“I can’t stay over, Nathaniel. I have to be here when we open for breakfast.”
“I’ll make certain you arrive on time. Don’t look so concerned—I have a two-bedroom suite.”
Kendra’s troubled thoughts quieted. “Thank you, Nathaniel.”
His eyebrows flickered. “Are you thanking me for promising to get you to work on time, or because we don’t have to share a bed?”
A beat passed as she stared at him. “Both. Excuse me, but I have to take care of my other customers.”
Kendra was apprehensive about spending the night with him, and now that they were slipping back into their old easy intimacy, she found she didn’t want to do or say anything to jeopardize their fragile truce.
KENDRA HAD JUST CLOSED and locked her door when she heard someone calling her name. Turning, she saw Shirah running toward her.
“Miss Reeves, I am so glad I caught you.” Shirah’s face was flushed with color, and beads of perspiration dotted her nose and forehead.
“What’s the matter?”
Reaching into a shoulder bag, the younger woman removed a spiral notebook. “I finished reading Seventeenth Summer and wrote a book report.” She handed Kendra the notebook. “Even though I don’t have a computer, I wanted you to know that I’m keeping up with my lessons. I’m doing the reading, writing in my journal, and I decided to do a report after I finish each book rather than wait for the end of the summer.”
Kendra heard the excitement in her student’s voice. “Did you enjoy the story?”
“It was great, Miss Reeves. The love between Angie and Jack was so incredible even though they didn’t go to bed together. And when he finally kissed her I found myself screaming at the top of my lungs.”
“Although it was published in 1942, I think the sweet romance has stood the test of time. The author chose the perfect plot to write about—without a doubt every young woman or young man has had a first love. I’ll look over your report and give you my critique.”
“Thank you, Miss Reeves. And I’ll let you know when I finish the next one. Good night.”
Kendra couldn’t help but smile. The reading bug had bitten her student. “Good night.”
Waiting until Shirah took off running again, Kendra walked the three blocks to GCC Outreach. It was mid-May and in another six weeks the literacy program would end for the summer months. Not having to teach on Tuesday and Thursday evenings would give Kendra more time to devote to tutoring Shirah.
She hadn’t asked Shirah to hand in her book reports until after Labor Day, so she saw this as a good sign that Shirah was serious about improving her language skills. The writing component was crucial to passing the test. But Kendra was beginning to feel as if the girl wasn’t the only one being tested….
NATHANIEL CARRIED KENDRA’S overnight bag as he escorted her into the elevator at the Palmer House.
Kendra had been unusually quiet during the drive to the hotel, and he’d wondered if she was apprehensive about spending the night with him. But when he’d asked what was on her mind she’d revealed that she’d been thinking about putting together a structured curriculum for an adult tutorial program. He’d asked her if she would ever return to traditional teaching, and her response had been so long in coming that Nathaniel believed she hadn’t heard his query. Her “I don’t know” spoke volumes. Clearly she still hadn’t reconciled to interacting with young children following the loss of their daughter.
The elevator doors opened on his floor. “Can I order room service for you?”
Kendra smiled up at Nathaniel. “No, thanks. I had dinner.”
She always prepared a plate for herself before Pearl’s closed, then reheated it in the microwave in her apartment. Not having to cook had simplified her life. It left her more time to prepare her lesson plans, read and watch television. Her day-to-day routine was predictable but rewarding.
Nathaniel inserted the card key into the slot. “I haven’t had anything since lunch, so I’m going to order something light.” He opened the door, stepped inside and beckoned for Kendra to enter. “Come in.”
She followed him into the luxurious carpeted suite that had all the amenities of an apartment. It had a utility kitchen, a dining area, living room, a space that doubled as an office and two bedrooms with adjoining baths. Nathaniel hadn’t drawn the drapes, and the panoramic view of Lake Michigan was awe inspiring and breathtaking.
“I’ll put your bag in the bedroom on the right. The menu is on the desk in case you change your mind about eating.”
Kendra glanced at the clock on the table doubling as a desk. It was almost ten. “How long do you think it’ll take us to complete the budget?” she asked when Nathaniel returned to the living room. He’d taken off his shoes. She smiled. When they’d lived in Florida he’d always walked around in bare feet.
“It’s going to be a least a couple of hours. Why?”
“Maybe I’ll get some herbal tea.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that. There’s coffee and tea in the kitchen.”
“Okay, then I’ll go for a Caesar salad.”
Walking over to the desk, Nathaniel dialed room service. “Do you want that with chicken, shrimp or steak?”
“Which one do you recommend?”
“The steak is incredibly good.”
“Okay, steak it is. Make certain it’s well-done.”
She examined the space where Nathaniel had set up his office. A laptop with a large screen was connected to a portable printer. Leather cylinders and rolled-up blueprints covered a smaller table. The suite had become his home away from home.
Then it hit her. The Palmer House was Nathaniel Mitchell’s home. He’d told her he was staying at the hotel until he bought a house or a condo. She was living in a furnished apartment above her grandparents’ restaurant and her ex-husband was living in a hotel. When, she mused, had they become transients, people just passing through until they put down permanent roots?
Nathaniel hung up. “It’ll be here in about half an hour.”
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to change into something more comfortable.”
“I’ll turn on the computer and bring up the spreadsheet program so you can just drop in the numbers for your budget.”
Kendra turned and walked to her bedroom. Nathaniel coming back into her life at this time was nothing short of a miracle. He was a businessman first and architect and urban planner second. He was born into a family where business was paramount. Even family members who’d opted not to become involved in the eighty-five-year-old family-owned conglomerate were versed in the ins and outs of running a corporation.
Opening her overnight bag, she pulled out an oversize T-shirt and a pair of shorts. She exchanged her running shoes for a pair of sandals. Now she was ready to work.
Kendra returned to find Nathaniel sitting in front of the laptop. He’d pulled the drapes and turned on all the lamps and overhead lights. Moving closer, she peered over his broad shoulder. Her stomach did a flip-flop when she inhaled the lingering scent of his aftershave.
“I can’t believe you have a template for a not-for-profit budget projection.”
Glancing up, Nathaniel stared at Kendra. Having her so close, feeling her body’s heat, brought back a rush of emotions that made it difficult for him to take a normal breath. He loved her and wanted to marry her again—and this time it would be for keeps. He wouldn’t have given in to her demand for a divorce if he hadn’t feared for her emotional well-being. A long, drawn-out divorce battle would’ve resulted in one casualty: Kendra Reeves Mitchell. So he’d made certain it was quick and uncontested, while giving her a very generous settlement.
He caught her wrist and eased her into the chair beside him. “Have you come up with a name for your project?”
Kendra blinked. She’d thought of everything but a name. “No.”
Nathaniel’s long brown fingers skimmed over the keyboard. “We’ll call it TBA.”
Shifting to her right,
Kendra pressed her shoulder to his. “What if I let the church board come up with a name?”
“Are you trying to appease and placate, darlin’, darlin’ baby?” he asked in singsong. It was the title of an O’Jays old school hit.
They shared a smile. “If it gets them to approve the proposal, then yes I am, sweet, tender love,” Kendra sang back.
Nathaniel took her hand and squeezed it. “That’s the spirit. For someone who professes not to like business, you’re becoming quite adept at it.”
Kendra squeezed back. “I want this, Nathaniel—not so much for myself but for my student.” She told him about the impact of Seventeenth Summer, a book written almost seventy years ago but one that had still resonated with Shirah. “It’s a book about falling in love for the first time, yet there is a message there for girls of every generation. It should be required reading for teens.”
“Your student is very lucky she has you as her teacher.”
“No, Nathaniel. I’m grateful that I’m available to help her.”
There was a knock on the door and a deep voice announced room service. The waiter set the table in the dining area while Nathaniel tuned the radio to a soft-music station. He tipped the man, seated Kendra and then rounded the table to sit opposite her. They ate in silence, each lost in their private thoughts. It was after eleven when they returned to the computer, and close to one when the projected budget, with an accompanying detailed explanation for each line, was completed.
In her room, Kendra undressed, crawled into bed and was asleep within minutes.
Sleep was more elusive for Nathaniel. He tossed and turned until exhaustion finally won out. He’d gotten up before dawn the day before to talk with the contractor who’d won the bid on the revitalization project. He’d heard rumors that the man had used inferior materials on a prior contract with the city, so he had wanted to meet to tell him that every phase of the development would be closely monitored by an outside quality assurance team. Nathaniel had insisted that certain language be included in the contract—if quality assurance did not meet the minimum code, then the contractor would forfeit the bid.
Luckily Kendra’s computer-exchange program wasn’t so complicated and would be a win-win for all involved. Everything was in place for her to put her project into motion. She had a student, a designated location and people willing to donate computers. All that was left was to get the church board’s approval. Nathaniel had no doubt she would get it. But once she no longer needed his help, would she still turn to him?
KENDRA UNTIED HER APRON and dropped it into the laundry bin. Lunch was over and she was going upstairs to sleep. Nathaniel had woken her at five, and after a quick shower she had been on her way back to South Side. She’d walked into Pearl’s ten minutes before their first customer. Moses had given her and Nathaniel a questioning look, but he hadn’t said anything.
She worked through breakfast and lunch, stopping occasionally to stifle a yawn, and managed to perform her duties without dropping anything.
Her footsteps were slow, heavy as she climbed the staircase. Walking into the bedroom, she set the clock for six, then collapsed on the bed.
Nathaniel had printed enough copies for the pastor and each of the board members. Kendra knew she wouldn’t have been able to complete the budget projection so quickly without Nathaniel’s assistance. She owed him a great deal. Perhaps even a second chance.
KENDRA LOOKED EVERY INCH the schoolteacher as she sat at the table with Reverend Blake, six board members and the outreach director in the pastor’s private office. The pastor had called earlier to tell her it was better they meet at the church rather than Pearl’s. She’d styled her hair in a sophisticated twist and applied a light cover of makeup. She wore a white linen blouse, tan suit in the same fabric and brown leather low-heeled pumps.
Clasping her fingers together atop the table, she gave each person a direct look. “I would like to impress upon everyone that time is of the essence when it comes to getting your approval. I’m tutoring a student right now who desperately needs a computer. She has to pass the test for her GED before the end of the year in order to apply to college for spring enrollment.”
Hester Edwards, the outreach director, signaled with her pen. “Your project seems very ambitious, Miss Reeves.”
Kendra met the gaze of the controlling and at times overbearing director squarely. “It’s not ambitious, but necessary, Miss Edwards. I have a single mother who wants better for herself and her child. But she is only one of too many of our youth in need of the services I’m proposing. I have corporate sponsors waiting and willing to donate money and refurbished machines as we speak. If you look at the budget you’ll see that I’ve included a line for a technician who will refurbish the computers and keep those in the lab in working condition.”
Reverend Blake peered over his half-glasses.
“Have you selected this technician?”
“No,” Kendra answered truthfully. “But I know where to find one.”
“Where?” asked a deacon sporting an ill-fitting hairpiece.
“The brother of the waitress who works the lunch shift at Pearl’s is a computer science major.”
“How much will you pay him?” asked another man.
“Twenty-five dollars an hour.”
“Isn’t that a little excessive?” Hester protested.
“It’s half the prevailing hourly rate,” she argued in a quiet voice. “Plus, as program director I’m not accepting a salary.”
Reverend Blake smiled. “Can you afford to do that, Miss Reeves?”
She returned his smile with a warm one of her own. “Yes, I can.”
Hester pointed to a notation on the budget page. “There’s a line here for a part-time instructor. What is this person going to teach?”
Kendra counted slowly to five. She wanted to reach across the table, snatch the glasses the woman had perched atop her head and place them on the bridge of her nose so she could see the numbers and the accompanying pages that explained each entry.
“It’s for general computer training. We have a lot of residents who don’t know how to access the Internet or prepare a spreadsheet. If we were able to teach them to be computer literate, they could apply for a much broader spectrum of higher paying jobs.”
“What if you can’t get anyone to work for this amount of money?” Hester questioned.
“Then we’ll have to pay them more from fundraised monies,” Kendra countered.
Reverend Blake held up a hand. A rush of blood had darkened his khaki-colored face. “All right, Miss Edwards. Miss Reeves is not here to be cross-examined. She’s given us everything we need on paper without going around and around with minutiae. Personally, I like what she has proposed. Her computer-exchange program would benefit all the residents of our community. And if she says she has corporate sponsors ready to support it, then she has my vote.
“What I have to say now is off the record,” he continued, “but I’ve been apprised of a revitalization project of Alderman Stephens’s that is certain to improve the quality of life for everyone in our neighborhood. His project along with this one will set our community apart from the others in South Side.”
“She has my vote, too,” said the man with the bad hairpiece.
One by one they raised their hands, offering Kendra their support. A reluctant Hester Edwards finally raised her hand, too. Once voting was done, conversation turned to hosting a fundraiser. It was Hester who made the first suggestion.
“We always have Sunday suppers at the church in the summer, beginning with the Memorial Day weekend. Why not designate the upcoming one as a fundraiser?”
Reverend Blake glanced around the table and saw the approving nods. “This Sunday we will announce that our first Sunday supper of the year will be a fundraiser.” He took off his glasses. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’d like to get home in time to catch the Sox now that they’re in first place.”
There was a chorus of scraping c
hairs as everyone stood up. They each came over to shake Kendra’s hand, congratulating her on the new project. Only Hester remained behind.
“I like what you’re doing, Kendra.”
Kendra smiled. “Thank you, Hester. Does this mean I can count on your support?”
“Yes, you can.”
She thanked Hester again, then turned and walked out, bumping into someone she hadn’t expected to see. “Nathaniel.” His name came out in a breathless whisper. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to celebrate with you. By the way, you look very sexy in your schoolteacher getup.”
Kendra blushed. “You’re not too bad yourself. But aren’t you being a little premature about celebrating?”
Nathaniel winked at her. “No. I knew they would accept your proposal.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re smart and beautiful. Who could resist that combination?”
“You’re biased, Nathaniel Mitchell.”
“You’re right about that, Kendra Reeves.” Taking her arm, Nathaniel led her out to the parking lot where he’d left his car. “How about going out for a celebratory drink?”
Kendra offered him a tired smile. “I’d love to, but I’m exhausted, Nathaniel. Will you take a rain check?”
He went completely still. “Sure… Maybe we could finish that conversation about Natalia?”
His question took her off guard, shaking her. “We didn’t finish it before?”
“No. We’ve been dancing around each other when it comes to talking about her.”
“You’re wrong, Nathaniel. We don’t talk about her at all.”
“Because you shut it down.”
“And you can’t leave it be,” Kendra countered.
Nathaniel nodded. “We’re never going to resolve our differences if we don’t talk about it. I’m sorry if you believe I held you responsible for her drowning. I’m sorry I didn’t defend you when my mother blamed you for not staying at home, and I’m sorry that I didn’t fight to save our marriage.”
More Than Words, Volume 6 Page 28