Mothers of the Year

by Lori Handeland

  “Who’s Buddy?”

  “Our dog.”

  “What kind?”

  “A Scottish terrier. He’s blind in one eye. Dad says he won’t be with us much longer.”

  Abby had to clear the sudden lump in her throat.

  “See you tonight. I hope.” Another quick smile and Brittany had hurried out.

  Abby felt a pang in her heart because she hadn’t been able to grant her that. It had been difficult to keep her distance from the teen this week. But, she must have done something right because she hadn’t had another visit from Richard Jakeman. To her chagrin she’d hoped he would find a reason, any reason, to drop by. He never did.

  Too restless to lie there, she got up to put the photo back on the table. This time she was afraid to meet André’s gaze. She shuddered involuntarily to realize her thoughts of late had been taken up by another man. Somehow the impossible had happened.

  She walked back to the bedroom to finish drying her hair. For once the sound of the polka music drifting up from the restaurant irritated her. She needed to get out. It was only eight-thirty. And Sylvia was in charge tonight.

  She put on an aqua cotton top and pleated taupe pants, then tied her hair at the nape with an aqua chiffon scarf. She slipped on a pair of bone-colored sandals, grabbed her purse and left the apartment. Amid the hustle and bustle downstairs, she was able to disappear out the service entrance without anyone being aware of it.

  The alley behind the restaurant led to the main drive. The evening air had a velvety texture, increasing the ache inside of her. Avoiding the harbor where she knew the Jakemans moored their sailboat, she walked two blocks to the Coast highway.

  Bad mistake. There were so many families on vacation together. Couples were out in droves, some with their arms around each other, many holding hands. Once in a while she glimpsed lovers standing against palm trees in passionate clinches. A steady stream of cars passed by loaded with surfboards, music blaring.

  Summer had come to Southern California, and with it too many memories of when she’d loved and been loved, and life had been full of possibilities. The emptiness she was feeling tonight was unbearable.

  She made a few purchases at the drugstore, then retraced her steps to her one-bedroom apartment. She’d never lived there with André. The apartment itself held no memories of him, no vestiges of the baby nursery in the place where they used to live. She found it to be a safer refuge than anyplace else. Despite André’s pictures.

  Once inside, she went over to the desk in the corner of the living room and got on the computer. There was a barrage of e-mails. She saw one from her motherin-law and opened it first, reminding her that André’s parents would be celebrating their wedding anniversary on the twenty-sixth of June.

  Abby had already made plane reservations a month ago, but she still didn’t know if she wanted to put herself through another experience which was always emotional. If she did go, it would have to be a quick trip. She couldn’t handle anything longer than a couple of days.

  For the past five years, she’d spent her two-week vacation with them, closing the restaurant for part of October, her slow month. But she always came home depressed.

  Unable to give her motherin-law a definite confirmation just yet, she began reading her other posts.

  RICK POKED HIS HEAD inside his daughter’s bedroom. She was lying on top of her bed, talking to Danice on the phone. Buddy lay sprawled next to her.

  “I had a great time tonight,” he whispered.

  “Me, too,” she whispered back without conviction, holding her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. The moment he’d told her Abby had taken the night off, all the excitement had gone out of her. As for Rick, the news had been like a kick in the gut.

  “See you in the morning, honey.”

  He shut her door and went to the kitchen. “Jennifer? I’m going for a walk before I turn in.”

  “It’s a beautiful night for it.”

  Tell me about it. “I couldn’t agree more. If you need me, call me on my cell.”

  Brittany had told him Abby lived above the restaurant. If he had any hope of talking to her in person, he needed to get over there before the restaurant closed.

  He checked his watch. Only ten minutes left before the doors were locked. Not wanting to phone and give her the chance to turn him down, he would wing it and see what happened. He was already persona non grata with her, so he had nothing to lose.

  Determined not to be thwarted, he entered the restaurant and headed straight for the hallway. The dinner crowd was thinning out. People would think he intended to use the restroom.

  After startling Abby at the service entrance the other morning, his impromptu arrival tonight would probably guarantee his death sentence. But he was beyond caring and sprinted up the stairs.

  “Hey, you! No one’s allowed back here,” a male voice called after him. “Come down or I’ll call the police.”

  Rick knocked on the door, then turned to discover the man behind him was Chet. The younger man had recognized him, yet he’d still followed him halfway up.

  “As you can see, it’s just me, there’s no need for the police.”

  “Unless Abby gives the word, you have no right to trespass.”

  Brittany’s powers of observation were dead-on. The dishwasher had a big thing for the boss. That was too bad.

  “Let’s let her decide, shall we?”

  He knocked again and the door opened.

  The sight of her took his breath away. Rick had never seen her in anything but her uniform. He’d never seen her hair unbraided. She stared back at him in shock, her eyes very green in contrast to the turquoise scarf.

  “I know it’s getting late, but I need to talk to you.”

  “Abby?” Chet called to her from below. “Is everything okay?”

  She couldn’t believe Brittany’s father had come back to the restaurant. It made her slow on the uptake.

  “Everything’s fine, Chet.” She opened the door wider. “Come in,” she said to Richard. To her dismay her voice sounded shaky.

  As Rick moved inside, Chet said, “Abby? Could we talk for a minute?”

  She eyed Brittany’s father. “Excuse me. I won’t be long.”

  “I’m in no hurry.”

  His remark came close to buckling her legs. She shut the door behind her and went down a few steps. “What is it, Chet?”

  “You can tell me to butt out if you want, but it was obvious there was tension between you two the other day. I don’t care if that guy’s built. If he’s bothering you, I’ll get rid of him. I know a few moves. All you have to do is say the word.”

  She should have introduced them before now. “Thanks, Chet, but it won’t be necessary. He’s Brittany’s father.” Abby had no doubts that in any physical confrontation, Richard Jakeman would emerge the winner with both hands tied behind his back.

  Chet’s eyes flared in surprise before his expression closed up. “I had no idea. Sorry if I overstepped.”

  “You didn’t. It’s nice to know you keep a close eye. Makes me feel safe. Have a good night.”

  Abby hurried back up the stairs where she found her unexpected visitor thumbing through the crossword puzzles. He looked up, eyeing her intently. Her pulse raced.

  She took the magazine from him and put it on the table. “After a hectic day they help me unwind.”

  “Maybe I’ll buy one and see if it works for me.”

  “I thought sailing was your cure.”

  “You’d think so.” He stood with his powerful legs slightly apart, hands in the pockets of his white cargo pants. In a coffee-colored silk shirt, the man looked sensational.

  “Brittany told me you’ve been weird all week. When you didn’t come to our table tonight, it convinced her you must be sick. Yet it appears you’re perfectly healthy.”

  She rubbed her palms against her hips, a gesture he took in. “I thought it might be better if the two of you ate alone.”

  He raised o
ne of his eyebrows. “Was that because you didn’t want your staff to see the three of us enjoying ourselves together?”

  Abby frowned. “Of course not. You know the reason.”

  “I’m not certain I do. You still go by Mrs. Chappuis, and you wear your wedding ring like a shield. How long has your husband been gone?”

  She stared at him, taken aback by his blunt question. “Six years. Now, if that’s all, I’ve got a busy day coming up tomorrow.”

  He ignored her. “Pieces of your husband are everywhere in the restaurant and up here. Having been there myself, I recognize the signs.”

  Conflicted by several different emotions all tearing her apart at the same time, she said, “You’re the one who warned me to keep a professional distance from your daughter.”

  He pursed his lips. “About that. I came to apologize for creating an untenable situation. It’s apparent my daughter has a fatal case of hero worship where you’re concerned. I’ve been trying to fight it, but there’s no contest.”

  She stared hard at him.

  “The truth is, I’ve never had to share her affection. It’s something I’d better get used to or I won’t survive the teenage years.”

  His confession humbled her. “Brittany’s easy to love. You’ve raised a wonderful daughter, Mr. Jakeman.”

  He studied her upturned features. “The name is Rick.”

  A shiver traveled down her spine. “I’m Abby.”

  His lips twitched. “Yes. I know. I hear it in my sleep.”

  “Oh, dear.”

  “For Brittany’s sake, please go back to being yourself around her. Hopefully it’s not too late to repair some of the damage.”

  She didn’t understand. “Is there more?”

  “Yes. My daughter’s not the only one in the Jakeman family who you’ve affected. I’m having a hell of a time obeying my own instincts to stay away from you. That’s what I came to say.”

  In the next instant he was gone, closing the front door behind him.

  His admission staggered her. Without conscious thought, she locked the door, then leaned against it. Men flirted with her all the time. It went with the job. But Brittany’s father wasn’t flirting or anything close to it. He didn’t want to be attracted to her. He resented her because of his daughter’s growing attachment to her.

  Abby hadn’t been wrong about those mixed signals coming from him. He was trying to deal with his frustration in the only way he knew how. If he’d picked up on her attraction to him, that made everything so much worse. Especially for Abby, who had to live with this unexpected turn of events.

  Suddenly she felt exposed and vulnerable. All those barriers she’d erected over the years to guard her precious memories had been trampled like so much dust.

  CHAPTER SIX

  AFTER WORK Monday evening, Rick happened to get on the same elevator with Pam Brooks. They pressed the buttons to their floors. She flashed him a smile that turned him off. No matter how hard she was trying, he wasn’t interested.

  When the elevator stopped on three, the doors opened and there stood his daughter rocking expectantly on her heels with Buddy. The dog barked a greeting.

  Thank you, Brittany. She’d just saved him from having to be rude to the woman.

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hi, kiddo.” He reached for his daughter, giving her a hug. Before he’d left for work that morning, he hadn’t been able to get two words out of her. But since she’d put in her hours at the restaurant, all that had changed. And he knew why.

  “Come on.” She tugged on his arm. “I’ve got a surprise waiting for you.”

  “What kind?”

  “If I told you, then it wouldn’t be one.”

  That made sense. “Where’s Jennifer?”

  “She went down to the pool.”

  Sure enough when they walked in the condo, he could see Brittany had opened the sliding door off the living room leading to the patio. It overlooked the harbor, a sight he never tired of. At a glance he could see chips, dip and sodas waiting on the wrought iron table. Her old dad was being set up for something.

  “Give me a second and I’m all yours.” Instead of sailing, he’d thought they could take in an early movie. The latest James Bond was out, something they’d both enjoy.

  “Don’t take too long.”

  “I won’t.”

  Rick headed to his room. A minute later, he walked out on the veranda in khakis and a polo shirt.

  “This looks good.”

  “I made it myself. The guacamole is Abby’s recipe.”

  Of course it was. He’d been waiting for her name to pop up. Brittany hadn’t disappointed him.

  “It’s delicious.” He couldn’t stop with just one nacho. After popping open his can, he sat opposite her. “Okay. Something’s on your mind. What is it?”

  She put the soda she’d been drinking on the table.

  “While I was washing dishes, Chet told me you went over to see Abby on Friday night. When I asked Jennifer, she said you went for a walk.”

  Rick drained his cola in one go. “I did both. In case she was ill, I wanted to find out so you’d understand why she didn’t show up. She would never intentionally hurt your feelings.”

  “I know. Chet said you’ve been to the restaurant twice to see her.”

  Did he now…“That’s right. As your father, I needed to check things out for myself.”

  “Chet says you have the hots for Abby.”

  Hell. “Chet shouldn’t be talking to you about things that are none of his business or yours. I hope you don’t ever gossip with your coworkers.”

  “I don’t.”

  “That’s good. It’s a nasty habit to get into. More grief is caused by it than you can imagine. I know because it happens at my work, too.”

  “Don’t worry.” She finished munching another chip. “But is it true?”

  “About what?” he dissembled.

  “About Abby?”

  “If you mean do I find her attractive and friendly, then yes. Who wouldn’t?” Rick didn’t know where to start. “I know one thing. You’re lucky to be working for her. She runs a tight ship. And you seem to have made a very favorable impression. I’m proud of you, honey.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” She finished the rest of her drink. “Guess what?”

  Here it comes. “What’s that?”

  “The reason she didn’t work Friday night was because her in-laws e-mailed her. They want her to fly to Switzerland at the end of June for a family party. She got hung up trying to make plane reservations.”

  The Chappuis family. Apparently Abby didn’t want to ever forget she was their daughter-in-law.

  He bit down so hard on a chip, he ground his teeth.

  “She always spends her vacations with them. It’s when she does her ordering for the restaurant and brings back new dresses for the waitresses. She said she’d get me a blue one in my size. By then, I’ll be able to wait tables.”

  He grimaced. His daughter was getting too entrenched. “That’s very nice, but you’ll hardly have time to wear it before we move back to Escondido.”

  Her expression grew sober. “I know. She said when I leave, I can keep it for a souvenir.”

  Souvenir or not, Rick knew neither of them would forget Abby. “Lucky you.”

  “I know.”

  At the thought of not seeing her again, he lost interest in the dip. “Shall we get going? I thought we’d see a film, then grab a hamburger on the way home.” He started clearing the table so Jennifer wouldn’t have to.

  “Okay.” She followed him into the kitchen with the rest of the dirty dishes. “But before we leave, could I ask you something?”

  “Shoot.”

  “I’d like to do something nice for Abby to thank her for giving me the job. Do you think we could take her sailing on Sunday? I’ll make the picnic.”

  Why not? Knowing she’d been wearing her deceased husband’s wedding ring for six years, he was confident she’d turn down the invi
tation. “If that’s what you want, we’ll make it a foursome.”

  “Four—who else is coming?”

  “Liz.”

  “Liz!” she cried.

  “I invited her earlier today.”

  His daughter looked crushed. “I didn’t know you still liked her.”

  “I never stopped, but the move put us on hold.”

  Sorry to burst your bubble again, kiddo, but this time it’s for my sanity.

  “ABBY? Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  She looked up from the computer in her office to see Brittany in the doorway. The teen had just finished her shift and had changed out of her white uniform to her jeans and T-shirt. She looked flushed with excitement.

  “Sure. Come on in.”

  Brittany approached the desk. “Would you like to go sailing with us on Sunday? I’ve already talked to Dad about it.”

  Which meant the invitation hadn’t come from him. Rick had wanted the situation to get back to some kind of normal with his daughter, but surely normal didn’t include outside activities.

  “I wish I could, but I already have plans to spend the day with my family.”

  “Oh…” The light faded from Brittany’s eyes. “I was thinking of your schedule when I picked Sunday. It doesn’t have to be then. We go sailing almost every day. Dad bought us a small boat called a Flying Lateen. He can do everything himself, and is teaching me.”

  She and her father had the tans to prove it. Abby bit her lip, torn because she wasn’t immune to Brittany’s disappointment. That girl got to her every time.

  “Tell you what,” she said, making a split decision. “Maybe one afternoon this week or next I could go with you for an hour after you get off work.”

  “How about right now? Dad won’t care when. You told me Tuesday is the least busy night at the restaurant.”

  Abby chuckled inwardly. Brittany had a mind that didn’t forget anything. Like her father, if she couldn’t do something one way, she managed to find another way. Both had too much charisma. It wasn’t fair. “Even so, I would have to arrange in advance for Sylvia to cover for me.”

  “Sylvia’s in the kitchen. I’ll ask her.” The girl was off like a shot before Abby could stop her.

  After three weeks of getting to know her, Abby was beginning to understand what a dynamo lived beneath Rick Jakeman’s roof. His little offshoot demonstrated all the intelligence and drive that had made Rick a successful land developer.