Almost Home

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

  “There are a lot of guys who are attracted to girls who don’t give them the time of day,” he’d replied, unwilling to confess that he’d actually written the letter, even though she’d already figured it out.

  “Yes, I’m sure you’re right, mijo. But now, more than ever, I think you and Jennifer are meant to be. The timing wasn’t right before.”

  “What makes you think the timing is better now?”

  “I’ve seen the way she looks at you when you’re not aware of it. And she definitely has feelings for you.”

  Feelings for her boss, maybe. But what about feelings for the guy she’d once known as Marcos? A guy who was still a large part of who Marc really was.

  “Things are more complicated now,” he said, thinking of Caitlyn. She was a cute kid, but Marc didn’t know anything about being a parent.

  “You mean because Jennifer has a daughter?”

  Marc shrugged. She was also an ex-wife, and if Marc got involved with her, if he became a part of her life, that life would also include an ex-husband, a guy who’d teased Marc incessantly about being a shrimp during gym class.

  For the longest time, he remained silent, wondering if his aunt was right and hoping that she was. He had to admit that there was something going on between him and Jenn, although he wasn’t exactly sure what.

  Okay, so he knew what was happening on his part. He was attracted to her—still. And he’d seen a side of her that was warmhearted and genuine, a side he’d like to get to know a whole lot better. But for a guy who’d gained a world of self-confidence since college, he was certainly skating around a direct approach now.

  It had taken him a long time to get over her rejection. So what would happen if she blew him off with the cold shoulder again?

  Last time, in his heart, he’d known he hadn’t reached his full stride yet. That he’d been a late bloomer and didn’t stand a chance physically against guys like Jason Phillips, the all-league running back who’d married her. He’d also known that, at least back then, he hadn’t had anything to offer her. But that was no longer the case, and if she shut him out this time, he’d have to deal with the fact that his best wasn’t good enough.

  Still, if he didn’t do anything at all and lost the last opportunity he had, he’d kick himself for the rest of his life.

  Should he level with her? Let her know who he was and what he felt for her?

  The answer wasn’t that easy.

  Too bad he couldn’t play the write-a-letter-to-Dear-Diana card again.

  Or could he? What if he dumped the teen-geek persona and took on a new one?

  He pondered his dilemma all the way home. Once inside the house, he glanced at his wristwatch. He still had at least twenty minutes before the plumber might possibly arrive, so he went to the refrigerator, reached for a can of Coke, and snapped open the pop-top. Then he took the soda back to his home office, sat at the desk, and stared at the computer screen until the words finally came.

  Dear Diana,

  I read the letter from the Geek and was reminded of a similar time in my life, when I carried a torch for one of the cheerleaders at my high school. Now, as our ten-year reunion looms on the horizon, I’ve run into her several times and found out that she’s single.

  Times have changed, but I can’t handle being turned down again.

  Do you have any advice for an insecure geek who’s still got a crush on his Beauty?

  An Older Geek

  Not bad, he thought as he read over his letter. He’d given her enough information to hint that it was him. Maybe that was all he needed to do. Maybe fate would take over from there.

  Tomorrow morning he would go to work and try to pick up on her vibes. If she was friendly, warm, or flirty, he’d ask her out. And if not? He’d pretend he hadn’t even read her column, let alone taken time to write.

  Pleased with his game plan, he hit Send.

  The ball was now in Diana’s court.

  Jenn had helped her mother find a simple but classy black dress that was perfect for a romantic dinner at the Starlight Room.

  “I know I shouldn’t be getting my hopes up,” her mom had said, “but your father sounded so…so…sure of himself, so sure of us, that I had to give him a chance.”

  Jenn understood, yet her parents had been so unhappy. Not that they’d fought, but for years they’d moved through the house like unfeeling robots, taking great effort to avoid any physical contact or connection.

  “I thought the divorce was a joint decision,” she’d said.

  “In many ways, it was.” Her mom had blown out a sigh of resignation. “When your dad mentioned the divorce, I’d been living in an emotional vacuum for so long that I hadn’t wanted to expend the effort to talk him out of it. But now…?” Her mom had burst into a radiant grin. “It’s like I’m going out with a new man, a stranger. And it’s exciting.”

  They’d stopped by the Clip ’n’ Curl on their way home, and her mother had gotten her hair colored and styled in an elegant twist. Now she was taking a bubble bath.

  Jenn hadn’t seen her mom so vibrant and giddy in ages, and she couldn’t help getting caught up in the excitement. She just hoped her dad meant what he’d said, that he wanted to work on their relationship.

  At a quarter to four, Jenn entered the house and sent Caitlyn to play in her room. Then she whipped up a meat loaf and put it and a couple of russet potatoes in the oven.

  While she waited for dinner to bake, she sat at her desk and sorted through the letters she would use for tomorrow’s column. She chose one from a man who’d been having trouble sleeping, thanks to the neighbor’s new dog, and another from an elderly woman whose son wanted her to sell her home and move in with him and his family. She also included a couple of letters from people who’d commented about Geek’s situation, but she kept the best ones for use in the article she would write on teen angst.

  She was just about ready to send off her column to the editor when a new e-mail arrived. This one was from a self-proclaimed geek who still harbored a crush on a woman who’d been a cheerleader at his school. Since he’d mentioned the upcoming reunion, she suspected it was one of her classmates, although she wasn’t sure. It was possible that a senior class from another local school had similar plans.

  Without knowing the two people involved, she kept her answer generic.

  Dear Older Geek,

  I understand your reluctance to approach your Beauty and ask her out, but you’ll find that honesty is always the best policy. I suggest that you bite the bullet and ask her to go someplace with you—maybe to lunch or to a movie. The worst thing that could happen is that she’ll tell you no. But if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

  Good luck! I’m pulling for you!

  Diana

  “Mommy?” Caitlyn asked, drawing Jenn from her thoughts. “How come Grandpa took Grandma out to dinner and we didn’t get to go?”

  “Because it was very important that they have some special time together.”

  “But we’re special. And I want to wear my party dress and shoes, just like Grandma.”

  “Maybe you and I can go out together some night.”

  It had been ages since Jenn had gotten dressed up and looked forward to a night on the town. The senior prom, maybe?

  As a married couple, she and Jason had rarely gone anywhere that had required them to dress up. How sad was that?

  She returned her focus to the letter she’d just read and considered the guy who’d written it, the upcoming ten-year reunion, the one-time cheerleader who wasn’t married.

  For a moment, she wondered if the geek in question had harbored a crush on her for ten years. After all, Jenn was now single and had once been a cheerleader.

  But so had Devon Carmichael and Alisha Torres, who’d never married at all and would be much better catches.

  Still, a sense of anticipation settled over Jenn, a sense that a big change was about to take place. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part.

&
nbsp; Of course, that’s what it was. The old Jenn was clamoring for a little passion in her simple life, and her mother’s excitement was contagious.

  Unwilling to latch on to unrealistic expectations, she did her best to chase away any misspent hope. Instead, she finished preparing dinner for her and Caitlyn, oversaw bath and story time, and then called it a night.

  The next day, Jenn arrived at the office at ten minutes before nine, only to find that she’d beat Elena there, which was surprising.

  She hadn’t beat Marc, though.

  He stood near Elena’s desk, a cup of coffee in hand and a smile stretched across his freshly shaved face.

  “How was the shopping trip?” he asked.

  “It was fun—and productive. We found the perfect dress. And from what my mom told me this morning, my parents are officially dating now. Dad’s coming back tonight to take her to see Mamma Mia at the La Jolla Playhouse.”

  “That’s great.” His eyes glimmered, causing her pulse to slip into overdrive.

  They stood there for an awkward beat, caught up in something warm and vibrant, something she had no business feeling.

  “I’ve been meaning to go to the Playhouse,” he said.

  “Me, too.”

  Another beat stretched between them, this one longer than the last, warmer. More vibrant. And her senses went on high alert.

  “How about Friday night?” he asked. “We could have dinner first.”

  Was he asking her out?

  Yes, of course he was. And now he was waiting for her answer. But for some reason, the words refused to form.

  She was flattered, of course. Thrilled, actually. But she pondered the wisdom of getting involved with her boss, a man who signed her paycheck. A man who’d find her financial situation a shameful mess. A man who’d probably never failed at anything in his life.

  Think, Jenn. Think.

  “I…uh…” She willed herself to collect her thoughts, but it didn’t seem to work. “I’d like to, but…I’m…not sure what I’d do with Caitlyn. Or what my mom’s plans are that evening. Can I take a rain check?”

  “Sure.” The spark in his eyes faded, but he managed a smile and nodded down the hall. “I’m expecting a call from the accountant, and I need to get some numbers together for him. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Okay. I should have a draft of the company brochure ready for you to look at later this morning.”

  “All right. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. Just e-mail it to me as an attachment.” Then he turned and walked away.

  What had she done?

  The most attractive man she’d seen in ages had just asked her out. She ought to be clamoring to find a sitter. Instead, she’d hesitated and put him off.

  She told herself that another opportunity to go out with Marc would present itself again. But would it?

  Ever since she realized that she and Jason were headed to divorce court, she’d claimed that she didn’t want to ever get married again, but that wasn’t true. As the final papers were signed and a lifetime of loneliness stretched before her, she’d known that she didn’t want to remain single forever. But the next time she got involved with anyone, she wanted it to be with a man who would work at a relationship as hard as she would, a man who was her equal.

  Marc had achieved so much more than she had. Dating him would throw all of her insecurities in her face each time she was with him.

  In truth, she was afraid to go out with him, afraid she wasn’t ready for someone like him, afraid she never would be.

  Would he consider her a loser when he realized how much baggage she had, how much debt?

  She hadn’t actually told him no. Instead, she’d asked for a rain check, which gave them both some time to think about what was happening between them. But as Marc disappeared into his office, as his door clicked shut, she wondered if he’d misread her apprehension. Or if she’d misread her own mind.

  As the morning wore on, Marc seemed to have holed up in his office for good, and while she told herself it didn’t matter, it really did.

  By noon, he still hadn’t come out. On her way to meet her mother and daughter at the park, she stopped by Elena’s desk before heading out the glass doors to the elevator. “Have you seen Marc?”

  “He left about ten minutes ago, but he didn’t say where he was going. Why?”

  Jenn nibbled on her bottom lip. “I get the strangest feeling that he’s avoiding me.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “Because…” Jenn shrugged. “It’s probably just my imagination.”

  “He was pretty quiet,” Elena said. “His mind was clearly somewhere else.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Jenn labored over her decision to confide in Elena, then gave in. “It’s just that…he asked me out, and I may have blown it.”

  Elena’s expression sobered. “He asked you to go on a date?”

  Jenn nodded slowly. “To dinner and the theater.”

  “And you told him no?”

  “Not exactly. I…” Jenn wasn’t sure if she should explain to Marc’s aunt why she hadn’t jumped at the chance to date a handsome, successful man who most women would give their right arm to go out with. But maybe it would help if she did. Maybe it would ease some of the tension in the office. “Marc’s a wonderful man, a perfect catch, especially for a woman like me. And that’s why I’m dragging my feet about dating him.”

  “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

  “I probably should have gone to college when I got out of school, but I didn’t. I got married instead. And now I’m a step behind some of my classmates.” Jenn ran a hand through her hair, messing it up, no doubt. “I also have a child and a mountain of debt, thanks to my ex. And Marc deserves so much better than me.”

  “Is that why you told him you wouldn’t go out with him?”

  “It’s why I needed some time to think it over.” Jenn’s shoulders slumped, and she leaned her hip against Elena’s desk.

  “Don’t worry about Marc. He’s always known what he wants.”

  “I am worried about him. He’s a hero in the flesh, and the answer to a woman’s prayers.”

  “Funny that you should mention that,” Elena said. “I’ve been praying for Beauty and the Geek, and I hope that she’ll give him the chance he deserves.”

  What did Beauty and the Geek have to do with anything? Was Elena comparing Marc to the Geek? Impossible. She was reading way too much into her nephew and those letters.

  Or was she?

  Jenn had caught Marc looking at her. And she’d picked up on some heart-spinning vibes. If she felt just a little bit better about what she was bringing to the table, she might have told him yes.

  Maybe Marc had been shy about asking her out.

  He’d been following the column. Had he taken Diana’s advice to the Geek, mustered his courage and asked Jenn to dinner and the theater? Or was it all just a coincidence?

  She had to find out.

  “Oh snap,” Jenn said. “I forgot to do something.”

  Then she strode back to her office, took a seat at her desk, and signed into her e-mail account as Diana.

  Chapter Eleven

  Marc had no idea where he was going, but he hadn’t been able to get anything constructive done all morning, not while his disappointment and embarrassment ran amok. So he’d decided there was no point in hanging out at the office when he could be working from home.

  But while he sat in the den and stared at his computer, he still hadn’t been able to get a single thing done.

  Yesterday he’d written to Diana, baring his heart and soul, and she’d suggested he ask his crush out. So when the opportunity arose, he’d jumped on it, only to crash and burn.

  Not that Jenn had actually said no. She’d asked for a rain check, which was clearly her grown-up way of rejecting a guy she wasn’t interested in dating.

  Marc seriously considered writing back and letting Diana know that her idea had bombed. But then,
maybe she was aware of that already. Maybe she’d put two and two together and figured out that Marc was the geek in question.

  On a whim, he opened his e-mail account to re-read the response she’d sent him yesterday, the one that had encouraged him to step out on a shaky limb and ask her out.

  But lo and behold, he had a new e-mail from Diana, one she’d sent just minutes ago.

  Dear Geek,

  I’ve had some time to think about the advice I gave you and realized that I should have come up with a better response.

  In your case, I failed to realize how difficult it might be for you to ask your Beauty out. After all, you’ve been carrying a torch for a very long time, and I have a feeling you’re probably shy.

  Why not start slowly? Consider sending her flowers. Do something romantic. Make her see you with new eyes.

  Diana

  What was that all about? Marc wondered. He’d already asked Jenn out, and she’d come up with a lame excuse for why she didn’t want to go with him.

  Didn’t she realize that she was the beauty he’d been pining over for years?

  He drummed his fingertips over the desktop and studied the letter on the screen. This was crazy. He didn’t want to play the game anymore. Yet on a whim, he replied to her e-mail.

  Dear Diana,

  It’s too late. I asked; she declined.

  End of story.

  Geek

  There it was, the painful truth. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to hit Send.

  Was it too late? Was it really the end?

  Why had she changed her advice?

  As he continued to stare at the screen, he couldn’t decide whether to revise the e-mail he’d written or to delete it completely and let Jenn go without another word.

  And that was one decision Diana couldn’t help him make.

  As soon as Jenn got home, and while Caitlyn was still at the big house, she went immediately into the garage and dug through box after box until she found one that stored memorabilia. She pulled out all four of her yearbooks before putting away the mess and going to get Caitlyn.