The Way Forward Read online

  “I want the folks around here to know I’m not the same awful kid who used to make everyone’s life miserable.”

  The two men sat in silence, rocking and drinking.

  “Uncle Robert, thanks for coming home to Colton and kicking my ass.”

  Robert studied him for a long time. “Coming back to Colton in time to set you straight was one of the best decisions I ever made.”

  Dax rubbed his hands over the crease of the neatly pressed khakis he’d worn to appease his mother. His uncle’s confession humbled him. “You don’t regret leaving the firm?” Uncle Robert had taken an early retirement from the CIA to return home, and Dax always wondered if he regretted giving up living a life of travel and intrigue.

  “Who says I left?” Robert replied with a glint in his eye.

  Dax knew better than to ask any questions. He may have been one of the only people besides his father who knew that Robert worked for the CIA, and even he didn’t know the exact nature of what his uncle did for “the firm.” It was Robert’s mentorship that had led Dax to his career with the military and, in many ways, brought him back home. He had to travel around the world and back again to realize that of all the ugly things he had seen and done, his past in his hometown wasn’t the worst.

  If his uncle could find contentment in a small town after seeing everything the world had to offer, so could he. Small towns like Colton were struggling to survive, and he was shocked by how little governance and support his mother and the town council were providing. Small minds and small-town politics still ruled in Colton.

  Buying the Barton Building was the first step toward helping revitalize his community.

  He stared out at the field of corn in the fading light. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to come home. I thought my mother would be different, that my memory was harsher than the reality.”

  “Not everyone around here is like your mother. There’s plenty of good people who want to make a difference. The problem is your mother and the people who think like her have stacked the deck.”

  “The way she talked about Callie tonight,” he shook his head, “I don’t get it, why is she so hateful?”

  Robert pulled a cigar out of the front pocket of his overalls. He struck a match and held it, watching it burn for a moment before he lit the cigar and took a couple of puffs. “I have to confess, when your dad started dating Dorothy, I was surprised. He used to talk about wanting to change the world and challenge that status quo. Then he started hanging out at the country club with her, and instead of becoming a teacher, he went to law school. When they came back to Colton with Reid after your father graduated, he was so different. Quiet. Somber. I never understood what hold she had over him, but if your mama said jump, well…” Robert’s expression grew dark; he grimaced and looked away.

  “Hey, you can’t go back and change the history that’s already been written.”

  Robert gave him a wry smile. “That’s true. You’ll write your own history going forward, not your mother.”

  “I just hope my story has a happier ending than my parents’.”

  Chapter Four

  Callie jumped every time the door to the library opened. She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus on the book in her hand, but they burned from lack of sleep and the words began to blur again. Days of being on edge, watching for Dax around every corner, and sleepless nights filled with nightmares had worn her down. She glanced at the clock again and helped the last patrons who were looking for a new book for their weekend’s entertainment. She logged in returned books, becoming lost in the rhythm of work and didn’t notice when Dax came in.

  “Hello, Callie.”

  Startled, she looked up at him.

  He cleared his throat. “Hello,” he repeated.

  The years had added more lines to his face, and a day’s growth of stubble covered his jaw. The planes of his face were harder and leaner than she remembered, but she saw a kindness reflected in his eyes that she didn’t recognize and it caused her throat to dry up.

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “I’m sorry, Callie. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “I’m not scared, you…you just startled me.”

  The memory of the last time she saw Dax washed over her.

  Summer after summer, she avoided him, always vigilant. Except for that last summer when Mae convinced her to take one final swim at Turtle Pond. They always tried to go early in the day when they could have the pond to themselves, but the waning summer days meant everyone was trying to make every last minute count before the leaves turned to red and gold. Dax and his friends were already there by the time they arrived. She and Mae had laid their towels out on a large flat rock on the other side of the pond. Dax kept eyeing her while he wrestled with his friends in the water, cheered on by Presley and her friends. It was only a matter of time before Dax made his way over to them.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” he sneered.

  Callie put her head down in the futile hope that if she ignored him, he would go away.

  “What do you want, Dax?” Mae flopped over onto her back, resting on her elbows. “It’s the last day of summer. Maybe you can give yourself a holiday from being such an ass.”

  Dax smirked. “I just wanted to check on one thing.”

  Before Mae could say anything, he reached down, scooped Callie up and threw her into the water. It happened so fast Callie didn’t even have a chance to scream before the water closed over her. Her arm hit the edge of the rock outcropping with a crack as she went down, the searing pain making her gasp, filling her lungs with water instead of air. She kicked her legs, pushing herself to the surface to tread water with one arm while the other hung at her side. She came up sputtering and coughing to see Mae pushing Dax. Her words were muffled by the water in her ears, but she could see Dax throw his head back and laugh.

  “I just wanted to see if all dogs knew how to swim,” he said as he made his way back to his friends laughing and pointing on the other side of the pond.

  All dogs know how to swim. Callie shook off the memory and asked, “How can I help you?” trying to sound as cool and professional as possible.

  “I came in to get a library card and…” Dax cleared his throat. “I wanted to apologize for…everything, I’m ashamed for the things I said and did. I’m so sorry. That day at the pond, I…”

  She jerked back. Had he read her thoughts?

  His voice dropped, deepening. “I’m ashamed, and I know you have no reason to ever forgive me, but I am asking for forgiveness. I hate who I was, and I hate what I did to you.”

  How many years had she waited to hear those words? She shook her head. She’d never expected an apology because she knew she’d never get one. And now, here was Dax standing in front of her, saying he was sorry. She didn’t know how much she needed to hear those simple words until they hung in the air between them.

  But she wasn’t ready to forgive, not yet. She moved behind the checkout counter watching him warily as she pulled up the library card form on the computer. There were no traces of the boy she knew; the boyish features were gone, replaced with hard planes and muscles. She wasn’t blind. Dax Ellis had grown into a handsome man. If he were anyone other than her childhood tormenter, she might find him attractive, but he was and she needed to be on her guard.

  Dax stepped back from the counter. “I can come back another time,” he said. “This might not be the most convenient time to get a card.”

  He lives here now, Callie reminded herself. You’re going to run into him no matter what, so you’d better get used to it. She forced herself to look her childhood nemesis in the eye.

  “No. Let’s just get it done.”

  Mae burst into the library. “Dax Ellis you have a lot of nerve showing up here.”

  Dax held up both hands. “I just came to get a library card.”

  Mae narrowed her eyes. “Fine, I’ll just wait until you’re finished.”

  She turned to Callie with a r
aised eyebrow silently asking, Are you okay? She nodded, and Callie cleared her throat, turning her attention back to him.

  “I’ll just need your address.” She bit her lip. “I guess I don’t need any ID or proof of residence.”

  “I don’t want you to break any rules for me,” Dax said with his lips turned up, reaching for his wallet. “Here’s my driver’s license—”

  “I’m sure it’s okay. Special rules for special people,” Mae’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

  Callie gave Mae a look and shook her head.

  “My address has changed, though,” Dax added, giving her the address of one of the buildings across the street.

  “That’s the Barton Building,” Callie said.

  He nodded. “I’m going to be converting the top two floors into apartments.”

  “You mean to tell me you aren’t going to be living with your mama?” Mae asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Callie ignored her cousin. “I’m happy to see someone else investing in the town,” she said. “These old buildings should be saved. They’ve been boarded up for too many years.”

  “I agree,” he said, putting his wallet away. “I would love to see the town square full of shops again.”

  Mae snorted. “You’d better check with your mama first. She doesn’t seem too interested in anyone making any changes.”

  “Mae, please,” Callie said.

  Her cousin meant well but she wasn’t helping.

  Callie finished putting the rest of the information into the computer and printed out a new library card, which she then placed in a plastic sleeve and ran through the small laminating machine before handing it to Dax.

  “Careful, it’s hot,” she warned.

  His fingers grazed hers, and she jerked her hand back. The card fell to the counter, and they both reached for it, their hands bumping again.

  “Sorry,” They both said in unison.

  Mae picked up the card, handing it to Dax with a pointed look. Callie’s cheeks heated and she turned away from his gaze. She prayed Dax wasn’t a big reader.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  Callie waited for him to leave, but he just stood there watching her, his gaze unwavering. The boy was now a man. A man who looked at her in a way that made her feel like a woman and not a scared little girl. The air around them stilled as she struggled to understand these new and conflicting feelings. Dax still made her nervous—that wasn’t going to change anytime soon—but he wasn’t throwing rocks at her this time and his apology seemed sincere.

  Mae cleared her throat and Callie felt the heat rising in her cheeks, catching a hint of amusement from Dax as he turned away. She could pray day and night, and all of it would be in vain. She had a feeling he would be visiting the library on a regular basis.

  The minute the door closed Mae whirled around. “What in the world was that all about?”

  “You heard him, he wanted a library card,” Callie said, grabbing a stack of books and started shelving, so distracted she didn’t notice that she was putting a book on gardening in the auto mechanic section. She always wanted to be as calm and badass as the heroine of her Barista Mystery series, Isobel Chase, but she didn’t even come close, the way she behaved today.

  Mae followed her around the library as she moved from shelf to shelf. “What did he say?”

  “He said he wanted a library card.” Callie shrugged.

  Mae rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

  “You were here, Mae. You heard everything just like I did.” It was what he didn’t say that troubled her more, the way he looked at her, with a tenderness and concern she never thought she would ever see from him.

  Callie glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’ll lock up and we can grab dinner, okay?”

  Mae studied her for a minute before finally nodding her head. Callie knew the interrogation would continue through dinner. She gathered up her things and turned out the lights, following Mae out into the fading light of the day. The scent of the roses surrounding the gazebo wafted over her as they made their way across the park toward the red neon sign of the Catfish Café.

  As they walked across the park Mae paused, looking at the old Barton Building Dax now owned. “I wonder how much he’s going to rent the apartments for?”

  Callie looked at her friend in surprise. “You would consider moving into an apartment with Dax?”

  “I wouldn’t be living with Dax, just in his building. Why not?” Mae shrugged. “I’m too old to be living at home, and I don’t want to buy a house. Maybe I’ll take a look when he’s finished the remodel.”

  “I doubt your folks would be happy about that idea.”

  Mae frowned. “Probably not, but at least I stayed home and didn’t leave like Beth.”

  “Have you heard from your sister lately?”

  “No.” Mae sighed. “Miss high and mighty is too busy being an NFL wife in Atlanta to spend any time with us common folks.”

  Mae acted like she didn’t care, but Callie knew that she missed her older sister. Beth always had one goal and that was to get out of Colton and never come back. She always had dreams of living a high-society life in a big city and they came true when her college boyfriend proposed on the same day he was drafted by the Atlanta Phoenix.

  “Maybe she’ll come home for Easter,” Callie offered as they walked into the only café in Colton.

  “I doubt it, I don’t care but it’s not fair to my parents.”

  Callie knew Mae was lying—she loved her sister and missed her.

  Callie slid into the red vinyl booth, running her hands over the worn gray-and-white speckled Formica table. Tillie appeared with a pitcher of sweet tea, the reddish-brown color matching her hair. She filled their glasses without asking and then stood by with her hand on her hip. Neither Callie nor Mae picked up the grease-stained menus in front of them, having long ago memorized everything the Catfish Café had to offer.

  “Evening,” they said in unison.

  “Evening, ladies. Are y’all having the usual tonight?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison again.

  Tillie put her hand on her hip, her lips quirked. “Are you sure you girls aren’t twins?”

  “No, ma’am,” they answered together again and started laughing.

  Tillie walked away and Mae leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Now, are you ready to talk about what was going on with Dax back there and why you have those dark circles under your eyes?”

  “Seriously Mae he just wanted a library card.” Callie took a sip of her tea. Sugar and caffeine weren’t going to help with her insomnia, but she drank it anyway, savoring the sweet drink.

  “Well, I don’t like the idea of him sniffing around the library or you after all the trouble he caused.” Mae leaned closer. “You be careful around those sexy eyes.”

  Callie’s eyes watered as she choked on her tea, sputtering and coughing. “Dax Ellis is not sexy.”

  “Oh, honey.” Tillie appeared at their table with two plates of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and green salad. “I’m an old woman and even I know that man is sex on a stick.” Mae burst out laughing while Callie blushed to her roots. Tillie patted Callie’s shoulder. “You get a pass, honey, after everything that boy did to you.”

  Too embarrassed to respond, Callie stared at her plate. Was he hot? She couldn’t deny that the gangly arms and legs of boyhood had transformed into solid muscle and she had a hard time looking away from those dark brown eyes. Eyes that used to make her tremble but now made her heart flutter. Yes, Dax had returned to Colton a drop-dead sexy man and that made him more dangerous.

  “He came in here and apologized.” Tillie snorted a laugh. “Insisted on paying me back for every tip he stole with interest,” she said before heading to another table to take their order.

  Callie shook her head. “I don’t believe it. What is he up to?”

  “Maybe he has changed. He’s certainly not the same scrawny boy anymore.” M
ae fanned herself. “Good Lord, those muscles.”

  Callie frowned. “Stop it, Mae.”

  Mae bit her lip trying to fight a grin. “I’m just saying he is fine.”

  “Yeah, the stuff of nightmares.”

  Mae narrowed her eyes. “You’re having nightmares again?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” Callie mumbled, toying with the food on her plate.

  Mae cocked her head, watching her for a minute before she picked up her own fork with a sigh. “Okay fine, let’s talk about the bookstore.”

  That subject was just as bad as talking about Dax.

  “I don’t know if there’s ever going to be one.”

  “You know you could…”

  Mae didn’t have to finish. Callie knew what she was suggesting, and she shook her head. She lived off of her own income; the money from her trust fund was used only for special projects. She’d put a lot of effort into becoming Callie Colton, leaving poor little rich girl Callie Fischer behind, and she didn’t want to remind anyone that she was the daughter of a well-known music producer with enough money to buy Colton a million times over.

  “You can’t buy community,” her grandfather would say. “You have to earn your place, contribute and participate in making where you live better for everyone.” Her eyes misted over for a minute as she tried to find the blessing in his memory and not just the pain of missing him.

  It wasn’t easy dealing with a woman who had a grudge and the sheriff in her back pocket. But why? Dorothy Ellis resisted change like a cat avoided water and did everything she could to give preferential treatment to her friends, making it hard for anyone else. The whole town knew it and no one liked it, but this was the Deep South and speaking out could still get you into a heap of trouble or even worse. Even in this day and age you heard stories of people run out of towns and even the county for “causing trouble.”

  “I can’t believe the way she’s got Sheriff Crosby wrapped around her finger.” Mae’s dark brown eyes flashed. “How many bogus citations did he come up with for the last contractor?”