The Magnolia Inn(23)

“To each his own.” Tucker tipped his hat at Belinda. “Be seein’ you around.” Then he looked down at Reuben, who was still seated. “But the truth is, I imagine Jolene will be glad not to see you around, after the way you treated her when she was a child.”

“That was rude,” Reuben muttered as Tucker left the room.

Tucker chuckled and kept going.



Jolene poked her head in the door of the Tipsy Gator. “You busy?”

Dotty looked up and waved from behind the cash register. “Not as much as I will be tonight. What brings you out today?”

“Tucker’s signing the papers, and I’m not even ready to see Reuben walk down the sidewalk. So, with a free half an hour, I thought I’d check in to see if you’ve got the tax forms ready for me to sign,” she said.

Dotty pulled a couple of sheets from under the bar. “Got them right here. Take about two minutes to fill out, and then we’re good to go. We’ll be busy tonight. You know, if I’d had a dozen girls with your looks and pretty eyes, I could’ve gone into the escort business and retired ten years ago.”

Jolene cracked up. “Yeah, right. Aunt Sugar would have sent you away to a convent if you’d even let the idea float through your mind.”

“Ain’t it the truth? I’m glad you’re goin’ to help me tonight so I don’t have to wear my little short legs out runnin’ up and down this bar,” Dotty laughed with her.

“So we’re going to be really busy, huh?” Jolene filled out the papers and gave them back.

“Oh, honey.” Dotty smiled. “To start with it’s the first weekend of the month. And then folks have had all the family stuff they can stand from the holidays. Everyone is ready to get out and kick up their heels a little. I don’t mind busy. I just hope we have happy drunks and not mean ones.”

“The happy ones tip better, so I’m with you. I should be going. Just wanted to stop by and check in with you,” Jolene said.

“So how’s the work coming along out at the inn?” Dotty asked before Jolene could slide off the barstool.

“Great, but it looks like crap. We’ve got the furniture stacked up in the hallway. The carpet is torn out, and we’re going to the lumberyard in a little while to get stuff to start building walls for a bathroom and closet.” Jolene started toward the door. “You should come out and see it before and after.”

“I’ll be there Sunday, remember.” Dotty put the paperwork away and hopped up to sit on the counter. “You are welcome here at the Gator anytime. You don’t have to wait until the nights that you’re scheduled to work to stop by here. It gets kind of lonely sometimes during the days. That’s why I spend time at the antique shops with Flossie and Lucy pretty often. If I’m not here, you can find me there.”

“Thank you, and the same goes for you coming out to the inn. See you later.” Jolene waved over her shoulder as she left.

She got into her truck and listened to the local country music station as she drove to town. She kept the engine running when she parked in front of the lawyer’s office. Expecting Tucker to slide into the passenger seat, she was surprised to see Flossie.

Jolene turned the radio off. “Well, good mornin’.”

“Tucker is in there right now finalizin’ the deal,” Flossie said. “I been watchin’ from the window of my shop. Reuben got here first. I thought you might wait in the shop. Where’d you go?”

“Down to fill out tax papers and talk to Dotty about bar stuff. Tonight is my first night. I don’t expect it’ll be much different than the Twisted Rope,” Jolene answered.

“I owe you an apology,” Flossie said.

“About what?”

“I should’ve bought half of the Magnolia Inn. I put in a bid, but I was too late. Belinda had already given Tucker twenty-four hours to make up his mind. I should’ve upped his bid by a few thousand. If I hadn’t been so stubborn, we could be partners and my money would be invested in something pretty nice,” Flossie sighed.

Jolene was pretty sure that if Flossie had purchased half the property, she’d still be working with Tucker, since he was the best carpenter in the area, so there didn’t seem to be much difference in the situation.

Flossie went on, “I never did like Reuben. He was rude to Sugar more times than I can count on my fingers and toes. And then for him to sell out as soon as the papers were signed last week made me furious. Not that I wanted you to have to deal with him every day. Hell, no! But I didn’t want him to make a penny more on the sale than Tucker offered.”

Jolene reached across the console and patted Flossie on the shoulder. “No hard feelin’s here. Who would you have hired to do the remodeling?”

“Tucker, if I could get him. He’s the best,” Flossie answered.

“So I’d still deal with him every day. It is what it is, Flossie. Don’t punish yourself.” Jolene smiled.

Flossie laid a hand on Jolene’s arm and squeezed it gently. “You’re so much like Sugar that you should’ve been her daughter instead of her niece. Got to go now. There’s a customer goin’ into the store, and I’m runnin’ it alone today.”

“Why?” Jolene asked.

“Janie, my part-time help, has that stomach bug that’s goin’ around. She’ll be back tomorrow,” Flossie replied as she got out of the truck.