The Road to Magnolia Read online

  She’d suffered plenty of disappointments and setbacks, even in the short time he’d known her. But every time he saw her, she had a smile on her face and a kind word for the diner’s customers, new and long-standing. Not for him, of course. As if she could sense the emptiness inside him, Lily steered clear of Garrett. It was for the best.

  “Why would you want to drive cross-country with me?” she asked.

  “I don’t,” he answered honestly. “I owe my aunt a favor. A big one.” He released a small laugh. “Huge. It’s been long enough that I wasn’t sure she’d ever collect on the debt. Now I understand she was waiting for it to really count.”

  “A charity case your conscience won’t let you refuse,” Lily murmured with so much resignation it made Garrett’s heart clench.

  He rubbed at his chest, bewildered that she could so easily breach the walls he’d built.

  A few sentences spoken between them, and Garrett understood his instincts about Lily had been spot-on. If upbeat princess Lily was dangerous, this sad, defeated version made her truly deadly.

  “You’re doing me a favor,” he lied. “I’ve been having lunch here on the regular for years, holding out hope that one day I’d be given the opportunity to settle my debt. You’re my chance.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she thought about this. Would he convince her? It wasn’t exactly a lie. Garrett owed his aunt so much, he could drive a dozen down-on-their-luck waitresses halfway around the world and wouldn’t scratch the surface of repaying how Mary Jo had rescued him once upon a time.

  Lily didn’t need to know that.

  “I’ve never been someone’s chance at redemption.”

  “Let’s not go full rom-com here,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I have an SUV so your giant horse of a dog will fit. I’m a good driver and not some potential creep you found on the internet.” He leaned in slightly. “That was a horrible idea, by the way. Aunt MJ was practically apoplectic when she came barreling out of here.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset her.” Lily bit down on her bottom lip, and desire hit him like a freight train.

  How fast could he make this trip?

  “Just say yes,” he prompted. He’d been trying to write more lately—anything so he could feel like he was making progress toward a comeback. But he continued to struggle and an excuse to take off a few days wouldn’t be the worst thing. “My aunt takes care of the people who work for her, whether they deserve it or not. She has a real soft spot for you. She’s not going to rest until she knows you have safe passage home. With your dog in tow, I’m the best bet.”

  She laughed again, then covered her mouth.

  “What part of that was funny?”

  “I didn’t know you could string together so many words at once.” Her smile faded. “Wait. By your standards, am I someone who deserves Mary Jo’s kindness or not?”

  She tried to look sassy as she asked the question, as if she were daring him to take issue with her. But he could see the vulnerability in her eyes she tried to hide, and it just about slayed him. “You do.”

  “Oh.” She let out a breath, then gave him a shy smile. “I guess I should say thank you in advance. We’re going on a road trip.”

  “Yes, we are,” Garrett agreed, wondering what he’d gotten himself into. He handed her his phone. “Put your address and phone number in there. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning at eight.”

  He watched as her slender fingers went to work punching in her contact information. “I’ll help pay for gas and hotels,” she told him.

  He shook his head. “That’s part of the deal. I’ve got it covered.”

  “Snacks, then,” she amended. “Do you like red or black licorice?”

  He shook his head. “Neither.”

  “Gummy worms? Chocolate?” She handed the phone back to him, her smile widening. “You don’t strike me as a Skittles type of guy, but maybe—”

  He took the phone from her, careful not to let their fingers brush, and shoved it into his back pocket. “Lily, stop. We’re not Thelma and Louise here. This isn’t a great adventure where we do sing-alongs and play the license plate game. I owe my aunt a favor, and you’re the way I’m repaying it.”

  “It’s a big favor.”

  “You have no idea.” He took a step toward the door. “But we’re not going to be friends. I don’t want to be your friend. We have four days together in a car. Then it’s over. Got it?”

  “I’ve got it,” she answered, shoulders slumping just a bit. “No fun. No friends. You’re my ride home.”

  “Yeah.” No, his mind screamed. He wanted more, a glimmer of something he’d given up years ago. But he wouldn’t tell her that. He’d set the boundaries, and they both needed to adhere to them. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, then turned and walked away.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  LILY WAITED ON the sidewalk in front of her crappy apartment building the following morning, trying to enjoy the beautiful September day. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and the realization that all she had to show for the past seven years was a dozen sad boxes of clothes and trinkets.

  Chloe nudged her big head against Lily’s leg, a reminder of the best thing she’d gained during her time in Los Angeles. The dog was almost two years old now, a shedding, drooling, gentle giant of an animal.

  They were an unlikely pair. Lily stood only a few inches over five feet and had never been especially strong. Often it felt like Chloe was walking her rather than the other way around. The dog suffered from separation anxiety and had a penchant for chewing leather shoes. The one decent pair of boots Lily owned had been an early casualty, and she’d learned to put anything of value out of reach. But she loved the furry beast with her whole heart.

  A shiny late-model Toyota 4Runner turned the corner, out of place against the shabby buildings and older cars that lined the street. Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

  He might be nothing like most men she knew, but Garrett Dawes was her knight in a shining SUV at the moment. She still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to drive her all the way to North Carolina. She’d tried to ask Mary Jo about him, curious as to their relationship and what kind of favor he owed that would take him so far out of his obvious comfort zone.

  But the older woman had simply patted her cheek and given a vague response about Garrett being one of the good ones.

  Lily had been shocked at how simple it was to say goodbye to her friends at the diner and pack her meager belongings. She’d never examined why she’d been unable to really put down roots in California. Maybe part of her had known this life was never meant to be.

  She hated that her mother would have been disappointed at Lily giving up the dream of stardom. Even more, shame filled her knowing she’d half-heartedly pursued a future because she’d never actually wanted it in the first place.

  Her father had called from the hospital last night, and she’d assured him that coming home was her choice. He’d sounded tired but grateful. Even if she didn’t stay in Magnolia once he recovered, Lily had no doubt she was doing the right thing now.

  Garrett parked at the curb and climbed out of the vehicle. He wore a heather gray T-shirt, faded jeans and mirrored aviator sunglasses that prevented her from seeing his dark eyes.

  Probably for the best as she could imagine the condemnation in them as he took in the boxes that made up the sum total of her life.

  She had enough judgment for them both.

  “Good morning,” she said, offering a cheerful smile. “It’s great weather for a drive.”

  He humphed an inarticulate response, and Chloe barked in greeting.

  “The dog is enormous,” he muttered. “Even for an SUV.”

  “But she loves riding in cars,” Lily told him, keeping her tone light. “The motion puts her right to sleep so she won’t be any trouble.” She smoothed a hand along Chloe�
�s strong back. The dog was fawn-colored with a black mask over her snout, around her eyes and on the tips of her ears.

  “Does she shed?”

  “Not too much.” Lily ignored the cloud of dog fur that rose into the air like dandelion fluff as she patted Chloe’s rump. “I mean, not normally. She’s nervous now. I was up most of the night packing and she didn’t understand what was going on.”

  Garrett took a step forward and held out a hand for the dog to sniff. “I’m surprised you didn’t explain it to her.”

  “As a matter of fact, I did.” Lily nodded. “She’ll understand more once we’re all together in the car.”

  “You know she’s a dog,” he said, and Lily felt color bloom in her cheeks.

  He’d been making a joke at her expense. Plenty of people did given her typical sunny personality and the fact that she talked to herself. In this world of constant snark and going viral from being a hater, Lily sometimes felt like society saw her optimism as a threat.

  Garrett rarely spoke to her—or anyone, for that matter—but she could imagine what he thought.

  “Chloe is still my best friend,” Lily told him, refusing to be embarrassed. She’d managed to hold on to her positive outlook on life through way worse struggles than a few days in the car with Garrett Dawes. “Let’s get going.”

  “Is this all you have?” he asked as he opened the cargo area, then bent to retrieve one of the boxes.

  “Yep.” She gave him an even wider grin, ignoring the way her cheeks ached. “I’m only bringing home my most important possessions.”

  He lifted a SpongeBob bobblehead doll out of the top of one lidless box. “I can see that.”

  “My dad gave that to me when I was in third grade. I got mono right before Christmas and missed a week of school. He watched a ton of cartoons with me so I wouldn’t be alone all the time. SpongeBob was our favorite.”

  “Aunt MJ told me you’re going home to take care of him.”

  “He fell off a ladder at the hardware store my family owns. He broke his hip, so he’ll be having replacement surgery.”

  “I hope it goes well,” Garrett said quietly.

  “Thank you.” Lily sniffed and swallowed back the emotion that rose up in her throat. It was difficult to imagine her ox-strong father incapacitated in any way.

  They finished loading the car in silence other than an occasional whine from Chloe. The dog’s long tail wagged when Garrett opened the door to the back seat and motioned her forward. She glanced at Lily for confirmation then jumped in, trying to fold her oversized frame into the SUV.

  “Good girl,” Lily said. In the seconds it took her to climb into the passenger side, Chloe had already shoved her block head between the seats, clearly interested in starting the journey on Lily’s lap.

  “She doesn’t realize her size.” Lily grunted as she shoved the dog back.

  Garrett’s knuckles went white as he clenched the steering wheel while she continued to struggle with Chloe. Eventually the dog settled into the back seat with an overdramatic sigh.

  “This is going to be a long few days,” Garrett muttered as he pulled onto the street.

  “We’ll make it fu—”

  Lily clamped shut her mouth at the look he gave her.

  “No fun,” she amended. “We’ll make it quiet and easy. You’ll barely know we’re here.”

  “Promise?” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

  She nodded and did her best to look convincing. She might not have had much success in her career aspirations, but Lily didn’t think she was the worst actress in the world.

  “I promise,” she answered at the same time Chloe let out an ear-splitting howl.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  FIVE HOURS INTO the trip, Garrett plucked a piece of licorice from the bag Lily had placed in the cup holder between the two seats.

  He’d forgotten how much he liked red licorice.

  He bit off half of the string, then handed the other piece back to Chloe, who swallowed it down without appearing to chew, then placed her head onto his shoulder over the seat.

  The dog’s round eyes shifted to Lily, who’d been asleep for most of the morning. He patted the dog’s head when she started to whine.

  “You’ll wake her,” he admonished. “Clearly she needs to catch up on sleep.”

  Once they’d gotten out of the congestion on the interstate around Los Angeles, he’d started enjoying the drive on the open road. It had been a long time since he’d traveled outside the normal routine of his daily life. His aunt’s restaurant, the gym, the grocery and...hell...he needed to get out more.

  Lily snored softly and shifted lower in her seat. The seat belt cut across her neck in a way that looked like it might leave a mark on her creamy skin.

  He reached out a hand and adjusted it, his fingers brushing against her collarbone. Even accidental, the touch burned through him like a brush fire, and he yanked back his hand.

  How could anyone have such soft skin?

  Her hair had been pulled back in a low ponytail this morning but now many of the thick, dark strands had escaped, falling over her shoulders in loose waves. She wore a yellow sundress with a pattern of wildflowers splashed across it.

  He’d gotten so used to seeing her in the blue button-down, denim skirt and green apron that was the uniform at the diner. The dress made her look more ethereal, like some kind of elfin forest sprite come to life.

  “Forest sprite,” he muttered. “I’m losing it.”

  The dog’s tongue laved his ear, and Garrett suppressed a shudder.

  “You’ve made friends.”

  Lily’s sleep-roughened voice filled the SUV’s interior. Garrett could just imagine what it would be like to wake up next to her and have that voice whisper in his ear.

  The dog lumbered to its feet and immediately tried to climb over the console to get to Lily.

  “I was a poor substitute for you,” he said, keeping his eyes on the highway in front of them.

  “Sorry I haven’t been better company,” she said as she turned to give Chloe a kiss, then pushed the dog into the back seat again. “I might be getting too old to pull an all-nighter.”

  He laughed at that. “What are you? All of twenty-three?”

  “Twenty-five,” she corrected him. “What about you?”

  “Thirty.”

  “How long have you lived in California?”

  He gave her his best side-eye. “What makes you think I’m not a native?”

  She redid her ponytail as she laughed. “You have ‘boy from the heartland’ written all over you.”

  “I do not.” He made a show of examining his arms.

  “Nebraska? Kansas?”

  “Oklahoma.”

  She pumped her fist. “I knew it. I also knew you’d like the licorice.” She leaned closer and the scent of vanilla washed over him. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to play the license plate game?”

  “Not a chance.”

  Her pert nose wrinkled. “So how long in LA and what brought you to the West Coast?”

  “My first book got made into a movie.”

  “Wow. Anything I would have heard of?”

  “A thriller called Point of No Return.”

  “Shut the front door!”

  Chloe let out a series of sharp barks that made Garrett wince, clearly riled up by her owner’s outburst. Lily took a moment to quiet the animal, then turned to him. “Brad starred in that movie. It was huge. That’s so cool.”

  “I thought so, too, but things didn’t quite turn out the way I’d planned.”

  “Did you meet Brad Pitt?”

  He nodded. “Decent guy.”

  “Did you get to know any other famous people?”

  “Tons of them,” he said, thinking back to that first heady year when he�
�d come to Hollywood, certain it was the start of an illustrious career.

  “Are you famous?” she asked, inclining her head.

  “For a hot second in certain circles.” He didn’t like to talk about that time. It brought back too many dark memories of the mistakes he’d made and the way his ego and pride had led him to a place where his life circled the drain. “I was what you might call a one-hit wonder or a flash in the pan. I went from being the next big thing in the world of Hollywood writers to nothing. Now I’m less than nothing.”

  “Don’t say that.” She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. The gentle touch reverberated through him. “The industry doesn’t define you.”

  “It does in LA.”

  “But you wrote the book before you moved to California?”

  She pulled her hand away and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to ask her to keep it there.

  “I was a high school English teacher. It feels like that life was a million years ago.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  “How long have you been chasing the dream?” he asked.

  She sighed. “Seven years. Not much chasing recently. Turns out the chase isn’t all that fun when it’s someone else’s dream.”

  He raised one brow when she didn’t elaborate.

  “My mom wanted to be an actress when she was younger,” she explained. “But she got pregnant with my oldest sister and married my dad. They stayed in Magnolia, but she always talked about what could have been if she hadn’t been trapped in a small town.”

  “Ouch,” he murmured.

  “She didn’t exactly make my sister or my dad feel special. But she saw something in me.” Lily gave a soft laugh. “I guess it was because I looked like her. Both of my sisters took after my dad. They’re really smart. I was...you know...ordinary other than being pretty.”

  “I don’t think that’s true.”