“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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