Chapter 13
T HE TWO-STORY YELLOW brick building came into view. Much like Hill House, the Witherspoon Lodge was a permanent fixture in the Shores. For years the old place had been the meeting location for Masons in the tradition of Prince Hall Freemasonry. At one point in its long history, it had served as a church and then during the era of segregation as a school. There was purpose in the place Duncan had asked to meet at.
Only, Chris never had the chance to experience it. More than fifteen years had passed since he’d set foot inside. It was all because his father refused to fraternize with Melvin Andrews. Given the puff-chested altercation he’d witnessed the other night, it had probably been for the best.
Chris lifted his foot off the gas and slowly turned into the side lot of the building, where he parked between Duncan and Gavin. As he eased from his car, he admired the lodge and how it and the men who called themselves Masons stood for liberty, equality, and peace. In a small way, it made him reflect on the work he had been doing with Gavin and Duncan by investing in the community to keep it relevant and safe from overeager developers. He cherished Mount Dora and the time he spent in the Shores, even if it was three months and a few weekends of the year.
In moving toward the entry of the building, he recalled the times he came to the lodge before his father stopped visiting. Alongside his friends, he watched his father and other men put aside divisions created by their individual journeys across the burning sands and socioeconomic status. They came together for the greater good of the community. Beyond social justice issues, they visited the sick and shut-in, fed the homeless, and gave to those less fortunate.
A sudden thought halted Chris’s steps inside, making him wonder what life would’ve looked like had his father and Melvin remained friends. Maybe he would be as excited as Duncan was to meet here today… and he very well may not have been a stranger to Carrah.
The last thought creeped inside his head, lingering, and he didn’t know why. Not caring to venture down that rabbit hole prompted him to reclaim his steps and enter the building. The guys were already seated at a round table with a bottle of bourbon and three glasses in the middle.
“What are we celebrating?” Chris called making his way to the table. “A little early in the day for drinks?”
“It’s four o’clock Sunday afternoon, and it’s summer. I daresay we can partake in spirits.” Gavin stood from his chair and gripped Chris up. “Just don’t tell my mama. That Southern gal don’t believe in alcohol on the Lord’s day.”
Laughter consumed them for a minute as Duncan poured drinks. “I appreciate y’all for coming on short notice.”
Chris sipped his drink, groaned at the strength of it, and then set it back down. “I had the time. Surprised you did. Thought you would’ve been with Reese after seeing you together at the ball last night.”
“Ditto,” Gavin chirped.
Duncan shook his head, holding back a laugh. “She’s with the girls. They went swimming at Carrah’s.”
It was as if a sinkhole had opened wide and swallowed him down the one he’d evaded outside. The simple mention of Carrah’s name forced recall of their time on the balcony last night. He had not forgotten that spellbinding scent that reminded him of orange blossoms and roses in bloom before observing her shock from learning that he had read her manuscript. Nor could he let go of the disgust that marred her pretty face when Trent popped up and interrupted them. His instincts told him they were not the couple their families showcased them to be.
Gavin waved his hand in Chris’s face. “Damn, man, what are you thinking about? You legit tuned us out.”
“My bad.” Chris cleared his throat. “Off topic, what brought Trent Butler back to town this summer? He’s been gone as long as Reese, if not longer.”
Duncan shrugged before taking another pull from his glass. “My guess, Carrah. He’s probably trying to get back in her good graces. Reese told me Carrah turned down his marriage proposal. Something about the apple don’t fall far from the tree. Of course, me not being in y’all’s little circle, I have no idea what that means.”
Chris relaxed into a smile then reached over and patted Duncan on the back. “You love to say you’re not in our circle. And yet you somehow always seem to know what’s going on.” They all laughed. “Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… I wonder if Reese is referring to the fact that Trent’s dad got caught having an affair?”
“Oh yeah, with the nanny.” Gavin’s nonchalance swirled over the table. He stopped associating with Trent after the guy turned into a sore loser during a Sonic the Hedgehog game battle. Their hostility for each other grew after they both crushed on Zeta Graham, who became Gavin’s girl but then had sex with Trent on the side. “I know Trent will fuck anything, and I heard that hasn’t changed much, so I’m not surprised. Carrah is a good girl; she wasn’t shakin’ nothing when we all left for college. And based on the fact that he’s our age, he was there two years before her. That’s a helluva lot of time to be a good boy waiting for your high school girlfriend to graduate.” He ended with that if you know, you know look.
Thinking back to that age, Chris remembered not wanting the hassle of having a girlfriend. He had just pledged. Girls were throwing their panties at him, and he took the ones he liked without question. He hadn’t wanted anything serious or committed because he knew he was incapable of giving that to a girl. He also understood that when he was ready, he planned to be a one-woman man.
His father taught him that being in a relationship with someone was supposed to mean something. He’d seen the love between his parents and grandparents. It was unwavering, faithful, and happy. That was not what he’d witnessed on the balcony between Carrah and Trent. She had been awkward, almost apprehensive, and it had made him become protective of her.
“Maybe that’s you and Trent, Gav. Had I been with Reese back then, I would’ve waited.” Duncan relaxed into a lazy smile. For a second it seemed his thoughts might have been elsewhere.
Chris chuckled, watching his friend float on cloud nine. “My God, she has you whipped already.”
“Say whatttt,” Gavin snickered and then gave Chris a five. “Grinning ear-to-ear and shit. But real talk, happy for you, Dunc.”
Duncan’s smile was contagious. Chris knew how much he and Reese had liked each other all those years ago. He was happy Reese finally stopped giving a care about the way their crowd judged people and chose happiness. Few of them were able to break free of the confines forged by family legacy and status. Even Chris hadn’t yet figured out how to completely remove the shackles that kept him bound to Chennault Cosmetics.
The clean break he’d been planning from the company with the West Coast expansion had been stalled by his mother’s passing. He could not abandon his father now nor would he publicly showcase betrayal in helping his rival’s daughter. It was the reason he silently vetoed asking anything more relating to Carrah, despite his curiosity being aroused. Too many questions would peak Gavin’s interest and he was notorious for getting to the bottom of things in the most unsavory ways.
“Same, bro.” Chris relaxed back into his chair. “Is Reese why you’ve decided not to use Hill House for the youth village?”
Duncan cursed under his breath, scrubbing his face clean of emotion. “That’s why I called you both here. I knew the news would travel fast, but damn, I thought I had time to get to y’all first.”
“Mannnn…” Gavin shook his head. “We are in the Shores. You were sitting at a table with the Caldwells and Devlins. That was already reason for people to talk. My mom knew ’bout you, Reese, and Hill House before we got in the car to leave last night.”
“And neither of you said anything to me?” Duncan pointedly asked before picking up the bottle and refilling each of their glasses.
Gavin and Chris looked at each other for a second and shrugged. “For what?” Chris retorted. “We trust you. Besides, we know where you live and hide your spare key.” A round of laughter filled the hallowed space for more than a few minutes as they cracked jokes, reminding each other of the secrets they shared. “Seriously, though, we’ve had each other’s backs a long time. Ain’t no new girlfriend gonna change that.”
“Appreciate it because Hill House is a delicate matter.” Duncan took a swig from his glass and reclined back in his chair, matching the calm energy surrounding him. “Reese and I want to renovate and reopen it as a bed-and-breakfast. Which raises the question, where does the youth village go?
“Even before I acquired Hill House, my firm scouted the area and there was nothing that met the conditions for proximity, size, or budget. My father reminded me what Witherspoon Lodge used to do for the people here in Mount Dora, before it fell into inactive status… I mean I remember too. Both your fathers and mine used to come around.”
Gavin cleared his throat. “Only for three months out of the entire year. They belong to lodges where we permanently reside and can make an impact year-round.”
“That’s why this place would be perfect.” Duncan stood up and turned in a small circle, scoping the perimeter of the building. “Given the history and purpose this old lodge gave to the community, wouldn’t this be a prime location for the youth village?”
Chris got to his feet and went to Duncan’s side. He assessed the building, noting the cracks in the walls, brown stains on the ceiling, warped wood floors, and more. He didn’t have a gift like Duncan to see beauty in a building when it was presented ugly. However, he grasped the meaning of paying it forward. “It’s definitely meaningful and in the spirit of Prince Hall Freemasonry. I like that we can honor the past while building a bridge for the future.”
“You get this building looking good again and those old men might just come back.” Gavin sighed. “They should’ve never let it get this bad. We shouldn’t have let them.”
Duncan nodded in agreement. “The building has sat empty too long without any upkeep or utilities. The mayor informed me that the only thing that has saved it from being condemned is that it’s in the National Register of Historic Places.”
Gavin finally got to his feet and did a panorama of the space. “Layman’s terms. We’re not all land use gurus.”
“In acquiring the property, I agree to preserve it for the distinction that placed it on the registry. This building cannot be altered but can be updated to become current under new building codes. Originally, I thought the designation was a downfall because of the constraints imposed. Now I see it as an opportunity to blend the old with the new and create something better.
“The land that accompanies the building can accommodate construction of a new structure, or two. The lots surrounding are available as well. My thought is to make this building the nucleus of the youth village and have smaller buildings surrounding it to create a campus-like feel.”
“I like the idea,” Chris admitted. “Almost like a mini college campus.”
“Exactly!” Duncan clapped his hands together. “Reese suggested auxiliary buildings for the arts, business, and STEM. She’s willing to do sewing lessons, and said she could talk Ava into a photography class and maybe get Carrah to host science camps.”
“Humph,” Chris huffed, “can’t imagine.” He muttered louder than expected and not on purpose.
Both Gavin and Duncan stared him down. They had always been way too protective of Carrah for his liking. Instead of letting it get to him like it used to when they were teens, he shrugged them off and pretended to give his attention back to the interior of where they stood. Besides, it was best they believe his comment was rooted in their families’ longstanding rivalry, not his intrigue.
“Carrah’s gifted as hell with science,” Gavin chided. “She used to love doing chemistry experiments when we were kids, and then once we got older, she became the supreme mixologist. That girl can make a mean old-fashioned.”
“That’s a fact.” Duncan chuckled before he and Gavin rehashed an experience that didn’t include Chris. “But do you remember when she taught us how to make invisible ink?” Chris took a step back, much like he would when they were growing up. It was never a secret that he was the odd man out. It just was never thrown in his face like this. “We spent the whole summer pulling fast ones over our parents until her dad got into her little lab and figured out what she’d made.”
Their laughter grated his nerves more than usual as they continued trading all the little things they did with Carrah that he hadn’t been allowed because of his last name. At least his isolation never lasted long. Gender always factored in and the guys would ditch hanging with the girls for football or fishing.
Gavin cut his eyes at Chris. “Besides, I know for a fact that she’s the mastermind behind Noir’s fragrance that recently won all those awards.” Chris glanced over his shoulder still more interested than he wished he were. Especially now that he’d found out Carrah was the alchemist behind the perfume that had made his father blow a gasket. “I know the two of you don’t like each other, but the girl is a genius who loves science. That’s why it’s not hard for me to imagine her hosting a science camp.”
Truth be told, now that he had a little more perspective on Carrah, he understood their points of view. Only, in recognizing the sentiments they expressed, a cloud of confusion swirled around him. If Carrah was this brilliant scientist, why would she sacrifice the excellence she’d achieved for the unknown? More than that, why did she want him to negotiate it?