Page 34 of Mountain Freedom
“Movies,” I said. “Specifically how you’ve never seen any films based on Jane Austen’s novels, and how I need to remedy that.”
“Oh. Right,” he said with a look of regret. Or pain. Or both.
“I own all of them,” I said, enjoying the distress on his face. “We could get takeout and start withPride and Prejudicetomorrow night. OrSense and Sensibility,which is my personal favorite.”
“Actually,” he said before clearing his throat as a look of relief flashed across his face. “I have plans.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling an unwelcome disappointment. “No worries. Some other time.”
“Yeah. Rain check on the movie. But listen, I meant to talk to you about tomorrow. Sheriff Morrison and his wife, Janet, are hosting their monthly dinner party. He asked me to invite you.”
“Really?” I was surprised. “Why? I haven’t even met him.”
Jackson moved his head back and forth like he was trying to figure out how to explain. “Sheriff Morrison—Greg—is kind of a mentor. Almost like family. He knows you’re important to me and also that you haven’t had a chance to make other friends here yet. Plus, you can meet Daphne and Willa. They’re both really sweet. You’ll love them.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling a little uncertain. Big groups of people were never my thing.
On the other hand, Jackson would be there, and that felt safe. Comfortable. And tempting.
“It’s a small group,” he said, almost like he could read my thoughts. “Some of the best people you’ll ever meet. Oh, and Fiona will be there.”
My breath caught. “Fiona? You mean Fiona Flanagan?”
“That’s right,” he said, grinning.
“Oh my goodness.” I felt my whole face light up. “I haven’t thought about her in years. She has to be getting on up there in age.”
“Early seventies,” he confirmed.
“Wow. That’s hard to imagine. I can only think of her as the vibrant, eccentric woman she was.”
Fiona had practically been a legend. Herbalist, midwife, mountain woman, and one of the biggest personalities in town. I had been half afraid of her as a kid, thanks to the rumors that circulated around school about how she was a witch who knew black magic and could turn you into a frog with just a few words and a point of her finger.
But she had always been very kind to me, especially when my mother got pregnant again and then miscarried. It was a horrible day that stood out in my memories, a day when my mother cried so hard I worried she would die from the grief. I would never forget how gentle Fiona was with her, how she wouldn’t leave even after everything was done. She stayed for three days, sleeping on our couch and taking care of everything, until she knew my mother was going to be okay.
“Oh,” Jackson said, interrupting my thoughts. “She’s still as vibrant and eccentric as ever. Maybe even more so.”
“She has to be getting frail though, in her seventies.”
He scoffed and shook his head. “Not a bit. Emerson—you’ll meet him if you come—likes to say she’s too damn stubborn to grow old and feeble. I think he’s right.”
The thought made me smile, and suddenly I wanted very much to go to the dinner party. “I’d love to come,” I said, “if you’re sure the sheriff doesn’t mind.”
Jackson grinned. “It was his idea. They’ll be disappointed if you don’t.”
“What time and what’s the address?” I asked.
He hesitated. “How about I just pick you up? They live in the valley, outside of town. We can ride together.”
“Okay.” I fought back a smile, reminding myself that this would not be a date. We had made a pact, for goodness’ sake! No matter what feelings I was having, I had to stick to our agreement.
As I walkedthrough my front door that night, my cell phone rang. When I pulled it out and saw Mama’s name on the caller ID, my face lit up—until I remembered our last conversation. To say she had been against my move to Rosemary Mountain was the understatement of the year. We hadn’t spoken since I had told her it was my life and I couldn’t talk to her until she accepted that. It was the longest we’d ever gone without speaking. So I was a bit nervous when I answered.
“Hey, Mama.”
“Hi,” she said in a measured tone of her own. “I was just calling to see how things are. It’s been a little while since we’ve talked.”
“Yeah,” I said, unable to stop from sighing as I put my purse down on the entryway table and locked the front door behind me.
