“Praying for her is a wonderful idea.” Annie’s soothing tone relieved some of the tension.
“You can count on us for that.” Marian gave a decisive nod. “We’ll be storming the heavens.”
“I think I’ll go talk to the nurses and see what I can find out.” Alex set the coffee cup on the end table. “Maybe they’ll give me more information since I’m family.”
Annie’s eyes widened, and she shot a quick look at the other women. They all exchanged nervous glances.
Barb cleared her throat. “Good idea. Maybe you’ll be able to speak to the doctor.”
He strode out of the visitors’ lounge.
“Alex, wait.” Annie hurried down the hall after him.
He turned and waited for her to catch up.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” She pressed her lips together, and her cheeks took on a rosy tint. “When I came to the hospital this morning, I told the nurse I was family.”
He cocked his head and studied her.
“I’m sorry, but I was afraid they wouldn’t let me see her if I said I was just a friend, and I didn’t want her to be alone in the E.R.” She looked up and met his gaze. “And then your grandma’s friends got wind of it, and they all told the nurse they were her sisters.”
He didn’t know if he should be upset with them or laugh at their crazy antics. Then his stomach tensed as the truth became clear. He was the only family member Gram had left, but he hadn’t been here to help her when she needed him. Thank goodness her friends had stepped in.
“I know I’ve been away for a while,” Annie continued, “but I’ve always thought of Irene as the closest thing I have to family in Fairhaven. I hope you’re not upset with me.”
A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. How could he be upset? She’d bent a hospital rule, but she’d done it to comfort his grandmother. “No, it’s okay. I know she thinks a lot of you.”
“Well, Irene was always there for me.” She clasped her hands tightly. “And no one should have to go through a frightening situation like this alone. I know what that’s like, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.” She stopped. Her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away.
He wondered what she meant, but let that thought pass. “I’m glad you were there this morning.” He reached out and touched her arm. “Thank you for helping her...and for everything.”
Her smile returned. “You’re welcome.”
Looking into her dark brown eyes, the years seemed to fade, and memories of the friendship they’d shared as teenagers came flooding back. She’d been fifteen, and he eighteen when she started working at Jameson’s. He treated her like a kid sister, teasing her about her braces and the way she always had her nose stuck in a book. But she’d been a good sport, and she’d even teased him back about his corny jokes and the fact that he was left-handed.
But when he was down, she was a great listener. Somehow she’d always get him to open up and say what was bothering him. And she never made him feel foolish for sharing it. That was something special he appreciated about Annie. She’d always had a compassionate heart.
Chapter Two
Annie glanced at her watch and hurried down the fourth-floor hall of St. Joseph’s. She only had thirty minutes for this morning’s visit with Irene, but at least she could drop off a little treat and check on her friend. Maybe she would even see Alex again. She quickly squelched that thought.
It would not be smart to fall for Alex Jameson, no matter how much the old attraction pulled her in that direction. Besides, she should not be thinking about getting involved with anyone. Launching her business, finding a part-time job and caring for her daughter had to be her priorities.
Even if he were interested in her, it would never work. Alex would be headed back to San Francisco soon, leaving her behind just as he had ten years ago. Slipping back into the pattern of wishing he would see her as more than a friend would only lead to heartache, and that was the last thing she needed.
A relationship with Alex would never work. She wouldn’t let it.
The door of room 417 stood ajar. Annie knocked and waited.
“Come in.” Irene’s sweet reply made Annie smile.
She walked into the room and greeted Irene with a kiss on the cheek. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better, much better.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“My, you certainly look lovely today. That red scarf really brings out the color in your cheeks.”
“Thanks, Irene. You always say kind things.”
“Well, it’s true.” Irene glanced at Annie’s tote bag. “What did you bring me today?”
This was Irene’s third day in the hospital, and Annie had surprised her with a gift and healthy snack each time she visited. “I brought you your own personal copy of the Bellingham Herald and some homemade applesauce.” She placed the newspaper and plastic container on the bedside table.
“Oh, you’re wonderful. I’m about to die from eating this hospital diet food.” She grimaced and shuddered. “It’s awful, truly awful.”
“Well, it’s not easy to prepare good-tasting, heart-healthy food in a large institutional kitchen.”
“I know. I should just be grateful someone else is doing the cooking. But it’s hard to eat plain oatmeal and drink coffee without sugar or cream.” She sighed. “But the doctor says if I’m going to get better, I have to change my ways, especially my eating habits.”
“Changes are challenging. But these are good changes, and they’ll help you feel so much better.”
“Good morning.” Alex breezed in carrying a small arrangement of autumn-colored mums and peach roses. His thick dark hair was neatly combed but still looked slightly damp from his shower. He sent Annie a quick smile, then gave his grandmother a kiss on the forehead.
Annie’s heart fluttered, and she quickly hid her reaction. Just because she’d had a crush on Alex when she was fifteen didn’t mean she had to make a fool of herself each time he walked into the room.
“These flowers are beautiful.” Irene leaned forward and sniffed. “They smell wonderful.” She reached up and patted Alex’s cheek. “You’re spoiling me.”
“You deserve to be spoiled.” He set the flowers on the windowsill. “Did you talk to the doctor this morning?”
Irene nodded. “He said I might be able to go home tomorrow or Saturday if my blood work comes back okay, and I promise to follow all his instructions.”
Alex nodded and crossed his arms. “And of course you will.”
A worried frown settled on Irene’s face. “The nurse and a nutritionist came in earlier and gave me a stack of booklets about diet and exercise.” She took one from the bedside table, and her face flushed. “I can’t eat anything from the bakery—no breads, no muffins, no cookies, no potatoes and no pasta.”
“Lean protein, vegetables and fruit are all okay. Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa are usually on the list, too.” Annie hoped that would encourage her friend, but Irene’s anxious expression didn’t ease.
“I’m supposed to rest several times a day and avoid lifting, but it says I need to exercise and not overdo it.” The booklet shook in her trembling hand. “How am I supposed to make sense of all this?”
Getting upset couldn’t be good for Irene’s heart. Annie sent Alex a warning glance.
Understanding flashed in his blue eyes, and he laid his hand on his grandmother’s arm. “I know it all seems overwhelming right now, but I’ll help you figure it out.”
“How are you going to do that? You have to go back to San Francisco soon.” Irene clamped her lips together and turned away from Alex.
“I’ve got two weeks’ vacation plus Thanksgiving weekend, and I can ask for more time off if I need it. But that should be long enough to line up some he
lp and be sure you’re settled at home.”
“What I need is someone to read all these silly things and tell me what to do.” Irene waved her hand at the booklets. Her chin began to quiver, and tears flooded her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m getting so emotional.” She sniffed and snatched a tissue from the small box on her bedside table.
“It’s all right, Gram,” Alex said, his voice low and husky. “I know this has been hard for you.”
“It’s all my fault,” she continued as though she hadn’t heard Alex. “I’ve been working too hard and not taking good care of myself.” Her tears overflowed and spilled down her pale, wrinkled cheeks. “The good Lord gave me lots of warnings, but I ignored them.”
Annie took Irene’s hand, her heart aching for her friend. Guilt and regret were feelings she understood all too well. “You always told me to take my problems to the Lord. Have you talked to Him about this?”
She exhaled a shuddering sigh. “I had a good prayer time this morning and confessed it all. I know He forgives me. I guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself now.” She wiped her nose with a tissue.
Annie squeezed Irene’s hand. “You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it and make better choices for the future.” She sent Irene an encouraging smile. “That’s what you need to focus on now—your future.”
Alex took his grandmother’s other hand. “That’s right. And I’ll be here to help you get back on your feet. Soon you’ll be feeling better and enjoying life again.”
The nurse walked in. “Morning, everyone. It’s time for me to help Mrs. Jameson with a few things.” She lifted her eyebrows and added a pointed look.
Annie gave Irene a gentle hug and stepped back. “I’ll call you later and see how you’re doing.”
Alex kissed Irene’s cheek, promised to return that afternoon, then said goodbye and walked with Annie out of the room and headed toward the elevator.
“Annie, I’ve been thinking, and I have something I want to ask you.”
She looked up, surprised by his serious tone. “Sure. What is it?”
“My grandmother needs someone to help her when she comes home, and I know you’re a chef, so I was wondering—”
“I’d love to make some meals for her. I learned how to cook according to the American Heart Association guidelines at culinary school.”
He nodded, but his somber expression didn’t change. “Meals would be helpful. But what I’m really looking for is someone to live with her and help her at home until she recovers.”
She thought about that for a moment, then slowly shook her head. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’d love to stay with Irene, but I have a business to run and a daughter to support.”
His eyebrows rose. “A daughter?”
Her stomach clenched. She thought he knew about Emma. But it made sense that he didn’t. Irene wasn’t one to spread gossip about Annie, and apparently Alex didn’t come home to Fairhaven often enough to hear it from someone else. Even if he had, why would anyone mention her situation to him? She was just a former employee who went off to college, got on the wrong track and found herself in a whole lot of trouble.
Slipping her hands in her jacket pockets, she pushed those painful thoughts away. It didn’t matter now. She’d made her choices, and she had to live with them.
She looked up and met his curious gaze. “Yes, I have a five-year-old daughter, Emma.” There was so much more to the story, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it, or if she had the courage to tell him.
He nodded and rubbed his chin. “Does she go to school?”
“Yes, she’s in kindergarten.”
“So you’re free during the day?”
For an intelligent guy, he sure didn’t seem to get the picture. “No. I’m not free. I work as a personal chef.” The elevator doors slid open and they stepped in.
“Okay. Fill me in. What does a personal chef do?”
“I meet with clients at their homes and discuss their food preferences and meal needs. Then I plan the menus, do the shopping and go back to their homes to cook several meals at one time.”
He nodded. “Sounds like a smart business plan.”
“It’s great for people who want healthy, home-cooked meals but for various reasons don’t want to do it themselves.”
“Do you cook for a lot of people?”
She shrugged one shoulder, not wanting to admit how few clients she’d lined up in the past two months. “I’m doing a lot of networking right now, getting the word out.”
His intense gaze remained focused on her.
She blew out a deep breath. “Okay, the truth is, I’m just getting started, and I only have two weekly clients. The day Irene collapsed, I’d gone to the bakery to ask her for a part-time job.”
He nodded, a slight smile pulling up one side of his mouth.
Was he glad she’d been honest, or just happy that she might be free to help him?
“So why not take the job caring for my grandmother?”
Surprise rippled through her. “You want to hire me?”
“Yes. I wasn’t expecting you to do it for free.”
She gave an embarrassed little chuckle. “Sorry, I didn’t understand what you meant.”
“I guess I didn’t explain it very well.” He sent her a sheepish smile. “So what do you say? Would you be willing to move in with my grandmother and oversee her meals and home care?”
The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened, giving her a moment to think. Could she afford to put her fledgling business on hold to help Irene? Would that be wise? What about Emma? How would Irene deal with having a five-year-old in her house when she was recovering from a heart attack?
He followed her out of the elevator. “There’s plenty of room at the house for you and your daughter. You could have those two bedrooms on the first floor. I’d move my stuff upstairs.”
She pulled in a sharp breath. “You’re staying there, too?”
“Just until we’ve got everything settled with her care and I figure out what to do with the bakery.”
Her steps stalled. “You are going to keep the bakery open, aren’t you?”
“I’m not sure. Harry has been running things since Gram’s heart attack, but it doesn’t sound like it’s going very well.”
“You can’t close. Your grandmother loves that shop. Her staff and customers are like family to her.”
“I know...but I’ve got to think of what’s best for her health now.” Lines creased his forehead. “And I’ve got to find someone to stay with her when she comes home from the hospital.”
She pressed her lips together, still debating her answer.
“Annie?” He softened his tone, and the way he said her name sent shivers up her arms.
“Yes?”
He fixed his deep blue gaze on her again. “It would be a huge help if you could take care of her. I know she’d feel comfortable with you there, not just because you can cook healthy meals, but because she considers you a friend.”
Annie’s heart fluttered. Oh, my goodness. Alex Jameson was even more charming than he’d been ten years ago. If she wasn’t careful, she’d find herself right back where she’d been at fifteen—lonely and heartbroken as she watched him walk out the door and leave her behind.
She cleared her throat as she took a step back. “I want to help, but I need some more time to think it through before I make a decision.”
“Okay.” His shoulders sagged slightly. “But I need to find someone right away, so I’d appreciate you letting me know as soon as possible.”
* * *
The scent of freshly perked coffee and warm apple-cider doughnuts drifted toward Alex as he stepped into the bakery. His mouth watered, and his empty stomach rumbled. How long had it been since h
e’d had one of those cinnamon-and-sugar-dusted treats? Too long.
“Hey there!” Harry came around the end of the counter and gripped Alex’s hand. “Good to see you, Alex. How’s Irene doing?” The aging baker wore a WWU Vikings baseball cap and long white apron with a few splotches of what looked like chocolate frosting on the bib.
“She seems a little stronger each day. The doctor said she might be coming home tomorrow.” He smiled. “And you know she’s happy about that.”
Harry chuckled. “I can imagine.”
“I really appreciate you taking charge.”
“We’re doing our best to keep things going.” Harry glanced around the shop, a concerned look in his eyes. “This place means a lot to Irene. Sure would hate to see it close.”
Alex nodded and scanned the shop’s shabby interior. “Looks like the place could use a little TLC to brighten things up.”
“Yeah, I suppose so. Maybe you could give us a hand. How long are you going to be in town?”
“I’ll be here through Thanksgiving weekend.”
“We could get a lot done by then.”
Alex frowned at the flickering fluorescent light overhead. He hadn’t done any hands-on repair work since he left Fairhaven, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to spend his vacation fixing up the bakery. “I’ll talk to my grandmother about hiring someone.”
Harry clicked his tongue. “I’m not sure she can afford it.”
Alex straightened. “Really?”
Harry nodded. “Things have changed around here, Alex, especially since your grandpa passed away.”
Alex had no idea his grandmother’s business was struggling. “So you don’t think she can afford to pay someone to do the work?”
Harry shrugged. “She’s the one paying the bills, but these past few months she’s been cutting Janelle’s and Clyde’s hours and covering the extra shifts herself.” He pushed up the brim of his cap. “Do you think that could’ve caused the heart attack?”
Alex clenched his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know, but a woman her age shouldn’t be on her feet all day, trying to run a business like this.”
Snowflake Sweethearts Page 2
