Jane Austen Girl (29 page)

Hatcher reached his arm around her shoulders and tucked her up against him, smoothing his arthritic hand across her hair. “There now. It’s gonna be okay,” he said. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if people never

had to feel sadness?”

Andy – age eight

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Bobby Jack and Andy rode the first ten minutes back to town in complete silence.

“That was really sad,” Andy said, staring out the window.

“Yeah,” Bobby Jack agreed. “It was.”

“Why do you think Grier didn’t come home for so long?”

“Some really hard stuff happened to her that shouldn’t have, things that didn’t have to happen.”

“You mean something Ms. McAllister did?”

“Yeah,” Bobby Jack said.

Andy was quiet for a couple of minutes. “I guess people shouldn’t stay mad at each other about stuff. Even when it seems big at the time.”

Bobby Jack glanced over at her, saw the serious expression on her face and said, “No, honey, I don’t guess we should.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy. For being so mean to you.”

“Andy. About what you heard me say to your mama on the phone that night. . .you’re the best thing that ever happened to either one of us. Nothing else matters except that.”

She glanced out the window, bit her lip. “You mean that?”

“With all my heart. And I’m sorry for saying anything that might make you think otherwise.”

She leaned over then and put her head on his shoulder. “I forgive you.”

He put his arm around her shoulder, smoothed his hand across her silky hair. “And about that contest. I might have been a little unreasonable.”

“No. Actually, I think you were right. That contest isn’t something I would ever have wanted to do except for-” She broke off and then added, “I kind of wanted to show Mama I could do something like that.”

“I know,” he said.”

“I’m going to drop out,” she said.

“You don’t have to do that, Andy.”

“I want to.” She looked at him and smiled a soft smile. “Besides, I’ve already had a date with the duke.”

“Oh, you have, have you?”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling bigger. “I have.”

“What does Kyle think about that?”

“I doubt that he would know without asking one of his cheerleader girlfriends.”

“Is that jealousy I hear?”

“No,” she said. “It’s not.”

“You forget I’ve known you both since you were as high as my knee. And I’ve seen the way you look at each other.”

“Yeah, but he’s not the same Kyle anymore.”

“Maybe he thinks you’re not the same Andy.”

She was quiet for a couple of miles, and he could see she was thinking about what he’d said.

“You and mom really ought to mend your fences.”

Bobby Jack’s response was nearly automatic. But Andy was right. Life was short. Whatever had happened between him and Priscilla, Andy was smack dab in the middle of it. He’d never thought about it until now, but it could not be an easy position to be in. Being the tug rope between the two people she loved most.

“I’m sorry, Andy,” he said. “I think your mama and I both need to grow up a little.”

“Where each other is concerned, maybe just a little.”

“When the night is dark and seems as if

it will never end, just remember the morning is never far ahead. Light will triumph.”

From a book Grier once read on
hope and healing

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

When Grier let herself into her room at the Inn later that afternoon, she found a vase of white roses on the dresser. She scooped Sebbie up off the bed, gave him a longer than normal hug and then went over to pull the card from its perch among the stems.

I want to be here for you. Whatever it is you need. Just call me and I’ll come.

Bobby Jack

Grier wanted to. She really wanted to. So much so that she had to force herself not to pick up her phone and call him right then.

But what would be the point, really? Bobby Jack lived here. She no longer did. And she didn’t know how she could ever belong here again. The sooner she left and got back to the place where she did belong, the better for everyone.

Grier felt as if everything she had come to believe about herself was completely wrong. She had run away all those years ago for reasons that anyone would understand. She knew that. And yet she also knew that she would live the rest of her life knowing that her mother had asked for forgiveness and she had not given it to her. For that, Grier didn’t think she would ever forgive herself.

IT WAS NEARLY nine o’clock when the knock at the door woke her. She sat up on the bed, still wearing the clothes she’d worn to the funeral that afternoon.

Sebbie barked once. She rubbed his head and got up to see who it was.

Gill stood in the hallway, a box of chocolate in one hand, a bottle of red wine in the other. “I figured one or the other might help a little.”

She tried to smile, but felt her failure. “Thank you, Gill. That’s really nice.”

“How are you doing?”

“Um, I’m okay, I guess. How is everything going with the selection process? I’m really sorry for dropping the ball.”

“Everyone understands. And it’s going fine. One of our favorites dropped out though.”

“Who?”

“Andy.”

The news surprised her at first, but then, maybe it wasn’t so surprising after all. It had never seemed like something Andy wanted to do for herself. And maybe it was best that she’d figured that out. “I think she might have won it,” Grier said.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.”

“So what else is left?”

“They’ll announce the winner in the morning, and then it’ll be back to New York to film the rest of the show. I don’t think we’ll need you again here, but we’ll need you back in the city to tie it all up.”

“No problem,” Grier said. “I’m heading back tomorrow.” The words felt final. And sad somehow.

“You’ll be all right to drive?”

“I’m good.”

“If you change your mind, I can cancel my seat on the plane. I’ll be happy to drive you.”

“I really appreciate that, Gill. But I think it will do me good to have the drive to sort a few things out.”

“Okay. Well, you have my number if you need me.”

“Thanks. Goodnight.”

“We need each other. Nothing more

important to admit than that.”

A line from Bobby Jack’s favorite song

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Bobby Jack had been calling her for three hours. Apparently, she had her phone turned off because voice mail picked up immediately.

By the time he pulled up in front of the Inn, he’d convinced himself that something was wrong. He knew how hard Grier was being on herself, and he’d conjured up at least six different scenarios by the time he got to her door.

He knocked once, hard. “Grier? Are you there?”

Two full minutes passed before she finally came to the door. Her hair had come down from the clip she’d had in it earlier in the day. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she’d been crying.

“I’ve been worried,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t really want to talk to anyone.”

“And I just needed to know you were okay.”

She nodded, pressing her lips together, and then tears welled up, and she was suddenly crying and shaking her head. “Bobby Jack, please. I’m kind of a mess.”

“All the more reason for me to stay,” he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He turned the lock, then led her over to the bed where they sat on the edge. “Let me take care of you,” he said.  “Okay?”

She turned her face into his shoulder as if she didn’t want him to see her pain. “Don’t be kind to me,” she said. “I think I might actually break if you are.”

“Then let me be here to pick up the pieces.”

“I don’t deserve—”

“Yes, you do. So let me.”

And with a small sob, she did.

“Do you think we might kiss each other sometime and if neither one of us likes it, just go back to being best friends?”

Kyle to Andy – Fifth grade

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Andy walked into the kitchen to find a note from her daddy taped to the refrigerator.

Have gone to check on Grier. I have my phone on if you need me.

Andy heard the rattle of Kyle’s truck in the driveway. She started not to answer the door, but her own truck was parked outside, and she suspected he would just keep knocking until she answered.

She yelled, “Come in,” from the kitchen, and he did, walking through the foyer to stop in the arched entrance with a look she’d never seen on his face before.

“Is your daddy here?”

“No, he isn’t. Why do you want to see him?”

“I don’t want to see him,” he said. He walked straight to her, slipped his hands under her arms and lifted her up, setting her firmly on the kitchen counter.

“Kyle, what in the world are. . . have you lost your mind?” She tried for outrage and heard her own failure.

“No,” he said. “I haven’t. And be quiet.” He leaned in then and kissed her, exactly the way she’d always imagined him kissing her.

Every thought of protest in her head shut down like the nightlights at the high school football stadium after a game. She put her hands on his chest, his very wide, very well-muscled chest. Slid them around his neck, snagging her fingers into his dark hair.

They kissed until they both had to stop for air, pulling back to look at each other, breathing fast and heavy.

“Do you know how many years I’ve wanted to do that?” he asked, looking straight into her eyes.

She shook her head. “How many?”

“Too many,” he said. He ducked in, renewed the kiss, and Andy felt the heat of it all the way down to her toes.

“Why’d you wait so long?” she said in a voice that was little more than a whisper.

“Heck if I know. I guess I was intimidated.”

“Intimidated?”

“Yeah,” he said. “You can be intimidating.”

She laughed then. “That is like the very last reason on earth I would have expected you to give.”

“Andy. You’re smart. And beautiful. And you’ve got a mind of your own.”

“That Jane Austen girl thing then,” she said.

“My Jane Austen girl,” he said. “Not his.”

“Is that so?”

“You belong with me, Andy.”

She heard the vulnerability in his voice. And it surprised her. More like shocked her. “Is this Kyle of the star quarterback Kyle Summers?”

“Will you stop with that?”

“Well, it’s true. “

“Andy, you’ve always been my girl. And I’m sorry it took some duke coming to town to knock some sense into my head and make me realize that it was about time I told you so.”

“George is a nice guy,” she said.

“Yeah, I know he is,” Kyle threw out. “We kind of hung out. Threw some football.”

“How did that happen?” she asked, surprised.

“He was walking down the street, and I picked him up.”

“I figured you’d try to beat him up.”

“I wanted to. At first.”

“Until you realized he’s pretty cool?”

“Yeah. Until that,” Kyle conceded.

“I dropped out of the contest.”

“You what?”

“It was no big deal.”

“It seemed like a big deal to you.”

“Yeah, but probably not for the right reasons.”

“So, are you telling me you’re not going to run off to New York City with the duke?”

Andy laughed. “I don’t know. I guess that depends on whether he asks me or not,” she said in a teasing voice.

“Andy,” he said in a low growl.

He kissed the side of her neck, then it was back to her mouth again. When he pulled away to stare down at her with those dreamy eyes of his, he said, “Seems like I’ve figured out how to get certain notions out of your head.”

“Seems like you have,” she said, kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Seems like I could keep them out if I’m really, really good at diverting your attention.”

“Seems like you could.”

“Seems like I will,” he said and pulled her to him.

“To love someone who doesn’t love you back

– is there anything emptier than that?”

A question Darryl Lee had once
asked of Bobby Jack

CHAPTER SIXTY

It was after eight o’clock when Grier woke to find the other side of the bed empty and no sign of Bobby Jack.

He had left a note on the pillow.

Running by a job site. Will grab breakfast and be back before you know it.

Bobby Jack

Grier rubbed a finger across the paper and thought of the tenderness Bobby Jack had shown her last night. She had needed it. Wanted it. Taken it.

Selfishly, she thought now. And what did she have to give him in return?

She slipped on her clothes and took Sebbie out for a quick potty break.

Back in the room, she started throwing her things in the suitcase before she had fully let herself admit that she really was leaving. It was cowardly and unfair. She knew it. But she didn’t think she could look him in the eyes and then leave. She wouldn’t have the will power.

She didn’t bother with order. She just reached for clothing, blow dryer, makeup bag and threw it all in together, zipping up the suitcase and pulling it off the luggage stand.

Sebbie sat on the bed and watched her, a look of confusion in his sweet eyes. “I know. You don’t have to tell me. There’s nothing admirable about what I’m doing. But I don’t know how to do anything else right now.”

The door opened, and there stood Bobby Jack. He had two white bags in one hand, a cup carrier with two coffees in the other. He looked at her, at the suitcase and her purse on the floor. The hurt that crossed his face nearly buckled her knees.

“Bobby Jack.”

“You’re leaving,” he said. He stepped inside and kicked the door closed, still holding the coffee and two bags. “You were really going to leave without—”