by Beck,Jessica
“Why don’t I pick you up after I go home, take a shower, and change?”
“It sounds like a plan to me. Don’t worry, Suzanne. We’re making progress.”
“Funny, but it doesn’t feel like it, does it?”
“These things take time,” Grace answered. “I don’t have to tell you that.”
“No, you don’t.”
Once I dropped her off at home, I drove the last few hundred feet to the cottage, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Jake’s truck already parked out front.
I didn’t go inside at once though. As I neared my front door, I heard someone crying in the park nearby.
Jake could wait.
Someone was hurting, and if I could help them at all, then I would.
“Jennifer, is that you?” I found one of Emma’s friends sitting on a nearby park bench trying her best to staunch her flow of tears.
“Mrs. Hart. Hi,” she said as she tried to hide the fact that she’d been crying.
“Please, call me Suzanne. What happened?” Jennifer had always been cute, a pleasantly plump redhead with freckles across her nose and an energy that had always impressed me. It was absent now for the first time since I’d known her.
“It’s my boyfriend. At least he used to be my boyfriend.”
A sudden chill went through me. “His name wasn’t Tom by any chance, was it?” It would be just like Tom Thorndike to go after a girl like this. If she was twenty years old, she hadn’t gotten there very long ago, and she had a sweet innocence about her, accompanied by a pleasing figure, that would be right up his alley.
“No, his name was Kyle, and he just dumped me for Brenda Cramer. He said she was his soul mate, but I know it’s got nothing to do with her soul. I don’t even know why I’m so upset. Kyle was a terrible boyfriend, and I’ve had more than my share of them. Can you believe it? He dumped me with a text message,” she lamented, and then she started crying again. I sat down and put my arm around her, and as I did, I tried my best to soothe her.
“He sounds like a real loser,” I said. “Are you sure you’re not better off without him?”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’ve got someone special in your life.”
“Jake? Yes, I do. Jennifer, did you know that I was married before?”
She stopped crying for a second as she looked at me. “Really?”
“There’s no reason you’d know it, but I spent some time being wed to Max Thornburg.”
“The actor? He’s really handsome, isn’t he?” she asked, as though I wasn’t well aware of the fact of my ex’s good looks.
“Yes, but it was a terrible marriage that ended badly. Max wasn’t the only frog I kissed before I found my prince, if you know what I mean.”
“All I seem to get are toads,” she said. “Lee says it’s because I’m too trusting.”
“Who’s Lee?” I asked her.
Her face cleared up for a moment. “He’s a guy I went to school with. Emma knows him. We’ve been friends for a long time. I wish I could find a guy like him.”
“Is he married?”
“What? No.”
“Does he have a girlfriend?” I asked.
“Not really. He can’t seem to find anybody, either. I don’t know why. He’s kind, he’s smart, he’s funny, and he never breaks his word. He’s a really special guy.”
I’d seen it before. I had a hunch that Lee was smitten with her but was too shy to do anything about it. “Have you ever considered asking him out?”
“You mean like on a date?” she asked me incredulously.
“That’s exactly what I mean. Jennifer, it’s entirely possible that he’s got a crush on you, but he’s too shy to do anything about it. Would it be the worst thing in the world if you asked him out? I’ll bet you a dollar to a dozen donuts he’d jump at the chance to go out on a date with you.”
“Lee and I? I never even considered it,” she said slowly, but I noticed that her tears were drying up even as she contemplated the idea. “What if he says no? I’ll make a fool of myself.”
“Maybe, but what if he says yes? What are you looking for in a boyfriend? Does Lee have those qualities?”
She thought about it for a few moments and then nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you find him attractive?” I asked her. That was important as well, though it wasn’t everything by any stretch of the imagination.
“Yes, I’ve always thought he was cute.”
“Then ask him out,” I said. “Kyle doesn’t seem all that worthy of your tears. Isn’t it time you took a chance on someone who might be exactly what you need?”
“I’m not sure if I’m brave enough,” Jennifer said in a soft voice.
“You can do it,” I said. “I have faith in you.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she said. “I need to think about it a little bit, though.”
“Well, at the very least, it will stop you from thinking about Kyle.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Hart, I mean Suzanne. Emma was right about you.”
It surprised me that my assistant had discussed me with anyone else. “About what?”
“She said that you were kind and smart, and that not only were you a great boss, but you were an even better friend,” Jennifer said. “I shouldn’t have told you that.”
“Why on earth not?” I asked, suddenly feeling my own load lighten a little. I had nothing but warm feelings for Emma, and it was nice hearing that she felt the same way about me. That was saying something, too, considering how closely we worked together. “How are you feeling now?”
“Better,” she said. “I’m going to walk home, work up my courage, and then I’m going to call Lee before I lose my nerve.”
“I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised, but even if you’re not, you should be proud of yourself for taking your fate into your own hands. Good luck.”
As we both stood, she hugged me tightly. “Thank you.”
“I’m glad I could help,” I said.
As she walked away, I marveled at how complex life could be for a young woman her age. Her emotions ran strong, but she was a fine young lady, and if it was what she truly wanted, I hoped that she’d be lucky enough to find someone worthy of her love. Either way, she was taking responsibility for her life, and that could make her nothing but stronger as far as I was concerned. I turned back to the cottage to join Jake, happy yet again that I’d found him. There was nothing that gave me more appreciation that he was there waiting for me than to be reminded about the times I’d spent crying in the park myself over the years before he’d finally found his way into my life.
Chapter 17
“Hey, Suzanne. I thought I heard you drive up ten minutes ago,” my husband said as I walked into our cottage.
“I did, but I had a mission of mercy to run first,” I said as I kissed him enthusiastically.
After we broke off, he stepped back and smiled. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said happily.
“Not that I’m complaining, but what was with that kiss? It was a little more enthusiastic than I usually get.”
“I’m just really happy that we found each other,” I said.
“I won’t argue with that. So, what exactly was your mission?” he asked me.
“I suppose you could say that I ran into a ghost of bad boyfriend past,” I said. “It’s a modern girl’s version of Dickens.”
Jake looked puzzled. “Is that supposed to make any sense?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “Are you hungry? I’d be glad to whip something up.”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d go somewhere with me,” he said.
“Sure. Let’s go,” I said, keeping my coat on.
“Don’t you even want to know whe
re we’re going?”
“Jake, if you’re going to be there, that’s all I need to know.”
“I appreciate your trust in me, but you might not like it.”
“Try me,” I said.
“Ray Blake wants to see you at the hospital,” Jake said.
“Why on earth would he want to see me?” I asked my husband.
“For some reason, he thinks you might be the key in his missing timeline,” Jake explained.
“I can’t imagine how that could be true. I didn’t see him the entire time he was missing.” What an odd thing for Ray to think. I loved his wife and daughter dearly. As to the newspaperman himself, I could take him or leave him, though he had been showing signs of personal growth over the past couple of years. When Emma had first started working for me at Donut Hearts, Ray had treated her as though she were nine years old, even though she had been twice that age. Over the past few years, though, he’d grown to treat her more and more like the adult she really was, though he inevitably had a lapse every now and then.
“I told him you would have said something to me if you had seen him, but he won’t listen to reason. I’m supposed to ask you to indulge him, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Did Emma put you up to it?”
“Yes, but mostly it was Sharon,” he said. “She’s worried about her husband. I know they have an odd relationship, but it seems to work for them.”
“Hey, I’ve learned never to try to judge someone else’s marriage,” I said. “Let’s go.”
“Should we grab something along the way?” Jake asked me. “I could throw together a couple of sandwiches for the road.”
“Let’s see what the hospital cafeteria has,” I suggested. “I’m not about to face Ray Blake on an empty stomach.”
“Are you sure that’s where you want to eat?” my husband asked with a frown.
“Haven’t you heard? They hired some kid from a culinary school in Georgia. He’s supposed to be fantastic.”
“If you say so,” Jake said. “I’ll have to taste it myself to believe it.”
“Then let’s give it a shot.”
After he put down his fork, Jake said, “I never could have imagined something this good came from a hospital cafeteria. This pasta and chicken is unbelievable.”
“I know,” I said, spearing the last bit of cream-covered pasta with my fork and popping it into my mouth. “It’s pretty amazing.”
An older woman wearing the hospital’s generic smock came by collecting trays that folks had left on their tables. As a lark, I said, “Please give our compliments to the chef.”
She grinned broadly at us. “I’ll tell Barton that you enjoyed your meal. He’s really something, isn’t he? I’m going to miss him terribly.”
“Miss him? Where is he going?” Jake asked, suddenly having a personal stake in the new culinary expert in town.
“He got an offer for twice as much money to run a restaurant in Charlotte. Funny thing is, if the owner hadn’t gotten food poisoning and come here, he never would have found Barton. I know it’s a wonderful opportunity for him, but man oh man, I wish that fellow had gotten sick somewhere else.”
“I second the motion,” Jake said.
“Is there any of this left?” I asked her.
“There’s quite a bit, actually,” she said. “He got carried away and made way too much of it. Do you want seconds?”
I couldn’t dream of eating another bite, but I had a different idea. “Have him make up four containers of this to go, and we’ll pick them up on our way out. We’re here visiting someone, but this is too good to just experience once.”
“I’ll tell him,” she said, and then she turned around as a kid barely out of short pants approached us, wearing the full chef’s regalia.
“Barton, do you have a second? These folks want to talk to you about your food.”
The young man frowned. “I used too much thyme again, didn’t I?” he asked with a scowl. “It’s tough getting the ingredients just right on the kind of scale I’m cooking on. I apologize.”
Jake stood and stuck out his hand. “Sir, that was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life.” He then turned to me and added, “No offense, Suzanne.”
“None taken,” I said as I stood as well. “I agree with you. We’re going to miss you, and we’ve only just met.”
He smiled happily. “I’m getting my own kitchen. Six weeks out of school and my dreams are already coming true. I’m glad you enjoyed your meal.”
“We love it so much we’re getting some to take home. I would think that it would freeze well. Am I right?”
“I like to serve it fresh, but it should be nearly as good frozen,” the young man said with a only a hint of displeasure.
“Nearly as good is better than anything I can make fresh,” I said with a laugh. “I only wish my donuts tasted half this good.”
His face lit up. “I knew you looked familiar. You run Donut Hearts, don’t you? I had a Kool-Aid donut that was amazing. How do you do it?”
“If you’re in town long enough, come by the shop around three AM sometime and I’ll show you,” I said, joking.
“I’d be delighted. I’m not even in bed by then on most nights.”
“It’s a date, then,” I said.
Jake grinned happily as he paid for our meals, and the ones we would be coming back for as well. “I told you that your donuts were great,” my husband said happily. “You’ve got a trained chef asking about your recipe.”
“I’m sure it was just out of politeness.”
“I saw his face, Suzanne. He was sincere. Now I have a hankering for one of those Kool-Aid donuts. You don’t have any left over, do you?”
I had to laugh. “You know I don’t keep any treats overnight, but I’ll be glad to save you a few tomorrow.”
“It’s a deal,” he said. “Well, we’ve put it off as long as we could. Are you ready to see Ray?”
“I am, though I’m not at all sure what good it will do.”
“Let’s go find out.”
We found Emma and Sharon coming out of the designated room as we started to knock on Ray’s door. “Is everything okay?” I asked them.
Emma hugged me. “Suzanne! Thanks so much for coming. He’s insisting that he talk to you, but he won’t tell us why. Do you have any idea what he’s after?”
“No, I’m just as confused as you are,” I said. I turned to Sharon and asked her, “How are you doing?”
“I’m just happy he’s okay,” she said. “When we couldn’t find him, I figured I’d never see him again. I couldn’t stand it.”
“But you did,” I said. “Ladies, we’ll stay with Ray until you get back. Have you two eaten yet?”
“No, we didn’t want to leave Dad alone,” Emma said.
“Then you need to go down to the cafeteria this second and order the chicken and pasta special. It’s got some kind of white sauce, and something else I can’t put my finger on, that is incredibly good,” I told them.
“I’ve heard about the food here. It’s supposed to be really good,” Sharon said.
“Trust me, you’ll want to experience it for yourself while you still can. Go on. Now shoo. We’ve got this.”
The women looked at me, each in turn, and nodded as they silently thanked me for coming. Sharon paused before leaving. “You’ll call us if there’s any change, won’t you?”
“I promise,” I said.
“I may never leave home again,” she replied quietly. One of the reasons Sharon liked helping Emma out at the donut shop when it was her turn to run it was so that she could finance trips abroad with her girlfriends. Ray was a notorious homebody, afraid to leave his newspaper in anyone else’s hands, so Sharon had decided to see the world without him.
“I hope that’s not true,” I said. “You’ve gotten so much joy out of traveling over the years.”
“I know, but what if this had happened while I was in Athens or Madrid? I would have been half a world away when he needed me most.”
“We can’t live our lives worrying about what tomorrow might bring,” I told her. “Go eat.” In a softer voice, I added, “Emma looks as though she could use a break.” I knew that appealing to her maternal instincts was the best way to get her to focus on the here and now.
“Of course.”
“Well played,” Jake said softly before we went into Ray Blake’s room.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answered him with a grin.
Ray was sitting up in bed staring off into space when we entered the sterile white room. I walked over to the bed, while Jake hung back a little. Ray looked troubled, but when he saw that I was there, his mood lightened instantly. “Suzanne. You came.”
“Just like Jake did. You ask, and we appear,” I said. There was a bandage on the back of his head and an IV tube in his arm. From the whiskers on his cheeks, he hadn’t shaved in a few days, and there were dark circles under his eyes, showing that he’d had a rough time of it lately.
Still, he was better off than Tom Thorndike.
“I appreciate that, from both of you.” Ray looked past me and spied my husband. “Jake, would you give us a minute?”
“I’m working for you on this, remember?” Jake reminded him.
“I haven’t forgotten,” he said, and then a whisper of a smile appeared. “If only I could say that about everything else. Please?”
Jake nodded. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
“Were you talking to me or Ray?” I asked him.
“Both, I guess.” My husband was clearly unhappy about being excluded from the conversation, and I wasn’t quite sure why Ray was sending him away, but I wasn’t about to insist that Jake stay with us.