“I’ll go next week or the week after,” Jeanette assured her. “Just not today.”
“Was what he said or did so awful that you don’t even want to be in the same room with him?”
“I’m not discussing this,” Jeanette said. “You’re my boss.”
Maddie looked as if she’d been slapped. “I’m also your friend.”
Jeanette sighed and reached for her hand. “I’m sorry. I know you are, but you can’t help. I don’t even know myself why I’m so upset, at least not entirely. The man infuriated me. I’ll get over it eventually.”
“I could help you figure it out, if you’d talk to me,” Maddie offered, giving her hand a commiserating squeeze.
“Thanks, but there’s nothing to figure out. Not really. I just hope this will finally put an end to any matchmaking plans you and the others have. Tom and I are doomed. Period.”
“Okay,” Maddie said, surprising her.
“Okay? Just like that?”
“You’ve made yourself clear. Do you want some help unpacking that shipment?”
“No. I need something totally mindless to occupy me this morning.”
“So you won’t think about whatever happened last night?” Maddie asked. “Or so you won’t imagine Tom’s reaction when you don’t show up this morning?”
Jeanette gave her a chagrined look. “Both, more than likely.”
“Okay, then, I’ll leave you to it. My door’s open if you change your mind about talking this through.”
“Thanks,” she said, then added, “And, Maddie, you are a really good friend.”
“I must not be that great if you’re so miserable and there’s nothing I can do to fix it.”
“Fixing it isn’t up to you, but I appreciate you wanting to try.”
After Maddie had gone, she put down the jar of moisturizer and sank into the chair behind her desk. This mood of hers was ridiculous. Tom wasn’t the first man she’d been attracted to. He wasn’t the first man that she’d known at first glance was a dead-end road. But last night when he’d flatly declared his intention to leave Serenity—and therefore her—behind, it had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.
It had stirred memories of too many other instances when she’d unwittingly been the short-term interlude. This time, at least, she knew in advance. If she allowed it to happen, if she gave her heart to a man who already had one foot out the door, then the heartache was all on her.
And no way in hell was she allowing that to happen again.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mary Vaughn had been looking forward to the festival committee meeting all weekend. Dealing with her ex-father-in-law was a small price to pay for a chance to spend time with the new town manager, who was without doubt the most promising male to hit Serenity since Ronnie Sullivan had returned.
She’d spent an extra half hour this morning choosing just the right suit—a lightweight turquoise wool that would be fine as long as the early-October temperatures didn’t skyrocket. She’d added the perfect accessories—silver-and-turquoise earrings and a matching bracelet from a trip to New Mexico—and a pair of strappy high heels that showed off her shapely legs. Her hair was artfully tousled to suggest the way it might look if she’d just left a man’s bed. The total effect was sexy, yet professional, a look that was darn hard to pull off, but one she’d mastered years ago. Few men were immune to it.
When she sashayed into the meeting room at Town Hall, Ronnie Sullivan gave a low whistle and winked at her.
“Got your sights set on a new man, darlin’?” he asked impudently.
“Go to hell, Ronnie.” She deliberately went to the opposite end of the table, even though it meant she was farther away from Tom’s seat than she would have preferred.
No sooner was she seated than her BlackBerry rang. She’d finally figured out how to use it, so she snatched it from her purse with more confidence than she might have a few weeks ago.
“Hello, this is Mary Vaughn Lewis,” she said in the practiced low purr she’d perfected just in case there was a male on the other end of the line.
“Mom, that tone is wasted on me,” Rory Sue teased.
“Oh, sorry, sweetie. I didn’t look at the caller ID. What’s up? I’m in a meeting that’s about to start,” she said, keeping her gaze fixed on the door that led to Tom’s office. She deliberately adjusted her jacket, opening another button to reveal a bit more of the lacy black camisole underneath, then caught the glint of laughter in Ronnie’s eyes and buttoned it right back up.
She realized then that she’d missed half of what her daughter was saying. “Sorry, hon, tell me again.”
“You didn’t hear anything I said?”
“Afraid not.”
“Why? Is there a man in the room?”
Mary Vaughn blushed at the question. “I only have a minute,” she reminded Rory Sue, deliberately ignoring her daughter’s impertinence.
“I wanted to talk to you again about my going skiing,” she said. “Now that you’ve had some time to think it over.”
“I didn’t need to think it over,” Mary Vaughn said. “I’ve already told you no and I’m not going to change my mind.”
“Do you really want me to be miserable during the holidays? I’ll be bored out of my mind in Serenity.”
“Your friends will be home. You’ll find plenty of things to do right here. And you know how much your daddy and granddaddy love having your around for the holidays. They always make a huge fuss.”
“I talked to Dad. He said it would be okay with him if it was okay with you.”
Damn Sonny! Mary Vaughn thought. Couldn’t he agree with her about anything? He’d probably been finalizing some car deal while Rory Sue was talking and hadn’t even heard her request. It wasn’t like him to give up time with their daughter, unless he’d done it just to rile her—although she was pretty sure he wouldn’t waste the energy bothering with
