Divining Elise

by Jody A. Kessler

  “Your optimism is greater than mine,” Rob said and climbed to his feet. “And I better get my little one home so I can start the whole diaper change, bottle, nap routine all over again.”

  Elise pried herself off the floor. “Thanks for your help today,” she said.

  Rob squatted down to put Allison carefully in her car seat.

  Colton walked up to Rob and signed, “Thank you for the truck.”

  Elise translated.

  Rob placed a hand on the top of Colton’s helmet. “You’re welcome, pal.” His smile was wide and genuine.

  Colton could also tell Rob’s friendly response was authentic, and he wrapped his arms around Rob in a quick hug. He had done that once before with Rob and the second time surprised her even more than the first hug. Colton didn’t usually hug men. What did that mean? Why was her son so drawn to Rob?

  Colton released Rob, spun around, swayed toward the kitchen counter, bumped the side of his helmet, and kept going as if he didn’t even notice.

  Elise and Rob flinched simultaneously.

  “I understand the helmet better now. Is he all right?” Rob asked.

  Colton resumed playing with his trucks. “He’s fine. If he wasn’t, he’d be clinging to my side.”

  Rob rose to his full height. He was so tall. He lifted the carrier and opened the door to let himself out.

  He paused to stare at Elise. “Are you still not going to call me?”

  Rob’s golden green eyes seemed to smile at the corners. He very well could be the cutest man she’d ever seen openly looking at her with so much darn sex appeal. She couldn’t think of anyone who topped him.

  “I’m not calling you,” she said as if the notion was absurd. She even flipped her hand through the air in a show of dismissal.

  Rob stroked the edge of his jaw and narrowed his gaze. “Perhaps, I’ll see you around then. We are business neighbors.”

  “We are... so perhaps,” she said, noncommittally.

  “Goodnight, Elise.”

  She closed the door, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes. Being his neighbor was going to be the ultimate test of her willpower.

  Nine

  IN THE MOVIES, funerals are accompanied by somber clouds and dreary weather. That wasn’t the case for Delaney Allison’s memorial service. Rob exited the church and met a glaring summer sun. The heat penetrated his dark suit and sweat collected along his back and under his arms. His daughter slept in the carrier after fussing and crying through half of the service. Rob had been torn on whether or not to step out of the sanctuary while the baby cried to not interrupt the pastor’s words. As if sensing Rob’s discomfort, the pastor remarked on how this was baby Allison’s chance to be a part of her mother’s remembrance. So he didn’t walk out or move to the back of the room and the group of family and friends waited until his daughter quieted after voicing her sorrow. Every person attending Delaney’s service teared up and cried along with the baby.

  Delaney’s procession moved to the cemetery where Rob, Allison, his parents, and brothers stood beneath the hot California sun and endured the tragedy to its end. Delaney’s final resting place among the green lawn and headstones was the exclamation point at the end of this terrible chapter. How had he gotten here? Would he be able to tell his daughter about the service? He had so much to consider and didn’t know what would be of importance to a little girl in a future he never could have pictured for himself.

  Since almost no one had met the baby, a lunch and wake had been organized for after the service. Rob understood his obligation to attend, but the sorrow was almost too much for him to handle. Thankfully, his family was there to be the support system he needed.

  What he didn’t expect was the conversation he had with Delaney’s cousin, Michaela, and her husband, Ashton.

  Rob and his parents formed an impenetrable barrier around the baby. Delaney didn’t have a large family, which helped immensely, but she had a lot of friends. Rob received everyone in turn and let Delaney’s father hold the baby for as long as he wanted.

  It surprised him that Delaney’s cousin, and closest relative, didn’t approach him until late in the afternoon after most of the guests had left.

  Michaela and Ashton chose their moment to offer condolences after his parents walked away to take a break and find something to eat.

  Michaela gripped her husband’s hand as if he were the life raft that kept her from drowning in a tumultuous sea.

  Ashton, who used to work at the same law firm as he did, stuck out his hand. “Sorry about all this,” he said, encompassing all aspects of the tragedy into as few words as possible.

  Michaela didn’t speak, but stared at baby Allison asleep in the car seat carrier. Michaela’s eyes were red and puffy and filled with fresh tears.

  “Thanks,” Rob said, mentally preparing to answer the same questions about his life and the baby that he’d been answering all day.

  “May I hold her?” Michaela asked.

  “She just fell asleep,” Rob said, reluctant to move her.

  “I wanted to come see her earlier, but I just couldn’t. My heart is so broken. I didn’t think I’d be able to stand here,” Michaela said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  “I’m not sure if you knew this, but we were in the process of buying a house with Delaney and planned to live with her and the baby,” Ashton said.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Are you still buying the home? Are you living in it now?”

  “Without Delaney, we were unable to get the loan. It’s okay, though, we found something else in our price range. It’s just that Michaela and I were looking forward to helping raise the baby, you know? It was a life change we were anticipating,” Ashton said.

  Rob glanced at the baby and then back to Michaela, who couldn’t seem to stop staring at her. He picked baby Allison up and handed her to Delaney’s grieving cousin. Her pained expression softened as she held the baby close.

  “She’s so beautiful. I wish Delaney could have been able to hold her. Even for a minute,” Michaela said.

  “Yeah,” Rob agreed.

  Michaela watched the infant’s face and said, “I didn’t want to go to Europe so close to her delivery date, but Ashton’s firm needed him there and paid for both our flights. Delaney insisted I go with him. She was doing just fine. There were no complications or health concerns through her entire pregnancy. I should have been with her when she went into labor. That was in her birth plan.”

  “I’m sorry,” Rob said, offering his sympathies.

  Michaela swallowed and took a shaky breath. “Delaney wanted us to be the baby’s lawful guardians should anything ever happen to her.”

  Rob blinked. Michaela wouldn’t look up and meet his eyes. He planted his gaze on Ashton.

  Ashton nodded. “We discussed it with her about a week before we left on vacation. Delaney and Michaela were really close, you know? Delaney said she would update her will and testament to grant us guardianship if she passed away before the baby was grown up. It was an unexpected conversation between them one night, but I heard the whole thing and agreed with my wife and her cousin that it would be for the best.”

  Rob’s nostrils flared as he inhaled. “Why are you telling me this right now?”

  “We wanted to contact you sooner, but you left your job and moved, and we’ve also been in the middle of our move. It’s been chaotic for all of us, I suspect,” Ashton said.

  Rob didn’t like this conversation and he tried to keep his temper in check.

  “Believe me, I didn’t know you were the baby’s father until after Delaney passed.” Ashton said, back peddling. “She never talked about who the father was. Not in front of me, anyway. I thought it was strange, but I wasn’t going to push a pregnant lady for answers. It was her business, not mine.”

  Rob looked at Michaela, who still wouldn’t make eye contact with him. “Delaney wanted to be a mom so badly. I know exactly how that feels.”

  “Did Delaney update h
er will?” Rob asked.

  “Yes, she did,” Michaela said, finally looking up at Rob.

  “What are you trying to tell me?” Rob asked.

  “That I’m the mom Delaney wanted for the baby if she couldn’t be here.”

  Rob reached over and took his daughter back from Michaela. “I don’t think this is the time or the place for this conversation.”

  “I apologize. Like Ashton said, we wanted to speak with you earlier, but the timing has been off.”

  “And I believe you’re mistaken. If Delaney wanted you to be the baby’s guardians, then why did she list me as the emergency contact and father at the hospital?”

  “I was afraid you might say something like that,” she said. “I guess we’ll see you at the reading of the will. I’ll have our lawyer contact you in the meantime.” Michaela latched onto her husband’s hand once more and they turned to leave.

  Ashton dropped his gaze and followed his wife’s lead.

  The day definitely turned out to be one of the worst in his life.

  Ten

  “THE VIEW OUT YOUR WINDOW makes my author heart go pitter-patter,” Autumn said.

  She may as well glue her eyeballs to the window, Elise thought as her best friend continued to spy on the men working across the street.

  “I know you’re talking about the hunks working on the brewery, but please tell me your romantic side is also in love with the lake, small town setting, and the old west vibe?”

  “Oh yeah, that, too. I wouldn’t have bought property here if I didn’t love the town. By the way, I don’t see Rob. Tell me what he looks like again?”

  “Tall, so tall. His shoulders taper down to a narrow waist. His hair is light brown with a slight wave and it shines and those eyes sparkle like nothing I’ve ever seen before. You may not be able to see his hair, though, because he sometimes wears a hat. And when he turns it around to focus on the baby or Colton or whatever, I think I might die of heart arrhythmia. He’s that swoony.”

  “Are you finished?”

  “Yes. No. I don’t know why he’s so sexy. He just is.”

  “I already memorized everything you told me about him. I wanted you to say it again so you could hear how infatuated you are with this mysterious Rob—the master brewer who hasn’t shown his face around here for over a week.”

  “He and his brothers should be banned from this town. Their hotness is approaching the top of the ridiculous meter. Too bad they weren’t gay. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about my stupid attraction.”

  “But they’re not gay. Ooh... and one of them just walked outside sans T-shirt.”

  “Is his hair nearly black?” Elise asked and moved to the front window where she could see the brewery.

  “Yes. And wowzers. Six packs like those don’t grow on trees. Those construction workers are refilling my creative well.”

  Elise peered around Autumn. “That’s Bodie, the Search and Rescue commander and paramedic. And stop drooling on my window.”

  To Elise’s amusement, Autumn reached up to wipe the corner of her mouth. “Sweet honey lips. We’ve hit the jackpot with our new neighbors. I’m going to start taking notes and my next book is going to write itself. There’s going to be a lot of shirtless men in this next one. And the drool is from whatever you’re cooking in the kitchen, not Mr. Drool-Worthy V over there,” Autumn said without taking her gaze off the men who were busy removing wood siding from the building.

  “There are always a lot of shirtless men in your books,” Elise said and returned to the kitchen.

  She poked her head into Colton’s bedroom to make sure he was all right. Her son sat on his brand new bed with an open picture book. She smiled to herself. Colton loved his new bed and bedding so much that he hadn’t left it since it had been delivered and assembled. Autumn brought Colton a stack of bright and beautifully illustrated new books. He was more than content to sit on top of his new truck-covered bedspread and look at the pictures.

  “Yes, yes there is. But my shirtless hunks paid for this building, so I say keep ‘em coming. Figuratively and literally.”

  “You are so bad,” Elise said and laughed. She reached for the blondies and began packing the non-brownies into a plastic to-go container. She popped the lid on then started placing empanadas on a plate.

  “I am. And you’re welcome.” Autumn flashed a devious grin. “And so are my bad boys. Those men across the street could totally be bad boys. Bad boys with huge cocks and a never-ending need to seduce and satisfy the shy, curvy shopkeeper who works across the street.”

  “Holy crap, you’ve just lost your mind.” Elise shook her head at her friend’s antics.

  “No. I did that about a dozen years ago when I began writing my first novel.” Autumn walked away from the window and past the new couch and coffee table. She parked herself on one of the barstools she’d purchased for the bar countertop.

  Since Autumn had arrived in town, she hadn’t had a spare minute to herself. They had been shopping almost every day for both the bookstore, the new coffee counter, and the apartment. Autumn paid for everything, including most of the furnishings for the apartment. Elise hadn’t been happy about that, but Autumn’s argument that the apartment was supposed to be fully furnished when Elise and Colton arrived won out. However, Elise wouldn’t let Autumn pay for Colton’s bed. It meant too much to her. She also hadn’t had time to send a proper thank you gift to the Everett brothers for all their help.

  “They’re going to love your blondies and empanadas,” she said and picked one of the extras off the cookie sheet.

  “I hope so. They’re also Colton’s favorite.”

  Autumn bit into the chewy, rich bar cookie loaded with butterscotch, dark chocolate, and peanut butter chips. “You should sell these downstairs.”

  “We’ll see. I don’t make them for profit.”

  “I know, but our customers will love them, too. We should work up a cost analysis and figure up how much we can charge for them.”

  Elise sighed. There was still so much to do before they could officially open. “It’s going to have to wait.”

  “Sure. No pressure. Everything’s going just fine, and we’ll open exactly when we’re supposed to.”

  “I knew I liked you,” Elise said and wrapped plastic over the plate of empanadas.

  “Let me get this straight. You’re taking food to the Everett brothers when Rob isn’t around? I know you want to see him again so explain yourself. I need to know your exact motives. My plotting brain is trying to figure out how the scene is going to unfold.”

  “You’re going to have to wait since I don’t know how dropping in on them is going to go, either,” she said.

  “Should I believe you? You always know what’s going to happen. You’re the one who knew this would be my building before I did.”

  “I don’t know this time.”

  Autumn gave her a skeptical look as she chewed the blondie.

  “Honest. I don’t know anything. My perception of the future isn’t always easy to decipher,” Elise said. “I had another dream about Rob, but it had nothing to do with me this time.”

  Autumn leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. “What was it about?”

  Elise appreciated that her friend never pressured her about her intuitive gifts, but was completely accepting of them. “I’ll have to tell you later, but it was grim and upsetting. The empanadas are still warm and I want to bring them over before they’re cold. Do you want to come with me?”

  “No. I’ll stay here with Colton.”

  “I knew you were going to say that.” Elise picked up the plate and the to-go container.

  “You knew because you’re psychic, or because you understand me?”

  “Yes,” Elise said, confessing nothing. “Being a new business owner in town, you’re going to have to meet the locals someday.”

  “It won’t be on this trip, though. And don’t forget, you promised not to out me yet.”

  “I know I
did. I’m just saying that we’re both starting over here and nobody knows who you are or who your family is.”

  “And I’d like to keep it that way for as long as possible. You go visit with the brewery brothers and I’ll hang out here with Colton and eat all this amazing food. Take your time.” Autumn picked up an empanada and took a bite.

  Dessert before lunch. Elise knew this incredible woman and superb author was her best friend for a reason.

  The front door stood open and rock music blared from a source Elise couldn’t see. She balanced the plate and the box in her hands and stepped over the threshold. The main level of the bar and restaurant had been stripped to the studs. Walls had been removed, exposing the load bearing support beams. The building must be old, she thought after noticing the electrical wiring was wrapped with fabric. She ventured farther inside, glancing around for either of the Everett brothers.

  The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs preceded Bodie’s appearance on the landing.

  “Look who came by to visit,” he said with a grin. He held up a finger and asked, “Give me a minute?”

  Bodie walked over to a radio on top of a workbench made from two sawhorses beneath a sheet of plywood. He turned the music off before returning to Elise.

  “Now I can speak without having to yell. Nice to see you. How’s everything going across the street?”

  “Not bad,” she said with a friendly smile. Elise held out the food. “This is for you and Shane. I’m really grateful for your help when I first arrived in town.”

  Bodie took the offered dishes. “Free food? Are these empanadas?”

  “They are.”

  “Thanks. I was just about to hit the diner for a sandwich,” he said.