Bark to the Future (An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy Book 5) Read online

  Bark to the Future

  An Alpine Grove Romantic Comedy

  Book 5

  Susan C. Daffron

  Published by Magic Fur Press

  An imprint of Logical Expressions, Inc.

  P.O. Box 383, Ponderay, Idaho 83852, USA

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business organizations, events, or locales is purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2015 by Susan C. Daffron

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher.

  ISBN:

  978-1-61038-031-7 (paperback)

  978-1-61038-032-4 (EPUB)

  Digital Edition 1.1 – November 8, 2015

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Copyright Page

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Chapter 1 - Now What?

  Chapter 2 - Adjustments

  Chapter 3 - Daffodils & Deloreans

  Chapter 4 - Smells & Secrets

  Chapter 5 - The Silver Bird

  Chapter 6 - Back Again

  Chapter 7 - Choices

  Chapter 8 - Revisions

  Chapter 9 - Drama & A Dare

  Chapter 10 - Ventilation & Conversation

  Chapter 11 - Epilogue

  Thanks for Reading

  Dedication & Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Books by Susan C. Daffron

  Synopsis

  Growing up in the small town of Alpine Grove, Beth Connelly was the weird, shy kid who hid in the back room of her mother’s bookstore. But all that study time led to being the class of 1985 valedictorian, a college scholarship, and a dream job offer in Arizona. Ten years later, her life is almost perfect. But not for long.

  Beth returns to Alpine Grove after an unfortunate series of events, just in time for the 10-year high school reunion she vowed not to attend. But her vow is no match for a sneaky former cheerleader who tricks her into going. While she’s there, she runs into the one person she hoped to never see again: Drew Emery. Drew is just as easy to talk to as ever, and maybe she shouldn’t have said all those terrible things to him so long ago. But everyone deserves a second chance, right?

  Bark to the Future is a romantic comedy novel of approximately 78,000 words.

  Chapter 1

  Now What?

  Everyone knows that high-school reunions are just a panoply of artifice, Mom.” Elizabeth Connolly twisted the phone cord in her hand, trying to contain her exasperation. “Maybe I haven’t explained my position clearly to you, but I have no intention of ever seeing those people again. And it’s absurd to have a ten-year reunion in the wrong year. It’s 1996 now. My esteemed classmates need to abandon the idea that a decade has passed. It has been eleven years since 1985. At this point, it’s time to move on. Maybe they can be a bit more organized about the fifteen-year celebration.”

  “Please don’t get agitated, dear.” Her mother sighed. “You don’t have to start using words from the unabridged dictionary. I’m just letting you know that a couple of your classmates stopped by the store and asked me about it.”

  “I don’t want to talk to anyone I went to high school with. Ever.” Beth clenched the receiver in her fist. Her habit of selecting precise words was better than the alternative. Unintelligible stuttering mumbles were a turn-off to just about everyone. Mom had to know that even the idea of the inevitable social interactions of a reunion struck terror into her introverted soul.

  “Beth, be reasonable. You were the valedictorian and they want you to be there because you made that wonderful speech at graduation. And it’s not fair to blame them for the timing. You know that because of the big Thanksgiving blizzard, the reunion had to be rescheduled.”

  “But to February? What are they thinking? No one wants to go to Alpine Grove in February.”

  “That’s not true, dear. There are skiers clomping about everywhere in those huge furry boots. They love it here and book sales are finally starting to inch back up again, which is a relief. It was a great holiday season at the store, but then there’s always the inevitable slow period afterward.”

  “You know I detest winter. All the snow, cold, and gray. It’s dreadful.” Beth pulled the elastic out of her hair and ran her fingers through the long mahogany strands, tugging at an errant tangle.

  “Oh, you should see it! Right now, it’s so pretty. After all the storms in November and December, the weather seems to have calmed down. It has been sunny and the skiers tell me that the conditions are fantastic.”

  “I don’t relish skiing-related activities. You know that.”

  “Maybe you could try it again? I’d love to see you for my birthday too. It’s been so long since you’ve been home, and I know you’ve been working too hard. I’m worried about you.”

  “I’m fine.” Beth took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. It had been a long day at work with countless petty co-worker disputes. The pounding in her temples was finally starting to subside. It had been such a relief to take her contact lenses out. “We have a big product launch coming up. I’m ensuring that the solution is viable and managing a lot of people and processes that affect the critical path.” Oops. Mom hated it when she degenerated into corporate geek-speak. But after so many hours of being immersed in the lingo, relaxing was a struggle.

  Her mother paused and finally replied evenly, “I know your job is important, dear, but this is a big birthday for me. Sixty is an important milestone. I’m officially going to be old.”

  “I know you’re just being facetious, but please don’t say that. You’re not old. Unless you’ve been withholding significant health information from me, it’s unlikely you’re going to transform into a decrepit senior citizen overnight.” Beth’s mother was her best friend in the whole world. Mom was going to have to defy all odds and live to be at least 120 years old.

  “I just miss you, dear. Please think about a visit. Bea Sullivan is throwing a big birthday party for me and I’d love it if you were there. Bea knows everyone, and it sounds like she has invited half the town.”

  “You know I miss you too. I’ll try, but please don’t assume I can attend. Getting to Alpine Grove in the winter months can be problematic. Maybe I could visit in the spring after the snow and mud are gone. I know it’s a bit premature, but I hope you have a happy birthday.”

  There was a thump and Beth could hear her mother say, “Oh Arlo, what have you done?” She came back on the line and said, “Beth, I have to go now. Arlo has made a mess and I need to clean it up before the stain sets into the poor old dining-room rug.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you on your birthday.” Beth hung up the phone and rested her arms on the table. Her mother’s insistence on a visit was unusual and decidedly worrisome. Maybe she should visit, since it had been a while. But going back to her hometown always brought back memories Beth preferred to forget.

  She leaned her head down on her arms. Sometimes her mother was not forthcoming with information, preferring to dwell in the realm of idle chitchat. Margaret Connelly’s ability to engage in small talk helped her sell more books, but it could be frustrating to Beth sometimes.

  Maybe there was something important Mom wasn’t disclosing. That would be typical. To be fair, Beth hadn’t been exaggerating about her work responsibilities. She had so much t
o do at work before the launch at the end of the month. Weeks of long hours were taking a toll, and she was exhausted. But right now, it was probably freezing in Alpine Grove. The average February temperature in Tucson was 70.5 degrees. This was the time of year when everyone wanted to be here in the desert. Certainly not when it was 102 in July.

  It was never a good idea to dwell on high-school memories. Beth knew better, but talking to her mother brought it all back. Realistically, Beth had spent most of high school just wanting it to be over so she could get out of Alpine Grove. But there was a lot her mother didn’t know, particularly about what happened the summer after senior year. Because Beth had been the “super brain” of the class and painfully shy, most people just ignored her and left her alone. The feeling was mutual. Most of the students in the Cedar County High School class of 1985 didn’t matter one way or another to her. But there was one person in particular Beth didn’t want to see ever again.

  Beth leaned her head back on the sofa and put her arm over her eyes, as if blocking the light could block her thoughts as well. That summer after graduation was unlike any other time in her life. A decade later, she still dreamed about it all the time. It had been a magical summer and so many things had changed for her. But by the time fall rolled around, Beth knew she had to leave Alpine Grove and get on with her life. She had to be a grown up. Maybe what she’d done was cowardly. But in the end, she had made the right choice, even if the way she had gone about it hadn’t been ideal. Back then, she had huge opportunities ahead of her with the full scholarship to the University of Arizona and everything that followed it.

  Intellectually, Beth had no doubts about the decisions she’d made ten years ago because they all led to where she was now. Being a manager at Research Technology Processing or “RTP,” one of the largest technology companies in the United States, was intellectually challenging and financially rewarding. She had her own house, a brilliant boyfriend who was a professor at the University of Arizona, and a fantastic job with limitless potential for advancement. Plus, thanks to generous employment benefits that included tuition reimbursement, she was finally getting close to finishing her PhD. All of her youthful dreams had come true. What more could any woman want? And yet, even with all her accomplishments, she still found herself wondering ‘what if’ more often than she cared to admit.

  Of course, the quixotic side of herself that she endeavored to suppress at work secretly thought it might be fun to go back to Alpine Grove just to show everyone that the odd bookish girl who never talked to anyone actually had made something of herself.

  Beth pushed herself up off the couch and smiled. It would be even more satisfying if all the cheerleaders had gotten fat.

  The next morning, Beth drove south from her house on the east side of Tucson to the science and technology park. The road trailed through the desert, and saguaros zipped by her windows. As the Santa Catalina Mountains receded behind her, it seemed the desert was especially colorful and bright in the crisp early morning sunshine. She was looking forward to seeing Graham after work. She actually was going to leave work on time because they planned to go out to dinner at a new restaurant. The last time they’d scheduled a date, he’d had to cancel at the last minute. Because of their busy work schedules, it seemed like it had been a long time since she’d seen him.

  After another long day of herding cats, as the programmers liked to say at RTP, Beth returned to worrying about her conversation with her mother as she drove to meet Graham at the Mexican restaurant. Sitting at interminable traffic lights gave her lots of time for more pointless rumination. Finally, she’d had enough of her own thoughts. It was time to stop dwelling on high school and Alpine Grove. What was wrong with her?

  At the restaurant, Beth walked through the huge wooden doors and waved to Graham as she crossed the room toward the table. He stood up and pulled out a chair for her. Beth always felt a little twinge of pride that she was dining with such a handsome and brilliant man. When she had met Graham, the intellectually stimulating conversations they’d had were so refreshing. At the time, it had felt like she was finally dating a grown-up.

  Beth loved the color of his deep dark-brown eyes and the way his wavy brown hair flowed back from his forehead. There were a few gray hairs at his temples that she knew distressed him, but she thought it was dashing, in a young Sean Connery or Harrison Ford way. It was clear that he would be one of those men who would segue nicely from good-looking to distinguished as he got older.

  Graham put his hand on her shoulder and bent to kiss her cheek as she sat down. “Hello Beth. You look lovely this evening.”

  “Thank you. It’s so good to see you again. I enjoy talking on the phone with you, but it’s not the same as seeing you in person.” She leaned across the table to put her hand on his. “Shall we go to my house after dinner? From here, it’s probably closer than yours.”

  He interlaced his fingers with hers. “I’m afraid I can’t tonight, darling. I have a meeting bright and early tomorrow morning and it wouldn’t look good if I don’t attend.”

  “I thought faculty meetings were on Thursdays.”

  Graham smiled. “Never question the vagaries of the academic environment. It’s ephemeral and sometimes even a bit whimsical, given to flights of fancy.”

  “You mean Gerald got the bright idea to call a staff meeting on a different day?”

  “Yes, but he’s the head of the department and he made a special point to me about being there.” He squeezed her hand. “So how was your day?”

  Beth shook her head. “Busy. Stressful because of the launch. But I think there’s something more going on. I was glad not to work late tonight for a change. There’s an undercurrent of anxiety that’s perplexing to me. Of course, I’m not privy to the activities in the higher echelons of the company, but many employees seem to be huddled and whispering more than usual. I don’t think it’s my imagination.”

  He let go of her hand and gestured dismissively. “Beth, we’ve talked about this before. You know how you fret about being socially awkward. That makes you overly sensitive to the reactions of other people. You always think people are talking about you, and they’re not. I’m sure it’s nothing but idle water-cooler chitchat.”

  “I hope you’re right. I know there are always rumors of RAs at a big company like RTP. And it’s certainly not like the employee counts haven’t dropped during my tenure there.”

  Graham waved to attract the attention of a waiter and turned back to Beth. “It’s ridiculous that they can’t call a layoff what it really is: a firing. A euphemism like ‘resource action’ or ‘RA’ is just insulting to people whose lives are affected by big-company politics and stock machinations.”

  The waiter arrived and Graham ordered for both of them. Beth enjoyed the fact that he always knew just what she wanted. Nothing too hot, since too much jalapeno could lead to digestive discomfort for her. He could be so thoughtful about little details like that.

  Graham caught Beth up on the latest university gossip until their meal arrived. After the waiter set down the enchiladas on the table, Beth said, “Oh, you’ll find this amusing. My mother wants me to go to my high-school reunion. I guess some of my classmates have stopped by the bookstore asking after me.”

  Graham knit his brows. “Good heavens Beth, why does your mother care?”

  “Alpine Grove is like that. Everyone knows everyone. Because I was the valedictorian, I guess they think it’s important for me to be at the ten-year reunion.”

  “But you graduated in 1985.”

  “Yes, I did. They had to postpone it.”

  “Well, that’s a bit odd.”

  Beth gripped her necklace, her fingertips fiddling with the pendant at the end of the chain. “My hometown is a little odd in some ways, I suppose.”

  “So you’ve told me. I can’t imagine you wanting to go back there. You’ve moved well beyond small-town life.”

  “I was thinking it could actually be enjoyable if you went with me. In
all the time you’ve known me, you’ve still never been to Alpine Grove.”

  Graham raised his eyebrows. “I think I’ll pass on a trip to sleepy rural America, thank you.”

  “It’s not that bad. You make Alpine Grove sound like some uncivilized wasteland, but many of the people who live there are very pleasant.”

  “You certainly haven’t made it sound like it is redolent with excitement. More like a bastion of dive bars.”

  “Well no one will mistake the Mystic Moon Saloan for a cultural way station, particularly since the owner can’t spell saloon correctly.” Beth speared a piece of her enchilada with her fork. “But Alpine Grove is where I grew up. It’s part of my history. And I’ve always wanted you to meet my mother. I’m sure you’d be enjoy conversing with her—your literary interests are quite compatible. She’s extremely well-read.”

  “I would certainly assume so, after so many years of owning a bookstore.”

  Beth looked down at her half-eaten meal. Yes, she was from a little town in the middle of nowhere, and she wasn’t as sophisticated as most people Graham knew. But not only had he not met her mother, she hadn’t met any member of his family, either. It had been more than six years now. Yes, they’d had problems, but also some good times, particularly when they first met.

  Most of the time, Beth had no clue what Graham was thinking or how he felt. Although she tried to be honest and minimize misunderstandings, her efforts often failed. She was so bad at relationships. It was probably her fault he had never wanted to commit to anything. So they just kept seeing each other informally, taking the opportunity to enjoy evenings together when their busy schedules permitted it.

  Every once in a while, it seemed like he wanted to move their relationship to the next level, but every time she thought he was going to tell her how he felt, he gave her jewelry instead. Other times, after they’d had an awful fight, she had been convinced he never wanted to see her again. Then he’d call as if nothing had happened.