He felt like he was making progress. He wouldn’t go back, couldn’t go back. That life was gone. But in this new life, he would try his hand at new things, be more open to people. Jason was an engineer, trained to be useful. He would never be hungry, never have to scrub scabs off boat hulls for the rich.
Sheldon had once thought his brother should be more like him, conforming to tradition, polished in his dress and manner. Those things were useless. And no good to him when everything went bad. Now Sheldon was planning to be more like Jason, resourceful and respectful. He might not be able to go back, and Jason would never know the effect he had on Sheldon, but Sheldon would know.
* * *
THE SMELL OF brewed coffee and bacon cooking woke Jace. Turning over he looked at the clock. It was just past seven. He sat straight up, realizing Kelly was up and that she’d been at her desk or holding a hammer or paint brush for hours already. It took him three minutes to shower and five minutes to dress. Ari was still asleep.
Jace was thankful the child no longer slept fitfully, which was why Jace probably overslept. He headed for the kitchen and the good-smelling coffee. Coming into the room, he found people he didn’t know. A man and a woman.
“Hi,” the man said. “I’m Drew.” He offered his hand and Jace shook it. “You must be Jace.”
“And I’m Mira, his wife and Kelly’s cousin.” She stood at the stove, ladling bacon onto a plate with a paper towel on it. “We heard you needed a car.”
Jace just stared at them.
“Kelly called and said you had to turn in your rental,” Drew said.
“We have a car that’s not being used.” Mira glanced at her husband. “And Drew is too stubborn to get rid of it.”
“If I had, then Jace here wouldn’t be able to borrow it.” Drew looked back at Jace, the smile on his face told him the car wasn’t a bone of contention between the couple. “It’s not a car, actually, but a beat-up old truck. The keys are on the floor,” Drew said.
“Thanks. I’ll take care of it,” was his reply.
“Good. Now, how about some breakfast?” Mira said. The mood brightened at the prospect of food.
“It smells wonderful.” Jace helped himself and took a seat at the table. His plate was piled high with bacon, sausage, eggs and toast. A jar of homemade jam sat on the table. And the coffee she poured in his cup was exactly as he liked it.
“Kelly told me you like your coffee strong.”
“This breakfast is terrific. Thank you. Where is Kelly, by the way?”
“She’s up in the attic searching for some papers,” Mira said. “She’s already eaten. And Kelly is not one to let anything grow under her feet. She’s always moving.”
The three of them sat and ate their breakfast.
“What are you two doing today? Kelly mentioned you help her out around here, so I guess she gave you a list of things to do, too,” Jace asked the couple.
Mira laughed. “Not today. We only came to deliver the truck.”
Drew said, “I know your family lived here before, but when Kelly bought it, it was truly run-down. She’s spent night and day bringing it back to where you see it today.”
“It’s a good thing the place was never protected as a historic landmark,” Mira said.
“Why is that?” Jace asked.
“Rules,” she said. “If the house or the grounds had been designated a landmark, there are hundreds of rules about what can and cannot be done. What materials can be used. Where things can be placed. Dimensions of buildings that can be built. And every change needs to be approved by a committee. It would have taken years for her to go through all the paperwork and inspections for even the most minor thing. Kelly has kept the character of the house, modernizing some of the areas that needed it.”
Jace had forgotten his meal. Insight into the character of the woman he crossed swords with was more interesting.
Jace’s respect for her increased dramatically.
* * *
JACE CLIMBED THE stairs to the attic. He’d had second helpings of breakfast and poured another cup of coffee. He was going to take it to Kelly as a kind of peace offering. Jace put everything on a tray and added a bud vase with a flower in it that he pinched from the arrangement on the foyer table.
The attic covered the entire house. It was made up of several rooms, some finished, some not. As a young boy, Jace took refuge up there, before he’d found solace riding. When he first arrived at the Kendall, he’d hide and cry, missing his mother and not understanding why his father and older brother treated him like he’d done something wrong. That little boy came back to him as he reached the top step and opened the door to the first room. Inside there was faded wallpaper and old furniture haphazardly arranged or placed on top of other pieces. Closing the door, he went in search of Kelly. He found her in the next room. This one was clean of any dust and cobwebs. There were several pieces of furniture. Near Kelly was a round oak table half uncovered. Three chairs were around it, one with a broken leg, the other two without the spindles that used to be the back.
Kelly wore a short T-shirt and pants. This was what she wore most days. Her hair was in a long ponytail. It was set high on the back of her head and the way it swung when she moved reminded him of the combed and polished tail of a show horse. “Kelly. I brought you something to eat. Mira made this and it’s delicious.”
“Jace?” He could hear the surprise in that single word.
“I met your cousins in the kitchen. They said you were up here.” He didn’t tell her about the other stories they’d shared. He set the tray on top of a filing cabinet.
She took the cup of coffee and sipped it. “Thank you,” she said. “What brings this on?”
“You did something for me. I thought I’d return the favor.”
“What did I do?”
“Drew and Mira’s truck.”
“Oh, that.” She brushed it aside as it meant nothing.
“Few people have ever done anything for me,” he said. “I like to say thank-you when they do.”
Kelly took the tray and set it on the table. Pulling a chair over, she took a seat and Jace did the same.
“Join me,” she said.
He’d already eaten, but he took a piece of toast, tore off part of the crust and popped it in his mouth.
“Living here wasn’t fun for you, was it?” she asked.
He shook his head, glancing toward the room where his sobs probably still echoed around the walls.
“That can change,” Kelly said.
Jace looked at her. “It’s in the past.”
“For you,” Kelly said. “For Ari, things can change for him. You can lavish all the love you want on him and things here at the Kendall will be different.”
Jace realized she was speaking as if he was permanently stationed at the farm. When only a few days ago, she was telling him he was a runner and not likely to put down roots. But in everything that had happened, Jace knew Ari was at the top of his priority list. So he would do what was necessary to care for Ari and to keep him happy.
“I guess I should get to work,” Jace said. “It must be time for my partner in crime to wake up, if he isn’t already combing the rooms searching for me.”
He got up and, taking Kelly’s hands, helped her to her feet.
“Thank you for the food,” she said.
He should have let go of her hands right then, but he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t want to let her go at all. It was a totally foreign feeling for him, especially when she looked up and her eyes met his. They were big and questioning.
Jace had pulled her forward and brushed his mouth over hers before realizing he’d done it. When he saw what he’d done, he wanted to do it again. Wrapping her arms around his waist, he stepped even closer and kissed her full on the mouth. There was something between them. That undefinable something that only two people with a special connection understood. Her eyes opened slowly. There was a dreamlike quality to them.
“Jason...�
� she started, using his given name, which so few people used.
“I knew you weren’t as indifferent to me as you’d led me to believe,” he said, smiling. His voice was low and breathless.
“Please, Jason. I have a lot to do. A lot to contend with. I need to have my mind clear. I can’t afford any complications right now. Please,” she went on. “Don’t confuse me.”
CHAPTER TEN
KELLY PRACTICALLY RAN from the attic. She didn’t stop until she’d reached the back porch. She was so confused. How could Jace have kissed her and how could she kiss him back? Why? she asked herself. Was she that transparent? He knew she was attracted to him. She could tell by the way he looked at her.
It seems every time she got near him something else happened. Kelly paced from one end of the porch to the other. She needed something to do. She needed to get her attention back on what was important. The Kendall was opening for tourists in two weeks. She was almost ready, but there were details still outstanding. She had to focus on the Kendall and only on the Kendall.
Her lists, she thought. They were in her office. She’d get them. They would tell her what she should be doing. Physical activity would help her get her mind off Jace.
And off the kiss.
She turned to go inside. Her heart jumped into her throat when she found Jace standing behind her.
“What is this?” he asked waving some papers at her.
She knew exactly what they were. They were the reason she’d been in the attic. She’d decided to give Jace what she had that his brother left. But him bringing her breakfast and sharing it with her had made her forget that purpose. After he kissed her, she could think of nothing except escaping his presence and his arms.
“These say that the Kendall hadn’t made any money in years. That Sheldon mismanaged the place.”
“You knew that,” Kelly told him. Her voice was steady.
“I moved all those papers to the attic after I bought the place. Sheldon walked away with nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“It was his choice. I never saw him. I told you that, as well.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Sellers remorse, whatever. He no longer owned the place when I took possession. The county owned it. It was a tax sale. Sheldon was not required to be present, since his ownership rights had been severed.”
“Where would he go? Why would he do that?”
“You’d be a better judge of his character than I would. All I know of him are the rumors and gossip I’ve heard. You lived with him. And, for the record, Jace, I’m not the bad guy here.”
Kelly stood her ground. She would not be made to feel like the enemy.
“Listen, I have no ulterior motive in keeping information from you.” She took a breath, hoping Jace would let his guard down, that his hurt and frustration would abate. “There are no locked doors in this house. You have free reign to look in any room you wish for information to help you find your brother. If there is something else you want, all you need to do is ask.”
She watched as his shoulders dropped. Kelly wondered if his anger had really been about the papers he found or if it was the kiss they’d shared that spurred it.
“Jace.” She took a step toward him, but she was cautious; her heart seemed drawn to his yet she had to protect herself, and yes, Jace, too. “Ask yourself what you want to happen when you do find Sheldon.”
* * *
BUILDING THE GARDEN with the adjoining patio and fire pit seemed like a good idea, Jace thought. He knew he could do it within the small budget he’d presented to Kelly. He also knew what it would entail engineering-wise. What he hadn’t counted on was the tough resistance of the ground. This was something he should have taken into consideration when developing the proposal. But he hadn’t.
Just as he hadn’t thought about the repercussions of kissing Kelly in the attic. He’d been mad at himself, but he’d taken it out on her. Talking about Sheldon and how he’d lost the family’s legacy had only spurred on his temper, misplaced though it was.
Since that day, he and Kelly had walked on eggshells, avoiding each other except where Ari drew them together. At first Jace had the garden to help him get over his emotion. Zealously, he dove into the process of clearing the land and preparing it. If Kelly hadn’t mentioned the project to Drew, Jace would never have gotten the use of a backhoe and other equipment to dig the foundation. He’d have had to do it as a one-man work-army. The possibility of completing the spot under those conditions, before the open house, would be nil.
As it was, the garden would be done a couple of weeks before the guests—Kelly’s word for paying visitors—arrived with their wallets and purses open. Ignoring the thought of strangers trampling the space, Jace switched his attention to Ari. His little helper was doing a wonderful job. Ari wore a small apron that the cook had made for him. Drew gave him some child-size gloves. He was working on clearing a patch of land that would be the fire pit area.
Jace checked the supplies stacked neatly by the back of the barn. Tomorrow they would begin the brick laying. As he turned back, Kelly was walking across the patio carrying a tray of lemonade. “You guys are working hard. I thought you might like a drink.” She set a tray on a small table. There were chairs, but only Ari took a seat.
Jace was grateful that she was speaking to him given how he’d behaved. He hated fighting with her. He hated not talking to her.
Ari immediately dropped his rake and ran over to get his lemonade. He drank deeply, then used his arm to wipe his mouth. Kelly handed him a napkin, but they all knew it was too late.
“How are things going?” she asked Ari.
“Good. We’re going to start with the bricks tomorrow.” He spoke happily and pointed to the stack waiting nearby.
She looked at Jace and he thought he saw something in her eyes, a small glint of attraction. He wanted to kiss her again. But restraint was a lesson he’d learned from a lifetime at the Kendall.
“Can we be friends again?” Jace asked, hoping Ari didn’t understand.
She nodded. “I really wasn’t holding anything back about Sheldon. I was trying to find the information for you.”
“I know that now. I was just thrown off by the—” He stopped and shook his head.
The silence stretched between them. Then Kelly looked at the supplies. “Do you know how to lay brick?” she asked, the tension between them eased.
“Fine time to ask,” he laughed, drinking his lemonade. “I do know how to lay brick. From the jobs I’ve done, it was necessary to learn many trades in order to complete a project.”
Kelly would understand that, Jace thought. She’d already learned more than she ever thought she’d have to when she sat on that fence looking at the Kendall.
“I can’t see what it’s going to be. Except from your drawing,” she said, surveying the expanse of yard they had cleared, “it’s much larger than I thought.”
Jace removed the gloves he’d been wearing and dropped them on the table next to the lemonade.
“Come with me,” he said, offering his hand.
Kelly hesitated but then placed her hand in his larger one, Jace’s fingers closed around hers. He felt the warmth of her fingers. Jace escorted her to the edge of the excavation.
“This is where the bricks will begin,” he told her. “The inside will be tiled.” He made a circle with his free hand. The other one still held on to hers.
Kelly didn’t mind him holding her hand. She liked it. It made her feel a variety of emotions she couldn’t identify. She’d had boyfriends in her past, but none of them made her as breathless as the tiniest touches from this man at her side.
“The tile will go all the way to the circle Ari has cut out.”
Hearing his name, Ari immediately looked up and smiled at her. “Great job, Ari,” she said. “Well, so far it seems like everything is coming together.”
“When it’s done, and you look out that window—” he glanced at her office “—y
ou’ll have a beautiful scene below you.”
“I’m expecting nothing less.”
“Are we making too much noise for you to work?” Jace asked.
“I worked in a bull pen with people talking and shouting all the time. A few conversations and a hammer swinging now and then barely distract me.”
Jace smiled, but said nothing.
“I’d better get back. More lemonade before I go?” she asked.
Ari held up his empty glass. Kelly filled it and refilled both hers and Jace’s. All three of them drank.
“You’re doing a wonderful thing,” Jace said. His eyes were directly on her.
* * *
USUALLY KELLY DROVE the long driveway to visit the mailbox on the rural road. Sometimes she walked. Today was one of those days. Only riding a horse would be better than walking. She liked the return journey better, to come upon the Kendall in the stark sunlight, see the place as it was meant to be seen, grand, majestic and beautiful. She knew she was the only one who saw it that way anymore. It was the kind of vision that only a person who’d put her blood and sweat into it could feel.
Opening the mailbox, she grabbed the contents and shut the door. Rifling through the items, she found the usual magazines, advertisements for limited free gym memberships, bills and flyers inviting her to a complimentary dinner to discuss her retirement portfolio. She grinned at the thought. Right now she had barely enough money to buy lunch. Her retirement was hopefully far in the future and she’d have time to build up to it.
The last letter stopped her in her tracks. It was a plain white, business-size envelope, handwritten and addressed to the owner of the Kendall. Her name was not there. The return address was from Sheldon Kendall in Meadesville, North Carolina.
Kelly moved to lean against the five-bar fence. She stared at the envelope. It was addressed to her—she was the owner. But she knew whatever was inside wasn’t for her. It was for Jace. Should she open the letter? Should she let Jace know that Sheldon was in North Carolina? Turning the envelope over, she stared at the blank backside for a long time. Whatever she decided to do, it would change her and her relationship with Jace. Not that they had a relationship, but Kelly had come to believe in him.
Summer on Kendall Farm Page 9