“I’m starving,” he told her.
“Me, too,” Christian said from the backseat. “Grandma made something with a fancy name, but it’s really just chicken and rice.”
“Arroz con pollo,” Audrey supplied.
“I’d love that,” Sheldon said.
He should be tired. It was a twenty-four-hour bus ride with stops everywhere and a layover in Washington, DC. But seeing Audrey and Christian rejuvenated him. They had dinner while Christian grilled him on every aspect of his trip. The three sat at the table long after the meal was over.
Moving to the porch, they looked out at the ocean until Christian went to bed. Audrey went in with him but soon returned. She sat down, handing Sheldon a glass of ice water. She had a cup of tea.
“So, how was it really?” she began.
“Better than I expected. Jason and I had a long talk. We’re not friends, but we’re no longer enemies.”
She smiled into her cup. It was her way of not saying I told you so. “What about the woman who owns the farm? Kelly, right?”
“Right. I like her. She’s doing everything she can to make the place work. You should see some of the things she’d done. I’d never have thought of those changes. And all of them are within the original architecture of the house.”
Audrey smiled.
“What?”
“Your voice is excited, proud even, when you talk about the house. Are you sure leaving it behind is what you want?”
“I’m sure.”
“What about your brother?”
Sheldon sighed. Jason had told him about the lawyer he’d hired to look into the sale and the possibility of reversing it due to a technicality in the wording of the contract, but Sheldon thought it wouldn’t make sense to do so. Jason had a job and could support his son. He hadn’t really ever lived at the Kendall. Giving it up should be easier for him, but Sheldon didn’t think so.
“I’m not sure about Jason. He’s in love with Kelly, but I don’t think either of them knows it.” He took a drink of water. “There is one thing, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Kelly is putting all her love into making the Kendall a grand mansion and horse farm. I have no doubt that it’ll succeed.”
“So are you going back there again? To see your brother or his son?”
“I hope so. But only for a visit. My home is here now.”
* * *
KELLY WASN’T SLEEPING WELL. She was tired as soon as she got out of bed in the morning. Jace and Sheldon were weighing heavy on her mind. Eventually, she dressed and got a cup of coffee. She had a wedding scheduled for tomorrow and the Kendall would be overrun with service people and vendors delivering everything from the cake to flowers to dinner place cards. Kelly had worked with the wedding consultant. She wasn’t nearly as efficient as the first one. Consequently, Kelly had a lot more details to see to and she needed to be at her best.
Finishing her cup of coffee, she poured a second one and went to her office. The phone was ringing. She didn’t really want to answer it this early, but she had no choice.
“Kendall Farm, this is Kelly Ashton.”
“Kelly... Perry here.”
Perry. She’d forgotten about him and that she was supposed to be thinking over his offer.
Clearing her throat, she said, “Perry, wasn’t I supposed to call you?”
“I had a talk with Grissom yesterday. They’re eager to get to work with you. I thought I’d see when we could expect you. Your office has been painted and decorated, but if there’s anything you don’t like, you have carte blanche to change it.”
He was truly sweetening the pot. Why shouldn’t she tell him she’d be right there? Unconsciously, Kelly opened her calendar.
“Perry, I have several contracts that will have to be fulfilled.”
“I understand,” he said. “If necessary, we can split your time until they are completed.”
He really must need her badly, if he was willing to make this many concessions.
“Perry,” she said. “How about...” She scrolled down a few weeks. Her calendar was covered with events for the Kendall. None of them mattered. Kelly knew it would be short notice to cancel them, but it could be done.
“Are you still there?” Perry asked.
“I’m checking my dates,” she said. “How about next month. Say the...”
“Say no.”
Kelly froze. The voice came from the doorway. She knew Jace’s voice. She could pick it out anywhere.
“Say no,” he said again. “Don’t leave.”
Kelly held the phone away from her ear. Jace came into the room.
“Stay,” he said. “The Kendall is part of you. You’ll do a good job in New York, but you’ll never love it the way you love this place.”