Laura looked into their somber expressions, drew in a deep breath and made the call.
16
J.C.’s thoughts hadn’t strayed far from Laura all day, despite the steady parade of patients through his office. He’d just sent the last one on his way when his nurse cornered him.
“I thought you ought to know that Jan accepted Bill’s offer today. She’ll be moving to Serenity right after the holidays.”
J.C. nodded. “Bill and I discussed it before he hired her. I think she’ll be a great addition to the practice.”
Debra surveyed him with obvious disappointment. “I suppose it was too much to hope that you’d be more excited.”
He chuckled. “You know perfectly well that I was never interested in Jan. Nor is she one tiny bit infatuated with me.”
“Of course she is,” Debra scoffed. “Why else would she be moving here?”
“She told me she was anxious for a change of scenery and being part of a small community. I’m surprised she didn’t tell you the same thing.”
Debra waved it off as if it were nonsense. “Well, of course she’d say that to you. Is she supposed to come right out and tell you she’s coming because you’re hot?”
J.C. nearly choked. “She said that? Jan actually said those exact words to you?” he asked, imagining some very awkward times ahead.
Debra sighed. “Okay, no. I was hoping to give you a little push in her direction.” She studied him with a narrowed gaze. “Then there’s no doubt? You’re actually confirming all the rumors that you and Laura Reed are together?”
“We’re definitely seeing each other,” he admitted, mostly to end this absurd conversation. “Now I need to get out of here.”
“Hot date?”
He rolled his eyes. “Heavy lifting,” he said, imagining the workout ahead. Maybe a really hard workout would get the images of all these women out of his head, at least for an hour.
* * *
An hour later J.C. had barely worked up a good sweat when Cal cornered him, much as Debra had earlier.
“Got a minute?” Cal inquired, his expression somber.
J.C. turned off the elliptical machine and stepped off. “What’s up?”
“Let’s go into Elliott’s office,” he said. “I don’t want anyone overhearing this.”
To J.C.’s shock, he found Elliott Cruz, a personal trainer and one of the gym’s partners, there, along with Ronnie Sullivan, who with his wife Dana Sue, were two of the town’s business success stories. He’d opened a thriving hardware store on Main Street, and she, of course, owned Sullivan’s.
“Why am I feeling ambushed all of a sudden? Did I break a machine or leave dirty towels in the locker room?”
Ronnie chuckled. “You wouldn’t be the first, but no.”
“I just wanted you to know that there are already some people on this,” Cal explained.
“And what is this?” J.C. asked, still mystified.
“Mariah Litchfield has officially kicked off her vendetta against Laura Reed and Betty Donovan,” Cal explained. “She’s out for blood.”
The other two men nodded.
“Karen called me to fill me in,” Elliott said, referring to his wife, who worked as a chef at Sullivan’s.
“And I heard it on the street and from Dana Sue,” Ronnie added.
“And as we speak, according to Maddie, the Sweet Magnolias are gathering at Helen’s house to launch a counteroffensive,” Cal said. “Personally, if I were Mariah, I’d run for my life. I’ve seen those women in action when they have a cause they believe in.”
“Amen to that,” Ronnie said.
J.C. felt a moment’s outrage on Laura’s behalf. “Laura knows?”
“She’s at Helen’s,” Cal confirmed. “I think it was Sarah McDonald, Raylene Rollins and Ronnie’s daughter Annie who rallied the troops. They worked on the fall festival with Laura and aren’t about to let her get railroaded by the likes of Mariah.”
“Annie’s fit to be tied,” Ronnie confirmed. “I swear I always thought of my daughter as sweet, but when she gets her back up, she’s a spitfire, just like her mama.” He said it with unmistakable pride.
“Thank heaven for all of them,” J.C. said. “I should go over there.”
The three men glanced at each other and chuckled.
“Not a good idea,” Cal said. “Margarita nights are a no-men-allowed event. What we’re thinking is that we should make a few calls, get the husbands lined up, too. I assumed you’d want to help.”
“But I’m not…”
“A husband?” Cal said with a grin. “Time will tell. For now, though, your interest in one of the primary targets is good enough for you to qualify.”
“Then I’m definitely in,” J.C. said. “Where are we getting together?”
“The basketball court at the park,” Ronnie said. “We all think better while we’re working off a little steam.”
“And it keeps us from going off half-cocked and doing something before we’ve run it past the wives, who are much more civilized about these things than we are,” Cal said. “No less furious and determined, mind you. Just a little more controlled. It’s actually pretty scary to watch them put a carefully calculated plan into action.”
“It’s beyond terrifying when they’re against you,” Ronnie confirmed. “I’ve been on the receiving end of that. When they’re all for you, it’s awesome. We’re happy to provide all necessary backup.”
J.C. nodded. “I can do that,” he said. But he also intended to stand front and center when it came to publicly defending Laura and the way she’d handled this extraordinarily difficult situation. Things could have gotten far worse for Misty had Laura not intervened.
* * *
An hour after Laura made her call to Helen, every one of the Sweet Magnolias had rallied and gathered at Helen’s for margaritas and a strategy session. Laura was a little in awe as she looked around the room at the women willing to go to bat for her. She’d had a few of their children in her classes, but most were here simply because they believed in her. Amazing! It wasn’t the first time she’d realized how blessed she was to have them as friends.
“You have no idea what it means to me to know that you are on my side,” she told them. “I never would have asked you to back me up.”
“You didn’t have to,” Annie said. “You’re one of us. When somebody targets one of us, they take on all the Sweet Magnolias. Right, ladies?”
Margarita glasses were lifted into the air amid a chorus of confirmation.
Tears stung Laura’s eyes at the show of support. “Thank you.” She turned to Helen. “But do you really think Mariah’s threats need to be taken so seriously?”
“I’d
