Praise for the novels of
SHERRYL
WOODS

“Woods’s latest entry in her Sweet Magnolias series (after Stealing Home) is sure to please fans and entice new readers with…flesh-and-blood characters, terrific dialogue and substantial stakes.”

—Publishers Weekly on A Slice of Heaven

“Strong supporting characters, a vivid sense of place, and a strong appreciation for the past add to the appeal of Woods’ contemporary romance.”

—Booklist on The Backup Plan

“Compulsively readable…a universal tale of friendship’s redemptive power.”

—Publishers Weekly on Mending Fences

“Redolent with Southern small-town atmosphere, this emotionally rich story deals with some serious issues and delivers on a number of levels.”

—Library Journal on A Slice of Heaven

“Sweetly satisfying, clever characters and snappy, realistic dialogue…a delightful read.”

—Publishers Weekly on About That Man

“Sherryl Woods is a uniquely gifted writer whose deep understanding of human nature is woven into every page.”

—New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers

Welcome to Serenity
Sherryl Woods

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Dear Friends,

So many of you have welcomed the Sweet Magnolias into your lives and asked for more that I couldn’t resist. For all of you, here’s Jeanette’s story, along with a subplot about that diabolical Mary Vaughn who tried to steal Ronnie away from Dana Sue…twice! I think you’ll gain some new insights into what makes her tick and maybe even feel some sympathy for all she’s gone through in her life.

Of course, since this is coming out during my very favorite time of the year—Christmas—I couldn’t resist making the holidays a critical part of the story. We all know people who hate the entire season with a passion, but we rarely learn the reason for those bah-humbug attitudes. In Welcome to Serenity, both Jeanette and Tom have plenty of issues with the holidays. In Jeanette’s case, the reason is tragic. It’s shaped her entire adult life. Loving her as he does, Tom gains a whole new perspective on his own distaste for the season of goodwill. But the fun of the story is their bosses’ insistence that these two are among those responsible for making Christmas magic happen in Serenity, a town that absolutely adores its holidays.

I hope you’ll enjoy being back with the Sweet Magnolias at this wonderful time of year and that your own holiday season is filled with joy.

All best,

Sherryl

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

1

The relaxing scent of lavender in the hand cream that Jeanette Brioche was massaging into her cramped fingers did absolutely nothing to calm her jittery nerves. A few hours ago Maddie Maddox, her boss at The Corner Spa, had scheduled a meeting for six o’clock, immediately after Jeanette was due to finish with her last client. Maddie hadn’t said what it was about, but her grim expression suggested it wasn’t a celebration, something she and her friends Dana Sue and Helen organized at the drop of a hat.

Since Jeanette tended to be a worrier who saw disaster around every corner, she decided to get this over with even though it wasn’t quite six. Her stomach knotted with dread, she walked down the hall to Maddie’s office.

After tapping on the partially open door, Jeanette stepped inside to chaos. A disheveled Maddie was holding a wriggling six-month-old Cole in her arms and trying to feed him, while two-year-old Jessica Lynn ran wildly around the room, knocking everything in sight onto the floor. Maddie’s usually well-organized folders were in a chaotic heap, and samples from their suppliers were scattered everywhere. A topless bottle of hand lotion had been upended.

“Help!” Maddie said to Jeanette, who promptly scooped up Jessica Lynn and tickled her until the child dissolved into giggles.

“Having a bad day?” Jeanette inquired, feeling her stomach unknot as the toddler patted her cheek with sticky fingers that smelled of rose-scented hand lotion. The more time she spent around Jessica Lynn and Cole, as well as Helen’s little girl, however, the louder the ticking of Jeanette’s biological clock seemed to get. The alarm hadn’t gone off yet, but she sensed it was about to when the scent of baby powder started to smell better to her than the herbal aromas in the spa.

“A bad day, a bad week and more than likely a bad month,” Maddie replied.

The weary response pretty much confirmed the reason for her earlier grim expression. Maddie had already had three children when she’d married Cal Maddox a few years ago and now had two more. Her oldest son, Ty, was a sophomore at Duke and star of the school’s baseball team. Kyle was in high school and finally regaining his equilibrium after Maddie’s divorce from his dad, and Katie had just turned nine and was only marginally impressed with being a big sister, rather than the baby of the family.

There was no question that Maddie had her hands full, even without taking into account that she ran The Corner Spa, which was a thriving fitness club and day spa for residents of Serenity, South Carolina, and beyond. Jeanette couldn’t imagine how she juggled all those balls in the air. Most days she did it with aplomb. Today she looked completely frazzled.

“Want me to take our girl here and give her a beauty treatment?” she asked Maddie, even as Jessica Lynn struggled to break free.

“Actually, Cal should be here any second to pick them up,” Maddie replied. “Then you and I can talk.”

Just as she spoke, the man in question strode into the room, sized up the situation with a grin and took the squirming Jessica Lynn from Jeanette.

“How’s my favorite girl?” he asked, tossing the toddler into the air, then planting a loud kiss on her cheek that had Jessica Lynn squealing with delight.

“I thought I was your favorite girl,” Maddie grumbled with feigned annoyance.

Seemingly oblivious to his wife’s mussed hair, lack of makeup and formula-splotched blouse, Cal set the two-year-old down and then leaned down to give Maddie a long, lingering kiss. “You are my favorite woman,” he told Maddie. “And that is much, much better.”

Jeanette watched enviously as Maddie touched his cheek in response and their eyes locked. It was as if the two of them were alone in the room. Dana Sue and Ronnie Sullivan, and Helen Decatur and Erik Whitney were equally smitten. Never in her thirty-two years had Jeanette experienced anything like the love these couples shared. It was little wonder that Jeanette almost sighed aloud with longing whenever she was around any of them.

In fact, their happiness was almost enough to convince her to give relationships another try. She’d been out of action for three years now, ever since she’d dumped the guy who’d resented her commitment to The Corner Spa. With Cal, Ronnie and Erik all devoted to their wives and supportive of their careers, Jeanette knew it was possible to find a man like that. She simply hadn’t been that lucky yet.

Finally, her cheeks pink, Maddie tore her gaze away from her husband. “Nice save, Coach Maddox,” she said, referring to Cal’s role as the high school’s baseball coach and her son’s onetime mentor. “Now, would you get these two little munchkins out of here so I can have an intelligent conversation with Jeanette?”

“Sure thing,” Cal said, putting baby Cole in his stroller and then hefting Jessica Lynn back into his arms. “Want me to pick up something from Sullivan’s for dinner?”

Maddie nodded. “I’ve already called. Dana Sue will have a take-out order waiting for you. Just park in the alley and poke your head in the kitchen. She or Erik will bring it out.”

“Got it,” Cal said, grinning as he gave her a mock salute. “See you later. Have a good evening, Jeanette. Don’t let her talk you into anything.”

“Hush,” Maddie ordered, giving him a stern look, then shooing him out of the office.

Jeanette regarded Maddie suspiciously when she shut the door behind her husband. “What are you planning to talk me into?”

“Oh, don’t listen to him,” Maddie said, though her expression remained vaguely guilty. “It’s no big deal.”

Which meant it was, Jeanette concluded. She knew Maddie pretty well after working with her to get the business opened. Now it ran like a well-oiled machine thanks in no small measure to Maddie’s ability to minimize the difficulty of the assignments she was handing out to the staff. She could sweet-talk with the best of the southern belles. Jeanette had learned to be wary of that dismissive tone.

“Talk,” Jeanette ordered.

“Now that I think about it, it’s too nice to stay inside. Why don’t we get a couple of glasses of sweet tea and talk on the patio,” Maddie suggested, already striding out of the office and straight for the little café that was part of the spa.

Jeanette trailed along behind, the knot of dread back in her stomach.

After they were seated in the shade of a giant pin oak, which blocked most of the rays of the setting sun, Maddie took a long sip of her tea, sighed with contentment, then gave Jeanette a bright smile that seemed a little forced. “How’s business?”

Jeanette almost laughed aloud. “You probably know the answer to that better than I do. Come on, Maddie. Just spill it. What’s on your mind?”

Maddie set her tea carefully on the table and leaned forward, her expression earnest. “You know I pretty much have my hands full lately, right?”

“Of course I do,” Jeanette said. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than real alarm set in. “You’re not quitting, are you?”

“Heavens, no,” Maddie said. “The Corner Spa is as important to me as it is to Helen and Dana Sue. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here, and I’m including you in that. You’ve done an amazing job with the spa services. I have no intention of abandoning ship.”

“Thank goodness.” Jeanette sat back with a sigh of relief. She’d run the spa both times that Maddie had been on maternity leave. She knew she could handle the day-to-day operations, but she didn’t want to. Being in charge of spa services was enough responsibility to suit her. Massages, facials, pedicures and manicures, those were all things she’d been trained to do, treatments she understood. As far as she was concerned, the gym was little better than a torture chamber best left to the excellent personal trainers on staff. And the paperwork and marketing involved with keeping this place on the cutting edge in the region were beyond her expertise. Besides, she liked the daily interaction with the clients. Maddie rarely ever got to leave her office.

“Okay, let’s back up,” Maddie said. “All I was trying to say is that Jessica Lynn and Cole require huge amounts of attention right now, to say nothing of keeping Kyle and Katie on track. And I’m still more or less a newlywed.” She grinned. “Or at least Cal always makes me feel like one.”

“I can see that,” Jeanette said wryly.

“Bottom line, my time’s just not my own.”

“Okay,” Jeanette said cautiously.

“The Corner Spa’s now one of the most successful businesses in town, which gives us a certain responsibility,” Maddie continued. “We need to be community leaders, so to speak.”

Jeanette nodded.

“Which means one of us needs to be involved in town activities and events.” She regarded Jeanette earnestly. “We can’t get away with just writing a check or participating. We need to take a leadership position, serve on committees, that kind of thing.”

Jeanette’s eyes widened as understanding finally dawned. “Oh, no,” she said, the knot tightening. “You’re not about to suggest what I think you are, are you?”

Maddie regarded her innocently. “I have no idea. What are you thinking?”

“Christmas,” Jeanette said, barely able to utter the word without a shudder.

Like all holidays, Christmas in Serenity was a very big deal—decorations to rival anything ever seen in a staging of The Nutcracker, the arrival of Santa, musical performances by local choirs, candy canes and small token gifts for every child in town. The whole town sparkled with lights, and lawn displays ranged from tasteful to garish. The residents of Serenity loved it all. They embraced the season with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a five-year-old.

Not so Jeanette. Christmas in her life was something to be endured, a holiday season to survive, not a time for rejoicing or celebrating or mingling with neighbors. It had been that way for years now. In fact, most years she tried timing her vacation to the holiday season and spending it holed up with DVDs of all the movies she’d missed the previous year.

“No way,” she told Maddie now. “Not a chance. I am not getting involved with the Christmas festival.”

“Come on, Jeanette, please,” Maddie begged. “It’s a few meetings, making sure that lights are strung up, trees are lit, the church choirs invited to sing. You’ve been here long enough to know the drill. And you’re one of the most organized people I know.”

“And the least likely human being on the planet to want to do this,” Jeanette said just as earnestly. “Really, Maddie, you do not want me anywhere near the town’s holiday plans. I give new meaning to bah-humbug. If it were up to me, we’d cancel Christmas.”

Maddie looked genuinely shaken. “Why? How can you not love Christmas?”

“I just don’t, okay?” Jeanette said tightly. “I can’t do this for you, Maddie. I can’t. Anything else, but not this. I’ll watch your kids, take on extra duties around here, whatever you need, but I won’t be involved with the festival.”

“But—”

“I won’t do it, Maddie, and that’s final.”

And for the first time in her three years at The Corner Spa, Jeanette stood up and walked out on her boss, leaving Maddie openmouthed with shock.

Tom McDonald had been town manager of Serenity for one hour and fifteen minutes when Mayor Howard Lewis walked into his office, plopped his pudgy body into a chair and announced, “Let’s talk about Christmas.”

Tom leveled a withering gaze at him that was intended to nip that idea right in the bud. “Don’t you think we should be focusing on the budget, Howard? That comes up for a vote at the next council meeting and I need to be up to speed on what the priorities are around Serenity.”

“I’ll tell you what the top priority is,” Howard replied with single-minded determination. “Christmas. We do it up big here in Serenity. Needs to be done right, so you need to call a meeting now. Get those chamber of commerce people and a few business leaders involved. I’ll give you some names.”

While Tom tried to figure out the best way to say no, Howard’s expression turned thoughtful.

“Look,” Howard said, “we could use some new decorations for the square, now that there are a few new businesses downtown. Maybe some of those big lighted snowflakes. I’m thinking downtown is where this year’s celebration ought to be, just like the old days. The park’s great, but there’s something about a town square that just goes with an old-fashioned Christmas, don’t you think?”

Tom ignored the question. “Are new decorations in the current budget?” he asked, trying to be practical and to avoid the quagmire of admitting his own distaste for the holidays.

“I doubt it,” Howard replied with a shrug. “But there’re always a few dollars here and there that can be used for emergencies. Discretionary funds, isn’t that what you call them?”

“Snowflakes hardly qualify as an emergency purchase,” Tom told him, wondering if he was going to have many discussions like this during his tenure in Serenity. If so, it was going to be a frustrating experience.

Howard waved off his objections. “You’ll find a way, I’m sure. The point is to get started on this now.”

“It’s September, Howard,” Tom reminded him, his dread growing in direct proportion to Howard’s unwavering determination.

Howard waved off the reminder. “And it takes time to get things organized, especially when you have to rely on volunteers. Surely you know that. Your résumé cited all that organizational experience you have. Use it.”

“It seems to me that since you have so much enthusiasm for this project, you should be the one in charge,” Tom said, unable to keep the desperate note out of his voice. Another minute of even thinking about pulling together a Christmas celebration and he’d be sweating openly.

He’d grown up in a household that began holiday preparations not much later than this, complete with decorators who made every downstairs room in his family’s Charleston household a designer’s Christmas showcase before the round of social occasions began right after Thanksgiving. Heaven forbid that he or his sisters actually try to unwrap one of the packages on display under any of the lavishly decorated trees. Most were nothing more than empty boxes. Like a lot of things that went on in the McDonald home, it was all about show, not substance.

He was aware that Howard was studying him with a narrowed gaze. “You got something against Christmas?” the mayor inquired.

“In the religious context, absolutely nothing,” Tom said quickly. “I’m just saying that organizing a bunch of decorations and such is not an effective use of my time. Then there’s the whole issue of religious displays on public property, separation of church and state and all that. We need to be careful. The courts are ruling against a lot of these displays.”

“Nonsense,” Howard said. “This is Serenity. Nobody here objects to Christmas.” He stood up. “I’ll want to see a report on your progress with this before next Thursday’s council meeting. Understood?”

Tom barely resisted a desire to close his eyes and pray for patience. “Understood,” he said, tight-lipped.

Putting him in charge of the celebration, he thought sourly, was a little bit like turning it over to Scrooge.

If Jeanette had been a drinker, her conversation with Maddie would have sent her straight to a bar. Instead, it sent her fleeing to Sullivan’s for a double serving of Dana Sue’s famous apple bread pudding topped with cinnamon ice cream. The order—or a report on her sour mood from the waitress—immediately drew Dana Sue out of the kitchen.

The owner of Serenity’s highly successful, upscale restaurant and part owner of The Corner Spa set down the oversize bowl of dessert and took a seat opposite Jeanette.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her expression filled with concern.

Jeanette winced. She should have known that coming here was a mistake. All of the Sweet Magnolias—the name that Maddie, Dana Sue and Helen called themselves—were too darn intuitive, to say nothing of nosy and meddlesome. “What makes you think anything’s wrong?” she replied, digging into the bread pudding.

“For starters, you almost never order dessert, much less a double serving of it. Then there’s the grim expression on your face.” Dana Sue studied her. “And the fact that Maddie called here and told me you were upset about a conversation the two of you had. She had a hunch you’d head this way.”

“Is there one single thing the three of you don’t share?” Jeanette inquired testily, shoveling in another mouthful of the homemade cinnamon ice cream that was melting over the warm dessert. If it weren’t for her state of mind, the combination of tender apples and rich ice cream would have sent her into raptures.

“We’ve had our secrets,” Dana Sue assured her. “But we also rush right in whenever one of us needs backup. You’re one of us now, you know that, don’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” Jeanette protested, though her eyes grew misty. “I didn’t grow up here. You three have known each other all your lives. You’ve been doing things together practically forever. I’m an outsider. I can’t be a Sweet Magnolia.”

“For goodness’ sake, it’s not as if we have a bylaw against it. You are if we say you are,” Dana Sue countered. “Which means we get to worry about you and meddle in your life. So tell me what happened with Maddie.”

“She didn’t fill you in?”

“All she said was that it had something to do with Christmas. Frankly, she wasn’t making a lot of sense. Nobody goes into a tailspin over Christmas.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “Unless they’ve put off shopping until Christmas Eve. But that can’t be it. It’s only September.”

“It’s definitely not about shopping,” Jeanette concurred. If she could have, she would have dropped the subject right there, but judging from Dana Sue’s quizzical expression, that wasn’t going to happen. Jeanette uttered a sigh of resignation. “She wants me to be on the town’s Christmas committee.”

“Okay,” Dana Sue replied slowly. “I don’t see the problem. Don’t you have the time?”

“I could make the time if I wanted to do it,” Jeanette admitted grudgingly. “But I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t. Isn’t that reason enough?” She stuffed another spoonful of bread pudding into her mouth. She’d already eaten more than she should have. All that sugar was beginning to make her feel a little queasy.

“If you’re that opposed to serving on the committee, I know Maddie won’t force it,” Dana Sue reassured her. “But maybe you should tell her why.”

Jeanette shook her head. If she explained, she would have to dredge up way too many painful memories. “It’s not something I want to talk about. Can’t we leave it at that?”

Dana Sue studied her sympathetically. “You know Maddie is a mother hen. She’ll worry if she doesn’t know the whole story, and she’ll nag you until she knows what’s going on. My advice is, just spill it and get it over with.”

“No,” Jeanette said flatly. “You guys hired me to run a day spa. Christmas was never part of the deal. If it’s going to turn into this huge issue, maybe I don’t belong here.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Dana Sue said, her expression alarmed. “Of course you belong here. We love you like a sister. You are not going to leave just because you don’t want to serve on the town’s Christmas festival committee. Maddie will figure something out. Maybe Elliot can do it. Or one of the other employees.”

Jeanette’s eyes brightened at the mention of the spa’s top-notch personal trainer. “Elliot would be good. Now that he and Karen are together, he gets all mushy about every holiday on the calendar.” She warmed to the idea. “Plus, he’d be great at climbing ladders and doing all the physical stuff that’ll need to be done. Not to mention what excellent eye candy he is. All the women in town will be volunteering to serve on the committee.”

“Good points,” Dana Sue said with a grin. “Be sure to mention them to Maddie. Now, why don’t I get you a real dinner. The catfish is especially good tonight.”

Jeanette shook her head, shoving away the half-empty bowl of bread pudding. “I’m stuffed.”

“And feeling better?” Dana Sue asked.

“A hundred percent better,” Jeanette confirmed. “Thanks, Dana Sue.”

“Anytime,” she said as she slid out of the booth. “But before you make a final decision about this whole committee thing, there’s one thing you should probably consider.”

Jeanette froze. She’d thought the matter settled. She’d go to Maddie, recommend Elliot for the job and that would be that. She eyed Dana Sue warily. “Oh?”

“The new town manager will be running the committee.”

“So?”

“He was in here with the mayor the other night,” Dana Sue told her. “He’s a real hottie.” She grinned. “And I hear he’s single.”

Jeanette’s gaze instantly narrowed. “Is that what this is about? Are you and Maddie matchmaking?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Dana Sue replied innocently. “Just reporting what I know so you can make a fully informed decision.”

“I’ve made my decision,” Jeanette said emphatically. “And I’m not looking for a man. You’ve just given me one more reason for saying no to this.”

Dana Sue smiled knowingly. “I seem to recall Maddie saying those exact words not long before she walked down the aisle with Cal. Helen’s protests were even more forceful right before she married Erik. And I was pretty fierce about declaring I had zero interest in remarrying Ronnie. Just look at us now.”

Jeanette blanched. “But I’m serious.”

Dana Sue chuckled. “So were we, sweetie. So were we.”

After the mistakes she’d made in choosing men, Jeanette’s life had been refreshingly calm lately. Peaceful. She liked it that way. She really did. Oh, she might envy Maddie, Dana Sue and Helen their solid relationships, but guys like theirs were few and far between. And she knew for a fact they weren’t the kind she attracted.

She gave Dana Sue a stern look. “Stay out of my love life.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a love life,” Dana Sue responded.

“Exactly my point. And that’s the way it’s going to stay.”

“Famous last words,” Dana Sue said as she walked away.

“I mean it,” Jeanette called after her. “I do.”

Dana Sue merely waved. Even though Jeanette couldn’t see her face, she knew the other woman was smirking. She resolved then and there to take up drinking margaritas like the rest of the Sweet Magnolias. Then the next time she had a crisis, she could head for a bar instead of straight into a hornet’s nest of sage advice and friendly meddling.

2

Tom was still seething over his meeting with the mayor when he left the office and headed for the Serenity Inn. The prospect of a long, empty evening in his hotel room held little appeal. He needed some exercise, something so strenuous that it would drive all thoughts of that ridiculous conversation from his head.

On his way to his room, he stopped at the front desk and asked Maybelle Hawkins if there was a health club in town. She frowned at the question.

“Well, now, there’s Dexter’s Gym, but I’ll tell you the truth, the place is a dump. I hear Dexter has real good equipment over there and once in a while he slaps a fresh coat of paint on the walls, but that’s the extent of any renovations he’s done in the past thirty years. Men don’t seem to notice, but the women complained for years, for all the good it did.”

“So Dexter’s Gym is my only choice?” Tom wasn’t averse to the smell of sweat or even a shabby decor, but he questioned whether a place like that would keep its equipment in good repair, despite what Maybelle said. “I thought I’d read something in a regional magazine about a place called The Corner Spa.”

Maybelle’s eyes lit up. “Now that’s another story,” she said. “Just walking through the door is a soothing experience. The owners took an old Victorian house at Main Street and Palmetto Lane and turned it into something special. I haven’t used any of the fancy machines, but I’ve had a facial and a mud bath. Mud! Can you imagine such a thing? To tell you the truth, though, I never felt better.”

Tom nodded. “Sounds like the perfect place,” he said. He seemed to recall that the article had been equally glowing.

“It is, but you can forget about it,” Mabel said, an oddly triumphant glint in her eyes.

“Why is that?”

“It’s only open to women. After all those years of pleading with Dexter to fix his place up, they finally have a place of their own.”

“You’re telling me that The Corner Spa discriminates?” he said, his ire stirring. “And nobody’s sued?”

Maybelle gave him a blank look. “Why would they? It’s a spa for women. You men have had your private clubs and private golf courses for years. Now a few women get together and open something just for women and you want to sue? Give me a break.”

Tom winced. His father had belonged to several of those private, men-only clubs, in fact. That wasn’t the point, though. This was a business, supposedly open to the public.

“Come on,” he said. “You know it’s morally wrong, probably illegal.” He’d have to research that, look into those law books his father had bought in the hope that Tom would one day open his own law office in Charleston, actually use the law degree he’d earned.

Maybelle didn’t seem the least bit impressed with his argument. “You’d have to take that up with one of the owners, but I’ll warn you about that. Helen Decatur’s the smartest attorney in town. Nobody with any sense goes against her.”

Tom nodded slowly. Given his current annoyance over the way his first day on the job had gone, the prospect of challenging a business that blatantly discriminated based on gender held a lot of appeal. He could channel his sour mood into that fight, instead of waging a fruitless battle with Howard over the Christmas festival.

Then again, if one of his first acts as a resident of Serenity was to sue a popular attorney and business owner, it might mark the beginning of the end of his career as town manager. He’d have to give that some thought.

He gave Maybelle a distracted smile. “Thanks. I appreciate the information.”

After a quick trip to his room to change into jeans, an old University of South Carolina T-shirt and sneakers, he headed downtown at a brisk pace. He’d probably wind up at Dexter’s, but first he wanted to get a good look at this fancy spa.

He made a few wrong turns, but eventually he found it. There was something classy and welcoming about the old Victorian.

He climbed the steps to the porch and peered in a window. The equipment inside looked top-notch. A dozen or so women were using the treadmills and the elliptical cross-trainers, and he spotted a couple of men in there, as well. Hoping Maybelle had gotten the membership restrictions wrong, he was about to open the door and step inside to find out, when he heard brisk footsteps behind him.

“May I help you?” a woman queried, halting him in his tracks. Despite the slow Southern drawl of her voice, somehow she made the question sound more like a challenge than an offer of assistance.

He turned and faced a pixie of a woman with very short dark hair and huge, dark eyes. If he hadn’t heard that drawl in her voice, he would have guessed her to be European. Her clothes had a French flair about them. Even though the outfit—really only jeans and a T-shirt—could easily have come from the local discount store, the low-heeled, ballet-style shoes and the artful twist of the scarf at her neck reminded him of the innate fashion sense he’d seen on the Left Bank in Paris during the summer he’d spent there after college. He had very fond memories of those days—and of the women he’d met.

He gave her his most winning smile. “That depends. Do you happen to have any pull at this place?”

“I’m not one of the owners, if that’s what you’re asking. Maddie meets with all prospective suppliers. I can give you her card.”

“I’m not a supplier. I want to join.”

“Sorry. We’re only open to women.”

“But I see a couple of men inside,” he protested.

“Personal trainers. They’re the only men allowed inside during business hours. I’d be happy to give you directions to Dexter’s, if you don’t know your way around town.”

“I can find it,” he said tersely. “You know, the women-only rule is probably illegal.”

The suggestion didn’t fluster her in the least.

“I seriously doubt it,” she said, looking amused. “I’m sure that Helen Decatur—she’s also an owner—covered that when she incorporated the spa. I can give you her card, too, if you’d like.”

Letting the legal issues pass for the moment, Tom studied her speculatively, allowing his gaze to linger in a way meant to disconcert her. “When do you offer me your card?”

“I don’t, unless you happen to be peddling skin creams, aromatherapy products or spa attire. Unfortunately, we’ve already established that you’re not.”

There was a gloating note in her voice that irked him. Instead of letting his irritation show, he turned on his charm. “That is a shame, isn’t it? Maybe we can find something else we have in common.”

The amusement in her remarkable eyes vanished. “I doubt that,” she said coolly. “Have a good evening.”

She opened the door, stepped inside, then shut it very firmly in his face. He had a hunch if the spa hadn’t been open for another hour, she’d have turned the lock, as well.

Tom stared after her. His annoyance over the spa’s discrimination against men had suddenly taken a backseat to his fascination with the feisty woman who’d just brushed him off. As the presumed heir to the McDonald fortune, he hadn’t had a lot of experience with rejection, especially in the upper echelons of Charleston society. He discovered he didn’t like it. Coming on top of his losing battle with the mayor, it really soured his mood.

His father would say that the day he’d just had in Serenity was no worse than he deserved for not following the more illustrious career path that had been chosen for him at birth. It was the image of the gloating expression he’d likely find on his father’s face that stiffened his spine and made him resolve to make tomorrow better. He had a lot to prove, not just to his father, but to himself.

He’d come to Serenity because he cared about towns like this. He thought he had something to offer. His years as a planning administrator and as a chief financial officer in another community had prepared him to run Serenity and deal with whatever issues might face the community. If he had to do battle with a demanding mayor and suffer a little rejection at the hands of an intriguing woman, he could handle it.

He cast one last, longing look through the window of The Corner Spa, decided to skip a workout at Dexter’s and jogged back to the Serenity Inn for an unappetizing meal of beer and takeout.

After her disconcerting encounter with the man on the porch, Jeanette retreated to her office to try to make a dent in the mountain of paperwork on her desk. It was as good a time as any to deal with this unpleasant aspect of her job.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t seem to focus on it. Images of the man she’d just met kept intruding. The thought of him taking on Helen in a fight made her smile. He’d sounded so sure of himself. It would be fun to watch Helen teach him a thing or two about the law.

And even though she’d sworn off men, basking in the undisguised admiration of a sexy man for just a couple of minutes had given her a faintly quivery feeling in the pit of her stomach. It had been a long time since a man had looked at her like that. Or maybe it had just been a long time since she’d been aware of it and felt anything in return.

Not that she intended to do anything about it, she reminded herself sternly, turning back to the paperwork on her desk with renewed determination.

She’d completed her monthly report for August when Elliot tapped on her door and stepped inside. With his gleaming black hair, glowing olive complexion and well-muscled body, he was a walking advertisement for fitness. He was also one of the nicest guys around. He came from a large, exuberant family and was about to marry a single mom, who’d had a very tough couple of years. He and Karen had weathered their own stormy issues thanks to his rigorously Catholic family’s initial disapproval of him marrying a divorced woman. Karen had finally won them over.

“You’re here awfully late,” he said.

“Catching up on paperwork,” Jeanette replied with a grimace. “Is it time to close up? I’ve lost track of time.”

“I sent the last of the clients on their way and locked the doors five minutes ago. If you’re ready to go, I’ll give you a lift home.”

Jeanette gave him an odd look. “That’s okay. I can walk. It’s not that far.”

Elliot immediately shook his head. “Not tonight. There was some guy peering in the windows here earlier. I’ve never seen him around before. It made a couple of the women nervous. They were about ready to call the sheriff, but when I checked outside, he was gone.”

Jeanette smiled and shook her head. “I talked to him on my way in. He’s harmless. He wanted to join the health club, but I told him he couldn’t. I guess he’s new in town. He left after we spoke.”

Elliot’s frown didn’t fade. “I still don’t like it. Did he give you a name?”

“No, but I didn’t ask. Stop worrying. I’m a halfway decent judge of people.” Okay, not men, but this was different. “This guy was clean-cut and well-spoken. He’s not a threat to anyone.”

Even as she uttered the assurance, she wondered if it was entirely true. The man probably wasn’t dangerous in the way Elliot was thinking, but he might very well pose a threat to her. Before her cool dismissal of him, she’d responded to his fleeting attempt at flirting. She hadn’t wanted to, but she had.

He was attractive. Okay, very attractive. Sexy. He didn’t have the kind of muscular body Elliot had, but he was fit in a lean and lanky way. His eyes were more gray than blue and they’d sparkled with mischief. His neatly trimmed brown hair had the kind of golden highlights that came from spending time outdoors. And he had a dimple when he smiled. That dimple had knocked her socks off, which had been a shock. She’d thought herself immune.

His clothes had been casual, but she could easily envision him in a shirt and tie. A tailor-made suit. He was a professional man, if she was any judge.

Elliot didn’t appear convinced. He moved a stack of papers from the extra chair, then sat down, propped his feet on her desk and pulled out a cell phone.

“What are you doing?” Jeanette demanded.

“Calling Karen to let her know I’ll be late.”

“Why?”

He grinned. “Because I’m not leaving here without you. It would tarnish my sterling reputation as a nice guy. Last time I let one of the Sweet Magnolias out of my sight when my gut told me not to, she nearly got herself killed.”

Jeanette winced. She recalled the incident. “You weren’t responsible for what happened to Helen. Her client’s husband was determined to get even with her. No one was going to stop him.”

“Not entirely, no,” he agreed cheerfully. “But I’m not taking any chances.”

Jeanette saw the stubborn set of his jaw and gave in. “Oh, for pity’s sake. I’m not going to be responsible for you turning up late at Karen’s.” She stood up. “Let’s go.”

He gave her a smug look. “Good choice. Want to come have dinner with us? I’m cooking Mama’s famous seafood paella.”

“You’re cooking?” Jeanette said incredulously as they stepped outside. “Your wife works in a restaurant.”

“Which is why she shouldn’t have to cook at home on her day off.”

Jeanette regarded him with wonder. “Why don’t you have brothers, instead of all those sisters?”

Elliot chuckled. “I have cousins. Want to meet one of them? I’m the best of the lot, but there are one or two who come close.”

“Are their egos as big as yours?”

“Twice the size,” he declared.

“Then, no. I think I’ll continue to fly solo.”

Elliot shook his head. “That’s a pity. You’re a beautiful woman with a good heart. You should share your life with someone special.”

Jeanette sighed. “Once upon a time, I thought the same thing.”

“Don’t say that,” Elliot chided as he tucked her into his car. “The right person could be right around the corner.”

Jeanette couldn’t help thinking about the way she’d felt earlier with the stranger’s eyes on her. Maybe Elliot was right. Maybe it was a little too soon to give up on love.

Mary Vaughn Lewis had her jam-packed day planner spread open on her desk and was trying to transfer all of the information into her new BlackBerry, something her daughter, now a sophomore at Clemson, insisted she needed. Since she was about as computer literate as her Persian cat, Mary Vaughn wasn’t so sure. Still, in this day and age, she couldn’t afford to be left behind. People had certain expectations of the most successful Realtor in Serenity. Add to that her role as president of the Serenity Chamber of Commerce, and she desperately needed something to keep her schedule straight. Rory Sue swore this gadget was the answer.

When it rang, she was so taken aback she almost dropped it on the floor. It took her a minute to find the right button and answer.

“Yes, hello, Mary Vaughn Lewis,” she murmured distractedly, still reading the directions as she spoke.

“Mom, it’s me. Am I your first call on your new Black-Berry?”

“You absolutely are,” Mary Vaughn told her daughter, brightening at the sound of Rory Sue’s voice.

“No wonder you sound so weirded out. You’re going to love it once you get the hang of it. I promise.”

“Yes, well, we’ll see about that. What’s up, sweet pea?” Mary Vaughn suspected this midweek call had nothing to do with checking on her technical prowess and everything to do with a plea for money for shopping. Rory Sue would continue to shop even if the store was burning down around her. And somehow she’d talk the clerk into giving her a fire-sale discount while she was at it. It was a skill she’d learned at her mama’s knee, though Mary Vaughn would have preferred if she’d learned a few Southern graces instead.

“I wanted to talk to you about Christmas,” Rory Sue said.

“You want to talk about Christmas? In September?”

“Yes, well, I thought I’d better ask about this now and not hit you with it at the last possible second.”

Mary Vaughn’s antenna shot up. “Hit me with what?”

“I was thinking that since we don’t really have a traditional celebration, you know, the way we used to when I was little…”

In other words, before Sonny had divorced Mary Vaughn and ruined their daughter’s life, she thought sourly as she waited for the other shoe to drop.

“Anyway, I was thinking that maybe you’d let me go away over the holidays,” Rory Sue concluded in a rush. “To Aspen. Jill’s family goes there to ski every year and she’s invited me to come along. I have to let her know right away, though, because if I can’t go, she wants to ask someone else.”

“No,” Mary Vaughn said without giving it a second’s thought. “People spend Christmas with their families. It’s not a time to go gallivanting off with strangers.”

“Jill’s not a stranger. She’s been my roommate for two years now.”

Mary Vaughn could have corrected her with a reminder that the second year was just starting, but she didn’t waste her breath. Instead, she said, “You hardly know her family and I don’t know them at all.”

“You’re just worried about how it will look if I don’t come home for Christmas,” Rory Sue accused. “You’re afraid that people will think you’re a failure as a mother. That’s it, isn’t it? All you care about is your image in that stupid town.”

To Mary Vaughn’s regret, that was part of it. She hated that her own child, whom she loved more than anything, didn’t even want to spend Christmas with her. How pitiful was that? She simply didn’t want people in this town to feel sorry for her the way they once had. She’d spent her entire adult life trying to change the way people looked at her.

But the other part, the most important part, was how lonely she’d feel. What would she do if Rory Sue didn’t come home? Sit in that big ole house of theirs and stare at the walls? Light up that little ceramic tree she’d inherited from her mother and drink eggnog until she forgot she was all alone? No, the bleak picture she envisioned simply could not happen.

A couple of years from now Rory Sue might well be living on her own in some city far away. She might be unable to get back home for the holidays, or she might even have a family of her own and Mary Vaughn would have to go to some strange city to celebrate, but not this year. This year, Mary Vaughn wanted her daughter right here in Serenity. She wanted a traditional Christmas and she intended to have it, even if Rory Sue hated her for insisting on it.

“No,” she said again, flatly.

“You won’t even consider it?” Rory Sue pleaded.

“No, absolutely not. And don’t call your father and try to get him on your side, either. I won’t have you trying to play us off against each other. That might have worked when you were ten, but it won’t work now. We’re older and smarter.”

To her relief, Rory Sue actually giggled. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Mary Vaughn said emphatically. “I love you, and I promise we will have the very best Christmas ever right here in Serenity.”

“That is so not possible,” Rory Sue retorted. “Bye, Mom.”

“Bye, sweetie.”

As she disconnected the call, Mary Vaughn resolved to find some way to make good on her promise, even if she had to start speaking to Rory Sue’s beloved daddy—and her very estranged ex-husband—to accomplish it.

Jeanette had been avoiding Maddie all morning. She knew the subject of her involvement on the town’s Christmas festival planning committee was far from over. There was also bound to be a discussion about why Jeanette was so opposed to participating in anything related to Christmas. In fact, she fully expected Maddie to call in the big guns—Dana Sue and Helen—before all was said and done.

When it came to something like this, the Sweet Magnolias were a team. Jeanette might be a member, but they could pull rank on her. When one of them fell out of step for any reason, the others rallied. She’d seen it happen more than once. She was dreading it. Last night’s encounter with Dana Sue had been a mild precursor to what today was likely to hold. And the more she’d thought about trying to convince Maddie to turn the project over to Elliot, the less she’d believed the suggestion would be taken seriously—especially if Maddie was matchmaking.

“You don’t seem to be your usual perky self,” Mary Vaughn Lewis said as Jeanette smoothed moisturizer onto her throat and face.

“Sorry,” she said, forcing a smile. “My mind’s been on other things all day.” Then she deliberately changed the subject. “How’s your daughter doing? Is she happy being back at school? She’s at Clemson, right?”

Usually asking about Rory Sue was enough to send Mary Vaughn off and running, and today was no exception, though Jeanette could sense an underlying tension in her client as she spoke about how well her daughter was doing at college.

“You’re saying all the right words,” Jeanette said after a minute. “But something’s bothering you. Do you think she’s unhappy?”

“Unhappy with me,” Mary Vaughn admitted. “I won’t let her go skiing in Aspen over Christmas.”

“Why not?”

“Because the holidays are meant to be spent with family,” Mary Vaughn said as if it were the law.

“Not necessarily,” Jeanette said carefully. “I mean, sometimes it’s great, if everyone gets along really well, but half the families I know are totally dysfunctional. They’d all be much happier if they didn’t spend ten minutes together over the holidays.”

“Is your family one of those?”

“You have no idea,” Jeanette said, then clamped her mouth shut. She’d already revealed too much. She needed to get the focus back on Mary Vaughn and her daughter. “Maybe you could go to Aspen, too. Then you’d both get what you want. You and Rory Sue would be together and she’d be able to ski with her friends. What’s really keeping you in Serenity?”

“Tradition,” Mary Vaughn insisted. “And it would break her daddy’s heart not to have her home for the holidays. When it comes to Christmas, Sonny is all about family. So is that daddy of his.”

“You mean Mayor Lewis,” Jeanette said.

Mary Vaughn nodded. “I swear that man spends the entire year thinking about playing Santa for all the kids. Serenity’s Christmas festival is his very favorite thing on earth. Now that I’m president of the chamber of commerce, I’m going to have to serve on the festival committee, and I’m here to tell you it is not something I’m looking forward to. Howard and I are like oil and water on a good day, and believe me, good days are few and far between.”

Jeanette regarded her with genuine sympathy. “Ever thought of delegating?”

“Send some underling and imply that the festival committee isn’t the absolutely most important thing in my life? Are you kidding me? I’d never hear the end of it from Howard.”

“Maddie wants me to represent The Corner Spa on the committee,” Jeanette admitted. “I said no.”

Mary Vaughn’s eyes lit up. “You didn’t!” she protested. “You have to do it. You’ll save my sanity. Please, Jeanette, promise me you’ll change your mind. If we’re on the committee together, it’ll be fun.”

Jeanette couldn’t imagine how Mary Vaughn could say that, especially knowing she’d have to deal with her former father-in-law, who was one of the most pompous residents of Serenity.

“Maddie might let you off the hook,” Mary Vaughn continued, “but I won’t let you say no to me. I want you to commit to doing this right this second. Please. We’ll have a ball. You and me trying to keep all those stuffy old men on their toes. I know you love a challenge as much as I do. Say yes.” She regarded Jeanette hopefully, then waited.

Jeanette sighed. “Maybe,” she said at last. It was as much of a commitment as she was prepared to make. A flat-out no, sadly, was getting harder and harder to say.

3

Tom had one more meeting on his calendar for Friday and then he intended to head to Charleston for a command appearance at one of his mother’s charity events. He’d promised to spend the night, but he intended to be back in Serenity first thing on Saturday so he could start looking for an apartment or a house.

His phone buzzed. “Cal Maddox is here to see you,” Teresa chirped with her unflagging cheeriness.

“Am I supposed to know who he is?”

She sighed. “I’ll be right in.”

“I didn’t ask you to come in,” he muttered, but he was talking to a dead line. His office door was already opening…and closing.

With her short, steel-gray hair, rounded figure and penchant for flowered blouses and pastel slacks, Teresa looked as if she ought to be home baking cookies, but she ran this office with the efficiency of a drill sergeant. Right now she was regarding him with motherly dismay.

“If you and I are going to get along, you have to pay attention when I talk to you,” she scolded. “Or at the very least, read what I write on that calendar I give you every morning.”

Tom winced. “Sorry,” he murmured, shuffling papers until he found the neatly prepared schedule for his day that he’d barely glanced at. He’d jotted his own notes on an At-AGlance calendar. This meeting wasn’t on that.

“Okay, here it is,” he confirmed, finding it on Teresa’s schedule. “Cal Maddox, high school baseball coach.” He stared up blankly. “Why does he want to see me? I don’t have anything to do with the school system.”

Teresa gave him an impatient look and gestured toward the paper.

“Regarding starting a Little League program in the town,” he read aloud.

She nodded. “I do my job. You need to get used to my system.”

Tom barely contained a grin. In most places he’d worked, it was the boss who got to devise the system. “I’ll try,” he promised dutifully.

She regarded him with blatant skepticism. “We’ll see,” she said with a little huff. “Shall I send Cal in now?”

“Please do.”

A minute later, the coach walked in, a grin on his face. “What’d you do to tick off Teresa?”

Tom hesitated, then shrugged. “Almost everything I do ticks off Teresa. Most recently I failed to read her notes.”

Cal held out a callused hand, shook Tom’s, then said, “Just so you understand, Teresa’s been essentially running Serenity for the past fifteen years. You’re an interloper.”

“She was town manager?” Tom asked, startled by the information. “No one mentioned that.”

“No way,” Cal said, laughing. “But your predecessors pretty much let her run the show. If you actually expect to do this job your own way, you’ll have to ease her into it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tom told him, grateful for the insight. It put a new spin on the uneasy relationship he’d had with his secretary since his arrival. He gestured toward a chair. “Have a seat. What can I do for you? Teresa’s note said something about starting a Little League program.”

Cal handed him a folder. “It’s all in there. I’ve described the benefits to the town, the costs, the businesses who’ve committed to sponsoring the teams, the other communities that have similar summer programs.”

“What do you need from me?”

“Start-up funding,” Cal said. “That figure’s in there, too. And I need another coach. I figure we’d have enough kids for at least two teams, one for the younger boys, another for the older boys.”

Tom gave him a questioning look. “You’re suggesting I coach?”

Cal nodded. “You did play ball at Clemson, didn’t you? First base, as I recall.”

Tom gaped. “How on earth do you know about that? I only played college ball for a year before I was injured and had to give it up.” Then his eyes widened. “Cal Maddox?” he said, the name finally sinking in. “You played for the Atlanta Braves?”

Cal nodded. “Briefly. I was sidelined by an injury, too, but I was there when the scouting reports on you came in. You were a hot prospect, which I figure qualifies you to coach Little League in Serenity. Will you think about it?”

“First you need to have a Little League program in place,” Tom said. He gestured toward the folder. “I’ll go over your proposal this weekend and see if it fits in with the budget the town’s about to finalize, then we’ll talk again.”

“Fair enough,” Cal told him, standing up to leave.

“Hey, before you go, you’re an athlete. Where do you go to get a good workout in this town?”

The confident man before him looked oddly disconcerted by the question. “If you swear never to repeat it, I’ll tell you,” he said at last.

“Confidentiality is my middle name,” Tom assured him.

Cal leaned closer as if he feared Teresa or someone else might overhear. “I sneak into The Corner Spa after hours.”

Tom stared at him incredulously. “You’re kidding me! I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that the place is off limits to men.”

“It is,” Cal confirmed. “I’m married to one of the owners. She pretends not to notice that I borrow her key from time to time. Of course, if anyone ever catches me in there, I suspect my wife would throw me to the wolves and deny knowing me, much less admit she gave me tacit permission to sneak in.”

Tom laughed. “Sounds like an interesting relationship.”

“You have no idea,” Cal said. “Maddie’s a fascinating woman and the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m sure you two will cross paths before too long, especially if we get this Little League thing pulled together.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Tom said. “And I’ll be in touch within the next week or so about your proposal.”

“Thanks. Enjoy your weekend.”

Tom thought about the formal event ahead of him tonight and the inevitable lecture from his father likely to be on tomorrow’s agenda. Enjoyment didn’t enter into any of it.

Jeanette had gotten through yet another day without crossing paths with Maddie. She was hoping to keep it that way. She’d picked up her tote bag and purse and was headed out the side door when Maddie appeared.

“Sneaking off?” she inquired lightly.

Jeanette grinned. “I was trying to.”

“Can you stay for a minute?”

“Is that a request or a command?”

“A request, of course,” Maddie insisted. She held up two glasses of tea and a clear box that held two cranberry-orange scones, Jeanette’s favorite. “I brought bribes.”

Jeanette released a sigh and turned toward the outdoor patio, Maddie following on her heels.

After they were seated, Jeanette took a bite of the light, flaky scone, then frowned. It was still warm. “Where’d this come from? I know we didn’t have scones in the café today. I checked.”

“I asked Dana Sue to whip up a batch and send them over,” Maddie admitted. “They just arrived a few minutes ago, straight from the oven.”

“You really are desperate for me to serve on this Christmas festival committee, aren’t you?” Jeanette said as she savored another bite. Between the comfort food and Maddie’s bribes she was going to be as big as a blimp.

“At the moment, I’m more interested in why you’re so opposed to the idea. I’ve been giving you some space and thinking about our conversation, and I don’t believe your reaction had anything to do with taking on a little extra work for a couple of months. Am I right?”

When Jeanette remained silent, she prodded, “So what was it about?”

Because she absolutely didn’t want to get into that, Jeanette looked Maddie in the eye. “I’ll do it.”

Maddie appeared taken aback. “Do what?”

“Be on the stupid committee,” Jeanette grumbled. “Isn’t that what we’re talking about?”

Maddie did not appear nearly as pleased by her capitulation as Jeanette had expected.

“Forget the committee for the moment. Tell me why Christmas upsets you,” Maddie said. “I’ve just realized that you always take your vacation at Christmas, but you don’t go home to visit your family, you don’t go away, you just hole up in your apartment. I checked with Helen and Dana Sue, too, and none of us can recall you accepting a single invitation to a holiday celebration with any of us. There has to be a reason.”

“I’m antisocial,” Jeanette said.

“No, you are not,” Maddie said, dismissing the reply. “You’ve come to lots of things—Fourth of July barbecues, margarita nights, Thanksgiving dinner. No, this is all about Christmas. You have an aversion to that specific holiday and I want to know why.”

“It’s my business,” Jeanette replied stubbornly. “I know you want to help, but there’s not a problem. I just don’t like Christmas holidays.” She scowled at Maddie. “And don’t you dare tell me that everybody loves the holidays.”

“Well, they do. At least around here.”

“Then I’m an exception to the rule. Look, I said I’d serve on the committee. That should be enough.”

“What changed your mind?” Maddie asked.

“Boy, you really don’t know when to quit, do you?”

Maddie merely lifted a brow.

“No, of course you don’t,” Jeanette muttered. “Part of it was to get you off my case and part of it has to do with Mary Vaughn. She begged me to do it because she has to do it.”

Maddie stared at her incredulously. “You’re doing this for Mary Vaughn? After the way she tried to steal Ronnie from Dana Sue?”

“He and Dana Sue were separated at the time,” Jeanette reminded Maddie, feeling the need to defend her client. “Besides, she never had a chance with Ronnie, and everyone except Mary Vaughn knew it. The point is, she’s a good customer and she asked me to do this.”

“I’m your boss and I asked, and you didn’t have any problem saying no to me,” Maddie groused, then shook her head. “You’re doing this for Mary Vaughn. Wait’ll I tell Dana Sue and Helen.”

“I’m mainly doing this to get you off my case,” Jeanette corrected her. “And that hasn’t worked nearly as well as I’d expected, so I’m going home before I change my mind.”

Maddie opened her mouth, but Jeanette held up her hand. “Leave well enough alone, okay?”

“I was just going to say, if you ever want to talk about anything, all of us are here for you, understood?”

To her regret, Jeanette’s eyes misted. “Understood,” she whispered, and then bolted before she could make a complete fool of herself by bursting into tears.

Tom couldn’t wait to get on the road back to Serenity on Saturday morning. The charity function had been everything he despised about Charleston’s social scene. He could only imagine what the budget had been for the formal dinner and dance that his mother had organized for years. If that money alone had been donated directly to the cause, it probably would have equaled the amount raised. Whenever he mentioned that, she looked at him as if he’d uttered a blasphemy.

“This is what’s expected,” she’d told him more than once. “When you hold a position in society, it is your duty to do good works.”

“I’m just saying it would be more cost-effective to write a check,” he’d argued.

“An event brings attention to the cause. And it supports local businesses. Where would the caterers, the florists, the printers and so on be if we stopped holding these fundraisers?”

“So this is all about supporting the Charleston economy?”

She’d frowned at him. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, you know it’s about more than that. I know you think what I do is frivolous and unnecessary, but one of these days I’ll reduce it all to dollars and cents for you and prove my point in a way you can understand.”

He’d grinned at her. “I’d appreciate that.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she’d declared.

“But you love me.”

“Most of the time,” she’d agreed. “Now, if you would just marry and provide us with an heir to the McDonald legacy, I could forgive all these silly arguments.”

“Mother, you have six lovely granddaughters to dote on. The next generation is off to a fine start.”

“None of them will carry on the McDonald name,” she’d reminded him. “Even if one of your sisters has a son, he won’t be a McDonald.”

“So I’m to marry and have a son, is that the plan?”

She’d given him a stern look, though there was a decided twinkle in her eye. “I’d appreciate it,” she’d said.

If his mother was gently persuasive with her marching orders, his father was downright dictatorial, Tom thought as he finished the eggs, ham, grits and redeye gravy the cook had prepared for him. It seemed he’d never had a conversation with Thomas Barlow McDonald that didn’t end with one of them walking out in a huff. He’d give anything to avoid that this morning, but trying to slip away without paying his respects to his father would just lead to a tearful phone call from his mother later in the day. If arguing with his father was tedious, then listening to his mother’s guilt-inducing lectures was worse.

It was too late to escape, anyway. His father strolled in, already dressed for his regular Saturday-morning golf outing at the private country club where McDonalds had been members ever since the eighteen-hole course had been carved out of the countryside.

“I thought you were taking off first thing this morning,” his father said as he filled his plate from the serving dishes on the antique sideboard.

Tom swallowed the desire to answer honestly and admit that he’d considered doing just that. “We didn’t have much chance to talk last night,” he said instead. “I thought we could catch up this morning. How’s your golf game?”

“Still better than yours, I imagine,” his father replied. “You playing at all, or do they even have a course in that place you’re living?”

Tom clung to his patience by a thread. “The town is Serenity, Dad, and yes, there is an excellent golf course nearby and another one being built just a few miles away. If you and Mother would take a drive over one day, you’d discover there’s a whole big world that isn’t Charleston.”

“So, you are playing,” his father said, sticking to his favorite topic with characteristic tenacity.

“Actually, I haven’t had the time,” Tom told him. Or the desire, for that matter. Golf wasn’t active enough to suit him, or maybe he just played it badly. At any rate, the prospect of coaching Little League was much more appealing.

“Are you determined to turn your back on everything I do?” his father inquired, finally hitting his stride on his favorite complaint about Tom.

Tom was way past the stage of wanting to rebel against everything his parents stood for. “I’m just making choices that work for me, Dad. I wish you could understand that.”

“What I understand is that you’re wasting opportunities. You could have put that law degree of yours to good use right here in Charleston. You’d be making the right connections at the club. In another year or two, you’d be in a perfect position to run for governor or even Congress. That’s your destiny, Tom, not counting the pennies in the treasury of some nothing little town.”

“Seems to me the folks in Washington could do with a few lessons in counting pennies,” Tom commented dryly, drawing a scowl from his father.

“You know what I mean,” Thomas McDonald scolded. “You’re way overqualified for this job. You have an undergraduate degree in business, a law degree and all the right connections to make something of yourself. You won’t do that in Serenity.”

Tom pushed aside his plate and sat back with a sigh. “I’m sorry that I’m not ambitious enough to suit you. I like knowing the people in my community. I like seeing the results of decisions I’ve made when I step outside my office. I like solving problems for individuals and for the town.”

“What the hell do you think politics is about?” his father bellowed. “It’s all that, but on a much grander scale.”

“Maybe so,” Tom conceded. “When it’s not about raising enough money to win an election or taking the most popular stance to win the next election or doing the expedient thing to get the backing of some organization. I’m not saying there aren’t decent, hardworking politicians who can do a lot of good, but I don’t have the patience to deal with all the rest of it. I’m sorry. Obviously you and I will never agree about this. I hope we’re not going to have this same discussion every time we see each other.”

“I can’t promise you that,” his father said sourly. “I’ll never give up trying to talk some sense into you.”

Tom sighed heavily, wishing he could understand why this mattered so much to his father. Since figuring out what made his father tick seemed unlikely, he settled for trying to make peace.

“I don’t suppose you’d like to drive over to Serenity one Saturday and play golf with me there, take a look around? We have a first-class restaurant, too. I think you and Mom would like it.”

His father looked as if he was about to dismiss the suggestion out of hand, but his mother came into the room in time to hear the invitation.

“We’d love to do that, wouldn’t we, Thomas?” she said, giving her husband a fierce look.

“Whatever you want,” he mumbled. “I need to go. I have an early tee time.”

“Shall I expect you for lunch?” Tom’s mother inquired.

“No, I’ll eat at the club.” He was halfway out the door, when he turned and said, “Good to see you, son.”

“You, too, Dad.”

After he’d gone, Tom turned to his mother. “Well, there was no bloodshed. I’d say that’s an improvement.”

She shook her head and sat down facing him. “I don’t understand why the two of you can’t see eye to eye on anything.”

“Because I won’t bend to his will. I know he wants what he thinks is best for me, but one of these days he needs to listen to what I want.”

Clarisse McDonald gave him an amused look. “Oh, I think you’ve made yourself abundantly clear. He just disagrees. He had such hopes for you.”

“I know, and I understand that it’s normal for a father to want certain things for his son, but Dad seems obsessed with getting his way, no matter how many times I explain that I’m happy with the path I’ve chosen.”

“You know why that is, don’t you?”

“Because he’s a stubborn old coot?” Tom suggested.

His mother frowned. “He doesn’t deserve your disrespect. Someday you need to come down off your high horse, Tom, and really talk to him. Life wasn’t as easy for him as it has been for you.”

Tom was taken aback. “The McDonalds have had wealth and a place in Charleston society for generations.”

“No thanks to your grandfather,” his mother said with obvious distaste.

Tom regarded her with surprise. “What does that mean?” He barely remembered his grandfather McDonald beyond the fact that he’d always tucked a quarter into Tom’s hand, then chortled when he’d said, “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

“Ask your father about him,” his mother said. “Perhaps then you’ll understand him a little better.”

“Couldn’t you just tell me?”

“I could, but the two of you need to learn to communicate,” she informed him. “Now, tell me about this little town you’re running. Are you happy there?”

“I’m still getting a feel for the place,” he admitted. “But I think I’m going to like it.” He thought of the woman he’d met on his visit to The Corner Spa. “It definitely has some intriguing residents.”

His mother’s expression brightened. “A woman? One in particular?”

“Possibly.”

“Tell me,” she commanded, leaning forward with interest.

“There’s not much to tell. I don’t even know her name. I ran into her outside a women’s spa. We exchanged a few words and then she shut the door in my face.”

His mother sat back, her expression indignant. “Well, that doesn’t sound very pleasant. She must not have very good breeding.”

Tom grinned. “I didn’t inquire about her pedigree, Mother. She was already annoyed enough.”

“I’m just saying that a lady does not go around shutting doors in people’s faces.”

“I’ll explain that to her when we cross paths again.” And they would cross paths. He intended to see to that. He figured Cal Maddox might have some ideas along that line since the woman in question must work with his wife.

Thinking of Cal reminded him of the Little League proposal. Wanting to change the subject, he decided to mention that. His mother had always been a big supporter of his interest in baseball, even though she’d embarrassed the daylights out of him by coming to his games outfitted as if she were going to tea with the queen.

“Wait till you hear about this,” he said, and described his meeting with Cal Maddox.

“There’s a former professional ballplayer living in Serenity?” she said, clearly stunned. “I had no idea.”

Tom laughed at her expression. “You’d probably be surprised by a few more of the people you’d meet there. Ever heard of Paula Vreeland?”

“The artist? Of course. Her works are displayed at some of the finer galleries here in Charleston.”

“She lives in Serenity.”

His mother shook her head. “You must be mistaken. I’m quite sure she lives here.”

“Nope. The mayor pointed out her home and studio when he drove me around town. And this spa I mentioned has apparently received a lot of acclaim around the entire region, as has Sullivan’s for its gourmet spin on old Southern favorites.”

“Obviously I need to see this place for myself. Sit right here while I get my calendar. We’ll pick a date and I’ll come for a visit.”

“With Dad?”

She cast him a wry look. “Perhaps I should come alone the first time. Scout it out, so to speak.”

“That suits me,” Tom said. If his open-minded mother left with a favorable impression, perhaps she could get through to his father. Their years of marriage had been achieved through an interesting balance of power. His mother, remarkably, wielded most of it.

She bustled from the room and came back with a bulging day planner that he knew was stuffed with business cards from her favorite florists, printers, dressmakers and caterers, along with those from newly opened businesses hoping to capture her attention. She flipped through the pages, muttering under her breath as she did.

“Two weeks from today,” she said at last. “It’s the best I can do. I’ll have to cancel my luncheon and bridge plans, but there’s time enough for them to find a fourth.”

“Two weeks from today will be perfect.” He stood up and bent down to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, Mother. I’ll look forward to it.”

His words were totally sincere. He wanted her to see Serenity as he did, as a lovely town to live in and a place with a promising future. And though he hardly dared to say it to himself, as a stepping stone to an even better job down the road. Contrary to what his father thought, he was not without ambition. He merely planned to take a different path than the one Thomas McDonald had charted for him.

4

Because so many of her best clients were working women who could only come in for treatments on Saturday, Jeanette rarely had an entire weekend to herself. She liked it that way. Sundays seemed endless, especially the ones when she didn’t go to church. The day stretched ahead of her with too many empty hours.

How long could she possibly spend doing laundry or stocking her refrigerator for the few meals she ate at home? Serenity didn’t have a movie theater and she wasn’t interested in golf, kayaking or any of the other activities available in town. It was the one drawback she’d found to living in a small community after spending several years in Charleston. Despite all its other charms and the wonderful people, the peace and quiet of Serenity got on her nerves from time to time, especially with no one special to share her life.

This Sunday seemed worse than most. She had way too much time to think about Christmas and her family and all the reasons the holiday had lost its meaning for her.

By three o’clock she was going a little stir-crazy. She glanced at the phone next to her and thought about how long it had been since she’d spoken to her parents. They lived less than two hours away, but she hadn’t seen or spoken to them in months. After leaving home, she’d soon learned that if she didn’t initiate a call, it wouldn’t happen. It was almost as if they forgot her very existence unless she reminded them.

Impulsively, she picked up the phone and dialed before she could talk herself out of it. It rang several times before her mother picked up.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Jeanette, is that you?”

She wasn’t surprised that her mother wasn’t sure. “Yes, Mom, it’s me. How are you?”

“Doing well enough,” she said, not volunteering anything additional.

Despite the terse response, Jeanette pressed on. “And Dad? How is he?” Her father was nearing seventy, but seemed older. Working outdoors had weathered his skin and what her parents always referred to as “the tragedy” had aged him before his time.

“Working too hard, as always,” her mother replied. “The farm’s too much for him, but it’s the only life he knows.”

“Did he hire any help this year?” Jeanette asked, determined to keep the conversation flowing and hoping to spark even a smidgen of real communication.

“He had several day workers when vegetables were coming in, but he’s let most of them go now that the only crop left is pumpkins. He loads those up himself and takes them to the market on Saturdays.”

“Is he there? I’d like to say hello,” Jeanette said. At one time her father had doted on her the way Cal doted on Jessica Lynn. All that had changed in the blink of an eye, and while she understood the reason on an intellectual level, the chasm between them didn’t hurt any less.

“He’s outside working on the tractor,” her mother replied, not offering to get him. After a slight hesitation, good manners kicked in and she added, “But I’ll tell him you called.”

Jeanette barely contained a sigh. She couldn’t even recall the last time her father had spoken to her. Her mother always had some excuse for why he couldn’t come to the phone. Some rang true, like this one. Others didn’t. Sometimes she thought he’d simply stopped talking to anyone after her brother had died.

Forcing a cheerful note into her voice, she asked, “Tell me what you’ve been doing, Mom. Are you still baking for the church receptions every week?”

“Took a coconut cake in today,” her mother said. “I’ll do chocolate next week. That’s everybody’s favorite.”

“Mine, too,” Jeanette said. “Maybe I’ll drive down for a visit soon and you can bake one for me.”

There was another unmistakable hesitation before her mother said, “You just let us know when you’re coming, Jeanette.”

This time Jeanette didn’t even try to stop her sigh. Just once she’d hoped for some warmth, some sign that her parents missed her and wanted to see her. Instead, her mother sounded more as if she needed to be warned if her daughter was about to appear on the doorstep. Or maybe Jeanette had simply grown too sensitive to the nuances in her mother’s voice. She’d come to expect rejection and found it in every word.

“I’ll let you know, Mom,” she said, resigned to ending another disappointing call. “Good to talk to you.”

“You, too,” her mother said.

It was only after she’d hung up that she realized her mother hadn’t asked a single question about how she was doing or what was going on in her life. The lack of interest stung, even after all these years. She still recalled a time when she’d run in the backdoor after school, filled with news of her day, and her mother had put cookies and milk on the table and listened to every word. She’d seemed to treasure those afternoon talks as much as Jeanette had. Now they could barely manage a five-minute conversation and most of that one-sided.

“If I sit here one more minute, I’ll start wallowing in self-pity,” she muttered aloud, grabbing her purse and heading for the door.

Two hours later she was sitting in a Charleston multiplex with a giant box of buttered popcorn, a diet soda and a box of Junior Mints. The movie, a heavily promoted action flick, barely held her interest. Even so, it was an improvement on sitting at home all alone on a Sunday afternoon thinking about her dysfunctional relationship with her parents, a relationship she had no idea how to mend.

As she was exiting the theater, she heard a familiar voice and turned to see Maddie’s son Kyle and several of his friends, accompanied by Cal.

“Wasn’t the movie awesome?” Kyle asked her enthusiastically.

Cal interceded before she was forced to reply. “Something tells me Jeanette might have preferred a romantic comedy.”

Kyle looked puzzled. “Then why did she go to see this movie?”

Cal met her gaze. “I don’t know. Why did you go to see this movie?”

She shrugged. “I figured it would be fast-paced and exciting.”

He gave her a knowing look. “Which appealed because it would keep your mind off other things?”

She frowned at him. “You realize, don’t you, your intuitive questions are sometimes almost as annoying as your wife’s.”

Cal laughed. “What can I say? Maddie’s rubbing off on me. By the way, we’re going for pizza at Rosalina’s on the way home. Maddie’s meeting us. Want to come along? It’ll kill a little more time, if that was your goal.”

The idea held some appeal, but the drawbacks outweighed the benfits. “And subject myself to further interrogation? I don’t think so.”

“Hey, are you kidding? With this gang, plus Jessica Lynn and Cole, the adults will be lucky to be heard. Come on, Jeanette. No questions allowed. I’ll make sure of it.”

She grinned. “When Maddie’s on a mission, there’s no stopping her. And lately she seems to be determined to pry into my life.”

“Obviously you’re not aware of the toddler effect. Maddie is too busy chasing after Jessica Lynn to have time for much else. Mealtimes are no longer the serene part of the day you may recall, especially with Kyle’s friends along.” Jeanette noted that Cal seemed perfectly happy with that, content even. He’d taken to being a stepfather and then father to his own two little ones without missing a beat.

Based on his promise and a memory of the amount of chaos Jessica Lynn had created on her last visit to the spa, Jeanette relented, partly because the popcorn had hardly been a substantial meal and partly because the prospect of good company was a vast improvement over staring at the TV and rehashing the unrewarding conversation she’d had with her mother.

“In that case, I’ll meet you there. Pizza sounds good.”

Cal gave her a considering look. “It’s a long drive, lots of time for second thoughts. Do I need to have Kyle and a buddy ride along with you to make sure you show up? Once I’ve told Maddie you’re joining us, I don’t want to have you renege.”

She frowned. “I won’t change my mind. You don’t need to send an escort.”

He nodded, satisfied. “See you there, then.”

Jeanette watched as he strode off with the teenage boys, then went to her car. Outside the parking garage, she lowered the convertible top, popped in a CD and let the music blast. By the time she hit the outskirts of Serenity, she was windblown, but her mood had improved by leaps and bounds.

Good thing, too, because the first person she spotted when she entered Rosalina’s was the sexy stranger who’d been on the porch at The Corner Spa…and he was seated with Maddie.

Tom was holding the doll Jessica Lynn Maddox had shoved into his arms when he looked up and saw his mystery woman standing just inside the door. She was staring across the room directly at him, and for just an instant he had the distinct impression she was about to bolt.

Instead, Maddie Maddox was out of her seat across from his and charging across the room, Jessica Lynn on her heels, screaming, “Jeanette, Jeanette,” as if they were long-lost friends. He was left to warily eye the baby sleeping in his carrier next to him. He had plenty of experience with his sister’s kids, but mostly after they were past the diaper stage. He’d never bought the idea that infants weren’t as fragile as they looked.

By the time Maddie returned to the table, her hand clamped rather firmly around the other woman’s wrist, Tom was on his feet.

“Jeanette, I’d like you to meet Tom McDonald, the new Serenity town manager,” Maddie said, almost shoving Jeanette’s hand toward his. He clasped it instinctively. “Tom, this is Jeanette Brioche, who runs the spa operations at The Corner Spa.”

“Hello again,” he said, holding her soft hand just a little too long. Her smooth skin was a walking advertisement for the spa’s treatments.

Though her dark eyes were wary, she smiled and said, “Nice to know my first impression wasn’t too far off the mark.”

He blinked. “Oh?”

“I told Elliot, our personal trainer, that you looked trustworthy,” she explained. “Even though you’d been peering in the windows of the spa alarming the women.”

Maddie regarded him with shock. “You did what?”

Tom winced. “It wasn’t the way it appeared. I was looking for a place to have a good workout. I was told the spa was only for women, but I wanted to see for myself if I could join. Jeanette intercepted me outside and made it very clear that I couldn’t.”

“Sorry,” Jeanette said, though her voice lacked sincerity. “Just enforcing the rules.”

“Maybe you and Cal can team up and get something similar going for the men in town,” Maddie suggested. “That way I won’t have to pretend I don’t know he sneaks in there late at night.”

“I don’t suppose you’d let me sneak in with him, would you?” Tom asked wistfully.

“Not a chance,” Jeanette said sharply, drawing a look from Maddie. “I just mean, Cal’s one thing. He’s married to an owner. But if we let you sneak in, then someone else will ask, and the next thing you know we won’t have a special place for women.”

He grinned at her rapid-fire explanation. “For a minute there, I thought maybe you had something against me personally.”

“How could I?” she said. “I don’t even know you.”

“We could change that,” he suggested, and had the satisfaction of seeing her blush.

“I don’t think so,” she said tightly, though yet another sharp glance from Maddie had her adding, “Thanks, anyway.”

He just stared at her for a moment before pulling out the chair next to his. Before Jeanette could sit down as he’d hoped, Jessica Lynn scrambled onto it and tugged on his arm. “I’m hungry,” she announced. “Where’s my doll?”

“Right here,” he said, picking it up off the seat of his own chair and handing it to her. Conceding the fact that Jeanette would be sitting elsewhere—probably as far from him as possible—he leaned down and confided to Jessica Lynn, “I’m starving, too.”

“Count me among the starving,” Jeanette chimed in, surprising him.

“Then let’s order,” Maddie said. “Cal should be here any minute with the boys.”

“Where’s Katie?” Jeanette asked.

“At a friend’s house, in theory doing homework. I have my doubts—the Grahams have a pool.”

Tom regarded Maddie with curiosity. He’d already digested that there was an unmistakable age difference between Maddie and her husband—probably a good ten years—but it also sounded as if they had a large family. And Cal was only around his age—early to midthirties. “How many children do you have?”

“I have five,” Maddie told him. She gestured at Jessica Lynn and Cole. “These two are mine with Cal, but I have three from my first marriage. Ty’s a sophomore at Duke. Katie, as I mentioned, is with a friend tonight, and Kyle will be here any minute with Cal.”

“And you manage the spa full-time?” Tom asked, impressed.

“And does an amazing job of it,” Jeanette added. “Women are great multitaskers.”

Tom frowned at the note of censure in her voice. “I’m aware of that. I’m just trying to learn who does what in Serenity.”

After shooting a bewildered look in Jeanette’s direction, which suggested there would be questions for her later, Maddie said, “Well, you’ll be happy to know that Jeanette is an organizational wizard herself. She’ll be our representative on the Christmas festival committee. Will you be chairing that?”

“Yes,” Tom said. Suddenly the prospect of planning the town’s holiday celebration didn’t seem as dismal as he’d anticipated. He still thought there were better uses of his time, but if it threw him together with Jeanette, it couldn’t be all bad. Right now, though, she was regarding him with undisguised suspicion.

“Since you and Maddie clearly don’t really know each other, what are you doing here?” Jeanette asked as if he’d crashed the party.

Maddie’s expression went from bewildered to dismayed at Jeanette’s rudeness. “I invited him,” she said. “And before you ask, it was Cal’s suggestion. He called on his way home and said he’d run into you at the movies and invited you to join us. He thought it would be nice for Tom to get to know a few people in town.”

Jeanette didn’t look entirely satisfied with the answer, but she sat back and hid behind her menu. The continued high color in her cheeks was the only thing that gave away her embarrassment.

Once Cal arrived with the boys, the tension at the table dissolved, primarily because there was no way Tom and Jeanette could be expected to communicate with each other. It wasn’t until they were on their way out to the parking lot that he had a chance to speak to her privately. As the others drove off, he deliberately lingered beside her.

“I’m sorry if my being here tonight was a problem,” he said, studying her intently. “Have I offended you in some way? When Maddie called, I had no idea who else would be here. I was just tired of staring at the four walls of my room at the Serenity Inn, so I seized on the chance to get out for a meal and some conversation.”

She sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve behaved like an idiot, but you don’t know Maddie that well yet, or her partners. They…meddle.”

Ah, the picture was getting clearer. “Inveterate matchmakers, huh?”

“You have no idea. It was amusing when they were focused on each other, but now they seem to be turning their attention to me. It’s humiliating, to say nothing of unwelcome. And it’s really embarrassing to see you put on the spot the way you were tonight.”

“I wasn’t embarrassed. It made my day when I looked up and saw you crossing the restaurant. I’d been hoping to run into you again.”

His response only seemed to aggravate her. “I don’t date,” she said emphatically.

Tom wasn’t half as put off as she’d clearly intended for him to be. She’d inadvertently created a fascinating challenge for him. He’d always excelled when told that something was beyond his reach.

“I imagine there’s a story behind that,” he said, holding her gaze until she looked away.

“Several of them, unfortunately.”

She started to walk away, but he stayed in step with her. “We’ll have to get together sometime so you can tell me about it.”

Her lips twitched. “Wouldn’t that constitute a date?”

“Not if we don’t want it to,” he said seriously. “Two friends commiserating over a good dinner and a bottle of wine could be perfectly innocent.”

“Not if one of those ‘friends’ is you,” she said. “I may be wrong, but somehow I don’t think there’s anything innocent about you.”

Tom didn’t even try to deny it. “It’s the dimple, isn’t it?” he said with exaggerated dismay.

“You, Mr. McDonald, are entirely too full of yourself. Something tells me you’re a player.”

“I was always told that self-confidence is a good trait. Did I get that wrong?” he asked worriedly.

“You say self-confidence,” she teased. “I say arrogance.”

“I’ll work on that,” he promised.

“We’ll see.”

“Hey, I’m all for self-improvement, especially if it means you’ll eventually say yes to having dinner with me.”

“Self-improvement should be its own reward,” she said. “Good night.”

“Do you need a lift?” he asked hopefully.

“No, thanks. I have my car.”

“Then, can you give me a lift?”

“What about the car in which you just offered to drive me home?”

He shrugged. “I’ll get it tomorrow.”

For the first time all evening, she laughed. “You’re incorrigible.”

He shrugged, unrepentant. “You’re not the first person to tell me that this weekend.”

“Apparently the women in your life are all on to you.”

“The other one was my mother,” he admitted.

“Well, I rest my case. She would definitely know.”

She climbed into her sporty little convertible, gave him a jaunty wave and drove off, leaving him in her dust. Being rejected by Jeanette Brioche was getting to be a little hard on his ego, which of course only made him more determined to win her over. He had a hunch he knew the rules of this game far better than she did and, in the end, he never lost. Not when something mattered to him.

Despite knowing that the Christmas committee would throw him into contact with the elusive Jeanette, Tom had hoped Howard would back off for a while. Unfortunately, when he arrived at work on Monday morning, it rapidly became evident that this was one area in which the mayor was highly efficient. Tom’s secretary beamed at him.

“The committee’s waiting for you in the conference room,” Teresa announced. “I’ve had coffee and doughnuts brought in.”

Tom frowned at her. “What committee? I don’t have a meeting on my calendar for this morning.”

Her smile never wavered. “Oh, dear, I must have forgotten to make a note of it on that calendar you insist on keeping yourself. It’s on the one I keep.”

“What committee, Teresa?” he repeated impatiently.

“Christmas festival, of course. I know Howard discussed it with you. He asked me to set it up.”

Sneaky SOB, Tom thought uncharitably. And as for Teresa and her annoying tendency to take orders from people like Howard Lewis, she did know more than anyone else about how this place operated. He needed her. Otherwise his career in public service in Serenity was going to be very short-lived. That might make his folks happy, but he didn’t want his career to falter even slightly because he’d offended a knowledgeable secretary within his first two weeks on the job.

“Okay, give me a quick rundown on the committee members,” he said, grimly determined to see this through. Once it was over, perhaps he could reconsider whether he was at all suited to a life of public service, after all. It had sounded darn noble once upon a time, but that was before he’d been confronted with making decisions about hanging snowflakes on the town green or whether Santa’s chair needed to be repainted with gold and adorned with glitter or whatever other little crises this committee dreamed up to waste his time. He was pretty sure nothing like this had ever been mentioned in any of his public-administration courses. And he definitely hadn’t run into this sort of thing during his tenure in the planning and finance departments of the other towns in which he’d worked.

He listened as Teresa described the makeup on the committee. In addition to Howard and Jeanette, the other two members were Ronnie Sullivan, who owned the hardware store on Main Street, and Mary Vaughn Lewis, the president of the chamber of commerce.

“You’ll want to watch out for Mary Vaughn,” Teresa added. “She’s bound to make a play for you. It’s what she does.”

Tom appreciated the warning, though he couldn’t help wondering if another woman’s interest might be just what he needed to spark a little life into the relationship he hoped to have with Jeanette. Then again, plans like that tended to backfire, he thought as he prepared to go to the meeting.

Jeanette sat at the conference table tapping her pen impatiently on the mahogany surface. She was thoroughly annoyed that she’d had to switch her entire schedule around at the spa to be here, but to make things worse, Tom was nowhere to be found.

Not that she was anxious to see him again. Dinner the night before had been awkward enough. She’d been rude, and she wasn’t likely to hear the end of it from Maddie anytime soon, either. Nor was she looking forward to more of Tom’s advances. She had a hunch he was persistent.

She turned to Mary Vaughn. “This is a waste of time,” she groused. “You could have sold another house this morning and I could have done two or three treatments. If the town manager isn’t here in five minutes I am out of here.”

Across the table Ronnie Sullivan, Dana Sue’s husband, winked at her. “Settle down, sugar. Things move at a slower pace in Serenity.”

“Tell that to Maddie,” she retorted.

He grinned. “The way I understand it, Madelyn is the one who sent you over here. I’m sure she knew what to expect.”

Discovering that Ronnie was on the committee had been a surprise. Dana Sue had never mentioned that. She wondered if Dana Sue had any idea that Mary Vaughn was on the committee, as well. No way, she concluded. If Dana Sue had known, she’d have been here herself, protecting her turf: Ronnie.

Jeanette stole another glance at Mary Vaughn, who was wearing one of her expensive designer suits, chunky gold jewelry and a diamond-encrusted watch that cost more than Jeanette made in a month. Suddenly she was struck by the thought that Mary Vaughn and Tom McDonald were an ideal match. Both professionals. Both go-getters. And both, apparently, on the prowl. Yes, indeed, that was the solution to her problem. Once those two met, Tom would give up on Jeanette and move happily on to more available prey.

Astonishingly, the idea didn’t hold nearly as much appeal as it ought to.

Finally Tom came into the room, looking no happier than she was to be here. She had to admit that dressed up for work in neatly pressed navy slacks, a blue-gray shirt the exact color of his eyes, gold cuff links and a tie that he’d already loosened, he managed to give a little jolt to her system even though he was definitely not her type. She preferred sexy, blue-collar guys who had absolutely no pretenses. Of course, based on past results, her taste was pretty questionable.

“Morning, folks,” Tom said in a slow drawl that gave Jeanette another jolt to her system. Darn the man. He smiled, introduced himself and shook hands with everyone at the table. His attitude was friendly enough with most of them, but turned a little frosty when he reached the mayor. “Howard,” he said curtly.

“Good morning,” Howard said, oblivious to the undercurrent. He and Ronnie seemed to be the only people one hundred percent happy to be here.

Next to her, as anticipated, Mary Vaughn was studying Tom with a look suggesting he might well become her next romantic diversion. Jeanette noted the way Mary Vaughn honed in on Tom’s left hand, obviously noting the lack of wedding band. She suddenly perked up, readjusting her suit jacket to expose a bit of cleavage. Jeanette sighed. Could she be any more obvious?

“Howard, since you called this meeting, why don’t you get it started,” Tom suggested. “I’m sure you have an agenda. Since I’m unfamiliar with the traditions here in town, I’ll just take notes today and chime in if a suggestion comes to mind.”

His tone hinted that any suggestions he might want to make right now wouldn’t be offered in the spirit of the holidays. Jeanette totally sympathized.

Howard, however, took the ball and ran with it. Within an hour, he’d assigned Mary Vaughn to speak to all the choirs in town. Ronnie had been designated to investigate new decorations. That had left dealing with prospective vendors for Jeanette.

“Tom, you’ll work with her on that, right?” the mayor said, to Mary Vaughn’s obvious disappointment.

“Of course,” the town manager said, giving Jeanette an impudent wink.

“Then I’d say we’re well on our way to having the best Christmas festival Serenity has ever seen,” Howard chirped cheerfully. “Good job, everyone. Same time next week.”

“We’re meeting weekly?” Jeanette asked, horrified.

“Well, of course we are. We have to stay on top of this, don’t we?” Howard replied. “I might be Santa around here, but I can’t do this without my little elves.”

Tom looked as if he wanted to jab his ballpoint pen straight into the mayor’s heart. Jeanette understood the emotion.

“He’s not worth the time in jail,” she murmured as she passed by.

To her surprise, his lips twitched. “You sure about that?”

“Now that you mention it, no. Check with me again next week. I might supply the pens.”

5

When Jeanette finally made it back to The Corner Spa, she was edgy and more annoyed than ever with Maddie for getting her involved in the Christmas festival. Two hours wasted every week from September all the way until the event itself in early December! Ridiculous. On top of that, Maddie had gently chided her just now for her attitude toward Tom on Sunday night. She’d expected it, but that hadn’t made the experience any less annoying. She was still muttering about it when she ran into Helen in the café.

“Ah, there you are,” Helen said cheerfully. “How did the committee meeting go? I hear the new town manager is very hot.”

Jeanette scowled at her. “Not you, too,” she grumbled, turned on her heel and marched into her office. “I’ve heard all the rave reviews I can bear from Dana Sue and Maddie.” Along with that humiliating lecture on her rudeness Sunday evening and how inappropriate it was for someone in business in Serenity to be unwelcoming to the new town manager.

Before she could shut the door, Helen stepped in behind her. “Okay, I obviously said the wrong thing. Mind filling me in on why?”

“Here it is in a nutshell,” Jeanette said, working herself back up to a full head of steam. “I do not want to be fixed up. I do not want Maddie, Dana Sue and you getting any crazy ideas about me and Tom McDonald. If and when I decide I want to date, I’ll find my own man.”

Helen’s shrewd eyes twinkled with amusement. “Got it,” she said.

Jeanette’s scowl deepened. “You are not taking me seriously. Why don’t any of you take me seriously?”

Helen’s expression sobered at once. “Oh, sweetie, we do. Believe me, when it comes to anything you have to say about running a spa, we take you very seriously.”

“But not about this,” Jeanette accused. “Not about my love life.”

“It’s just that you sound so much like we did right before we landed in marital bliss,” Helen said.

Jeanette sighed heavily. “Yeah, that’s what Dana Sue said, too.”

“We’ve all been there.”

“Where?”

“In denial.”

“How can I be in denial? I’ve crossed paths with Tom McDonald three times. He’s not my type. He’s a little too uptight and stuffy.” The comment was far from the truth, but there was no way she was going to say he had a cute dimple and a charming way about him: it would only add fuel to the fire.

“That’s not how Maddie described him. Or Dana Sue, either.”

“How did they describe him?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Tall, handsome, smart and sexy. He has a dimple. I think it was Maddie who noticed that.”

“Oh, I never noticed,” Jeanette lied. “But anyway, I don’t think that’s enough on which to base a lifelong commitment.”

“Probably not,” Helen concurred. “Did I mention rich? Word is, his family’s loaded. I think I’ve crossed paths with his parents at some charity events in Charleston.”

“That is not a recommendation,” Jeanette said. “If I cared about money, I’d have stayed at Chez Bella in Charleston. Besides, if he’s really rich, why is he here in Serenity working for peanuts? Did they disinherit him? Or is this his good deed for the century? And what would a rich man want with a woman who gives facials?”

“And massages,” Helen added, clearly fighting a grin. “Don’t forget you also give excellent massages, and I can certainly see the appeal of that. Erik has suggested more than once I take lessons from you.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, you know what I mean. A rich man, especially one from old money, would want some debutante, a woman with social connections, which I clearly do not have.”

“Good,” Helen said. “I have no idea why Tom McDonald does anything. We’ve never met. Why don’t you ask him?”

“Because that would imply a level of interest I don’t have,” Jeanette said stubbornly. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need coffee with caffeine, not the herbal tea we serve here. I need to brew it behind closed doors. And I have clients waiting.”

Helen grinned. “On my way. Never let it be said that I stood in the way of this place making more money.” She was about to leave, when she turned back. “Hey, why don’t you come over for Sunday dinner next week. Everyone’s coming.”

Jeanette narrowed her gaze. “Everyone?”

“Maddie, Cal and the kids. Dana Sue and Ronnie. Maddie says Ty might be home, and Dana Sue’s trying to see if Annie can get home from college for the weekend. And in case you had any doubts about it, Erik will be cooking, not me. We won’t die of ptomaine poisoning.”

“Good to know.” Jeanette debated the merits of attending a party where her love life could be examined yet again. Of course, the advantage would be that she could defend her position and keep them from pulling anything sneaky. “Okay, sure,” she said at last. “Can I bring anything? Wine? Soda? Lemonade? A pie?”

“Forget the pie. Erik’s a pastry chef. Any pies or desserts on the premises are his. I tried bringing home a frozen cobbler one night and didn’t hear the end of it for a month. How about some tequila? I’m making margaritas.”

“Oh, boy,” Jeanette said. “The lethal ones?”

Helen grinned. “Are there any other kind? Especially since none of us is pregnant or nursing at the moment. See you around four, okay?”

“Works for me,” she said, though she didn’t entirely trust Helen’s recitation of the guest list. Something told her that Helen wouldn’t be above inviting Tom just to see if the rumors about his good looks were true—and maybe to initiate a little meddling of her own.

Mary Vaughn sashayed past an outraged Teresa and into Tom McDonald’s office just before lunchtime without an appointment.

Her plan was to ask him something about the Christmas festival, then work her way around to asking if he had lunch plans.

As she stepped across the threshold, though, she came to an abrupt stop. He wasn’t in his office. She whirled around and glared at Teresa.

“He’s not there.”

“I could have told you that if you’d slowed down for half a second,” Teresa said, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.

“Where is he?”

“He had a meeting out of the building.”

“When will he be back?”

“It’s hard to say. Shall I tell him you stopped by?”

Mary Vaughn debated what to do. If she didn’t explain what had brought her, it would be all too obvious to anyone with half a grain of sense that she was here on a personal mission. She knew perfectly well that everyone in town thought she was man-crazy. The truth was there’d only been one man in her entire life who had made her a little crazy and that was Ronnie Sullivan. Now that she’d lost him twice to Dana Sue, it was pretty much past time to give up on that particular dream. It had caused her nothing but heartache.

Her marriage to Sonny Lewis had been totally on the rebound, a fact she regretted every single day of her life. She hadn’t been a bit surprised that their marriage had barely lasted ten years. What had surprised her was that sweet, easygoing Sonny was the one who’d ended it. She’d had a daughter she adored and a successful career that gave her financial independence. Being married to Sonny had given her the respectability she’d craved since childhood. She probably would have drifted along contentedly for a lot longer if Sonny hadn’t forced the issue.

“You made up your mind yet?” Teresa asked, snapping her back to the present.

“About what?” Mary Vaughn asked blankly.

“Do you want me to tell Tom that you stopped by or not?”

“No,” she said. “Thanks, Teresa. I’ll catch up with him sooner or later.”

Teresa murmured something that sounded a whole lot like, “I’ll be sure to warn him,” but her expression was perfectly innocent when Mary Vaughn turned to give her a penetrating look.

“You have a good day,” Teresa said.

“You do the same,” Mary Vaughn said with even less sincerity.

Outside Town Hall, she was about to cross Main Street when she saw Tom getting out of his car. She brightened immediately.

“Hello there,” she called out. “I was just looking for you.”

For an instant he looked confused, but then recognition apparently dawned. “Mary Vaughn, isn’t it?”

“You have a wonderful memory,” she said. “I’m sure it must be so confusing when you first move into a new town. Not that I’d know, of course. I’ve lived here all my life. There’s not a nook or cranny of Serenity that I don’t know like the back of my hand. The same with the people who live here. I know all their dirty little secrets.”

“Oh?”

She flushed under his vaguely disapproving gaze. “Not that there are that many dirty little secrets, of course. I just meant that I know everyone real well. I could give you a crash course, if you like. In fact, if you have the time, I’d love to buy you lunch over at Wharton’s or Sullivan’s. Sullivan’s is the best we have to offer. Have you eaten there yet?”

“I have,” he said. “It’s terrific and I appreciate the invitation, but I’ve had a jam-packed morning and the afternoon doesn’t look much better. I’ m just going to have a sandwich at my desk. I think Teresa has already ordered it.”

Mary Vaughn backed down at once. “Another time, then. How’s your house hunting going, by the way? Howard told me you’ve been looking. I’d be happy to show you some properties. I could fax over the material on the ones you might like.”

“Do that,” he said. “But I’m not sure when I’ll get to them. I’ll call you, okay?”

She bit back a sigh. She was striking out on all fronts today, but she’d live to try again. After all, that’s what she did. She put on a cheerful smile and survived. She’d been doing it her whole life and there wasn’t a soul in town who’d ever guessed how good she was at covering up her problems.

“Call anytime,” she told him with her sunniest smile.

Then she walked away with her back straight and her pride mostly intact.

“Did Mary Vaughn get her claws into you?” Teresa asked the minute Tom walked into his office.

“What?” he asked distractedly. “Mary Vaughn? I just ran into her on the street. I’m not even sure what she wanted.”

“You,” Teresa said, following him into his office. “She wants you. Didn’t I warn you about that the other day? Trust me. I’ve seen that glint in her eyes before. Last time, she was after Ronnie Sullivan, but Dana Sue put a quick end to that.”

He looked up. “Teresa, I’m not interested in gossip.”

But he had been aware of Mary Vaughn’s interest. She’d asked him to lunch. Her offer to show him real estate had seemed like an afterthought.

He had no interest, however, in sharing this with Teresa. “The only thing she’s interested in,” he said, “is selling me a house.”

Teresa rolled her eyes. “Men!” she muttered with a huff. “Your sandwich is on your desk. Ham and cheese on rye. I had ’em add some lettuce and tomato, so you can pretend it’s healthy.”

“Thank you. Give me fifteen minutes before you put any calls through, okay?”

“It’s my lunch hour, too. I’m sending the calls to the answering service,” she informed him.

Better yet, Tom thought. He took a bite of his sandwich and the lukewarm soda Teresa had left with it, then picked up the phone, dialed the number for The Corner Spa and asked for Jeanette. He had legitimate business to discuss and a new strategy for rattling her. He was looking forward to giving it a try.

When she picked up, she sounded frazzled.

“You busy?” he asked. “This is Tom.”

“I’m in the middle of a treatment. Can I call you back?”

“Will you?”

“Of course,” she said, sounding miffed. “Unless, of course, you’re calling to ask me out, in which case, I’ll say no now and save us both the time.”

He laughed. “While I would love to ask you on a date, I’m not sure my ego could withstand another rejection. I wanted to get together to discuss this vendor business for the festival.”

“Really?” She sounded skeptical.

“Cross my heart,” he said. “Howard’s going to be on my case about this any day now and I want to be prepared.”

“You want to meet about business,” she repeated. “In your office?”

She sounded suspicious, but also perhaps a little disappointed. That was exactly what he’d hoped for.

“Or wherever suits you,” he said blithely. “I can come there or we can meet for coffee. I don’t think that could be construed as a date. Your choice.”

She was silent for so long he thought maybe he’d lost the connection. “Jeanette?”

“I’m thinking,” she said. “Come here at six o’clock. We can have some iced tea on the patio. The place is pretty quiet at that hour.”

“You’re going to let me come into The Corner Spa?” he asked with feigned amazement.

“Actually, I’m not. You’re going to come around the outside and meet me on the patio. There will be no males sneaking into this place on my watch.”

“Darn. So close,” he said with not-entirely-feigned disappointment. “I’ll see you at six.”

“Right,” she said, already sounding distracted again.

“Jeanette,” he said, “I’m looking forward to it.”

He was already hanging up the phone, when he heard her shouting, “This is business!”

“Whatever you say, darlin’,” he murmured as he hung up. “Whatever you say.”

“Business!” Jeanette muttered to herself at least fifty times as the afternoon sped by. If Tom was coming over here on business, she’d eat a jar of their most expensive moisturizer. He’d used the festival to get past her no-date rule, the sneak! Well, she was on to him. If he didn’t start talking business five seconds after his arrival, she was kicking him out. She might have to call on Elliot to provide the muscle, but he’d be so out of here.

“You look ticked off,” Maddie said, popping her head into Jeanette’s office just before six. “Anything I need to know?”

She was not about to explain that Tom was coming to the spa for business. Maddie would laugh her head off.

“Nope. Everything’s under control.”

“Okay, then, I’m heading home on time for once. See you tomorrow.”

“Have a good evening.”

“You, too. Any special plans?”

“Just a business meeting,” Jeanette replied, and then could have kicked herself. While she had a certain amount of autonomy in running the spa services, she usually kept Maddie apprised of any decisions or meetings on the horizon. She should have avoided mentioning the stupid meeting at all.

To her dismay, Maddie halted in her tracks. “What kind of business meeting?”

“Not spa business,” Jeanette told her. She sighed. Might as well spit it out. “Christmas festival business.”

Maddie’s eyes immediately got a wicked gleam, which was exactly why Jeanette hadn’t wanted to tell her. She didn’t need the amusement or the speculation.

“You’re meeting with Tom, aren’t you?” Maddie said gleefully. “Good. Maybe you can make amends for the other night.”

“Don’t you dare make anything out of me seeing him tonight,” Jeanette ordered.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Maggie said, grinning. “You can tell me all about it tomorrow.”

Jeanette glared at her retreating form.

On her way to the patio, she stopped to pick up a couple of teas and the last two scones in the case. If Tom wasn’t on time, she intended to eat both of them.

Fortunately for her dress size, he slipped around the side of the building right on the dot of six. He cast a dramatically wary glance around. “Is it safe? Any wild and naked women out here?”

“You are so not funny,” Jeanette said.

“Well, you have to admit that closing a place to men just invites all sorts of speculation about what goes on here,” he said as he pulled out a chair across from her and sat down. “Is one of those scones for me? Preferably the one that has more than three crumbs left?”

She shoved it ungraciously in his direction. “Traditional scone with real currants, not raisins.”

“Excellent.”

He gave her a slow, lingering appraisal that made her blood heat.

“How was your day?”

“Busy,” she said tersely. Then mindful of Maddie’s admonishments, she asked politely, “And yours?”

“Busy,” he echoed. “Mary Vaughn came to call.”

Despite herself, Jeanette bristled. “Oh? What did she want?”

“Teresa says she’s after my body. What do you think?”

“I wasn’t there. I couldn’t comment,” she said more irritably than she intended. It shouldn’t matter to her one darn bit what Mary Vaughn and Tom did. And hadn’t she thought they’d be a perfect match?

“I thought she was there to try to sell me a house,” he admitted.

“Men!” Jeanette murmured.

He chuckled. “That’s pretty much what Teresa said.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You asked about my day.”

“So, no nefarious reason, like trying to make me jealous?”

“If you’re absolutely certain you don’t want to go out with me, how could I possibly make you jealous?” He actually managed to utter the question with a totally innocent expression.

“You can’t,” she assured him. “That doesn’t mean you won’t keep trying to change my mind.”

“My ego’s far too fragile to keep risking rejection,” he said.

“Ha!”

“Well, it is,” he insisted.

“You swore you were coming here to talk business,” she reminded him. “Talk.”

“I’m not sure I can talk on an empty stomach. Isn’t it time for dinner?”

“I just gave you a scone. That should tide you over for the fifteen minutes you’re going to be here.”

“We’re on a timetable?”

“I am.”

“You are one tough cookie, you know that?”

“I pride myself on it,” she said.

“In that case, let’s get to it.” He snapped open an expensive leather briefcase and shoved a list across the table.

She noticed that his hand was large and just a little callused, not the hand of a man who spent all of his time behind a desk. She could imagine this hand touching her. The thought made her blood heat again.

Oblivious to her reaction, Tom went on, “I found this in a file. It has the names of vendors going back for the past ten years. Any reason not to ask them all back?”

“None I can think of,” she admitted, a little taken aback that he’d actually listened to her and gotten down to business. She forced herself to focus, as well. “Should we put an ad in the area newspapers or send out a press release soliciting some new vendors? Otherwise it may start to seem as if no one else can participate. Plus, it’s always good to have new blood. It helps to shake things up. The more vendors the better, I always say. It gives people a reason to come back year after year to spend their money.”

Not that she was one of them. She hadn’t attended the Christmas festival once during the three years she’d lived in Serenity. Even so, as hard as she tried, it had been impossible to tune out all the chatter about it.

“Good idea about getting some fresh faces in here,” he said approvingly. “We’ll probably have to go the press release route, since I don’t think there’s money for that kind of advertising. We need to spend that budget on promoting the event itself.”

In exactly fourteen minutes, he snapped his briefcase closed and stood up. “Well, my time’s about up. Thanks for meeting with me.”

Jeanette was completely thrown by his abrupt end of the discussion, though she couldn’t imagine why. She was the one who’d put a time limit on the meeting.

“Did we cover everything you wanted to cover?” she asked.

“Pretty much. I’ll keep you posted on the responses. I suppose at some point we’ll have to start thinking about mapping out locations for the vendors to set up, but there’s no hurry on that. Howard would probably prefer it be done tomorrow, but realistically November’s soon enough. We should have all the vendor responses in by Thanksgiving.”

“Okay, then. Have a nice evening.”

“You do the same.” His gaze sought hers and held it. “Oh, hell,” he muttered, then bent down and kissed her, not on the cheek as she’d anticipated, but on the mouth…with feeling.

Before she could react, maybe slap him silly, he was gone. She released a deep sigh. It was probably just as well. One more second and she’d have kissed him back like there was no tomorrow. So much for her theory that she was totally immune to men in general and this man in particular. Apparently her hormones had not enjoyed the drought.

6

His impulsive decision to kiss Jeanette had been a very bad one, Tom concluded as he left The Corner Spa. He was restless and edgy with no way to work off the sexual tension. Since he wasn’t dressed for running, he decided he could at least walk back to the Serenity Inn, though he doubted that would help. If anything, it would give him too much time to think about how soft her lips had been beneath his, the way she smelled of flowers and sunshine, the little sound she’d made in the back of her throat that proved she wasn’t immune to him, after all.

“Damn,” he muttered, getting stirred up all over again. This was bad. He had plans for the rest of his life and they didn’t include staying in Serenity forever. He’d been very careful in the past to keep his relationships casual and uncomplicated. Jeanette had complication written all over her.

Thankfully, before he could get too worked up over the unexpected twist of fate, his cell phone rang, promising a distraction.

“Yes, hello,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt.

“Tom, it’s Cal.”

He nearly sighed with relief at the distraction. “Cal, I meant to call you earlier about your Little League proposal. I wanted to let you know that I haven’t had time to get to it, but I haven’t forgotten.”

“Not a problem,” Cal assured him. “Actually, I thought maybe you’d like to hang out with Ronnie Sullivan—you know him from the festival committee, I think—Erik Whitney from Sullivan’s and me tonight. We’re going to toss around a football in the park, maybe have a few beers after. Interested?”

“How soon?” he asked eagerly.

“Twenty minutes,” Cal said. “We’ll be by the gazebo. Can you meet us there?”

“Absolutely,” Tom said. “I just need to drop off my briefcase at the inn and change.”

Thank heavens, he thought as he stuck his cell phone back in his pocket. He hoped these guys took their games seriously. He figured it would take a solid hour of hard sweat and a whole lot of inconsequential guy talk to work the memory of that smoldering kiss out of his head.

Two hours later, Tom was drained of thoughts and energy. These guys played even a casual game of football with an intensity that had challenged him. He was also on his second beer, which had loosened his tongue.

“So, what’s the story on Jeanette?” he asked before he could think through the consequences of bringing up her name with these particular guys. “You all know her, right?”

Cal, Ronnie and Erik exchanged amused looks.

“Told you,” Cal said, holding out his hand to the others. “Pay up.”

Tom frowned. “Told them what?”

“That you had a thing for Jeanette and that it wouldn’t take more than two beers for you to start asking questions about her,” Cal said.

“You bet on this?” he asked incredulously.

“We bet on everything,” Ronnie said, handing over five dollars to Cal. “Keeps us on our toes. We’re a very competitive bunch.”

“I’m paying you under protest,” Erik said as he gave Cal his money. “The deck was stacked in your favor. You’ve seen the two of them together. We haven’t.”

“Stop whining,” Cal told him, seizing the five-dollar bill. “I know perfectly well that Helen and/or Dana Sue has clued you in about this. Probably both of them. And Ronnie’s on the Christmas festival committee, so he’s at least seen them together once.”

Erik grinned. “Well, maybe I had heard something, but I’m busy when I’m at Sullivan’s. I don’t always pay attention to whatever Dana Sue’s going on about in the kitchen.”

“And your wife?” Cal taunted. “Do you tune her out, too?”

“Helen?” Erik said. “Impossible! She makes sure I hear every word she says. It’s the lawyer in her.”

Tom held up a hand. “Can we back up the train a minute? All of you, your wives included, have been speculating about me and Jeanette?”

“True,” Ronnie said, giving him a commiserating slap on the back. “Welcome to the world of the Sweet Magnolias.”

“Damn,” Tom muttered. “She told me they meddled, but I had no idea to what extent.”

“Take it from the three of us, these women work as a team,” Cal reported. “You show a little interest in Jeanette, they’re going to be all over it.”

“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” Tom said. “It seems to be scaring off Jeanette. She claims she has zero interest in me specifically and in men in general.”

“Trust me, they were all skittish when we came into their lives,” Cal reported. “With Maddie and me, it was the age thing, plus my job was threatened by the whole supposed scandal of her dating a younger man, who also happened to be her son’s baseball coach. With Ronnie and Dana Sue, let’s just say there was some history he had to overcome the second time around.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Erik added, giving Ronnie a playful punch in the arm.

Cal continued, “As for Erik here, well, he was just about as reluctant to get involved as Helen was. Ronnie and I had a great time watching the mightiest of the mighty fall.”

“So what’s made Jeanette so skittish?” Tom asked, probably too eagerly.

“Beats me,” Cal said. “She was flying solo when she got to town and that hasn’t changed in the time we’ve known her.”

“Hold on,” Ronnie said. “Wasn’t there some guy she was living with before she moved here? I think Dana Sue said they broke up over her working so much and wanting to leave Charleston.”

“Jeanette used to live in Charleston?” Tom asked. “I didn’t know that. Is that where she’s from?”

“No, she’s from someplace south of here,” Erik said. “Another little town.”

Ronnie shoved another beer in front of him. “Okay, let’s get to the point, man. Are you serious about her or are you just looking for a distraction?”

Tom stared at him. He’d been here less than a month, known Jeanette for a couple of weeks and they wanted to know if he was serious? “Come on,” he protested. “Serious? As in looking for a wife?”

“That’s the one,” Cal confirmed.

“I barely know her.” Tom shrugged. “And if she has her way, it’ll stay like that.”

“We could help you out,” Cal offered casually. “If we thought you were serious.”

“Help me out how?” Tom asked, suspicious of anything these three might be plotting. Obviously they were doing it with the blessing of their wives, which pretty much gave him hives.

“For starters, everyone is coming to our place for dinner on Sunday, including Jeanette,” Erik said meaningfully. “I could invite you.”

“But only if my intentions are honorable,” Tom concluded.

All three men nodded somberly.

“Otherwise, you hurt her and we’d have to beat you up,” Ronnie said, his expression still totally serious.

Tom laughed, but not one of them seemed to share his amusement. He sobered. “Okay, then, message received. Jeanette has three men looking after her.”

“And three tough women,” Cal added.

“Dana Sue lifts weights,” Ronnie warned. “She’s very fit these days.”

Tom shook his head. “Maybe I should consider going out with Mary Vaughn, after all.”

Again, the men exchanged a look, though this time there was real worry in their eyes.

“I think we may have come on too strong,” Erik said.

“Possibly,” Cal agreed.

Tom stared at them. “So this was basically a test,” he said.

“Pretty much,” Ronnie told him, looking vaguely chagrined.

“We were under orders,” Cal explained.

“Did I pass?” Tom asked, more curious than offended.

“Beats me,” Cal said. “You seem like an okay guy, but I don’t think my opinion counts.”

“Well, I think you’d better come on Sunday,” Erik said. “The women will let you know if you pass muster.”

Tom wasn’t at all sure he wanted his love life subject to the scrutiny of these so-called Sweet Magnolias. He already knew Jeanette wasn’t one bit happy about it. Still, if he won the rest of them over, there was a very good chance they’d give Jeanette a little shove in his direction. It couldn’t hurt.

“Count me in,” he said at last.

“Brave man,” Cal said approvingly.

“Gets points in my book,” Ronnie said.

Erik just grinned sympathetically, like a man who’d once been in the same spot he was in.

Tom shook his head and gulped down the rest of his beer. What the hell had he gotten himself into? One mind-blowing kiss and it appeared he was neck deep in quicksand.

The Sweet Magnolias were having one of their increasingly sporadic margarita nights. These occasions gave them a chance to catch up on spa business and on each other’s lives. Normally Jeanette loved the casual gabfests, but something told her when she first walked through the door at Helen’s that tonight was going to be an exception. The buzz of chatter died on her arrival.

“What?” she demanded.

All three women regarded her innocently. Helen immediately filled a margarita glass to the brim and held it out. Jeanette accepted it warily, then took a seat on the floor.

“Somebody needs to tell me why you all shut up the second I walked in,” she said.

“She’s right,” Maddie said. “She should know.”

“Of course she should,” Dana Sue said, turning to Helen. “You masterminded this. You tell her.”

“I did no such thing,” Helen protested.

“Tell her,” Maddie and Dana Sue said in unison.

“Tom’s coming for Sunday dinner,” Helen admitted. “The guys asked him last night.”

Jeanette studied each of her friends in turn, then settled in on Helen. “And this was your idea?”

“Not exactly,” she said, regarding the others with a touch of defiance. “We all wanted to get a look at the two of you together. Okay, not Maddie. She’s already witnessed the fireworks firsthand, but Dana Sue and me.”

“And how did the guys just happen to see him and invite him?” she queried.

“Oh, you know guys,” Dana Sue said. “They were getting together to play a little football. Cal called Tom. Then they had a couple of beers together. Guy stuff.”

“They were checking him out, weren’t they?” Jeanette accused. “This wasn’t some innocent little get-together. I know how you operate.”

“We were just protecting your interests,” Maddie said. “We know how you feel about getting involved with anyone and we figured if you’re finally ready, it needs to be with someone trustworthy.”

“I am not getting involved with Tom,” Jeanette said for the umpteenth time. “Why won’t you listen to me?”

“Because you don’t sound convincing,” Helen said. “I’m a lawyer. I know when people are lying to me…and to themselves.”

“Okay, fine,” Jeanette said in disgust. “You all conduct your independent review of the new town manager. I don’t have to be there.”

“You can’t back out now,” Maddie protested. “Come on. We want you there.”

“And I invited you first,” Helen reminded her. “And you said yes.”

“Did I really? I seem to recall you assuming that I would come.”

“You’re bringing tequila,” Helen said. “I made a note of it.”

“Of course you did,” Maddie said, patting her hand. “You make notes on everything.”

“Especially since I had the baby,” Helen said with a sigh. “I can’t remember anything if I don’t write it down.”

“Try having five kids,” Maddie said. “I make lists of my lists.”

“The bottom line,” Helen said, gazing directly at Jeanette, “is that you’re coming. If you absolutely insist, we’ll simply tell Tom to stay away.”

She frowned at them. “You know I can’t do that. It would be totally rude to have you take back your invitation to him. He’s new in town. He probably doesn’t know a lot of people. In fact, why don’t you invite some others? Mary Vaughn, for instance. I have it on good authority that she’s interested in him.”

“Then I’d have to stay home,” Dana Sue said flatly. “And keep Ronnie there, too.”

“Ronnie doesn’t give two figs about Mary Vaughn,” Maddie said impatiently. “He never did.”

“Not the point,” Dana Sue said. “I don’t trust her near my husband.” She frowned at Jeanette. “And you shouldn’t want her anywhere near Tom.”

“How many ways do I have to say that I don’t care about Tom McDonald?”

Maddie’s expression turned thoughtful, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. “As many as it takes to convince us. You’re not even close yet.”

Jeanette clamped her mouth shut. There was no point in belaboring this. It was a debate she couldn’t possibly win.

Helen beamed. “Good, then we’re agreed. It’s going to be a great evening.”

Jeanette didn’t want to burst her bubble, but from her perspective, it promised to be hell. The memory of that kiss she and Tom had shared made her blood sizzle every time she thought about it. She was going to have to resist any repeat of the experience, and the sad truth was, she wasn’t sure she had the willpower.

Tom was in the middle of an incredibly steamy dream about the elusive Jeanette when his phone rang on Sunday morning.

“Oh, honey, I didn’t wake you, did I?” his mother inquired.

He sighed as the last image of Jeanette faded from his mind. “It’s okay, Mother. I need to be up soon, anyway, if I’m going to get to church on time. What’s up?”

“Your father and I were just talking. I know you weren’t expecting me until next week, but the plans we had for today have been postponed, so we thought we’d drive over to Serenity to have lunch with you and take a look around your little town. Will that work for you?”

Tom bit back a groan. She made it sound like an excursion to a not-very-respectable amusement park. He’d planned on looking at a few houses this morning, doing some work on revising the budget, and then getting ready to go to Erik and Helen’s at four. Of course, his mother had mentioned lunch. That would put them here around noon and he could probably send them on their way by two. That should work. And at least it would put this hoped-for, but much-dreaded, visit behind him.

“Sure, Mother. That would be great. We can have lunch at Sullivan’s. We need to be there early, though. It’s usually packed right after church and they’re only open until two on Sundays.”

“That will work for us. We’re going to the early service at church and we’ll leave from there. We should be there by eleven. That should give us enough time to tour the town and be at the restaurant before noon.”

“Perfect,” Tom said. “Why don’t we meet at the town hall. It’s centrally located.”

“Oh, but we want to see where you’re living,” she protested.

“It’s a small inn, Mother. I have a room. There’s nothing to see. I still haven’t found a house.”

“I know it’s an inn, but I’d like to see it,” she said stubbornly. “That way I can picture you there, even if it is only temporary.”

It was one of her idiosyncracies that she liked knowing the details of her children’s living arrangements. She’d visited every dorm room, every sorority house and fraternity, every tiny apartment each of her children had resided in. Tom should have expected she’d want to see the inn.

Still, he argued against it. “Mother, you’re not going to be here that long. Let’s not waste the visit on a tour of my nine-by-twelve room.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she agreed reluctantly, then said with enthusiasm, “Perhaps we should help you look for a house while we’re there.”

“Absolutely not,” he said more sharply than he’d intended. “I’ve seen almost everything that’s on the market. I’m just trying to narrow it down.”

“Then we could help,” she persisted. “It’s no trouble, darling. I’ve always been able to see the potential in places. In fact, once you’ve chosen something, I can come over with my decorator and help you whip it into shape. You’ll need something large enough for entertaining, and it should be in the best neighborhood. After all, you are a public official.”

“Mom!” He needed to get her attention. “Enough. I don’t need anything fancy. I can slap a little paint on the walls if it needs it. The last thing I need is a decorator.”

“Well, surely you’ll want some of the family heirlooms,” she continued, undaunted. “That awful place you had in the last town was nowhere for priceless antiques, but I’m sure you can improve on that.”

Tom would rather live in a tent than be surrounded by the ornate McDonald treasures. “We’ll discuss it when I see you,” he said. If he put his foot down in person, she might actually hear him. Then again, that had never worked for his father. She’d been running roughshod over him for their entire forty years of marriage.

Jeanette exited the church, stopped for a moment to speak with Pastor Drake, then turned and bumped straight into Tom.

“You!” she said, taking a step back.

Had he been in church? That would explain his perfectly tailored navy blue suit, crisp white shirt and polished Italian loafers. She couldn’t help recalling what Helen had said about him coming from money. He looked every inch the scion of some old Charleston family. Of course, the dimple in his cheek and the twinkle in his eye also made him seem sexy and accessible. It was a potent combination.

“Well, this is an unexpected surprise. You’re just the person I needed to see,” he said, seizing her hand and drawing her away from the crowd.

Jeanette tried to yank her hand away, but he had a surprisingly strong grip. Warm and solid. The kind of grip that would feel reassuring if circumstances were different.

“Will you let go of me?” she demanded.

“Will you at least hear me out?” he asked.

“Why wouldn’t I hear you out?”

He shrugged. “Good question, but our brief history suggests you’re not always open to spending time with me.”

“You’re not asking me on a date again, are you?”

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means my parents are arriving here in approximately fifteen minutes and I need backup.”

She stared at him blankly. “Backup? Why?”

“My father hates everything about my being town manager here and my mother wants to choose my new home and decorate it,” he said, sounding a little frantic.

Jeanette’s lips twitched. This vulnerable side of him was oddly appealing. “You’re scared of Mommy and Daddy?”

“You won’t say it like that once you’ve met them. My father is a tyrant and my mother is a force of nature.”

“And you want me to meet them after you’ve made them sound so charming?”

“Okay, bad planning on my part. The point is that they are always on their best behavior around strangers. I can feed them at Sullivan’s and have them on their way by two if you’ll help me out by tagging along. I swear it’s not a date. I just need you as a buffer.”

Jeanette found herself enjoying his discomfort. She actually wanted to meet the two people who could throw this self-confident man into such a dither. And it might be nice to see another dysfunctional family in action. It might be reassuring, somehow, to have proof that she wasn’t the only one on the planet who had parental issues. And it wasn’t as if they were dating and meeting his parents was a major moment. As he’d said, she’d be merely a buffer. No big deal.

“There’s just one thing,” she said. “How would you explain me?”

“As a friend,” he said at once. “That’s the truth, isn’t it? We’re friends, or at least getting there.”

“Casual acquaintance is more apt, but I get why you’d need to call me a friend if you’re including me in this lunch.” She hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, then, as long as there are no hints…” She gave him a stern look. “None, whatsoever, that we are anything more than friends, understood? I don’t want to hear even the tiniest suggestion that we might be friends with benefits.”

“Of course not,” he said solemnly. “Then you’ll do it?”

“I’ll do it.”

He snagged her hand again. “Good, we’re meeting them at the town hall—” he glanced at his watch “—in less than ten minutes. The one thing you don’t ever want to do is keep them waiting. It’s important to make a good first impression.”

Something in his voice alerted her that he hadn’t been entirely honest with her. “Why do you care what kind of impression I make? I’m a buffer, that’s it. It might be even better if they hate my guts on sight.”

“Possibly,” he conceded. “But there’s no point in either of us enduring a ten-minute lecture on the lack of respect implied by tardiness.”

“Agreed,” she said, amused.

Her oddly upbeat mood lasted until she spotted Mr. and Mrs. McDonald—surely it had to be them—emerging from a shiny black car almost the length of a city block. They’d parked across the square from the town hall, which put them some distance away, but she knew in her gut she wasn’t mistaken about who they were. Her horrified gaze barely skimmed over the man, but the woman…she would recognize her anywhere. An image of that artfully colored blond hair, pale complexion and the arrogant lift to her surgically perfected chin was burned into her memory.

“Those are your parents?” she asked. “Over there, getting out of that limo?”

Tom shot a quizzical look at her. “Yes. Why do you look like that? You’re pale as a ghost.”

“I can’t meet your parents,” she whispered, frantically trying to get him to release her hand so she could bolt. Why hadn’t she made the connection before now? It wasn’t as if she’d never heard his last name or didn’t know he was from Charleston. She just didn’t believe in coincidences, that was all. Or she hadn’t wanted to believe in this one. It had been too awful to contemplate.

Tom was still staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Why can’t you meet my parents? Jeanette, what’s wrong? Is it the car? They have money. So what?”

“It’s not the car,” she said in an oddly choked voice. “Believe me, that car is the least of it.”

“Then, what? Tell me quick, because they’ve seen us, so it’s too late for you to run.”

“It’s your mother, Tom,” she said, still struggling to break free. “I know her. And you do not want us face-to-face. You need to trust me about that.”

He stared at her blankly. “You know my mother? How?”

“Do you really want to waste time chitchatting about the details? I need to go before they get over here. I can explain later.”

“Tell me now,” he said tightly.

“I know her from Chez Bella’s in Charleston. I gave her a facial once.”

He still looked blank. “Are you embarrassed about that for some reason? You shouldn’t be.”

“It’s not about being embarrassed,” she said indignantly. “She sued Bella. Claimed I almost destroyed her skin. That suit could have cost me my job, my reputation. The only reason it didn’t was because Bella had heard that she’d done the same thing at another spa in town. She’s allergic to some ingredient. Her dermatologist has explained it to her, but for some reason she refuses to accept that she can’t have the same treatments that all her friends have, so she just moves from spa to spa, raising a ruckus along the way. She freaks because her skin breaks out in hives. Now, will you let me go before she and I have this out right here?”

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