Summer on Kendall Farm (11 page)

“The truth is, Kelly, we want you to come back to your old job,” Perry said.

Kelly was stunned. “Return?”

“You’ve done a great job here. This will undoubtedly be an ongoing concern for some time,” Cass explained. “But don’t you miss the drumbeat of New York? You were right there with the best, coming up with the ideas, working with the staff.”

Cass handled a lot of the advertising at the firm.

“Everyone liked you,” Alex said.

“But according to you—” Kelly looked directly at Perry “—I lost the Grissom account. As I remember it, something in the neighborhood of six million dollars.”

“Grissom is back,” Alex interjected. “And they want you.”

“Me, why?”

“When they left us, they didn’t know what they were doing. We, and by that I mean you, gave them more customer service and better ideas than anyone else. So they want to work with us—you—again.”

Kelly grinned. She understood. There was a six-million-dollar contract with a provisional clause in it.

“I’m sorry,” Kelly began. “I have other obligations.”

“Where?” Cass asked. “Here?”

“Yes,” Kelly said, her brows rising. “Here.”

“You’ve done an amazing job, but to handle the Grissom account...” Cass left the sentence hanging as if there was no contest between what she’d spent the past two years doing and what they were offering.

“We’re prepared to double your salary,” Perry said. “Think of it, twice what you made before, corner office, expense account. You can move into a swanky apartment in Manhattan and live the good life.”

“You’re assuming I don’t have a good life here.”

“Let’s not rush into anything,” Perry said. “Take some time to look over the offer, get used to the idea,” Perry said. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and laid it on her desk. “As added incentive that loft you wanted to renovate in Soho is available. With the added salary you’d be able to afford it.”

“I’ll give that some consideration,” Kelly said.

“Take a couple of weeks,” Perry said. “I’ll give you a call then and we can work out the details.”

She watched as the entourage left her office and subsequently the property. Alex hung back and gave her a hug.

“I’d love to work with you again,” he said.

“We were good together,” she agreed. She’d enjoyed working with Alex. As the artistic director, he complemented her ideas and transformed them into visual beauty.

Admittedly Kelly was glad to see them go. Their offer was flattering, but she’d worked herself silly, put every penny she had to get this operation running. No way was she giving it up now for a loft in Soho.

With her former colleagues gone, the parking lot was empty. Kelly left her office to collect the receipts of the day. She had to pay the staff and make sure they would show up next week. Their checks were already written and in envelopes. They’d gathered in the large ballroom. Jace and Ari were there when she went in.

“Great day,” one of the women said. “I had a very good time.”

“Does that mean you’re willing to come back next week and do it again?” Kelly asked with a smile.

“Absolutely,” she said.

Kelly passed out their paychecks and said she’d expect them next week. “If anyone can’t make it, please let me know as early as possible, so I can find a replacement.”

“Will do,” someone said.

They filed out, leaving Jace and Ari as the only people in the room with her.

“You look tired,” Jace said.

“I’m exhausted,” she confided. “But my day is not done. I have to count receipts.”

“Want some help?” Ari piped up.

Tension drained out of her at the small child’s willingness to take some of the weight off her shoulders. Dropping down to his level, she hugged him. “Thank you, but you’d better eat your dinner.” She ruffled his hair. “That is if you didn’t eat too many of those cakes.”

“I didn’t. Dad wouldn’t let me.” Ari twisted around to check his dad’s compliance.

Kelly glanced at Jace. She stood up. “Thank you for coming back and helping. I know you didn’t want to.”

“You were spread too thin,” Jace said.

She realized his comment wasn’t censure on her decision about the house. She was glad because she was too tired for a debate.

“I have to go back to the office, but before I go what did the doctor say?”

“I don’t have asama,” Ari stated proudly.

“Asthma,” Jace corrected. “They have to get some test results back, but he doesn’t believe Ari has asthma.”

“What?” A smile spread across her face. “How?”

“The doctor said he may have been allergic to something in Colombia that caused restricted air flow.”

“Do they know what it was?”

Jace shook his head. “Whatever it was, we didn’t bring it with us. And apparently, it’s not here.”

“That’s why I breathe,” Ari said.

“I was concerned when I bought the horses that he wouldn’t be able to ride, but he’s taken to them.”

“What about his leg?”

Ari skipped around the room. “All gone,” he said, then ran back to Jace.

“Lack of activity. And he has a shorter tendon in one leg. With exercise and time, it’ll be unnoticeable.”

“He does appear to have less of a limp now than he did a couple of months ago.”

Jace nodded, putting his hands on Ari’s shoulders.

Kelly studied the tiny face. “You’re going to be fine,” she told him, still smiling. Ari left his dad and ran to her. She bent down and caught the small bundle. “Congratulations. This is the best news I’ve had today.”

“Me, too,” he said. “Best news.”

“You’d better go in to dinner. I’ll be in as soon as I finish the receipts.”

“You’re exhausted,” Jace said. “Why don’t you come to dinner first and then check the receipts.”

“I’ll be right there,” she said. “I need to find out if I’m going to meet the bills this month.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

J
ACE
LOOKED
AT
his watch. Kelly hadn’t come to dinner before he and Ari had finished and cleaned up. Ari practically fell asleep at the dinner table. The doctor’s office and the excitement of a long day took its toll on him. It had been long for Jace, too. He went to the kitchen and made Kelly a sandwich and poured a glass of milk. Carrying the tray to her office, he went inside. She was asleep at her desk.

He hated to wake her. From the way he’d seen her rushing about, she’d had to be dead on her feet. He couldn’t allow her to stay like that. It was uncomfortable and, besides, she could possibly fall. Jace put the tray on the table. Turning her chair and holding her, he lifted her into his arms with the greatest care. She stirred, but didn’t come fully awake.

He refused to look at her sleeping face, but he couldn’t stop her pretty scent. She used some kind of floral shampoo and the sweet smell filled his nostrils. Her skin was silky smooth and warm to his touch. Jace carefully carried her up the stairs. Gently, he laid her on the bed. He removed her shoes and pulled a spread over her. Then, taking one last look, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Jace knew she worked hard to make the Kendall a going concern. And she was starting from scratch. He’d heard some of the comments today from people who knew the Kendall. They spoke of its transformation. Of what Kelly had done over the past two years to make this the showplace of the county. She had done it proud, according to one of the locals.

She’d even had the people from her former job come to visit. Jace wondered what their purpose was here. What had they discussed while cloistered in her office? And what would happen now? There was a major complication Kelly didn’t know about. Yes, he’d taken Ari to the doctor this morning. But after that appointment, he’d spoken with Doug Thurston, who’d given Jace the news he wanted to hear. There was a loophole in the contract of sale.

Jace could get his home back.

* * *

T
HE
LETTER
SAT
on the dresser. It had been there for three days. Sheldon hadn’t mentioned it to Audrey. The return address was the Kendall and it was in Jason’s handwriting. Sheldon could hardly believe it. How could Jason be living there? Sheldon was too afraid to read the letter. Strange because he’d never been afraid of anything his brother once said or did.

But now he understood Jason. In many ways, he walked in his brother’s shoes and they hurt. He knew what it was to be looked down on.

He was curious to know what Jason had to say, though. The Kendall logo on the envelope was different, but it was definitely the Kendall. Had Jason found some way to...what? He couldn’t own the place. Sheldon knew it was sold to a woman. Had she and Jason somehow gotten together? Many women in Windsor Heights were interested in Jason. Laura had told him. Jason was good-looking and had that strong image of the bad boy. Women loved that, she’d said. It made the guy more virile in their eyes. And women loved the challenge of taming all that strength. Well, some women.

Sheldon could possibly find all the answers to these questions if he’d just open the envelope. He would, he told himself. But not today.

Leaving the letter on the dresser, he headed out to work. He’d continue scraping hulls. Soon he would have to tell Audrey about Jason’s letter. She would find a way to ask if he’d heard anything if he didn’t volunteer the information.

Sheldon smiled. He liked Audrey. She was real. He could tell the difference now. Laura had been real, too. But he and Laura had lived in a different world. A world that isolated them and distorted how they should treat other people. Meanwhile, Audrey had had few privileges and when her daughter died, she took in her grandson and she was doing everything she could to fill in as a parent. But what struck Sheldon most about them is they appeared happy. They truly loved and respected each other, he thought. That’s what made all the difference. That and sacrifice.

When Jason had come to stay at the Kendall after his mother died, they looked on him as a burden. How could they have been so cruel?

And how could he ever do or say anything to make up for his past actions? Maybe sending that letter had been a mistake. And the reply could be just as much a slap in the face as he deserved.

* * *

T
HE
DOORBELL
RANG
as Kelly was headed to the kitchen for a second cup of coffee. She tried to limit herself to two cups a day, but in the past month she found herself wearing a path in the hall leading to the caffeine station.

Glancing at the grandfather clock sitting near the staircase, she reversed direction and went to the door. She wondered who could be seeking her out at this time. Through the heavy glass, Kelly saw the figure of a man. She opened the door to find Perry Streeter standing there. “I figured if I came in person you couldn’t refuse.”

“I don’t understand. What are you doing here?”

He was impeccably dressed. Even though the temperature in Maryland was several degrees higher than it was in New York, Perry would never allow a drop of sweat to stain his wardrobe or his personality. He was in control, managing everything, refusing to let anyone think he wasn’t the master of his fate.

Kelly knew it was a facade. He’d spent a lifetime hiding behind it. So she didn’t understand why he wanted to see her. She had X-ray vision where he was concerned. And he knew it.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in. I hear they do that in the South.”

Kelly stood back. “Of course, come in.”

She led him to her office. Just as she went through the door, she saw Jace enter the hall. Perry closed the door and turned to her.

“Why are you here?” she asked for the second time.

“No ulterior motive. I wanted to see you. It’s nearly lunchtime. I thought you’d go out with me.”

“Why?”

“You have to eat.”

“I mean why would I go anywhere with you? There’s nothing for you to gain by being with me. You told me that.”

He winched at her words. “I was wrong. Why don’t we run out to a local restaurant and have something to eat. You can spare an hour or two for an old friend, can’t you?”

He wasn’t a friend. That had ended when he told her he wanted to end their relationship, that he had found someone else.

Still, Kelly wanted to know his real reason for coming to see her and she wanted to hear about the agency. What was going on there now? She still had friends at the firm. She’d neglected them in the past few months due to the overwhelming changes she’d been working on at the Kendall.

And there was Jace. He’d taken up a lot of her thoughts.

“We don’t have New York–style restaurants here. The food is simple and good.”

He spread his hands as if accepting his fate.

Kelly grabbed her purse and they went back to the front door. Outside, in the circular driveway gleamed a Mercedes sports car, a two-seater, fire-engine red. It looked like Perry could have driven it off the showroom floor only moments ago.

He opened the door and helped her inside. The interior was plush with all the bells and whistles deserving of a mover and shaker in the advertising business.

“New?” she asked.

“Had it a month.” He accelerated around the circle and sped down the driveway toward the road.

Kelly directed him to the diner on the main street. It was the kind of place where you seat yourself. The tablecloths were white and covered with a solid piece of clear glass. In the center was a bud vase with a plastic flower in it. The menus were already on the table, being held up by the condiments collection. Perry led her to a table next to a big window. Outside sat his car. Kelly wondered if he trusted the citizens of Windsor Heights not to dent his doors.

She lifted the menu, although she knew what she was going to have.

“What’s good here?”

“Everything,” she said. She looked directly at him. “I can recommend the fried chicken. I know you don’t usually eat anything fried, but it’s to die for. Barring that, the liver and onions are good.

“I hate liver,” he said. “Do they have any fish?”

“This is Maryland,” Kelly said. “The crab cakes are excellent. They alone are reason enough to drive this far.”

Perry frowned.

“There’s the meatloaf. It’s not only good, it’ll sustain you for your trip back to New York. Or are you planning to visit the area?”

“I came only to see
you
. I’ll be leaving right after lunch.”

Kelly’s eyes opened wider.

“Why are you looking like that?” he asked.

“We’ve already said our last words. I find it surprising that you came all the way here to have lunch with me. You must want something. What is it?”

“I promise I only wanted to see you.”

The waitress came over and Kelly ordered the cheeseburger plate. Perry opted for the Maryland Crab Cakes.

“This is a surprising turn,” Perry said after the waitress left them.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you lived on salads and bottled water.”

“I get more exercise here. I still love salads and water, but I get to have all my favorites now, too.”

“You really like living here?” Perry sounded as if he couldn’t fathom a person preferring the quiet farm life compared to the fast-paced, nonstop existence of a throbbing city.

“You don’t think there’s much going on out here, right?”

He glanced around. The restaurant had several tables with people at them. Most were dressed as if they worked on farms.

“Is there?”

“This is horse country,” she defended.

The waitress returned and set their plates in front of them. She smiled and left.

“Service is fast,” Perry said.

Kelly knew he was thinking the food couldn’t be good if it didn’t take a long period of time to prepare. Her plate held a thick cheeseburger that was high with lettuce, tomato and fried onions. The rest of the plate was covered with curly French fries. Kelly dug into it as if she hadn’t had anything to eat in years. Perry took a tentative bite of his crab cakes. Kelly watched him close his eyes and savor the deliciousness of the food.

“Like them?” she asked.

“They’re wonderful. Who would have thought food like this would come out of a place like this.”

“Careful, Perry. Your snobbery is showing.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

Kelly let his apology go. She was more interested in what else he surely wanted to say.

“Okay, Perry, I have my food now. I want to know what you want.” He started to speak, but Kelly interrupted him. “Don’t say you only came for lunch, because we both know you’d rather go to a four-star restaurant where people recognize you, than be in a homespun town where horseflesh is the stock in trade.”

He set his fork down and folded his arms in front of him. Kelly hated this gesture. He was either gathering courage to dictate something or buying time. To her it seemed cowardly.

“I want you to give up this farm business and come back to work.”

“I already have a job,” she told him.

“You can’t want to continue here. You’re too good. And what happens when you finish the place? There’ll be no job waiting for you. You’ll fail.”

“Fail,” she said. “You think I’m going to fail?”

“Of course not. I think you’d be so much better at what you do best.”

“Perry, you have no comparison for what I do best. How do you know my work at the Kendall isn’t better than me selling toothpaste or cupcakes or the newest shade of lipstick?”

“Because I know you.”

“Even if that’s true, I get more satisfaction from working at the Kendall than I ever got working on the Crawford or Grissom accounts.” The Crawford account brought in ten million dollars. It was her job to get consumers to buy their food products, specifically peanut butter and a variety of canned goods.

“What about us?” he asked.

Kelly nearly dropped her cheeseburger. “What us?”

“You know we were the best team at the agency.”

Kelly understood what was happening. They weren’t a team. Perry was a user. He’d used her, but she had been too blind to see what he was doing until he’d dumped her. He’d thought he could do it on his own, and when the time came for him to produce something new that the client would like, he couldn’t do it. And that’s why he was trying to get Kelly to change her mind.

“I have my own team here,” she said. “We work well together and we get the job done.”

“But think about it, Kelly. We were phenomenal. Between the two of us together, we could open our own agency.”

“Perry, you don’t seem to understand that I’m happy here.”

He looked out the window. Kelly glanced out, too. Jace drove into the lot and parked next to the red sports car. She watched as he slid out of the cab and headed for the front door. What now? She couldn’t see Jace and Perry becoming fast friends.

“If you come back, you can have your own team. It would be so much easier for you and you wouldn’t have to handle every detail yourself,” Perry said.

“I don’t
handle
every detail here,” she said. “All changes require my approval, but I don’t have do them myself. I
like
doing them. If I don’t do it or can’t, I hire someone.”

“What about that guy?”

“What guy?”

“The one who’s shown up out of the blue.”

The door opened and Jace walked in. “You mean that guy?” She indicated Jace. “He’s helped me out a lot and he’s a friend. Now you can return to New York and put your own team together. Thanks for lunch, but I see I have a ride back to the farm.” She intentionally used the word
farm
.

“I’ll give you a call in a few days. Think it over. It’s a good offer.”

Kelly didn’t need to think about his offer. “Is everything all right here,” Jace asked as he came to the table where the two of them sat.

“Yes,” Kelly said. “Everything is fine.” She got up and looked at Perry. “Thank you for lunch. Have a good trip back to the city.” Then she looked at Jace. “Do you think I can hitch a ride back to the Kendall?”