Perfect Problem by Cary Hart
CHAPTER 1
Savannah
would never come back to Mason Creek, but when Charlee, my best friend, needed the perfect escape, I knew this was the place for her. I just didn’t expect her to stay, fall in love, get married, and have a kid.
Now, I’m stuck rehashing my past every—single—visit.
And this one…it’s the worst. Not only am I at a celebration I wish we never had to have, I was forced to plan it. This may be what I do for a living, but this is one event I never wanted to plan.
Thousands of tiny round bulbs strung through the park trees light up the night sky while the townspeople of Mason Creek mingle and reminisce over the Fourth of July festival we had just a couple weeks ago. To them, this is everything. To me…it’s my worst nightmare come true.
The park is crowded with everyone I know and some new faces I’ve never seen. Shorty, the cook at Wren’s, mans the food station, grilling up burgers and brats for the whole town. He even broke out the flat top for all the townies who begged for his famous pancakes. It’s ridiculous really.
Joy, the owner of The Sweet Spot, donated a bunch of goodies for everyone to snack on. Her and Lakin, from One More Chapter, the local bookstore, took it upon themselves to provide a kiddy area to keep the little ones entertained until the grand finale. Apparently, the kiddos are really enjoying decorating cookies and making paper flowers from some donated children’s books that have seen better days.
Tucker Simms even decided to take the stage once again, singing all the country favorites and taking requests when he can.
Maybe, if the circumstances were different, I’d be enjoying myself. Since they aren’t, I can’t help but want to run away.
It’s why I’m standing in the middle of town square, closing my eyes, praying if I can’t see them, they can’t see me.
You would think I’d be used to the Mason Creek festivals, but this one feels different.
I don’t belong here. Not anymore. Not when the one person I loved more than anything left me all alone.
″Vanny? Is that you?” I hear Hattie Jackson before I see her.
″Great,”
Hattie and her twin sister Hazel are always nosing their way around Mason Creek. They may look like harmless old bitties, but I know different. Hell, the whole town does. I’m one small talk away from landing my name in the rumor mill.
″You better get your pretty little butt back to that party. They’re about to play your Aunt Shirley’s favorite song. And you know what that means.”
″I wish I didn’t,” I mumble.
″Vanny…don’t make me drag you back there.”
There’s no use. As much as I wish I could disappear, I can’t. Nothing is invisible in this small town—especially at these events.
″I’ll be right there.” I take a step forward and point to Wren’s Café right behind me. “I was just grabbing some plates for Shorty,” I lie.
″Hmmm…I must be losing it.”
″Why’s that, Miss Hattie?”
She holds up a sleeve of paper plates. “I could have sworn Shorty asked me to do the same.” Hattie shrugs. “Oh well. I’m sure they’ll get used. Everyone and their brother and their brother’s brother came out for this one.” Hattie winks.
I sigh.
″Now, grab whatever you need and get your butt back over there.”
″You go on without me, Miss Hattie. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Hattie narrows her eyes into slits and raises a brow.
″I promise.” I force myself to smile, but my lips barely curve up.
″I’ll hold you to that.” Hattie takes off toward the park.
″I trust that you will.” I nod.
I don’t think I’ve had a moment to myself since I arrived. In the past year, I’ve lost two of my closest friends to Mason Creek. Not only did Charlee find her sexy cowboy here, but her sister Joey found her perfect one in Cole when she was helping out after Charlee gave birth.
″Aunt Vanny!” a tiny familiar voice screeches at the top of her lungs.
I look up to the sky. “Seriously?”
I spin around and ready myself for Jillian to leap into my arms. “Hey you!” I fake my best smile.
″I missed you.” Jillian giggles as she jumps up and squeezes my neck tight.
″Jillybean!” Grady warns.
″Let them be.” Charlee places a hand on his shoulder. Livie, her littlest one, is asleep in one of those freakin’ scarves or whatever that basically bind the kid to you so you can be hands free. It’s kind of weird, but apparently it works.
″So, kid…” I place my hands on her sticky pink cheeks, “How high are you? A six, seven?”
Jillian licks her lips. “Guess again.”
″A ten.”
″Bingo!” Jillian nods frantically.
My eyes go wide. “Dang, girl. That’s one hell of a high.”
″I really wish you wouldn’t call my kid high,” Grady grumbles.
I turn around so I can see his face. “Stop being so grouchy, Grady. Stop feeding your kid sweets and maybe I won’t.”
″I don’t.” He raises an eyebrow at Charlee.
″Don’t even go there, Willy Wonka. You keep a bag of suckers in the glovebox and take her for chocolate chip pancakes every Sunday.” Charlee sticks out her tongue and places her hands on her hips. “A little cotton candy and a small ice cream cone never hurt anyone. Especially tonight.”
″You tell ’em, Mommy!” Jillian turns to me. “Don’t worry, Aunt Vanny. I didn’t tell them about the ginormous double chocolate fudge brownie you gave me for lunch.”
Grady throws up his hands. “If she vomits…” Grady waves his finger between me and Charlee, “one of you is cleaning it up.”
″She won’t.” I kiss Jillian on the forehead and set her down. “Because she’s going to head on over to the park and grab one of Shorty’s famous burgers to balance it all out.”
″I am?” Jillian seems confused. “I thought Mommy said I could have some kettle corn.”
″Come on, Jilly.” Charlee takes her hand. “First, we have a burger, then—”
″We get the kettle corn to go,” Grady interrupts, taking Jillian’s other hand.
She looks between her parents. “I guess that will work. When are the fireworks?”
Charlee’s eyes dart up to meet mine. “Um…”
″Soon, Jillybean. Real soon.” I wave them on. “You better go grab a seat. I was promised the display is going to be spectacular.” I lean down so we’re eye level. “And I was also told by a very trustworthy source if you stand on the edge of the fountain and look up at the night sky, it will feel like the fireworks are right on top of you.”
Jillian’s eyes sparkle with excitement as she gives all of us the biggest toothy grin. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Jillian tugs on her parents’ hands.
″I’m sorry,” Charlee mouths.
If I let her words sink in, I may break. Charlee and I have been through so many things together, from heartbreak to her brother’s death, a failed engagement to moving to Montana. If anyone is going to see through me, it’s going to be her. Luckily for me, she has a new family to tend to. I’m going to use it to my advantage.
″Totally fine. Have a fun time. Be with your family,” I reassure her. She eyes me a little longer than comfortable before finally giving in to Jillian and letting her lead them across the street to the park.
I wish I could run away, but I can’t. I made a promise, and I plan on keeping it. Placing one step in front of the other, I make my way to the edge of the neatly trimmed grass just as Mr. Dunkel, Aunt Shirley’s friend from bingo, taps the mic. “Is this thing on?” He turns up the volume. Feedback squeals, and the crowd holds their ears.
Tucker rushes over to the stage, takes the microphone from Mr. Dunkel, and adjusts the volume. “I think we have it now.” Tucker puts the crowd at ease before he hands the audience back over to Mr. Dunkel.
″Well, that didn’t go as planned.” Mr. Dunkel laughs nervously as he clears his throat. “It’s almost time for the big finale, but first, let’s give Savannah Dawson a hand for pulling this party together in less than two weeks.”
The crowd roars as they rise with a standing ovation. Totally unwarranted since I hated every single minute of the planning process.
″All right! That’s what we want to hear. Wait…” Mr. Dunkel pauses. I can’t see what is going on. I’m too far back. “Looks like we had a small technical issue. Mason Creek’s chief fireman, Grayson Davis, is on the scene. He’ll have us up and running in no time.”
The crowd cheers on their own local hero. Tucker Simms strums at his guitar, waiting for Mr. Dunkel to give him his cue.
All of this is too much. My eyes dart around the park. Kids are laughing, couples are dancing, and friends are catching up.
And then there’s me. This place used to feel like home. Now, I’m a stranger on the outside looking in. Nothing about this feels right. I shouldn’t be here. I can’t be here.
″Ladies and gentlemen of Mason Creek,” Mr. Dunkel announces, his voices fading off. Blood pounds in my ears. My heart races. My hands shake. I can’t think. I can’t hear. I can’t speak. I want out of here, but my body is frozen. I want to cry, but I can’t.
Please, God, if you’re out there…make this all go away. Take away my pain…the memories. All of it.
I don’t want to remember.
I don’t want to feel.
Make me disappear.
I repeat my chant, prayer, or whatever it is, over and over.
I dig my nails into the palms of my hands, begging my body to feel anything but the numbness that’s taken over.
A warm hand wraps around mine, squeezing, and I jerk forward. “Breathe,” the raspy voice whispers in my ear. “Just breathe. In…out. In…out…” I don’t have to open my eyes to know who that voice belongs to. It’s steady, strong, everything I never knew I needed in this moment.
His voice usually makes my knees weak, but after all this time… after the past few weeks, it gives me the strength I need to keep it together a little while longer.
Taking his advice, I inhale and hold. Exhale and repeat. Over and over. Until my nerves are calm and my breathing returns to normal.
I need to get a grip and get my anxiety under control. One thing at a time.
I look down between us, letting my eyes travel up his arm to meet the gaze of the guy who broke my heart.
Jase Jackson.
″Hey, Georgia.” Jase’s lips curve up in a sad smile. His mouth opens and closes as he searches for something to say. “I’m sorry for your loss. Aunt Shirley was one hell of a lady.”
″She really was.” I try to smile back, but for this one moment, I let myself break, feeling the pain I’ve been holding onto for weeks so I could be strong enough for everyone else.
I don’t want to need him, but I do. Just this once. If anyone knew how much Aunt Shirley meant to me, it’s Jase.
We have a lot of unsettled business, but standing here… there isn’t anyone I’d rather have holding my hand.
I’ll worry about what that means another day. Today is Aunt Shirley’s day. Every eccentric and morbid detail is exactly as she requested.
Tucker sings a song about friends in low places. The fireworks display goes off with without a hitch. This event is exactly what she wanted. A party, a celebration of life worthy of Mason Creek. She wanted to go out with a bang, and, boy, did she. Even if it was in a firework.
Rest in peace, Aunt Shirley.