He found her on the kitchen floor, unconscious, and immediately called 911. They tried everything to save her, but she was bleeding out internally. Her poor body had deteriorated so much that it finally just gave up.
“I’m okay. It’s getting easier. I don’t pick up the phone to call her as much anymore,” Jake admitted. That had been the hardest part. Even with her drinking, he’d still loved his mother dearly and they’d been close. She was the first person he always wanted to call when he had news, good or bad.
“You miss her. She was a good woman. She tried.”
“I know. I should get going.” Jake stood up, feeling restless. The day stretched out before him. Maybe he’d go for a run. That always helped when he needed to clear his head.
His father stood, too, and walked him to the door.
“I’m glad you’re back, Jake.”
Chapter 4
Jake breathed in the fresh air and felt himself really relax for the first time since he’d been back in Riston. It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. The sun was shining and the air was crisp, and he’d just gone for an invigorating eight-mile run around the resort property. He’d done the same after he left his father’s house the day before, and had been eager to get back out there and explore further.
He wasn’t used to being on vacation. The opportunity to take over Dr. Henery’s practice had come up suddenly, but the timing had been ideal. His contract had just ended with the practice in Lewiston and they’d wanted to make it permanent, but he’d wanted to take some time off to explore other options. He had planned to stay in Riston for a few weeks and then look around in a nearby town for a small practice to join or possibly hang out a shingle himself.
He slowed to a walk as he reached his cabin and stopped to do some stretches, to loosen up his hamstrings. He was just finishing up when he noticed a familiar blonde ponytail out of the corner of his eye. Jess was walking out of the cabin next door, juggling several big, empty boxes. He watched with interest as she put them in the back of her silver Honda SUV, and then immediately went back inside and returned a moment later with another armful. She looked like she was in a hurry and almost tripped as she stumbled over a rock on her way to the car.
“Need a hand?” He jogged over to the car and she looked up in surprise after she got the boxes settled.
“Oh, hi. Sure, there’s a few more I need to add to the collection.”
She looked cute in that silly waitress uniform, but he much preferred her like this. She was wearing a faded gray University of Idaho sweatshirt and well-worn jeans that hugged her slim figure. He followed her in the front door of her cottage, which looked similar to his, but was a little smaller. She didn’t have as fancy a kitchen. It was neat, though, and looked comfortable. He noticed a sunny, lemon-yellow sofa, lots of black and white photographs on the wall, and green plants on the window sills. To the right of the front door was a stack of empty boxes. Jake grabbed most of them and Jess followed with the rest.
“Are you off to the dump?” He handed her the boxes and watched as she carefully squeezed them into the back seat, even though there was plenty of room further back.
“No. To the food pantry at the church. And I’m running late. Thanks for your help.”
She hopped in the car and went to start the engine, but as Jake went to walk back to his cabin, he heard a faint click-click sound. He turned back and tapped on her window. Jess rolled down her window and looked stressed.
“I can jump you. Pop your hood,” he said.
“Thank you.”
He pulled his truck up beside her SUV and grabbed jumper cables from the cab, then quickly hooked her battery up to his. It should have started the car immediately. But instead, they heard the same clicking sound.
“Let’s give it a few more minutes, then we’ll try it again.”
“I’m going to be so late.” Jess glanced at the time on her cell phone and sighed.
“If it doesn’t start, it might not be the battery. Could be your alternator. How old is this car?”
“Almost ten years. But the battery is only a year old,” she said.
Jess tried the engine again and it made the same sound.
“Let’s deal with your car tomorrow. It’s not your battery, and it’s a Sunday. You can have it towed to a service station then. Let’s throw everything in my truck and I’ll drive you.”
“You don’t mind?” Jess was already scrambling out of the car.
“No, of course not. I’m on vacation, remember? I have all the time in the world. Where to?”
“My next stop is to the Kafe to load up some leftover bread and rolls, then to the local grocery store for a few boxes of donated frozen meat and more baked goods.”
After he helped her move the boxes to the cab of his truck, they stopped by the Kafe and picked up two trash bags of bread, and then drove to the grocery store. Jess instructed him to pull around to the back of the store and he went inside with her to the meat department. A tall, bearded man wearing a blood-stained apron broke into a smile when he saw Jess.
“I was starting to think you weren’t going to make it. Everything is ready for you out back.”
“I’m so sorry I’m late. My car died on me.” She glanced Jake’s way. “Elmer, this is Jake. He was kind enough to give me a ride here.”
“Good to meet you,” Elmer said as he shook his hand, and they both followed him to the back of the meat department where he had three big boxes of frozen assorted meats and two boxes of baked goods stacked in a shopping cart. Jake pushed them out to the truck and loaded them in. The church was just a few miles away and as they drove into the adjacent parking lot, he noticed a small building with a large porch. A woman opened the door and waved when she saw Jess, then came over to the truck to help them carry the boxes in.
“I never noticed this building before. Has it been here long?” When Jake went to church, this was where he went, but it had been a long time. Too long.
“Seven or eight years, I think?” Jess said, then introduced him to the pretty, dark-haired woman that came to help them. “This is Maddie Johnson. She works at the spa at the resort, and also volunteers here.”
“Thanks for helping us,” Maddie said with a smile as she lifted a box. Jake and Jess each grabbed one and followed her inside.
“Drop them anywhere. We’ll unload everything once it’s all in,” Maddie said as she set her box on a large freezer, then went back to the car to help unload the bread and bakery items. Once it was all inside, they put all the meat into the freezer and bagged the baked goods into smaller plastic bags, so they could be distributed to their clients.
“This is really great. How long have you both been involved with this?” he asked.
Jess glanced at Maddie and then answered him. “We’ve both been helping out here for a few years. There’s a team of volunteers that works the shifts handing out food, which is mostly all donated by area businesses and residents.”
“It’s an important mission,” Maddie said softly. “When my husband died suddenly five years ago, it was hard for me to make ends meet. I’d just had a baby, and money was really tight. I never would have come here if it was just for me, but for Cody, I’d do anything. This pantry was a lifesaver. Once I got back on my feet, I started volunteering as a way to give back a small percentage of what I received.”
Jake was impressed and curious. “How does it work? Can anyone come here?”
“Yes, anyone. Some pantries ask for proof of income—or, rather, lack of it. We don’t. If someone comes here and says they need food, we give it to them,” Jess said.
“It’s meant to be emergency food, something to get people by,” Maddie explained. “But we have some regulars that come every week. We don’t judge. We just give what we have.” She smiled and picked up a stack of sheets from the check-in desk. “I’m good here if you guys want to head out. I’m just going to do some paperwork and then I’ll be right behind you.”
The ride back to the reso
rt was a quiet one. Jess stared out the window as Jake thought about how little he knew her. His last memory of Jess was of a cute teenager, one who was much too young for him. But there was only five years’ difference between them. At eighteen, it was too much to consider, but now—well, it was intriguing. This Jess was all grown up and what he’d seen so far was impressive. He’d been surprised to learn that Wade’s young cousin was almost done with veterinary school.
Jake was even more attracted to Jess now than he’d been at age eighteen. He’d had the good sense not to kiss her under the mistletoe then. Would he be able to resist her now? Although, the fact that she was an intern with Dr. Henery’s practice was a potential obstacle. If she was going to be working for him, he supposed that he didn’t really have a choice.
***
Jess checked her cell phone as Jake pulled up to their cabins. It was later than she’d thought, but she had just about had enough time to take a quick shower and then head to the Kafe to start making dinner.
“Do you get to many of the Vandals’ games?” Jake asked as he parked and turned off the engine.
“Not as much as I’d like to, but whenever I can.”
He smiled. “I remember you loved football. I was always glad to see you and your friends at the Riston games.”
Her cousin Wade and Jake had both been on the football team. Wade, of course, had been the quarterback. Jess couldn’t imagine him playing any other position. Jake had been his most reliable tight end, always there to catch the most difficult passes, and he was fast. Jake’s biggest strength had always been his ability to pivot, to quickly assess how a situation had changed and put himself where he needed to be. Also like Wade, Jake had been very serious about school and did well. Very well, actually. He and Wade had fought it out for the top spot, but Jake pulled ahead in their junior year and graduated as the class valedictorian.
“Did you play in college, too?” She didn’t think he had, as Jake had also gone to the University of Idaho, but since he’d been five years ahead of her, they weren’t there at the same time.
He chuckled. “No. Football was fun in high school, but I put that behind me when I went off to college.”
Jess nodded. It would have been almost impossible to do both, play college level football and handle the class load requirements for a pre-med major.
“Well, thank you for helping me out. I really appreciate it,” Jess said as she opened the door of the truck and got out.
“You’ve very welcome. And I’ll see you later for dinner. Wade invited me to join you all.”
Jess grinned. “He told me. Bring your appetite. I’m making enough lasagna to feed an army.”
“I knew I went running a few extra miles for a reason. See you soon.”
Chapter 5
When Jess arrived at the Kafe, it was nice and quiet. She was the only one there, since they were closed on Sundays. She turned on the lights and set her cellphone in the stereo player, so it would play her favorite Norah Jones Pandora station. As the smooth jazz sounds filled the air, she got busy in the kitchen. She checked the drawer in the walk-in refrigerator where they kept the food that they used for their family dinners and pulled out what she needed.
She’d gone shopping earlier in the week to pick up the ingredients they didn’t have on hand already—ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella and parmesan and her special meatball mix. Everyone raved about her meatballs and no one ever guessed that they were half ground beef and half ground turkey.
She got a pot of sauce going first, mincing garlic and chopping onions before tossing them in a big pot with a bit of olive oil. Tomato puree and ground tomatoes went in next, along with the spices and a bit of salt, pepper and sugar, just to smooth out the rough edges. Once that was simmering happily, she made the meatballs and popped a big tray of them in the oven.
Jess loved the mindless repetition of cooking, the slicing and dicing and stirring and tasting. She found it all relaxing, though when her cousins had asked if she wanted to try a shift in the Kafe cooking, she’d declined. She enjoyed cooking for family and friends. That was fun. It didn’t look fun or remotely relaxing doing it in the Kafe. Plus, the money was much better waitressing. Jess had learned early on that the secret to making good money as a waitress was turning her tables quickly and being friendly, but not lingering too long with the customers. She wasn’t naturally chatty anyway, so it suited her well.
She was just putting the lasagna noodles in a pot of boiling water when the front door opened and her cousin Dani walked in. Dani was more like what she’d always imagined a sister would be. They were very close and she considered her one of her best friends. Dani was a twin, and her sister Kelsi was awesome, too—very friendly and outgoing—but Dani was more reserved, more like Jess.
“Just can’t stay away?” She teased her as Dani shut the door behind her. Dinner was still over an hour away.
“Very funny. I figured I’d keep you company for a bit, and offer my services if you need any help.” Dani was an excellent cook and often filled in whenever they needed coverage on a shift.
“I think I’m okay. The meatballs are out of the oven and soaking in the sauce, and I just put the pasta in. I just need to throw it all in the pan with the cheeses when the noodles are done and let it bake for a bit. Oh, you could do the garlic bread if you want, while I get the salad ready?”
Dani nodded and Jess handed her two big loaves of bread, a stick of softened butter and some of garlic she’d minced earlier. Dani was also one of the only people who knew about her old crush on Jake.
“I saw that Wade put Jake in the cabin next to yours,” Dani commented as she sliced a loaf in half lengthwise.
“I don’t think he had much choice. It’s the most expensive and least likely to be rented any time soon. It’s been empty for a few weeks now.”
“Sure, that’s why he did it.” Dani smiled as she spread a generous amount of butter on the loaves and then sprinkled the garlic over it.
“What are you saying?” Jess asked as she attacked a head of freshly washed lettuce, tearing it into bite-sized pieces.
“It’s probably nothing. But I did overhear Wade and Jake talking when he first arrived here. Wade was checking him in and I was dropping some paperwork off. Wade was teasing him, saying he’d be missing the city life after a few days. But Jake said he’s looking to settle down and doesn’t care about all that.”
“You think Wade is playing match-maker? I highly doubt that. By settle down I’m sure Jake meant taking over Dr. Henery’s practice. Nothing to do with his love life.”
“You’re probably right. Jake was looking pretty good, though.” Dani smiled as she set the garlic bread on a cookie sheet.
“He did look even better than I remembered,” Jess said and then frowned. “I made that mistake once already, though. Jake made it very clear back then that he wasn’t remotely interested. And he’s going to be my boss now, so it’s not possible anyway.”
“That was a long time ago, and an internship is a temporary thing, right? Just for a few months?”
“Yes, but you know there aren’t many options here in town. I was hopeful that it could turn into a permanent position.”
“Well, cross that bridge when you get there. See how it goes.” Dani was quiet for a moment and then added, “Have you heard from Ed lately?”
Jess bit her lip at the mention of Ed.
“Yeah, I ran into him at the market last week. He said he’d been out of town on business and was planning to give me a call to do something.”
“Didn’t you make it clear to him before that you didn’t want to go out with him again?” Dani had an edge to her voice and Jess knew it was because she felt protective of her. Going out once with Ed had been a mistake—going out a second time had made things even worse. At first glance, Ed Thompson seemed like a catch. He was a handsome guy with thick blond hair, blue eyes and strong features—or at least he would be if his face didn’t seem stuck in an arrogant pout.
<
br /> Ed was used to getting his own way. He came from a wealthy family, and he’d inherited his father’s real estate business. His family owned a third of the buildings along Main Street. Ed managed the business leases for all of them and acted like he was a real estate mogul. For some reason, Jess had caught his eye one Thursday night at the restaurant.
She’d been there with friends playing trivia, and Ed had been sitting at the next table over. He’d seemed friendly enough at first, charming even, and when he suggested they go to dinner sometime, Jess had been flattered. She didn’t get asked out all that often. But ten minutes into their dinner at the best restaurant in town, she knew it had been a mistake. Ed had talked almost non-stop, about himself and all his grandiose plans. They didn’t have a thing in common.
But apparently she was a good enough listener that he wanted to do it again. When he’d asked her out at the end of the evening, he taken her by surprise and she didn’t have the heart to say no. She didn’t have a lot of practice with dating and it was easier at that moment to say she’d go out again then to try and come up with an excuse not to.
But the second date was even worse and she just couldn’t do it again. There was an awkward moment when he dropped her off and leaned in for a kiss, and she turned her head so that his kiss fell on her cheek. Still, he’d asked for a third date, and she tried saying she was going to be really busy and didn’t know when she’d be able to go out again. Unfortunately, that didn’t deter him and he’d asked again the next time he saw her out. She finally said that she just didn’t think they were well suited, but he’d laughed it off and said that was nonsense.
“I thought that I did. I told him I didn’t think we had enough in common.”
“What did he say to that?” Dani asked.
Veterinarian's Vacation (River's End Ranch Book 2) Page 2