with Dylan. People break up after high school. That doesn’t explain his animosity toward Niall.” She lifted a brow. “Or you.”
“Dad bribed him to leave.”
Avery gasped. “I didn’t think that happened in real life.”
“Five thousand dollars.” Carrie picked up a strip of bacon then set it on the plate again.
Meredith held out a hand. “If you aren’t going to eat that...”
Carrie chuckled. “Go for it.” She was used to this hijacking of food from the youngest in their trio. Meredith couldn’t have been more than five foot three and a hundred pounds soaking wet, but she could eat a teenage boy under the table.
These small patterns in behavior gave Carrie a sense of comfort. No matter how overwhelming life became, she didn’t have to deal with it by herself any longer.
“I was furious when I found out,” she continued as Meredith chewed the crisp bacon. “Dad was indignant, his usual reaction when someone challenged him. He said that Dylan taking the money proved that he didn’t truly love me.” She forced herself to take another drink of coffee, needing the caffeine even though her stomach churned at the memory of her broken heart.
“As much as it pains me to admit it,” Avery said, “he had a point.”
“I told Dylan that when he told me he was leaving.” Resentment and pain swirled through Carrie. “He went off on Dad and how he’d manipulated me, and I was his puppet and some other not very flattering assessments I’d prefer not to revisit. Then he stormed off and that was the last I saw or heard from him until he walked into the gallery during the art show last month.”
“Now he’s back and wants vindication?” Meredith shook her head. “He’s the one who screwed up big time. What a jackass.”
“Ladies.” The three of them turned as Magnolia’s popular mayor, Malcolm Grimes, approached the booth.
Carrie moved toward the wall and patted the seat next to her. “We need to talk, Mal.”
The sixty-something African American man’s dark eyes widened as he slid in next to her. “That sounds serious.”
“Did you know about Bobby selling to Dylan Scott?” Avery demanded then drained her mimosa.
Carrie and Meredith followed suit as Malcolm visibly squirmed. “I might have heard something along those lines,” he admitted, sounding sheepish.
“Why?” Carrie reached out a hand and squeezed his arm. “Why would you let him have a foothold in the town that way? It won’t take long for him to become the most powerful man in Magnolia.”
“Power can be defined a lot of ways,” Mal answered, exhaling a long breath. “This town needs people willing to invest in it. We’ve already established that. As much as I’d like to wave my magic mayor wand and make everything better, I don’t have that ability.” He pointed toward Avery. “You were the one who initiated the plan to attract new resources and fresh ideas into the community.”
“Dylan can’t be part of it,” Carrie grumbled.
“Aw, honey.” Malcolm gently nudged her. “I know he was careless with your heart. It speaks poorly of him, or at least who he used to be. You deserve someone who will treat you like the queen you are. But I also know you wouldn’t sacrifice the opportunities Scott Development can offer Magnolia because of a decade-old grudge.”
After a moment she glanced from Mal toward her sisters. They gazed at her, eyes filled with matching sympathy.
“He wants to destroy my father’s legacy,” she said quietly, turning toward the mayor. “He admitted as much. Dylan Scott left this town and never looked back. You knew him before. Do you really believe he’s returning out of some rediscovered sense of loyalty?”
Malcolm’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m not sure what I believe at this point. But I know his company has deep pockets and he’s committed money we need to make real change around here.”
“We should have been told,” Meredith said. “I don’t care how much money that guy has, if Carrie is convinced he has shady motives, I trust her. Look at how he’s starting—with lies and deceit.”
The mayor chuckled. “That might be a tad overdramatic.”
Meredith leaned forward, eyes narrowed. “Did you just accuse me of being overdramatic?”
Carrie stifled a laugh as Malcolm slowly shook his head.
“Are you sure?” the feisty animal lover demanded. “Is it because I’m a woman? As you mentioned, the three women at this table were integral in developing a plan for this town’s revitalization. A plan that’s been a success so far.”
Meredith elbowed Avery, who immediately sat