Finally, A Family

“The lease is for another three years.”

And Kevin McClaskey promised we could stay as long as we liked, Jessica wanted to tell him. She was quite certain that Uncle Kevin wouldn’t have had a problem with transferring the lease to a family member. He’d be horrified to learn the new landlords had even mentioned the matter.

“I know what’s in the lease,” Logan said, “but no matter whose name is on it, we’d hoped to discuss an accommodation that might work for all of us. This issue would have been raised, whether or not the ownership had changed. After remodeling we thought our space was adequate, but we’ve realized it isn’t. We planned to bring the matter up before, but given what happened with your grandfather...it seemed best to wait.”

Jessica fought a renewed stab of panic and reminded herself that Grams’s name could remain on the paperwork. She’d known the lease agreement wasn’t permanent, but in the past it had always been renewed automatically. Granted, she’d questioned whether the situation would change now that Uncle Kevin was no longer the landlord, but she’d figured she had three years to talk with the new owners and sort things out. Now, no matter what Logan claimed, it sounded as if he and his partners wanted the Crystal Connection gone much more quickly.

He said it was because they wanted to expand the agency’s space. But she had to wonder. His earlier comments had given her the impression that he had a low opinion of the shop and its customers. Perhaps he felt it wasn’t as highbrow as his talent agency and didn’t want her next door.

Some people thought it was ludicrous to be passionate about crystals, particularly when metaphysical beliefs were part of the attraction. But she knew folks who thought modeling was a skewed and ridiculous business.

“What do you mean by accommodation?” she asked warily.

“For one thing, this is a very large building. It covers the better part of a city block. There’s space down around the end, off the smaller road. The Crystal Connection could move into one of the available rentals for the same rent, with over twice the square footage.”

“Except we have easy parking here. More importantly, the street out front is a busy thoroughfare. Our visibility nets a huge amount of drop-in business.”

The expression on Logan’s face didn’t flicker. “It isn’t a big deal for someone to park and walk around the back of the building. And there are ways to minimize the impact of moving. Signs, advertising, that sort of thing. You must have a contact list for your regular customers.”

Jessica seriously doubted advertising was the solution. She’d already heard new customers saying it was the large display windows that had enticed them into visiting. The back of the building bordered on a one-way street so narrow it almost functioned as an alley. The store would come off like a hole in the wall, hiding from the world. She shook herself and remembered that Logan was waiting for an answer.

“We don’t have a contact list. Not yet. My grandparents didn’t do mailings or promote on the internet. I put out a sign-up sheet last week, but it’s just a start.”

“The move wouldn’t have to be done immediately. If you’re interested, I found rental listings for other locations, too.”

Jessica wasn’t interested; she was insulted. So he’d found a few available rentals. How very patronizing of him. Not to mention presumptuous. It was as if he expected to snap his fingers and have the whole situation resolved to his satisfaction. Moreover, with either solution, the Crystal Connection would be neatly tucked out of his tender sight. He might not even lose sleep if she went out of business altogether.

She gave him a tight smile. “It’s early to be looking at other rentals, and if needed, I can certainly find them on my own.”

His cool brown eyes were unreadable. “Yes, naturally.”

“As for a contact list,” she continued, “while I think it’s a good idea, it has no relationship to walk-in traffic. Location is everything.” Still annoyed, Jessica felt another wave of anxiety. She had three years before she had to do what Logan and Moonlight Ventures wanted, but they could make life miserable for her in the interim.

Her gaze fell to the counter by the cash register. The wood was warmly burnished from years of use and polishing, and there were various dents and grooves. Decorators would likely call it “distressed.” It was a part of her childhood. As a little girl she’d perched on it and watched her grandparents unpacking merchandise. Sitting on a stool, she’d leaned over its wooden surface and drawn pictures or strung crystal necklaces with her grandmother.

On one of her summer-long visits with her grandparents, she’d written numerous letters to her parents on that counter. Back at home, she’d found them with the junk mail, never opened. Her folks hadn’t meant to be uncaring—from their perspective, they’d been working for their family’s security, providing a large home, putting money away for college and building a diversified financial portfolio. Though hurt, she’d gathered up the letters and put them in her memory box.

A group of customers came in and Logan moved aside, appearing to study a display of books on crystals, geology and rock collecting. His expression suggested poorly concealed scorn at their enthusiasm, though she tried not to read too much into it. When it got right down to it, he might feel that way about everything. But as far as she was concerned, true sophistication included an open appreciation of the world.

Once the shoppers were busy looking at merchandise, Logan returned to the counter. “What do you say?” he asked in a low voice. “Is it all right if we discuss this further?”

She couldn’t refuse and risk antagonizing one of the building’s owners. “I suppose, provided you know I haven’t agreed to anything. I don’t want to make a decision too quickly.”

“Naturally.” He gave her a crooked grin. “My friends and I talked and planned for years before changing our careers. Of course, we hope to resolve the situation faster with you.”

“I understand,” she said in a neutral tone.

“Could I take you to dinner Thursday night? That way we can have some uninterrupted time. If you have plans for Thursday, what about the evening after?”

She didn’t have any “plans” to coordinate around, no appointments and certainly no dates. Being a single mother made socializing tricky. Now that she lived next door to her grandmother, childcare wouldn’t be a problem, but she wasn’t eager to explore love again. And she hadn’t been in the Seattle area long enough to have much else on her social calendar except for her committee work to get an urgent care medical clinic started in Regen Valley.

“Thursday should be fine,” she said, “provided Grams is available to watch Cyndi.”

“I’d suggest bringing your daughter along, but it would be better to talk business with just the two of us.”

“Right.”

Privately she wondered what Logan’s attitude might be toward single mothers. She’d met more than one guy who had personal rules about not dating a woman with “encumbrances.” That was fine with her. Even if she’d been interested in finding someone, she wouldn’t get involved with a man who saw children that way.

“By the way,” he said, “to keep things simple, I’ll be the only one at Moonlight Ventures discussing this with you. We thought it was best to have a single contact point, also to limit mix-ups in communication.”

“That makes sense.” It was the best solution and Jessica wouldn’t have to dread the subject coming up whenever one of the other Moonlight Ventures partners came into the shop. She didn’t want this to impact how she felt about them...which was decidedly negative at the moment, so maybe the most she could hope for was cordiality.

A customer approached the counter with a basket of items and Jessica went to ring up her purchases.

“I’ll check with you when I come for coffee tomorrow,” Logan said after the woman had left. “Is that all right?”

“Sure.”

Jessica breathed easier when she was alone again, but only a little. Logan Kensington had unloaded a potential nightmare for her. With so much to consider, she suspected she wouldn’t get much sleep that night.

* * *

“I’VE BROACHED THE subject with Ms. Parrish. We’re supposed to have another discussion on Thursday,” Logan explained to his partners at a meeting an hour after his chat with Jessica.

“Is she open to what we’re proposing?” Rachel asked.

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t call it open. Although it upset her, she didn’t completely reject the idea. Presumably the store operates on a narrow margin, so she has a good deal to consider.”

Adam grimaced. “We don’t want to hurt her business.”

“Her grandparents have leased that location for over thirty years,” Rachel added. “This must be the last thing she expected.”

Logan nodded. Even though Moonlight Ventures needed more space, they wanted to be responsible and decent. He’d actually found it reassuring when Jessica shot back the assertion that her grandmother could continue the lease. It was preferable to deal with someone who was able to stand up for herself.

“I know I’ve said it before, but our new career has issues I never thought about,” Nicole said. “Especially the part about being a landlord.”

They were in equal accord that owning such a large property and dealing with rentals was a challenge they hadn’t fully anticipated.

“But it’s been good, too,” Rachel asserted. “After all, working with Matt Tupper has helped both of our companies.”

Matt Tupper owned a recording studio in the back section of the building where they hoped the Crystal Connection would be willing to move. He hired their voice clients for various jobs and they helped find volunteers for his work recording books for the blind. One of those volunteers, Gemma Paulsen, had rapidly become a popular voice-over artist in commercials and other projects...and was now engaged to Matt. The couple expected to get married in a few months.

Logan almost squirmed at the thought.

It felt as if everyone around him was either recently married or getting married. Even their office manager, Chelsea Masters, had a wedding coming up. And his friends seemed to think he’d do the same, joking that falling in love had a domino effect—one fell and the rest began toppling. Hardly. He was glad they’d found people they cared about, but he refused to be swept into the nuptial frenzy.

“I wonder why Kevin originally leased space to the Crystal Connection,” Adam mused, breaking into Logan’s thoughts. “It’s quirky compared to the other businesses here.”

“I can answer that,” Rachel volunteered. Years ago she’d been a client of Moonlight Ventures and knew the history better than any of them. “When the Parrishes wanted to open a store, Kevin offered them a deal. Of course, I think the street was still run-down back then, so after he renovated the building, he probably needed tenants. He’s been loyal to the ones who took a chance on renting from him.”

“It isn’t run-down any longer,” Logan pointed out. The popularity of converting industrial structures to apartments and businesses had revitalized the area. The building they owned had become a desirable commercial location, yet several of their tenants were paying rent that was significantly under market value. He and his partners didn’t plan to increase rents dramatically, but gradual raises seemed appropriate.

As for the Crystal Connection?

Even if it didn’t fit with the other businesses in the building, the shop and its coffee were popular. Logan had noticed rocks and crystals on office desks and hanging from the rearview mirrors of various renters. Whether it was due to Kevin’s enthusiasm in supporting the shop, or people’s natural liking for those things, it was hard to tell.

“What do you think, Logan?” Adam asked.

“What’s that? My mind was wandering.”

Adam chuckled. “Are you in love?”

“No.” Logan gave him a dark look. “And no more pushing, okay? I’m leaving romance to the rest of you.”

Smiles swept across their faces. Being the only unattached member of the group made him the odd man out. He was reluctant to explain that he questioned his ability to fall in love and that he didn’t think it was fair to a woman to make a half-hearted commitment. Who knew? Maybe his emotional detachment came from looking at life through a camera lens. Or maybe it was the other way around. Maybe he’d chosen photography because the camera was a mask, hiding his true feelings.

He tried to clear his head. “What was the question, Adam?”

“I was referring to the Jessica Project.” They’d taken to calling their expansion plan the Jessica Project since she was the key to getting what they wanted. “Do you think offering six months or a year of free rent might convince her?”

“I can’t say,” Logan replied. “She’s worried about moving to a space that isn’t visible from the main street. I’m sure signs and advertising could resolve the issue, but she seems doubtful.”

Nicole leaned forward. “Basically, we won’t know how to make this work until you’ve spoken with her again.”

“Right. I wanted to get information about Jessica from Kevin, but he’s in Chicago with his new granddaughter, so I decided to just go ahead. It probably would have been a bad idea, anyway. The friendship is so close Jessica even calls him ‘Uncle Kevin.’”

“I didn’t know the baby had come,” Rachel said. “His daughter wasn’t due for another couple of weeks. What did they name her?”

“And how big is she?” Nicole asked before he could reply.

If Logan had needed proof he wasn’t father material, this was it. He’d felt frustrated, rather than interested, when reading Kevin’s email. He hadn’t replied, either, because it hadn’t occurred to him that there might be details he should ask about.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “I was focused on the issue with the Crystal Connection. I’ll forward the email to everyone.”

His chagrin must have shown on his face because Adam laughed. “Don’t feel bad. Blame it on being a bachelor. It’s only since Cassie and I started talking about having more kids that I pick up on that kind of stuff. You’ll see.”

Logan tried to conceal his instinctive reaction. Adam’s wife was raising her teenage niece and nephew, so by marrying Cassie, Adam had gotten a ready-made family. It was admirable, but Logan was surprised they wanted more children.

As for the “you’ll see” remark? Once again it was an assumption that someday he’d join their married-with-children ranks. How many times did he have to tell them it wasn’t happening?

“Don’t worry about it,” Rachel said gently. “I’ll send flowers and a gift from the agency.”

The assurance reminded Logan of his mother and father. Ever the diplomats, they’d faithfully sent an appropriate gift, card, invitation or whatever was required—his father called it “playing the political game.” But in Rachel’s case, she genuinely cared about Kevin.

“That would be nice,” he muttered.

It was nice; he just wished he’d thought of doing it himself.

CHAPTER THREE

THE NEXT MORNING Logan wondered whether getting coffee would be awkward, but Jessica simply gave him an impersonal smile and went over to the coffee corner.

“What brew does Mr. Magellan Einstein Stanley want to explore today?” she asked.

Logan liked the modified nickname, though Einstein hadn’t been an explorer. “How about a latte? I missed breakfast this morning and at least it has milk.” He glanced at a glass case that hadn’t been there the day before. “I see you’ve expanded to an assortment of fresh food items.”

“Grams told me that customers have been asking for food besides candy, granola bars or potato chips. This is from a local bakery in the town where I live. They’ll package a selection for me and I’ll pick up the order on my way to the store every day. We’ve talked about me carrying a few of their sandwiches, but this morning I told them the idea is on hold.”

Ouch.

At a guess, Jessica had put the idea on hold because Moonlight Ventures wanted the Crystal Connection to move.

Feeling like slime, he took a bran muffin from the display case. “This looks tasty.”

“It’s supposed to be high in protein and fiber, but mostly it’s delicious. I’ve sampled everything I’ll be carrying. I didn’t want to stock anything I haven’t tried myself. My favorite is their cottage bread with jalapeño and cheddar, mostly because it’s savory instead of sweet.” She frowned at one of her insulated pots and ran her fingers over a brown stain on the bar towel beneath.

“I take it you don’t have a sweet tooth.”

Jessica lifted the pot and set it in the sink. “Not in the morning. After lunch I have to use all my resistance so I won’t turn into a basketball.”

Without thinking, he cast a swift glance down her well-formed figure. She wore a dress of soft fabric that flowed around her curves.

Logan reminded himself that their contacts were business-related and nothing else. Even if Jessica was available and interested, dating one of their tenants seemed a bad idea. Besides, call it old-fashioned, he’d pegged her as a forever type of woman. He might not be a properly warm and sensitive guy of the twenty-first century, but he knew better than to get involved with a woman who needed more than he was able to offer.

Once his coffee was shot with hot milk, she poured it into his cup and handed it to him. “Can I get you anything besides coffee and a muffin?”

“This is all. Have you checked with Penny to see if tomorrow evening will work for you?”

Her face tensed. “It’s fine. My grandmother is already planning a taco-and-jigsaw-puzzle evening.”

“She must enjoy having a young great-grandchild so close.”

Jessica nodded. “She’s thrilled. And it’s a relief for me since it gives my daughter a second adult to count on. When we lived back east my parents were too busy to spend time with her, so it’s mostly been just the two of us until I moved to Seattle last year.”

It sounded as if Cyndi’s father wasn’t in the picture and Logan wondered why. Jessica was intelligent, attractive and appeared to have a pleasant personality, though those qualities didn’t guarantee a successful relationship.

“That’s great,” he said. “I’ll be here at closing time, if that sounds good.”

“If you don’t mind, I could use a few minutes after closing. Sometimes I have late customers and then I need to deal with the daily receipts.”

“Then how about six?”

“That’s fine.” Her eyes had turned even more wary, a reminder that it would be a very sensitive discussion.

Moonlight Ventures didn’t want her business to be adversely affected, but they needed space. There must be a compromise that would work for them both.

* * *

LOGAN LEFT AND Jessica resisted sticking out her tongue at him. It was childish and wouldn’t change anything, but he annoyed her. How could he look so alert and well rested when she’d barely slept a wink?

Her cell phone rang and she saw it was one of the Flash Committee members. Regen Valley was a terrific town, outside the metropolitan area, yet within commuting distance. Jessica had always loved her summer visits there and made a lot of friends over the years, but now that she lived in the small town, she was acutely aware it lacked an urgent care facility. Having a daughter with severe childhood asthma changed everything, so she’d started the Flash Committee to raise money for a clinic. With land for it recently donated, they were making great progress.

“Hi, Chris,” she answered.

“I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be at the next meeting, after all. Also, you’ll be happy to hear we’ve already sold over a hundred and fifty tickets for the breakfast.”

“Wonderful.”

The Flash Committee’s next fund-raiser was a pancake breakfast at the community center. The ingredients and paper goods were being donated by local businesses, so 100 percent of the proceeds would go into the urgent care clinic fund.

After Chris said goodbye, she shoved the phone into her pocket, annoyed that she couldn’t relax and be happy at how well ticket sales were going. People were enthusiastically supporting the committee’s efforts, but her worry over the shop was competing for emotional dominance.

She hadn’t confided in her grandmother about Moonlight Ventures’ request, or the need to keep “Penelope Parrish” on the lease. The night before she’d simply explained that she had a business meeting with one of the owners. Grams’s eyes had gleamed when she learned the meeting was with Logan Kensington. She was obviously hopeful something more than business was involved. Jessica had nearly told her the truth, only to stop, reluctant to share upsetting news before she had additional information. But she would have to do it soon, or risk Grams finding out another way.

Jessica pressed a hand to her midriff to quell the flutters. She and Cyndi would be fine. She’d started over more than once, including the time she was pregnant and her brief marriage had collapsed. If necessary, she’d do it again.

Maybe she was borrowing trouble, but while the lease issue could be handled by keeping Grams’s name on the paperwork, there were plenty of ways that Moonlight Ventures could make it difficult for her to stay in business. For one, several of the shop’s best customers were connected to the talent agency, either as tenants or clients. Would they feel comfortable patronizing the Crystal Connection if Logan and his partners were unhappy with her?

It would be hard to stop thinking about the problem since Logan and his partners came in for coffee several times a day. They were going to be constant reminders that the shop was no longer welcome in the building, in this part of it, at any rate. As if in response to her thoughts, Adam Wilding showed up a few minutes later.

“Good morning, Jessica.”

Her stomach tensed again. “Hey, Adam. Southwest Twist?”

“Yup.” He held out his mug and she took it to the coffee corner.

Behave naturally, she reminded herself. Logan Kensington had promised he would be the only one speaking to her about moving the store. She needed to pretend everything was normal when dealing with the others, no matter what her private feelings might be. She filled Adam’s mug and put it on the narrow bar. Perhaps it was her imagination, but he didn’t seem anxious to meet her gaze. Instead, he was peering into the new display case filled with baked goods.

“Thanks,” he said. “I talked to Logan on the walk over and he mentioned you’d just started carrying bakery items. What do you recommend?”

“The blackberry coffee cake is the bakery’s specialty.”

“Sold.” Adam opened the case and selected a square of the pastry. “See you later.”

He left and Jessica sighed as she entered the sales information into his account. It would be nice if she could have enjoyed owning the Crystal Connection without added complications. At least for a while. Thinking of which...she went to examine the insulated pot she’d put in the sink. She didn’t see how it could be leaking, so she checked and found it to be an issue with the spout and pump mechanism. A minor adjustment corrected the problem.

She put it back with the other pots, wishing all of her problems were so easily solved. It wasn’t as if she didn’t understand Moonlight Ventures’ position. They wanted more space and she was in the way. But their timing was lousy. She’d quit a good management job to take over the store. If she’d known something big was in the offing, she might have waited and negotiated with the new owners of Moonlight Ventures until a resolution was reached. Grams would have been happy to continue running the Crystal Connection in the interim.

The situation was seriously messing with Jessica’s business plan and with the modest security her grandparents had hoped to give her.

* * *

GRAMS CAME BY at noon. “I thought I’d help out with the store until I go pick up Cyndi from her playdate.”