All for Family (The Rawley Family Romances Book 3) Page 9

  Dear Jeremy,

  I’m so happy to hear you and your mom have been having morning rides together. I say if your mother wants to bond than then bond! Seriously, my mom was pretty much missing from my life as a teenager. After Mom and Dad divorced, he disappeared and Mom was constantly trying to find a new man to fill the void. That’s why I gravitated to Ray and Rhonda’s house so much. The Slacks took me in and treated me like their own. I used to love the “family unit” meals we’d share together.

  As an aside … I’ve never ridden a horse before!

  Speaking of the Slacks, after receiving your letter I called and asked to come visit them. I burst into tears when Mom greeted me at the door with a big hug and a plate of fresh-baked cookies. I stayed the entire afternoon with them, and after spending just a few minutes explaining about the divorce, they assured me that they understood that some couples just weren’t meant to be, but that they still loved me and always would. After that, we chatted all about my projects and their upcoming vacation to Branson, Missouri, and lots of trivial subjects. It was just like nothing had ever happened.

  I’ve done as you asked and taken a photograph of the house before beginning the project. I can’t wait to send it to you once I have a few more transitional ones …

  After rushing to the post office for stamps and then handing all of her mail over to the postmistress, Meg picked up Tim and headed for the Pennington House. She stood in front of the historic home, thumb between her teeth and considered the sight before her. The dwarf conifers she and Tim had planted just the week before were both pushed to the left, one of them almost entirely across the steps leading to the porch of the historic home. There was a torn up piece of bedding where the half barrel pot she’d used as decoration had been blown up out of the ground, most of the creeping phlox pulled up with it. Limbs were littered all around the yard and most of the blooms had been stripped from the assorted rose bushes.

  All in all, the place looked a mess.

  “Wow, this is crazy, Mrs. S. They said it wasn’t even a tornado and it did all this.”

  She nodded her head and then turned to offer Tim an encouraging smile. “Well, straight line winds can be pretty tough on things too. No use fretting though, we’ve got work to do. Any idea where the pot ended up?”

  He frowned and looked around, then shook his head. “Nah, I don’t see it any where.”

  The timing for the summer storm was the worst part. The home was due to receive its historical register plaque in two weeks and a huge to-do was planned. Meg wanted the outside to be absolutely perfect.

  “Well, grab a bag and start getting all of these sticks and limbs while I put these trees back into the ground.”

  They worked until past noon when the hot summer sun made it almost unbearable. Meg helped Tim put their tools away before they both scrambled into the truck with the A/C on high.

  “So, you’ve got to be back at your grandma’s in a little less than an hour. Ice cream?”

  He smiled so big it looked like his face would break in two. Minutes later she followed him into the ice cream shop, a little bell over the door dinging as they entered. Meg stopped short as soon as she crossed the threshold. At the opposite end of the shop sat Rhonda, a big spoon of ice cream halfway to her lips. Their eyes met and they just looked at each other. They hadn’t seen each other since the wedding and hadn’t spoken since that telephone call over a month ago when Meg told her friend about the divorce.

  Swallowing hard, Meg forced a smile, then caught up with Tim who was already at the order counter. “We’re together,” she told the clerk, then she waited while he ordered a massive waffle cone with three different flavored scoops. The young girl handed him his cone, then turned her attention to Meg. “I want a small waffle with white chocolate frozen yogurt.”

  Grabbing her dessert with one hand, she gave the clerk cash with the other, then hurried to the exit trying her best to look nonchalant about it. Tim walked out first and she was just about to make her escape when she heard Rhonda call her name.

  “Here you go.” She handed Tim the truck keys. “Go ahead and start it, and I’ll be there in a minute.” She turned around and faced Rhonda. “You’re back in town.”

  Her friend looked at her for what seemed like minutes, but was likely only seconds. Her eyes welled up with tears, and a little sob jumped out of her throat. “I’m so sorry,” she wailed, falling into Meg’s arms.

  “Hey, hey,” she murmured, patting Rhonda’s back and doing her best to keep her ice cream from getting all over both of them. “You don’t need to cry, hon.”

  “I’m such a bitch,” she hissed, shaking her head as she pulled back. “I can’t believe I talked to you that way, and I’ve wanted to apologize ever since, but I just couldn’t bring myself to call. Ben said if I didn’t go talk to you this very minute, he was going to leave me!”

  Meg smiled, then cupped her friend’s face. “I’m pretty sure he was kidding, Rhonda.”

  “I know.” More tears were poured down her cheeks, and she clutched Meg’s upper arms as if she were afraid to let go. “Please, will you forgive me? I’m so sorry …”

  “Rhonda, stop. It’s okay. All right?”

  Her friend nodded, whipping the wet from her face. “Promise?”

  “Yes. I promise.” She glanced back at Tim sitting in her truck eating his ice cream and watching them closely. “Come over tomorrow night for dinner?”

  “Oh, yeah, I can come over tomorrow.”

  “I have to get Tim home or we’d catch up now, but seven tomorrow, ‘kay?”

  She hopped into her vehicle and pulled out of the lot, licking at her quickly-melting yogurt. Just as they got close to his grandma’s home, Tim tossed the last of his cone into his mouth and crumpled up his napkins.

  “Thanks, Mrs. S. That was great.”

  “Yep, pretty much hit the spot after such a hot morning.”

  “And Mrs. S…”

  She glanced at him as she put the truck in park.

  “I think it’s real good you and your friend are talking again.”

  The next evening, Meg was just pulling a tray out of the oven when her doorbell rang. Glancing through the peephole, she saw Rhonda standing there, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she waited. Meg unlatched the deadbolt and opened the door, a genuine grin breaking across her face.

  “Right on time.”

  Rhonda pulled a hand from behind her back and revealed two DVD boxes. “And I brought movies!”

  “You think that’s something. I made pizza rolls!”

  They laughed together as Meg put her arm around her friend and led her into the house. When Ray and Meg had first bought this place, she and Rhonda would have girls’ night once a month. Pizza rolls, DVDs, wine and laughter. Those were great evenings and well worth all the grumbling they would take from Ray for making him spend the night elsewhere.

  “What’d you do with your husband?”

  “Ah.” Rhonda winked as she poured the wine. “Mom and Dad are entertaining him. I told ‘em he could fend for himself, but they went on and on about him being in a new town and not knowing anyone. Totally not true! He knows people here. We’ve been making trips home since the day we got together practically.”

  “Was he grumbling?”

  Rhonda popped a piping hot pizza roll in her mouth then waved her hand over her tongue to stop the burn. Swallowing, she shook her head. “Hell no! My man doesn’t grumble. He knows better.”

  Meg picked up the platter of goodies and her wine glass, then cocked her head towards the living room. Rhonda swooped up the bottle and followed her, sliding the DVD into the machine.

  “Tonight I wanted to be a teenager again, so we’re going with Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. Any complaints?”

  “I have no complaints about the movies, but being a teenager, not so much interested in that. I’d rather have wine than Kool-Aid, thank you.”

  “Well.” Rhonda grinned as she plopped do
wn beside her. “I remember us sneaking some wine every now and then.”

  “I remember the trouble it got us into.”

  “Oh my goodness do you remember the time Ray …” She trailed off as if she’d said something the shouldn’t, cutting her eyes away in shame.

  “Rhonda, you can talk about him. It’s no biggie. He and I ended this on civil terms. Just because we’re divorced doesn’t mean we’re not all still family in some way.”

  Her lip trembled, but she nodded. “I’m just not sure how to be with you now. I don’t know what to say or anything. I mean, things weren’t supposed to be this way, you know?”

  She patted her friend’s hand. “This is different, yeah. But marrying your brother wasn’t what made us friends. We were already that. The only thing you’ve got to remember is that we’re all adults now … well, at least you and I are.” She chuckled. “And we both have to live our own lives. You’ve got a husband, and you need find some dreams of your own, you know?”

  Rhonda nodded, sniffed, then nibbled another pizza roll. “Thanks, Meg. I love you, you know that, right?”

  “I love you, too. Now turn on the damned movie. I’m getting old, and if we don’t start them now, I’ll be up past my bedtime.”

  Jeremy sat at the great oak desk in his father’s study and reviewed the books kept by their overseer, Winston. It was hard to suppress a yawn as he tallied figures in his mind, marking a little check in pencil beside the ones he’d verified. It had been a long evening in the Rawley household. His sister had created a scene when she’d caught her escort tormenting one of her sponsors. Their parents had quarreled after getting home, and in the end his father decided to return to the States.

  There was a noise outside the door, and he recognized his father’s voice, probably speaking to one of the servants. A few seconds passed before the door opened. James Rawley smiled, but the expression was brittle and forced. His graying blond hair was slicked back. Though he didn’t have a jacket on, Jeremy imagined it was just awaiting him in the hallway. His father always wore a suit for traveling.

  “What time does your plane leave?”

  The older man leaned over and eased himself into a chair, crossing his ankle over one knee and faced his son before answering. “Three forty-five. I’ll stop in to see Winston on the way to the airport.”

  Jeremy nodded, tapping the end of his pencil on the desk. “The figures are all clean, Daddy. There isn’t much to be concerned with here. I could just come home with you. No need for you to travel alone.”

  He’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want to return home. His mind filled with thoughts of Meg and that bright smile that could set him off balance in an instant. More than that, the taste of her was still familiar even with all of the time that had passed. To brush her lips with his again couldn’t come too soon.

  “Bah,” James scoffed, waving his hand in the air dismissively. “Your mother and sister should have an escort. God knows Kay’s driven to find trouble.”

  “Daddy,” he scolded. “You can’t fault her for her spirit. And besides that insolent kid deserved that and more. My friends and I never did things like that.”

  James snorted. “You aren’t as old as all of that.” The room was silent as both men were lost in their thoughts. Finally, his father stood, moving to a chair closer to the desk. “But you are getting older, my boy. Haven’t you found a young woman to your taste yet? You should be considering marriage.”

  Raising his eyebrows in disdain, Jeremy dropped his forehead into his hand. “I thought we were here to find Kay a husband, not me a wife.”

  James laughed, a jolly sound despite the tense mood hanging heavy in the room. “Kay’s not ready for marriage. Much the pity, and your mother will be terribly disappointed when she realizes it. You can’t push some things. But back to you, my boy. You need a wife, a good woman to take care of and to take care of you.”

  “Perhaps I don’t have room for more women to take care of at this moment.”

  James cocked an eyebrow, then turned away.

  His father looked older today, and for a man who already looked above his age, that was saying something. He watched him rub at his temple as if pained, then close his eyes.

  “Should I come home with you?”

  Opening his eyes with a start, James shook his head. “Of course not. I’ll be fine. I’ve got work to do anyhow.”

  Jeremy knew the work consisted of scouring leads for James’ missing sister. But then these days, he suspected his father didn’t so much scour as silently mourn the loss of his only sibling.

  “Thank you for all you do, Jeremy. You’ve been this family’s rock for some time. It doesn’t go unnoticed.”

  If he were the emotional type, he might have been on the verge of tears. As it was, he swallowed to push a lump from his throat and inclined his head. “I appreciate that.”

  And it was true, he did. As the heir, Jeremy had been taught the duty of protection of family. And he was generally good at it. He had a knack for sensing things about people and could navigate diplomacy when needed. He was also as responsible as they came and that had won him monikers like “stick in the mud.”

  But Meg hadn’t minded that apparently. Or perhaps she’d drawn out some part of him that wasn’t so responsible. Certainly he couldn’t remember a single time having a one night stand with a lady he’d barely just met. And Meg was certainly a lady to him.

  He considered the way she’d addressed the wedding party in toast to the new couple. Her nerves were there, but she’d kept her head high and spoken from her heart. A smile he couldn’t stop tugged at his lips, and he hoped the post would bring another letter from her that day.

  … and I think you’re a much better person than I am. I found Rhonda’s behavior when you told her about the divorce deplorable. But, that’s why I admire your character so much, because you’re able to look past things and see the best in people. And it sounds like you’re enjoying girls’ night, so that’s all that matters. It’s good Martika was able to make it for the most recent one.

  I’ve been giving your dilemma as to the back flower beds some thought and decided to ask Mother about it. She knows a great deal about plants and flowers and oversees our gardens in the States. She suggested a native Durman plant, and so I’ve arranged to have some shipped to you. They’re actually a type of wildflower, but many people have used them here to sprinkle throughout their gardens and add color.

  It will arrive in a few weeks and although I’ve already missed the grand opening, I hope that you’ll find them helpful. If not right for the historic home, maybe you can just use them for yourself…

  “What are they?” Tim asked, his face scrunched up in a frown. “They look like fuzzy red caterpillars.”

  Meg laughed as she used her fingers to open up the soft earth so that she could plant the little flowers Jeremy had sent to her. “He says they’re called Strawberry Epistles. Don’t ask why. It must be a Durman thing. I think they’re pretty.”

  Tim rolled his eyes and laughed. “You think that ‘cause they came from him.”

  Shooting him a warning glare, she poured a bit of water into each hole and carefully placed each bundle of flowers into the ground.

  “There.” She stood and brushed off her knees. “Just a sprig of red. I like it.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know you do. We gotta hurry, though. Mr. Peterson wanted us to finish his yard by this afternoon.”

  “Darn.” She glanced at her watch. “You’re right. I completely forgot. You know, I’ll probably lose my mind when you start back to school in a week. How am I going to keep track of everything?”

  “At least you ain’t firing me, so I’m happy.”

  “Aren’t,” she corrected. “Heading back to school, you need to start talking right again.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His big toothy grin said he wasn’t the least bit offended. He caught the keys when she tossed them to him.

  He’d gotten his license jus
t a few weeks before. Although he’d been of age to drive for a while, without a car available he and his grandmother hadn’t seen the need to spend the money for driver’s education. But Meg had convinced them it would be a big help for her to have him available to drive the truck. For all that he’d pretended not to care about having a license, he hadn’t been able to keep his excitement from showing the day he got that card.

  It seemed to Meg that the summer had passed in a whirl. The business was stable enough that she’d managed to put some money back, and though things would slow down for winter, there was a comfortable cushion that would keep her afloat until spring. And if she’d calculated things correctly, then she should be able to afford school at that time, too. The advisor she’d spoken to at the community college insisted she should apply for loans and financial aid, but she was cautious about finances and wanted to be sure. Next year would be soon enough to start her college education.

  After a long day of mowing, weeding and edging, Meg dropped off Tim and headed home. Grabbing the mail from the box, she quickly skimmed through and felt her heart thump a hurrah in her chest when she saw familiar handwriting.

  The letters from Jeremy were a constant buoy for her soul. The passion she’d enjoyed in his arms was a warm memory, and the growing intimacy through their friendly correspondence only enhanced that for her. He’d hinted that when he returned to the States that he might visit her, and she found herself imagining it far more than she probably should.

  Old insecurities could still find their way to the surface from time to time. She had to fight down the feeling that she might not be good enough for him while at the same time cautioning her mind not to build up fanciful dreams.

  “First a hot shower, then a beer and this letter. Now that’s a good evening,” she told herself as she trudged up the steps to the porch. Tucking the precious envelope from Jeremy into her back pocket, she glanced at the other mail pieces one after another. A strange envelope from a company she’d never heard of stood out to her. With a sense of foreboding, she ripped the top open and pulled it out just as she unlocked the door and entered the house.