Right from the Start

by Jeanie London

  She inclined her head, dark hair falling forward but not hiding eyes that glinted and her struggle to maintain a composed expression. She was fighting, trying to keep her emotions from taking over.

  Talking to help her through the moment, he said, “If the Ramsey Foundation grant doesn’t come through, then something else will. You know what I’m talking about. A door closes and a window opens. That whole thing.”

  Silence was his only reply for a long moment then she took a deep, steadying breath. “We do what we can do, and that’s all we can do, right?”

  “Right.”

  There was more silence between them, a healing silence. He suspected she was looking for humor to get her through whatever was happening in her world, whatever had frayed her nerves.

  Finally she met his gaze. “You’ve moved heaven and earth to make this place happen, Will. You know how much everyone appreciates everything you’ve done and are still doing?”

  “We do what we can do.”

  That’s when her expression melted and she smiled softly. He witnessed the effort, hoped that whatever had her worried today would resolve quickly, but she’d found her humor again.

  “We do what we can do.” A reminder. “And trust that God’s got a plan.”

  “Yep,” Will agreed. “So you do your thing at Angel House, and let me worry about this place for the moment. That a deal?”

  “Deal.” She tightened her grip on his hands. “So what do you have going on around here tonight? I know you’re not heading home yet.”

  “I wish.” Will laughed. “Well, not really. House is quiet without Sam around, to be honest.”

  “I’ll bet. Crazy, isn’t it?”

  “What?”

  “How life might not happen as we expect, but somehow things turn out exactly the way they’re supposed to. Different maybe, but better in so many ways.”

  Will let out a low whistle. “Different is right. Maybe we just learn to appreciate things more, the simple things that get lost in the shuffle. What do you think?”

  “Could be.” Finally, a sincere smile. “Thanks.”

  He had no reply because one wasn’t necessary. They were there for each other. Period. That was what Angel House taught its parents. To care. To have faith. To trust that everything would work out for the best. To let the heartaches fuel appreciation for the victories. To find humor in the uniqueness of the journey. For that last one alone, Will owed Deanne more than he would ever get a chance to repay.

  He walked her through the building, pointing out a few more things that had been done since her tour yesterday morning.

  Then he escorted Deanne to her car. “I’ll send the key over sometime this week.”

  “You don’t have to trouble—”

  “I’ll send it with someone who’s headed in that direction.” Which would likely be him on the way to City Hall. “Rekeyed the whole building when we replaced the doors, and should have thought of it then. You come whenever and start bringing your stuff.”

  That made her laugh. “You are a total doll. Enjoy your free time. I might be able to finagle a few extra days of camp for Sam but that’ll be it. The program age group shifts next week.”

  “You’re the doll. I really needed this extra time to get things under control here.” If that’s what he could call it.

  He opened her car door when the lock clicked and shut it behind her. With a wave she drove off.

  Will glanced at Kenzie’s side of the lot. Her car was still there. He wouldn’t have minded avoiding her tonight. In general he found ignoring the unattended aspects of his life easier when he wasn’t around Kenzie James.

  After falling asleep at her desk last night, he was surprised she hadn’t headed home early—and wished she had. But she was probably like everyone else around here with too much to do and not enough time to do it. Deanne wasn’t the only one on the verge of hyperventilating.

  Which wiped out avoidance as one of his choices tonight. He couldn’t dodge work. Not if he planned to keep his promises to Deanne and Kenzie. Which brought to mind another promise. Will stopped at his truck to grab his toolbox and sanding equipment.

  After knocking on the side door, he rang the bell. When he still didn’t get an answer, he let himself in with the key, unwilling to waste any more time trying to be polite. For all he knew she could be dozing at her desk again. He didn’t think she was in class since there were no cars around.

  He made a tour of the administrative offices but didn’t find her. Maybe he could finish up the classroom with the missing ceiling panel, compliments of last night’s stupidity.

  * * *

  “WHERE ARE YOU, Nathanial?” Kenzie asked when the call rolled to voice mail yet again.

  She frowned at the display and disconnected without leaving a message. She’d already left two, one last night and another earlier today, when she thought the judge might break for lunch. She’d sent her good-morning text message wishing him a successful day as she always did when he was in court. She hadn’t expected a reply to the text because she always tried to be his last encouraging thought before he closed the door on his personal life to focus on what took place in the courtroom. A very high-stress and surprising world by all accounts.

  “Not even a text, Nathanial, really?” she said aloud, but there was no one in her office to reply.

  Just Kenzie and her thoughts—exactly what she didn’t want to be alone with right now.

  Which was the problem. Nathanial was probably crazy busy. The urgency was entirely hers, and she factored that in every time she began to get impatient.

  Dragging a fingertip across her touch-screen display, she decided not to wait. She would send him another text. Then she stopped herself before typing the first word of a message. Reason argued he would have replied already if he’d been available. Desperation was transforming her into a shrew.

  Did she really want to make that choice?

  Setting down the phone, she slid it across her desk until it was out of easy reach.

  No, she did not want to become a shrew, but she also thought the most important man in her life besides her father should be available when she needed him.

  That wasn’t entirely fair, since he usually was.

  Then again, she was pretty low-maintenance.

  Okay, okay. To be fair to Nathanial, he was entrenched in a big case at the moment. It wasn’t his fault she was needy right now, simply unfortunate timing.

  That acknowledgment didn’t change the fact she was needy.

  There was only one way to purge this fascination with Will, and that was to involve herself with the man who was her life partner. They hadn’t been friends with benefits, as they’d called it, since that last trip to Florida. She didn’t know what Nathanial had going on right now, but he’d always been there for her in every way.

  Except today.

  Kenzie stood and prowled the edges of the room, glancing out at her view of Main Street. The sun had started to set, lengthening the shadows from the direction of the courthouse. The streetlamps wouldn’t cycle on for another half hour at least.

  She was agitated and edgy and needed a distraction. Of all the nights not to have a class scheduled... That left unpacking another room since she was already prepped for tomorrow’s meetings. But renovations made her think of Will, so no help there. It wouldn’t kill her to go home and take care of everything she’d been ignoring because of this move.

  Just the
thought of being alone in her head right now brought on a mild wave of panic.

  Which left friends.

  Beelining for her desk, Kenzie sent a bulk text to Fiona and Jess.

  Kevin’s tonight, PLEASE!

  She depressed the Send button and envisioned sitting around a table in the busy bistro, talking nonstop and sipping wine, with all the distractions of diners coming in and out for Kevin’s anticipated nightly specials.

  The phone vibrated. Not a text but a call. Kenzie answered it before she even knew who it was.

  “Okay, Kenzie. You haven’t had two SOSes in the past five years, now all of a sudden I’m getting two in a month. What on earth is going on?”

  Fiona.

  “Just drowning in the sludge of my thoughts tonight,” she said lamely because that’s exactly how she felt. Lame.

  “I know the sound of man trouble,” Fiona said sagely. “What on earth is going on with you and Nathanial?”

  Funny how she jumped straight to Nathanial and asked exactly the question that Kenzie had been avoiding. But why would she think anything else. Who else would be in her life but Nathanial? How long had it been since Kenzie had another date?

  “No, no. It’s nothing like that. I’ve got some other stuff going on, and Nathanial isn’t available because he’s in court.”

  “Hmm. Sounds like a problem to me. Just saying.”

  “Fiona,” Kenzie warned. She was not in the mood for a lecture. “I don’t need any more things to worry about tonight, thank you. I needed to vent.”

  “Cody and I have tickets for that fund-raiser at Mission Children’s Hospital tonight. I’m on my way to meet him now, but I’ll bag. I’m sure he’ll understand—”

  “Absolutely not. You do not cancel your plans to rescue me.”

  “Oh, God, Kenzie. This sounds serious. I don’t mind. Cody is way more excited about hearing Dr. Yovino speak than I am. Trust me.”

  “I appreciate that, but go have fun. I’m glad someone has a cocktail dress in her night.”

  “How am I supposed to have fun when I’m going to worry about you?”

  “No worrying. I am fine. I mean it.”

  “Tomorrow night? I get off work at eight. We can meet up at Kevin’s then. Sound good?”

  “Sounds great. I’ll look forward to hearing about Dr. Yovino’s presentation,” she added to sound upbeat.

  The pediatric cardiologist had been active and visible in gaining recognition for the Mission Foundation and all their various causes. Surely he’d be an interesting speaker. And then there’d be the pricey dinner and probably dancing... Fiona had a life, and a man. And they were doing things together. Like a normal couple who didn’t work all the time.

  That was the problem with her and Nathanial—they’d prioritized wrong. Their relationship should be first, work second....

  “All right, then. I’ll text you during dinner to find out how you’re doing.”

  “Have fun.”

  “See you tomorrow night.”

  Kenzie disconnected the call. See, she had friends who cared, and the call did make her feel a little better. She checked her texts to see if Jess had responded, but no luck. Probably still at work.

  Kenzie considered calling Geri, but she already knew what Geri would say.

  “If you thought the problem would go away on its own then think again because it doesn’t work that way, and I already weighed in on the solution.”

  Geri had delivered a verdict. Fiona would encourage Kenzie to pour out her heart while Jess would come up with an abundance of ideas to tackle the problem. Nathanial was the one who would make Kenzie feel better by being there.

  They could pick one of the ongoing home improvement projects at Kenzie’s house to work on, chatting companionably while they worked. Or they could head to Nathanial’s house and blow off the world by popping in any Jason Statham movie, which were Nathanial’s favorites. Or The Matrix. He could watch those over and over again. Not the last of the trilogy, though. He didn’t even own that one, deeming it an unworthy conclusion to the series.

  Whatever they did, things would feel right in her world again, and this overwhelming urge to pour her heart out would subside. Which was good since she couldn’t share this problem with him, anyway.

  That thought stopped her cold.

  Why wouldn’t she share her feelings with Nathanial? Because he’d warned her against getting involved with Will?

  Kenzie considered that as she headed back to the window. The streetlamps were still dark, but a car cruised past with its lights on. What on earth was she doing? Why did waking up to Will last night suddenly throw her into such a tizzy when she wasn’t the tizzy type?

  Ugh!

  She’d spoken with her parents before dinner, but made another call just to hear a voice. “Hey, Mom. I forgot to ask how bridge went today.”

  “That’s sweet of you, Kenzie. We made five tables happen.”

  There was a sigh in that statement, so Kenzie asked, “Trouble with your group?”

  Mom launched into a tale about the amount of work she put in coordinating the tables, who could sit with whom and who bickered when they were together. By the time she’d worked her way through all the confirmation phone calls and buffet issues to all the trouble one cancellation caused and people’s thoughtlessness about not making their own replacements, Kenzie was nicely distracted and pretty convinced the need to rant was a genetic thing in the James family.

  “Your father told me I should resign and let someone else take over,” Mom said.

  Kenzie had been about to suggest the very same thing, but guessed by Mom’s tone that her reaction to Dad’s suggestion hadn’t been favorable. Instead, Kenzie said, “Is it possible to ask for some help?”

  “I’m the help. Marianna coordinates the group all winter while your father and I are in Florida, so I give her a break when we’re home.”

  “Sounds like you both need some more backup.”

  “Hmm. I’m sure Marianna would agree, but I’m not sure the sort of help we’d get would be very productive. The last time we asked the ladies to step up, the club didn’t meet for months. I hate to see the group disband entirely. Some of us have been playing together for nearly thirty years.”

  “Is eliminating a table or two a possibility?” Kenzie asked as a beep sounded in her ear. She glanced at the display.

  Jess.

  “Got another call coming in, Mom. I need to take it. I’ll call you in the morning. Sweet dreams.”

  “Thanks for listening, Kenzie.”

  “Love you.” Someone got to rant tonight. That was something.

  Clicking over the call, she hoped against hope Jess would accept her invitation. “Hey. Thanks for getting back with me.”

  “What’s up? Your text sounded urgent.”

  How a text could sound urgent was up for debate. “Need some girl time.”

  There would be a problem getting together with Jess, but Fiona had already declined. Kenzie would risk it. She was that desperate. As long as they filled Fiona in on the details she’d missed, they might minimize the fallout.

  “I’m so sorry. I can’t. I’m covering for Professor Wheaton tonight, and class won’t let out until ten.”

  “Good for you.” It was a wonderful opportunity for Jess, who was an adjunct at a private college north of town.

  “Yeah, I’m excited. But I’m surprised you didn’t have a class yourself.”<
br />
  “No, no class tonight I’m afraid.” Everyone had a life but her. When had this happened? She prided herself on maintaining balance in her life, on practicing what she preached, but right now she’d been abandoned by everyone who mattered.

  “Listen, Kenzie. I don’t know what’s up, but I know something is. Why don’t we meet up for Tara’s tribal dance class tomorrow night and then hit Kevin’s after? Solid plans. Don’t worry about Fee. If she can make it, she’ll be there. If not, it’s just you and me.”

  “Fiona said she’d be available after eight. I just spoke with her.”

  “Perfect, then. What about you?”

  It took Kenzie a moment to recall her calendar. That was never a good sign. “I’m okay. No class tomorrow night.”

  “Great! Then it’s a date.”

  “Looking forward to it.”

  Kenzie disconnected, grateful she had something to look forward to even if it didn’t solve tonight’s problem. And she did have friends who cared, even if they did have lives.

  And she didn’t.

  Why didn’t she have a life? And why hadn’t she noticed until right now?

  Self-reflection was not going to work tonight. She needed to redirect, distract herself. Then it hit her.

  Thanks to Jess, Kenzie knew exactly what would make her feel better. She probably felt as if she was coming unglued at the seams because her workout routine had fallen to the wayside with all the relocating and renovations.

  An oversight that would end this very second.

  * * *

  WAS THAT MUSIC?

  Will paused in the middle of bolting a T-bar to the track in the original ceiling and strained to hear. He’d had to replace the grid in this room, wouldn’t get around to inserting the panels until he was done.

  Once again he appreciated the contractor who’d created this crawl space, which was coming in handy for all kinds of reasons.