Where Azaleas Bloom (14 page)

Though it filled her with dismay, Flo reluctantly agreed. “I am
not looking forward to any of this one bit.”

“Neither am I,” Liz said briskly. “But we’re her friends and
it’s up to us to be candid with her.”

When they got to the apartment, though, there was no response
to their knocks. The neighbor across the hall stuck her head out.

“I saw Frances leave about an hour ago. I’m not sure where she
was going, but she headed toward town.”

“Thanks,” Flo said, then turned to Liz. “Now what?”

“Now we go into town and look for her,” Liz said determinedly.
“If we don’t find her at any of the likely places, I suppose we’ll have to speak
to Carter.”

Flo was horrified by the idea of involving the police, but she
knew Liz was right. Without being sure that Frances was safe, they couldn’t take
chances.

“Where to first?” she asked, anxious to find their friend
before going to the police became necessary.

“Wharton’s,” Liz suggested at once.

When they got there, though, Grace said Frances hadn’t been
in.

“Is everything okay?” Grace asked worriedly. “She hasn’t
wandered off, has she?”

In an attempt to protect Frances from gossip, Flo shook her
head. “Just a little mixup on where were supposed to meet, that’s all.”

Grace didn’t look as if she entirely bought the explanation,
but she nodded. “If she comes in, I’ll tell her you’re looking for her.”

“Now what?” Flo asked when she and Liz were back in the
car.

“The Corner Spa?” Liz suggested. “Maybe she mixed up which day
it was and thought the seniors exercise class was this morning.”

When they were parked in front of the spa, Flo took a look at
Liz’s pale complexion and said, “Why don’t I run in here and check? You wait in
the car. There’s no need for two of us to exhaust ourselves.”

Liz nodded gratefully. “Thanks, Flo.”

Flo went inside and looked around. Elliott Cruz, who taught the
seniors class, was working with one of his private clients. Flo walked over and
beckoned to him.

“Has Frances been by here?”

Elliott, who knew her situation, frowned. “No, why?”

“She didn’t show up at the senior center to play cards, she’s
not at home and Liz and I can’t find her.”

“You checked Wharton’s?”

She nodded.

“Let me call Karen. Maybe she stopped by Sullivan’s to see
her.” He made the call on his cell phone, then shook his head. “Karen hasn’t
seen her.” His frown deepened. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do Liz and I. She’s waiting for me. I’d better get
back outside. Will you call me if you see Frances or have any ideas about where
else we ought to look?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I have a break in a half hour. If you
need help, I can look around town, too.”

“That would be great,” Flo said.

She was across the gym, when she heard him calling her. She
stopped until he joined her. “Try the school,” he said. “She could have gotten
mixed up and gone by to see the kids. She picks Daisy and Mack up for us from
time to time.”

Flo nodded. “That’ll be my next stop then. Thanks.”

When she and Liz pulled up in front of the elementary school,
sure enough there was Frances sitting on a bench out front in the sunshine. She
looked up in surprise when they approached.

“What are the two of you doing here?”

“You were supposed to meet us at the senior center to play
cards,” Liz said gently, as she sat down beside her.

Frances regarded them blankly. “I was? Why would I schedule
that when I had a class to teach?”

Flo exchanged a look of alarm with Liz. “A class?” she said
carefully. “You’ve retired, Frances.”

Frances gave her an impatient look. “I know that. One of the
teachers asked me to come in for career day. They like to bring in retirees to
talk about teaching, rather than using the teachers who are currently in the
classroom. I suppose they think we’re more likely to make it sound
glamorous.”

Relief washed over Flo. “You’re here for career day.”

“Well, of course. I haven’t lost all my wits just yet.”

“Thank goodness,” Liz said fervently. “You have no idea what we
were imagining when we couldn’t find you.”

“I’m sorry I forgot about playing cards. When Myra Simpson
called to ask me to speak to her class, I just said yes without thinking. I so
rarely have anything on my calendar these days that can’t be put off, it never
even occurred to me to check.”

“Have you already given your talk?”

Frances nodded. “I was quite a hit, if I do say so myself.
There’s nothing like a roomful of inquisitive youngsters to keep a person on her
toes. I was just sitting out here enjoying this lovely April sunshine before
walking back home.”

“Well, I, for one, am completely worn-out,” Liz said. “I think
this calls for a special occasion lunch at Sullivan’s. My treat.”

Frances’s eyes brightened. “Perhaps I need to scare you more
often.”

“Don’t you dare,” Liz said. “At my age, I can’t afford to have
that many more years scared off my life. I swear I lost at least five this
morning alone.”

“I’m sorry,” Frances apologized again. “I’ll write things on my
calendar from now on.”

Flo gave her a long look. “I doubt writing them down is the
real issue. You need to look at the stupid thing once in a while.”

Frances chuckled. “Okay, that, too.”

As they all climbed into Flo’s car, Liz declared, “I’m ordering
a glass of wine. I don’t care what anybody says.”

“Why would anybody say anything?” Flo asked. “I intend to join
you.”

“Don’t even think about leaving me out,” Frances chimed in from
the backseat. “Or perhaps I’ll have a margarita.”

“No!” Flo and Liz said practically in unison.

“The last time we had margaritas without supervision, we nearly
ended up in the pokey,” Liz reminded her, laughing. “I vowed never to have
another one except at those Sweet Magnolias gatherings.”

“Ditto,” Flo said. “I heard enough about my behavior that night
from Helen to last a lifetime. I need to stay on her good side till she’s
reconciled to me and Donnie being a couple.”

“So you’re done with margaritas from now till eternity?” Liz
teased.

“No,” Flo protested. “She’s coming around.”

“Seriously?” Frances asked doubtfully.

“I swear it,” Flo said. “Of course, the worrisome thing now is
that she and Donnie seem to be in cahoots pushing for a wedding.”

“Whoo-ee!” Frances said. “I sure wish I’d been a fly on the
wall when that conversation took place.”

Flo gave her a warning look. “You’re supposed to be on my
side.”

“I am,” Liz assured her. “Which is what makes this such fun.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so flustered. Makes me wonder why that
is. I’m thinking it’s because you’re running out of arguments against
marriage.”

“Not a chance,” Flo insisted. “I still have the best one of
all.”

“What’s that?” Frances asked.

“I don’t want to,” Flo said emphatically. “Try arguing with
that.”

“You know who you sound like,” Frances teased. “That sweet
little granddaughter of yours when she’s throwing a tantrum.”

Flo stared at her. “Because I have a firm conviction?”

“Because you’re being stubborn,” Frances countered.

Flo looked to Liz. “Do you agree?”

Liz hesitated for barely a second, then grinned. “Sounds that
way to me,” she said. “Reminds me of the expression that you’re cutting off your
nose to spite your face. You’re crazy about Donnie. He’s obviously nuts about
you. Seems to me you’re saying no just because Helen’s in favor of the
idea.”

“I was against it before she ever got involved,” Flo insisted.
“You can ask Donnie, if you don’t believe me.”

“If you say so,” Liz said.

“I do,” Flo said irritably, suddenly wondering if maybe she
wouldn’t have that margarita after all.

14

“Y
ou working at Raylene’s tomorrow?” Mitch
asked Lynn after dinner. He’d come to look forward to these evenings on her deck
with a glass of lemonade or sweet tea and pleasant conversation. Tonight the
lemonade was just a little tart and ice-cold.

She grinned at him. “Do you really need to ask? I thought you’d
memorized my schedule by now.”

He winced. “I pay attention, that’s all,” he said guiltily,
then tried to regroup by adding, “Which means I know that sometimes the schedule
changes if Raylene or Adelia need to be somewhere.”

Though she was still smiling, she asked, “Is there some
particular reason you wanted to know about tomorrow?”

“Just making conversation,” he fibbed. “I had no idea it would
turn into such a big deal.”

Now she looked guilty. “Sorry. I’m just teasing you. It’s been
a while since anyone really cared about my plans for the day. Ed was always
oblivious unless I forgot to pick up his dry cleaning. Yes, I’m working in the
morning. I should be home around two-thirty.”

Satisfied, he nodded. “Good to know.”

Lynn studied him. “Look, I know it’s not my imagination that
you’re acting kinda funny. If something’s going on, you need to tell me what it
is,” she commanded in a tone that probably terrified the truth out of her
kids.

Mitch gave her the most innocent look he could muster. “I swear
I was just making conversation.”

Her expression remained skeptical. “So that’s your story and
you’re sticking to it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, hoping there wasn’t a telltale twinkle
in his eye.

She shook her head. “You’re no better at fibbing than my
children.”

Actually, Mitch considered that a compliment since he was a big
proponent of telling the truth, but under the circumstances it wasn’t a line of
conversation he wanted to pursue. Instead, he said casually, “Nice night, isn’t
it? You can feel summer in the air.”

“You mean the heat and humidity?” Lynn said wryly. “They’re
right on schedule.”

She took a long, slow drink of her lemonade, sighing with such
pleasure that Mitch regretted he couldn’t haul her off to bed and coax that same
sound from deep in her throat.

“I wish it were possible to air-condition a deck,” she
said.

Mitch seized on the comment like a lifeline, anxious to get his
mind out of dangerous territory. If there was one thing he knew and could
discuss endlessly, it was construction possibilities. “You can, but you’d have
to enclose it,” he told her.

“And that would pretty much defeat the purpose of having an
outdoor space, wouldn’t it?” Lynn said, clearly unconvinced.

“Pretty much,” he agreed, glancing around. “Of course, you
could add a roof, turn this into a screened-in porch, then make glass panels to
insert during the really hot months and put in one of those portable
air-conditioning units.” He grinned at her. “Ask any contractor. There’s a
solution to just about everything for the right price.”

Lynn gave him an amused look. “I think maybe it would be
simpler and certainly less expensive to adapt to the heat.”

He laughed. “That’s another alternative,” he agreed. “Or I
could get a big palm frond and fan you like some Roman slave.”

To his surprise, she looked instantly intrigued by that
notion.

“You’d do that?”

“If it would make you happy,” he said solemnly. “I’ve told you
before, I like seeing you smile.” In fact, lately that had become his mission in
life. He wondered if he wasn’t becoming a little obsessive about it.

She smiled at him, “You keep talking like that, Mitch Franklin,
you’ll turn my head.”

“I’m hoping,” he responded.

She looked away nervously, a sure sign that she wasn’t yet
where he was with this relationship of theirs. Increasingly, though, he felt
confident that she was at least heading in the same direction.

“When are the boys due home from college?” she asked,
determinedly changing the subject to a more neutral one.

“A couple of weeks,” he said, letting her get away with it.
“They have finals the first couple of weeks in May, I think, and that’s it.”

“Do they have plans for the summer?”

“Luke’s going to work for me. He’s not crazy about the work,
but he likes the paycheck and he tolerates my bossing him around. Nate hasn’t
said yet, but I think he may stay near school after graduation to be close to
his fiancée. He mentioned that Jo’s taking one more class over the summer to
wrap up her master’s. He has a part-time job in a restaurant and they’ll put him
on full-time, if he wants it.”

“But you’d rather have him home,” she guessed.

“Can’t deny it,” Mitch admitted. “If his fiancée does go out
West and he goes with her, this could be the last summer he’d be around. Maybe
the last time ever.”

He shrugged, feigning an indifference he was far from feeling.
He knew it was time for his sons to grow up and leave the nest for their own
lives, but he didn’t have to like it. “But it’s not about what I want,” he
added, a realization that grated on him just the same.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “Letting go must be incredibly
hard.”

“It’s a killer,” he agreed. “Just sending him off to college
tore Amy up. I was so busy consoling her, I didn’t notice how empty the house
felt, even with Luke still at home then. Now, with all of them gone, I rattle
around at loose ends. I’m always glad for a little company and commotion.”

“Can I ask you something?” she said, regarding him intently.
“Are you hanging out here just because you’re lonely?”

Mitch nearly choked on his sip of lemonade. “Why on earth would
you ask a thing like that? Haven’t I made it plain enough how I feel about
you?”

“Sure. I mean I know we’re friends. And I know you thought you
were imposing on Raylene and Carter by hanging out there for dinner. I thought
maybe this turned into a comfortable alternative. There’s nothing wrong with it,
if that’s what’s going on,” she said hurriedly. “I’m glad for the company, too.
Even though I have Jeremy and Lexie at home, it’s nice to have an adult to talk
to at the end of the day like this.”

Mitch didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her interpretation
of what was happening. He could think of only one way to set her straight. After
a moment’s hesitation, he stood up and moved in front of her.

“Come here,” he said quietly, leaning against the railing to
give her space so she could make up her mind about whether to comply with his
request.

She blinked at the intensity in his voice. “Why?”

He smiled at her sudden nervousness. “Just do it, Lynnie. Stand
up.”

Slowly, she got to her feet, her eyes locked with his.

“A little closer,” he said, wanting her to take this next step
fully conscious of what was about to happen.

“Another step,” he coaxed.

When she was within an arm’s reach, he touched her cheek, felt
her tremble. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, never once
looking away. She swallowed hard, but she didn’t move. In fact, she swayed
toward him ever so slightly.

It had been a long time since Mitch had kissed any woman other
than his wife, longer still since he’d wanted to. Now he thought maybe he might
die if he didn’t get to taste Lynnie’s lips.

“I’ve wanted to do this since we were thirteen years old,” he
said, his voice ragged as he took the next step, then bent to place his mouth
over hers.

Her lips were soft as silk and bore the faintest hint of tart
citrus and sweet sugar from the lemonade. All his senses, denied this sort of
closeness for way too long, sparked to life as he kissed her, first gently, then
more hungrily.

Her hands fluttered briefly at her sides, then came to rest on
his shoulders, then slid behind his neck, holding him close. Her response
encouraged him to deepen the kiss until they were both breathing hard and he, at
least, was feeling a little reckless. That white-hot flash of desire told him it
was time to back off. A kiss, he’d promised himself more than once, was the most
he could allow himself until the divorce was final, until she was emotionally
steady and knew without a doubt what she wanted.
Who
she wanted. He prayed she’d choose him.

In the meantime, though, what a kiss it had been, he thought,
smiling as he released her. “Are my intentions any clearer now?” he asked.

She sighed, slowly opening her eyes, her expression vaguely
dazed. “Crystal clear,” she whispered a little breathlessly.

“And that’s okay with you?”

“Uh-huh,” she murmured, still looking shaken.

Mitch smiled. “Good to know.”

A slow smile broke across her face. “Definitely good to
know.”

“I think maybe I should go now,” he said, since his blood was
still thrumming through his veins with a little too much anticipation for things
that weren’t in the cards just yet.

“Already?” she asked, her disappointment plain.

“Wouldn’t want to wear out my welcome,” he told her.

“Not a chance of that,” she murmured, her fingers touching her
lips as he turned and walked away.

Mitch couldn’t help the satisfaction that stole through him or
the tune he whistled as he headed back over to Raylene’s to get his truck.

Unfortunately, he found Raylene standing right beside his
four-by-four, hands on hips, a worried frown on her face.

“Are you playing games with her, Mitch Franklin?” she inquired,
sounding as indignant as any mother hen.

“No idea what you’re talking about,” he said, hoping he was
doing a better job fibbing now than he had been earlier with Lynn.

“The kissing right out there for anyone to see,” she
explained.

“We weren’t in the middle of the town green,” he replied
irritably, since there was no point in denying it had happened.

“But I saw,” Raylene explained patiently. “And anyone else in
the neighborhood who happened to be out on their decks tonight probably saw. You
don’t think word of a thing like that will spread by morning? How do you suppose
Ed’s going to react?”

“Blast it all!” Mitch muttered under his breath. For a few
brief, amazing moments he’d mostly forgotten about Ed and why it was important
for him to keep his feelings for Lynn under wraps a while longer. Lynn had just
made that remark about him coming around to spend time with her because it was
comfortable, and the next thing he knew, he’d been determined to prove there was
a lot more than comfortable on his mind.

“Exactly,” Raylene said, looking pleased that he’d caught on so
quickly to her concern. “You know I’m not criticizing you for getting involved
with her, right? I’m all for it. I’m just worried that Ed will find some way to
use this in court.”

“You’re not the first to warn me about that,” Mitch said,
thinking of Terry. “And most of the time I’ve been real careful, but something
happened tonight. I guess I lost my head.”

“You sure it wasn’t your heart?” Raylene inquired.

“Nah,” he said. “I lost that to her a long time ago. But, trust
me, I hear what you’re saying. I’ll be more discreet from here on out.”

She nodded. “All I’m suggesting,” she said, then winked.
“Looked pretty hot from over here, by the way.”

Mitch frowned at her, trying to hide his amusement. “You are
not getting details from me, Raylene. Go back inside. Call your husband. Let him
whisper a few sweet nothings in your ear. You’ll forget all about me and
Lynn.”

He could only hope that all the other nearby neighbors who’d
witnessed the kiss would forget as readily.

* * *

Lynn suspected she probably still had a glow in her
cheeks when she arrived at work in the morning. She knew she couldn’t seem to
stop smiling. Raylene gave her a knowing look.

“Interesting night?” Raylene inquired.

Lynn regarded her suspiciously. “What do you know?”

“I saw the kiss,” her friend admitted. “Looked like a doozy.
Was it?”

“I’m not talking about this,” Lynn said emphatically, even
though she was still a little stunned by the wonder of it. She’d had no idea a
kiss could generate that much heat, which said a lot about her marriage, if she
stopped to think about it.

“Darn,” Raylene grumbled. “Mitch wouldn’t say a word,
either.”

Now Lynn knew she was blushing. “You actually asked Mitch about
the kiss?”

“Well, sure,” Raylene said unrepentantly. “Right after I warned
him that maybe he should be more discreet before Ed gets wind that things
between you two are heating up.”

“This is none of Ed’s business,” she said defensively.

“Well, of course it’s not,” Raylene agreed. “That doesn’t mean
Jimmy Bob wouldn’t love to have some ammunition to use against you in court.
Character assassination is one of his favorite weapons. That’s all I’m
saying.”

Lynn winced. She knew Raylene was right. In fact, she spent the
rest of the morning worrying about the kiss, concluding that there could be no
more of it, maybe even no more contact with Mitch at all until after these
drawn-out divorce proceedings eventually ended. She should probably tell him
that when she saw him this afternoon.

But when she arrived at home, there was a local landscaper’s
truck in her driveway and a flurry of activity in her backyard. She walked
around the side of the house, then stood there, her mouth agape.

Azaleas, still in full bloom, had turned what had been a drab,
neglected yard into exactly the sort of garden she’d imagined. As she walked
along a newly placed flagstone path, set amid freshly laid sod, she heard water
gurgling and spotted a fountain flowing into a small pond.

Tears came to her eyes as she turned in circles, drinking in
the amazing transformation. It was the little slice of paradise she’d dreamed
of.

Only one person knew what she’d envisioned, only one man was
sweet enough to create it for her. She’d turned to race next door, when Mitch
slipped up behind her.