Читать книгу Dad In Disguise - Kate Little - Страница 7

Chapter Two

“I love this place. I could live here. Honestly.”

Julia Martinelli strolled around the shop, surveying the wares with a wistful sigh. No matter how many times Rachel’s best pal dropped in at Pretty Baby—and she visited nearly every day—she always wore a look of wonder…and longing.

It was a short walk down Main Street to Pretty Baby from Home Sweet Home Realty. If Julia didn’t come for a morning coffee break, she often brought lunch. Like today.

Rachel was hungry, but her stomach felt jumpy, too. Nerves about seeing Jack Sawyer again, though she hated to admit it. He said he’d come by noon and it was now about half past. That wasn’t a good sign, she thought. But she didn’t want to spin her wheels about it. If he came, he came. He did seem to be too good to be true…and maybe, he was.

Julia had wandered over to the infant wear. She picked up a pair of fuzzy pink knitted booties, stuck them on her fingers and wiggled them around like tiny feet.

“These are adorable? So sweet…” She sighed and put them back again. “Can’t you please fix me a little room in the back, like Charlie’s? I’ll even pay rent.”

“Sorry, I need the extra space for storage. But maybe you can rent out the cottage when it’s fixed up. I’ll even give you a discount.”

The bright-eyed blonde glanced at Rachel, then sat down across from her at the counter. She opened the two bags she’d brought and began to spread out their lunch.

“Thanks, pal. I’ll think about it. So, what’s the story with the roof repairs? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to call you back yesterday.”

Rachel had called Julia soon after Charlie went down for his nap. But her friend had been busy with a client and was out last night on a date, so they’d never caught up.

“George Nolan left me hanging for a week, then bailed out on me totally. He said he was backed up on a bigger job and wouldn’t get to the cottage for a month or more.”

“You’re kidding? That’s the last time I recommend him for a job. I’ll tell him myself, too. Here’s your salad. And if that’s too healthy for you, I also brought some chocolate chip cookies from the bakery.”

“Thanks. This looks great.” Rachel flipped the container lid and took a bite. Julia did the same.

“There must be someone besides George who could do it.” Julia shrugged. She speared a hunk of lettuce with her plastic fork. “Do you need some more names to call?”

Rachel’s well-connected pal knew just about every guy in town who owed a hammer or knew how to handle a paint brush. Without Julia’s advice and recommendations, Rachel never would have been able to renovate her house and set up her shop in so short a time. But everyone on Julia’s list for the roofing job had either been booked solid, not interested in such a small project, or asked too high a price.

“I found someone.”

Julia squinted at her. “Already?”

Rachel nodded. She knew Julia was surprised that she’d managed that feat without her help. “He’s even dropped off his estimate, references and a contract.”

Rachel had found the thick manila envelope stuffing up the mail box when she’d opened the store that morning.

“He said he needs the work and I know he wants to start quickly. He’s either efficient and responsible…or totally desperate.”

“Maybe a little of both,” Julia offered. “How did you find this guy again?”

“He just walked into the store. Yesterday afternoon. He was standing near the counter when I took the phone call from George, so he heard everything. We started talking and it turns out he does that type of work and is in between jobs. He looked at the cottage and had some really great ideas, too. He showed me how he could open up the ceiling to show the rafters and add skylights. That would really look nice, don’t you think?”

“Definitely.… What’s this guy’s name? Maybe I know him.”

“Jack Sawyer.”

“Hmm…not ringing any bells.” Julia sipped her coffee and Rachel couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Probably that it wasn’t wise to hire a guy who just walks in off the street, from out the blue. Even if he does have good ideas. “Is he from around here?”

“I’m not sure,” Rachel said honestly. “I mean, I didn’t ask. His letterhead has a local P.O. Box. But his references were all from Connecticut and New York.”

Julia glanced at her, but didn’t say anything. They both knew that could mean anything. Anyone could get a post office box.

She reached for a roll, unwrapped it and then broke off a small bite. Julia was a few years older and sometimes took on a protective attitude. Not in a bad way, though. It was just that Julia had lived in Blue Lake all her life, except for college, and was totally familiar with small-town ways. Which were mostly friendly and helpful…but sometimes not. Especially to someone considered an outsider.

“Can I see his card? Maybe I’ll recognize the name of his company,” Julia said.

“He didn’t have a card handy.” Rachel forced a small smile. That didn’t sound very good either, did it? “But all of his paper work looked in order—the estimate, the contract. He gave me some references, too.”

“Did you call them?”

Rachel nodded. “They all checked out fine. Glowing reports. Said he was reliable. Neat. Creative.”

Julia shrugged. “Sounds like you caught a good one, Rachel.”

“Right, let’s hope.”

She nearly blurted out that he was absolute eye candy. Though she didn’t know yet if that was a plus or a minus.

Rachel had finished her salad, but hesitated reaching for the bakery bag of cookies. Wasn’t she supposed to start a diet today, to take off the rest of her baby weight?

Funny how a few friendly smiles from a handsome guy could get you motivated about your appearance again. Rachel knew she’d even gone to a little more trouble getting dressed this morning. Jack Sawyer had caught her yesterday looking like a total mess.

She sighed and reached for the cookie bag. “How did it go with Gary? Did you have a good time?”

Julia fiddled with her fork, then tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her ear. “It was fine. We had very nice time. It was…nice.”

“That bad, huh? I’m sorry,” she said sincerely.

“Gary can be very funny. He makes me laugh. I mean, that’s why I agreed to go out with him in the first place, you know?”

Rachel nodded. She knew Julia certainly had not starting seeing Gary Kramer because of his looks. He wasn’t awful looking. Maybe even cute, in a geeky way. Just not the type of man she’d match with Julia, who was more than pretty. Gary looked every inch an accountant, which was still at least an inch or two shorter than her tall, leggy friend who was over five feet ten in heels. It wasn’t just his looks. Rachel wasn’t so superficial to judge people on those terms.

There was just something lacking about Gary, a passive quality maybe that didn’t seem a match to Julia’s vibrant personality.

It was a mystery to Rachel as to why Julia couldn’t meet the right man and find a serious relationship. She was a tall, lithe blonde with a big blue eyes, intelligent, successful and the sweetest, most loyal soul in the world. If that wasn’t enough, she was a great cook, too.

But just like so many single women their age, Julia was stuck on the dating treadmill, putting in a lot of time and effort, but getting nowhere. Julia had been married once, right after college to her high school sweetheart. If not for that choice, she may have never returned to Blue Lake. But now she was settled here, with a successful business, not to mention her sweet but flighty mother who needed Julia’s level-headed supervision.

Julia thought she’d kissed just about every frog in this very small pond and still hadn’t found her prince. All she wanted was to meet a nice man, get married and have a baby. Why was that so hard? Rachel thought it was so unfair that the happiness so many women found so easily seemed to constantly elude her friend. She never lacked for dates. But nothing ever lasted.

Rachel knew the feeling. She’d been through it all herself the last few years. Then she’d met Eric Rowland at a party and it seemed she’d finally met the perfect man. They’d gotten very serious very quickly and soon made plans to marry. But Eric had called off their wedding at the very last minute. Rachel was devastated and disillusioned.

After Eric, she didn’t have the heart to start dating again and she’d lost all her trust in the opposite sex.

Rachel mourned the new life she had hoped to start with Eric. But one night, she decided she’d make a new life herself—rich, fulfilling, meaningful life with everything she ever wanted. Her own home, her own business and her own children. Without the help of any man.

She knew that Julia hadn’t reached that point yet. But sometimes it seemed she was getting close.

“Are you going to see Gary again?” Rachel asked.

“Oh…I don’t know. He said he would call. I usually have a three date rule. In Gary’s case, I might reduce it to two.” Julia sighed. “Maybe I should just do what you did, Rachel. Skip the husband all together and go straight for the baby.”

Rachel would have laughed but Julia sounded so glum. She reached over and patted her friend’s hand. “I’m not sure, Jules. Only you can answer that one. I will say that I just have this feeling the perfect guy is still out there waiting for you. I don’t know why…I just do.”

Julia smiled and rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Now you sound like my mother!”

“Well, maybe for once, your mother is right.” Rachel laughed and Julia rolled her eyes again. “What’s Lucy up to? I haven’t seen her in a few days. Has she married anyone this week?”

“Not that I know of. But I haven’t checked my phone messages this morning.”

Rachel loved Julia’s mother; she was fun and full of life. She’d accepted and befriended Rachel and Charlie with no questions asked, and had even become Charlie’s surrogate grandma.

But Lucy had this funny little habit of getting married. It had become the talk of the town.

In the small social circles of Blue Lake, Lucy Martinelli was known as “The Merry Widow.” Though, technically speaking, only two of Lucy’s four husbands had died. Husbands number two and four had been divorced. Which didn’t bode well for Number Five. It seemed to Rachel the odd-numbered husbands had a very high mortality rate.

Julia seemed to be used to her mother’s reputation, even found it amusing. But Rachel knew her mother’s funny little habit worried Julia. They joked about Number Five, but Rachel wondered how Julia would really react if he ever materialized.

Knowing Lucy, it was more a question of when, rather than if.

“She actually is dating someone now. His name is Lester and of course, she claims it’s true love. Again.” Julia sighed and shook her head. “She did promise me they were going to take it very slowly though. I think she learned a lesson with Number Three.”

“Number three?” Rachel had trouble keep Lucy’s marriages straight.

“Roscoe Whiteburn, the guy she married in Vegas?”

“Oh…right. I remember now.” Rachel nodded and grinned.

“Too bad for my Mom that husbands you marry in Vegas don’t stay in Vegas,” Julia said.

“If you ever get tired of real estate, your mother’s romances would make a great TV movie.”

“Don’t think it didn’t cross my mind. I’m waiting for a few more husbands. Did Henry the Eighth have seven wives or eight?”

“Six, actually,” Rachel replied.

“Wow, she’s really getting close now.” Julia took a bite of her cookie, chewing with a thoughtful expression.

Rachel smiled and gathered up the trash from their lunches, then dumped it in the garbage. Julia whisked the crumbs off the counter top with her hand, then put on some fresh lipstick. Rachel could tell she was getting ready to return to her office.

Charlie had eaten earlier and was in the midst of his post-lunch snooze. She glanced at her watch and saw it was nearly one. Time to get him up soon.

“Well, back to work. I have to show the Wilcox’s place at one-thirty. Joe Wilcox is so stubborn though, I’ll never sell it. The place is a wreck and he won’t budge a nickel on his price.”

Rachel didn’t envy Julia her work, dealing with difficult buyers and sellers all day and competing for sales with other brokers. Her friend made it look easy, though.

“I’m sure you’ll work it out with him, Julia. We all know you could talk a dog off a meat wagon.”

Julia grinned and picked up her bag. She knew it was true, but didn’t like to flaunt her special talent. “Sincerity, kid. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

Rachel was laughing when the bell on the shop door rang and Jack Sawyer walked in.

His gaze swept across the room and met her own. She struggled to mask her pleasure at seeing him. He smiled back in a way that seemed to say her struggle was in vain.

He walked towards her, wearing the same jeans and gray sweatshirt as yesterday, but with a white T-shirt underneath. Looking even better than yesterday, too. If possible.

She was surprised to see him. His cover note had said he’d call later, to see if she had any questions.

“I was in the area, so I thought I’d just drop by,” he explained. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

“No problem. We were just finishing lunch.” Julia kicked her under the table. Rachel blinked, but showed no other reaction. “Jack, this is Julia Martinelli, a good friend of mine. She runs the real estate office down the street.”

“Nice to meet you, Julia.” Jack nodded at Julia and smiled politely.

“Hello, Jack. I hear you have big plans for the cottage.”

His smile widened, attractive little lines fanning out at the corners of his dark eyes. “I’m not sure what you call big plans. I can put a new roof on and paint a few rooms.”

“Which is just about all I can afford,” Rachel added.

“Did you have a chance to look over the paperwork I left this morning?”

“Yes, I did. I called the references, too. Everything seems fine.” Rachel picked up the folder with the signed contract and handed it to him.

“Great. The final cost might even be a little lower than the estimate.” Jack shrugged. “I’ll do my best to save you a few dollars if I can.”

“I’m sure you will,” Rachel glanced at Julia.

Was this guy too good to be true…or what?

Julia’s answering look said, What are you complaining about?

“Well, I’ve got to run,” Julia said, slipping on her sunglasses. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

Rachel nodded, “Sure. Thanks for lunch.”

“Anytime.” Julia smiled at Jack as she walked past him on her way out. “Goodbye, Jack… See you.”

He smiled back at her. “Nice to meet you.”

When Julia reached the door, she slowly turned and caught Rachel’s eye. She pressed her hand to her cheek, soundlessly mouthing the words, “He is so hot!”

Luckily, Jack stood with his back turned to the door, looking through the contents of the folder. Rachel blinked, forcing a blank expression when all she wanted to do was break out laughing.

He was hot.

Totally.

It wasn’t just the subjective opinion of a woman who hadn’t dated in nearly two years.

Once the shop door closed and Julia disappeared, Rachel felt suddenly and utterly alone with him. She thought he’d have a few more words about the job and leave quickly, too. But he didn’t seem in any hurry.

“Where’s the little guy today?”

“Charlie? Oh, he’s still having his afternoon siesta.”

Jack nodded and smiled, a look of genuine tenderness in his eyes. “Tell him I said hello.”

“I will,” Rachel smiled back, thinking the remark had been sweet.

“How’s business today?”

Rachel shrugged. “A little slow,” she admitted. A look of concern flashed across his handsome face. Was he worried she wouldn’t be able to pay him?

“But it’s always slow on Wednesdays. I’m not sure why. It should pick up towards the weekend. People come to town for day trips—hiking, antique shopping, that sort of thing.”

“And what do you do on the weekend, Rachel? Besides work, I mean?”

Rachel felt flustered. It wasn’t so much the question as the way he was looking at her. Was he trying to find out if she had a boyfriend?

“Oh…nothing special. Spend time with Charlie, take him out to get fresh air, things like that.”

He smiled, seeming quietly satisfied with her answer. “I guess it’s not easy, running this business on your own and taking care of a little boy, too.”

Rachel smiled and sighed. She didn’t open up to strangers easily. Certainly not men. But there was something different about Jack. Something in his voice and the way he looked at her that broke through her natural reserve. He just seemed so…caring and sincere.

“It can feel overwhelming at times.” She met his warm dark glance a moment, then looked away. “But I love my freedom. And I love Charlie even more. It’s just the two of us, but that’s fine with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“You sound very sure of that,” he said quietly.

His reply made her realize just how she had sounded—as if she was warning him off. Warning him there wasn’t any place in her life for anyone else. Like a man.

Well, there wasn’t. So maybe that was a good thing. She smiled at him, noticing he didn’t smile back.

“I am sure,” she said evenly.

He gazed at her, his head tilted to one side.

“You know, Rachel, the one thing I’ve learned about life is…you can never be totally sure. Of anything. It pays to expect the unexpected. Know what I mean?”

Rachel didn’t answer right away. Was he trying to tell her something? It seemed like he might be.

Then Rachel decided she was reading too much into the conversation. Perhaps he was just talking about his own life in a vague, general way.

Perhaps some surprising twist of fate had colored his philosophy. Maybe someday she’d find out what that was, but for now she was content to let it go.

Their friendly chat seemed suddenly too deep and serious.

“I’ll remember that, Jack. But you do sound a little like a fortune cookie,” she teased him.

“I had Chinese food for lunch.” He slowly smiled and she realized he was teasing her back. “I’ll be back to start the job on Friday. I need a day to square away some other business.”

Two days? It seemed too long to wait to see him again.

Rachel forced an easy smile. “Sounds good. See you then.”

“So long, Rachel.” He turned and headed for the door. She tried to look away but couldn’t take her eyes off him until he walked out of the shop.

The store seemed suddenly very quiet and empty. She turned on some classical music. Then stood at one of the display tables, folding baby sweaters. Unable to get Jack Sawyer’s image out of her mind. He had an effect on her.

Too great an effect. How was she going to manage several weeks of him working here? She had to get over this fast or she’d end up miserable.

Okay, he’s attractive. And nice. But he must be involved with somebody, somewhere. Men like that aren’t just running around, unclaimed.

If they are, there’s a reason. Not a good one, either. You’ve found that out the hard way.

The bell above the shop door rang, interrupting her silent pep talk. Two attractive, well-dressed women walked in.

Snippets of overheard conversation told her they were out for the afternoon, having lunch, getting manicures, shopping. She half-envied them. Then she reminded herself that at the end of the day, she didn’t have answer to anyone about what she did, where she’d gone, or what she’d spent.

Attractive men might come and go. As she’d just told Jack, she really did value her total and complete independence.

“Ladies? Can I help you with anything?” She walked over and greeted them.

“We’re invited to a baby shower and the mother-to-be said she registered here. Could you look up her Wish List?”

“I’d be happy to. I’ll print it out for you.”

Rachel trotted back to the counter and took her place behind the laptop. Only a handful of “mothers-to-be” had registered at her shop. But she tried to give a good impression and act as if the place was very popular and there were hundreds.

Rachel’s spirit suddenly lifted with the prospect of an easy sale. Or two. “Wish List” shoppers were her favorite, next to doting grandmothers. They rarely left the store without a shopping bag in hand.

Rachel was busy for the rest of the afternoon with more customers and catching up on phone calls. She locked the door at half past five and carried Charlie upstairs to their apartment, feeling weary, but content.

She’d made some good sales during the afternoon and the thought cheered her. She still had some savings from liquidating all her assets in the city, but she knew she couldn’t run the business at a loss forever. She needed to make a profit soon, or she’d be in trouble.

Renting the cottage would help. She felt relieved it would be ready in a few weeks. Maybe even by the end of the month.

She wasn’t sure where Jack Sawyer had come from, but he’d sure stepped through the door at just the right time.

Truth was, she could hardly wait to see him again.