With a jolt, Kenzie realized she was just coming to Jared’s Café. She stopped to look in the display window, where the exhibit was being changed. There were pieces of brown and blue material, fluffy batting, and tinfoil scattered about. It would be interesting to see the final results. Suddenly, a disembodied head peered at her from above the back wall of the display. Startled, Kenzie jumped, and Jared grinned at her mischievously. Raising an arm, he beckoned her in, then disappeared.
A warmth came to Kenzie’s cheeks, fueled by the memory of two nights ago when she’d felt so attracted to Jared. Then she shook herself. Nothing could come of that, so it would probably be best to act cool and distant. Perhaps she shouldn’t even go in. But, no, she didn’t want to be rude.
Jared was waiting. “You looked cold out there. How about a hot chocolate—on the house?”
It did sound good, and it was doubly hard to resist when he looked at her that way. There was something about Jared that seemed to naturally draw her to him.
Before she could respond, Jared added, “I just have one request. No talking about the house.”
She grinned. “I can live with that. And I do want to buy some more chocolate-walnut fudge before I leave. It’s sinfully delicious.”
“It is awesome—it’s one of my specialties.”
“You make the fudge?”
“Don’t act so surprised.” As Kenzie wiped the shock off her face, Jared told her, “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll be right over.” She picked a booth in the corner and laid her father’s suit, in its thin plastic covering, over the bench.
Scott came from the back room, holding a broom. He looked around as if uncertain what to do. Jared, carrying two mugs, stopped to talk to him and nodded toward some empty tables and booths. Although Kenzie couldn’t hear the words, Jared’s tone sounded encouraging. The young man responded with a trusting smile then set to work.
Kenzie watched as Scott carefully swept under a booth.
Sliding a bright red mug toward her, Jared said, “Scott usually just cleans tables, but I’m having him take on a little more responsibility.”
“He has Down syndrome, doesn’t he?” When Jared nodded, she asked, “How long has he been working here?”
“About a month. Scott came in with his mother, searching for work. She told me that Scott wanted to work at the grocery store, but the manager was reluctant to hire him.”
“Wasn’t sure he could handle the job?”
“Yeah. He’s a little old-fashioned. When I told Scott I didn’t have a position open, he thanked me anyway even though I could tell he was really disappointed.” Jared shrugged. “What could I do? I gave him a job anyway. His mother was as happy as Scott was. She said the guy at the grocery store didn’t know that a lot of stores hire people with Down syndrome—they can be good workers. Anyway, the manager told her if Scott worked someplace for six months and brought back a reference, they’d hire him.”
Kenzie was impressed. Not too many people with a new business would hire and train an employee they didn’t need. “That was really nice of you.”
“Not really. For six months I’m off KP duty.”
“How’s he getting along?”
“Really well. The other employees are good to help him. As you saw, he sometimes gets a little confused, but once I show him how to do something, he’s good to go.”
Kenzie stirred her chocolate. “Yay! Real marshmallows!”
“I don’t allow any of those itty-bitty crunchy imposters on the premises.”
He beckoned to Scott. “Hey, buddy, would you ask Pam for two packages of Oreo cookies and bring them over here?”
Scott nodded and in his hurry leaned the broom against a chair. It slid to the side and fell with a loud thunk. The young man looked worried, but Jared waved it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
When he returned, Kenzie thanked him for the cookies. Scott smiled, then went back to work.
Tearing open his packet, Jared took a cookie and dunked it in his hot chocolate.
Kenzie frowned. “Figures. You’re a dunker.”
“And I bet you’re a twister.”
Snatching up a cookie, Kenzie twisted it open and took a bite of the creamy middle. “Ummm.”
Jared shuddered. “That’s wrong in so many ways.”
Picking up her mug and warming her fingers, Kenzie sipped her chocolate. “This is really good!”
“It’s a secret recipe—been in my family for generations.”
“Really?”
“No, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?”
She giggled and studied the small, cozy restaurant. “You’ve got a really nice place here. It seems to be doing well.”
There were a number of people eating at booths and tables, and Jared looked at them appreciatively. “I’m thankful for that. The first year was slow going, but things have picked up since then.”
“I like your decor. The colors are great, and I like the baskets and green plants.”
“Thanks. A friend of mine who owns a restaurant, Michael Burkinshaw, told me it was really important to have the right decor—said it could mean the difference between a one-time customer or one that keeps coming back.”
“Who did your decorating?”
“I hired a decorator to make recommendations. Since I was on a strict budget, I asked my sister and Pam to find the recommended items—from paint to baskets to tile. My sister’s really good at this stuff. And Pam helped a lot.”
Kenzie glanced toward the dessert display case, where Pam was waiting on a customer. Pam’s eye flicked toward Jared, then Kenzie, before going back to her customer, who had settled on the lemon tarts.
“What made you decide to open a café?”
“I blame Michael. He’s got a restaurant in Rockford, where I used to live. I started working for him and eventually worked my way up and bought out his partner.” Jared dunked another cookie. “He taught me all about the business and said the secret of success was to create something different or unique—something people don’t normally cook in their own homes. I go along with that to a point, but I also wanted to offer familiar foods, something nutritious and healthy. So I decided to specialize in soups and sandwiches, although we have a few other dishes.”
“What made you decide to move to Lake Forest?”
“I’ve always loved it here. It’s a beautiful area, and there’s a special atmosphere here. People are so friendly. I guess part of the reason I came is because I needed to go someplace new and kind of start over, you know?”
Kenzie did know. That was exactly what she was doing now. She’d gotten over Larry, but she also needed to go someplace new—even if was her hometown—and reinvent herself and her life. Trying something different was a sign she was putting the past behind and showing the world—and herself—that she was ready to move forward.
“Now let me ask you,” Jared said. “What made you decide to come back?”
“A lot of reasons. I need a fresh start too. I’m tired of the hectic pace in Chicago. And I want Sara to have the same kind of childhood I had.” Impulsively she added, “Also, I had to get away from my job at Midwest. A guy was causing some real problems for me—so I started searching and applied for a position at Reliance Software.” She took a sip. “I’m glad to be back. Even though Lake Forest has grown, it still has a real, small-town feeling about it. I loved growing up here and think it’ll be good for Sara. How did Corey react to moving here?”
“It was hard for him to leave Rockport, but he settled in quickly, and now he loves it.”
Kenzie debated with herself over asking about his wife, but since their conversation had been so easy and comfortable, she went ahead. “It must have been hard after your wife died.”
“The hardest thing I’ve ever been through.” Jared looked somber. “It’s difficult being a single parent, as I’m sure you know. I knew Robin stayed busy, but it wasn’t until after she was gone that I began to understand how much she did. Especially with Corey!
Taking him to the library, soccer practices, the dentist, outfitting him for school in the fall. Boy, that last one’s a killer.” He grinned, then said, “But then, you know what it’s like.”
She wondered if Tom had told him the reason behind her divorce. Oh well, no matter. It was nice to be at the point where she could talk freely about her past.
“I’m lucky because Larry is still very involved with Sara. But it’s the little things I miss. Like if I had an important meeting and Sara got sick, Larry would take time off and step in. If I had to work late, he’d make dinner and help Sara with her homework. That’s not an option anymore. Then, there’s losing Sara every other weekend and holiday. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that.”
“I’m sorry—that must be very hard.” Their eyes met and lingered. His words, so simply said, carried a mountain of sympathy. Jared’s compassion was palpable, and the expression on his face was kind. She felt so comfortable talking with him—as if they were kindred spirits. Something in her heart softened into a spreading pool, and she smiled at him. Then Kenzie caught herself and looked down. Picking up her mug, she took a drink, steeling herself. “How are you and Corey doing?”
“It was an uphill battle the first couple of years, but now I think we’re in a good place. Corey had to work through his grief. When he started having nightmares, I talked to a friend who’s a child psychologist. She saw Corey for a while and told me a few things to do and not to do, and soon the nightmares stopped. Corey used to be kind of shy, like me, but since we moved here, I’ve encouraged him to be more outgoing, and he has. So we’re doing good.”
What a good father. So much of Jared’s focus was on his child. Obviously it was second nature for him to think that if Corey was doing good, then he was. Surely, Jared had to have heartaches and worries of his own. Yet all of his concern was for his son. She wanted to know his feelings. “You’ve talked about Corey, but what about you?”
The question seemed to stump him. “Well, I guess I’ve adjusted too. For a long time, I didn’t think I ever would. There are a lot of things I miss—like having someone I can go home to and tell about my day. Someone to sit by me on the couch at night, holding my hand and watching TV.”
Pam approached their booth, stopping a few respectful feet away. “Jared?”
There were a number of people waiting in line. Jared took in the situation immediately. “I’ll be right there,” he said, and Pam hurried back to her station.
“Thanks for the chocolate.” Standing, Kenzie picked up the wrappers.
“We have a couple of different flavors. You ought to try the candy cane one next time.”
Next time—that sounded good.
Jared paused before slipping around the counter and giving her an endearing little wave. Mesmerized, Kenzie watched as he slipped on his apron. It seemed like some cosmic joke that when she finally met someone she could fall for, it had to be the man who stood between her and the house she wanted so badly. For the past six months, the one thing Kenzie had clung to—like a life preserver—was settling down in the home she had grown up in. Just thinking about living there was like putting on a pair of slippers after a day of high heels. She needed an anchor for her life, one that her brother’s house alone could provide. Kenzie slipped on her coat, picked up her father’s suit, then waved good-bye to Jared.
Kenzie crossed the road and was on her way to the parking lot when she peered in the front windows of Dahlquist Realty. Her brother was at the front counter. She’d pop in and say hi. The chimes tinkled as she opened the door. “Hi, Tom!” she called out cheerily.
Her brother rose, his face set like granite as he came around the counter. “I want to talk to you.” He took her arm and pulled her into his office.
Perplexed at the harsh edge in his voice, Kenzie asked, “What’s going on?”
“I’m the one who should be asking that.” Tom glowered at her as she laid the dry cleaning aside and sat down. Taking a seat behind his desk, Tom ran a hand over his short, bristly hair. “I was supposed to show Jared’s home yesterday to Carlos and Tracy Perez. Imagine my surprise when they told me they didn’t want to see it anymore. Tracy had a list of other houses that sounded more interesting to her. Homes you suggested would be much better for them.”
“I’m not sure I would put it that way, but Tracy and I did talk about homes.”
“I can’t believe you deliberately went to the travel agency to talk Tracy out of seeing Jared’s house.”
Kenzie’s cheeks flamed. “That’s not what happened!”
“Tracy said she talked with you at the agency.”
“Well, yes, but it’s not what you think”—”
“Did you or didn’t you talk to Tracy about seeing other houses?”
“She asked me about some of the houses you showed me.”
“Tracy said you advised her against buying a two-bedroom home.”
“Well, yeah. They’re a young couple with a business, and I assumed they did some work at home. I thought a three-bedroom home would probably be better.”
“And you knew Jared’s house only had two bedrooms. Tracy and Carlos were very interested in it. They’d seen it once already, and I’d arranged for them to see it again.” The blood drained from her face, and Tom went on. “I just find it very interesting that you went to talk to them after I told you I was going to show them Jared’s house.”
“I had no idea they were that interested in Jared’s house. We didn’t even talk about his house. We talked about—”
Tom broke in. “Yeah, yeah. She told me you just happened to have all of the notes you’d taken when I showed you houses.”
Kenzie wanted to stamp her foot. “Of course I had them. They were in my purse, which I happen to take everywhere.”
“And you had to scare Tracy away from Jared’s home by talking about how out-of-date building codes were for older homes.”
“Well, they are out-of-date! Look, I’m really sorry, but we were just talking about house hunting and what we wanted in a house.”
“Don’t play innocent. You need to take some personal responsibility and own up to what you did.” Tom’s voice was cold. “I know you run off at the mouth at times, but how could you tell Tracy all those negative things about older homes and about how expensive it is to remodel?”
Her temper flared. “Oh, is that something you’re trying to hide? I have a friend who had a really bad experience, and—and I told Tracy about it. She needed to know what she could be getting into. Honestly, she was like a kid—hadn’t thought anything through.”
“Such as lack of insulation, possible mold, cracked foundations, having room for future children, needing a garage for winter—oh, yes, Tracy had a whole list of ideas she got from you.” Tom went on, “In fact, Tracy told me you were so helpful that I ought to hire you. So now what? You want to start selling real estate on the side? Maybe you want to take over my job?”
Okay, he was going overboard here. He must be pretty mad since it wasn’t like him to talk like this. How could she make Tom understand?
“We were just talking. Okay, I admit I may have gotten carried away with the old houses, but I wasn’t talking specifically about Jared’s house!” But as soon as the words left her mouth, Kenzie winced and ducked her head. All right. That wasn’t absolutely true. She had thought of Jared’s home, and while she hadn’t said anything against it specifically, it might have caused her to say more against older homes than she would have. At the time, talking with Tracy had seemed like a heaven-sent opportunity to persuade her to look elsewhere, but that hadn’t been her intent—not really. And she certainly didn’t know Jared’s house only had two bedrooms. “Will you stop and let me explain?” she implored.
But Tom was not in a mood to listen. “I really thought Tracy and Carlos might buy Jared’s house,” he said angrily. “Mandy told me how badly you wanted our house and that you were going to think of some way to get it. Well, you did. You talked Tracy out of it and blew the sa
le for Jared.”
“That’s going a little far, isn’t it? You don’t know they would have bought it. Okay, I should have curbed my big fat mouth, but was it wrong to point out the pitfalls of older homes when my friend had such a terrible experience? Maybe I shouldn’t have pulled out the homes you’d printed out for me, but I can’t see why it was wrong to show them to Tracy. Why shouldn’t she look at whatever house she wants to see? And if all it boils down to is Jared not being able to buy your house, well, he can always find another one.”
When Tom glanced over her shoulder, Kenzie whipped around. Jared stood stiffly in the doorway. His eyes were dark circles of shock and anger. The air turned thin as she looked at him, stricken. How had he come in without her hearing the chimes?
Moving very carefully, Jared set a small white box on the desk. In a lifeless monotone, he told Kenzie, “You left without your fudge. Scott saw you leave and told me you came here.” Without another word, Jared turned and strode out. The chimes on the door tinkled the way they always did, but this time, they sounded macabre.
Chapter Nineteen
A few blocks past the Dalquist home, Jared turned into a small parking lot at the end of the road. Most people in Lake Forest, at one time or another, parked here to go hiking in the woods. Jared and Corey got out their skates, tied the laces together, and draped them around their necks. Then Jared grabbed his backpack out of the Ford, and the pair went to the opening in the rail fence where the trailhead began. Boots crunched in the snow as they headed down the trail. Corey was bursting with what he and Sara had seen during their walk, and as his son talked, Jared looked east. The woods were so thick he couldn’t make out the Dalquist home even though he knew it was there.
For Sale By Owner Page 12
