Close to His Heart Page 7

  In spite of his desire to keep focused on his career track with Carson, Jace couldn’t help a brief hunger for the mountains, the open spaces he enjoyed as a boy. He remembered the rides he used to take with his father and sister into the hills for no reason other than simple exploration.

  “Think about it,” Adien said, nudging him with an elbow.

  “Thanks for the advice,” Jace said with a smile.

  “Do you know how long you’re sticking around town?” Aiden asked, pulling things back to the practical.

  Jace shook his head with a touch of regret. “As soon as I’m done here, I’m back to the Vancouver office.”

  “I heard you are working an angle to get some condos built along the river.”

  Jace tried to ignore the faint note of condemnation. “I have an appointment to talk to the people at the Chamber of Commerce once the fundraiser is over. And yes, that is part of the reason I’m here.”

  Adien held his gaze, but Jace didn’t like the disappointment he saw there. Other memories arose. Memories of being too poor to participate in class activities, and of being mocked for the worn and out-of-date clothes he wore, and of always, always knowing his parents were short of money. Working for Carson had removed the sting from the past and had given him an income he couldn’t have imagined when he was young.

  “I think the condos could add a lot to the town,” Jace said, unable to keep the justification out of his voice.

  “Yeah. They could. They just don’t need to be along the river. And there doesn’t need to be three of them. One is plenty.”

  Jace was about to say more but knew he had to be careful. Aiden’s father was on the Chamber of Commerce, and Jace didn’t want to jeopardize his chances. Correction, Carson’s chances.

  “Maybe not, but Chuck thinks that’s the best place for them, and he figures we’ll easily fill them.”

  “Really? You’re taking Chuck MacGregor’s advice when it comes to what’s best for this town? Chuck never made any bones about how much he hated this place.”

  The angry tone in his friend’s voice gave Jace second thoughts. Jace was tempted to defend his friend but knew that Aiden was right; however, smoothing the way was Jace’s job. Carson had given Chuck the lead on this project. For now, that meant being involved in this fundraiser that Carson had become involved in.

  “Thanks a ton for this,” he said to Aiden, holding up the paper, eager to change the topic. “I’ll make sure you get full credit for it, along with a real pretty certificate. I’ve got an office and secretary here now, so I’ll get Callie to type it up.” Yesterday, Chuck had called to let him know that his father had booked an office for him and sent down a temporary secretary from the firm. While he appreciated the help, Jace wasn’t sure he liked the impression this gave: that he may stay in Sweet Creek longer than he planned.

  “Think of it as a little bribe so you’ll consider staying here,” Aiden said with a broad grin. “Sweet Creek is a good place to raise a family. Your mom and dad thought so.”

  Jace might have agreed with him, if he was even remotely headed toward matrimony. After Tess left, there was no one he wanted to date more than a couple of times, let alone settle down with. While he didn’t have the contempt for Sweet Creek that Chuck did, he had no desire to return.

  “Thanks, Aiden. I’ll...I’ll keep it in mind,” was all he said.

  “You do that. And while I’m yammering away—” his jovial expression grew serious “—how’s your mom?”

  “She misses Sweet Creek but is glad to be back in Ontario with her family. Thanks for asking.”

  Aiden shook his head. “Your father was a good man. My dad always said he was a reminder to all of us about being content and treating people fair.”

  Melancholy nudged at Aiden’s serious words. His memories of his father were a mixed bag of the usual parent/child frustration over restrictions. All he remembered were the fights over money at home. Jace never stopped to think about how his father was received outside of the home.

  Coming back to Sweet Creek, especially since he’d been canvassing around the town, he’d been privy to other points of view about his father. Had heard new stories of things his father did.

  Each bit of information Jace gleaned gave him a new appreciation for Rich Scholte. In spite of his disabilities, Jace’s father had been involved in various aspects of the community and was respected and appreciated for his simple faith.

  Jace tucked Aiden’s paper in his pocket. “Thanks again. I should get going. Got to go to a meeting.”

  “You do that. I think you’ve got a good chance to even up the score with Tess,” Aiden said. “And make sure you come by when you’ve got some time. Sally said she’d love to try a new recipe out on you.”

  “Sounds...intriguing.”

  “Good word choice,” Aiden said with a knowing wink. “Take care.”

  Half an hour later, Jace sauntered up the walk to Sheila Kippers’s place, confident about his chances to best Tess. He rang the doorbell, and she answered the door right away. Sheila had her hair down, and she wore a snug knit dress, full makeup, and a smile more welcoming than it should be—considering the divorcée was about seven years older than him.

  “Come in, Jace. So good to see you.” Her smile widened, and she touched him lightly on the shoulder. “Tess’s already here.” This was delivered with a faint note of regret that, it seemed, she expected him to share.

  “Terrific,” Jace said with false enthusiasm. He stepped into the house, giving Sheila a wide berth. “I need to talk to her, too.”

  Sheila’s lips, glistening with gloss, formed a pout. “She’s in the den. Go down the stairs, and the door’s to your right. I’ll get us something to snack on.”

  “Do you have to check on your kids?” Jace asked, putting extra emphasis on the last word.

  “They’re having a sleepover at a friend’s place tonight.”

  “Lucky them.” Jace made a quick getaway down the stairs.

  Tess sat on the floor of a large, open room, papers spread around her and a pencil stuck between her teeth. Her fingers danced over the calculator buttons as her eyes gleamed. Today she wore her hair down, and her baggy pants and loose T-shirt were a welcome contrast to the overt display he’d just been subjected to.

  “Hello there.” He smiled warmly as he dropped into a recliner beside her.

  Tess’s head spun around. “You might want to wipe that smile off your face. You’re going down, Jace Scholte.” Her jaunty tone and cheerful demeanor thrilled Jace. She was acting like the old Tess.

  Jace dropped his own folder onto the low table in front of Tess. “What makes you so confident? You don’t even know what donations I got.” He held her gaze and, to his surprise, she didn’t look away.

  “I doubt you can beat this.” Tess pulled out a piece of paper and laid it on the table in front of him. Jace saw Bill’s and Aiden’s names, and smiled.

  He went to his own folder and pulled out a couple of papers he’d typed up and printed before he left. “I’ll see your boat trip from the Ochremchuks with this,” he said, placing a gift certificate for a plasma television on top of the paper. He pulled out the second paper and dropped it on the stack. “And I’ll raise you a weekend at Mark and Sheryl’s ranch.”

  Tess looked at his offerings, but to Jace’s disappointment, didn’t seem fazed.

  She twisted around and picked up several more papers. “Homemade quilt from the Quilter’s Guild.” She slapped one paper after another down on top of Jace’s boat trip printout as she recited, “Handmade silver jewelry from Marcie at the farmer’s market. Spa treatment at Arlene’s. Custom-made stained-glass window. Collector doll, including a hand-sewn wardrobe. Dinner for two at the Sweet Creek Inn from Kelsey Swain.” She looked smug as she continued down the list. “Hand-crafted dollhouse. Hand-painted stemware...” She gave him a quick grin. “I’m saving the best for when Sheila comes back.”

  Jace would have felt disappointed but for T
ess’s bright eyes, her quick smile, and the dimple winking at him from one cheek.

  “Sounds like you’ve been busy. I’m impressed,” he said, picking up the top piece of paper. “You’ve put a lot of time and energy into this.”

  “I told you I was going to win,” she said triumphantly.

  Jace put the paper down and his eyes wandered to hers. To his surprise, she didn’t look away.

  A lock of hair slipped over her cheek and, without stopping to think, Jace reached over and brushed it away. Like he used to.

  Then she caught his wrist, curling her fingers around it.

  Like she used to.

  For a split second, they connected.

  Jace’s mind slipped back to that moment of weakness in her during the car ride home. Questions swirled in his mind as he struggled with residual feelings.

  “Tess, I wish—”

  “Here we are.” Sheila bustled into the room with a tray of clinking glasses. “Refreshments for the evening.”

  Tess dropped his hand as if it burned her, and her gaze retreated down as she scurried back to the couch.

  Jace felt like cursing Sheila’s sudden arrival. He had hovered on the threshold of discovery. It seemed like one more moment would have slipped open the door into Tess’s secrets.

  Sheila handed him a glass of soda. “Help yourself to cookies or muffins,” she said, pointing to the plate heaped with baked goodies. She stood in front of him for an extra moment, as if waiting.

  “Thanks.” Jace glanced at her and took a quick sip of soda, his eyes returning to Tess.

  But she was ignoring him—gathering papers, shuffling them into piles.

  Sheila pulled a chair closer to the low table and dropped her folder on it with a thunk.

  “How did you do with your list, Sheila?” Jace asked.

  Sheila looked from Tess to Jace, frowning her confusion. “I got something from most everyone,” she said, tapping a shining fingernail on her folder. “Gift certificates, and quite a few donations. Clothes, custom embroidery for a sweatshirt, tickets to the symphony in September, and tickets to a Canucks hockey game in October. Box seats,” she added with a satisfied grin.

  “Wow. That’s pretty good.” Jace was impressed. Between what Tess had collected, what he had pulled together, and Sheila’s contributions, both the live and silent auctions looked to be huge successes.

  “Is Charlie singing during the dinner, as you hoped?” Sheila asked.

  “I’m not sure...” Jace looked over at Tess. “He was getting back to you, wasn’t he?”

  Tess nodded. “He called yesterday to tell me he didn’t think he should play on his own.”

  Jace frowned. Why was Tess looking as if she had scored some major coup?

  “Helen Lennox is singing instead,” she said.

  Jace and Sheila spoke up at once.

  “Are you kidding?”

  “Really?”

  “How did you...what...” Jace sputtered, his mind ticking back to that evening. Helen hadn’t given any indication she was interested in singing after her retreat from the limelight, let alone for their fundraiser.

  “That’s unbelievable,” Sheila said, with a trace of envy in her voice. “I didn’t realize you knew her.”

  “I didn’t. I met her when Jace and I went to visit her and Charlie.”

  “I thought the marriage was just a rumor,” Sheila huffed, twisting a strand of dark hair around her finger. “I can’t imagine she would choose to live out in the boonies in that cabin of his.” She rolled her eyes at Jace, as if he would understand.

  “It’s very cozy,” Tess said with a wistful tone. “And quiet. I think I could live there. Far away from people...”

  Jace wondered at the note of hunger in her voice.

  “Did Helen say what she’ll be singing? Is she getting her band to perform with her? Or is she going solo?” Sheila grabbed a notebook and clicked her pen, glancing from Jace to Tess.

  “We didn’t iron out all the details,” Tess replied, her smile lingering at the edge of her lips as she hugged her knees. “But I do believe she said something about Charlie accompanying her.”

  “So it would be an acoustic set.” Sheila scribbled some notes. “Our ticket sales will go through the roof once word gets out. Between our speaker and Helen Lennox, this will be a sold-out event.”

  “I imagine.” Tess rested her chin on her knees then turned her head to look at Jace. “You do realize that this little coup, on top of all the other donations I’ve already gotten, puts me squarely in the lead.”

  “Do you want me to concede already?”

  “How many businesses left on your list?” Tess asked, faintly taunting.

  “A few.”

  “Probably the ones that didn’t return your calls the first time? The ones that maybe have something, you know, like a T-shirt or a mug?”

  Jace lifted his hands in a gesture of defeat. “Okay. I give up. You won.”

  “Won? Won what?” Sheila frowned at both of them.

  “Tess and I had a little contest going to see who would get the most valuable donations,” Jace explained, setting his cup down on the table. “I think she’s won.”

  “Really? How interesting.” Sheila’s monotone intimated she thought anything but. “Why wasn’t I informed of this?”

  “It was just between Jace and me,” Tess said. “I think he was scared I was quitting, and he figured I needed the incentive.”

  “Little did I know,” Jace said. “Especially now that you’ve got Helen to come and sing. Congratulations. I’m very proud of you.”

  Tess shrugged, but Jace saw a flush creep up her neck. The hint of her discomfort gave him his second sliver of hope. And even better, he got to take her out for dinner. Not that much of a loss after all.

  The three of them spent the rest of the evening sorting the donations—deciding which ones needed certificates, and where to store the ones already received. As they catalogued the items, Jace grew more excited about the prospects of the fundraiser. It would be a success and a huge feather in his cap. Carson would be sure to take notice. Anything that put him in Carson’s field of vision was a bonus.

  “Where do we bring all the actual donations?” Tess asked, getting to her feet.

  “I’ve got an office in town. I imagine that would be the most secure place to store them.” Jace replied.

  “Okay. I’ll bring what I’ve got already.”

  Jace tried to catch her eye as she gathered up her papers, but she ignored him. Disappointment reverberated through him. Had he imagined that moment between them?

  Chapter 6

  Tess glanced at the clock on her dashboard before she got out of the car. Jace’s secretary had told her that he wouldn’t be back until twelve-thirty, which gave her twenty minutes.

  The box holding the quilt was surprisingly heavy, and she’d had to park a ways down the street, so she was out of breath by the time she pushed her way through the large glass door into Jace’s office.

  “What have you got now?” Jace’s secretary, Callie, asked, looking up as Tess put the box onto the floor.

  “The quilt.” Tess set the box down and caught her breath. “I didn’t think it would weigh so much.”

  Callie stood from her desk. “Do you need a hand?”

  “I’ll help her.”

  Tess’s heart shifted at the sound of Jace’s deep voice. What was he doing here? He wasn’t supposed to be back yet. She felt a frisson of awareness when she caught his blue eyes looking down at her. Why was it that every time she saw him, the old feelings grew stronger?

  And why was it that each moment they were together, she wavered between pleasure in his company and bittersweet regret?

  “So, this is the quilt?” he asked, bending down.

  “If you don’t mind putting it away, that’d be great.” She took a step back, toward the door. “I should get going anyway, so thanks.”

  “I’ll bring it to the room, but you’ll have to s
how me what to do with it.”

  Tess was about to tell him she didn’t care what he did with it. But he was already heading down the hallway, and walking away would be rude, so she followed him.

  He shouldered open the door of the room where the rest of the auction items were stored. The room was windowless and lined with shelves that were already filled with boxes and plastic wrapped items for the auction. “As you can see, it’s getting full in here, and I don’t want it to get squashed. Have any ideas?” Jace asked.

  “Most anyplace will do. Just make sure nothing gets stacked on top of it.” Tess glanced around the full room. “Wow. Things are coming together.”

  “Callie had most of the gift certificates typed up already, and we’re still getting a few more donations in. We will have a full day tagging everything, then another full day setting it all up in the arena.”

  “I’ve got Steve to deliver his stained-glass window directly here. I have a bit of nagging to do to get some of the other stuff in, but I’m getting my list done.” Tess couldn’t help adding, “My very extensive list.”

  Jace set the box beside the boxed-up dollhouse Tess had brought yesterday, then turned to her. “Speaking of your list, I owe you a dinner. I’ve been trying to get hold of you to arrange it, but you seem to be avoiding me.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “Text messages? C’mon.”

  Tess shrugged his comment aside. “Don’t worry about dinner. It was a good incentive. You don’t need to follow through.”

  “I honor my deals,” Jace said. “So, how about this Saturday?”

  Tess let her eyes graze over him again, testing her reaction to him. Her stomach twisted as his eyes held hers. “I think I’m babysitting for Claire that night.”

  “You used that excuse the last time and you weren’t babysitting for Claire.” Jace crossed his arms as if getting ready to challenge her.