The Reading Circle by Ashton Lee

saying things to people that I’d regret, even to my uncle Doug. Not that I have anything against Winston Groom, you understand. More power to any writer who makes a name for himself. It’s just that this last-minute reversal thing is getting to me. I’ll gladly come down for The Robber Bridegroom whenever you schedule it, but not this.”
    Maura Beth resumed her seat beside him, taking his hand and smiling gently. “I’d still like for you to be here, Jeremy. You don’t have to say anything. Just be here for me, and for the good of the club and what it means to the library. We’ve already had a couple of spirited debates—I see nothing wrong with continuing that. You above all should respect the value of the free exchange of ideas.”
    He looked down at his lap where his hands had gone limp and then shook his head. “I just can’t do it, Maura Beth. The way I feel right now, I’m wondering if I even want to return to New Gallatin Academy next year. I think I’m butting my head bloody against the bleachers of the football stadium. Maybe I should have been born in a simpler time.”
    â€œHow far back do you want to go? Before indoor plumbing? You really are in a negative mood, aren’t you?” Maura Beth said. Then it occurred to her that she should be drawing a line in the sand, so she did. “Maybe we shouldn’t see each other until you get things figured out. I don’t particularly like the side of you I’ve seen today, and you seem to think I don’t measure up to your lofty literary standards and that I’m suddenly a huge disappointment to you.”
    There was a long silence filled with tension, and neither of them seemed willing to break through it. Finally, Jeremy rose from the sofa and headed toward the door. “Seems like we’ve both said too much this afternoon. I was going to invite you out to Aunt Connie and Uncle Doug’s for dinner tonight, but I guess maybe that’s not such a good idea now. They’ll be disappointed that you’re not coming, but I’ll make up something to tell them.”
    â€œWe seem to have hit a Gump in the road,” Maura Beth said, trying for levity at the last minute.
    Jeremy produced a weak little smile and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Sorry. It’s been a really bad weekend for me. You’re right. I need to figure things out and get back to you.”
    â€œI understand all of that, Jeremy, but please, for the sake of our friendship, don’t take too long.”
    She watched him marching to his car with those long, angry strides and wondered if this might be the beginning of the end for a promising relationship that was only a few months old. Over even before it had begun?
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    It was the sort of evening given over to romantic walks and whispering sweet nothings in the ear, not to mention a good deal warmer than it should have been for February in the extreme corner of Northeast Mississippi.
    â€œThis is practically that same moon that was shining when we first drove out here to see where our little eatery was going up in the mud,” Harlan Lattimore was saying to his ex-wife after he had cooked and served up their dinner. With the restaurant closed and no one around to disturb them, they were standing on the deck of The Marina Bar and Grill whose pilings jutted out daringly over the slack waters of Lake Cherico. For her part, Periwinkle was having none of his selective remembrances of things past, including his repeated attempts to slip his arm around her waist.
    â€œThat was oh so many moons ago, Harlan John Lattimore. And I no longer have those girlish stars in my eyes.” She moved away from him slightly and then took a swig from her bottle of beer. “Otherwise, not much has changed out here. You can still turn out a mean medium-rare steak and loaded baked potato, which I thank you for. And you still got this same old faded gray deck with