“I’d appreciate it. We’ve really buckled down on his schoolwork, as you noticed, but he needs an outlet. He doesn’t have many friends, and I think it would do him a world of good to be in an environment where he’s surrounded by other boys who are all trying to move on to positive things.”
Jessica sat back and regarded him. “You’re a good father, Kent. I hope you realize that.”
He looked surprised. “I’m just pushing onward the best I can.”
“No, I’m serious. I know you felt down on yourself when we first met, but you’re really amazing. Jake will be successful because you believed in him.”
Kent pressed his lips together, then smiled. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
A minute later, he started to sing along to the song on the radio. He didn’t seem to realize he was doing it, and Jessica smiled to herself. He had a nice voice. It wasn’t radio worthy, so it was probably good that he was selling his songs and not trying to produce them with himself as the artist, but it was mellow and nice.
He and Jake met in the middle of their flowerbed, and Jessica finished the one she’d been tackling. They raked up the weeds they’d pulled and put them in a large garbage sack, then Jessica invited them to come in for some lemonade.
They sat at her kitchen table, with dirty shoes and muddy fingers and all. “Are you sure we won’t ruin your house?” Jake asked.
“My house will mop up,” Jessica replied with a smile. “I’m so grateful for your help, a little dirt won’t bother me anyway.”
She brought out some cookies and put ice in the glasses for their lemonade. “This is great,” Kent said, nodding toward the lemonade after he’d taken a sip.
“It’s from frozen concentrate,” she said with a smile. “And the cookies came out of a package. I do make things from scratch—just not today.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “It’s still good.”
She smiled again. This was the most she’d heard him talk . . . well, forever. “Jake, what kind of things do you like to do?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Stuff.”
“I was telling Miss McClain that we’d like to know more about the ranch,” Kent said.
“My uncle has all kinds of activities out there. I thought I could tell him a little about you and what interests you so he knows where you might be a good fit.”
“I used to like to build stuff,” Jake said. “I haven’t for a long time, though.”
“That’s good. It gives us a direction to go in.” She grabbed the pitcher and refilled everyone’s glasses. “Do you have enough time to help me with the next flowerbed, or do you need to go?”
Kent glanced at the clock on the wall. “We can help for another half hour, but then we have somewhere else we need to be.”
“I really appreciate it,” she started to say, but he’d kept talking, likely not realizing she was speaking.
“We can come back tomorrow around the same time,” he said. “We’re free all day.”
“Really?” She looked over at Jake, but he didn’t seem to be arguing. “Are you sure? I don’t mean to take so much of your time.”
“I don’t have a lot going on at work right now, and it’s summer, so Jake’s got lots of free time. We like doing yardwork.”
“I don’t think anyone really likes doing yardwork,” she said. “I think it’s a necessary evil that only exists to be tolerated.”
Kent chuckled. “No, we actually do like it. It’s soothing.”
She raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
“It’s mindless, and it’s predictable. And there are no decisions to be made—a weed is a weed and a plant is a plant. You don’t have to decide what to do with them. You just know.”
“I never thought about it that way.”
“Maybe we’ll make a yardwork lover out of you yet.”
She held up both hands. “Now, let’s not go that far. First, you have to get me out of hatred mode. Then you can work on creating loving feelings after that.” Her cheeks grew pink as she realized he might think she was flirting. Maybe she could keep talking and smooth it over. “But I’m telling you, nothing is going to make me love yardwork.” Crisis averted . . . maybe?
“Thank you for being willing to let me try.” He gave her another grin, then pushed back from the table. “Time’s a’wastin’. Let’s see how much we can get done before we have to leave.”
Jessica invited Jake to choose the radio station on her boom box. She expected to hate his music—after all, he was a kid, and she was a stodgy grownup, and it was her job to hate it. She actually found that she liked it, though, and she liked that they were all listening to the same thing instead of Jake being off on his own.
When they left, promising to come back the next day, she watched them go and felt a little sad. It had been a great couple of hours, and while she liked being alone, she’d really liked having them over. She was glad that she didn’t have to lose out on their new friendship just because she wasn’t Jake’s teacher anymore.
She went inside, washed up, and then placed a call to her uncle. She’d like to help facilitate this next phase of Jake’s healing, if possible.
“I don’t really have a program for boys in the community per se, but I’d be more than happy to work your friend in here and there,” Jonathan replied after she explained the situation. “His father would need to sign some permission slips and whatnot for insurance purposes, but it shouldn’t be anything too difficult.”
That was pretty much what Jessica had been thinking. “Thanks so much, Uncle Jonathan. Is there a time that would be good for him to come out and meet you?”
“Oh, just about any time, really. I’m easy to find if I’m not in the office.” He paused. “Why don’t you come out with him? You can show him how to get here, and you’d be a much more interesting tour guide than I would be.”
Jessica didn’t miss the teasing note in his voice. “Are you trying to play matchmaker, Uncle Jonathan?”
“Well, I don’t know. Do you need some help making a match?”
“I . . . I don’t even know if there’s a match here to be made.”
“Sounds like you do need a little help.” She could almost hear his smile in his voice. “Bring him over and we’ll see what we can do. For him and for his son.”
“You aren’t going to embarrass me, are you?”
“Would I do that?”
“Yes, yes, you would.”
He laughed. “I’ll be on my best behavior. But you know I wouldn’t be doing my job as your uncle if I didn’t keep an eye on the situation.”
“I do know that. Thanks, Uncle Jonathan.”
She untangled her finger from the phone cord and then hung up. Of course she should have known Uncle Jonathan would be giving her the third degree. What she didn’t expect was to be so flustered by it.
Chapter Six
Kent put some clothes into a duffel bag that was sitting open on his bed, then added in a toothbrush and some toothpaste. Last was a hairbrush and a shaving kit. Then he zipped up the bag and hefted it as though testing its weight.
He looked around the room, gave a little nod, and then set the bag in the corner. Then he lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling for several minutes before he finally went to sleep.
***
“Hey there,” Jessica said when she opened the door the next morning. Kent looked like he hadn’t slept well, which would correlate with her dream. She’d woken up with just a bit of headache, but that didn’t surprise her because they seemed to go hand in hand with the dreams.
“Morning,” Kent replied. “What are we working on today?”
She showed the two of them around the yard and pointed out what she’d like to do next. Kent set Jake to work raking leaves and other bits of debris out from beneath the bushes, and then he pulled Jessica aside.
“Something kind of amazing has happened,” he said.
“If it’s amazing, why do you look worried?”
“Well, it’s amazing, but it’s also stressful.” He rubbed his jaw. “Billy Blaine recorded my song last week, and he loved it so much that he’s asked to meet with me so I can write him a few more.”
“That’s fantastic,” Jessica replied, feeling goose bumps rise on her arms. “That’s incredible. This means your career as a songwriter is about to explode.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely a good thing. It’s just . . .”
“Yes?”
“I’m supposed to fly out tonight to join Billy’s tour and spend about a week with him. I’ve arranged for Jake’s grandma to take care of him, but he’s going to be bored, and I’m also worried about something happening while I’m gone. I worry too much sometimes.”
Jessica nodded. “I understand. That’s what parents do. My mom still calls me almost daily, even though I’m thirty.”
He grinned. “I thought women weren’t supposed to admit their real ages.”
“Hey, I have nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve done a lot with these thirty years of mine.” She thought for a minute. “Why don’t we head out and visit my uncle today, and if you hit it off, Jake’s grandmother could take him out there for activities while you’re gone? Or I could give him a ride, if that’s all right with you.”
Kent nodded. “I like that idea. I need to be out of here by six if I’m going to make my flight, but we can do that, right?”
“Sure. Just let me change really quick, and we can be on our way.”
She went into her bedroom and took off her yardwork jeans, pulling on another pair that were a little nicer. Then she took out her rubber band and pulled her hair up into a banana clip instead.
They climbed into Jessica’s car, and she pointed out the landmarks as they drove so Kent would remember how to get there. She noticed in her rearview mirror that Jake was watching with interest too.
“And here’s where we turn off.” She slowed the car and pulled onto a long driveway that led up to the front of the property. “See that pavilion? They hold huge cookouts there—it’s a tradition. And back over there are some stables, and there are horses and all kinds of other animals.”
“Cool,” Jake said. “Who’s that?”
Jessica looked to see Uncle Jonathan walking toward the car. “That’s my uncle, Jonathan McClain. I think you two are really going to like him.”
The three of them climbed out of the car, and Jessica gave her uncle a hug. “This is Kent Morgan and his son, Jake.”
Jonathan shook their hands. “Welcome to the McClain Boys’ Ranch. I’m glad you could come by.”
“Thanks for having us, especially on such short notice,” Kent replied. “I’ve heard amazing things about the work you do out here.”
“Well, we do our best,” Jonathan said. “This place was started by my grandfather, and with each generation, we’ve renewed our commitment to doing some real good in the world. All our programs are created to help instill self-worth in the boys, and to prepare them for life beyond the ranch. Many of our current employees grew up on the ranch and wanted to pay it forward by helping those who’ve come after them.”
“That’s impressive,” Kent replied. “I can’t think of any better cause than helping others.”
“Neither can we. Let’s take a look around, and I’ll tell you about the different things we do here.”
Jonathan gave Jessica a wink as they began their walk around the property. She gave him an exaggerated eye roll to let him know that she knew what he was thinking. She didn’t know of any male matchmakers, but he was certainly angling for the job.
Jessica turned her attention to Jake and noticed that he was more alert and attentive than she’d seen him ever before. He seemed especially interested when they got to the barn and were talking about the horses.
“The boys rotate their chores,” Jonathan was saying. “Every one of them take a turn in here with the animals, and they’ll also plant and cultivate the crops and learn how to build and mend. We have a shop here with every tool you can imagine, and if something’s needed that we don’t have, we’ll get it. We want the boys to be as creative as possible and to stay busy doing things with their hands.”
Jake’s eyes were wide as he looked around at all the tools. Jessica thought they might have hit on his area of interest.
“What are some of the activities here in the shop that Jake could do?” Kent asked.
“On weekday afternoons, we almost always have a group of boys out here working on various different projects,” Jonathan said. “That’s all during the summer. The schedule changes when school starts, but we’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
Jake turned to Kent, a grin on his face. “Can I come, Dad?”
“Sure. If it’s all right with Mr. McClain.”
Jonathan nodded. “I’ve no objection.”
“And what are your class fees?” Kent reached for his wallet.
Jonathan held up a hand. “Now, don’t worry yourself about that. I mentioned that we like doing some good in the world—consider this part of that good.”
“But . . .”
Jonathan fixed Kent with a look. “Your son isn’t going to cost us anything—we have so many supplies here, it won’t make a single difference what he uses up. And you think we’ll even notice an extra boy? We currently have twenty-five out here—that’s right. Twenty-five. I think we can handle twenty-six.”
“If you’re sure . . .”
“Of course I’m sure. Jessica, am I sure?”
She smiled. “Yes, he’s sure.”
“All right. Thank you, Mr. McClain. This means a lot to me.”
“And it means a lot to me too—it means one more boy will have a great summer.”
They spent another half an hour walking around the property. Kent looked thoroughly impressed, and Jake looked like he couldn’t wait to get started.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, if that’s when you’d like to kick this off,” Jonathan said to Jake as they were getting ready to leave.
“Yes, sir! That is, if I can get my granny to bring me out here.”
“If you can’t, I’ll drive you,” Jessica said, and Jake’s face split into a grin.
“All right! Thanks, Miss McClain!”
Seeing his smiling face, she knew this was the right call. He just needed some way to feel connected and important again, and by working on something that was his true passion, he’d be all right.
***
There was a different vibe in the air at the boys’ ranch, something Kent had never felt before, but it warmed him from the inside out. These were good people who were bending over backwards to give troubled youth a fresh start, and Kent was so grateful that his son would have a chance to participate in some of that goodness. He was also grateful to Jessica for setting up this meeting with her uncle and making it all possible.
He couldn’t help but glance at her as they walked around the property. The sunlight bounced off her hair, making it look even more shiny and lustrous, and his fingertips itched to touch it. He’d loved watching her banter with her uncle—he could tell that they loved and respected each other, but they showed their love through teasing. This was an unusual family, mostly because he hadn’t heard any bickering the whole time he’d been there. Surely with that many people living on one piece of land, there would be bickering, but no. Instead, they were all working together toward common goals, and it was unlike anything he’d ever seen.
When they came around to the front of the main house, several boys were pouring gravel onto the ground from a wheelbarrow, and several more boys were spreading the gravel around neatly with shovels. It looked like they were creating a tidy walkway past the flowerbeds. If he and his friends had been asked to do that when they were teenagers, he was positive they all would have rebelled, but these boys seemed to enjoy what they were doing.
“So, what do you put in the Kool-Aid?” he asked.
Jonathan laughed. “Not a thing! They’re not drugged or brainwashed. We pay th
em for their work, and that gives them a chance to understand the correlation between working hard and getting rewards. Plus, they know we’re having a cookout tonight, and so they want to hurry and finish up so they aren’t late for that.”
“A positive reward system,” Kent said, nodding.
“Yes. And in addition, they’re not only learning how to work hard for a boss, but they’re learning how a boss should treat them. From here on out, if someone tries to take advantage of them or to push them beyond what’s reasonable and fair, they’ll recognize the need to stand up for themselves. They work hard here, but always within proper limits, and always with the right amount of respect.”
Kent nodded again. “I tell you what, Mr. McClain. I came here today prepared to like you, but I’m a bit caught off guard by just how much I respect you. Keep up the good work out here.”
“Thank you,” Jonathan replied. “I intend to do just that.”
Chapter Seven
When they got back to Jessica’s house, Jake climbed in his dad’s car to get ready to go, but Kent didn’t seem to be in a hurry. Instead, he leaned against Jessica’s car and folded his arms across his chest.
“You know, you’re something else,” he said. “I feel like you were brought into our lives for a reason. Have you ever felt that way about someone?”
“Yes,” she replied. “And I believe it—our paths intertwine for our best good. I’ve seen it happen over and over again.”
“Well, you’re that for me. The changes in Jake—”
“I can’t take credit for any of that,” she protested. “You did that for him.”
“I did a lot of it, but you inspired it,” he replied. “I wouldn’t have known the first thing to do without your encouragement.”
“Yes, you would. All I did was give you some homework assignments.”
“And you gave me the hope that it was possible.” He reached out as if to take her hand, but then he shook his head and stepped back. “I’ll be gone for about a week, but when I get back, I’d like to see you. As in, I’d like to ask you out on a date.”
Jessica (Seven Sisters Book 2) Page 4
