Page 38 of Beneath Southern Stars

“Now we’re getting to the root of the problem. A woman.”

We both chuckle as he pulls a chair closer and flips it backward. He straddles the seat and rests his elbows on the backrest.

“Her name is Laney, and she may be the best thing to happen to both me and Pepper. I haven’t felt like myself with someone in a long time. She didn’t see me as anything other than a guy with a kid. It was refreshing. Plus, she challenges me. Boy, does she call me on my shit.”

My smile is huge as I think back to her calling me out for accusing her of stalking. How was that only a few weeks ago? Seems like a lifetime happened from that moment to the evening we pulled out of Magnolia Grove. A fact that didn’t go unnoticed by Mattie, Jayson, or Boone. I also have it on good authority that Honey and Olivia have made it no secret they are displeased with my actions.

“And Pep?”

“Jed, you wouldn’t believe it. The transformation was amazing. I didn’t understand how much she needed to be away from the memories. How much we both needed that. But for Pepper, it was different. I actually lost her at the Jubilee tree lighting. It was the scariest five minutes of my life, but she was completely unfazed because she found Laney. They connected on a level I’m not sure I really understand.”

My friend stares at me until it’s uncomfortable and I look away. Like Cora, he chooses his words carefully. It’s something I’ve always appreciated in our friendship. Although I don’t recall a time he’s taken this much time to find the right words.

“So, if I understand this correctly, you went out of town, met a woman who your daughter bonded with and started working through her grief response. You fell in love and then you justleft and came back here to do something Gordon has guilted you into.”

“Gordon didn’t guilt me. It’s true I was always coming back. I wouldn’t keep Pepper from her grandparents at Christmas. Besides, Katie’s parents need time with her.”

He laughs. “That’s what you took out of that statement? The guilt. I see the love part didn’t faze you.”

“I’m not sure it’s possible to fall in love in a matter of weeks, but I won’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.”

The other guys file back in, and we stand. Before I can step toward the microphone again Jed grips my shoulder. “Don’t ignore those thoughts, Ry. Learn from the loss you’ve experienced and do what is best for your family, not everyone else. If Laney is your person, be with her. The rest will fall into place.”

His words stick with me until I exit the building and slide behind the wheel. I map out all the scenarios on how to make things work with Laney and there’s one thing I keep coming back to. It isn’t just Laney that I miss. It’s Magnolia Grove. A thought begins to form in my mind, and I surpass Gordon and call the director ofCountry Christmas Live.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Laney

I reada book once where the heroine ate an entire batch of raw cookie dough because she was sad. It seemed preposterous to me at the time. Who does that? In a word. Me. I do that. Or at least I tried. It’s really a lot of food and the more I stuffed in my face, the worst I felt. So, I switched to chips. Then the baked version of the cookie dough.

When Honey and Olivia brought over wine and an old photo of Ryan they found on the internet, I didn’t agree to throw darts at the picture. Instead, I cried and wailed at how unfair life is. All of that lasted two days because I still have responsibilities. Steve and I donned our matching snowman sweaters and top hats for caroling. Although, I bowed out early after the third person asked me where Ryan was and how much better we’d sound with him there.

Ms. Linda patted my hand and told me she said to take a risk, not jump off a cliff into feelings. Even Ginny and Micah, who started this whole thing by gossiping that I had to talk to Ryan in the first place, offered their sympathies.

I had enough today when I was decorating cookies at the Jubilee and shouted that he didn’t die, he just went home. Not my finest moment, yet here we are. Regardless of how preparedI convinced myself I was for my heartbreak; nothing could have prepared me for the emptiness I feel without Ryan and Pepper next door. Poor Steve has been distraught. Not a zoomie to be seen for days.

“Show us your outfit again. I don’t know if I’m sold on the pants.”

Standing in my closet, I turn to scowl at Olivia, Honey, Ana, and Rae Lynn who are scattered around my room. My friends are trying to cheer me up and get me excited for the dance tomorrow. I was as excited as them while we planned the event. A live band with dancing is always a draw, and based on the presale for tickets, we’ll be making a nice donation to the library.

It’s why I push down the sadness until the Jubilee is officially behind me. The committee members have sacrificed a lot of their time and energy into this event, and it would be selfish of me to continue moping around like a lovesick teenager. I met a man who has his own life. Not like I planned to fall into all these feelings.

“What’s wrong with the pants? They’re black jeans. Pretty basic.”

“That’s the problem,” Olivia shouts, then sinks into her seat when Rae Lynn smacks her leg. “I mean, why be basic when you can be awesome, I always say.”

I scrunch my nose. “Pretty sure I’ve never heard you say that before.”

“Olivia had too much sugar today,” Honey states as she crosses to where I’m standing. She pulls out a dress I bought from an ad on social media. The tags are still on it but she’s unfazed as she holds it up to me and continues. “Look Laney, this is the compilation of a year of hard work. Dress up. Put some sparkle on. Oh, you should go to Touch of Sass for a blowout.”

“You all are being weird. I know I’ve been in a funk, but I can manage to do my own hair. This dress is a lot. We made a pointof keeping the dance casual. We didn’t want to deter anyone from coming.”

It’s Ana’s turn to interject. “So maybe not the gown Honey is holding but you’re the chair of the Jubilee, Laney. Dress the part. Keep the jeans but wear that cream off-the-shoulder top you got the last time we went shopping. That’s a little fancier but not so much so that you’ll feel overdressed. Then you can go a little more dramatic with your makeup. We have those big lights, remember?”

She has a point. Those lights are ridiculous, but Lucy insisted they were necessary. In fact, she’s made so many last minute adjustments I’ve taken myself out of the chat. It was overwhelming.

“I’m excited for the temps to drop low enough so I can wear my red coat. Who cares what’s under it. Not like I’ll be dancing.”

---