Jessica frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I was thinking about calling Kevin, but he’s probably busy with the baby.”
“Maybe he wants to talk to you, too,” Jessica said gently. “It must be hard, knowing Aunt Allison isn’t here to see her new granddaughter. Anyhow, I’ll see you later.”
When Penny was alone again she realized Jessica was right. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Kevin could have flown into Chicago full of expectation, only to remember his wife would never hold their sweet grandbaby in her arms. His emails had plenty of news—explaining that his daughter was recovering well from her scheduled caesarean and that baby Allie was gorgeous. Nonetheless, emails weren’t the same as talking to an old friend.
She selected Kevin’s number from her phone’s contacts list.
“Morning, Penny,” he answered, sounding pleased. “I was just thinking about you.”
“How is everything going?”
Kevin raved about his granddaughter for a while, who was apparently the prettiest and smartest child born since his own daughter had arrived thirty-six years earlier. “Naturally, Jessica and Cyndi are perfect, too,” he immediately qualified.
Penny chuckled. “Naturally. Are you having to fight Jill and her husband for a chance to hold the baby?”
“We’re all taking turns. Bryan is a fine man. Isn’t it wonderful that his employer gives paternity leave to both mothers and fathers these days?”
“Yes, it is,” Penny murmured, recalling how she’d flown back east to help when her twin grandsons were born and again when Jessica arrived. After all, her son wouldn’t have taken paternity leave if his company had begged him, and her daughter-in-law had barely recovered from childbirth before returning to work.
“Have to keep that nose to the grindstone,” James declared each time, his wife vigorously agreeing. “It’s the only way to get ahead.”
Having a career didn’t mean you couldn’t be good parents, but her son and his wife had left child-rearing to other people. It was hard to admit that James didn’t share his parents’ love for home and simplicity. He’d wanted more and more, better and better. Penny wrinkled her nose. Definitely, they should have said no to the boarding school. Recognizing James was honest and hard-working was a comfort, but she hated how his children had grown up so lonely. It had been roughest on Jessica, though, since the boys had relied on each other.
“Penny?” Kevin prompted over the phone. Oops, her mind had been wandering. She would have claimed age or the stress of the past year, but she’d always been that way.
“Sorry,” she apologized.
“A visit with the leprechauns?” he teased. It was an old joke, one that always made her smile.
“You know me too well. Listen, there’s something I want to discuss, though I shouldn’t bother you while you’re away.”
“Nonsense. What’s up?”
“It seems that the...the new owners want to expand Moonlight Ventures right away. They’ve asked Jessica to move the Crystal Connection around to the back of the building. To the side that faces on that little street with no traffic.”
“What are they thinking? It’s a terrible site for a retail store. This must be why Logan called and was asking about you and Jessica.” Kevin sounded grim. “I’ll talk with them. You’ve had that space for a long time—it was almost a second home for you and Eric.”
She let out a breath. “I know, but the new owners want to expand. Jessica can refuse since there are three years left on the lease, but that just postpones the problem.”
“I’ll still talk with them. They’re young. They may not realize how things should be done.”
Penny felt better, though she knew there was little that Kevin could do if the new owners were determined. “Thanks. It’s great talking with you. I’ve missed our chats.”
“Me, too. We’ll make up for it when I get back.”
They spoke a few minutes longer before the baby started crying in the background and Kevin said goodbye.
Penny turned off her phone, feeling selfish that she wished he was home instead of being in Chicago. For months he’d been dropping by the shop each afternoon during the slow period. They would drink a cup of coffee or tea, sometimes sitting in silence, other times talking about everything under the sun. Perhaps she should have discouraged him, but it was the time of day when being alone weighed on her the most.
When Eric had suspected his heart was giving out, it was in the afternoons that they’d spoken about the future most often. It hadn’t been easy for her, but they’d grown even closer as they talked about life and death, sorrow and joy. She hadn’t wanted to continue running the store alone, so they’d decided to sell a piece of property they owned in Seattle to provide a nest egg for her and a bequest for Jessica’s twin brothers. But there was never a question that Jessica should have the Crystal Connection. Now Penny feared the security they’d hoped to provide their granddaughter and great-granddaughter was fading away.
All at once she shook herself.
This kind of worry and fretting wasn’t like her. Everything would work out.
* * *
IT WAS DIFFICULT for Logan to concentrate on the stack of work he’d planned to do that morning.
Wading through portfolios of prospective clients—otherwise known as hopefuls—was his least favorite part of running the agency, a sentiment his partners echoed. But that wasn’t what was bothering him—it was how to resolve the issues with Jessica Parrish.
The agency’s client list was growing and they needed to hire new agents, but they had zero space for them. Even working at home wouldn’t take care of the problem because a professional setting for meetings was essential. A desk stuck in the corner of the reception area wouldn’t reassure clients or advertisers that the agency had its act together. The room they had for photography work with clients was already inadequate. But even if they turned it into an office while he and his partners doubled up as an interim measure, it wasn’t what they wanted long term. Crowded conditions also wouldn’t project the image of success they were fostering.
Perhaps more coffee would help him get focused. It would be a good excuse to see Jessica and gauge how troubled the waters might be after their discussion the previous evening. He’d gotten a cup that morning, but there had been too many customers in the shop to determine anything. Grabbing his travel mug, he strode down the hallway, waving at Chelsea, the office manager. She nodded, accustomed to the partners going out on quick coffee runs.
Jessica was dusting a display case as he walked into the store.
“Hi,” he said. “Is there any Southwest Twist ready?”
“Just made a fresh batch.” She took his cup and headed for the coffee corner.
Several customers looked up from their shopping and smiled as Cyndi ran from the back room, carrying a camera. “Hi, Logan.”
“Hey, kiddo. I bet you’re enjoying the break from school.”
Cyndi’s head turned thoughtfully and he noted a strong resemblance to her mother. She had the same soft hair with coppery highlights, the same striking blue eyes and the same bright expression.
“I didn’t like it before Momma had the store and I had to go to day care. Boring,” she declared. “Now I go to Grandma’s house or the shop, so it’s nice. But school is nice, too.”
“I’m glad you like both.”
He would have called it a win-win situation, except repeating the phrase within earshot of Jessica didn’t seem wise. He’d told her to take a few days to think about moving the store and that they could meet again the following week.
“Can you show me how you took pictures of the baby mountain lions?” Cyndi asked.
“I can show you a few things.” Logan examined her camera and then explained the zoom feature and various settings. “You’ll need to experiment and see what works best.”
/> “Is the sports setting the one you used taking pictures of the baby lions?”
“My equipment is different, but that’s the setting to use on your camera for action shots,” he said.
“Grandma says a lot of people just take pictures with their phones, so they aren’t using cameras as much.”
Logan was aware of the trend. “That’s probably because they usually have their smartphones with them.”
“But can they take the same kind of pictures as a camera?”
“Probably not,” he admitted. “I haven’t done comparisons, but I doubt camera phones can do as much as my equipment.”
Cyndi’s lips turned down with disappointment. “I was hoping to take pictures just like you.”
Logan was flattered by her enthusiasm and didn’t want to discourage her by discussing the thousands of dollars he’d spent on his professional gear. “I understand, but remember what I said before—your camera is a good place to start. This way you can get a feel for how the world looks through a camera and how you want to portray it. Practice taking pictures of kittens and puppies and things like that.”
“But can you bring your camera and show me how you do it? Sometime, I mean.”
“Here’s your coffee, Logan,” Jessica interjected, perhaps to head off her daughter’s request.
“Can you?” Cyndi begged, though her mother was shaking her head at her. “I’d really like to see.”
“Uh, sure,” he said, unable to resist the pleading expression in the little girl’s eyes. He’d mostly photographed adult models, so his experience with kids was limited, but she was refreshingly unaffected and eager.
“Cyndi, you need to finish your homework,” Jessica said. “Remember, you can’t go to the science center tomorrow with Grams unless it’s done.”
With a flutter of her hand, Cyndi quickly disappeared into the storeroom.
“I have a study and play area for her back there,” Jessica explained, handing him the travel mug.
“Is that where you studied when visiting Penny and Eric?”
“It wasn’t needed. My parents sent me here during summer breaks and I wanted to be wherever Grams and Granddad were. But I wanted a quieter place for Cyndi to focus on her schoolwork.”
“A busy store would have too many distractions,” he agreed.
A young man brought his shopping basket to the counter, so Logan moved away.
A sparkling object caught his attention. It was a piece of rock carved into a large sphere, with a natural cavity that revealed stunning blue crystals inside.
In the background, he heard the guy at the counter exclaim, “You’ve got a great selection.”
“Thanks. Is this your first time here?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, but I’ll be back. I’m Jason Winslow. Is that your husband you were just talking to?”
Curious to see Jessica’s response, Logan glanced over and saw her shrug. “He’s one of my landlords. I’m divorced.”
“In that case, is there any chance I can take you to dinner this weekend?”
Logan strained his ears to hear Jessica’s reply.
“That’s nice of you, but I just inherited the Crystal Connection and I need to focus on learning the business. The rest of the time I’m pretty busy being a mom.”
“Maybe later when things are quieter? Uh, if it works better for you we could all go to a family movie or something.”
“Perhaps. Would you like to be on our new email list? I’m going to use it for sales, coupons and promotions, but I won’t send out constant emails or share it with anyone else.”
The guy laughed. “Good to know. I mark that kind of thing as spam so I won’t have to wade through it to find the stuff that matters.”
Logan shifted his feet as a clipboard exchanged hands. It was illogical to be restless; getting Jessica’s customers on an email list was helpful to his cause.
Picking up the blue stone ball, Logan examined it more closely. But he remained distracted, thinking about Jessica’s casual manner when her customer had asked if he was her husband. He felt a wry chagrin. After all, he was just one of her landlords and didn’t want to be anything else.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Jessica’s voice seemed to come from a distance and Logan realized his mind hadn’t been present for a while.
“Yes, it is.” At least he could say that honestly. “Is the color artificial, and what healing property are the crystals supposed to have?”
“The color is natural. It was carved from a celestite geode from Madagascar and I believe it’s good for the eyes.”
“Why is that?” Logan tried to make the question sound simply curious.
“Because it’s so well-crafted and beautiful.”
“Really?” he said. Odd, Jessica’s eyes had the same blue as some of the crystals inside the stone ball.
“Yes,” she said in a confidential tone. “Haven’t you heard? Art is good for the eyes and the soul.”
Logan stared, marveling at how smoothly Jessica had pulled his leg. How had he missed it? Easy answer...he’d been thinking about kissing her.
CHAPTER SIX
JESSICA GRINNED AT LOGAN, pleased to see him nonplussed.
“Okay,” he said, “I deserved that. And you’re right about this being a piece of art. I’ll take it.”
Her humor faded. “You don’t have to buy something out of guilt or pity. Besides, one purchase, no matter how large, won’t solve anything.”
He shook his head. “This is for me, because I want it. I’m interested in doing microphotography and this would be a good subject. Microphotography is when you do extreme close-ups. The results can be extraordinary. You see details that aren’t visible to the naked eye.”
“I’ve read about it. Ever since she met you, Cyndi has been searching the internet for information on photography and asks about anything she doesn’t understand. Your calendar has inspired her to new heights of enthusiasm.”
“I’m honored.”
Jessica’s gaze fell to Logan’s strong fingers holding the celestite ball and she swallowed. Once upon a time she’d dreamed of walking through life, hands clasped with a guy she loved more than anything. She still felt hungry for that kind of relationship and was embarrassed that Logan Kensington reminded her of the dream.
“Tell you what,” she said, “if you bring one of your super-duper cameras and show Cyndi what you’re doing, you can take extreme close-ups of the celestite ball and my other stock for free. Just let me know what afternoon you’re free to come, and I’ll make sure Cyndi is here.”
The offer was self-serving—if Logan spent real time at the store he might get an inkling of why it was special. It probably wouldn’t make any difference, but she wanted him to understand the shop was more than just a place that sold decent coffee and pretty things.
The cautious side of her nature was sending numerous warnings about Logan, but she had to ignore them. She was fighting for her livelihood and her grandparents’ legacy.
Logan nodded after a long moment. “I’ll do that, but I still want to buy the sphere, or geode, or whatever it’s called.”
“It’s your choice. Keep in mind the color will fade if you display celestite in sunlight,” she said as she boxed the carved ball with its acrylic display stand. “Amethysts are the same.”
“Thanks.”
He walked out with his shopping bag and coffee cup, leaving Jessica with mixed feelings. Normally she would be pleased to sell one of the bigger-ticket items, but would he appreciate such a fine piece? Still, Logan had an eye for beauty.
A short time later Nicole George Masters came into the shop for her afternoon latte. Jessica said hello, struggling to smile. She’d been doing her best to act normally with everyone from the agency.
“Logan just showed me a fantastic blue crystal piece he got from
you,” Nicole said. “I’m envious. I think I’ve been rushing in and out too fast without paying enough attention to the displays.”
“Rocks and crystals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.”
“It isn’t that, I just get in a rush.” Coffee cup in hand, Nicole wandered through the aisles, stopping occasionally to look more closely at a particular crystal.
From Jessica’s contacts with her, she knew the other woman wasn’t only beautiful, she was intelligent and gracious, too. It was important to remember that her landlords were nice people, if removed from day-to-day realities. They’d succeeded fabulously in their former careers and were turning their talent agency into an equally stellar success, but they had troubles like everyone else. No one would know it looking at her, but Rachel Clarion Kessler’s face had been scarred in an accident. And apparently Nicole and her husband had gotten married at the courthouse because their parents didn’t get along, making a formal wedding out of the question.
Still, while none of them were wealthy, it had been a long time since they’d worried about putting food on the table or keeping a roof over their heads.
Nicole waved and left and Jessica threw her shoulders back. She despised feeling sorry for herself. After all, she was more fortunate than many people.
“Momma, I’m finished with my homework,” Cyndi said, coming out of the stockroom. “Can I take pictures of the rocks now?”
“Sure. Maybe we can use them on the website I’m designing,” Jessica told her.
Cyndi’s eyes lit up. “Okay.”
Before long her daughter was absorbed in taking pictures—having a purpose made it even more fascinating for her.
Jessica focused on the website she was creating. It hadn’t been a top priority since she spent most of her free time on the Flash Committee. But now that the shop was in danger, she needed an online presence to promote the store and establish internet sales. Some people made their living that way, although Jessica enjoyed interacting with customers, hearing their stories and getting a sense of the items they liked best. Beyond that, the shop was a link to Granddad for her and Grams.
Finally, a Family--A Clean Romance Page 7