Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
It had been a while since Dawson had seen Otis Hastings. He’d changed very little over the years. He still looked like a bald scarecrow with glasses. He still wore sweater vests and bowties. And he still scowled at Dawson as soon as he stepped in the door of Time To Read.
Of course, Dawson was wearing a scowl himself.
When had the man gotten back into town? He wasn’t due back for weeks. Weeks Dawson had been counting on to convince Magnolia to stay. Which probably explained the desperate questions that popped out of his mouth.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Magnolia?”
Otis’s eyes narrowed. “Last time I checked, I own this bookstore. And as for the whereabouts of my niece, what business is that of yours?”
A few weeks ago, he would have angrily flipped the guy off and walked out. But that was before he’d fallen head over heels in love. Before he’d realized that anger and silence didn’t fix anything. In fact, it just made things worse.
He cleared his throat. “I apologize, sir. I didn’t mean to be so abrupt. Magnolia told me you weren’t coming back for a few weeks.”
“And why would my niece be telling a Hennessy Hooligan anything?”
He thought about walking out the door again but instead stood his ground. “Because Magnolia and I are friends.” They were much more than just friends, but he didn’t think her uncle needed to know that. Especially when he wasn’t thrilled with the entire friendship thing.
“Over my dead body. My niece is not going to be friends with a Hennessy.”
“I think it’s a little too late for that, sir. Now can you please tell me where she is?”
The numerous clocks ticked off the seconds as Dawson waited for Otis’s reply. He was about to accept the fact that the man wasn’t going to share Magnolia’s whereabouts when Otis finally spoke.
“I’m not sure where she went. She ran off about an hour ago and won’t answer her phone.”
Dawson instantly grew concerned. “What happened?”
Otis hesitated. “Her daddy isn’t getting remarried.”
That’s all Dawson needed to hear to know Magnolia was upset. Her daddy finding love again and getting remarried was more important to her than anything. He turned and walked out the door. As soon as he climbed into his truck, he tried calling her. When she didn’t answer, he texted her.
I talked Jaxon into letting me ditch work again tonight Want to have dinner with me and Wilbur
When she didn’t answer, he tried again.
I’ll make bacon
No answer.
I’m starting to get worried baby If you need some time alone that’s fine I just need to know you’re okay
Only a second later, his phone pinged with a reply.
I’m okay.
He should feel relieved, but there was something about the short reply that made him even more worried. Magnolia didn’t answer any question with only two words. He fired off another text.
I was wrong I need to see you to make sure you’re okay then I’ll leave you alone Please
It felt like forever before he got a reply.
I’m at The Kissing Tree.
He broke the speed limit getting to Honky Tonk Heaven.
He found her sitting under the tree hugging her legs with her chin resting on her knees as she stared out at the river.
He didn’t say anything. He just sat down next to her.
The breeze blew back her hair and dried the tears on her cheeks.
His heart broke and he really wanted to pull her into his arms. But her body language wasn’t giving off hug-me vibes, so he waited.
When she finally did speak, it was not what he’d expected to hear.
“Did you get Cadee Stockton pregnant?”
He stared at her. “What?”
She continued to look at the river. “Cadee Stockton. Did you have sex with her and get her pregnant? Is that why the Stockton brothers hate you? And why Cadee is contesting the will?”
“No. I did not get Cadee pregnant. We never even had sex. Why would you think that?”
She turned to him. “Because her son has the Hennessy eyes.”
“Lots of people have hazel eyes, Maggie May.”
“Not like yours and your siblings’. And it makes sense. If Camden is a Hennessy, it would explain why Rosie put Cadee in her will.”
That would explain a lot. But it made no sense.
“Camden isn’t mine. And I know he’s not Jaxon’s or Huck’s.
Cadee was still a kid when Jaxon left, and Huck was her best friend.
They never dated. And if something had happened between them, Huck wouldn’t have left her pregnant with his kid.
He’s not that irresponsible. Camden’s eye color is just a freaky coincidence.
” He placed a hand on her back. “Is that why you’re crying?
Because you thought I had a son with Cadee?
Or do those tears have to do with your daddy not getting married? ”
She looked at the river and hugged her knees tighter. “He’s going to remarry. Maybe not Glenda, but I’m going to find him someone to love again.” She paused. “Which is why I’m leaving to go back to California tomorrow.”
He shouldn’t feel so surprised. As much as he wanted her to stay, he knew how much she loved her father. But he hadn’t thought she would go back so soon. He hadn’t thought she’d end things so . . . coldly.
And maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe she was waiting for him to have enough courage to finally say what he felt. To give her a reason to stay.
“I love you.”
She stilled. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t glance at him. The only sign she’d even heard him were the tears that rolled silently down her cheeks. It was only when he went to brush them away, that she finally moved.
She jumped to her feet and walked to the water’s edge. She stood there for long moments, her back rising and falling with each breath she took.
He got up but didn’t move closer. “I’m sorry, Maggie May. I didn’t mean to spring that on you. I just want you to know how I feel. I know love is scary for you because of your daddy. But you aren’t your daddy. Do you hear me? You aren’t your daddy.”
She whirled around. “Don’t try to psychoanalyze me, Dawson Hennessy!
I’m not the one totally screwed up by their parents.
I’d be lucky to be like my daddy. He’s kind and loving and the best parent ever.
Which is exactly why I can’t leave him. Why I won’t leave him.
” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Last night was . . . special. But it was just one night.”
“One night?” He walked over and took her arms. “My feelings for you didn’t start last night.
I’ve been falling for you ever since I walked into Time To Read and saw you sitting behind that counter like a puff of cotton candy.
You smiled and that was it for me. You’re it for me.
I will never love anyone like I love you. ”
He didn’t know what he expected, but it wasn’t for Magnolia to completely lose it.
She jerked away from him and slapped him hard across the face. “Don’t you say that! Don’t you ever say that! You’ll love someone else. You’ll fall in love with a hometown girl like you should and you’ll be happy and forget all about me. Do you hear me, Dawson Hennessy? You’ll forget me!”
She turned and ran off.
He didn’t remember driving to Booby Trap.
He didn’t remember the number of drinks he’d downed.
Or the number of women he disappointed by refusing to take off their bras.
He was slumped over the bar staring into his empty glass and wondering why it was his plight in life to be rejected by the women he loved when a hand settled on his shoulder.
“You okay, man?”
He glanced up to see the big-assed bouncer with the scar. “Fuck off.”
The bouncer slipped onto the barstool next to him. “I’m guessing you fucked things up with your gorgeous Pilates girlfriend. I knew you had shit for brains.”
Dawson stared him down. “Now I know how you got that scar. Butting your nose into other people’s business.” He motioned for the bartender to pour him another drink.
“Good guess.” The bouncer vetoed his order with a shake of his head. “But it was a car accident.” He pulled out his phone. “Give me your girlfriend’s number and I’ll call her to come get you.”
“Can’t do that.” He toasted him with his glass. “Like you said, I fucked things up with her.” He drained the last few drops.
The man sighed. “If I had a quarter for every broken-hearted asshole who stumbled in here, I’d be rich. Give me one of your brothers’ or your sister’s number. I’m not letting you walk out that door as drunk as you are.”
Dawson squinted at him. “How do you know I have brothers and a sister?”
“I got your name off your ID when you came in, and I figured you’re the Dawson Hennessy who owns Honky Tonk Heaven with his siblings. Am I wrong?” When Dawson didn’t reply, he held out his hand. “Steele.”
He shook his hand and tried not to cringe at the tight handshake. “Steele what?”
“I just go by Steele.”
“Sort of like Prince?”
“Nope. I can’t carry a tune to save my soul. Not that my soul is savable.”
“Join the club.” But his soul had once felt savable. Magnolia had given him that dream . . . and then taken it away.
“So how did you fuck things up?” Steele asked.
It was none of the man’s business. Which didn’t explain why Dawson answered him. “I fell in love with a woman who doesn’t want a soul mate?”
Steele stared at him. “Wait a second, you found the one girl in the universe that doesn’t want to find her soul mate?”
“It seems that way.”
Steele shook his head. “Shit. That’s rough. With the way she stormed in here looking for you, that doesn’t track. I think she would have taken on every biker here to get to you. That looked like love to me.”
“Oh, she loves me. I know she damn well loves me.” He didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or Steele. “She just refuses to accept it because she’s scared she’ll end up like her daddy who never got over her mama’s death.”
“Damn.” Steele blew out his breath. He sat there for a long moment before he turned to Dawson. “Okay, so she doesn’t want a soul mate. So don’t be one. Instead, just be what she’s comfortable with. A friend. A confidant.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Just not a drunk who hangs out at a dive bar.”
“Good advice. But it’s too late. She’s leaving.”
“And what? You don’t know how to follow?”
Before Dawson could absorb his words, there was a commotion down the bar. Two women started yelling . . . and then throwing punches.
Steele got to his feet. “I really hate this bar.” He walked away, leaving Dawson to sit there thinking about what he’d said.
Follow Magnolia to California?
No, absolutely not. He would not grovel for love. He’d refused to do it with his mama, and he refused to do it with Magnolia.
Except Magnolia was nothing like his mama.
Mama didn’t know what love was. Magnolia did.
Love welled out of her like a spring and consumed everything in its path.
It was in her joy of each day, and her sunny smiles, and her positive nature.
She was scared she would fall in love only once like her daddy and get hurt, but Dawson knew better.
Love would always find Magnolia because she gave it so freely.
Mama had withheld it and ended up sad and alone.
And Dawson was doing the same thing.
Withholding his love because he refused to grovel, because he refused to play the fool.
But what was more foolish? Following the woman you love, or spending the rest of your life without her?