Magnolia by Kristi Cook Page A

entire family is headed off to Houston without me, and that Nan—
    Stop . I can’t let myself go there. I take a deep, calming breath as I reach for my keys and head back out, herding the dogs inside before I lock up. As soon as I step outside, Ryder’s Durango pulls up. He cuts the engine and jumps out carrying a small floral quilted bag.
    â€œDid they leave yet?” he asks, sounding breathless.
    â€œYeah, you just missed them.”
    â€œDamn. Mom left this on her bed—I’m pretty sure she meant to pack it.”
    It looks like her makeup bag. “Uh-oh. Maybe you could FedEx it to her?”
    â€œI guess. Do you know where they’re staying?”
    â€œWith the Prescotts,” I say. Lana Prescott is one of Mama’s and Laura Grace’s sorority sisters. “They’ve got a guesthouse or pool house or something like that. Anyway, Mama left the address on the kitchen counter. You want to come inside and get it?”
    â€œYeah, if you don’t mind.”
    I open the front door and he follows me inside. Which, of course, makes the dogs go crazy.
    â€œHey, you two keeping Jemma here company?” he asks, bending down to scratch them both behind their ears.
    Ryder loves dogs, but Laura Grace won’t let him have one—not even a yappy little lap dog. She swears she’s allergic, but I think she’s actually afraid of them. Beau and Sadie are as sweet as anything, but we have to lock them up when she comes over.
    â€œHere you go,” I call out from the kitchen. “On the bottom of the last page.”
    He steps into the room and takes the sheaf of paper from me. “Wow. Three pages, huh? That seems a little . . . excessive.”
    â€œYeah, well. You know how my mom is.”
    He takes out his cell and starts entering the address. “I was surprised to see you at Josh’s party on Saturday,” he says, his eyes glued to the screen.
    â€œI don’t know why. Everyone was there.”
    â€œYeah, but you know . . . with Nan home and all, I just figured that you’d want to spend time with her.”
    â€œI have been spending time with Nan, thank you very much,” I snap in annoyance. How dare he insinuate that I’d abandoned my sister? She’s the one who made me go, who swore that it would make her somehow anxious to know I was “missing out”—her words, not mine.
    â€œYou and Patrick looked awfully cozy,” Ryder says, setting Mama’s note back on the counter.
    So I was right—he had been watching us.
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSo, nothing.” He shrugs. “Just making an observation.”
    â€œYeah, you never just make an observation. Oh, and you and Rosie looked pretty cozy, too. I sure hope you’re not leading her on. You know she likes you.”
    A muscle in his jaw works furiously as he shoves his cell phone back into his pocket. “That’s the kind of guy you think I am? Seriously, Jem?”
    I swallow hard, unable to reply. Because the truth is, I don’t know.
    â€œI’ll see you later,” he says, his voice cold and clipped. He turns and stalks out.
    For some unknown reason, I follow him—down the hall, out the front door. “Don’t walk out on me,” I holler as he rounds the Durango and opens the driver’s-side door. “If you have something to say to me, then say it.”
    He gets in and slams the car door shut, but I throw it open again. “C’mon,” I taunt, motioning with one hand.
    I’m totally losing it now—white spots dancing before my eyes, tears streaking down my cheeks. I can barely catch my breath, like I’m about to hyperventilate.
    This isn’t about Ryder, I realize. It’s about Nan. The suddenrealization hits me hard. What if I never see her again?
    My knees buckle, and I start to go down. Somehow, Ryder manages to catch me just before I hit the ground. “Shit,