Fifteen
The last time I drove this highway north I didn’t imagine I would find myself driving it south again. Unless I was heading to where the ocean breeze lives and the fruity drinks were plentiful. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.
I’d spent most of the night trying to pack, overthinking every piece of clothing I put in my suitcase, wondering if I was making the right decision. Of course I wouldn’t back out once I gave someone my word. Hell, I hadn’t heard a peep out of Libby since our phone call when I told her I’d be a bridesmaid.
She wasn’t the only person I hadn’t heard from. Everett had fallen off the face of the earth after our date night, or shall I say shower night. My mind kept wondering if I’d done something wrong by initiating what had happened, but he hadn’t stopped himself either. I’d tried calling his office but the receptionist would only tell me that he wasn’t in, nothing more. His cell would ring at times but then voicemail would pick up, while other times it would go directly to voicemail. I didn’t even get the chance to tell him I was leaving town, and I didn’t bother leaving a message with it. If he wanted to talk, he’d reach out to me.
Hopefully he would reach out to me.
The “Welcome to Jonesborough” sign made its appearance as I turned off the exit. My heart leaped in my chest while my throat felt like I hadn’t drank a drop of water in days. Anxiety at its finest. I rolled my neck and took a deep breath as I awaited the light to turn green.
Not much in the town had seemed to change in the three years I’d been gone. A few businesses had new names or new paint jobs. I drove slower than usual as I took in the town I’d grown up in. The town that made me feel so unwelcome to the point I had to get out. The town that took my parents from me.
Why did I come back here?
My phone buzzed and I jerked it from its resting spot in the front cup holder. The name on the screen wasn’t who I was hoping for.
“Hey, I just got to town.”
“Well it’s about time.”
The sound of Libby’s voice made me want to gouge my eyes out.
“Seriously, Libby. You told me to be here today and I hadn’t heard shit from you since. I’m here, so be a little nicer or I’ll turn this damn car around and head back home.”
“Home?” She paused. “This is your home, Arbor. Whether you want to believe that or not. And I’m sorry for being rude. You haven’t had to plan a wedding at the last minute before.”
I was about to ask why it was last minute when my attention was pulled elsewhere. Marlee’s Bed and Breakfast and The Lounge were still standing. Even though Marlee’s looked to be closed.
“Is Marlee’s closed now?”
“What?”
“The bed and breakfast across from The Lounge.”
“Oh, that old place.” She sighed. “The old lady who owned it passed away about two years ago. There’s been no one interested in running it.”
“Dammit. I was going to try and get a room there.”
“There’s no need. We have plenty of space in the pool house out on the farm. You can stay there.”
“Thank you, Libby, but I can’t intrude.”
“You won’t be intruding, Arbor. There’s no one staying in it currently anyway. So I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”
I ground my teeth. “Perfect. See you then.”
Staying in the pool house at Mack Farms wasn’t where I was expecting to stay. But I couldn’t pass up the offer, even as badly as I wanted to.
I pulled into the parking lot of Marlee’s and got out. Sadness filled my chest at the looks of the place up close. From the road you couldn’t tell that the home needed some TLC. You could only tell the plants were dying and it was most likely vacant. The once beautiful rose bush just outside the door looked pitiful. Green mold was beginning to grow where the gutter wasn’t draining properly and it was flooding the sidewalk when it rained. This place held two major memories for me, the last being life-altering. I hated that no one had kept Marlee’s running. The history it held was amazing, and to see it so rundown hurt my heart. I gave the front door a gentle push but it was locked. A part of me hoped it was open so I could take one good walk through, but it wasn’t in the cards. Honestly, it was probably for the best, too.
“The place is closed.”
An elderly man from the house next door called out as I headed back to my vehicle.
“How long has it been closed?” I crossed the yard so he didn’t have to yell.
“About two years now. Mabel passed away a few months before.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“She was a wonderful woman, died in her sleep out back in a rocking chair on the patio.”
“That’s awful.”
“Not really.” He smiled. “She loved that place. Her health had taken a turn unexpectedly and she enjoyed sitting out back listening to the birds and rocking in that chair. The doctors said she didn’t have any pain when she passed. Even had a smile on her face when I found her.”
“Oh, you found her?”
“Sure did.” He cleared his throat. “I always joined her for coffee bright and early, before any of the guests seemed to wander down from their rooms. She was a good friend of mine since I moved in three or so years ago.”
I remembered the house being empty the last night I was in town. He must’ve moved in shortly after I’d left. I smiled knowing Mabel had someone there for her for those years. I didn’t personally know her, but it’s nice to know someone as sweet as she was didn’t die alone. Even in a bed and breakfast where she truly was never alone.
“I’m glad you had one another.”
“Me, too.”
“I should be going.”
“Before you go, if you don’t mind me asking, what brought you here? You must be from out of town since everyone local knows this place is closed.”
“I’m in town for my cousin’s wedding.”
“Ahh. Robert Mack’s daughter’s wedding I’m guessing.”
“You guessed correct.”
“You don’t seem like you’d be one of that bunch.”
I laughed.
“I’m not really. She asked me to be here, so I’m here.”
“Good for you.” He turned to head back to the porch he’d been sitting on. “Enjoy your time here, and I hope the wedding turns out how she hopes.”
“Thank you…”
“Old Man Gab is what the locals call me.”
“Well, thank you for everything, Old Man Gab.”
“Drive safe now.”
He waved me goodbye as I slipped into my car and shut the door.
The Mack’s had a reputation in Jonesborough, that was for sure. Even an elderly man that hadn’t been a part of the community for that long knew it. He didn’t have to come right out and say it, but it was obvious. I was thankful my parents had raised me away from the horse racing lifestyle. Libby grew up deep in the middle of it. The whispers in town of the wrongdoings to the horses, the under the table bets and bribes, it all fueled the mess of a town. But the Macks lived for the drama because it kept their name in everyone’s mouths, and their faces on the front page of the paper ninety percent of the time. Being relevant was their number one priority. It made me sad to think people could raise a child in the midst of it all. I was happy my parents separated us from them. No matter the disastrous fallout it brought in the family.
The long, winding road back to Mack Farms was still as perfectly manicured as I remembered it being. Large stone pillars every so many feet with fencing connecting them, with one field full of horses galloping on their own and a practice area in the other field. I watched a woman sitting high on a gorgeous black beauty with a man directing her and the animal as I drove up the long drive. Neither person looked familiar, even though I couldn’t fully make out their faces from where I was.
One thing I fully remembered about the farm was that they had designated parking areas. I didn’t want to start off overstepping my boundaries so I pulled into the parking spots that were labeled guests. Yes, the parking spots had those small signs to designate who could park where.
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before popping a piece of gum into my mouth and practicing the overly friendly smile I had to tie on when I waitressed. I was out of practice, but I had a feeling the next few weeks would put me right back on that wagon.
Before I was fully out of my car, I heard Libby calling my name.
“You can pull around to the pool house. There’s no need for you to take up that parking. Vendors will start coming within the hour to begin preparations for the bridal shower tomorrow afternoon.”
I gave her a nod and got back into my vehicle, waving as I drove around the house and down a short road to the pool house. Their pool house was just about the size of most people’s actual homes. Made from dark stone with large windows around the side that faced the pool, it was beautiful, that’s for sure.
There was a four-car garage with two of the doors open, so I pulled into one of the empty bays, knowing if I was in the wrong spot Libby would be sure to let me know. No one was around when I got out of the car. I grabbed my suitcase and duffle bag from the trunk and took in the smell of the south as I exited the garage. Indianapolis didn’t have that smell. Instead it was filled with polluted air from all the vehicles driving around. You couldn’t beat the fresh air of the south, even when it was mixed with the faint aroma of animal poop.
The sound of a motorized vehicle coming down the road interrupted my peaceful moment. I knew it was Libby so I didn’t bother turning around to check. The gate to the pool was unlocked so I pulled my luggage in and left it sitting there. I kicked my sandals off and took a seat on the concrete at the edge of the water and slipped my feet in.
“Perfect temperature.” I sighed.
If I was the only person staying in the pool house, it might actually be like a small getaway. Unless Libby was bride-zilla, which wouldn’t surprise me.
“There you are.” Libby’s head came into view over the gate. Her hair was perfectly braided to the side, not a strand out of place. Her bright green eyes were covered by a pair of aviators and bright red lips accented her perfectly straight white teeth as she smiled.
“Here I am.” I held my arms up and grinned, pleased that I hadn’t taken my sunglasses off, so she couldn’t see my true feelings in my eyes.
“The pool feels wonderful, right?” She stepped through the gate and stood beside where I was sitting. “We had them come back out and redo it after it was installed. They forgot to make it heated. Who gets a pool without it being heated?” She scoffed.
“Ninety percent of America,” I mumbled.
“What?”
“I would definitely get a heated pool if I had one.”
“Well, be sure it’s one where the temperature can be adjusted. It’s the only way to go.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I pulled my feet from the water and stood.
Libby was tall for a girl, and she got it honest. Her mother towered over many women, as did her father with men, so it was only fitting that she’d be the same way. Something about their height made them even more intimidating to the regular folks. But not me, I felt that it only meant they would fall harder when their time came.
“So how have you been?” Libby leaned in and gave me a quick hug. I almost fell back from the unexpected gesture.
“Great. Enjoying my new life in Indianapolis.”
“We’ve all been wondering about you.” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “You up and left without any word. It was kind of scandalous, don’t you think?”
“There’s nothing scandalous about leaving a small town for a big city. Especially when the town holds nothing for you.”
“I beg to differ. Jonesborough has loads of opportunities, even for someone like you.”
And there was the stab. Someone like you. Libby had most likely been waiting to twist that knife from the moment she sent me the invitation to be a bridesmaid. It always made her beam with happiness that the two of us had nothing in common, that we were on different spectrums of the popularity chart. Anytime we were even close to similar she had to change it. The one time my hair took on an auburn tone in the summer she had a breakdown until her mother allowed her to get blonde highlights at ten years old.
But she didn’t have to worry about that anymore. My hair was so dark, it was almost black where hers was auburn, while my eyes were icy blue compared to her bright green ones. We couldn’t be mistaken for one another on any level. She was super thin and tall, while I had more of a curvy, toned figure with quite a bit larger breasts and was a good four inches shorter than her.
“I’m a bit tired from the drive. Do I have time to catch a nap before the festivities begin?”
“Of course! Mother is hosting a dinner tonight at the main house around seven thirty. You probably don’t know, but I live on down back behind the tree line there.” She pointed to the right.
“How nice. Everyone is still within a few miles of each other.”
“It’s the only way to be.” She beamed.
“So I’ll see you around seven thirty then.”
“Oh, but Arbor, Mother and Father have been dying to see you. You must come say hello way before dinner time.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.” I grinned and collected my bags as she headed back toward the Ranger.
We waved at one another as she drove past, headed toward her house behind the tree line. Now that I knew it was there, I could see the peaks of the roof between a few of the trees. Even above a couple on one end. It was definitely another mansion like the one she’d grown up in out front of the property. Having money growing up would’ve been nice, but using status to smash the people you considered to be below you wasn’t anything to be proud of. Yet the Macks seemed to be beyond proud of everything they’d done over the years. I couldn’t imagine being able to sleep at night.
The house has quiet as I stepped inside. A fresh lemon aroma hung in the air and I inhaled deeply. I had to figure out what kind of air freshener that was because mine and Emily’s place totally needed it. It was refreshing and relaxing all at the same time.
I’d never actually been inside the pool house before. When we used to come around, which was rare, it was in the process of being built. Every inch was spotless. The main color throughout the house was white, with a splash of pale blues, yellow, and other colors from room to room. Very sleek yet reserved. The back of the house had a large master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom that put both mine and Emily’s bathrooms combined to shame. It was like a mini-spa. Large shower area, so big that you couldn’t call it a stall, with a closed off toilet room for privacy, a giant Jacuzzi tub, double sink vanity with seating, and a walk-in closet that could be mistaken for my bedroom back home due to its size. Why people needed so much space was beyond me. Don’t get me wrong. I loved lavish things, but I could take them in moderation and be perfectly fine.
I rolled my luggage into the closet and sat it on the island in the center of the room. It was lined with drawers for storage on three of the four sides. The fourth had shelves for shoes, I assumed. The silence in the house was deafening so I turned the music on my phone on. A loud beep echoed through the house and a robotic voice scared me to death as its words echoed stating “device connected.” A quick second later and my music played throughout the house.
“Okay, I could get used to this.” I smiled and bobbed my head to one of my favorite songs filling the once silent home.
Time ticked away as I unpacked my things and laughed at how empty the walk-in closet was after I’d hung the things I’d brought and tucked away some of the other items. There was no way I could fill the room with clothes and shoes in my life. But I could easily guess Libby’s house had a room similar, but much larger than this one filled to the top with items she’d probably never wear, or had worn only once.
As much as my body wanted a nap, the pool was calling me. What would be more relaxing than floating on a raft with silence all around you? So I made quick work of changing into my swimsuit and checked my phone for any missed calls or messages. The red number one beamed at me from the text message square on my screen. I quickly opened the app and frowned when I saw it was from Emily. Not because Emily was messaging me, but because I still hadn’t heard a peep out of Everett. I didn’t know what I’d done, but I wasn’t going to let those thoughts fill my head when relaxation was calling my name.
I padded through the kitchen in nothing but my swimsuit with a towel tossed over my shoulder. The thought of an ice cold adult beverage popped into my head and I cursed myself for not making a liquor store pit stop before coming to the farm, but the sight of margarita and wine glasses hanging above the counter piqued my curiosity.
“As much as the Macks love shindigs, surely there’s some alcohol in this house.”
It didn’t take long for me to locate the hard stuff, but I was hoping for something more laid back, like an ice cold beer. I hadn’t bothered to look in the refrigerator so I pulled one side open and almost squealed with happiness when rows of chilled beer stared back at me. I grabbed a bottle, popped the top, and made my way out the sliding doors to the pool.
The sounds of horses galloping and birds chirping had put me in a state of calm. The Tennessee sun warmed my skin as I floated around the large in-ground pool without another soul around to bother me. The water lapped against my body where the mesh float sunk, allowing it to envelope me. My beer was just the right temperature as I slowly enjoyed its taste. Maybe being invited to Libby’s wedding was a Godsend. One of those unexpected blessings that come when you least expect them. I’d been wishing for some me time, and I was getting just that.
“Arbor!” I startled, almost flipping the raft.
“What?” I tossed my sunglass up on my head and searched around for who had screamed my named.
Libby stood at the edge of the pool with her hands perched on her hips.
“Your beer bottle is floating in the pool. You’ve probably tainted the water with the alcohol now. Are you already drunk? I’d heard you liked your alcohol, but seriously?”
I slipped from the raft and collected the beer bottle. “Are you kidding me? I fell asleep drinking one beer. I’m sorry if I tainted the pool, I can clean it myself if need be. And who the hell told you I liked my alcohol?”
“Doesn’t matter. Actions speak louder than words anyway,” she snarled. “You might want to go inside and put something on your skin, you’re going to match the color of our dinner tonight which is lobster.” She chuckled at her own awful joke. “Just thought I would stop by to check on you as I head to the main house. You might want to freshen up and head that way yourself. It’s already going on six o’clock.”
As much as I wanted to get out of the pool and pound her with my fists, I refrained. It would accomplish nothing but drama and front page news, I’m sure. I could imagine the headline already, “Lunatic cousin of Libby Mack’s returns to Jonesborough to assault wealthy relative from jealousy of upcoming wedding.” The thought alone made me gag.
“Thanks for giving me the time.” I wrapped my towel around my body and headed toward the doors.
“See you in a few.”
I didn’t even respond as I slid the door shut and pulled the shades so she couldn’t see me. A few moments passed and I screamed at the top of my lungs with frustration. That girl was going to drive me mad before her wedding could come and go. I hoped I could last the fourteen days without strangling her.