic.”

  Joey nodded, seizing on the opportunity to brag a little. “And we have an Italian restaurant going in next year.”

  Simone’s brown eyes went wide. “I had no idea. You guys are killing it. But I’m sure no one is surprised.”

  Joey set her beer down. “Trying to.”

  “Well,” Simone said, as if not sure what else to say. “Great running into you. I’m so glad to hear about all the great things happening.”

  “Your girlfriend coming by soon?” Patsy asked Joey, looking relatively proud of herself.

  Joey blinked, not wanting to play this game, but now roped in. “I don’t think we’ll see Becca tonight, no.”

  Simone quirked her head. “Becca Crawford? From the resort?” Simone’s smile went still.

  Apparently, Constance heard the exchange and moved closer. “She brought her new dog by. He’s adorable and so incredibly smart. I had no idea you two were a thing. That’s awesome.”

  Joey opened her mouth to answer, but the Biddies were back, and Thelma, out of breath from dancing, did it for her. “They’re so cute together, too. Saw them shopping at the Nickel and the little smolders back and forth told the whole story. The next hot new couple.”

  “She seems really nice,” Simone said, conservatively. “At least, that’s what I’ve heard.” Joey hadn’t seriously dated anyone since the breakup, so this surely felt weird to Simone.

  Joey, on the other hand, brightened. Thinking about Becca always seemed to have that effect. “It’s early, but it’s been…really good. I like Becca a lot.” Joey extended a hand. “And congratulations to the two of you. I heard the news.” She could be mature about this. In fact, she wanted to be.

  Simone had the decency to downplay. “Oh, it’s not a big deal. But you’re sweet. Just thought we’d make it official.” The weight of the moment settled, and she and Simone held eye contact for a beat as memories of yesteryear hovered in the air between them. That could have been them in another lifetime.

  “Thanks, Joey,” Constance said, breaking them out of it.

  “Shall we grab a dance?” Simone said to Constance. The warm familiarity between them, while not new at all, still stung. With a happy nod, Constance reached for her hand, and Simone provided it, hanging on to Constance like they were made for each other.
Maybe they were.

  “Have a nice night, you crazy kids,” Joey called after them. They didn’t seem to hear, lost in love and celebration. Joey raised her eyebrows, sighed, and slid her credit card to Patsy, deciding to head home for the night, after all. The exchange and the news left her gutted, but even more so because she missed Becca tonight. She hoped her day had been a good one and imagined her elbows-deep in work, locked away in her office. She’d call her in the morning, and maybe they’d make plans for a lunch out together.

  As she drove home, despite her desire to avoid the memories, her mind decided to double back to a day on the calendar just three years back. She saw the dress, white lace and long. She remembered the engaging scent of the peonies in her bouquet that smelled subtly of jasmine and rose. There’d been a flute and harp duo who’d played Canon in D as their attendants made their way down the aisle one at a time as everything in Joey soared. Madison had winked at Joey as she processed in advance of her. When the music shifted and it had been Joey’s turn to walk down the aisle, leaving Simone for last, she knew that this was the best day of her life. She clutched her father’s arm overflowing with emotion. He smiled at her and they made their way. She took her place and waited, her heart thudding and her eyes full of happy tears. That’s when it turned into one of those awful, clichéd television shows, because when it was Simone’s turn, and Joey turned, waiting, no one came. The guests were on their feet, Joey was grinning, standing up at the front like an idiot in her dress and fancy hair and the professionally applied makeup Simone had insisted on for them both, but there was no Simone. She’d dug her fingernails into her hands as it became more and more apparent that this wasn’t a delay. Simone wasn’t coming at all. Heads swiveled in Joey’s direction as her guests watched in horror. Her focus fell to the ground when the whispers started.

  Days like today made her feel like they’d never truly stopped.

  If Joey had had the tiniest inkling that something had been wrong, maybe the whole thing wouldn’t have blindsided her so acutely. But Simone had behaved as if everything had been fine.

  “I’m so sorry,” Simone told her when she’d stopped by the vineyard the next day. “You didn’t deserve this, Joey. This is all on me. I never should have let it come to our wedding day. I thought I could do it.” She touched her heart. “But this right here? My heart? It’s with someone else, and it would be wrong to pretend otherwise for another moment longer.”

  Constance had only been in Whisper Wall for a few months at that point. She’d joined the local practice and quietly made friends, Simone being one of them. In the months after the wedding, Joey had glimpsed them here or there, holding hands as they always did and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes over dinner or drinks. To their credit, they’d always toned it down when they saw Joey, but at that point, it didn’t really matter. All eyes were on her as the world watched to see how she would handle any given run-in, which had her leaving group events early or turning down invitations altogether.

  “That’s not you anymore,” she whispered to herself as she drove, squeezing the steering wheel, searching for air. She had her friends, her job, and now Becca, who was more wonderful than she could even imagine. Life had so many new and exciting possibilities. She wiped the tears from her cheek and tried not to think about the fact that she had so very much to lose.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Something didn’t feel right. Joey was half asleep, but even through the haze she could sense it. It crept up her neck and poked at her until she finally released any attempt at slumber. When her full faculties returned to her, she smelled the smoke first, overpowering right from the start. Her brain didn’t quite know what to do with the discovery. Why did her house smell so smoky? And not the good campfire kind, either. This wasn’t a dream. Something was most definitely wrong. Her smoke detector hadn’t gone off, but what in the world was happening? She pushed herself out of bed just as a loud banging could be heard at her front door. Someone was trying to get in, but she had the door dead-bolted. She groggily checked the spot next to her, but found it empty because, that’s right, Becca had slept at her place after working late. Joey was on her own.

  She followed the sound of the bang, bang, bang down the stairs, unlatched and opened the door to find Gabriella standing on the porch in a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, phone in hand. “There’s a fire,” she said immediately, her eyes wide with fear. “You weren’t answering your phone, but I can see it from my place. It’s the back acres. Bobby took the truck to find out. I’m on the phone with 9-1-1. Yes, Tangle Valley Vineyard,” Gabriella said into the phone.

  The information hit Joey fast and knocked her off her game. Her brain stuttered and attempted to understand. “There’s a fire on the property? Ours?”

  “Yes, and we have to hurry. We need to get Madison and Loretta and put some distance between us and the blaze.”

  That’s when Joey’s instincts kicked in. She slipped into the shoes she kept by the door and ran out of the house. She pointed to Gabriella. “Will you wake the others and take them to the entrance? The base of the hill at minimum.”

  “Yes. Where are you going?”

  “To help Bobby.” She didn’t wait for a response and took off toward her truck. They had water supplies and sprinkler systems all over the property. She heard them leap into action as she drove, windows down, which meant Bobby was on it, but would it be enough? As she neared the back acreage, the orange glow grew wider and taller. This was no small fire. What she saw in front of her was catastrophic. Her heart seized painfully as she watched the vines burn, each second lasting a lifetime. The smell of smoke overpowered her as she leapt from the cab of her truck and held a hand to shield her eyes, trying to see Bobby. She could hear multiple voices but saw no one through the thick smoke the wind blew into her eyes, burning them. She’d heard of entire acreages being taken out by wildfires, but the conditions just weren’t right for that. What in the world was happening, and how did she stop it? Joey ducked low, choking on the smoke, and then finally backed away, attempting to right herself, get her bearings back before going back in.

  Then she saw him.

  Bobby stood on the extended ladder on his truck near the edge of the field, spraying water with their industrial hose. At first she exhaled in relief. Temporary. It was like trying to shoot down a fighter jet with a pellet gun. Her heart fell. Joey followed the perimeter of the field, finally making it close enough to communicate with her uncle. “What happened?” Joey yelled over the hiss of the blaze. She fisted her hands in her hair as she looked over the expanse of all they were losing. Each moment that passed took more and more of Tangle Valley. She saw it all slipping through her fingers like sand. As the fire raged, she flashed on the vineyard of her youth, green, vibrant, and thriving. There was nothing she could do to protect it.

  The fire department arrived not long after and went to work. Neighbors gathered. They brought blankets and flashlights and hot chocolate in thermoses while they waited together as friends, as members of a hardworking community, for word. For Joey, who was forced to join them, it felt as if everything was happening in one of those horrific slow-motion sequences from a film. Madison paced, probably understanding more than anyone the larger implications for next year’s yield. While Joey knew there would be immeasurable consequences to the vineyard, it was her childhood, her family’s legacy that she saw up in flames. Madison saw the here and now.

  “Hey, Joey. Just a quick update.” She blinked in anticipation at one of the firemen she knew from school. “I think we have the fire under control. Shouldn’t be long now.” Jason Brewster had been two years ahead of her in high school. All the girls had had a massive crush on him, and here he was, fighting the fire that just flipped the script on Tangle Valley. She never would have imagined this moment in the psychology class they’d once taken together.

  “How much did we lose?” she asked, terrified of his answer.

  He hesitated, his turnout gea
r sooty and smudged. “It’s not for me to say officially.”

  “What’s your unofficial opinion?” she asked.

  “Hard to say. Maybe seven?”

  She closed her eyes and accepted the full brunt of his statement. Seven acres. This was bad. She couldn’t afford to lose seven.

  “You’ll replant,” George Mackenzie, her neighbor, said from where he stood nearby. “This is a setback, but you’ll rebound. We got your back.”

  His wife squeezed Joey’s shoulders from behind. “You’re going to get through this and be just fine. You have all of us.”

  The other neighbors nodded and chimed in.

  “Not to worry.”

  “Anything you need, you let us know.”

  Gabriella wrapped her arms around Joey. “This sucks, but I got you. We all do.”

  Madison stared out at the fields, which were now touched by the early morning light, a haunted look on her face. When she saw she was being watched, she sent Joey a reassuring smile. “It’s okay,” she mouthed. Joey nodded back but her eyes were filled with tears as grief gripped her like a vise.

  But it hadn’t been seven acres. Jason had been wrong. That’s what she learned that afternoon as they assessed the charred remains of the back fields. It was closer to ten. On a thirty-six acre vineyard, she’d lost damn near a third of everything. She wanted so badly to wake up from this awful nightmare but couldn’t seem to make it happen.

  Bobby sat at her kitchen table with his hat in his hands. “Fire chief said they found a charred makeshift ashtray out there. They’re thinking teenagers.”

  Joey shook her head and sipped what tasted like defeatist coffee. Nothing could cheer her up. “I bet you anything it was that teenage Hollis kid from Fable Brook and his idiot friends. How many times have you chased them off the property?”