Taking another sip of her cocktail, she places it on the table before tapping her index finger on her lower lip in concentration. “I don’t get it. Is this really all from COVID? I mean, that affected travel everywhere. Not just here. And as best I can see, people are primed to get back to enjoying life again. Travel’s been at an all-time high. The airlines can’t keep up.”
“You’re right. But I think this town got sleepy while things were on lockdown. There hasn’t been much advertising happening. No fun festivals or unique events to draw people here. As a matter of fact, the opposite happened. Some things occurred with the fire department that brought negative press once they hit the news. It may have caused people to reconsider travel here.”
A grimace crosses Callie’s face before nodding her head at the recollection. Dad had mentioned that some of the issues were so humiliating that they lost some really good firefighters who didn’t want to be associated with station 803.
The server delivers my margarita, and as I lift my glass, Callie holds up her hand. “A toast. To my best friend returning to Magnolia Point to put itandher new PR firm on the map.”
“Here, here,” I say as we clink glasses and down my first sip. “Oh, that’s good.” I dive in for another before sharing the rest of my news. “Dad said?—”
“Excuse me. Mr. Mayor, you mean.” Callie cackles.
“Uh, yes.” I shake my head. “The mayor has taxed me with increasing tourism and elevating the reputation of the fire department. He said if I could manage to do both, he’d offer a sizeable bonus I could use to get my public relations firm off the ground.”
Callie dances in her seat, clapping for me before waving the server back to our table to request refills for each of us. Bless her, she’s the most supportive friend. She’d moved to Magnolia Point during a real low period in my life. My big brother had made one of the worst decisions of his life, falling prey to a conniving rich bitch who played him like a fool. For a guy smart enough to graduate from law school, he apparently used up all of his brain cells studying for the bar. She convinced him she was in love with him, and they began a torrid affair.
While she was engaged to his best friend.
Rather than come clean and tell Jason he’d fallen for her like a man with integrity, they tried to hide it until the poor groom discovered what was happening at their rehearsal dinner. I arrived on the scene late that night, having committed to babysitting multiple children at one of the local resorts. But once I heard the news, I was absolutely devastated for him.
Jason Bristow is one of the nicest people I’ve ever known. He deserved far better than Corinne. But to have had his best friend hooking up with her behind his back was more than anyone should have to endure. He broke ties with our entire family that night, moved to Sycamore Mountain, North Carolina, and never looked back. And as disappointing as it was, I can’t say I blame him. I would’ve run screaming for the hills too.
What’s more, Corinne convinced Ian she was pregnant in order to secure a wedding ring. Who knows if it was true at the time. Regardless, he married her, and she did eventually conceive, bonding our family to that horrid woman for eternity.
“Oh! I haven’t had a chance to tell you the other news.” I clap.
“Spill the tea, sister.”
“I was in the Magnolia Market the other night, when I started feeling this odd pull toward this tall, built drink of water on my left.”
“Gah, what’d he look like? I need more details. Girl, this dry spell is so bad I think I have cobwebs in my cooch.”
Giggling so hard, I border on spewing my cocktail out of my nose, I try to focus. “Same, girl. Same. He was about six foot three or four, dark hair, fit but not over the top like a gym rat. He had tattoos on his arms and an ass you could bounce a quarter off of.”
“He must be a tourist, because I’d know if someone like that lived here.”
I put my drink down, placing my palms flat on the table in front of me as I lean in toward her. “That’s just it, Callie. Hedidlive here. I’d bet money it was Jason Bristow.”
“Your old crush?” she squeals.
“Shhh. Keep your voice down. You know how gossip spreads in this town.”
“Yeah, faster than a hornet with ’roid rage.”
I laugh out loud.But it’s true.
“Did he recognize you?”
“Doubt it. He never even looked in my direction. Just tossed a carton of pasta in his cart and beat feet in the opposite direction.” I play with the condensation on my glass, remembering how my heart rate picked up in his proximity. It’s only ever done that around him.
“Well, if you didn’t see his face, it might not have even been him. You probably just imagine you see him everywhere, you crazy freak.”
She’s not wrong.I don’t know why I hold on to such a ridiculous fantasy. It was completely one-sided. And with the ten-year age gap between us, he probably still sees me as a little girl. Well, it’s not likely he thinks of me at all.
“I wouldn’t waste any more time on him if I were you. Unless something’s changed, he’s still not speaking to anyone in your family. And you have much bigger fish to fry than Jason. You have to keep your eye on the prize, Quinn. Focus on how you can build tourism here and fix that ragtag fire department.”
My face falls considering how I’m persona non grota by default. Callie’s right. I need to let this go and get my priorities straight. “Wait! I think I’ve got it!” I exclaim.
Her eyes go wide in eager anticipation. “What?”
