For Sale By Owner

by Marlene Bateman

  But all was not well. For a moment, Kenzie considered going over and putting her arms around her father. But he stood so still and silent. His back was a granite mountain—solid and unyielding. Unbidden came the memory of his words shortly after she’d told her parents that Larry wanted a divorce. Even now, the sharp hurt felt like a fingernail torn to the quick.

  Kenzie turned and walked out.

  * * *

  1 The recipe for Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies can be found at the end of the book.

  Chapter Seven

  Standing behind the plexiglass shield, Jared moved like a dancer between the metal bins of tomatoes, onions, pickles, cheese, and condiments, expertly arranging sandwiches to customers’ specifications. He was pleased—they’d had a good lunch crowd today. Although orders had slowed, there were still a fair number of people seated in the cozy cherry-red booths and chairs at white tables. The walls were a honey tan with textured wallpaper in a darker tan below the chair railing. Jared had picked out the floor himself—black and white tile. He enjoyed the gentle murmur of conversations in the background. A few people were busy on iPads or cell phones.

  A new batch of bread must have just come out of the oven in the back, for Jared inhaled the delectable aroma. He handed a plastic tray with sandwiches, chips, and empty cups to a couple. They headed for the drink machine. Jared started on the next sandwich then heard a familiar voice. It was Kenzie Forsberg. Asking for him.

  His chest swelled in pleasure as Pam pointed him out. He was working on an order for two women when Kenzie walked over. What big brown eyes she had. And that smile—it was as breathtaking as he remembered it being on the night of the Christmas play. Still, that scene in Tom’s office had definitely been odd. Feeling suddenly awkward, Jared fought the impulse to hold back and scuff his toes like a little boy. How strange Kenzie hadn’t told her own brother she wanted to buy his house until it was too late.

  “I’ll be right with you,” he told Kenzie. Working swiftly, he slapped slices of cheddar on the fresh bread; added lettuce, yellow peppers, and tomato; squirted on condiments; then skewered it all with a long toothpick. Jared placed the second sandwich in a cardboard container with its mate and handed the tray to the women.

  “You’ve got a nice place here,” Kenzie said, looking around at the green silk plants resting on low walls which divided tables from one another. “I came in to see if I could talk with you, but it looks like you’re busy.”

  “I can get someone to take over,” Jared assured her. Then he asked, “Are you hungry? Would you like a sandwich?”

  She sniffed the air appreciatively. “It smells so wonderful. You don’t have to ask me twice. As long as I can have a piece of fudge too. You don’t play fair, putting fudge and all those desserts in a display case you have to walk past before you even order a sandwich.”

  “Yeah, I’m ruthless that way.”

  She went back to the dessert case and pointed to the chocolate-walnut fudge. Jared used a square of white tissue paper to pick out a piece and hand it to her. “Fudge—nature’s way of making up for Mondays.”

  She laughed and took a nibble.

  Jared told Pam to put the order on a special ticket; then he went back to the sandwich display case. “So what would you like?”

  Kenzie eyed the menu hanging on the wall. “What’s good?”

  “Everything.” He liked the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled.

  “Oh, you do make it difficult.” After a moment, she rattled off, “Twelve-grain bread, turkey, provolone, and run it through the grill.”

  “You’ve done this before.”

  While her sandwich was heating, Jared slapped together a sandwich for himself. When hers came out with the cheese nicely melted, he added the fixings. Jared then signaled to a boy in the back to come take his place. He tossed his gloves in the garbage and, still wearing his white apron, came out the far side, passing a high counter where a number of people sat on red-cushioned stools. Jared led Kenzie to a booth near the back. It wasn’t until they were seated across from each other that Jared realized he still had on his chef’s hat. Quickly, he swiped it off and laid it beside him.

  “Sorry, my sister thought the hat made me look legit.”

  “It fooled me.” Kenzie took a bite. “Oh, this is good!”

  “Of course. The hat never lies.”

  Kenzie pulled apart her small bag of Sun Chips. “So how long have you lived here?”

  “About three years. I moved here from Rockport.”

  “Mandy told me your wife had passed away. I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” He picked up a quartered pickle from beside his sandwich and took a bite. “After I lost Robin, I stayed in Rockport a while—you know what they say about not making any major decisions for a year.” He gave a slight shrug. “I stuck to that, but even before the year was up, I knew I wanted to get away.”

  “How did Corey take it?”

  “He misses his grandparents, but he adjusted. He loves it here now. So do I—it’s a beautiful area.”

  “It sure is.” Kenzie wiped her mouth with a napkin. “So are you renting?”

  “Nope. I bought a little house. Something small and inexpensive because I wanted to make sure I could make a go of the café before I bought something larger. Plus, I didn’t have a lot to put into a house, not with starting a new business.”

  “I’m sorry about what happened yesterday with Tom.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I should have told him before that I wanted to buy his house, but Tom said the market was really slow, that he hadn’t been showing it, and a lot of things that lulled me into a false sense of security. So I wanted to surprise him.” Kenzie went on for several minutes then stopped. “I don’t know why I’m talking so much. Tom says it’s one of my faults.”

  “I don’t know why.” To tell the truth, he would have been happy to listen all day. Jared took another bite. How amazing it was to be sitting here and talking with Kenzie like they were old friends when he barely knew her. Usually he found it hard to talk with women, especially beautiful ones he had just met.

  He asked, “So you’re moving back here to Lake Forest?”

  “Yep.”

  “What about your job?”

  “I quit. I’m going to work for Reliance Software.”

  She must be a real go-getter. And confident. She’d quit her position, and not only did she seem fine with it, she’d already gotten another one. Kenzie must be good at what she did. “When do you start?”

  “In January.”

  “Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do well.” Jared didn’t know why he’d added that last part—except she looked very capable.

  “Thanks. Actually I’m kind of nervous. I’ve been with Midwest so long that going to a new company is a leap of faith. Of course, I didn’t tell Tom I was worried—he thinks I was being impulsive to quit my old job. But I had my reasons.”

  Ah, so Kenzie wasn’t quite as sure of herself as she appeared. Yet Jared liked that this attractive, charming woman had a vulnerable side. He was about to ask why she’d quit, but right then, a short young man with small ears walked by carrying a basin and a wet cloth.

  “Hi, Jared,” he called in a voice a shade too loud.

  “Hi ya, Scott!”

  Scott looked at Jared with a happy expression then glanced at Kenzie, who smiled at him. He went to the next booth and started wiping the table.

  Dumping the chips onto her napkin, Kenzie asked, “What made you decide to buy Tom’s house?”

  There was no easy answer because there were so many reasons. Some were more important than others, but the bottom line was a deep inner belief that this home was the one for him and Corey. “I looked at a lot of houses, and this is the first one that really felt like home to me.”

  When Kenzie looked at him encouragingly, he went on. “I like the idea of sitting on the front porch in the evenings, reading the paper, and waving at the neighbors as they walk
by.” That sounded foolish, but Kenzie nodded and seemed to understand. “And Corey loves the huge backyard. He keeps asking for livestock. His latest request is a sheep.”

  “Wonder where that came from?” Kenzie grinned and picked up the last half of her sandwich.

  He liked watching her eat; she was so pretty.

  “What?” Kenzie asked, a hand going to her face. “Do I have something on my face?”

  Her comment broke him out of his reverie. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.” What was the matter with him? His face reddened, and he shifted in his seat, trying to think what to say. The truth? It was worth a shot. “It’s just that, uh, you’re really pretty.”

  Now Kenzie blushed. “Compliments and terrific sandwiches—no wonder you do such a great business.”

  They talked further. Once Jared glanced over and saw Pam studying him intently. Did she need his help? Nah, she would have sent Scott to get him. There were only a few people in line.

  Kenzie followed the direction of his gaze. “Do you need to get back?”

  “It’s all right for now.”

  She cleared her throat “Um, the reason I asked what made you decide on Tom’s house is because there are a lot of homes for sale in Lake Forest.”

  He sipped his water with an uneasy feeling that he knew what she was getting at. “Yeah, and I’ve seen most of them.”

  “Well, like I said, there are an awful lot of homes, and I hoped you might be able to find something else you’d like just as well.”

  “So you can buy your brother’s house.”

  Kenzie gave a nervous little laugh. “That’s the idea.”

  “Did I mention I’ve looked at a lot of homes?” Jared kept his tone polite, but his throat felt tight.

  “You did, but you see, I was hoping to buy Tom’s house.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “Couldn’t you find another one?” There was pleading now in her voice. Kenzie’s smile was big and full of purpose. “Tom’s home means so much to me. I don’t know if Tom mentioned it, but it used to be my parents’ home. I grew up there.”

  It was incredible. Did she even know what she was asking? “And you want to know if I would consider buying a different home.”

  “Well, yes. I spent the first ten years of my life there. I have a lot of memories tied up in that house.”

  “I’ve already made an offer on it—an offer which was accepted,” he said flatly.

  “But like I said, there are lots of other houses around.”

  “I’ve found the house I want. I don’t need to see any more.” Jared crushed his napkin into a tight ball and threw it onto the tray.

  The brightness faded from Kenzie’s face. “I don’t think you understand how important this house is to me—and to my daughter. If you would withdraw your offer,” Kenzie said sweetly, “I’m sure Tom wouldn’t charge you any penalty.”

  “He sure won’t because I’m not going to withdraw it.” He folded his arms across his chest.

  Kenzie’s face pinked up. “I hoped you’d be reasonable. That home is a part of my childhood, my history. I made plans to move here just so I could live there. It’s the only house I want in Lake Forest. This, this is very important to me.”

  Oh great, now her voice had turned trembly. But he had to stand firm. “Like you said, there are a lot of homes up for sale. I’m sure you’ll find one that will suit you just as well.” Jared waited. What would she come up with next?

  Kenzie’s eyes fixed on his. Her lips tightened as though she did not like what she saw. “You know, Tom has a lot of experience. He’ll figure out a way to help me get the house.”

  Quirking an eyebrow, Jared said, “Is that so? I didn’t get that from him while I was there. Are you saying Tom changed his mind after I left?” When Kenzie hesitated, Jared knew he had her. “I didn’t think so.” It was clear he’d gotten to her by the way her face reddened. A riled-up Kenzie was something to see—her eyes positively sparked fire.

  “Are you calling me a liar?” she asked.

  “Should I?”

  In a huff, Kenzie rose, crumbs falling from her lap. She stalked off, and Jared had to hurry to make it to the door in time to open it for her. She tossed her head, took a step, then turned back. “That house means so much to me,” she begged. “Won’t you reconsider?”

  Jared hated to disappoint her, but the house meant a lot to him too. “Afraid not.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Need more tape,” Kenzie said, using the last of her roll on a brightly wrapped package. Mandy handed her another roll, and Kenzie slipped it into the dispenser. They’d all gone to church that morning and had dinner together. Kenzie’s parents had offered to watch the children so she and Mandy could wrap presents undisturbed at Mandy’s house. Tom had gone back to church to help with tithing settlement.

  “It’s nice of you to help me wrap,” Mandy said. She and Kenzie sat on her bed, surrounded by rolls of wrapping paper. Mandy leaned over to reach a video game and a book, then swung her head to get her dark hair out of her eyes. “Tom tries to find time to help now and then, but we usually end up having a wrapping marathon on Christmas Eve.” She handed the book to Kenzie. “That’s for Hillary.”

  “I’m glad to help,” Kenzie said, meaning it. “Wrapping is one of the fun parts of Christmas.” She and Larry used to savor it—and it didn’t take long to wrap presents for one child.

  “Hey, now that you’re moving back, we’ll be able to do this every year!”

  Kenzie wasn’t sure about that as she folded paper around the end of the book. “It’s fun to wrap for one or two, but the pleasure diminishes exponentially for each additional person.”

  Mandy laughed. “I agree. Thank goodness Adam started helping the last couple of years.” She cut a piece of red-and-white striped paper and laid a pair of jeans for Tom in the middle. “I am soooo happy you’re moving here. So tell me, are you excited about your new job?”

  “More nervous than excited—new people, new expectations. I’d gotten really comfortable at Midwest. It was hard to leave.”

  “Will you still be an executive director?”

  “My official title will be ‘general manager.’”

  “That hasn’t quite got the zing of ‘executive director,’ does it?” Mandy wrote a tag, stuck it on the package, and tossed it into the pile at the foot of the bed. “I mean, they have general managers at Burger King.”

  Kenzie crumpled a piece of leftover paper and threw it at Mandy, who ducked and giggled. “So what if it’s a different title?” she asked. “It means the same thing.”

  “I hope you won’t be as stressed there as you were at Midwest.”

  “My friend who works there says it’s a different atmosphere from Midwest. Plus, I’ll be leaving one huge pressure point behind—Matt Renault.”

  “Is that the guy who—”

  “Yep.”

  Mandy gave a mock shudder. “Glad you’re getting away from that pervert. And now that you’re here, you can start meeting cute guys. I’ve already started a list. I know you’re coming here for a reason—to find someone and fall in love.”

  “Last thing on my mind.” Kenzie taped green paper over a pair of pajamas for Brian.

  “Come on, don’t you miss being in a relationship?”

  “My ‘relationship’ with Larry was enough to last a lifetime.”

  “You’ve got to put that behind you. I know it was horrible and you went through a lot, but now you’re moving on with your life.” Mandy reached for the curly ribbon. “You’re going to fall in love here—I know it.”

  “You’re a hopeless romantic.”

  “Is there any other kind?” Mandy unrolled red paper with polar bears and snipped away. “Leave it to me,” she implored. “I’ll take care of everything. Give me a few weeks, and I’ll have your weekends filled for the next three years.”

  “Forget it. I’ve got more important things to worry about.”

  “Like what?
”

  “Like figuring out how to get Jared interested in some other house. I’d planned on buying this house, remember?”

  Mandy looked dismayed. “But he already put an offer on this one.”

  “Does no one in this family know what an offer is? It’s a proposal, a suggestion, a proposition—something that’s utterly breakable. I just need to find the loopholes that will get you and Tom off the hook and let me buy it.”

  When Mandy dropped her scissors and turned astonished eyes upon her, Kenzie went on—a bit defensively now. “I’ve got to do something! I’ve got a new job and no place to live. And think of Sara. I’ve already uprooted her, and now we don’t even know where we’ll be living.”

  She’d always prided herself on being a responsible parent. Her main objective in moving to Lake Forest was to provide a secure home for her daughter with lots of family support. Also, she needed some stability in her own life. The only reason she hadn’t unraveled during her divorce was due in large part to Mandy, Tom, and her mother. She didn’t just want this house; she needed it.

  Picking herself up and gluing herself together after Larry left had been hard enough, but then she’d had to deal with that scumbag, Matt Renault. Because of him, she’d had to search for a new job. Everything she’d gone through had been exhausting—emotionally and physically—and she was ready for a break. She just had to get this house.

  “You’re welcome to stay with us,” Mandy assured her as she tore cellophane off a new roll of paper. “And I’m sure your folks would love to have you.”

  Neither one of those were viable solutions. Mandy and Tom’s house was full, and Kenzie wasn’t comfortable moving in with her parents, not with the way things were. The house wasn’t big enough for her, Sara, and her father’s mouth.

  Finding a great job minutes from Lake Forest had been nothing short of a miracle. And the thought of buying her childhood home was a dream. Simply thinking about moving into the home she’d known as a child brought a deep, warm comfort and a security that had been sorely lacking in her life the past years. They said you couldn’t go home again, but by George she was going to try!