The Magnolia Inn(72)

He shut his eyes, and sleep came immediately—as did the dreams. He and Melanie were back in the trailer that last night. He argued with her that she shouldn’t go into town, but she laughed at him.

“It’s okay, darlin’. It’s my time and no one argues with God.” She kissed him on the cheek, picked up her purse, and started out the trailer door.

“Lucy does,” he said. “Lucy argues with God, and I believe He listens to her.”

“Who’s Lucy?” Melanie asked.

“This older lady who’s a friend of Jolene’s. Don’t go, Melanie. I can’t live without you,” he begged.

“Yes, you can. Life goes on, and I want you to be happy, Tucker. You have to let me go. My soul won’t be at peace until you do.” She took him by the hand and led him outside. “Now walk me to the car, and tell me goodbye.”

“I can’t,” he said.

“Be brave, like you are on the force.” She kissed him. “I love you. Give Jolene a chance. I like her. She’ll make you happy.”

He tried to hold her back, but she slipped away. As she drove off into the fog, he reached out one more time, only to find her wedding ring in his hand.

He woke up in a cold sweat, his hand clutched so tight that it ached. When he opened it, there was nothing there. Shock filled him to see her picture was gone as well. He switched on the light and found the frame on the floor, the glass shattered into a hundred little pieces.

Sassy was sitting right beside it with a mouse in her mouth. That explained the picture. She’d probably jumped across the bed and the nightstand to get at it, but Tucker just knew that Melanie had probably caused it.

“I get it,” he whispered as he cleaned up the glass, threw away the frame, and tucked her picture into the nightstand. “You can go. I’m going to be fine.”





Chapter Twenty-Two

Jolene stared at the calendar—January 29. There was something special about that day, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Mentally, she ran down the list of family birthdays and got nothing. She flipped the calendar pages and saw where Aunt Sugar had penned in birthdays for her friends and special days that she and Uncle Jasper shared—their first date, their first kiss, and their anniversary. Then there were other days, like when Sugar’s mother, her father, Elaine, and even Jolene’s father had passed away.

But there was nothing written on January 29, so why did she feel like she was missing something important?

Tucker looked over her shoulder. “Got something going today?”

Him standing that close to her created a heat that she didn’t want to think about. A relationship of any kind would be nothing but a rebound thing for him.

What would it be for you? Aunt Sugar’s voice was in her head.

Disaster, she thought with honesty.

Jolene put her finger on the date. “January 29. Does that mean something to you?”

“Can’t think of anything, but you did tell me your birthday was on the twenty-ninth, so maybe you’re thinking ahead.” Tucker rubbed a hand over his chin. “Why?”

If she turned around, her lips would be within a few inches of his ruggedly handsome face. She folded her arms over her chest and took a side step. “Look at it and see if it jogs anything in your memory. I’ve got this nagging feeling that it should mean something, and it’s driving me crazy.”

With a little distance between them, the tension faded. “How about some chocolate-chip muffins this morning?” she asked.

“Sounds great.” He flipped through the calendar. “I wonder why Sugar did this when she knew she was leaving.”

She headed into the kitchen. “It was part of her ritual. In December she always got a new calendar at the grocery store and used the old one to write all the important dates on it.”

“And she probably didn’t want you to forget, right?”

Tucker got eggs and milk from the refrigerator and set them on the counter.

“I wonder why she didn’t take it with her,” Jolene mused. “Maybe she made two. She wouldn’t leave home without something to remind her of important dates. I’m going to use hers and make one of my own next year. I want to remember all those days.”

“Maybe I could add a few to it,” he said.

Jolene wasn’t sure how she’d feel about his late wife’s birthday being on the calendar, too, but they were in this venture together. She’d gotten used to putting their laundry together, so this wouldn’t be all that different, would it?

“Sure, you can,” she said, hoping all the time that she’d never have to look at Melanie’s name on the calendar.

“Hey, where is everyone?” Dotty’s voice echoed through the house.

“Back here,” Tucker yelled. “Come on in and join us for breakfast?”

“What’re you doin’ out this early?” Jolene asked when Dotty appeared in the kitchen doorway. “How did you manage to get through that rain without ruining your hair?”

“A good umbrella. A fine plastic rain bonnet. And the best hair spray on the market,” Dotty answered. “What are we havin’ this morning?”

“Muffins and cereal. But I’ll make you an omelet if you want one,” Jolene answered.