PENNY GAZED FONDLY at her great-granddaughter, who was busily fitting two pieces of the puzzle together. She was bright and loving, just like her mother, and it was a gift from heaven to have them next door. Particularly with Eric gone.
A sigh welled from within.
It seemed selfish to be glad Jessica was the one dealing with the new owners of Moonlight Ventures, but Penny knew her own emotions would get too much in the way. Her granddaughter was better suited to sort things out. The Crystal Connection just couldn’t move; relocating it would kill the store and that would break her heart.
The idea for the shop had grown from years of watching friends from around the globe struggle to find a fair trade market for their local crafts and resources. She would continue coordinating the distribution network she and Eric had established with similar shops across the United States, but it would hurt desperately if the Crystal Connection no longer existed. She had so many memories there.
It was curious. Penny didn’t regret marrying a man so much older, but it was dawning on her that she didn’t have anyone who shared fond memories of their travels. Her son had begged to attend boarding school and they’d finally relented. Maybe they should have insisted he stay with them, but he’d deeply resented their constant moving. In contrast, he had loved the regimented life of his school and fervently embraced its stuffy attitudes.
“Are you okay, Grandma?” Cyndi asked and Penny tried to smile.
“I’m fine. This puzzle just reminds me of happy times. Would you be surprised to hear your great-grandmother used to go scuba diving in places like this?” she asked, tapping the picture from the puzzle box.
It was a brilliantly colored ocean scene, with waves splashing over a coral reef, a vivid reminder of the time she and Eric had spent near the Great Barrier Reef. That was when he’d taught her to scuba dive. Eric had loved diving. It had given him freedom of movement, without the pain from the leg he’d injured on an Alaskan fishing boat during a college break.
Cyndi regarded her for a solemn moment. “I think you can do anything,” she finally pronounced. “Did you see dolphins?”
“Dozens, and there was a green sea turtle who used to get curious and come around to watch us. I have pictures in one of my albums.”
“Cool.”
Penny’s memories kept stirring, memories of all the natural beauty she’d seen, the cultures she’d been privileged to be part of. That was what life with Eric had been like...experiencing things other people just dreamed about. She missed him terribly, but she was finally remembering the good days first, before the reminder of the loss.
Until now, prodded her ever-active brain.
Right, until now, when this issue about the shop moving had turned her upside down.
She’d liked Logan Kensington the times she’d met him. He seemed emotionally reserved, but he was talented, had an explorer’s spirit and was willing to take risks to get what he wanted. And he was also single. If only he’d asked Jessica on a real date, everything would be fine. Instead it was this business about the lease and wanting to move the store.
Penny absently fingered a puzzle piece and wondered if she should call Kevin. He was a nice man. He’d married her best friend from childhood and she’d worried that they would drift apart when Allison died, and then later when she’d lost Eric. Instead he’d remained a friend.
Her granddaughter had rightly pointed out that Kevin couldn’t do anything since he no longer owned the building, but it would still be nice to talk it over with someone who understood how she felt.
JESSICA WASHED HER hands and dried them carefully. Logan was too intense for comfort, so she’d excused herself, needing a few minutes of breathing space. A part of her was even tempted to call a taxi so she could slip out the rear door and leave him sitting at the table.
She laughed to herself. If running away was a viable solution to problems, the wimps of the world would have a lock on success.
Squaring her shoulders, Jessica marched back to the dining area and then slowed to look at Logan. What would his face reveal if he didn’t know he was being observed? He was gazing out the window and his profile seemed filled with focused energy, yet he was half smiling in a way that made her think about kisses and laughter.
The thought was annoying.
It had been ages since she’d spent time with a man in an atmosphere more conducive to socializing than business. Why had he brought her here? She was a family restaurant kind of woman, which was the type of place she’d expected them to go.
On the other hand, Logan Kensington had lived and worked all over the world, associating with people who were rich and famous. No doubt he’d visited restaurants in Rome, London, Paris and Tokyo that made this place seem rustic by comparison. He operated on a level she’d never dreamed of approaching, so if there were any future business discussions outside the shop, she needed to make sure they did it in a setting where she felt comfortable.
Fastening a calm expression onto her face, she returned to the table and sat quickly, though he’d started to get up as if to help her with the chair.
“This looks good.” She gestured to the dinner salads the server had delivered, deciding to enjoy the food even if she couldn’t relax.
Jessica savored each bite, though it was difficult not to dread Logan’s next question about the Crystal Connection.
“I know you’ve lived in the Seattle area for the better part of a year, but have you had a chance to see any of the sights with Cyndi?” he asked instead of launching back into their business discussion.
“We go whenever possible and my grandmother is always eager to get out and do something. I live in the other side of her duplex, so the adventures start there.”
“I imagine that’s both convenient and awkward, since you can’t have much privacy.”
Jessica assumed he meant privacy for dating, or perhaps he meant having her grandmother observing her comings and goings. She shook her head. “Privacy isn’t a concern for me.”
“You’ve mentioned having Penny nearby gives Cyndi another adult to rely on.”
“Yes. Grams is looking forward to summer because she plans to take Cyndi all over the region, including British Columbia. When I visited as a kid, my grandparents always made sure I got to see places like Mount St. Helens and Vancouver Island, along with museums and other sights. I would have loved hiking Mount Rainier, but Granddad wasn’t able to do something so strenuous.”
“Kevin mentioned Eric was much older than Penny. He sure didn’t look like a man in his late eighties.”
“No.” Jessica felt a deep pang—if Granddad had been younger, he might still be alive.
“He must have loved the work at the shop to keep at it so long past the usual retirement age.”
She smiled. “Granddad didn’t care what he was doing, as long as it was with Grams. They met when he was thirty-five and she was eighteen. It was as if a lightning bolt had hit them, but he resisted getting involved because of the age difference. He also limped from an old injury and thought it wasn’t fair to her.”
“What changed his mind?”
“Grams. She’s a force of nature.”
“I see.”
Jessica ate a bite of French bread, thinking how badly she’d messed up trying to follow her grandmother’s example. She’d believed she was in love with Aaron and had gone after him the way Grams had gone after Granddad. It wasn’t her ex’s fault that they’d crashed and burned. He hadn’t been ready for a relationship, especially with someone who needed a whole lot more than he could give. She’d never make that mistake again.
When their entrées arrived, Logan’s expression changed from casual to formal. “Tell me some of your other concerns about moving locations.”
“One is that I have a large number of regulars for coffee,” she said. “If they have to go all the way around to the back of the building, some might not bother.”
“Surely that wouldn’t make a difference. Your coffee is excellent.”
“Look, I know you don’t think parking is a big deal, but time is important to people in this busy age,” she countered. “It’s a huge building. Often someone would have to park at one end, then walk the full length of the block and around to the back. Busy people will choose a shop with a drive-through window rather than put up with too much inconvenience, no matter how good the coffee might be somewhere else. Besides, out of sight, out of mind.”
“Signs will help,” Logan insisted, though she was fairly sure he saw the logic of her argument. Moving would inevitably impact her business, and not for the better. Coffee sales were a reliable income when other sales were slow, and losing them would be a huge problem.
Jessica pushed her slight depression aside. She’d been promised rapid advancement in her old job, but refusing her grandfather’s legacy would have been unthinkable. At any rate, she still thought it was better to be her own boss, which meant she had to find a way to stay in business.
They continued talking, Jessica listing the issues that had occurred to her from the time Logan had first mentioned moving. He listened respectfully, which was surprising. He’d more or less scoffed at her concerns the first time they’d talked.
Jessica’s conscience chided her.
She didn’t know anything substantive about Logan beyond his amazing talent. And didn’t expect to ever learn anything. He was a business associate, that’s all.
THE NEXT MORNING Penny’s head ached from lack of sleep. She got out her cell phone and debated. Several days earlier Kevin had dropped by the house on the way to the airport, both to say goodbye and encourage her to call if she wanted to talk. It had been thoughtful and she enjoyed their conversations, but she didn’t want to intrude. Jessica was like a grandchild to him, but this was his daughter’s first baby.
Besides, what could he do? The building had been sold even though he still came around and visited his former tenants. She worried he was lonely and didn’t know what to do with his retirement.
A tap on the back door made her jump and she turned to see Jessica lean in through the opening.
“Hi, Grams. Just wanted to remind you that I’m taking Cyndi to the store this morning.”
“Thank you, dear.” Penny wanted to know how the meeting with Logan had gone but was afraid to ask. She put the hand holding the cell phone to her chest.
Jessica frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I was thinking about calling Kevin, but he’s probably busy with the baby.”
“Maybe he wants to talk to you, too,” Jessica said gently. “It must be hard, knowing Aunt Allison isn’t here to see her new granddaughter. Anyhow, I’ll see you later.”
When Penny was alone again she realized Jessica was right. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Kevin could have flown into Chicago full of expectation, only to remember his wife would never hold their sweet grandbaby in her arms. His emails had plenty of news—explaining that his daughter was recovering well from her scheduled caesarean and that baby Allie was gorgeous. Nonetheless, emails weren’t the same as talking to an old friend.
She selected Kevin’s number from her phone’s contacts list.
“Morning, Penny,” he answered, sounding pleased. “I was just thinking about you.”
“How is everything going?”
Kevin raved about his granddaughter for a while, who was apparently the prettiest and smartest child born since his own daughter had arrived thirty-six years earlier. “Naturally, Jessica and Cyndi are perfect, too,” he immediately qualified.
Penny chuckled. “Naturally. Are you having to fight Jill and her husband for a chance to hold the baby?”
“We’re all taking turns. Bryan is a fine man. Isn’t it wonderful that his employer gives paternity leave to both mothers and fathers these days?”
“Yes, it is,” Penny murmured, recalling how she’d flown back east to help when her twin grandsons were born and again when Jessica arrived. After all, her son wouldn’t have taken paternity leave if his company had begged him, and her daughter-in-law had barely recovered from childbirth before returning to work.
“Have to keep that nose to the grindstone,” James declared each time, his wife vigorously agreeing. “It’s the only way to get ahead.”
Having a career didn’t mean you couldn’t be good parents, but her son and his wife had left child-rearing to other people. It was hard to admit that James didn’t share his parents’ love for home and simplicity. He’d wanted more and more, better and better. Penny wrinkled her nose. Definitely, they should have said no to the boarding school. Recognizing James was honest and hard-working was a comfort, but she hated how his children had grown up so lonely. It had been roughest on Jessica, though, since the boys had relied on each other.
“Penny?” Kevin prompted over the phone. Oops, her mind had been wandering. She would have claimed age or the stress of the past year, but she’d always been that way.
“Sorry,” she apologized.
“A visit with the leprechauns?” he teased. It was an old joke, one that always made her smile.
“You know me too well. Listen, there’s something I want to discuss, though I shouldn’t bother you while you’re away.”
“Nonsense. What’s up?”
“It seems that the...the new owners want to expand Moonlight Ventures right away. They’ve asked Jessica to move the Crystal Connection around to the back of the building. To the side that faces on that little street with no traffic.”
“What are they thinking? It’s a terrible site for a retail store. This must be why Logan called and was asking about you and Jessica.” Kevin sounded grim. “I’ll talk with them. You’ve had that space for a long time—it was almost a second home for you and Eric.”
She let out a breath. “I know, but the new owners want to expand. Jessica can refuse since there are three years left on the lease, but that just postpones the problem.”
“I’ll still talk with them. They’re young. They may not realize how things should be done.”
Penny felt better, though she knew there was little that Kevin could do if the new owners were determined. “Thanks. It’s great talking with you. I’ve missed our chats.”
“Me, too. We’ll make up for it when I get back.”
They spoke a few minutes longer before the baby started crying in the background and Kevin said goodbye.
Penny turned off her phone, feeling selfish that she wished he was home instead of being in Chicago. For months he’d been dropping by the shop each afternoon during the slow period. They would drink a cup of coffee or tea, sometimes sitting in silence, other times talking about everything under the sun. Perhaps she should have discouraged him, but it was the time of day when being alone weighed on her the most.
When Eric had suspected his heart was giving out, it was in the afternoons that they’d spoken about the future most often. It hadn’t been easy for her, but they’d grown even closer as they talked about life and death, sorrow and joy. She hadn’t wanted to continue running the store alone, so they’d decided to sell a piece of property they owned in Seattle to provide a nest egg for her and a bequest for Jessica’s twin brothers. But there was never a question that Jessica should have the Crystal Connection. Now Penny feared the security they’d hoped to provide their granddaughter and great-granddaughter was fading away.
All at once she shook herself.
This kind of worry and fretting wasn’t like her. Everything would work out.
IT WAS DIFFICULT for Logan to concentrate on the stack of work he’d planned to do that morning.
Wading through portfolios of prospective clients—otherwise known as hopefuls—was his least favorite part of running the agency, a sentiment his partners echoed. But that wasn’t what was bothering him—it was how to resolve the issues with Jessica Parrish.
The agency’s client list was growing and they needed to hire new agents, but they had zero space for them. Even working at home wouldn’t take care of the problem because a professional setting for meetings was essential. A desk stuck in the corner of the reception area wouldn’t reassure clients or advertisers that the agency had its act together. The room they had for photography work with clients was already inadequate. But even if they turned it into an office while he and his partners doubled up as an interim measure, it wasn’t what they wanted long term. Crowded conditions also wouldn’t project the image of success they were fostering.
Perhaps more coffee would help him get focused. It would be a good excuse to see Jessica and gauge how troubled the waters might be after their discussion the previous evening. He’d gotten a cup that morning, but there had been too many customers in the shop to determine anything. Grabbing his travel mug, he strode down the hallway, waving at Chelsea, the office manager. She nodded, accustomed to the partners going out on quick coffee runs.
Jessica was dusting a display case as he walked into the store.
“Hi,” he said. “Is there any Southwest Twist ready?”
“Just made a fresh batch.” She took his cup and headed for the coffee corner.
Several customers looked up from their shopping and smiled as Cyndi ran from the back room, carrying a camera. “Hi, Logan.”
“Hey, kiddo. I bet you’re enjoying the break from school.”
Cyndi’s head turned thoughtfully and he noted a strong resemblance to her mother. She had the same soft hair with coppery highlights, the same striking blue eyes and the same bright expression.
“I didn’t like it before Momma had the store and I had to go to day care. Boring,” she declared. “Now I go to Grandma’s house or the shop, so it’s nice. But school is nice, too.”
“I’m glad you like both.”
He would have called it a win-win situation, except repeating the phrase within earshot of Jessica didn’t seem wise. He’d told her to take a few days to think about moving the store and that they could meet again the following week.
“Can you show me how you took pictures of the baby mountain lions?” Cyndi asked.
“I can show you a few things.” Logan examined her camera and then explained the zoom feature and various settings. “You’ll need to experiment and see what works best.”
“Is the sports setting the one you used taking pictures of the baby lions?”
“My equipment is different, but that’s the setting to use on your camera for action shots,” he said.
“Grandma says a lot of people just take pictures with their phones, so they aren’t using cameras as much.”
Logan was aware of the trend. “That’s probably because they usually have their smartphones with them.”
“But can they take the same kind of pictures as a camera?”
“Probably not,” he admitted. “I haven’t done comparisons, but I doubt camera phones can do as much as my equipment.”
Cyndi’s lips turned down with disappointment. “I was hoping to take pictures just like you.”
Logan was flattered by her enthusiasm and didn’t want to discourage her by discussing the thousands of dollars he’d spent on his professional gear. “I understand, but remember what I said before—your camera is a good place to start. This way you can get a feel for how the world looks through a camera and how you want to portray it. Practice taking pictures of kittens and puppies and things like that.”
“But can you bring your camera and show me how you do it? Sometime, I mean.”
“Here’s your coffee, Logan,” Jessica interjected, perhaps to head off her daughter’s request.
“Can you?” Cyndi begged, though her mother was shaking her head at her. “I’d really like to see.”
“Uh, sure,” he said, unable to resist the pleading expression in the little girl’s eyes. He’d mostly photographed adult models, so his experience with kids was limited, but she was refreshingly unaffected and eager.
“Cyndi, you need to finish your homework,” Jessica said. “Remember, you can’t go to the science center tomorrow with Grams unless it’s done.”
With a flutter of her hand, Cyndi quickly disappeared into the storeroom.
“I have a study and play area for her back there,” Jessica explained, handing him the travel mug.
“Is that where you studied when visiting Penny and Eric?”
“It wasn’t needed. My parents sent me here during summer breaks and I wanted to be wherever Grams and Granddad were. But I wanted a quieter place for Cyndi to focus on her schoolwork.”
“A busy store would have too many distractions,” he agreed.
A young man brought his shopping basket to the counter, so Logan moved away.
A sparkling object caught his attention. It was a piece of rock carved into a large sphere, with a natural cavity that revealed stunning blue crystals inside.
In the background, he heard the guy at the counter exclaim, “You’ve got a great selection.”
“Thanks. Is this your first time here?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, but I’ll be back. I’m Jason Winslow. Is that your husband you were just talking to?”
Curious to see Jessica’s response, Logan glanced over and saw her shrug. “He’s one of my landlords. I’m divorced.”
“In that case, is there any chance I can take you to dinner this weekend?”
Logan strained his ears to hear Jessica’s reply.
“That’s nice of you, but I just inherited the Crystal Connection and I need to focus on learning the business. The rest of the time I’m pretty busy being a mom.”
“Maybe later when things are quieter? Uh, if it works better for you we could all go to a family movie or something.”
“Perhaps. Would you like to be on our new email list? I’m going to use it for sales, coupons and promotions, but I won’t send out constant emails or share it with anyone else.”
The guy laughed. “Good to know. I mark that kind of thing as spam so I won’t have to wade through it to find the stuff that matters.”
Logan shifted his feet as a clipboard exchanged hands. It was illogical to be restless; getting Jessica’s customers on an email list was helpful to his cause.
Picking up the blue stone ball, Logan examined it more closely. But he remained distracted, thinking about Jessica’s casual manner when her customer had asked if he was her husband. He felt a wry chagrin. After all, he was just one of her landlords and didn’t want to be anything else.
“Nice, isn’t it?” Jessica’s voice seemed to come from a distance and Logan realized his mind hadn’t been present for a while.
“Yes, it is.” At least he could say that honestly. “Is the color artificial, and what healing property are the crystals supposed to have?”
“The color is natural. It was carved from a celestite geode from Madagascar and I believe it’s good for the eyes.”
“Why is that?” Logan tried to make the question sound simply curious.
“Because it’s so well-crafted and beautiful.”
“Really?” he said. Odd, Jessica’s eyes had the same blue as some of the crystals inside the stone ball.
“Yes,” she said in a confidential tone. “Haven’t you heard? Art is good for the eyes and the soul.”
Logan stared, marveling at how smoothly Jessica had pulled his leg. How had he missed it? Easy answer...he’d been thinking about kissing her.