Bittersweet Surrender (33 page)

“Take your time. I'm going to get ready for bed, then make some tea for us.”

“Thanks, Magnolia.” Carly rinsed the cleanser from her face, grabbed a cotton pad, and applied toner. The whole time she wondered why Magnolia would have all that money stuffed between her mattresses. Should Carly ask her about it?

Remembering she needed to check on Pinkie's water supply, Carly blotted her face dry, then walked over to Pinkie's bowl. The bowl was nearly empty so Carly filled it up and put it back in its place. “Here's your water, girl,” she said, listening for the light tinkle of her dog's collar.

Nothing.

“Here, Pinkie,” she said louder. She could be in the other room, but it was rare when Pinkie was not by her side or at the very least in the same room. Carly looked under the bed. “Pinkie. Here, girl.”

No sound.

“Well, how did you get in here.”

Magnolia's voice struck fear in Carly's chest. Pinkie had followed her into Magnolia's room, no doubt, and Carly must have shut the door before Pinkie got out.

“Well, looks as though I had an intruder while I was gone.” Magnolia stood at Carly's bedroom doorway, holding a perplexed Pinkie.

Carly felt guilty from head to toe. “I'm sorry, Magnolia. I saw that your door was open, and well, Pinkie was with me. She must have sauntered inside before I closed the door.”

“Oh, no matter, dear. She's past her chewing stage, so no harm done.” She chuckled. “I'll put on my jammies and get us that tea.”

Carly watched the older woman prance down the hall. Knowing she had all that money stuffed in her mattress, wouldn't she be the least little suspicious of Carly? Magnolia was a trusting soul, no doubt about it. Carly knew if the tables had been turned, she would have suspected anyone and everyone who might have happened into her bedroom. Even Pinkie would be suspect in her book.

The phone's ring pealed through the silence.

“I'll get it,” Carly called out. “Hello?”

“You sure you don't have second thoughts about me moving in with you?” Rita's voice on the line made Carly's heart jump. She'd forgotten that she hadn't told C. J. about their arrangement. Now what would she do? She would have to explain to him that she was keeping Rita. No matter how you sliced it, she was caught in the middle.

“Absolutely, you can stay with me. Scott would shoot us if you didn't after moving some of your furniture in here.”

Rita laughed. “That's true.”

One thing for sure, there was no getting C. J. and Rita back together if she stayed out of town with her parents. Carly had to do what she could to right this wrong. No matter what it cost her—even money. Her reconstructive surgery was becoming less and less important, anyway. As long as she stayed away from the mirror, she was good.

They talked a few minutes about how things were going for Rita. Carly told Rita that C. J. was lost without her, which seemed to encourage Rita slightly. Though it was obvious Rita wasn't ready to jump back into his waiting arms.

“Well, I'll be there around noon tomorrow, if you're sure it's all right. I'm leaving the rest of my things in storage, by the way, so I won't clutter up your apartment.”

Saying nothing of the fact there'd be no room to walk. “You're a doll. Thank you, Rita.”

Clicking off the phone, Carly wondered how all of this would turn out. She desperately needed to talk to someone. Scott was the only one who sprang to mind, but he'd been acting strange lately. She hated to bother him with this.

“So what did you do tonight ?” Carly asked,
teacup in hand. She sat down and tucked her legs beneath her on the sofa.

“Oh, I'm helping with that Habitat home on the north side of town. After working on the house today, we all went out for dinner and then out for coffee. Time just got away from us, I guess.”

Carly choked on her tea. She coughed and she coughed while Magnolia looked on, hand pressed against her chest as she waited for Carly to catch her breath. Only when the choking subsided did Magnolia—and Carly—dare to breathe again.

“Are you all right?”

“I'm fine. Just went down the wrong way, I guess.” Carly took another drink, studying her stepmother. Never in a million years would she have suspected Magnolia to be a tool-beltin' hammer swinger. Maybe she had this all wrong. She'd probably helped decorate or something.

“So what do you do there, hang pictures or something?”

“Oh heavens, no. Today we hung drywall. 'Course, I can't lift it, but I measured and cut it for the fellas.”

Carly was absolutely speechless.

“Those boys sure know how to work a girl.”

Still speechless.

Magnolia took the daintiest sip from her teacup, and Carly was more convinced than ever that she was not a good judge of people.

twenty-one

“Ready?” Scott 's face was already aglow
with anticipation of their run together. The man was an exercise maniac.

“Yep.” Carly pulled the door shut behind her.

“You look good today,” Scott said, keeping his gaze forward.

He'd been acting so strange lately. If she didn't know better, she'd say he seemed almost uncomfortable around her. Had she done something to cause that? “Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.”

She took a long glance at his profile. Since dropping a few pounds and firming up with exercise, he looked very healthy. Very. Healthy. Though the more she looked at him, the more she thought it wasn't so much the weight loss that made him appear different. But what was it? She mentally shook her head. Her mind was a cloud of confusion these days. Had to be the hormones.

“You never did say how your date went last night,” he said.

A red-breasted robin chirped overhead and Carly glanced up, taking in the windswept sky, the bright morning sun. The perfect day.

“If I remember correctly, you never gave me the chance.”

“Oh yeah, that's right.” He coughed.

“You must be feeling better today.”

“You think so?” He turned to her.

Something in his teasing expression . . . “Um, yeah.”

“I am better.” He grinned. “You were going to tell me about your date?”

“Oh yeah. It went well, but—”

He turned to her, almost expectantly. That's what she loved about Scott. He always seemed interested in what she had to say. She also loved the way his lips turned up in a smile.

“Well?” he prodded.

“I can't explain it. Something seemed off somehow.”

“Off? In what way?”

“I don't know. Just off.”

He stared at her too long and almost tripped on a jagged edge of sidewalk. She reached out to steady him. “Are you all right?”

He straightened and kept jogging. “I'm becoming a real klutz these days.”

She laughed. “You've got a lot on your mind, that's all.” They jogged a little farther. “So how are the taxes coming?”

“Oh, uh, almost finished. You'll be getting your check soon.”

Funny how the check didn't seem so important now. Yes, she wanted the surgery, but in light of everything else, it had fallen farther down the list.

“Well, that's not exactly the response I had expected.”

“Huh?”

“You know, I thought you'd be yelling, jumping up and down or something.” His eyes crinkled with his smile.

“Oh, I'm excited. But, well, there's only so much money can do.”

“Whoa. Write it down! Carly Westlake gets philosophical before her morning coffee.”

She smirked. “Well, don't get used to it.” He was right. She was getting deep. What was up with that? She never had a deep thought, and certainly not before morning coffee. “I've been thinking a lot about the business. We've had positive responses from our chocolate treatments.”

“Yeah, business has picked up a little.”

As they passed a home, Carly noticed a baseball bat and glove and a kid's bicycle in the front lawn. Evidence of a full life.

“Hey, look, Scott.” She pointed to a tire swing hanging from a tree in a small community park. “Will you push me?” It was too early for kids to be around, so she could get on the swing without fear of anyone seeing her. Another plus was if her weight broke it down, Scott would be the only other person who would know.

“Sure. I'll race you.”

They ran the distance to the swing. Scott got there first.

She giggled. “I haven't done this in years.” She slipped through the opening. Scott stepped behind her and started pushing.

She felt like a kid again. Back when days were innocent and people were trustworthy. The moment seemed as near perfect as the weather. The morning sunshine warmed her face. A gentle breeze lifted her hair with every push of the swing. Birdsong called from neighboring maples. And she was with Scott. Lovable, sweet Scott. The one person in the world with whom she could be herself. What could be better?

“I'll bet you were the type that climbed trees when you were little,” Scott teased.

“And just what's wrong with that?” The gentle touch of his hands was reassuring. He'd always been there for her. Strong, steady, guiding.

“Had girl clubs where boys weren't allowed?”

“No, you're wrong there. Johnnie Coonrod could dig up worms better than anybody. He was always welcome in my clubs. The fact he didn't mind making mud pies was a definite plus too.” Funny, she hadn't thought of that in years.

Scott scrunched his nose. “Doesn't sound very appetizing.”

“You have to acquire a taste for it,” she said, lifting her nose in the air.

“Like I've always said, you think you know a person.”

“How about you? Did you let girls in your clubs or did they have cooties?”

“Cooties.”

She tilted her head back as the swing lifted her forward, her eyes looking at Scott from an upside-down angle, her hair nearly dragging the ground. “Figures.”

“As I'm sure you've noticed, I got over that eventually,” he said.

“Yeah, Ivy came along and changed all that.”

He didn't say anything.

“I sure miss my dad. He made me the best tree house when I was a kid. He made it for me and C. J., actually, but C. J. was never much interested in it. He was more into sports.”

The world spun in her vision and her stomach tilted. “Whew. I think I'd better stop now.”

Scott pulled on the rope and dragged the tire to a standstill. His hand reached for hers and he yanked her out with such force that she stood right in front of him, nearly nose to nose. It was as though an invisible magnet pulled them together and held them there. His hand still grasped hers. Neither of them blinked and all she could feel was the strength of his hand and the warmth of his breath against her face. Finally, Scott cleared his throat and stepped back.

It was the first weird moment Carly had ever shared with Scott.

They talked a little longer, each stumbling to get past the awkwardness between them, and finally decided to go home, clean up, and meet for lunch.

Carly stood in her closet, trying to decide
what to wear. For some reason, she wanted to look extra nice today. She'd grown out of her favorite capri pants long ago, but left them in hopes of a miracle. They hung there, taunting her. Dare she?

Hesitantly, she reached up and lifted the hanger from the pole, took them into her bedroom, and tried them on.

A perfect fit! She couldn't believe it.

Her fingers tingled with excitement as she shrugged on a fresh top and walked over to the mirror. She was feeling better about keeping herself physically fit. And look at Jake. He had come to terms with his limitations. She was beginning to think there was hope for her.

Grabbing her handbag, and feeling a little giddy, she headed to the cafe to meet Scott.

“So how are Katelyn and Jake getting along?” Scott asked after they prayed over their meals.

“Doing well. They've had a long talk, and they're both making an effort to understand each other. This whole thing has humbled Jake considerably. He realized if he didn't change, he could lose her. It's really helped him to open up to her.”

“Not an easy thing for a guy to do.” Scott squeezed some ketchup on his hamburger, replaced the bun, and bit into it.

“So I've heard.” Carly smiled, then thought back to her own marriage. Maybe more of it had been her fault than she wanted to admit. “Maybe if Gary and I had talked more I might have had a clue what was going on in his heart.” She drizzled dressing over her salad and took a bite.

“Sometimes there's no way of knowing. Don't get me wrong. I know we all make mistakes, but some people just don't try very hard.”