Thirty-One and a Half Regrets (10 page)

The crowd began shouting questions.

“What are your colors?”

“Will the wedding be at the Simmons Estate?”

December
. While my vision had shown him married to a very pregnant Hilary, learning that they’d set a date made me want to throw up.

Joe seemed to regain his senses. “Okay, we’ll take the next question. A
non
-wedding question.”

But the blonde reporter shouted, “How do you feel about your upcoming nuptials, Joe?”

His mouth opened then closed; he looked like a fish out of water struggling to breathe.

“Do you get any say about the colors or the ceremony?”

A grim smile lifted his mouth. “Hilary seems to be in charge of all of the details. I guess I’ll just show up when and where I’m told like any dutiful husband-to-be.” He released a chuckle, but it sounded forced. “Next question.” He pointed to a man in the back.

“Joe, you’re a last-minute entry into what might be your first political office. What makes you qualified?”

“Well…” Joe drawled. “That’s an excellent question. After graduating from the University of Arkansas law school and rankin’ third in my class, I’ve spent the last five years working for the Arkansas state police as an undercover officer. I’ve seen firsthand the effects of crime, and as an Arkansas State Senator, I will help ensure that criminal laws are upheld. I see it as a natural extension of my experience.”

“Do you think your father’s reputation and money make you more qualified?”

Joe’s grin froze. It was such a subtle reaction that no one else would notice. But I did. I knew this man…or thought I did. The Joe Simmons standing in front of this crowd was different from any of the variations of Joe that I’d met, from Joe McAllister, his pseudonym while he was undercover, to the Joe Simmons who had walked out my door five weeks ago. This Joe Simmons was a schmoozer who said what people wanted to hear. But the set of his mouth told me that he didn’t like what he was doing and I couldn’t help but feel partially responsible for that.

“No,” Joe answered. “I’d like to think I’m my own man and I’m making my own way in this world. I’d like to stand on my own merit. Next question.”

An older man with a notepad turned his attention to me, self-consciously sweeping long strands of thinning hair over a large bald spot on top of his head. When he lowered his hand, the gusty wind instantly blew them to the side. “Anthony Blund from the
Henryetta Gazette
. My question is for Rose Gardner.”

“Uh…” Joe’s eyes widened slightly and he turned to me. “I’m not sure the Gardner sisters are here to answer questions.”

“We were assured that they would.”

That damned contract.

I felt a comforting hand on the small of my back, and I looked over my shoulder into Mason’s expressionless face. “Take the question,” he said, leaning down to my ear, “but don’t answer if it’s a setup.”

I nodded at the reporter. “All right.”

“What do you have to say about the allegations that you have defrauded your sister of her inheritance?”

My chest constricted and I turned to Violet. Her face paled and she shook her head, turning toward the reporter. “That’s not true. Rose has done no such thing.”

“There are witnesses who testify that you, Violet, made such a claim. Are you backing down from your accusations?”

“I…” Violet fumbled.

Mason stepped between us. “As the Gardner Sisters Nursery’s legal counsel, I advise my clients to not respond to rumors and gossip.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Deveraux,” the Henryetta reporter called out. “If you’re the assistant DA, why are you their legal counsel? Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”

“I can assure you, Mr. Blund, there has been no wrongdoing, so there can be no conflict of interest.”

“What about the fact that she hires a known felon? Doesn’t that present an issue?”

I cringed, but Mason kept his resolve. “Mr. Decker has served his time and reports regularly to his parole officer. Ms. Gardner has offered him employment when most people in this town would not. Ms. Gardner believes that everyone deserves a second chance and I commend her efforts.”

“Rose, is it true that you and Jonah Pruitt are dating? Was that why his mother tried to kill you? Because she didn’t approve?”

My mouth dropped open.

Mason cleared his throat. “Rose’s personal relationships are not up for public discussion.” He turned his head toward Joe and flashed a good-ole-boy grin. “I thought we were here to quiz Joe, not my clients.”

Joe tried to take control. “Mr. Deveraux is right.” He spread his hands open. “I’ve got six more days until the election. What else do you have for me?”

“Joe,” a TV reporter shouted. “You’ve based a good portion of your fight against crime on your bust of alleged murderer and drug dealer Daniel Crocker. Do you think his escape will hurt your campaign?”

Joe’s face froze. “What?”

“Surely you’re aware of his escape.”

His eyes widened and he gave a slight shake of his head. “Uh…”

“Daniel Crocker escaped from the Fenton County Jail last night, starting the biggest manhunt in the state of Arkansas in the last twenty years. I’m surprised that someone with a campaign against crime wouldn’t be aware of that.”

Joe shot a glare at Hilary and then turned back toward the crowd. “I’ve been traveling all morning and have been away from the news. My people neglected to inform me.”

“Rose,” a woman shouted. “Aren’t you worried about Daniel Crocker being on the loose after you helped get him arrested?”

I glanced up at Mason and he nodded. I turned back to the crowd. “I’ve been told that the state police have that matter under control.”

“Joe,” someone called out. “Is this a sign of how well you’ll be kept apprised if you’re elected?”

“No,” Joe’s eyes narrowed. “I can assure you that I will be addressing my staff’s huge error in judgment.” He looked at his watch. “Now if you’ll excuse me, we’re out of time. Thanks for coming today!” He waved to the crowd and disappeared into the nursery.

I stepped back while reporters shouted my name. Mason moved in front of me and grabbed my arm, leading me through the door.

I stood just inside it, shock hitting me like a freight train. “What just happened?” I whispered.

He leaned into my ear, keeping his gaze on Joe and Hilary as they disappeared into the back room. “I don’t know, but I think we know who was behind part of it.”

I didn’t want to believe it. “Doesn’t that seem a little paranoid?”

“We’re talking about a man who probably forked out several hundred thousand of his own money to set this up. When you look at it that way, it doesn’t seem so paranoid.” He pulled me into the corner as a camera crew followed Violet making her way through the shop. “But what does surprise me is that Joe of all people didn’t know about Crocker’s escape. He’s already four points behind in the polls. That lack of information is bound to hurt him even more.”

A man in a suit emerged from the back room and searched the shop until his eyes landed on me. He walked over, studying me before he grinned. “Rose? I’m Teddy Bowman, Joe’s campaign manager. Joe’s in the back and would like to meet with you.”

“Uh…I…”

“It’s not part of the conditions, Rose,” Mason whispered into my ear. “You don’t have to see him.”

The thought of seeing Joe filled my heart with equal amounts of joy and dread. Did I want to talk to him? I wasn’t so sure after the way he’d treated me. I glanced up at Mason. “I need to do this. If I don’t, I think I’ll always regret it.”

His eyes searched mine and I struggled to lay name to the emotion I saw there. I knew he didn’t want me to go, but Mason would never make demands of me. It made me appreciate him all the more. I threw my arms around his neck. “Will you wait for me? Then we’ll go to Magnolia and spend the rest of the afternoon together. A date.”

A smile quivered on his lips. “You know that I’ll wait as long as you need me to.”

I kissed his cheek and released him, smoothing my skirt. I followed Teddy through the shop, past the camera crew that was now filming Violet talking to a customer. As we neared the back room, I could hear Joe shouting.

I pushed the door to the back room open and stood in the threshold for a moment before shutting the door behind me. Joe was yelling and pointing his finger at two college-aged kids, whose faces were red from Joe’s verbal berating.

Muffy was still sitting in her dog bed, hunkered down, but when she saw me she hopped up and ran over, jumping and begging for me to pick her up. She’d been subjected to more confrontation in one afternoon than she’d probably seen in her entire life. I had no idea what was about to happen, but I didn’t want her to be traumatized any more than she already had been. I bent down and whispered in her ear, “Go find Violet, Muffy.”

She whimpered when I stood up, and when I opened the door a crack, she slunk into the front room.

Joe continued his tirade. “What the hell were you thinking by keeping something like this away from me? I looked like an idiot out there! I’ve never worked with such incompetent idiots in all my life!” he shouted, running his hands through his hair as his gaze spun around the room. His eyes finally landed on me, and he stopped as though a switch in his head had been flipped. Dropping his hand to his side, his face hardened. “Everybody out.
Now
.”

Their mouths dropped open as they turned their attention to me.

“You heard him.” Hilary slid off my stool at the potting table and wrapped her hand around Joe’s arm. “Joe needs a few moments alone to regroup.”

Joe shook off her hand. “That includes you, Hilary.”

She turned up her chin, her eyes darting hate toward me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“So help me God, if you don’t—”

An angry glare made her look five years older. “If you think I’m leaving you alone with her—”

Joe pointed to the doorway, shouting, “Get the hell out of here now, or I’ll go out there and tell the press our engagement is off.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Joe,” she hissed. “You know your father will be quizzing all your people tonight. He’ll know you saw her.”

The veins on his temple throbbed. “Get.
Out!
”

Hilary walked past me, bumping into my arm. I took a step backward, gasping at her rudeness.

“Lock the door,” Joe barked. “I don’t want to be interrupted.”

I spun around to see who he was talking to. When I realized I was the only person in the back room with him, my anger surged. “You may think it’s acceptable to talk to your staff that way, but I don’t work for you, Joe Simmons.”

He stomped past me and turned the lock, then pulled me into his arms, lowering his mouth to mine. His breath reeked of alcohol.

I turned my head to the side, his lips brushing my cheek. “Let go of me, Joe.”

“Are you saving yourself for Jonah Pruitt now?”

I shoved his chest to break his hold. “What in tarnation are you talking about?”

Anger filled his eyes. “I know about you and Jonah, and I have to say I’m surprised that you moved on so quickly. Especially with
him
.”

“
Me
move on?” I hissed in a low voice. I refused to provide this god-forsaken town with more gossip. “
You’re
the one who announced your engagement to your old girlfriend within two days of breaking up with me!”

“You know I don’t care about her!”

“And yet you’re still engaged to her.”

“Rose,” he ran his hand through his hair and sank onto my potting stool, where Hilary had been sitting just moments ago. “How could you sleep with Jonah Pruitt?”

Had he lost his mind? “You have no right to accuse me of that.”

He looked up, his eyes red and glassy. “I saw the pictures.”

“What pictures?”

“Of Jonah holding you and you two sitting close together, holding hands. Photos taken less than two weeks after we broke up. I
know
, Rose.”

“You have photos of me?
You’re watching me
?”

“My father.” His voice was tight.

Of course he was. I shook my head. “You think that you meant so little to me—that
we
did—that I could just move on with someone else in two weeks? How could you see us hugging and jump to the conclusion that we were sleeping together?” And then I knew why he would make that leap. “You’ve slept with Hilary. Your engagement isn’t pretend.”

Guilt flooded his face.

“Who
are
you?” Tears stung my eyes. “My Joe would never sleep with her.” But even as I said the words, I knew they weren’t true. How many times had he run back to her? Running back to Hilary was what he did. “Why am I back here, Joe? Why did you want to see me?”

He slid off the stool and moved toward me, taking my hand in his. “I miss you so much it hurts, Rose. I don’t know if I can live without you.”

A lump formed in my throat, and it took everything I had not to let my tears loose.

He slowly slid his hand around my lower back and pulled me to his chest. “You’re the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing on my mind when I close my eyes.”

“I can tell from the way you and Hilary were kissing outside.”

“I don’t want to be with her, Rose. You have to know that.”

“And yet you are. I understand why you’re engaged to her. I get it. But it’s not a total sham and we both know it. You’re sleeping with her. You’ve been sleeping with her for weeks.”

“I…It’s just…”

“Thank you for not insulting me by denying it.” I closed my eyes, smelling his alcohol-laden breath. It wasn’t even two o’clock yet. I slowly pushed on his chest, but his hand covered mine.

“Rose, I love you. You are my reason for living. Without you, I have
nothing
. I am
nothing.
” His voice broke and tears filled his eyes.

My conscience fought a battle with my guilt. How much of his misery should I lay claim to? “I’m sorry, but we both have to accept that we’re done.”

“I can’t.”

“Joe, even if your father changed his mind, I couldn’t go back to you now. Not after this. All I can see is you with Hilary.”