A Year of Extraordinary Moments (A Magnolia Grove Novel) Read online

  Rosie noticed. “Looks like you’ve already had enough,” she said. “Maybe you ought to lay off.”

  Dominic pushed her glass across the counter and pulled a swig from his. “Don’t sweat it. I’m fine. I can handle myself.”

  A look of annoyance settled on her face. “Yeah, well, from where I’m sitting, you look pretty damn smashed. I say we call it a night.” She downed her drink, slid off the stool, and started back toward the office.

  “Wait,” he called out. “There’s something I gotta tell you.”

  She stopped and turned back. “If it’s an apology, I don’t want to hear it.”

  “It’s not that,” he said, shaking his head. “I gotta go home to Georgia, and I need some time off.”

  “How much time?”

  “A few months, maybe five or six.”

  “No way,” she snapped. “I can cover a few days, possibly a week, but I can’t give you longer than that.”

  “I need more time. My grandma’s dying, and I’m all she’s got. Somebody’s got to be there to take care of things.”

  “I’m sorry, Dominic. I really am. But I’ve got a business to run.”

  “Grandma raised me; I owe her. I’ve gotta be there—”

  “Look, if you can’t settle your affairs within a week, then I’m sorry, but I’ll need you to take your stuff and clear out.”

  “Fine by me!” he snapped.

  As he stumbled out the back door leading to the one-room apartment above the bar, he snagged another bottle of bourbon and carried it up with him.

  When Dominic awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. His head felt as if an elephant had stomped on it, and he could barely lift his eyelids. His first thought was only of the pain; then he remembered the phone call.

  “Shit,” he mumbled and tried pushing himself up from the bed. The pounding in his head grew worse. He sat there for several minutes, then dropped back onto the mattress. His inclination was to say screw everything and just go back to sleep, but he couldn’t do it.

  He hated Magnolia Grove. Hated the steamy summers and the nauseatingly sweet smell of jasmine. Hated the slow drawl of nosy neighbors. Hated the thought that everyone knew everyone else’s business.

  Most of all he hated Lucas, the kid who’d ruined the good life he’d once had with Tracy. After Lucas was born, everything changed. If it weren’t for the kid, they might have worked things out, but no, Lucas always came first. Maybe it was wrong for a father to hate his son, but it was what it was.

  The thought of going back caused all those memories to resurface, and not one of them felt good. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have gone. He would have flat-out said no and left it at that. But he couldn’t do that to his grandma. She was the one person who genuinely cared about him. Try as he might, he couldn’t blame her for what his mama did.

  It was nearly noon when Dominic finally pulled himself from the bed and set a pot of coffee on to brew. The milk in the fridge was sour, so he drank his coffee black. After he’d downed two cups, he gathered his belongings and stuffed them into a large trash bag.

  Surprisingly enough, after being there for almost three years, he had a small amount of stuff—clothes mostly, a hockey stick he hadn’t used in over a decade, and a basketball sorely in need of air. The television, the furniture, even the clock radio all belonged to Rosie. The one-room furnished apartment came with the job, but after what had transpired last night he’d have neither.

  Dominic poured the last of the coffee in his WORLD’S BEST BARTENDER mug and finished it off. The mug had been a gift from Rosie, so it officially belonged to him. He thought about taking it, then decided not to. He set the cup in the sink and looked around to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.

  Chances were he wouldn’t be coming back, not to Rosie’s anyway. Philadelphia maybe, but maybe not. He’d heard good things about New Jersey and was thinking of giving it a try. There was a possibility he could end up in any one of a dozen different places, but one thing he knew for certain was that he wouldn’t be staying in Georgia. Not after his grandma was gone.

  Dominic slung the overstuffed black trash bag across his shoulder and started down the stairs. By the next afternoon, he’d be back in Magnolia Grove. That thought was a lot heavier than his bag of belongings.

  3

  Magnolia Grove

  On the day Meghan Briggs married Tom Whitely nearly two years ago, she’d had absolutely no regrets. True, her breath had caught in her throat when the pastor asked for the rings and Tom gave a long low whistle. For a moment, she’d thought he’d forgotten them or, worse yet, misplaced them altogether. Then she’d noticed the grin on Tom’s face as he looked down the aisle. Seconds later, Sox had trotted in with the handle of a small white basket in his mouth. It seemed everyone but Meghan had known her rescue dog was to be part of the ceremony.

  When Tom slid the ring onto her finger and promised to love her forever, Meghan had been certain that nothing, absolutely nothing, could stand in the way of their happiness.

  For almost two years now, that had held true. Meghan had continued her online studies, gotten her veterinary technician’s license, and worked alongside Tom in what was rechristened the Kindness Animal Clinic. The Saturday after she received her license, Tom placed the certificate into a gold leaf frame and hung it alongside his in the examination room. He suggested they celebrate by going out to dinner.

  “I thought maybe you’d like to drive over to Benson. I heard the Candlewick Lounge has a great piano player.”

  “Or we could go to the Garden,” she replied. “Anna has a guitar player now, and with the weather being so great . . .”

  Tom grinned, the same easy grin she’d fallen in love with. “I’m sure going to the Garden has nothing to do with Sox,” he teased.

  “He might have influenced me a little. I just thought—”

  “That if we sit on the patio, Sox can come along, right?”

  “Well, he could, but he doesn’t have to.”

  Tom’s laugh had a way of spreading throughout the room and catching her up in it. When he started to chuckle, she couldn’t resist joining in.

  “Okay, okay,” she said between giggles. “It’s true; I wanted Sox to come along. After all, I would never have met you if it weren’t for him.”

  He playfully tugged her into his arms and kissed her mouth. Keeping her locked in his embrace, he whispered, “Sometimes I think you care more about that dog than you do me.”

  She tilted her face up to his and pretended disbelief. “How can you say that? You know darn well I love the two of you equally!”

  They both laughed.

  It was early May, the time of year when the days were long and the blistering heat of summer had not yet descended on Georgia. Knowing they would have Sox with them, Tom called ahead, and Anna saved the corner table on the back patio.

  When they arrived, she greeted them and asked, “Is this the anniversary?”

  “No,” Tom replied. “That’s next month. Tonight we’re celebrating Meghan’s graduation. She’s become a full-fledged veterinary technician.”

  With a squeal of delight Anna said, “Molti complimenti!” She pulled Meghan into a bear hug, then kissed both cheeks. “For you I am much happy!”

  She scurried back to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of champagne and a steak bone that had a decent amount of meat left on it. She passed the bone down to Sox, then filled three glasses. “This night you have special celebration!”

  “Absolutely!” Tom raised his glass and toasted Meghan. “Congratulations again, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you.”

  Anna nodded as he spoke. “Yes, is right for husband to be proud.” After a few sips, she gave Meghan a single-arm hug and disappeared back into the kitchen.

  True, tonight was special, but every night at the Garden was special. It was where Tom and Meghan had spent their first evening together, where he’d told her that her eyes sparkled in the moonlight and she’d felt
the warmth of his hand touching hers.

  As Sox lay gnawing on his bone, Tom looked across the table, and his eyes lingered on hers. A soft sigh drifted up from his chest, and he said, “When you first came into the clinic with Sox, I never dreamed that one day I’d be lucky enough to have you as my wife and partner.”

  “I’m the lucky one,” Meghan replied; then she stretched her arm across the table and tucked her hand into his. The touch of her fingers against his soft palm warmed her heart with happiness, the kind of happiness that remains long after the moment has passed.

  As the evening wore on, the sky turned to purple and the scent of night-blooming jasmine filled the air. They ate and then sat drinking cappuccinos as they had the first time.

  Even after being married for almost two years and working together every day, there was no shortage of words. There were always new thoughts to discuss, secrets to share, plans to make.

  For nearly two years they’d worked to build the business, and during that time, Meghan had somehow managed to juggle her hours at the clinic with studying and helping her sister, Tracy, manage the Snip ’n Save coupon magazine. As much as Meghan enjoyed the clinic, she couldn’t let go of the Snip ’n Save. Her heart simply wouldn’t let her forget all those years she’d worked alongside her daddy. With him gone, the magazine was the only piece of that life she could hold on to, and she was determined to do it. Now that the state exam was out of the way and she had her license, she’d have more free time. Hopefully she and Tom could start a family; if not this year, then next for certain.

  As the shadows of the tall pines fell across the lawn, a rush of chill air crossed Meghan’s shoulders, and she shivered. At the same moment, Sox stopped chewing on the bone he’d already licked clean. With his ears pushed back he lifted his snout, sniffed the air, then pushed himself up against Meghan’s leg and settled down.

  “It’s getting late,” she said. “We probably should get going.”

  Instead of taking the shortcut through the restaurant out to the walkway, they went down the patio steps and circled around the building. As they crossed over to where the car was parked, Tom pressed the remote to unlock the door, then opened it for Meghan. Walking around toward the driver’s side, his back was turned to the road when a car lumbered along.

  Meghan saw it and gasped. As Tom slid into the driver’s seat, she asked, “Did you see that?”

  “See what?”

  “The car that just went by.”

  “Not really. Why?”

  Meghan thought she’d seen the old Buick with the single blue fender, but it was dark, and she couldn’t be certain. She shook her head. “It’s nothing, I guess.”

  Tom knew better. He heard the edginess in her voice and saw the way her neck had suddenly stiffened.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I thought I saw . . .” She left the remainder of her thought unsaid. It had been over three years, and Tracy hadn’t heard from Dominic.

  “Thought you saw what?”

  Meghan peered past Tom, looking down the road as if she expected the car might still be there. It wasn’t.

  “I thought I saw a car with a blue fender, like the one Dominic used to drive.”

  Tom remembered the old car with a patch of tape on the back window and the front fender replaced by a blue mismatch that looked like it had been snatched from the junkyard.

  “There’s no way,” he said. “I doubt that car is still running, and there probably isn’t another one like it.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  She eased back into the seat as he pulled out of the parking lot, but a feeling of apprehension had already settled into her chest.

  4

  Meghan Whitely

  I know it probably wasn’t Dominic in that car, but I can’t help feeling scared. Not just for myself; I’m scared for Tracy. She says she’s over him, but I’m not sure that’s true. Last month when we were downtown shopping, we saw a guy turning into the pizza place, and from the back, you’d swear it was Dominic. Same slicked-back hair, same swagger.

  Tracy almost tripped over her own feet trying to get a better look. She pretended to be glad when we saw it wasn’t him, but even as she was saying how relieved she was, I could see the disappointment on her face.

  Every now and then she’ll mention his name in passing. She says things like, “Lucas has Dominic’s smile, don’t you think?” The way she says it, I can tell she’s wishing he’d find it in his heart to love Lucas and want them to be a family.

  If that happened, she just might take him back, but why is beyond me. He’s a liar and a cheater. Not only that, but he’d be a terrible daddy, and Lucas deserves better, especially after all he’s gone through.

  I flat-out asked Tracy if she’d ever consider going back to Dominic, and at first she said, “No, absolutely not.” Then five minutes later she said, “Not the way he behaves now.” When she said that, I began to wonder what would happen if by some miracle he did change.

  The thing is, it’s no secret that Dominic hates Magnolia Grove. If he and Tracy did get back together, he’d want to move her back to Philadelphia. That scares the life out of me. Mama and I would miss her and Lucas something fierce, not to mention, what would happen to the Snip ’n Save?

  As much as I love working with Tom at the clinic, I’d have to give it up. I’m never letting go of the Snip ’n Save; Daddy bought it and built it up, and it’s the only piece of him I have left.

  5

  The Question

  On Saturday night, sleep was almost impossible to come by for Meghan. She was now certain she’d seen Dominic’s car, but what she didn’t know was if he was passing through or had come back to try and work things out with Tracy. If it was nothing more than a short visit with some of his old buddies, Meghan didn’t want to stir things up by saying she’d seen him. Dominic was an issue better kept out of sight and out of mind.

  A ribbon of pink was already edging the horizon by the time she finally fell into a restless sleep, and even with Sox curled against her side, she tossed and turned. When she woke, she dressed in cut-offs and a T-shirt, then told Tom she had to run over to her mama’s house to help Tracy with a few Snip ’n Save issues.

  A look of disappointment swept across his face. “Do you have to go now? I was hoping we’d take Sox for a run, then have breakfast at that new coffee shop on Grant Street. They have outdoor tables and . . .”

  Meghan already had the car keys in her hand and one foot out the door, but she stopped and turned back.

  “I guess it can wait,” she said and dropped the keys into a catch-all bowl on the hall table.

  She whistled for Sox, snapped the leash onto his collar, and then off the three of them went. Running was good. It cleared her mind.

  They started out slowly, with Sox stopping to sniff a fire hydrant and a few trees, but once they rounded the corner onto Elroy Street, they picked up the pace. Sox took the lead with Meghan and Tom following close behind. As they passed the bungalow houses on Lakeside, they fell into step with an evenly matched stride. There was no need to say turn here or there; their bodies moved together.

  The rhythmic slap of sneakers against the sidewalk brought a sense of order to Meghan’s mind. Once she thought it through, it seemed possible the whole Dominic sighting was nothing more than a silly mistake. It had been dark, the streetlight had been out, and she’d only gotten a glimpse of the car. Perhaps the fender wasn’t blue but that gray primer used before painting. Any number of cars had dents that needed to be fixed or fenders that had to be replaced.

  As they crossed over onto Hillcrest, Meghan heard the sound of angry voices coming from an open window. She thought of the Thanksgiving afternoon when they’d last seen Dominic. Angry words had been hurled in both directions, and when Dominic turned violent with Tracy, Tom had stepped in. The image of Dominic sprawled out on the front lawn came to mind, and she remembered how he’d screamed obscenities and threatened to get even. For months
they’d worried about what he might do, but now, after three years, no one thought of it anymore.

  They’d forgotten, but had Dominic?

  By the time they turned onto Grant Street, Meghan’s shirt was soaked with perspiration, and her stomach had begun to rumble. She sniffed the rich aroma of coffee in the air and said, “I’ll grab a table and wait here with Sox.”

  She plopped down into the chair. The outside seating area was almost full, but she saw no one she knew. A few elderly couples, a group of teenage girls, and two young men who looked like they’d just come from the gym.

  Back when she worked beside her daddy at the Snip ’n Save, Meghan had thought she’d known everyone in town. Not any longer. Magnolia Grove had grown so much in the last six or seven years that sometimes it seemed almost unrecognizable. At one time, there had been only a handful of farms spread out beyond the city limits, but after the highway went through, fast food places had sprung up. Housing developments and strip malls had followed soon after.

  The previous year, there had been a referendum on the ballot asking voters to decide whether the area outside the city limits should be incorporated into the city. It had passed, and overnight Magnolia Grove had become twice the size it once was.

  Tom poked his head out the door of the coffee shop and called, “They’re all out of croissants; do you want a bagel?”

  Meghan nodded. “And bring back a cup of water for Sox.”

  It was late afternoon by the time Meghan arrived at the Briggses’ house. Lila was in the kitchen.

  “Hi, Mama,” Meghan said and kissed her cheek.

  Looking a bit surprised, Lila raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here on a Sunday? I thought you and Tom would be enjoying the day together.”

  “We took Sox for a run this morning. This afternoon Tom wanted to watch a baseball game, so I thought I’d pop over for a visit.”

  Lila pulled a dog biscuit from the treat jar and held it out for Sox.