Sweet Tea and Secrets Read online

  Connor offered them a seat, and then stepped behind his large wooden desk. “That Pearl’s a character, isn’t she? Wills are usually easy money. Fill in the blank—put the money in the bank. But your grandmother, she made me earn every penny on this one. Oh, and then she talked me into a discount on top of that.”

  Jill glanced over at Garrett. He had a determined look on his face.

  Connor spun his chair toward the ornate bookcase that lined the wall behind him. “Before I walk you through the details, I have a message here from Pearl for the two of you.” He shuffled through some files and turned around holding a DVD in his hand. He opened the center doors and slid the DVD into the player on the shelf below a flat screen television. He handed Jill the remote. “Just press play when you’re ready. I’ll be back in a bit.”

  Jill sat staring at the remote.

  “When did she make this?” Jill asked.

  “The DVD? Just a few weeks ago.” Connor dimmed the lights and closed the door firmly behind him.

  Her palms began to sweat. “You do it,” she said, handing the remote to Garrett.

  “You ready?” Garrett asked.

  She licked her lips, and tried to swallow. “I guess so.”

  Garrett pushed the button. The screen came to life and there was Pearl.

  Jill gasped at the sight of her grandmother on the screen.

  Pearl’s eyes danced, but her skin hung and her eyes lacked their usual sparkle. She spoke slowly and clearly and assured them that she was of sound mind when she created the terms of her will. “That was all that legal mumbo jumbo Connor said I had to say. Darn near need one of those TV news Teleprompters to get through this much red tape. This seemed like a good idea when I saw it on Montel, but it’s turned out to be a lot of work.”

  Same old Pearl, Jill thought. Garrett winked at her with a lopsided grin. He probably had the identical thought.

  “Connor will handle the will. I trust him, and Lord knows I’m paying him enough for it,” Pearl continued, “but I need to explain a couple things to you myself. I wanted a clause that made the two of you marry to get the property, but Connor said I couldn’t do that. So I found a loophole. I can strongly encourage you.”

  Pearl leaned into the camera so close Jill could see her pores. “Those were Connor’s words you know, encourage you to spend some time together. I’m hoping you two will finally come back to your senses. I love you both. Jill, my dear sweet granddaughter, you are a wonderful young lady. Your father would have been so proud of you. Garrett, a better man doesn’t exist. You two were made for each other. If you weren’t so doggone pigheaded you’d be together without my help.”

  Jill felt a smile on her lips. Seeing Pearl, hearing her voice, was such a comfort. Garrett snickered, and then rested his hand on her leg. Her skin tingled beneath his touch.

  “So here I am, helping. It’s what I do best you know.” Pearl smiled and crossed her hands in front of her, leaning forward on the desk. “I can feel my time coming to an end, my dears. Rely on each other. Take care of each other. For me.”

  Jill grabbed the arm of the chair and leaned forward, trying to take a breath.

  Garrett hit the pause button and laid a hand on her back. “Are you okay?”

  She pressed her hands to her face and cried.

  He squatted in front of her and took her hands into his. “It’s okay. I’m here.” He held her as she sobbed against his shoulder. “We don’t have to do this right now if you’re not ready.”

  Her tears choked her.

  He handed her a tissue from the box on Connor’s desk. “Here.”

  She dabbed her eyes.

  “Do you want to leave?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “No. Keep going.”

  Garrett hit play again and Pearl continued in animated form.

  “I’d like to ask the two of you to live in the house for thirty consecutive days. If, after those days, you do not find your way back into each other’s hearts, I’ll admit I was wrong.” She leaned into the camera and winked then shook a crooked finger at the lens. “But you know I never am.” She leaned back in the chair. “No, you don’t have to. I said I was just askin’ because I’d like that.” Pearl leaned to the side. “I said they didn’t have to. Stop it, you worry wart. This is my message.” She was giving Connor the devil, and that was typical Pearl.

  She came back into frame. “So here’s the deal. When Connor comes back in he’ll show you the plat. The property is much bigger than you think. Garrett, you’re going to want to fuss at me for not telling you sooner, but anyway....” Pearl pushed her glasses up on her nose and continued. “Jill, our home sat on just a small piece of the land John Carlo Pacini set aside for me when he had to leave. I know you’re thinkin’ who was that? You’ve never heard of him, I know, but he was a good man. The love of my life. He built that house for me, and I’ve always been safe there. I’d be so happy to know the two of you are safe there. I was lucky to not only have had the great fortune to raise our son there, your father, but also to have you so close to me when your father was gone.”

  Pearl steepled her fingers to her lips and leaned back. “My special Jill and Garrett. I once knew real love. It’s precious. I truly believe there’s only one true love for each person. My John Carlo was the only man I ever loved. He loved me, too. Jill, you will appreciate this honey. John Carlo had long dark hair.”

  Pearl leaned close into the camera again. “He was even foxier than Yanni. That’s why I liked Yanni so much. He reminded me of my John Carlo.” Pearl smiled and giggled like a schoolgirl for a moment. “Fate kept us apart, but he was with me, protecting me, loving me, every day I lived. Don’t let your pride keep you from embracing what you both deserve. Jill, get the frown off your face, girl. You’ll get wrinkles.”

  Pearl paused.

  “Now you two kiss,” she ordered waving her bony hands in a merging motion in front of the camera.

  Jill slowly turned to Garrett, but neither made the move.

  “What? You can’t give an old woman a simple thing like this? One kiss. Go on now,” Pearl insisted.

  Jill grunted and rolled her eyes. Garrett leaned her way.

  “Just a little smooch.” Pearl was nothing if not audacious.

  Garrett leaned over and kissed Jill.

  Her lips tingled and other parts danced too as his hands found their way to the back of her neck and then her cheek, holding her at a breath’s distance. She blinked. Their faces so close, her lips feeling full, she wished she didn’t want him to kiss her again.

  “Oh. All right,” Pearl said to someone out of frame. “Oh wait. Connor says I can’t make you do that. I think he just called me a pimp-granny. I guess I can only en-co-u-r-age,” she exaggerated, making the word sound about five syllables long, “to kiss and enjoy it, and about the being together thing and thirty days in the house. Can’t really do that either, but I wish you would give it a try for me.”

  Pearl had just won the first round. She was a slick old bird, that gal.

  “I love the two of you. Make it work kids. Garrett, don’t you let anything happen to Jill. I’ll be with you in your heart every day, doing what God will let me while I hang out up there with him. No telling what jobs he’s got for me.”

  Pearl blew a little kiss and the video went to static, but then came right back into focus. She fussed with whoever was taping the session, probably Connor. “I just have one more thing to say,” she said, then turned primly back to the camera. “Jill, dear, tell sweet Carolanne that she needs to get her butt back to Adams Grove. She doesn’t need to let that daddy of hers keep her from getting her a good man right here in town. Fact is, he’s been doing pretty good staying on the wagon.” Pearl hunched forward, leaning on her elbows. “I know she and Connor would make a great couple.” Pearl’s attention moved off camera. “No you cannot take that off. This is my last wish to my granddaughter. You just roll that ‘til I’m done.” Turning back to the camera she smiled. “I know Carolan
ne can wrangle this one. They’re just alike. He’s got that girl in Chicago or California, some big city somewhere but God knows if she ain’t here yet, she never will be. I love you dear. You and Garrett find your happiness. The rest will all fall in place.” She blew a final kiss into the camera. “Now I’m done, damn it. It’s not like I was paying you by the inch of tape. You can shut it—”

  The screen went blank in mid-sentence.

  Garrett reached for Jill’s hand. His calloused hand covered hers, and his thumb stroked the top of her hand. She welcomed the gesture at first, then tugged her hand out from his and placed it in her lap.

  Pearl, the hopeless romantic, had her reasons.

  Connor stepped back in the office and turned up the lights. “Any questions?” he asked as he edged around the big desk.

  They both nodded.

  “Only a million,” Jill said, only half kidding.

  Connor reset the lights and popped the DVD from the machine. “Sorry about that last part, but there was no stopping Pearl when she had her mind set on something.” Connor unfolded a blueprint of a plat across his desk in front of them.

  “You’re telling us?” Jill said. “I could watch that a million times.”

  “You can. I’ll give it to you. So, in simple terms, Jill, the house and this piece of the property belong to you.” With his thick fingers, Connor traced the portion of the property that edged the back road.

  She nodded, understanding that what he’d marked was bigger than what she thought all of Pearl’s land was to begin with.

  Connor turned toward Garrett. “Your property is this section.”

  “Wow.” Garrett’s jaw dropped wide. “I had no idea she owned all that. I looked up that parcel. It’s owned by a corporation. I’ve been sending them letters for months with no response.”

  Connor nodded. “She mentioned that.”

  “You never knew Pearl owned half that road?” Garrett asked Jill.

  “Never. I loved playing in those woods because they didn’t belong to us. Guess I wasn’t quite as adventurous as I thought.”

  “One other thing,” Connor said. “Clyde goes to you, Garrett.”

  “I can take care of him,” Jill piped up.

  Connor shrugged and continued. “Couple of other things. Jill. You must keep the property, not sell it, for at least five years. Garrett, she wants you to use it only for the Bridle Path Estates project, and you have to break ground within that same five years. If either of you decides to forego the offer, the whole thing will be turned over to Grayson Auction. If that happens, the funds from the auction will be split three ways. One third will go to the county for a new animal shelter and boarding kennel that will take care of Clyde, the rest gets split between the two of you.”

  Garrett said, “I’ll take care of Clyde.”

  Jill stood and folded her arms as she leaned over the drawing. Disquieting thoughts raced through her mind. “This gets more complicated by the minute.” She recognized the faint hint of hysteria in her own voice. Can I hold it together?

  “It’s quite a nice spread. See.” Connor unrolled a larger image of the plat on the desk and gestured them to move in to view the documents with him. “Even if you choose the auction route it’ll bring a nice chunk of change. Do you know what land around here is going for these days? And that property is full of mature hardwoods.”

  “All of that is Pearl’s?” Garrett shook his head in disbelief. “Wow. Can’t believe we never knew that.”

  “Yours now, but yes. The land and the house were gifted to her by her husband John Carlo Pacini.”

  “Pearl was never married,” Jill said.

  “Yeah, she’s right,” Garrett agreed.

  “Oh, but she was,” Connor said.

  Jill and Garrett looked at each other.

  “Their marriage was recorded back in 1944, but they never lived together. I’m not sure what happened. I don’t know any more about that than what was in the video.”

  Jill flinched, then tugged on Garrett’s shirt sleeve. “Those letters. The ones in the attic. They were from John Carlo. That’s who I was asking you about. I never saw anything about a wedding though.”

  “It’s starting to come together,” Garrett said.

  “Come to think of it, there was a note by her knitting basket that had ‘Tell Jill about JC’ written on it. I thought the message had something to do with the blanket she was working on. JC? John Carlo. She was going to tell me.”

  “When I bought the adjacent land, I complained to Pearl about the corporation not responding to my inquiries about purchasing that parcel,” Garrett said. “She never said a thing.”

  Connor flipped through a folder, then handed a manila envelope to Garrett. “Pearl wanted me to be sure you had these. Being an architect she thought you’d find them interesting. They are the original drawings for the house.”

  Garrett took the envelope. “Thanks.”

  “Can I assume both of you intend to accept the property?”

  Jill noticed Garrett watching her for a reaction. “Can I get a couple days to think this through? I’ll probably talk to Carolanne about it, too.”

  Connor nodded. “Sure. That’s fine. Send Carolanne my best. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her. Oh, but don’t tell her all that mess Pearl said. I was so tempted to delete that part.”

  Jill smiled. “Hey. Her last request. I can’t just ignore her.”

  They all laughed. Pearl had a way of filling a room with love and happiness.

  Connor gathered the papers together on his desk. “There’s plenty of time. Just let me know when you decide so I can wrap things up. Garrett, I’m assuming you’re okay with the deal.”

  “You bet. It’s a dream come true for me.” He rose to his feet and shook Connor’s hand.

  They filed into the hall and headed toward the door.

  “I guess I’ll see you tonight for the fireworks.” Connor cuffed Garrett’s shoulder.

  “I’ll be there around four to set up,” Garrett said.

  “I’ve got parking lot duty. How come I always get stuck with parking duty?” Connor complained.

  “You look good in that fluorescent vest,” Garrett said, mocking him.

  Connor shifted his attention to Jill. “Come to the gate by the pond and I’ll give you a good parking spot tonight for the fireworks.”

  The whole town would shut down at noon and the picnickers would start filing into the fairgrounds shortly after that. So many people would show up at the fairgrounds that it would take over an hour to empty the lot when it was all said and done. That steady stream of blinking brake lights would be like another show.

  Jill and Carolanne used to sit with Aunt Milly and Pearl in their spot under the big oak tree and wait until Garrett and the rest of the pyro team came by. Pearl always baked her famous cookies for the guys. They’d meet up afterwards to munch on the special treats and share all the mishaps and bloopers that they’d experienced during the day.

  Connor clicked his fingers in front of her face. “Earth to Jill.”

  “Huh?”

  “Where were you just then?” Connor asked.

  “Nowhere, sorry. I’m not going tonight,” Jill said.

  “All the oohing and ahhhing. How can you miss it?” Connor asked.

  “I was planning to head back to Savannah this afternoon. I have some commitments for work I need to take care of, but if I change my mind I’ll keep your offer in mind. The gate by the pond, right?”

  Garrett nodded. “It just isn’t Fourth of July without the hunt club barbecue and fireworks.”

  Connor winked at Jill. “Are you turning into a city girl on us?”

  “No way. You can’t take the country out of this girl.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Garrett muttered under his breath.

  Jill spun toward Garrett. “What did you say?”

  “I said I’m running late.” Garrett turned and walked toward the truck.

  She eyed
him, not quite believing him.

  “He’s my ride. Thanks Connor.” She jogged to catch up and fell in step behind Garrett.

  Jill hiked herself up into the big truck and slammed the door shut before Garrett got in. She put her purse between them on the seat, feeling the need for a barrier.

  Garrett twisted the key in the ignition and dropped the truck into gear.

  Jill wondered how she’d explain this to Bradley. In his mind, he’d already sold Pearl’s place and reinvested the money in his head a hundred times over the past week, and she knew he had no intentions of moving to Adams Grove. Not that she was sure she’d want him to anyway.

  Jill thought about Connor’s offer. She had a lot of great memories from Fourth of Julys over the years. Maybe she didn’t have to leave this afternoon. Lord knows, I’m not in the mood to dress up in a fancy gown and put on a smile all night.

  “When will you decide?” Garrett asked as they sped through a yellow light.

  “About the property?” she asked.

  “I wasn’t talking about the fireworks. Yeah, about the property. What else?”

  She caught the sarcasm in his voice. Of course, that’s what he’s asking about. He couldn’t know she was contemplating whether she’d go back to Savannah tonight or not. She tapped out the days on her fingers. “I’ll let you know something by next Wednesday.” That would give her five days to sort everything out.

  “Pearl’s five-day rule,” he teased.

  “You know me too well,” Jill said.

  “Pearl’s rule of five. If in doubt wait five days,” he recited.

  Everyone in town had probably heard Pearl’s rule of five speech at some time. She swore that five days was the perfect cooling off period. Time enough to look at an issue without clouding a decision with emotions, and not so long that it was impolite. Like so many of Pearl’s little pearls of wisdom, Jill thought Pearl probably made it up, but if it bought her five days, she’d leverage it.

  She cringed at the thought of discussing any of this with Bradley before she made up her own mind. He’d have strong opinions about the will, and they’d be all business. But, if she stayed, she’d need to get some clothes. There were only so many days she could wear Pearl’s granny panties and polyester. What better time to shop than on Fourth of July. There were bound to be some good sales. Not here, though. Everything in Adams Grove would close down for the day in a couple of hours. But, there was always Roanoke Rapids and that was only a short drive.