Close to Home

by Carolyne Aarsen

  “She still means something to you, doesn’t she?”

  Jace stared sightlessly into the night, testing his feelings. “It’s been too long without anything being said, without any explanations. Whatever we may have had is over.” He was lying, but he hoped that if he said it enough times, thought it enough times, it would be true.

  Paul nodded, as if he understood. Jace slanted him a sidelong look, surprised at what he had just told a virtual stranger. But he seemed to be no stranger to Dodie, and maybe Jace had harbored some faint hope that Paul could enlighten him.

  “Relationships are a source of frustration, but they can be one of great security, as well,” Paul said.

  “How did you and Helen—” Jace let the question drop. “Sorry. That’s none of my business.”

  “How did we get together?” Paul laughed. “Don’t worry, I thought the same. I’ve known and admired the great Helen Lennox for years, and when I met her I was as tongue-tied as anyone else. And then when we got to talking about music, I was a bit more comfortable.” His tone softened. “But when I looked deep into her eyes and saw the hurt there, she became simply a lonely woman in pain. And I knew I could help her.”

  “How?”

  “I asked the right questions. And I listened. I had to work awful hard on Helen to get her to trust me,” he said quietly. “I didn’t think I’d be able to help her since she was hurt so badly. But thankfully, with God’s help, Helen found peace and value in herself again.”

  Jace wondered what had hurt Helen, but in spite of Paul’s forthright answers, he knew better than to pry.

  “I hope Dodie and Helen can help each other,” Paul continued.

  He threw out his ambiguous comment so casually, Jace almost missed the undercurrent of concern in Paul’s voice.

  “What do you mean?”

  Paul rested the palms of his hands on the car behind him, focusing on the stars above. “Dodie has the same look Helen does.”

  “What look is that?”

  Paul drummed his fingers on the hood of the car, then pushed himself away. “Like her trust has been broken.”

  His words sent a chill through Jace’s body. He felt as if he should know exactly what Paul was talking about.

  He was about to ask Paul more when the dogs started howling and Paul’s attention was diverted to them. “Hush, you two. It’s just coyotes.” He pushed himself away from the car. “We better get them inside before they get all wound up. Once they do they don’t quit.”

  Paul whistled for the dogs and headed toward the house.

  Jace followed him inside, letting the warmth chase away the chill of the night, questions lingering.

  Dodie and Helen were still talking, their murmuring conversation creating a welcoming sound. Jace heard Dodie laugh, the sound generating an answering twinge of melancholy. Dodie used to laugh all the time.

  He and Paul stepped into the living room just as Dodie got up from the couch, smiling at Helen. She hadn’t seen him yet.

  Her face was animated, her eyes bright and as she talked, her hand sketched vague pictures in the air. “So I’ll have to talk to the organizers and see what we can arrange.”

  Dodie caught sight of Paul first, and her smile deepened.

  But he could tell the moment her eyes fixed on his. Had he imagined that flicker of haunting pain in her blue eyes?

  Were Paul’s words making him see something that hadn’t been there before?

  At any rate, as soon as their eyes met, it was as if someone flipped a switch and her eyes grew distant.

  And Jace felt his frustration return.

  She turned to Helen and held out her hand. “Thanks so much for your hospitality. I so appreciate the visit.”

  Guess we’re going, Jace thought.

  Jace glanced at Paul, wondering if he should ask once again about him singing at the fundraiser. But he didn’t want to seem like he was nagging, so he let it go.

  Now that he had met Paul face-to-face, he could deal with that issue with one phone call.

  “Thank you, as well,” he said, also shaking Helen’s and then Paul’s hand. “I enjoyed myself.”

  “You two come again,” Paul said, shooting Jace a faint wink. “You’re welcome any time.”

  “Yes, please, come again,” Helen added, giving Dodie an extrawarm smile.

  Dodie returned the smile, took her coat from Paul, then, with one final goodbye, left the house. She slipped her coat on, then walked ahead of Jace, her arms crossed over her midsection, her head down.

  They drove in silence for a few minutes when Jace thought he heard a muffled sniff coming from across the car. Then, as he glanced surreptitiously over, he saw Dodie’s hand sneak up to wipe moisture from her cheeks.

  She was crying.

  He swallowed, unsure of what to do. He was never good with a woman’s tears, let alone the sadness of a girl who was once so important to him.

  He kept silent, however, fairly sure she wouldn’t want his attention, but when she dabbed at her cheeks again, he couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “Dodie, what’s wrong?”

  She became stock-still, as if his question was an unwelcome intrusion. But she said nothing.

  “Are you okay?”

  She drew in a shuddering breath and looked ahead, a small concession.

  “No. I’m not.” Her admission was an anguished whisper, as if the words were dragged from her.

  Jace’s heart flipped slowly over. Finally, he thought. She’s finally ready to open up to me. He was about to press her for more information when she spoke again.

  “But I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” she said, drawing in a ragged breath.

  Jace glanced at her, but she kept her gaze directed straight ahead, her posture stiff and unyielding.

  He couldn’t let this sit. Couldn’t leave it at this. “Why not?”

  She sliced the air between them with her hand, cutting off further conversation. “No, Jace. No more questions.”

  “But, Dodie—”

  “I can’t. Not now. Please.” Her voice broke on that last word and Jace’s heart ached with yearning. He wanted to stop the car, reach over and pull her close.

  Instead he kept driving, clinging to the tentative nature of her last comment. In spite of her reluctance, he felt as if he had witnessed a breakthrough. A glimpse into whatever it was that Dodie was hiding.

  He clung to that all the way back to Riverbend. He wasn’t going to let things go now. Not after this.

  Chapter Five

  “I’ve got this great travel mug I can donate.” Chester at the Farm and Feed Supply held up a plastic bag with a silver mug inside. “It’s got the name of the business on it,” he said, setting it down on the counter in front of Jace. “Will I get more advertising out of the deal?”

  Jace eyed the cheap metal mug and mentally sighed. Chester’s mug was hardly going to put him in the running to meet Dodie’s challenge.

  “Everyone who donates will have their name put on a card on the wall in the arena and on the event program.” Jace pulled out his PDA. “Would you like to buy tickets, as well?”

  “I heard that if you donate something, tickets are free.”

  “Not true,” Jace said decisively, glancing at the mug that couldn’t have cost Chester more than three dollars, which might, if people were feeling generous, bring in five dollars.

  “So how much are tickets,” Chester asked.

  “Seventy-five dollars apiece.”

  Chester whistled as he leaned his elbows on the counter. “You’re not going to get many people coming at that price.”

  “It’s a fundraiser,” Jace explained patiently.

  “I pay that much to go to a concert. Don’t think it’s much worth my while to pay that much to eat half-baked food.”

  “We’ve got a great caterer,” Jace replied. “The food will be amazing.”

  “Yeah, well. I’ll see.”

  “Don’t wait too long,” Jace said, pickin
g the mug up off the counter. “Tickets are getting hard to come by.” Which was patently untrue. Ticket sales were sluggish at best, but Jace held out hope the big rush would come the last couple of weeks.

  “We’ll see,” Chester said, drumming his fingers on the scarred wooden counter.

  “Hey, Jace. Don’t tell me you’ve taken up farming as well as lawyering?”

  Jace felt a large hand drop on his shoulder and he turned to face a heavyset man whose worn plaid shirt strained at the mismatched buttons. The stained cowboy hat on his head was dented and frayed, but his blue jeans were so new they were still stiff.

  “Aiden Ochremchuk. Good to see you again. How are the kids?” Jace shook Aiden’s other hand, or rather had his hand shook. His old friend did nothing by halves.

  Aiden released Jace’s fingers but kept his other hand on Jace’s shoulder. “Driving me nuts. That’s why I had to get out.”

  Jace still had to smile. Though he’d kept up with his high school friend, he still struggled to reconcile the resident class clown of his high school years with a settled father of three children. He was a lot further ahead of the game than Jace was.

  The thought gave him a momentary pang. Had things gone the way he had planned, he and Dodie could have had at least one child by now.

  “And I heard you’re doing some serious canvassing for this big shindig comin’ up?”

  “Yes.” Jace nodded, pushing the memories away. “Would you have anything to donate?”

  “Already talked to your partner in crime. Dodie finagled a trip for four down the river in Dad’s jet boat. I’m driving.”

  Jace had to smile. “Is that safe?”

  Aiden waved away his concerns. “I’m a responsible father of three kids with another one on the way. There’s no way I want to jeopardize their future. Besides, Sally would kill me if something happened to me.” Aiden laughed. “But that Dodie, she’s got the makings of a good lawyer. She even got Dad to throw in a filet of beef barbecue at the Riverbend campground on top of it. And Sally is making dessert.” He laughed again, shaking his head.

  Jace gave Aiden a weak smile. “Then I guess you’re tapped out. Thanks so much for your generosity.” This boat trip was exactly what he’d been angling for. Unique, interesting and something the ordinary person couldn’t purchase anywhere else.

  “Don’t worry,” Aiden said, pulling out a wallet from his back pocket. “Dodie let slip about your little game.” Aiden pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper and handed it to Jace. “Get your secretary to type this up.”

  Jace glanced down at the scribbled writing on the paper. It said that the Ochremchuk Family Ranch was good for one weekend for two at the ranch, complete with home-cooked meals and horseback riding.

  “This is fantastic, Aiden,” he said with a huge grin.

  “Got to keep things even. Can’t have Dodie thinking she’s got one over on my good friend. Besides, I wouldn’t mind seeing the two of you together again.” Aiden adjusted his battered hat as he shook his head. “Always thought you would get married by now.” He shot him a meaningful look as if hoping Jace would expand on his remark.

  Jace’s mind ticked back to the evening spent with Paul and Helen. On Sunday he had gone to church, but Dodie hadn’t. He had hoped, by some small miracle, to try to talk to her. To build on the minuscule crumb she had given him.

  But she hadn’t come.

  “Do you know how long you’re sticking around town?”

  Jace shook his head with a touch of regret. He liked working with Aiden and his father. They were interesting and both had a good sense of humor. Plus Bill and Aiden were always working on one deal or another, which kept the Riverbend branch of Carson’s law firm busy. “As soon as I’m done, though, I’m back to the Edmonton office.”

  “I hope they get a decent replacement for you and not one like the guy before you. When I saw all those mistakes he made on that real-estate deal we put together eight months ago I wondered if the guy got his degree from a cereal box. I still can’t believe Carson hired the guy. Sometimes I think Carson’s too soft.” Aiden tightened his hand on his shoulder. “And then I get his bill for work he does for me and I think, nope. Hard as nails.” He laughed again, letting Jace know his comment was all in fun.

  Jace saw the minute hand sweeping across the clock behind Chester and gave Aiden a quick smile, holding up the piece of paper. “Thanks a ton for this. I’ll get my secretary, Callie, to make up a nice certificate for this.”

  Aiden’s expression grew serious. “Think of it as a little bribe so you’ll consider staying here. Riverbend is a good place to raise a family. Your mom and dad thought so.”

  Jace might have been inclined to agree with him. If he was even remotely headed toward matrimony. After Dodie left, he hadn’t found anyone he wanted to date more than a couple of times, let alone settle down with.

  “Thanks, Aiden. I’ll…I’ll keep it in mind.”

  “You do that. And while I’m yammering away—” his jovial expression grew suddenly serious “—how’s your mom?”

  “She misses Riverbend but is glad to be back in Ontario with her family. Thanks for asking.”

  Aiden shook his head. “Your father was a good man. My dad always said he was a reminder to all of us about being content and treating people fair.”

  Jace felt a nudge of melancholy at Aiden’s surprisingly serious words. His memories of his father were a mixed bag of the usual parent/child frustration over restrictions. All he remembered were the fights over money at home. Because his father didn’t work, Jace never stopped to think about how he was received outside of the home.

  But coming back here to Riverbend, especially since he’d been canvassing around the town, he’d been privy to other points of view about his father. Heard other stories of things his father did that his mother never gave him credit for.

  And each little bit of information he gleaned gave him a new appreciation for his father. In spite of his disabilities, Rick Scholte had been involved in various aspects of the community and was respected and appreciated for his simple faith.

  Jace tucked Aiden’s paper in his pocket. “Thanks again. I should get going. Got to go to a meeting.”

  “You do that. I think you got a good chance to even up the score with Dodie,” Aiden said. “And make sure you come by when you’ve got some time. Sally said she’d love to try a new recipe out on you.”

  “Sounds…intriguing.”

  “Good word,” Aiden said with a knowing wink. “Take care.”

  Half an hour later Jace sauntered up the walk to Sheila Kippers’s place, feeling pretty confident about his chances to best Dodie.

  He rang the doorbell and she answered the door right away. Sheila had her hair down, and she wore a snug knit dress, full makeup and a smile that seemed to be more welcoming than it should—considering the divorcée was about seven years older than him.

  “Come in, Jace. So good to see you.” Her smile widened and she touched him lightly on the shoulder. “Dodie’s already here.” This was delivered with a faint note of regret that, it seemed, she expected him to share.

  “Terrific,” Jace said with false enthusiasm. He stepped into the house, giving Sheila a wide berth. “I need to talk to her, too.”

  Sheila’s glistening lips formed a pout. “She’s in the den. Just go down the stairs. Door’s to your right. I’ll be right back after I get us something to snack on.”

  “Do you have to check on your kids?” Jace asked, putting extra emphasis on the last word.

  “They’re staying overnight at a friend’s place tonight. Sleepover.”

  “Lucky them.” Jace made a quick getaway down the stairs. He suddenly felt just a little more uncomfortable around Sheila.

  Dodie sat on the floor of a large, open room, papers spread around her, a pencil stuck between her teeth. Her fingers danced over the calculator buttons as her eyes gleamed. Today she wore her hair down, and her baggy pants and loose T-shirt were a welcome cont
rast to the overt display he’d just been subjected to.

  “Hello there.” He smiled warmly as he dropped into a recliner beside her.

  Dodie’s head spun around. “You might want to wipe that smile off your face. You’re going down, Jace Scholte.”

  Her jaunty tone and suddenly cheerful demeanor gave Jace a thrill. She was acting like the old Dodie.

  Jace dropped his own folder onto the low table in front of Dodie. “And what makes you so confident? You don’t even know what donation I managed to get.” He held her gaze and, to his surprise, she didn’t look away.

  “I highly doubt you can beat this.” Dodie pulled out a piece of paper and laid it on the table in front of him. Jace saw Bill’s and Aiden’s names, and smiled.

  In turn, he went to his own folder and pulled out a couple of papers he’d managed to type up and print before he left. “I’ll see your boat trip from the Ochremchuks with this,” he said, placing a gift certificate for a plasma television on top of the paper. Then he pulled out the paper he had just printed and dropped it on the stack. “And I’ll raise you a weekend at the Ochremchuk ranch.”

  Dodie looked at the papers but to Jace’s disappointment, she didn’t seem fazed.

  She twisted around and picked up several more papers. “Homemade quilt from the Quilter’s Guild.” She slapped one paper after another down on top of Jace’s boat trip printout. “Handmade silver jewelry from Marcie at the farmer’s market. Spa treatment at Arlene’s. Custom-made stained-glass window. Collector doll and hand-sewn wardrobe.” She looked smug as she continued down the list. “Hand-crafted dollhouse. Hand-painted stemware…”

  Then she gave him a quick grin. “And I’m saving the best for when Sheila comes back.”

  Jace would have felt disappointed but for Dodie’s bright eyes, her quick smile and the dimple winking at him from one cheek.

  “Sounds like you’ve been busy. I’m impressed,” he said, reaching over and picking up the top piece of paper. “You’ve put a lot of time and energy into this.”