Almost Home

by Macomber, Debbie; Duarte, Judy; Lamb, Cathy; Mary Carter

  “I’m sure there is, but I had to take a cold shower this morning, and I don’t want to wait any longer than I have to.”

  “I’ll get right on it. But if you don’t mind, I’ll give the sales agent a call first. Her number should be with the closing docs.” As Elena got up from her desk and walked toward the file cabinet, she looked at Jenn. “Marc just moved into a four-bedroom house at The Bluffs.”

  One of the most exclusive neighborhoods in town, Jenn realized, where almost every home had an ocean view. But that shouldn’t surprise her. Marc was obviously a successful man who could afford the best.

  She had work to do, and Elena certainly had everything under control, but for some reason her feet remained rooted to the floor, and her eyes sought Marc. He reminded her of someone, although she couldn’t put her finger on who it might be. An actor on his way to movie stardom? A model for men’s cologne or underwear or something?

  Oh, for goodness’ sake. She was going to find herself fired if she didn’t get her mind back on work.

  Shake it off, she told herself.

  As her feet began to comply, Marc turned to her, stopping her in midstep with just one look.

  “How’s the brochure coming?” he asked.

  “The draft is ready for you to look over whenever you’d like. I also finished that press release before leaving last night.”

  “Good. I’m looking forward to seeing it. I’ve got a conference call scheduled first thing, so if you’ll give me a few minutes, I’ll come in and take a look at it.”

  “All right.”

  As she headed toward her office with sure, steady steps, she overheard Elena speak to Marc.

  “Have you read the paper yet?”

  “No, I haven’t had a chance.”

  “I think you’ll find it especially interesting. Here, take my copy.”

  Elena had mentioned that she’d enjoyed reading today’s issue. So Jenn told herself not to put much thought into that comment. There were a lot of articles in the Times. Surely Elena wasn’t encouraging Marc to read Dear Diana.

  And if she was, why would Marc find that letter about a guy’s midlife crisis interesting?

  Chapter Nine

  Marc sat in his office making a few notes after speaking with his second in command at the home office and a labor advisory group that had been providing supervisory training for several of his top managers. The conference call had gone into overtime, and now it was nearing eleven o’clock.

  So much for telling Jenn he’d be right in.

  But rather than rush to her office, he glanced at the morning edition of the Times that sat on his desk.

  While Elena had no idea that Marc had written a letter to Diana—and he wasn’t about to confess—she’d been well aware of the crush he’d had on Jenn while growing up: the tutoring session, the hug, the ill-fated question about taking her out, the cold shoulder he’d gotten the rest of the school year. So he suspected she’d picked up on something in the column.

  His first guess was that his letter had come out in print. And that even if Jenn hadn’t recognized the similarities in the past and in Geek’s situation, Elena probably had.

  He set down his pen, shoved his notes aside, and opened the newspaper. And sure enough, on the right-hand side of page B-6, his letter was the first of three that had scored ink.

  Dear Geek,

  Some girls your age have a lot to learn when it comes to dealing with others. And a few of them are just plain mean.

  In Beauty’s case, she might be ignoring you so that you won’t waste your time pursuing her. She may think she’s doing you a favor by encouraging you to move on to someone who will truly appreciate you. There’s even a good chance that she doesn’t realize how badly you feel and how confused you are by her behavior.

  In ten years, when Beauty attends your high-school reunion, she’ll probably kick herself for letting a great catch like you go without a fight.

  I know it hurts now, but believe me, your pain and embarrassment will pass. While you go on to make something out of your life, the right girl will come along, and you’ll be glad you didn’t hook up with Beauty after all—at least, not when she was too young and too immature to recognize your value.

  You’re not alone, Geek. I’m here, and I care.

  Diana

  Interesting, Marc thought. Apparently, Jenn had sympathized with “the kid” who’d fallen for the popular girl who was way out of his league.

  But had she connected the dots? Did she see the similarities between the guy who called himself the Geek and the kid she’d known as Marcos? Did she suspect that Marc and the Geek were one and the same?

  While he was at it, Marc continued to read the other letters, as well as her responses. And just like yesterday and the day before, he was seeing a side of Jenn that he hadn’t expected. A compassionate side that intrigued him more than ever.

  He ran a hand along his chin, felt the bristles he’d refused to shave with cold water this morning, which left him feeling scruffy. Unkempt.

  Now what? Did he dare step out on a limb and ask her out again? Did he want to risk the embarrassment of her refusal?

  Putting his dilemma on hold, he got up from his desk and went to her office, where she was folding the mock pamphlet. He could have said something, let her know that he’d finished his conference call and was now ready to give her his undivided attention. But he continued to watch her fuss with the brochure she’d created, to watch how her concentration formed a V on her brow, to watch the way her hair hung along her cheek. The way she nibbled on her bottom lip.

  She must have sensed his presence, because she turned to him, her lips parting. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”

  “No problem. I didn’t want to startle you.” He eased into the office and made his way to her desk.

  She took a step back, making room for him. Her hand lifted to her chest, and she fingered her necklace, a single pearl on a silver chain. His eyes were drawn to the soft spot on her throat where her pulse throbbed. If he didn’t know better, he’d think that she was actually nervous around him. And maybe not only because he was her boss.

  Trying to steer his thoughts back on track, he asked, “What do you have there?”

  She pushed the brochure across the table, and he studied it carefully—the colors, the wording, the design. She’d captured everything he’d wanted, and it was apparent that she’d followed his notes to create a pamphlet that was even more eye-catching than he’d imagined. But instead of the paper that detailed the scholarship he was prepared to give out, his interest was on Jenn.

  When he thought she wouldn’t notice, he stole another glance her way, only to find she’d been studying his reaction. Or had she been studying him?

  Marc wasn’t sure what—if anything—was going on between the two of them. Was it just his imagination? An old fantasy resurrected?

  Had she figured out who he was? Did she suspect that he was “The Brain”? Did she think she’d made a big mistake by turning him down when they were seniors?

  Forcing his focus back on work, he said, “This is great, Jennifer. I like the colors you chose. And it’s short and sweet.”

  “That’s what I thought. Do you think we should mention the application deadline?”

  “Probably. It’s important that we get the word out as soon as possible.”

  “That’s an easy addition.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a simple pearl stud that matched her necklace and releasing the hint of her floral scent. “I’d like you to take a look at the press release I created.” She handed him a hard copy.

  He nodded slowly as he read it over. Then he gave it back to her. “This is perfect.”

  “I hope we’re not getting a late start,” she said. “I did some Internet research and found that most kids have already been accepted by the college they want to attend.”

  “We’re late if we were targeting seniors,” Marc said, “and while I’ll give them a
chance to apply this year, I’d really like to offer the scholarship to juniors. That way, during the mentoring process, they’ll have an idea of the funding they’ll be receiving, which should guide their college choices. That knowledge should also encourage them to work hard through their last year in high school and to keep their academic future on track. And since the kids I want to help will be dealing with a lot of outside influences that could thwart their efforts, not to mention the regular struggles brought on by adolescence, I think it’s really important to reach them early.”

  “You know,” she said, “high school was a wonderful experience for me, but I’m just beginning to realize how tough it is for some kids. So I think offering this opportunity to juniors is great. But then…” She smiled. “Something tells me that was on your mind all along.”

  She was right, but he didn’t want to imply that he’d suffered through the social jungle otherwise known as high school—unless, of course, she already knew that.

  “I read your column today,” he admitted. “And I noticed your response to the Geek.”

  “What did you think of it?” She turned to face him, those expressive blue eyes hopeful. “Not his letter, but what I said to him. I know how sensitive teenagers can be, so I hope my advice was helpful. And that he’ll be okay with what I said.”

  “I thought your response was good, but is that what you really believe happened? That the girl actually thought she was being helpful by ignoring the guy and treating him like he was pond scum?”

  Jenn crossed her arms. “He never said she treated him badly. Just that she ignored him.”

  “I guess that depends on what side of the cafeteria you sit on.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Marc managed a just-messing-with-you grin. “I figured that’s what Geek would have said if he’d been sitting here with us.”

  “Oh. You mean the invisible lines that were drawn between high-school groups.”

  Some weren’t all that invisible, Marc thought, but he let it go.

  “You know,” she added, “that letter was a real eye-opener for me.”

  “In what way?”

  “First of all, I never had to deal with some of the heartache that Geek is suffering through. I was popular and never lacked for friends, dates, or things to do on a Friday or Saturday night. So hearing about how the other side lived was sadly illuminating. And so were the responses I’ve received from that column.”

  “Responses?”

  “I get letters from people all the time, especially when they read something that evokes emotion or they remember something similar that happened in their own lives. And I’ve received a surprising number of replies to that column, especially Geek’s letter.”

  “You’re getting replies already?”

  “I’m sorry. I was going to wait until lunch to check my e-mail, but I’d already caught wind of a buzz in the community this morning, and I was curious. I just skimmed the letters so far, but it looks as though readers of all ages and genders are recalling their teenage years and sharing their pain, as well as offering me insights.”

  “That’s interesting—and a little surprising.” Marc would have guessed that a lot of people would rather keep those memories locked away someplace, like he did.

  “One letter referred to an upcoming high-school reunion, so it probably was from a former classmate of mine, although it was impossible to identify her in any specific way.” Jenn gave a little shrug and smiled. “I’m seriously thinking about writing a special article about teen angst and teen cruelty. I’m hoping that with the hindsight I’ve acquired in the last ten years, I might be able to…” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Help, I guess.”

  So she had a heart for geeks.

  Possibilities began to swirl in Marc’s mind, but before he could comment, Elena stepped into the open doorway of Jenn’s office.

  “Excuse me, Marc. Am I interrupting anything?”

  “No, you’re not.” In fact, Marc realized, Elena might have come in at the perfect time. He’d been about to extend a dinner invitation to Jenn, and he wasn’t sure whether that was the route he really wanted to go. Not today, when he needed a shave.

  “Jennifer’s mother and daughter are waiting in the reception area,” Elena said. “We’ve been chatting, but they’d like to talk to Jennifer when she’s free.”

  Jenn’s eyes grew wide, and her expression sobered. “Is something wrong?”

  “No. Your mom had a change of plans today and wanted you to know.”

  Jenn turned to Marc. “Do you mind? Can you excuse me for a moment?”

  “Of course.”

  He probably ought to return to his office, but curiosity got the better of him, and he followed her and Elena to the reception area.

  Susan Kramer, who was holding Caitlyn’s hand, stood next to Elena’s desk. “I’m really sorry for barging in like this. I hope it’s not a problem.”

  “Not at all.” Marc offered the older woman a welcoming smile. He had clients stop by at all times, and if he’d wanted a private conversation, he would have had it in the conference room.

  “We won’t stay long,” Susan said. “But Caitlyn wanted to see where her mommy works, and I wanted to let her know that we won’t be able to meet for lunch today. In fact, I might have to get a sitter to come over before she gets off work.”

  “A sitter?” Jenn asked.

  “You’re not going to believe this,” Susan said. “But your father called me about thirty minutes ago and asked me to have dinner with him tonight. And you’ll never guess where.”

  Jenn’s brow furrowed. “Dad called you? Just out of the blue?”

  “Yes, but even more surprising than that is where he wants to take me.” Susan broke into a smile that shed about five pounds and ten years off her. “To the Starlight Room at the Marina Hotel.”

  “He wants to take her on a date,” Elena said, “just like the guy who wrote to Diana.”

  Susan’s smile intensified, and a flush on her cheeks deepened. “I noticed the similarities, too. And to be honest, I didn’t tell you this, Jenn, but your father came by the house a while back and said he might have made a mistake by leaving. I figured that he really just missed his workshop in the garage. But Brad would never write a letter to an advice columnist, especially since he knows she’s our daughter. And even if he didn’t, who would write a phony letter?”

  Marc stiffened and scanned the group of women, hoping no one was looking his way, but…bingo. Elena’s gaze had zeroed in on him, seeing right through him. Thank goodness he could trust her to keep her suspicions to herself.

  “Maybe you should get your hair done,” Jenn said. “And buy a new outfit.”

  “Do you think I should? This is so not like Brad.” Susan bit on her bottom lip, as though giving the whole thing some serious thought. “You know, maybe he just wants to talk about the settlement. Or to ask for something he forgot in the garage.”

  “I’ll bet he’s going to tell you that he wants to save your marriage,” Elena said, her brown eyes taking on a romantic gleam.

  Marc had to admit his aunt had a point. Dinner at the Starlight Room wasn’t the kind of setup a guy chose to discuss a divorce settlement.

  A smile tugged his lips, and he turned to Jenn. “Why don’t you take the afternoon off and go shopping with your mom?”

  “I really…” She turned to him, clearly surprised by his offer. “Are you sure?”

  “Absolutely.” Who was he to stand in the way of love?

  She slid him a crooked little smile that was downright adorable, and for a moment he thought she was going to hug him, which would have really sent him for a loop, since it would remind him of the embrace he’d misread while they were in school.

  But Jenn was no longer the self-centered cheerleader he’d once tried to convince himself that she was.

  “Thanks for doing a great job on the brochure,” he told her. “If you copy the file onto a disk, drop it off at the printer, and as
k for a thousand copies, you’d be doing me a big favor. Then, tomorrow, we can work on the company project.”

  “If you’re sure it’s not going to be a problem.” She looked at him with those expressive blue eyes, and even if her leaving would have left him in a major lurch, he wouldn’t have admitted it.

  “I’m sure,” he told her. “Have a good time.”

  After she went back to her office to prepare a disk and to grab her purse, she took off with her mother and daughter.

  Marc continued to watch her through the glass doors until she disappeared into the elevator.

  “You’ve still got it bad for her,” Elena said.

  Marc was going to deny it, but he’d never been a good liar.

  “Why don’t you ask her out?” Elena said. “She’s clearly attracted to you.”

  “She might be attracted to the man she thinks I am, but not to the guy I used to be. And the truth is that I’m both of them.”

  Elena blessed him with a warm, loving smile. “Some things are meant to be, mijo. Don’t let pride get in your way.”

  Marc remembered how his aunt had always told him that Jenn would eventually see him for what he was, that things would work out for them with time.

  And while he didn’t want to fall into the trap of believing that Elena truly had some kind of hotline to Heaven, a part of him desperately wanted to.

  The part of him that had never stopped loving Jennifer Kramer.

  Chapter Ten

  Elena hadn’t been able to get anyone to check the hot-water heater at Marc’s house until sometime between three and five o’clock, so Marc left the office early to go home and wait for the plumber to arrive.

  Normally he would have hired someone else to hang out at his place, but ever since he’d given Jenn the afternoon off, he’d had a difficult time keeping his mind on business and not on her. So he figured he might as well do it himself.

  As he’d walked past Elena’s desk on his way out of the office, she’d finally broached the fact that Geek’s letter sounded a whole lot like Marc’s experience with Jenn in high school.