A Wish and a Prayer (4 page)

Preston didn't reply to that. He had enough of his own problems without playing marriage counselor.

In the long silence that followed, the colonel stood and ran the towel up and down his damp arms, all the while assessing Preston, who fought not to squirm under the former drill sergeant's steady gaze.

“So, since I don't have a clue when she'll be home, is there something you need, something wrong?”

“Yes and no.”

“Trick question, huh?”

Preston couldn't help it; he smiled. The colonel did the same. Preston enjoyed being with the colonel when they connected. He just wished it would last longer than a few minutes. “How long have you been lifting weights?”

Preston waited while he picked up a bottle of water and unscrewed the top.

“Since around your age.” After taking a long drink, he lowered the bottle. “Wanted to get big enough to stop my father from beating on my mother.”

It was another one of the things that connected them; they'd talked about this before. Preston had been beaten a lot in foster care too, but watching somebody bigger and stronger beat up your mom had to have been bad. “My grandmother's coming tomorrow.”

He appeared surprised. “Does Mrs. Payne know?”

“No. I didn't even know until just now. I was too scared to open her e-mail when it first came, so I finally did, and she'll be here tomorrow.” He looked the colonel in the eye. “I know you think me finding my birth family is a dumb idea, so I'll wait until Mrs. Payne comes home and talk to her about it.” He turned to go.

“Son.”

Preston stopped but didn't turn around. “Yeah.”

“It's hard for a man like me to say I'm sorry, but I need to.”

A wary Preston turned back.

“I enlisted in the marines when I was seventeen. I've been a warrior all my life. Feelings are not our thing, because on the battlefield feelings can get you killed. Can you understand that?”

“Intellectually, yes.”

A small smile curved the colonel's lips. “A little over a year ago, we made a pledge to each other, do you remember?”

Semper Fi
. “Yes, sir, I do.”

“I haven't honored the spirit of that pledge.”

Preston drew in a deep breath to keep himself steady. That day had meant so much to him, but when it became clear that the pledge had been nothing more than words, he'd put his heart back under lock and key.

“And so, you know, I have been talking to Reverend Paula,” the colonel confessed, which surprised Preston. “I've also been yelled at all winter by the other dads. Everybody wants me to get myself together. Hard to do when you think you already are. Gets even harder when you finally realize you aren't. So. My apologies, Preston. I didn't want you hurt by whatever you found out on this search, and I thought maybe you weren't happy here.”

“But I am. Really. I tried to tell you that.”

“I know. I was hearing but not listening. All I thought I heard was a kid not wanting to be the son of a hard-ass. We've been doing this father-and-son thing in fits and starts, and I keep messing it up because I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I envy what Trent has with Amari. Looking back, it's what I wanted with my own father, and what I'd like to have with you, but I'm not real sure how to start over, or if you even want to, after all this.”

Preston envied Amari's bond with his dad, too, and deep down inside he wanted the same kind of relationship with the colonel, but all this back-and-forth had made him gun-shy. As he'd told Amari the other day, he was tired of getting his feelings hurt, and so far, that was all he'd ever gotten from Barrett Montgomery Payne. “Do you really want us to be like Amari and his dad?”

“I do.”

“And you aren't going to change your mind?”

“No.”

“But you said that before. Why should I believe you now?”

“Because if I don't man up, I'm going to lose you, and probably Mrs. Payne, too. I don't want that.”

Preston didn't know what to say.

“All winter I watched you and Sheila become closer and closer while I stayed on the outside looking in. I kept telling myself it didn't matter, but truthfully, it did, so I'm asking for another chance.”

“So, suppose I say yes. How do we start?”

“Going back to playing chess in the evenings might be a place to begin. I miss that.”

Preston didn't want to admit it, but he did, too. They'd played only a few times over the winter. Looking into the colonel's eyes, he thought he saw honesty, but what did a fourteen-year-old kid know about adults and their feelings, except that a ton of them had lied to him in the past? “Okay, I'd like that, but do you mind if I hold back a little at first?”

“Don't trust me?”

“Not really.”

He nodded solemnly. “That's honest, and what I deserve, I suppose. No, I don't mind.”

“Then let's try it.”

As if they were unsure what to do next, their gazes held.

“Thanks, Preston.”

“You're welcome.”

“Since we don't know if Sheila's coming home before the town meeting, how about I give her a call, and you and I go get something to eat at the Dog.”

“Sounds good, and I have to stay for the meeting.”

“Why?”

“Civics class.”

“Ah. More of Mr. James's topical teaching.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Let me grab a quick shower, and we'll go.”

Preston waited out on the deck. Surrounded by the silence, he thought back on the do-over they'd agreed to. Would it work this time, or pop like a balloon stuck with a pin? He got the sense that the colonel meant well, but when life makes you a skeptic, it's hard to believe.

Chapter 5

R
ocky added the last platter of wings to the evening's buffet and hoped there'd be enough food. Usually, the monthly town meetings weren't well attended, but for this one people were arriving in droves. According to Mal, the hotshot lawyer Bernadine had hired to take on Leo Brown's oil company was on the agenda, and apparently everyone wanted to hear what he had to say.

She went back into the kitchen to grab more plates and found Siz preparing to leave for the evening. Sporting spiky turquoise-and-black-streaked hair, he asked, “You sure you don't want me to stay and help with cleanup?”

“No. I'm good. You go on home. I'll see you tomorrow.”

While Siz made his exit, she walked back over to the kitchen's double doors and peeked out to gauge the size of the crowd. People were still streaming in. At this rate, by the time Trent called the meeting to order, there'd be no place to sit. Again she hoped she had enough food.

Many of the faces were familiar, others not. She spotted Mal over by the door, talking with Bernadine and a brown-skinned, middle-aged man wearing a gray polo and khakis. She guessed he was the lawyer.

Through the knots of people standing and talking, she saw Devon seated with Tamar, Marie, and Genevieve, and on the far side of the room, a laughing Amari in a booth with Eli, Crystal, Preston, Leah, and Tiffany Adele. She wondered why the kids had come. But then all questions faded when she spied Jack talking with Barrett Payne and Gary Clark.

The dark-haired schoolteacher with his distinctive good looks and Boston accent had gotten under her skin and refused to be ignored, no matter how hard she tried. Fighting off the urge to fake a reason to approach him, she remembered she was supposed to be ignoring him and retrieving more plates instead, so she picked up a small stack and carried them out to the buffet table.

Jack saw Rocky exit the kitchen. Watching her walk over to the buffet table and set down the plates she carried, he wanted to politely excuse himself from his conversation with Barrett and Gary and weave through the crush to her side. He wasn't bothered by the fact that she probably didn't know he was in the room; just the sight of her talking with Sheila Payne drove home his growing attraction. On the phone last night his mother, Janet, had gently quizzed him about dating again. Expressing his interest in the manager of a diner had resulted in a long silence on the other end. He'd smiled, however; although he loved her dearly, he never missed an opportunity to throw her off her conservative patrician stride.

And now, that same manager was looking him dead in the face. He greeted her with an almost imperceptible nod, only to watch her turn abruptly and stride through the kitchen doors. Amused, he directed his attention back to Gary and Barrett.

Once most of the attendees had helped themselves to the buffet's tasty offerings and were either enjoying them from booths and tables or doing their best with a hand-held plate as they stood against the walls, along with the others who'd arrived too late to score a seat, Rocky brought out a chair for herself from the kitchen. As soon as she sat, Trent gaveled the meeting to order. She looked over at Jack and, before he could sense it, looked away.

The first item on the agenda was Trent's construction report. Now that Main Street was paved, the sidewalks put in, and the solar streetlights installed, the next project would be Reverend Paula's church.

“It'll be built on the land between the Power Plant and the rec center,” he informed them, and proceeded to give details about the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Saturday morning. He also expressed his hope that the house of worship would be ready for occupation before the end of the summer.

While he was talking, Rocky noticed Mayor Wiggins slipping into the meeting, followed by three men in business suits, and wondered what they were doing there. She watched them search vainly for a place to sit, in the end resigning themselves to standing with the other people ringing the room. For as long as she'd been alive, Franklin's citizens had looked down on Henry Adams. Now, because of Bernadine's refurbishing projects, they wanted in on everything Henry Adams was doing, and the hypocritical attitude was met with much derision. She had a good view of Bernadine and Lily seated in one of the front booths; from the way their eyes followed the late arrivals, they too seemed to be wondering why Wiggins had come.

No one challenged their right to attend however—it was a public meeting—so Rocky ignored the men for the moment and refocused her attention on Trent, who was now introducing the lawyer James Edison.

Applause greeted Edison when he stood, and it increased when he waved before taking his seat again. Looking around, she noted that not everyone considered Edison a hero for making Leo's company back down and pull up stakes. There was distinct dissatisfaction on the faces of some and an icy glare in the eyes of others, like Big Al Stillwell. It was no secret that the Stillwells were drowning in debt, and she could only imagine how devastated they'd been upon learning they'd be unable to lease their land. Al was a well-known hothead, and as Trent announced that there'd be a Q and A with Edison after the meeting, she hoped Al would keep his cool if he stayed.

Next on the agenda were the reports.

Tamar stood. “The movies at the rec this weekend are
The Princess and the Frog
, followed by
All About Eve
. Also, Sheila and I have decided to have a July Fourth celebration this year instead of August First. Main event will be a cookout and Henry Adams Idol.”

Gasps greeted the announcement, followed by wild applause that rolled around the room. Rocky saw pure excitement everywhere. Amari and Preston slapped hands, and Crystal and Eli stared at each other with wide-eyed glee.

Rocky was ecstatic. She had no idea if anyone in the area had any talent, but decided it would certainly be fun to see.

Sheila Payne stood. We'll post details about prizes and all that at the rec, soon.”

Amari stood and asked, “Can we rap?”

“No!” loud voices replied in unison. Laughter followed.

“Haters!” he called back, grinning, and sat down again.

The room continued to buzz for a few more moments until Trent gaveled the meeting back to order.

“Anybody have anything else they want to talk about? If not, I'll close the meeting.”

Up went Mayor Wiggins's hand.

Trent paused, and Rocky watched him eye the mayor of Franklin critically before saying, “Go ahead, Mayor Wiggins.”

But instead of speaking from where he stood, Wiggins and his bad toupee, followed by the three suits, walked up to the podium. Trent appeared caught off guard, but stepped aside and let them have center stage.

“First off,” Wiggins began, “let me say how pleased I am by all the great things being done here in Henry Adams. I really like the Idol idea, and if we in Franklin can help, please don't be afraid to ask.”

That was met with dead silence.

As it lengthened, he cleared his throat. “As I mentioned to Ms. Brown in our meeting this morning, there's a plan afoot to make this region even better. These gentlemen are lawyers from one of the largest and most profitable corporations in America—Big Box—and they've graciously taken time out of their busy day to come and share with us what I think will be a golden opportunity for not only Franklin but Henry Adams as well.”

Rocky saw her own skepticism mirrored on faces around the room.

One of the lawyers, introduced as Kevin Epps, stepped up and began a spiel on Big Box's history. After about three or four minutes of this, people began to get restless, so Trent interrupted. “Excuse me. We're all familiar with your stores, so how about you get to why you're here.”

Mal's voice rose from the back. “Yes, please get to the point.”

Epps appeared flummoxed but gathered himself. “Okay. To cut to the chase, we'd like to build one of our award-winning establishments nearby.”

Trent added, “And?”

“Um, well . . .” He looked over at Wiggins as if for help.

Wiggins put on his best politician smile. “As I told Ms. Brown this morning, opportunities such as this don't come around very often—”

Bernadine interrupted him. “Mayor Wiggins, what did I say to you when we met this morning?”

He stilled and slowly turned her way. “You said many things.”

“Yes, I did—chief being that Henry Adams wouldn't be contributing one-point-three million dollars to help you build this store.”

Startled buzzing filled the air. Rocky blinked.
One-point-three million dollars?

Epps, apparently trying to be helpful, corrected her. “The figure is two-point-six million.”

Eyes popped all over the room, and the buzzing grew.

Bernadine assessed the now visibly squirming Piggly Wiggly before saying succinctly, “Mayor Wiggins gave me the impression that Henry Adams would be putting up half of the two-point-six, and Franklin the other.”

“No, ma'am. Mayor Wiggins assured us that Henry Adams would be footing the entire bill.” He shot the mayor a hard look.

Piggly Wiggly squirmed some more, then finally tried to wave off the debate and the skillet heating up beneath him. “What's important here is whether the people of Henry Adams—
those born and raised here
—want to have a say in this decision.”

Bernadine's irritation at the dig was plain.

Bing yelled, “Are you crazy, man?”

Laughter rang out.

The lawyers didn't appear amused.

“What's the two-point-six for?” Bing wanted to know.

Rocky did, too.

“Good-faith money in lieu of tax breaks,” the lawyer explained. “Currently up on our Web site is an application form for construction workers seeking employment. We know the economy here's been hit hard, so we'd like to hire as many local tradespeople as possible.”

Tamar called out in a puzzled voice, “So let me get this straight. You and Wiggins want us to come up with two-point-six million so you can build your store. Do we get a share of the profits?”

Epps smiled as if interacting with a small child. “No, ma'am.”

“That's what I thought.” Tamar turned her hawk-eyed glare on Wiggins. “For the record, what exactly did Ms. Brown tell you when you proposed this to her this morning?”

Bernadine answered for him. “No!”

Applause greeted that, along with yells of approval.

Epps shouted, “All you farmers, think about this. We pay a competitive price for your crops.”

Bing shouted back. “Then do away with the two-point-six, and we'll consider selling to you.”

Epps replied tightly, “Oh, you'll deal with us anyway, or watch your crops rot in the silos. We have influence with the distributors. You don't.”

The room went silent.

Bernadine stared and stood up. “Is that a threat?”

“No, but let's just say that if they don't sell to our designated suppliers, we can make it very difficult for them to sell anywhere else.”

“And you're sure of that?”

He boasted, “As sure as I work for Big Box. Our company is very influential, in case you don't know.”

She shook her head and said to the assemblage, “We'll be building a grocery store here in Henry Adams, and if our store can't take your crops, my good friend Celeste Reems, the owner and CEO of Reems Foods, will.”

Rocky dealt with food distributors, too, and knew Reems Foods was the largest food processor in the nation.

Upon hearing Bernadine invoke the Reems name, Epps and the two lawyers froze.

Bernadine asked silkily, “Something wrong, gentlemen?”

They didn't reply.

“Celeste and I have been good friends for a long time,” she continued. “We're sorority sisters of a sort, and if I'm not mistaken, she owns a big fat chunk of your elite level stock.”

Their eyes widened, and Rocky grinned, as did many of the other people in the room.

Then, in a pleasant voice, Bernadine quoted Beyoncé: “You must not know 'bout me.”

Chuckling could be heard on the heels of that, but it wasn't coming from the still frozen Big Box legal beagles.

When Bernadine added in a steely voice, “I suggest you do your homework before you visit us again, gentlemen,” Rocky wanted to cheer.

A smiling Trent stepped in front of the stricken-looking lawyers and brought his gavel down hard. “This meeting is adjourned!”

Applause and more hoots of approval raised the roof.

Wiggins and his team made a hasty retreat, and a satisfied Rocky went to the kitchen to bring out fresh coffee.

She'd just pulled two full carafes away from the industrial-size coffeemaker when Jack walked in, immediately rendering her speechless.

“Mal's playing host, so I thought I'd come see if you needed assistance.”

She forced her heart and breathing to start again.
Why is he so fine!
“Um, no. I—yes, here, take these out and set them on the buffet table.” Putting some distance between herself and him was the only way she'd be able to pull herself together.

“Okay. Be right back.”

When he made his exit, Rocky drew in a calming breath and prayed for strength.

O
ut in the dining room, some of the farmers came up to Bernadine to ask if she really planned to build a grocery store, and how they might get on the list to provide produce. Others asked if she could get them in touch with Reems Foods. She answered yes to both questions, and upon telling them that Gary would be managing the place, promised further info on the store later. Feeling pretty proud of herself, she walked over to the smiling Mal.

He gave her a big kiss on the cheek. “Love your style, girl. I thought the Big Box guy was going to choke.”

“I hate it when people threaten me and mine. If that squirrel-wearing Wiggins ever shows his ugly little self in my town again, I'll be calling those FUFA nuts to investigate that toupee.”