Close to His Heart Read online

  “I’m not sure,” Tess said. “The shop was extra dirty today. Busy day. Lots of customers. I got behind.” She pressed her lips together to stop the flow of her babble knowing her mother would see it for the excuse it was.

  “I’m so glad I caught you still here.” Deborah’s voice was bright. Cheerful even. “This works out perfectly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I need a ride to the meeting,” Deborah explained. Her manicured fingertips adjusted the lapels of her blazer. “I had to drop my car off at the mechanic, and I won’t be able to pick it up until tomorrow.”

  Tess sensed what was coming next.

  “We can go together to the meeting, right?” Deborah emphasized her suggestion with a lift of one perfectly plucked eyebrow.

  Tess should have known she couldn’t buck her mother. Deborah Kraus could teach courses on manipulation to vacuum cleaner salesmen.

  Fine, Tess thought, knowing when she was caught. She’d go to this meeting and only this meeting.

  Deborah pointed at Tess’s ripped blue jeans and hot pink T-shirt. “You should go home and change first.”

  “I don’t mind wearing this tonight.” She made herself hold her mother’s eyes. If her mother was finagling her into making sure she attended, then she had to take her as she was.

  Deborah held her gaze a moment, as if testing her resolve, then released a sigh that was heavy with disapproval. “Very well, then. If you want to come to this meeting looking like a vagabond, so be it.”

  In that moment, Tess felt every bit of the disappointment she had subjected her family to since she walked away from her very promising job six years ago. Her parents had been thrilled that she had scored, right out of college, an esteemed position for a high-profile business like MacGregor Holdings—not so pleased when she quit and hightailed it for Europe for six months.

  She grabbed her denim jacket and purse and wound a long, purple scarf around her neck. “Okay. I’m ready.”

  Tess hadn’t prayed in years, but she came perilously close to it as she fished in her oversize purse for the keys she needed to lock the store. They walked together to Tess’s car in the back.

  As her mother opened the car door, Tess grabbed the bag of clothes from Claire for the thrift store and heaved them in the back.

  Her mother got in, and without another word, Tess started the car, reversed out of the lot, and headed toward the meeting.

  Just get through this one, she reminded herself during the short drive to Sweet Creek Hall. Make the right noises and stay as far away from Jace as possible. Then find a way to get out of any future meetings.

  “What are you plotting?” Deborah demanded.

  Tess stopped at the traffic light and shot her mother a shocked glance. How did she know? “Nothing.”

  “Who are you kidding? You’ve got your lips pursed, and you only do that when you’re planning something.”

  Tess focused on the road as the light turned green. “Just thinking about the fundraiser meeting.”

  “If you say so...” Deborah smiled. “I’m not surprised that Jace is helping out on the fundraiser. I just found out that Carson and Chuck MacGregor will be major sponsors so that’s a great help. I understood from your father that Jace is here for a few other projects as well, but it’s wonderful to see him involved in the community. He’s such a good person.” Deborah took a break from her commentary and gave Tess an arch look. “I was surprised the two of you didn’t have more to talk about today.”

  “What’s to talk about?” Tess replied, turning onto the street where Sweet Creek Hall was located. No way was she coming anywhere near those heavy hints. She didn’t want to talk about the MacGregors or Jace or anything to do with that part of her life.

  “Tess, the two of you were thick as thieves. I thought you were in love. Your father and I were so pleased.” Deborah paused a moment as if to make sure Tess knew exactly how suitable her mother thought Jace was. “In fact, we suspected wedding bells—”

  “Tell me, how thick are thieves?” Tess interrupted her mother’s meanderings. “Is the comment referring to their intelligence? Or their girth? And if so why thick as opposed to thin? I mean—”

  Deborah lifted her hand to forestall her forestalling. “Don’t bother with your silly comments. I know you don’t want me talking about Jace, and for some unknown reason you aren’t interested in him anymore.” She sighed. “Though I can’t see why not. He’s as good-looking as ever, and that scar he got from the car accident makes him look mysterious. And let’s not forget that he’s a successful businessman with a bright future ahead of him.”

  Tess wanted to make a smart remark about the brightness of his future, but she realized any negative or positive reaction to her mother’s litany of Jace’s attributes would encourage her to keep prattling on.

  “Here we are,” Tess said with a forced note of brightness in her voice. She parked the car in the empty parking lot by the hall. “First ones here.”

  “No, we are not. I saw a few cars parked at the side of the hall,” her mother said when she got out of the car. “I’m sure one of them was Jace’s.”

  Tess flipped her purse over her shoulder and wrapped her arms around her middle as she strode across the parking lot. Enough about Jace already, she thought, jogging up the steps to the hall. She wanted to get this over with.

  The echoing screech of the door in the hall announced their arrival. Tess walked in behind her mother, glancing around the room. A few rows of chairs, all filled, took up one corner. Tess looked for an empty spot in the back. Nadine Laidlaw waved at her. She was sitting beside Sheryl Andrews who was holding Lainie’s little girl.

  But there were no empty seats by them. Then she noticed Jace, standing at a table at the front of the room. The smile on his face shifted as he caught Tess’s eye.

  She wasn’t crazy about being here, either, she fumed, plunking herself down in the nearest chair at the back of the room, as close to Nadine as she could get.

  Nadine moved forward, tapping her on the shoulder, leaning in to talk. “Glad to see you here. I didn’t think you’d show.”

  “I didn’t think I would either,” she whispered back, hugging her purse. She half-turned in her seat to talk to them, smiling at the woman between Nadine and Lainie. Sheryl’s hair was like a blonde curtain, shimmering in the hall’s light. Tess fought the urge to finger the pink streak in her own, darker hair. Sheryl always looked so elegantly put together, even in the white skirt and blue T-shirt she wore today.

  “How have you been feeling?” Tess asked Sheryl. Sheryl and Mark had gotten married in the late fall and were now expecting a baby.

  “Pretty good,” Sheryl said, her eyes bright as she laid a hand on her belly. “Not too nauseated, so that’s a blessing. Mark’s been complaining that I’ve been eating all the tomatoes, but cravings must be satisfied.”

  “And wedding plans?” Tess asked, turning to Nadine. She, Nadine, and Laine weren’t exactly close, but in a town like Sweet Creek everyone knew everyone’s business. Nadine and Clint’s engagement was no secret, especially thanks to her grandmother trumpeting it all over town and her friend putting a teasing ad in the local newspaper. “How are they coming along?”

  “Good, though Clint has been busy trying to get some new advertisers on board at the paper.” Nadine shrugged. “He worries too much. It will all come together.”

  “Have you decided where you’ll have the wedding?” Tess asked.

  “I wanted to have it up on the ski hill, but Clint insisted on a backup plan so we’ve rented this hall as well. I know my sister, Leslie, is really hoping we can have it here.”

  “She had her reception here too, didn’t she?” Lainie asked.

  Nadine nodded and her smile slipped. Tess knew from chit chat from both the inn and cafe that Nadine and her younger sister had been on the outs for the past half year. Something about an old boyfriend of Nadine’s, who Leslie had dated behind her back. She felt bad for both Na
dine and Leslie. She couldn’t imagine having any tension with Claire. They depended so much on each other.

  “And how are things between you and Leslie?” Sheryl asked, her voice quiet.

  “We’re getting there,” Nadine said. “She’s been holding back. She feels guilty even though I told her Paul was so far in the past, it hardly counts.” She flashed them all a smile. “I’m so happy now, none of that matters. She said she’d be my bridesmaid, so that’s good.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Tess said.

  “Now I just have to convince her to stop sending me links to wedding boards on Pinterest.”

  With that, the topic switched to specific wedding ideas each of the women had seen, and Tess struggled to keep her enthusiastic smile in place.

  As a young girl, dreams of her own wedding had gone through various iterations, but the one constant had been a big, family-filled celebration here, at Sweet Creek Hall.

  Six years ago, the vague plans had included lilies in tall, crystal vases twined with ivy and surrounded by small votives at their bases, sage-green napkins with silver napkin rings on creamy damask tablecloths, and bags of homemade cookies for favors.

  For a time, she even had a groom in the fantasy. Tall, dark, handsome, with an intriguing scar down one cheek. Tess wrenched herself from the bittersweet memories and back to the conversation.

  “I think your mom wants to talk to you,” Sheryl said, inclining her head to the front of the room, where Deborah still stood.

  “Theresa, come here, honey.” Though her mother hadn’t raised her voice, the inherent demand in it was hard to ignore.

  “Talk to you later,” Tess said, slipping out of the chair and joining Deborah.

  “Because you missed the first meeting, the committees are already established,” Deborah said, pointing to a clipboard on the table. “But I’m sure there’s something you can still do.”

  Tess glanced over the list, trying to ignore Jace. Her eyes drifted up but then his gaze flicked over her and returned to Deborah.

  Tess didn’t know if she should feel insulted at his offhand treatment of her, then decided she didn’t care. She set the clipboard on the table and tucked her hands inside the front pockets of her jeans.

  “Which one would you like to join?” her mother was asking.

  “I don’t want to be on a committee,” she said, glancing down the list.

  “Why not?” her mother asked.

  “I like something I can do on my own time. I’m too busy for meetings.” She made the mistake of looking directly at Jace, catching the disappointment in his eyes. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did. At one time, his opinion meant everything to her.She blinked and broke eye contact.

  Don’t get pulled in, she told herself. Don’t cave. Once he’s done his work here, he’ll be gone again.

  “Why don’t you have a look at the list?” Deborah suggested. “You might see something you can help with.”

  To satisfy her mother, Tess picked up the clipboard again.

  “Do you have a pen, Mom?” she asked, laying the paper down so she could write on it.

  Instead, a masculine hand appeared in her vision. Without looking up, Tess plucked the pen out of Jace’s fingers, trying not to notice how the metal was still warm from his hand.

  She scribbled her name under the committee responsible for gathering donations for the silent auction, then set the pen on the table.

  Phoning from home she could do. Simple and straightforward—work through the list, and she was done.

  “That’s one of the more critical committees,” Jace said, as he picked up his pen.

  Tess shrugged his concern away. “I think I can handle it.”

  “Think?” His eyes seemed to hold a challenge.

  Tess didn’t look away. “Know,” she replied.

  “Okay. We’ll be getting together here tomorrow night to put together a list of potential donors from various towns,” Jace said.

  “We?” Tess frowned.

  “Yeah. I’m on the same committee.” Jace took his pen and pointed to his name scrawled at the top of the list.

  How could she have missed it?

  “I’m in Fort Henday for farmer’s market that day,” she said, holding his gaze.

  “That’s over by two, isn’t it?”

  He remembered?

  “I have to work at the cafe after that. I promised Claire.”

  “That’s fine. We’re not meeting until after dinner, so I’m sure you can make it.” He gave her a cool smile. “Unless you’re working at the inn for Kelsey.” His tone seemed to convey that he was on to her.

  She wished she could say yes, but it looked like things were moving out of her control. “No. I don’t work there anymore. I can come.”

  “I’m glad that’s settled,” Deborah said, patting her daughter on the shoulder. “Jace has more information on the fundraiser printed out here. Why don’t you read it while we wait for the meeting to start?”

  She handed Tess a cardboard folder.

  As Tess flipped through the material, she couldn’t help but be impressed with its organization: In one inside pocket was a list of all the committee members; in the other, a description of the purpose of the fundraiser.

  She sat down and started reading. Though she knew exactly what the fundraiser was for, she read every word on every piece of paper in the brochure. That way she didn’t have to pay attention to Jace.

  The money would fund a building to house a Crisis Counseling Center. Currently, the center staff shared an office space with a local dentist. They needed to expand their services and were desperate for a new building.

  Tess traced her finger over the artist’s rendering of the building, with its Victorian-brick facade. She knew enough about the Crisis Counseling Center. In fact, when she came back from Europe with her future in doubt, she had made plans to work there.

  To that end, she had taken correspondence courses to build on her college degree.

  She looked up and caught Jace looking at her. A sense of foreboding held her in its grip.

  Working with Jace was a bad idea in so many ways.

  What if all the memories she had shoved deep down came roaring back? She’d just have to make sure she did everything within her power to keep that from happening.

  Chapter 2

  Struggling for patience, Jace glanced at his watch as people began to disperse. The meeting he and Tess had talked about last night was over, and she was a no-show. He knew the farmer’s market was long finished, so she couldn’t use that as an excuse.

  Even though the other committee members had left fifteen minutes ago, Jace stayed around the hall in the faint hope that Tess would come rushing in, full of apologies. He had given her the benefit of the doubt, but it was for nothing. He should have known she would ditch this obligation when she was making all those excuses yesterday.

  He gathered his papers. It was time to go home and get caught up on work. Tess was clearly a no-show. He shouldn’t have been surprised, but he still couldn’t help his disappointment, which seemed to be his usual emotion when it came to Tess.

  When Carson asked him to come to Sweet Creek to work on the condo he wanted to build and help on the committee of the fundraiser Carson had spearheaded, he wanted to say no. But “no” wasn’t a word one used with Carson. Especially because Jace wanted to prove himself worthy of the trust Carson had placed in him when he helped him out through business school, then gave him a job at his development company. So, Jace agreed to the projects, thinking he might find out why his old girlfriend had changed so much, and why she had ditched him all those years ago.

  Obviously, he wasn’t finding out tonight.

  He got in his car and left the hall. In spite of his irritation with Tess, he had to smile as he drove through the tree-lined streets of Sweet Creek. He never thought he’d see familiar landmarks he’d always walked past before—the hardware store, the post office, the movie theater, his old high school�
��through the windshield of a silver BMW.

  How things change, he mused, wincing when his thoughts drifted back to Tess. Why couldn’t he get her off his mind? He wished he could just treat her as casually as he treated any of the old friends who had stayed behind in Sweet Creek. A quick hello, the usual “what have you been doing lately” chit chat, a promise to meet for coffee— which would never materialize—and then each head off in different directions.

  But, if he met her, there would be no casual chit chat. He and Tess had too much history, and he’d been hurt too badly by her. He had managed to avoid her; then, Deborah had asked to meet at Claire’s coffee shop to talk about the fundraiser, and he knew seeing his old girlfriend was inevitable.

  Old girlfriend.

  The words conjured many painful memories of him and Tess, walking hand in hand down these streets, through the fields of his parents’ ranch, making plans—like all kids growing up in small towns—to leave.

  He shook off the memories as he turned onto the highway. A few minutes later, he drove down the narrow, winding trail to his parents’ ranch. He parked in front of the worn house, grabbed his briefcase, and got out of the car.

  Spring was in the air – fresh and clean. He took a moment to let the scent of the new season wash over him as he looked around the place he’d spent most of his life planning to leave. The row of Mayday trees he and his father had planted many years ago were in full bloom, sending out the heady scent of almonds. The trees surrounding the house were the new green of spring, softening the look of peeling paint and neglect of the house.

  His gaze wandered past the house, the old barn, and broken-down corrals to the mountains that had watched over him and this place. At one time there had been more land in the Scholte name. But his father wasn’t a rancher and had slowly divested himself of parcels of land. After he died an untimely death, his mother sold the cattle, the equipment, and paid off all the debts. But that meant the ranch was no longer a going concern. When Jace moved west to study in Vancouver, she went east to be closer to his sister and her grandchildren. His sister and husband’s kids created a pull that Jace, still single, couldn’t compete with.