Page 15 of Yours To Keep
“This one is mine, old man,” I say, grabbing her hand and lacing my fingers with hers. She responds immediately, blinking as she snaps out of her own mind. Her fingers squeeze mine as she slides her mask into place. Smiling widely, she steps into my side, leaning slightly into me. “Jack, this is Magnolia. Magnolia Monroe, this is Jack Winston, the owner of Pop’s.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!” She replies. She’s good at faking it, I’ll give her that.
“So lovely to meet you too, Miss Magnolia. Tell me, what’s a beauty like you doing with this beast?” He chuckles softly as he kisses her hand.
“Easy there, pops. I’d hate to have to hurt ya,” I say, pulling Magnolia tighter against my side. She laughs at him, indulging his flirtatious behavior.
We head inside, the smell of Jack’s famous chili wafting through the entire house. Helping Magnolia into her seat at the dining table, I think back on the last time I was in this very situation. Jack’s cabin in the woods is the polar opposite ofthe Monroe estate. I feel nothing but welcome within the walls of this home, which is much more than I can say about my experience with Magnolia’s parents.
“Your home is so beautiful, Mr. Winston!” Magnolia gushes, taking in the rustic feel surrounding us.
“Please, dear, call me Jack. Thank you so much. My late wife, Margaret, was responsible for most of the decorating around here. We lived here for nearly forty years before she passed, and I haven’t been able to bring myself to change a thing since,” he replies, smiling fondly at the mention of his wife.
“She did an amazing job. Has it been long since she passed?” Magnolia asks.
“Oh, going on about four years now. But some days I swear to ya, I can still hear her singin’ in the kitchen in the mornings.” His eyes shine, the love he had for his wife still so obvious.
“Well, how incredible for you to have been blessed with such a lifetime of love. I’m so sorry that you’ve had to spend so long without her,” Magnolia replies, patting the old man’s hand softly. Her compassion and kindness for others is such an amazing quality, especially for someone who wasn’t shown the same in her formative years.
“Oh, I’ll see her again soon, dear,” he smiles warmly back at her, and she quirks an eyebrow.
“Not giving up on me yet, are ya, old man?” I ask, carrying the pot of chili to the dining table and serving three bowls. Magnolia smiles her genuine smile when I hand her the bowl, her fingers brushing mine as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Thank you,” she says quietly, breaking up a piece of cornbread and sprinkling it over the bowl.
“Oh, I’m not in a hurry to go anywhere. Not anytime soon, son. Don’t you worry,” Jack says, digging in to his own bowl.
We fall in to easy conversation as we eat, bouncing from small town gossip to world news. I’ve had countless dinners, just Jack and I. But none of them have been as enjoyable as this one. No matter what we’re doing, I’m always smiling when Magnolia’s around. Once we’re all finished, Magnolia stands, collecting the bowls and taking them into the kitchen.
“Thank you so much for dinner, Jack. That was amazing! Let me help with the cleanup,” she says, but he shakes his head.
“No, ma’am. I’ll take care of it. There’s a cobbler in the oven, though. You can bring that on over, if you don’t mind,” he suggests, and she nods. She moves comfortably through his kitchen, and I find myself feeling happy that she seems to fit into my life so much easier than I imagined. She carries the warm dish back to the table, setting it on a towel and serving us each a plate. It would be so easy to fall in to the trap of believing this could really work. But I could never give her the kind of life she’s accustomed to.
“Well, spit it out. What did you want to talk to me about, Pop?” I change the subject, knowing he had more in mind than just meeting Magnolia tonight.
“Can’t get anything past you, huh?” He jokes, and I shake my head. Magnolia watches curiously, a spoonful of blueberry cobbler hovering in front of her mouth. I watch as her perfect lips wrap around the spoon, a tiny moan escaping her throat as she enjoys her dessert. Shifting in my seat, I ignore my desire for her as I shift my focus back to Jack.
“Out with it,” I say, clearing my throat.
“Well, I’m not getting any younger, ya know. And I’m tired, son. Far too tired to keep up with the bar, if I’m being honest. As much as I hate to close that chapter of my life, my body just ain’t working with me anymore,” he says, shoveling cobbler into his mouth.
“Are you sick or something, Jack?” I ask, but he shakes his head.
“No, Dalton. I’m not sick. I’m just old,” he replies and I nod. As much as I wish they didn’t, aging and death come for us all. “I can’t begin to describe how much you’ve grown since I met you. I’m proud to call you a friend. You may have been a little on the wild side when you first came to me, but seeing you two together, I can tell you both really care for each other. All I want for you is to find the kind of joy I found in my life and in my work, Dalton.”
A pang of guilt hits me in the chest, knowing that Magnolia and I have managed to put on a convincing show. I hate lying to him.
“I’m happy, Jack. I love working for you, and I have a life that I’m proud of,” I tell him, doing my best to skirt around the topic of Magnolia and I.
“Well, I’m ready to quit, son. That’s the plain and simple truth. And if you’re still interested, I’m ready to sell. I know it’s a lot of responsibility at your age, but I think you’re ready,” he says and I smile widely. This is all I’ve wanted since the first time I walked through the doors of that bar.
“I’m thirty-one, Jack. I’m definitely interested in taking over if you’re ready to step back. I’m up to the challenge, as long as I can still reach out to you should I need to.” I don’t want him to feel like he’s being put out to pasture.
Magnolia grabs my hand, squeezing softly and smiling. She knows how much this means to me. Jack stands, holding out his hand to me and grinning.
“Well then, it’s yours,” he tells me, and my heart pounds in my chest.
I’m so fucking excited. I’m not even sure how to respond. After a few seconds of silence, Magnolia nudges me gently and I snap out of it. Jumping up from my seat, I pull Jack in for ahug. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity he’s giving me, and I can’t begin to thank him.
