Page 84 of Mountain Freedom
“Your father is your father,” she replied frostily. “We married as teenagers and I’d never been with anyone else until years after you were born, when he’d lost everything we owned and was given a chance to get off the hook by trading me instead. I never wanted you to know about that shame.”
A tiny bit of relief passed through me. “So you’re not against Jackson because we’re…related in any way.”
“Related? Of course not. No, I’m against him because he’s a Sharp.”
I had to roll my eyes, considering how people felt about Bells in this neck of the woods.
“He’s aFord,” I said, emphasizing the difference. “He’s nothing like Russell. I met his parents. Hisrealparents. They’re wonderful people.”
Mama sighed in defeat. “I’m sure they are. And I’m glad he’s made a change in life. But you have no business there. I’ve been saying that ever since you took that job. Now that you know the truth, do you not understand? Do you not realize what terrible people live there? They hide behind the veneer of their beautiful small town and their self-proclaimed family values. Allison, you’re in danger. I risked everything to get you out of that place! How could you throw that away and walk back into the heart of the lion’s den?”
“The lion’s den?” I wanted to laugh out loud. “I’m not denying there are bad people here. There are bad people everywhere. But compared to Memphis this place is a paradise. And in case you’ve forgotten, it’s my Memphis ex who is stalking me and making my life miserable.”
“I don’t—”
I interrupted her, softening my voice to reassure her. “Mama, I know you’re worried. But I’m happy here. Really. And Jackson’s taking great care of me. You’ll see when you meet him. Maybe we’ll drive down next month so you can get to know him. I promise, you’ll love him.”
Jackson reappeared at the doorway. Just seeing his face melted away the tension from Mama’s phone call.
“Listen, I’ve got to go,” I said, standing up and grabbing my purse. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
“But, Allison—”
I hung up and turned my cell phone off completely.
Sittingaround Greg and Janet’s dining room table Monday morning, I found it hard to believe we were all here because of any kind of threat. It felt more like a weekend getaway with good friends. I didn’t ask for updates on the case, even though I noticed Greg and Jackson occasionally slipping off for private discussions. They were handling it, and I was happy to let them.
I’d kept my cell phone off and basically disassociated from the entire situation, which I knew wasn’t technically the healthiest response to what was happening. On the other hand, I was so blissfully happy to be with Jackson that I didn’t want to let any of that chaos close to us. Here, we were safe. We were whole.
The mood was light and cheerful as Janet served up a delicious quiche and fruit salad, saying we all needed a decent meal to fortify us for the workday ahead. Greg kissed her and said he always appreciated her cooking, no matter what the day held.
I smiled over my cup of coffee, watching them together. Technically speaking, they were practically newlyweds, havingfound each other later in life. But I liked to think that Jackson and I would share that same chemistry years from now, even after having been married for a decade.
It startled me, realizing how easy it was to picture marriage with him. Three years with Mike and I’d never once imagined married life or what we’d be like when we were older. I’d never wanted to share a home with him, always preferring my townhouse with my girlfriends over renting something together. I’d assumed I was simply more career-minded than marriage-focused. But with Jackson, I was already dreaming about what life would be like five, ten, twenty years down the road.
And when I caught him smiling at me, I knew it would be beautiful no matter what, because we would be together.
“So you have a big day at the store?” Greg asked, directing the question to Janet as he sat down at the head of the table, digging into the plate she had placed in front of him.
“I do. Willa just finished up her fall designs and we’re going to start changing our inventory over,” she said as she gracefully tucked a napkin into her lap. Janet was elegant in all the ways Mama had always wanted to be. I knew that, when they finally met, Mama would hate her for it.
“Isn’t it a little early for fall clothes?” Jackson asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s going to be over a hundred degrees today.”
Janet just brushed him off with a wave of her hand. “Women like to start planning for the season ahead of time. You can’t wait until the last minute.”
“She knows what she’s doing,” Greg said, beaming with pride. “She’s turned that place into the most successful boutique Rosemary Mountain’s ever had.” He turned toward me. “Don’t worry. We’ll show you how to set the alarm when we leave. You’ll be safe here today. Help yourself to anything in the house. And Jackson, of course, if you need to take the day to stay with Allison, you’re welcome to do so. Hopefully we’ll have thiswrapped up quickly and you guys can go back to your normal lives.”
“Um, I can’t stay here today,” I said, dabbing my lips with my napkin.
Greg and Jackson both jerked their heads to look at me.
“Why not?” Jackson asked.
“Because I have patients to see.” The idea of skipping work had never even crossed my mind.
“Surely you can cancel your day,” Greg said, placing both of his palms on the table like he was ready to spring into action. “Everyone will understand.”
“Will they?” I doubted it. “I’m just now actually getting a decent panel going. It took weeks for people to trust me enough to come see me. Besides, why would they understand when there’s no way I’m going to tell them what’s happening? This situation won’t help my credibility.”
