Finally, a Family--A Clean Romance

by Callie Endicott

  “Did your grandparents do any mail-order business?”

  “No, though I’m sure there’s a market for it. Buying rocks based on a photo can be tricky, but folks who believe in the healing power of stones and minerals seem willing to purchase that way.” She paused and her jaw was tight as she glanced at him. “From our prior contacts, I gather you don’t have sympathy for that sort of belief.”

  Once again Logan wore the contrite expression of a small boy caught in mischief and she wondered how he planned to defend himself.

  * * *

  SHIFTING UNEASILY, LOGAN realized it would have been better if one of his partners was dealing with Jessica. Technically he’d volunteered, at the same time pointing out his awkward habit of saying the wrong thing. They’d laughed and said he would manage, probably relieved they wouldn’t be tackling the problem themselves.

  Of course, none of them were the type who stuck to a safe and cautious road. They’d each gambled for high stakes through most of their careers. Even buying the agency had held risks, financially and professionally, so it wasn’t a surprise that they were okay about him taking charge of the Jessica Project.

  He leaned forward. “I was hoping you’d forgiven my ill-considered remarks about your customers.”

  “Forgiven, yes. Forgotten, no. It’s a question of self-protection. You still think people are foolish to believe in stones and crystals, right?”

  Looking at it from Jessica’s point of view, Logan understood why she was skeptical of his motives. Strangely, he was reminded of the period when he’d been disdainful of fashion photography, seeing it merely as a stepping stone to his ultimate goal of photojournalism. It wasn’t until he’d accepted it as an artistic challenge that his career had skyrocketed.

  “I may not agree with some of your clientele’s ideas, but that doesn’t mean I’m opposed to the Crystal Connection,” he said, choosing his words with care. “You have the right to make a living in whatever way you want.”

  Her faint smile showed she didn’t really believe him, but she didn’t say so, eating another bite of her appetizer instead. “This is delicious.”

  Logan nodded, uncertain whether the change in subject was good or bad. “The restaurant was originally recommended to me by Jordan Masters. You may have met him already—he’s married to Nicole, one of my partners. I needed a good place to host a dinner party when my parents visited last year. My studio apartment is too small for gatherings.”

  “I thought you just moved here.”

  “Yes, but whenever possible, I’ve come to Seattle to help at the agency. Having an apartment made it easier. My mother and father visited during one of my longer stays—they claimed it was too hard catching up with me in Los Angeles.” Logan tried to keep the frustration out of his voice. He loved his parents, but he’d been in Seattle for work, not socializing. Fortunately, it had just been the one time.

  A curious expression flickered across Jessica’s face. “Where are they based now?”

  “My father’s last posting was in France, but he and my mother retired eighteen months ago to Florida. Unfortunately, they have a yen for grandchildren and have started pressing their point whenever possible. I’m an only child, so the pressure falls on me.”

  “But you don’t intend to comply with their wishes.” It was a statement rather than a question.

  Logan leaned forward. “What makes you say that?”

  “The biography on the back of your calendar. It mentions you’re committed to bachelorhood and are in love with freedom...or something of the sort. Are you saying that statement isn’t accurate, or is it just to warn marriage-minded women away?”

  He couldn’t deny that he intended to stay single, though his reasons were more complicated than the blithe statements on the calendar. “The editor chose what to put in the biography, but it’s accurate to say I’m leaving love and child-rearing to my friends. They’ll be much better at it than me, and I can be an honorary member of the family, the way Kevin McClaskey is for you.”

  Jessica sipped from the water goblet the server had brought and Logan was struck by how graceful her hands were.

  “Is France one of the countries where you lived as a child?” she asked.

  “No, though I always hoped we’d be sent there. Imagine spending as much time as you want at the Louvre or exploring the streets of Paris—above ground and below.”

  “I’m sure it would be wonderful. I’ve read about museums such as the Louvre and Uffizi, but I’ve never gone abroad.” Her expression seemed wistful.

  “Would you like to travel?”

  “Absolutely. My grandparents went everywhere after they got married. I wouldn’t want to wander for years the way they did, but it’s a big planet, with fascinating stuff to see.”

  He was surprised. “I hadn’t realized that Penny and Eric traveled so much.”

  “Why should you? You’re a landlord, not a buddy, and you only just started full-time at the agency.”

  “Perhaps, but Kevin didn’t mention it. He, uh, knows a great deal about his old tenants.”

  A smile warmed Jessica’s face. “The McClaskeys used to take us sailing on Lake Washington when I spent summers here as a kid. My mom’s parents aren’t the warm, fuzzy type, so I asked if Kevin and Allison would be my other grandpa and grandma. Allison cried and said yes. They didn’t have any grandchildren then, so I was their ‘first.’ To keep things less confused, I called them Uncle Kevin and Aunt Allison.”

  Perhaps that was why Kevin had said so little about Jessica, because the intensely personal friendship differed from the connections with his other clients and tenants.

  “Where do your maternal grandparents live?” Logan asked, hoping to keep the conversation going.

  “New York. Mom and Dad met there when they were both trainee stock traders.”

  “That’s what they do?” he asked in some surprise.

  “Not any longer. Dad is a real estate broker in the Washington, DC, metro area, specializing in high-end properties. Mom works with him and...well, it keeps them pretty busy.”

  There was a story behind her hesitation, but he wasn’t certain how in-depth the conversation should go. The more he learned about Jessica, the harder it might be to press the issue of the lease. But he couldn’t back off and let his friends down.

  Jessica finished her appetizer and stood. “Please excuse me for a moment.”

  He nodded and she crossed the room, moving in a gentle glide. She spoke to the maître d’, who gestured to a stained glass room divider, then followed her with his gaze as she disappeared around it.

  After a minute, Logan realized he was staring after Jessica, as well, and forced his attention to his remaining oysters. He needed to focus on getting the space the agency needed without destroying Jessica Parrish in the process. Because Moonlight Ventures was, unquestionably, threatening the livelihood of a single mother.

  The guilt he felt was predictable. But finding her attractive was a complication he hadn’t expected.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  PENNY GAZED FONDLY at her great-granddaughter, who was busily fitting two pieces of the puzzle together. She was bright and loving, just like her mother, and it was a gift from heaven to have them next door. Particularly with Eric gone.

  A sigh welled from within.

  It seemed selfish to be glad Jessica was the one dealing with the new owners of Moonlight Ventures, but Penny knew her own emotions would get too much in the way. Her granddaughter was better suited to sort things out. The Crystal Connection just couldn’t move; relocating it would kill the store and that would break her heart.

  The idea for the shop had grown from years of watching friends from around the globe struggle to find a fair trade market for their local crafts and resources. She would continue coordinating the distribution network she and Eric had established with similar shops acro
ss the United States, but it would hurt desperately if the Crystal Connection no longer existed. She had so many memories there.

  It was curious. Penny didn’t regret marrying a man so much older, but it was dawning on her that she didn’t have anyone who shared fond memories of their travels. Her son had begged to attend boarding school and they’d finally relented. Maybe they should have insisted he stay with them, but he’d deeply resented their constant moving. In contrast, he had loved the regimented life of his school and fervently embraced its stuffy attitudes.

  “Are you okay, Grandma?” Cyndi asked and Penny tried to smile.

  “I’m fine. This puzzle just reminds me of happy times. Would you be surprised to hear your great-grandmother used to go scuba diving in places like this?” she asked, tapping the picture from the puzzle box.

  It was a brilliantly colored ocean scene, with waves splashing over a coral reef, a vivid reminder of the time she and Eric had spent near the Great Barrier Reef. That was when he’d taught her to scuba dive. Eric had loved diving. It had given him freedom of movement, without the pain from the leg he’d injured on an Alaskan fishing boat during a college break.

  Cyndi regarded her for a solemn moment. “I think you can do anything,” she finally pronounced. “Did you see dolphins?”

  “Dozens, and there was a green sea turtle who used to get curious and come around to watch us. I have pictures in one of my albums.”

  “Cool.”

  Penny’s memories kept stirring, memories of all the natural beauty she’d seen, the cultures she’d been privileged to be part of. That was what life with Eric had been like...experiencing things other people just dreamed about. She missed him terribly, but she was finally remembering the good days first, before the reminder of the loss.

  Until now, prodded her ever-active brain.

  Right, until now, when this issue about the shop moving had turned her upside down.

  She’d liked Logan Kensington the times she’d met him. He seemed emotionally reserved, but he was talented, had an explorer’s spirit and was willing to take risks to get what he wanted. And he was also single. If only he’d asked Jessica on a real date, everything would be fine. Instead it was this business about the lease and wanting to move the store.

  Penny absently fingered a puzzle piece and wondered if she should call Kevin. He was a nice man. He’d married her best friend from childhood and she’d worried that they would drift apart when Allison died, and then later when she’d lost Eric. Instead he’d remained a friend.

  Her granddaughter had rightly pointed out that Kevin couldn’t do anything since he no longer owned the building, but it would still be nice to talk it over with someone who understood how she felt.

  * * *

  JESSICA WASHED HER hands and dried them carefully. Logan was too intense for comfort, so she’d excused herself, needing a few minutes of breathing space. A part of her was even tempted to call a taxi so she could slip out the rear door and leave him sitting at the table.

  She laughed to herself. If running away was a viable solution to problems, the wimps of the world would have a lock on success.

  Squaring her shoulders, Jessica marched back to the dining area and then slowed to look at Logan. What would his face reveal if he didn’t know he was being observed? He was gazing out the window and his profile seemed filled with focused energy, yet he was half smiling in a way that made her think about kisses and laughter.

  The thought was annoying.

  It had been ages since she’d spent time with a man in an atmosphere more conducive to socializing than business. Why had he brought her here? She was a family restaurant kind of woman, which was the type of place she’d expected them to go.

  On the other hand, Logan Kensington had lived and worked all over the world, associating with people who were rich and famous. No doubt he’d visited restaurants in Rome, London, Paris and Tokyo that made this place seem rustic by comparison. He operated on a level she’d never dreamed of approaching, so if there were any future business discussions outside the shop, she needed to make sure they did it in a setting where she felt comfortable.

  Fastening a calm expression onto her face, she returned to the table and sat quickly, though he’d started to get up as if to help her with the chair.

  “This looks good.” She gestured to the dinner salads the server had delivered, deciding to enjoy the food even if she couldn’t relax.

  Jessica savored each bite, though it was difficult not to dread Logan’s next question about the Crystal Connection.

  “I know you’ve lived in the Seattle area for the better part of a year, but have you had a chance to see any of the sights with Cyndi?” he asked instead of launching back into their business discussion.

  “We go whenever possible and my grandmother is always eager to get out and do something. I live in the other side of her duplex, so the adventures start there.”

  “I imagine that’s both convenient and awkward, since you can’t have much privacy.”

  Jessica assumed he meant privacy for dating, or perhaps he meant having her grandmother observing her comings and goings. She shook her head. “Privacy isn’t a concern for me.”

  “You’ve mentioned having Penny nearby gives Cyndi another adult to rely on.”

  “Yes. Grams is looking forward to summer because she plans to take Cyndi all over the region, including British Columbia. When I visited as a kid, my grandparents always made sure I got to see places like Mount St. Helens and Vancouver Island, along with museums and other sights. I would have loved hiking Mount Rainier, but Granddad wasn’t able to do something so strenuous.”

  “Kevin mentioned Eric was much older than Penny. He sure didn’t look like a man in his late eighties.”

  “No.” Jessica felt a deep pang—if Granddad had been younger, he might still be alive.

  “He must have loved the work at the shop to keep at it so long past the usual retirement age.”

  She smiled. “Granddad didn’t care what he was doing, as long as it was with Grams. They met when he was thirty-five and she was eighteen. It was as if a lightning bolt had hit them, but he resisted getting involved because of the age difference. He also limped from an old injury and thought it wasn’t fair to her.”

  “What changed his mind?”

  “Grams. She’s a force of nature.”

  “I see.”

  Jessica ate a bite of French bread, thinking how badly she’d messed up trying to follow her grandmother’s example. She’d believed she was in love with Aaron and had gone after him the way Grams had gone after Granddad. It wasn’t her ex’s fault that they’d crashed and burned. He hadn’t been ready for a relationship, especially with someone who needed a whole lot more than he could give. She’d never make that mistake again.

  When their entrées arrived, Logan’s expression changed from casual to formal. “Tell me some of your other concerns about moving locations.”

  “One is that I have a large number of regulars for coffee,” she said. “If they have to go all the way around to the back of the building, some might not bother.”

  “Surely that wouldn’t make a difference. Your coffee is excellent.”

  “Look, I know you don’t think parking is a big deal, but time is important to people in this busy age,” she countered. “It’s a huge building. Often someone would have to park at one end, then walk the full length of the block and around to the back. Busy people will choose a shop with a drive-through window rather than put up with too much inconvenience, no matter how good the coffee might be somewhere else. Besides, out of sight, out of mind.”

  “Signs will help,” Logan insisted, though she was fairly sure he saw the logic of her argument. Moving would inevitably impact her business, and not for the better. Coffee sales were a reliable income when other sales were slow, and losing them would be a huge problem.

>   Jessica pushed her slight depression aside. She’d been promised rapid advancement in her old job, but refusing her grandfather’s legacy would have been unthinkable. At any rate, she still thought it was better to be her own boss, which meant she had to find a way to stay in business.

  They continued talking, Jessica listing the issues that had occurred to her from the time Logan had first mentioned moving. He listened respectfully, which was surprising. He’d more or less scoffed at her concerns the first time they’d talked.

  Jessica’s conscience chided her.

  She didn’t know anything substantive about Logan beyond his amazing talent. And didn’t expect to ever learn anything. He was a business associate, that’s all.

  * * *

  THE NEXT MORNING Penny’s head ached from lack of sleep. She got out her cell phone and debated. Several days earlier Kevin had dropped by the house on the way to the airport, both to say goodbye and encourage her to call if she wanted to talk. It had been thoughtful and she enjoyed their conversations, but she didn’t want to intrude. Jessica was like a grandchild to him, but this was his daughter’s first baby.

  Besides, what could he do? The building had been sold even though he still came around and visited his former tenants. She worried he was lonely and didn’t know what to do with his retirement.

  A tap on the back door made her jump and she turned to see Jessica lean in through the opening.

  “Hi, Grams. Just wanted to remind you that I’m taking Cyndi to the store this morning.”

  “Thank you, dear.” Penny wanted to know how the meeting with Logan had gone but was afraid to ask. She put the hand holding the cell phone to her chest.