by Tara Randel
“Which is?”
“Ask yourself just how serious you are about your future. If you want to move ahead, don’t let anything stop you.”
She wouldn’t. As of right now, the catering business was a go.
If only her relationship with Wyatt was as easy.
CHAPTER NINE
BACK IN LA the following week, Jenna was booked with back-to-back meetings. And Barbara and the producers had several discussions about how the cooking show would work despite Jenna’s cross-country move. The producers were less than eager to hear she would continue to live in Florida. Thankfully they didn’t fire her. Instead, they suggested an intense shooting schedule to film as many episodes as possible, allowing Jenna to reduce the number of trips she’d have to make to LA. She didn’t complain, relieved they were willing to work with her. She still had this job. For now.
She hadn’t been back for more than a day when Rod tracked her down despite the fact she’d checked into a different hotel than last time. He wasn’t very subtle as he trailed her to the meeting with the network executives, then dinner with Barbara.
Her agent noticed her pushing at the food on her plate.
“You’re quiet. What’s up?”
Jenna placed her fork on the table. “It’s Rod. I’m pretty sure he’s been following us all day.”
“Really? I haven’t seen him. I thought the last time you were in town he assured you he’d leave you alone?”
“He did. Apparently he’s changed his mind, which worries me.”
“What are you going to do?”
“If you don’t mind, head back to the hotel.”
And wait.
* * *
SHE WASN’T SURPRISED when, true to form, Rod sauntered into the lobby a few minutes after her. She’d thought ahead, calling the police in advance of his arrival.
“Expecting me?” A wide smile crossed his face as he came up to her.
How could he behave so casually, as if everything was okay? “Rod, you told me you’d stop following me.”
He blinked. “Why would I do that? Jenna, we have a connection. That will never change.”
Alarmed, she scanned the lobby for security. “I’m warning you, Rod. Stop following me.”
“Hey, as long as I’m not close, I can take pictures. Just like today.” He winked. “I’d forgotten how uptight you are.”
She lifted her chin. “Look, I’ve had enough. Back off.”
He seemed truly surprised by her vehemence. “You’re kidding, right?”
“What part of leave me alone don’t you understand?”
“You don’t mean it.”
“I’m serious, Rod. So serious, in fact, that I called the police.”
He quickly glanced around the lobby, but then relaxed. “Nice try.”
“They’re coming.”
As if on cue, the outside doors slid open and two uniformed officers walked into the hotel. One nodded at Jenna when he spied her.
Rod whirled on her. “Are you crazy? Why would you call them?”
“I don’t know how clearer I can be. I never want to see you again.”
As the officers approached Rod, his face flamed red and his eyes turned stormy. He held up his hands in surrender. “Look, guys. No need to get carried away here.”
“If you’ll come with us, Mr. Hartley.”
In a split second, a calm mask fell over Rod’s features, much more scary than when he was angry. “Wrong move, Jenna. We could have worked this out.”
“Again, there’s nothing to work out.”
“Are you okay, Ms. Monroe?” the officer asked.
Despite her shaky legs, she nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
“You messed up,” Rod called over his shoulder as the officer led him away.
Jenna’s shoulders slumped as she expelled a breath. She’d done the right thing. Made a statement. Once she returned to Florida, she wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder or wonder what Rod was up to. She’d proven she wasn’t afraid to use the restraining order. And with Rod spending some time in jail, he’d know she meant business.
* * *
AFTER A MONTH of sleepless nights, endless negotiations, pacifying her agent and making trips back to LA, Jenna held the keys to her new business.
“Everyone, welcome to Jenna’s Place.”
The group of friends consisted of Nealy and Dane, Lilli and Max, the twins and, surprisingly, Michelle. The waitress still wanted to help Jenna with her catering business, even if the position was only part-time to start with. They all clapped and wished Jenna well as she ushered them inside.
“Really?” Nealy said. “Jenna’s Place? You couldn’t come up with anything more original?”
“It’s just for now. I have a bunch of ideas.”
“Like?” Nealy prodded as they moved inside the building.
“Jenna’s Comfy Kitchen. Southern Charm Catering. The Comfy Gourmet. Comfort Food Catering.”
“Yikes. You need help.”
“Is that so? Who made you the catering name police?”
“If I don’t step in, you’ll be arrested for lack of creativity.”
“Ouch,” Dane said as he walked by.
Jenna laughed. “Yeah. They are pretty lame.”
Nealy patted her shoulder. “We’ll come up with something snappy, don’t worry.”
Easier said than done. The girls were excited about the new venture, but Jenna still had her concerns. Next came the ever-growing list of permits, licenses and inspections. What had she gotten herself into?
“Thanks for giving up your Saturday to help me out. I appreciate it, everyone.”
Michelle rubbed her hands. “I can’t wait to dig in.”
Only one person was glaringly missing. Wyatt. She’d called to tell him about the closing and to invite him to the cleaning party, secretly hoping he’d want to join the group. But he’d been distracted when they spoke and rather vague about his intentions. She’d tried not to take it personally, but had anyway. Later, when Bridget asked if he was coming, Jenna could tell the little girl was disappointed too.
“You won’t be so enthusiastic after I give you your tasks,” she told everyone.
“I want to mop,” Abby announced, and everyone laughed.
Jenna jogged to the far corner to grab the mop leaning against the wall. She brought it back to Abby. “Have at it.”
“Where are the rest of the supplies?” Nealy asked.
“In my car trunk. I’ll be right back.”
Jenna walked to the back door, propping it open with a two-by-four. The men helped her carry the supplies inside. Once the items were unpacked, she consulted her list and assigned tasks. That done, she went to the kitchen, wanting to tackle it first.
She loved the large commercial kitchen. The previous owner, Duke, had planned the layout for maximum results. After the inspection, she was relieved to learn the industrial-grade stove and refrigerator worked. Electrical and plumbing were up to code. The walk-in freezer was a bit on the small side, but she’d already bought shelving to make the space work for now.
She ran her hand over the food-prep area, coming away with fingertips covered with dust. The greasy buildup would be the biggest job to tackle today.
“Can you believe you’re a business owner?” Michelle asked as she filled a bucket with water and soapsuds.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet.”
“You’ll love it. Duke and I did.”
Jenna had hoped to meet the elusive Duke at the signing, but he’d taken care of his end of the deal without making an appearance.
“I’m sure I’ll be asking you lots of questions as we get started.”
“Does that mean you’re going to hire me?”
<
br /> Jenna beamed. “As if you didn’t know.”
Michelle’s laughter rang out in the room. “I knew it.”
“Don’t make me regret it.”
“Who, me? I’m going to be the best employee you’ve ever hired.”
“So far you’re the only employee I’ve ever hired, but I’m going to hold you to that promise.”
Wyatt’s reference for Michelle, along with those from other restaurant owners, was solid and her enthusiasm was infectious. There was one small issue, however.
“Michelle, you do understand that this isn’t going to be anything like Duke’s Place. It will only be a catering business.” Jenna knew the woman had an attachment to the past, but she had to move her new employee into the future.
“I’m sorry. I know you’re making changes. I...” Michelle blinked rapidly. “This is a little hard to take in.”
“I can’t imagine.” She crossed the room to give Michelle a quick hug. “Look, we might be catering, but we’ll do Duke proud.”
Moisture glistened in Michelle’s eyes. “Yes. We will.” She took the bucket and exited the kitchen.
Jenna leaned her hip against the counter. Michelle had already proved valuable as a sounding board during the past few weeks. While Jenna had been waiting for the deal to go through, she’d spent her time planning different types of menus down to the smallest detail, making lists of supplies, and setting up appointments for inspections. Even though it had been years since she’d worked for a catering company and cooked for large crowds, she hadn’t been this enthusiastic about a project in ages.
“Hey, just because you’re the owner doesn’t mean you get to slack off.”
Jenna smiled as Nealy joined her. “You’re awfully bossy.”
A twinkle lit Nealy’s eyes. “Guilty.”
“But I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“It wasn’t much.”
“Um, yeah it was. You got Dane involved, which was major. You’ve scheduled some easier events to get me started and most of all, you’ve given me support. What more could I ask for?”
“Wyatt to be here?”
Jenna frowned. “You had to ruin my good mood by bringing him up?”
“Even though you didn’t say it, I know you were disappointed that he didn’t join us today.”
“I’m not disappointed.” She held up a hand to fend off Nealy’s argument. “I don’t need his help. I have all of you guys here.”
“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
She had and she would. Getting any closer to Wyatt was too risky. He’d made his intentions clear. Friendship only. Besides, she wouldn’t want him, or anyone else for that matter, to be a part of her life if they didn’t want to.
“Change of subject.” Taking hold of Jenna’s arm, Nealy dragged her out back.
“Is there a problem?”
“No. I don’t want anyone to overhear this conversation and if I don’t tell someone soon, I’m going to burst.”
Jenna’s eyes narrowed. “Am I going to like this?”
“You’re going to love this.” Nealy shot a look over her shoulder. “Do you remember I told you about how Max and Lilli worked together on a wedding-themed fashion show and ended up falling in love?”
“Yes. A very romantic story.”
“Well,” she blurted, “Max is going to ask Lilli to marry him and he wants us to throw a surprise engagement party.”
Jenna’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my gosh. This is awesome.”
“I know.”
“Lilli has no clue?”
“Nope.”
“Even better.” She grinned. “Our first job together.”
“I already have a ton of ideas.”
“Great. Think they’ll want you to plan their wedding too?”
“Maybe. If Lilli’s mother has any say in it, though, they’ll probably want to elope. But I refuse to let that happen.”
“Either way, I’m excited for them.”
Dane popped his head out the back door, his brows angling as he glimpsed the two women together.
“You two better have a good reason for hiding out back here.”
Nealy blew him a kiss. “We’ll be right in.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t told him yet,” Jenna commented as they headed inside.
“Later.”
“In the meantime, I thought I asked you to clean the restrooms?”
Nealy shuddered. “I love you like a sister, but no way. You get that pleasure.”
“Back to work then.” Rolling her shoulders, Jenna marched inside to grab a plastic bag and a large pair of rubber gloves. “Out of my way. I have a job to do,” she said as she passed Nealy.
“That’s the spirit. And quit thinking about Wyatt,” she added in a whisper.
Jenna filled a bucket of soap and water to carry from the kitchen to the restrooms. Cleaning therapy. Definitely the best method to get a certain male off her mind.
Which worked for about an hour. Then she found herself wondering where Wyatt was and what he was doing. She stood before the now squeaky-clean sink, staring at her reflection, and rolled her eyes.
“Stop. It. Now,” she muttered, knowing all along she probably wouldn’t listen to her inner self when it came to Wyatt, but deciding she had to give it a serious try.
* * *
CROUCHED NEXT TO the charter boat docked beside the pier, Wyatt wiped the engine grease from his hands. Another hot, humid Saturday. Instead of lending Jenna a helping hand, he’d chosen to be out in the summer heat, doing boat maintenance. Why did he think this was a good idea?
“Because you’re an idiot,” he told himself.
“No one’s going to argue with you.” At his brother’s voice, he twisted around.
“Sneaking up on me?”
Josh grinned as he looked down. “I wasn’t intentionally trying to be quiet. So caught up in your thoughts you didn’t hear me?”
Wyatt stood and tossed the greasy towel at Josh. “What do you want?”
“Just wondering why the gang is at Jenna’s place and you’re not?”
“What do you know about her place?”
“Thanks to the local rumor mill, I know she’s going to open a catering business and her friends are helping her clean the old restaurant. It’s been empty for a while now.” Josh arched his brow. “What’s your excuse?”
“I have my own work to do.”
“Work you couldn’t do on any other day?”
“Why are you bugging me about this?”
Josh grinned.
“What?”
“You haven’t gotten worked up about anything in a while. Good to see you can still generate some sparks.”
Wyatt scowled. His brother always knew how to push his buttons. “I’m not worked up. I’m busy.”
“Sorry. Have to disagree, bro. Anytime Jenna’s name comes up you get, what’s a good word? Antsy?”
“I only talked with you about her one time.”
“Yes, you did. And it made you come alive.”
“You need glasses.”
“You need a reality check,” Josh fired back.
“Do you really want to do this?”
“I’m free all afternoon.”
Wyatt shook his head then finally laughed. “You always were relentless.”
“Why do you think I used to beat you at our swim meets?”
“I think you’re mistaken.”
“I think you’ve forgotten.” Josh took a seat on a nearby piling. “About a lot of things.”
Terrific. Another intervention. “So you’re here to straighten me out?”
“Nah. There’s no point. You won’t listen. I just like g
iving you a hard time so you’ll smile again.”
Wyatt glanced at his brother, judging the weight of the other man’s words. Okay, Josh meant what he said. Wyatt’s shoulders relaxed. “You know I love our family, right?”
“We never doubted it.”
“Good.” He nodded his head. “Good.”
“We get that you’re still having trouble. Just know that Mom and Dad are concerned.”
“I do know.”
“Then you’ll come to their anniversary dinner next Saturday.”
“Anniversary?” Wyatt had forgotten. “I’m not sure—”
“It’ll make them happy.”
He hesitated before answering. “Yeah. I’ll be there.” He crouched down again.
Josh jumped off his perch. “Excellent. And bring a date.”
Wyatt’s head shot up. “What?’
Josh shrugged, clearly unconcerned about Wyatt’s reaction. “Merely delivering the message.”
Wyatt glared at his brother.
“What could it hurt?” Josh said quietly.
“You have to ask?”
“Not every woman is like Marcie.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Wyatt stared out over the water. The heavy scent of diesel mingled with saltwater. A gull swooped into the water after food, leaving a ring of waves in its wake.
“In my head, yeah. Not so much in my gut.” Just like he knew Jamie would want him to be happy.
“You guys were on the outs even before she left.”
“Proof positive that I’m not good at relationships.”
“Wrong. You and Jamie were great together.”
“He was my son.” Wyatt swallowed. “I loved hanging out with him.”
“Maybe you just need to find the right woman.”
“And take the chance of screwing up again?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“We all screw up, bro. It’s what you learn along the way that matters. Look, I don’t know Jenna, but obviously something about her has gotten your attention. So go out a few times. Test the waters. You don’t have to marry her.”
Wyatt cringed. “I don’t want to marry anyone, but with Jenna, well it’s complicated. She’s got kids.”
“So? You love kids.”
