Surrender to Love Page 7

Julia smiled. “I’ll see what I can do about getting some new ones, okay?” She leaned over and kissed her daughter’s forehead.

  “Okay.”

  Julia retrieved the food tray. She took her time descending the stairs. Her strength hadn’t returned one hundred percent, but she refused to remain helpless. She had just rounded the base of the staircase when she heard several voices booming from the dining room. She concluded that the other guests were still having dinner.

  The last thing she wanted to do was disturb them.

  The front door opened and Julia jerked in its direction. The tray slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.

  Carson entered with a curious frown. “Ms. Julia?”

  Her heart rammed against her rib cage. Who had she expected to see? She looked down at the shards of broken dishes. “Oh, my goodness. I’m so sorry about this,” she said in a trembling voice, then knelt down to clean up the mess.

  Carson cocked his head. “Are you all right?” He joined her on the floor.

  “Yeah. I’m fine,” she answered, but she knew that she was doing a lousy job of convincing him. Her life was in a shambles and she was anything but all right. “You just startled me, that’s all.”

  She felt his gaze on her, but he said nothing.

  Julia, however, made a point of avoiding his eyes. Something about the man threw her world off its axis, which was a sure sign to keep her guard up. Of course, there was a high probability that after two failed marriages, she was wary of men—period.

  When Carson faced her again, Julia managed to compose herself and get down to the business at hand. “About my car, Mr. Webber—”

  “Ah, yes. The car. Well, it’s going to take a little longer to fix it than I’d originally planned.”

  While he gave her the bad news, he sounded apologetic, but Julia swore there was a twinkle in the man’s eyes. She clenched her jaw in irritation.

  “Exactly what’s wrong with the car?” she said, halfway hoping that Robin had been wrong.

  “Transmission.”

  Julia refrained from cursing and instead nodded. “How much is it going to cost to fix it?”

  Carson folded his arms and rubbed his chin while he thought about it. “I’m not sure, to tell you the truth.”

  “I see.” She shook her head as she suddenly remembered her disdain for mechanics. They never gave a direct answer or charged a fair price. “How about a ballpark range?”

  He smiled and the gesture further irritated her. Now that she thought about it, the man did nothing but smile all the time. Did anything ever ruffle his feathers?

  “Ms. Julia, I have to make some calls. You’re driving a sixty-two Chevy Impala. Though it’s a beautiful car, it’s old, and trying to find parts for a car like that here in Moreland is going to be close to impossible.”

  This time Julia smiled. It was either do that or scream bloody murder.

  “But don’t worry about anything. I’ve already talked to my sister, and she says you and your daughter are welcome to stay here while I work on your car.”

  “We can’t do that. I already feel like we’re taking advantage of her hospitality.”

  “I didn’t say you could stay for free,” he injected.

  “Oh.” Julia’s eyes widened while her heart fell somewhere close to her knees. “W-well, I don’t have much money with me,” she began, wondering why she couldn’t have left well enough alone.

  “That won’t be necessary either,” he said, waving off her stuttering speech. “I suspected that you’d consider our help as charity and I sensed that you had a healthy dose of pride in you, so I suggested that you assist Lilly by working here at the Georgia Inn. As far as your car, maybe we can work something else out between us.”

  Heat scorched a trail up Julia’s neck. Surely she hadn’t heard him right. “Come again?”

  He laughed as he rolled his eyes heavenward. “That didn’t come out right, did it?”

  Julia crossed her arms. “I hope not.”

  Intrigued by the sparks igniting in the woman’s catlike eyes, Carson tried again to pacify her. “What I meant was that maybe we could work out some type of payment arrangement. You seem to be trustworthy. Can I trust you to mail payments once you get to where you’re going?”

  She definitely wasn’t hearing him right. “Let me get this straight. You are offering to fix my car for trust payments?”

  “Are you saying I can’t trust you?”

  She was now convinced that Moreland was indeed Mayberry and she was conducting a conversation with Goober. She stood and shifted the tray to hold out a hand. “I say you’ve got yourself a deal.”

  Carson gripped Julia’s hand in a firm handshake. An undeniable warmth rushed up her arm and stimulated a strange fluttering in her chest that unnerved her. She jerked her hand from his grasp and ignored his stunned expression. “I’m overwhelmed by you and your sister’s generosity,” she said, covering her fluster.

  “Think nothing of it.” He waved off her comment and an uncomfortable silence stretched between them. “Here, let me take that for you.”

  She twisted the tray out of reach. “That won’t be necessary. If I’m to work for my room and board, I may as well get started now.” She turned without further comment, thankful that she could finally shake off whatever havoc his presence had on her senses.

  The moment she marched into the dining room, all chatter and laughter ceased and a crowd of curious eyes shifted in her direction. She smiled awkwardly.

  At that moment, Lilly also entered the room from the kitchen. Her face colored with surprise. “You’re up.”

  “Yes. I wanted to thank you for taking such excellent care of me,” Julia said. Her nervous gaze once again skittered to the crowded table.

  Lilly placed a pitcher of ice water on a mat on the table, then wiped her hands as she moved toward Julia. “Thank goodness you’re feeling better. That’s all I can say. You gave everyone here a good scare, especially Carson.”

  She took the tray from Julia and said nothing about the broken dishes. “Let me introduce you to some of our guests. I’m sure everyone here is anxious to meet you.” She found a place on the buffet for the empty tray, then led Julia over to an older man sitting at the head of the table.

  Once glance at the man’s handsome features and Julia knew the man’s identity.

  “This is my father, Charles Webber,” Lilly began. “And my mother, Grace.” She gestured to the beautiful woman next to him.

  Julia nodded and shook their hands. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “My, you are pretty,” Grace proclaimed with a widening smile. “I’m pleased to say that your daughter is a stunning replica of you.”

  Julia blushed at seeing the other guests bob their heads in agreement. “You’re too kind.”

  “Where is Robin, by the way?” Lilly asked just before she moved on to the next guest.

  “She’s taking a bath. Seems she had quite a day with your niece.”

  “Bobbi could wear out Superman if given the chance,” Lilly confided, then directed her attention to a well-groomed man with small wire-framed glasses. “And this devilishly handsome man is Moreland’s pride and joy, and coincidentally is known as my better half, Mayor Richard Roberts.”

  “Please call me Rick,” he said, offering his hand. “And after an introduction like that I almost feel like I should stand on the table and dance a jig.”

  The guests laughed.

  Julia heard the door to the dining room swing open. She didn’t have to turn around to see who had entered. She instinctively knew who it was by the room’s sudden electrical charge.

  “Ah, Carson,” Lilly exclaimed. “I’m glad to see that you made it back in time to join us.”

  “I’ve been here a few minutes. I just went to wash up for dinner. Good evening, everybody.”

  Everyone at the table murmured their greetings while Julia made a point to keep her back turned to him. She could still feel the unnerving flutter i
n the pit of her stomach while her senses seemed infinitely sharper. What was it about this man that put her on edge? Surely she should feel nothing but gratitude for all he had done for her.

  Lilly waited until her brother took his seat at the table before she continued with her introductions.

  Julia took an instant liking to Joe and Rosie Sinclair. They were like eternal honeymooners, pawing over each other and finishing each other’s sentences. Albert and Dotty Cornell were nice, too, but Julia sensed a strained tension between Dotty and Lilly. Then again, hadn’t Lilly said that she’d once dated Albert?

  Albert, a medium-sized man with average looks, didn’t quite seem like the type to cause a war between women, but he did possess a wicked sense of humor.

  Julia relaxed with the friendly group and had almost managed to push Carson’s presence out of her mind—almost.

  “Sorry I’m late.” A female’s breezy voice floated into the room. “I hope I didn’t keep everyone waiting.”

  “Sheri, I was just beginning to think that you couldn’t make it tonight,” Lilly said, sounding none too pleased to see the woman.

  Julia turned and watched an attractive, curvy woman saunter into the room. She headed straight to Carson and placed a peck on his cheek before sliding into the empty chair beside him.

  Julia was surprised and puzzled by her instant dislike for the woman.

  Sheri met Julia’s gaze with a wide plastic smile and frosty eyes. “Well, who do we have here? Lilly, aren’t you going to properly introduce me to our new visitor?”

  Julia didn’t know what to make of the woman or her dramatic flair for commanding attention.

  “Sheri, Julia. Julia, Sheri,” Lilly huffed, then went on about her business in the kitchen.

  Carson stood and took over the introduction. “Julia will be staying with us for a few days. That is, until I can get her car up and running.”

  Sheri’s gaze never left Julia, as if sizing her up as…what? Competition? The thought nearly won a laugh from Julia.

  Sheri was the first to attempt conversation. “I believe I already met your daughter this morning. Quite a charmer.”

  “Thank you, I think.” Julia looked around the room and found that everyone had tuned in to their conversation. Actually, they seemed entertained by the awkward exchange.

  “Well, I need to get back upstairs. Robin should be finished with her bath by now,” Julia said finally. “It was nice to meet you all.” She nodded in everyone’s general direction.

  “Are you sure?” Carson asked, laying a warm hand against her arm.

  Sheri’s eyes narrowed at the gesture.

  “I’m sure dessert will be out in a moment, and we all would love the pleasure of your company,” he insisted.

  “I’m positive,” Julia responded firmly. “Good night, everyone.”

  “Good night,” they chorused out of sync.

  Sheri remained silent as she followed Julia’s exit with suspicious eyes.

  Once Julia left, everyone at the table returned to their idle chatter.

  Carson, however, remained rooted where he stood, staring at a closed door.

  “Now that’s a real nice lady,” Pierce Taylor’s unmistakable voice rose above the table.

  There was a murmur of agreement when Carson turned to respond, but he stopped at Sheri’s angry look.

  “What do you think about our new guest?” she asked in an icy tone.

  Suddenly the room fell silent again.

  “I like her,” he answered honestly. “Don’t you?”

  At that moment Lilly breezed back into the room. “Dessert, anyone?” she asked, carrying a variety of cakes on a long tray.

  “Saved by the cheesecake,” Charles announced.

  The group laughed, relieving much of the tension.

  Lilly turned. “What’ll ya have, Carson—turtle cheesecake or double chocolate?” She looked up and caught the strange looks on his and Sheri’s faces. “What did I miss?”

  Carson was the first to defuse Sheri’s potential eruption. “Nothing.” He clapped his hands. “I think I’ll have the double chocolate tonight.” He returned to the table.

  Lilly’s curious gaze shifted to Sheri, who, in turn, clamped her mouth shut.

  “Oookay.” Lilly shrugged, then went on to serve her guests.

  Julia returned to her room just as Robin stepped out of the bathroom with a frown.

  “What’s the matter, sweetheart?” Julia asked with instant concern.

  “You packed the wrong pair of pajamas.” Robin pulled at the neck of her top. “These are too small.” She tugged again.

  Julia pressed her lips together to prevent herself from laughing at the sight of her daughter squeezed into clothes that were two sizes too small. “I guess you’re right.”

  “It’s not funny, Mama.”

  “You’re right,” Julia conceded, then moved over to her. “How about you just sleep in your underwear again tonight? And I’ll see what I can do about replacing them tomorrow?”

  “Deal,” she agreed, then tried to pull her shirt over her head, but it got stuck and her mother had to help her.

  When she was finally free of the strangling pajamas, Robin climbed into bed.

  Julia once again felt her strength dip, and she quickly moved over to the bed as well.

  Robin bolted upright. “Are you all right, Mama?”

  “Y-yeah. I’m just tired.”

  She composed herself long enough to offer her daughter a butterfly smile. “Tell you what—why don’t you go get me the brush so I can take down your hair?”

  Robin bounded out of bed with amazing speed. “Okay.” She ran into the bathroom and returned within the blink of an eye. “Here you go.”

  Julia accepted the brush and scooted back on the bed to make room for Robin to sit down in front of her. When she was settled, Julia unbraided her daughter’s fat pony tails and removed her hair bows.

  “Mama, how do you know if a boy likes you?” Robin asked out of the blue.

  Julia stopped, the brush suspended in midstroke. Was it already time to have this talk? She cleared her heart from her throat before she asked, “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know.” Robin shrugged. “I met this boy today and…he seemed nice.”

  “I see.” Julia digested the information, then tried to figure out the best way to approach the question. “Well, if I recall, when I was your age—and mind you that was a long time ago—the boys who picked on me and called me names were the ones who ended up liking me.” She guided the brush through Robin’s thick hair.

  “Well, how do you know if you like them?”

  Julia stopped again, stumped. “I’m not sure. You just know, I guess.” Talk about irony, she thought. A woman who had failed at two marriages was giving her daughter advice.

  Robin fell silent.

  Julia frowned. “Do you think you like this boy?”

  “Nah,” Robin said with a wave of her hand. “I wasn’t asking for me.”

  Relief deflated Julia’s anxieties.

  “I was thinking about Bobbi. I think she likes this boy named Stanley. But I don’t think she knows it. And he does just like you say—he teases her and calls her Snobby Bobbi, so I think he likes her, too.”

  “Are you playing Cupid or something?” Julia brushed her daughter’s hair in long, fluid strokes. Now that it wasn’t Robin they were discussing, she relaxed.

  “No. I was just wondering if I was right.”

  A thought suddenly occurred to her. “Have you ever liked someone—a boy?”

  “Not really. Boys are dumb.”

  Julia laughed as she French-braided Robin’s hair into two rows. “Why do you say that?”

  Her daughter shrugged. “They just are.”

  “All right,” she said, then kissed the top of Robin’s head. “In the bed, you.”

  “’Night, Mama.” Robin delivered a quick peck to Julia’s cheek, then climbed into bed.

  As Julia pulled the
covers up, she noticed Robin’s wide smile.

  “We forgot to call David today.”

  Julia nodded, still unsure of what to do or say.

  “But I’m glad we didn’t.”

  Surprised, she stared at Robin. “Why do you say that?” Fear pricked along the column of her spinal cord at the very thought that David might have done anything inappropriate with her daughter. Why hadn’t she thought about that before now?

  “You’re always happier when he’s not around,” Robin said simply.

  Julia recognized the truth of Robin’s words and felt the rush of tears long before her vision blurred. “Good night, sweetheart,” she managed to say with an even voice. She kissed her daughter again and reached over to turn out the light.

  Tony poked his head into Paul’s office and motioned for Paul to follow him. “I think we got something.”

  Paul abruptly ended his phone conversation and bolted from his desk. “Let me have it,” he said, marching down the hallway beside Tony.

  “Channel Eight ran the Mercer’s picture at six and ten, and we received a few calls, but we have this one woman—a Mrs. Nancy Davis—who claims she knows David and his wife. However, she knows him as David Lawson.”

  “He’s married?”

  Tony glanced down at his notes as they marched down the hallway. “Supposedly. According to her, Mercer was married to a Dr. Julia Kelley.”

  Chapter 9

  Later that night, Julia slipped out into the garden without drawing any unwanted attention. She wanted a place where she could be alone with her thoughts, and the magnificent view spread out before her was as good a place as any.

  For a while she strolled through the various perennials, admiring their beauty and their soft fragrances.

  Then the tears came.

  Somehow she made it to a nearby wooden bench, where she collapsed and hid her wet face in the palms of her hands. The plight of her situation hit her with full force. Everything was gone: her home, her marriage—her life.

  “Oh, God,” she moaned in between choked sobs, while rocking her trembling body back and forth. What had she done to deserve this? What kind of life could she really provide for her daughter while being on the run?