Summer on Kendall Farm (15 page)

The bride wanted to use the main staircase for the procession and photos. The baker would arrive with the cake and the caterers would take over the kitchen right after breakfast. When everything was done and Kelly was finally alone, she put her feet up to rest her ankle, which had swollen again.

Now that her mind had a chance to slow down, her thoughts returned to Jace and Ari. Despite the pain in her leg, she grabbed her cane and went to the horse barn. The horses always made her feel closer to them. She went to the mare Jace had ridden and rubbed his nose.

“I miss him, too,” she told the horse. She hadn’t heard from Jace in days. She missed watching the two of them every morning. She missed hearing Ari scampering through the house. She missed their presence of being on the property. The place was too quiet. Inside and outside, she felt lonely.

Moving to the other mare, she rubbed his nose, too. Kelly had ridden them that morning before all the activity started, but she had the feeling the horses knew that Ari and Jace were no longer on the property.

Her leg was really hurting and her limp was prominent. If she was going to be of any use tomorrow, she needed to get off her foot. Leaving the barn, she hobbled back to the house. She didn’t feel like eating, so she bypassed the kitchen. It was set up for the caterers anyway and she didn’t want to disturb anything. Limping around the porch, she headed for the front of the house. When she turned the corner, she saw Jace.

She froze, a gasp escaped before she could stop it.

Jace heard her and turned toward the sound. The cane Kelly was using slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor. She didn’t make a move to catch or retrieve it. Her eyes were glued to the man standing twenty feet away.

She was happy to see him. Every part of her reacted to him. She felt her body tremble. He’d returned. He’d come back. Then she realized he was on his own. Ari was not with him. Kelly looked to the truck, but the child was not there. Jace had not come back. He wasn’t here for the horses, either. There was no trailer in sight.

The only other reason would be to serve her legal papers. At least he didn’t have them come by mail or delivered by a clerk from some law office.

“Are you here about the contract?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“Where’s Ari?”

“He’s visiting a day-care school,” Jace supplied.

“So you’re planning to stay in the area?” Of course he would stay, she thought. He was challenging her for the house. She was the one who’d eventually move.

“We haven’t really decided.”

Then why was he here? Kelly wondered. “You must want your last paycheck.” Forgetting that her ankle was swollen, she took a step. Pain shot to her knee and she crumpled to the porch floor.

“Kelly!” Jace called and rushed to her. His arms were around her and he was pulling her up before he knew it. He examined her ankle. “What have you done? We need to get some ice on this. And in a hurry.”

Jace lifted Kelly and carried her into the house. He took her upstairs and to the first bathroom he found. Rolling her pant legs up, he set her on the bathtub rim and turned the cold water on. “Keep your feet in here. I’ll get some ice.”

He left her and came back moments later with ice wrapped in a dish towel. He set the towel on the sink counter and turned the water off. Taking a dry towel, he turned her around and dried her feet. Kelly winced at his touch, more from his hands than pain.

“What’s going on in the kitchen?” he asked.

“We have a wedding tomorrow,” she told him.

“You didn’t set up all those tables I saw in the ballroom, did you?”

She shook her head. “I had staff do that, but I helped with the linens and tying of the bows.”

“And that caused the swelling?”

She nodded.

“Does it feel better?” Jace asked.

“I’m fine,” Kelly insisted.

“I know.” He took the ice pack and put it on her ankle, then wrapped that in a dry towel and secured it with a couple of rubber bands. “Here, take these.”

He had two small white pills in his hand.

“What are they?”

“The pain pills the doctor gave you.”

“They make me sleepy,” Kelly said, but she took them along with the glass of water he’d set on the counter.

“You could use some sleep.” Jace picked her up again and took her to her bedroom.

He sat on the bed and took her hand. Kelly closed hers around his. She liked the feel of it in hers. He had a strength that she seemed to draw whenever he was near. Kelly didn’t know how long he sat there. She was getting woozy from the medication.

“I have to get Ari,” he said, standing up and taking a step back.

His retreat hurt her more than any injury to her ankle. Yet she didn’t blame him. And it certainly wasn’t his fault that she’d not used her cane when she should have.

“Sure,” she said. “Don’t worry about me. Ari needs you. Tell him I said hello.” Her voice sounded far away.

“You’ll keep the ice on it like I said?”

“Yes,” she replied. Jace turned to leave. As he reached the door, Kelly said, “Tell Ari I miss him.”

“I’ll be back,” he said.

Though she hadn’t orchestrated it, she was glad to see Jace again. She should have known better than to overdo things and have her leg swell up, especially since she had a wedding planned for the following day. Thankfully tomorrow she’d have little more to do than unlock the door. The wedding consultant was efficient. She’d gone over with Kelly all the places the bride and groom would need to complete their ceremony, reception and photo shoot.

Kelly didn’t hear the door close. She was already asleep.

* * *

W
HEN
K
ELLY
OPENED
her eyes again, she had the feeling a lot of time had gone by. She turned over. The ice on her leg had disappeared. The swelling had gone down and her leg no longer throbbed with pain. Her cousin sat in a chair reading.

“Mira? What are you doing here?”

Dropping the magazine she’d been engrossed in, she looked up. “A little bird told me you’d pushed yourself too hard.”

“You saw Jace? He was really here?”

“You don’t remember?” Mira asked.

She was still a little disoriented from the medication. She looked at her hand. Jace had held it. That was the last thing she remembered.

She sat up. “I remember now. He put ice on my ankle.”

“And he called me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m all right.”

“Obviously now you are,” Mira reprimanded. “I know you want everything perfect here, but if you’re not careful that injury could sideline you for a longer time than it needs to.”

“Sideline?”
Kelly said with raised eyebrows.

“Sorry,” she said. “Too much Drew and his football analogies. Nevertheless, the statement still stands.”

“It probably won’t matter much,” Kelly said, her voice resigned.

“What does that mean?”

Kelly pulled her pillows up and leaned back against them. She told Mira all of what had happened in the past few weeks. From the moment Jace had shown up on her doorstep until she threw him out five days ago. The only points she left out were the several kisses they’d shared and how his touch made her feel like a queen.

“And you think he’s only here to take the Kendall from you?” Mira asked.

“He pretty much came straight out and told me.”

“But then things changed.” Mira spoke as if she knew something Kelly didn’t.

“What?”

“You and Jace,” she said. “Don’t tell me you’re not in love with him.”

Kelly stared straight ahead. She nodded so slightly, Mira may not have seen it, but Kelly knew her cousin was perceptive.

“His affection for me could have another purpose,” Kelly pointed out.

“Like what?”

“Like he would change his tactics to get the Kendall back.”

“And he’s romancing you in order to get you to sign the place over to him?” It sounded incredible.

“It’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Kelly said.

“Unless you’re inside a Victorian novel.”

Kelly was beginning to feel exasperated. “What do you suggest his motives are?” Kelly asked.

“I think he’s head over heels in love with you.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why, because he’s never said it?”

“That’s one reason.”

“Maybe because you put up walls,” Mira offered.

Kelly didn’t deny that. “I know you’ve had bad experiences in the past. I know that guy Streeter showed up here at the open house and he was the last person you needed to see, but none of us get through life without kissing a toad or two. It’s necessary so we know a prince when we find one.”

“You can’t believe Jace is a prince?” Kelly questioned.

“He’s not my prince. You have to decide if he’s yours.”

* * *

J
ACE
MET
A
RI
at the day care, but they didn’t go back to Kelly’s. Both of them jumped into the truck and headed for nowhere in particular. Jace did, however, call Mira and she told him Kelly’s condition. He couldn’t take the chance of seeing Kelly again.

Once Ari was with all the kids and toys at the day-care center, he’d dropped Jace’s hand and ran for them and the director said he could stay for a couple of hours, that Jace was then free to do what he wanted.

And what he wanted then was to see Kelly. He wanted to talk to her, but she was in pain from her leg. Going back would mean he was bound to blurt his feelings out. And what would she think? That he was merely trying to get the Kendall by pretending to love her?

Jace was in love with her. But look at the mess he’d made of everything. Nothing had gone right since he’d driven into town and asked Kurt Mallard for a loan. He’d told himself he was doing it for Ari, doing it to get his home back for his son. And while that was partially true, it had changed as he got to know Kelly. He’d never seen a stronger woman. She loved the Kendall. She loved everything about it, every nail, every tile. And she’d work herself to death to restore it.

Jace wondered if he would have felt that way. Had he inherited the house and grounds when his father died, would he have put as much heart and devotion into restoring it as Kelly had? He’d like to say he would, but the truth was he wasn’t sure. He wanted the place to remain a good home for his son. He wanted to live here and make it the happy place he knew it could be. But now he wanted to make it that home with not just Ari, but with Kelly, as well.

“Did you like the school?” Jace asked his son.

“It was awesome,” Ari said. “I can go back again?”

Jace nodded. “You can go back.”

Ari was so happy, he hummed along to the radio without a care in the world. For a while he would forget about missing Kelly. What Jace wouldn’t give to be in his shoes.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

D
REW
STOOD
UP
from the task of cutting the grass as Jace drove up to the man’s house. Ari was ensconced in the day-care center, which had become his favorite place to go. He even forgave his dad for not continuing his riding lessons since they left the Kendall. He still asked about Kelly, but he didn’t do it a hundred times a day. Only half that many.

Mira appeared in the doorway as Jace stepped down from the cab. “This is a surprise,” she said, smiling.

Drew joined his wife and the two of them met Jace. “What’s up?” Drew asked.

“I thought I should return your truck.” Jace lifted his hand and held the keys out to Drew. He didn’t move to take them.

“Are you leaving town?”

“Not sure,” he said.

“How are you going to get around if you return the truck?” Mira asked.

“Since I’m no longer at the Kendall, it seemed like the right thing to do,” Jace explained.

“But how are you going to get around?” she asked again.

Jace shrugged. “I’ll manage. I can rent a car for a while or—”

“Do you have a job?” Drew interrupted.

“Not yet, but I’m looking. There is plenty I can do.”

“That’s not the point,” Drew said.

Mira took Drew’s arm. “What my husband means is, the truck is not being used, so you can keep it as long as you’re here.”

“Whether you’re at the Kendall or not,” Drew clarified.

Jace smiled. Drew and Mira were good people. “Thank you.”

“Now that that’s settled, want some coffee or iced tea?” Mira asked with a wide grin.

“Since I miss your coffee, I’ll have that.” He smiled.

She looked at Drew.

“Iced tea,” he said.

The three of them sat at an umbrella table and drank their beverages.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do?” Drew asked.

Jace shook his head back and forth.

“What about the Kendall?” Mira asked. “Are you going to contest the sale?”

“You heard what happened?” Jace frowned.

“Kelly told us.”

“I’m not contesting it,” he said.

“Kelly thinks you are,” Drew told him. “It would hurt her tremendously if you negate all her hard work.”

“I know. I couldn’t do that to her,” Jace said. “Ari would never get over it...and neither would I.”

“She’ll be glad to hear that,” Mira said.

“Please don’t tell her,” Jace rushed to say. “I want to do it. She should hear it from me.”

Husband and wife nodded.

“Why wouldn’t you stay around here?” Mira wanted to know.

“It would be hard to do that.”

“You mean with everyone knowing you are a Kendall and that you no longer own the farm?” Drew asked.

“I never owned the Kendall,” he said. “I never had any right to it.”

“Except a moral one,” Drew said. “Your father did you an injustice by not including you in his will.”

“It was what he did while I was alive,” Jace said. “I didn’t expect anything different at his death. It’s done and can’t be undone. Not by me at any rate.”

Sheldon had that right, but Jace would no longer undermine Kelly.

Jace stood up then. There was nothing more to say. “Well, I have to go but, thank you for the use of the truck.” He was about to leave when Drew stood up. The men shook hands and Jace nodded at Mira. He started for the truck as Drew went back to cutting the grass.

“Come by sometime and bring Ari,” Mira called to Jace, following him to the truck.

“I will. He loves those cakes you make.” He got inside the truck and closed the door.

“Why don’t you tell her?” Mira asked.

“That I’m not going to sue for ownership?”

“That you’re in love with her.”

Jace looked through the front windows, then back at Mira. He could lie, but it was no use. If she knew, if she could see how he felt about Kelly just by looking at him, there was no point in denying her words.

“She wouldn’t believe me,” he said.

* * *

K
ELLY
TRIED
TO
concentrate, but she couldn’t. She’d been in her office, but left it to wander about the mansion. Even with the rain pelting the windows, the place was silent. She stopped at the patio door and looked out. The garden Jace and Ari built for her made her lonely for them. In the distance on one side was the gazebo. It was completely outlined in white lights that made a dramatic statement in the darkness. On the other side was the stable. The mares were still there, but their owner was nowhere to be seen.

Kelly was thankful the wedding was yesterday. It went off without a hitch. The sun shone brightly. It was beautiful, a perfect day for a couple to begin their lives together. She’d watched the bride come down the staircase. She’d never seen a wedding so artistically arranged. And she couldn’t help but imagine herself dressed all in white coming down those same steps. Tears had gathered in her eyes and she knew if she remained in the room looking at the happy couple, she would cry. As the groom took the bride’s hand in front of the minister and he started the vows, Jace came to mind and Kelly fled the ceremony.

When the sound of applause reached her, she knew the groom had just kissed the bride. Moments later she heard footsteps as the guests made their way to the ballroom. The wedding party had gone to have pictures taken.

A clap of thunder brought her attention back to the window. Kelly limped to her office. On the conference table, she picked up a folder, then went to her desk and propped her foot up. Checking the calendar, she saw that the next open house was three days away. She opened the folder and went over the plans. The crews were all ready. They’d broken down the rooms after the wedding and would come in the morning to prepare them for the open-house guests.

Flipping to the next page in the folder, Kelly saw the wedding plan and yesterday returned to her mind.

She’d watched the bride and groom from her office window, the same one that was now covered in rainwater. The couple loved horses and wanted photos in their wedding attire with them. Kelly pictured them and the photographer as they posed with the two mares. The wedding planner had told her that both bride and groom loved horses and that was the main reason they’d contracted to have their wedding at the Kendall.

Silently, Kelly thanked Jace for bringing the horses to the Kendall. Shaking her head she tried to dislodge him from her mind, but he refused to be assuaged. She saw the white gown and veil extending outward. But it wasn’t yesterday’s bride and groom that she saw. It was a little boy and his father romping along the back lawn. This time when the tears came, she let them fall.

Kelly didn’t know how long she stayed there, absentminded of anything going on around her. When she became aware of her surroundings, she realized the phone was ringing. Kelly dried her eyes with a tissue, took a long sobering breath and reached for the receiver. “Kendall Farm, this is Kelly Ashton,” she said without a trace of sadness in her voice.

For twenty minutes she spoke with a woman about a booking for a fiftieth wedding anniversary party for her parents. It sounded like an extravagant event and the Kendall would be a perfect venue for it. When Kelly replaced the receiver, she was no longer melancholy. The woman had reminded her to concentrate on the business at hand.

Kelly went over the rest of the plans for the next open house, checking off the jobs that had been completed. She could think of nothing that might be missing. Kelly was getting to know the regional suppliers and they were doing a fine job for her. She knew the success of the Kendall meant more income for the businesses associated with it. People would stop to eat in town or buy gasoline. Some might stay at the local motel or hotel.

She had business cards and flyers for local services in case someone asked for information on something they discovered at the Kendall. The gift shop was more profitable than she’d thought it would be. She smiled, thinking of the work Jace had done building the gift shop. When she walked through it after he’d done the remodeling, she’d touched every wall and window, proud that what she imagined was now real. And proud that Jace had been there to help with the creation. As much as he said he wanted no part of opening the house to the public, he’d realized the advantages of making it happen. Even returning on that first day and pitching in to help her.

Then she remembered waking up the next morning in her bed. She knew he’d carried her there. Ari had confirmed it for her, although she had a vague memory of floating through the air. She thought it had been a dream at first, but logic told her she didn’t walk to her bed and sleep in her clothes.

She missed Jace and wondered where he was.

* * *

S
HELDON
K
ENDALL
IV stood at the end of the long drive. Trees lined both sides of the white fence. It was a different fence, he thought. The mailbox with Kendall Farm printed on it in red letters had also been changed. The old crooked one sitting askew on a rusting post had been replaced with a large white replica of the house. It sat sideways on the post with the doors open to accept the mail.

Cars constantly turned at one end of the property and drove down a paved road that hadn’t been there two years ago. Sheldon thought this must be one of many changes he’d encounter. Never had he expected to be here. But he’d come this far. He had to go the last mile. He may be leaving today with more scars than expected, but he knew he had to take this journey to its conclusion.

Another car passed him, driving too fast along the narrow road. He felt the wind whip through his secondhand suit in the aftermath of the car’s speed. Sheldon had shaved and had his hair cut for the trip. By the time he reached the end of the road, he’d removed the suit jacket and carried it over his arm. People were getting out of cars and crossing through a gate, then going to a small station on the side before heading up the seven steps that led to the large porch and the front door.

“What is going on?” he wondered.

Heading for the same small house, he looked inside.

“Ticket, sir?” a young blonde girl asked. She looked about nineteen.

“Ticket?” he questioned. What would he need a ticket for?

“For the tour? It’s $35.00.”

Sheldon calculated how many groceries he could buy for $35.00. He shook his head. “Is the owner here?” he asked.

“Ms. Ashton. I don’t know where she is. I’ll give her a call if you like.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

“What’s your name?” the blonde asked.

Sheldon told her, just giving his first name.

The girl made a call on a cell phone. After a moment, she began to speak. Her head snapped up at him. “Sheldon
Kendall
?” she asked.

He nodded.

Then she was back at the phone. A second later, she clicked if off and said, “Please go to the front door.” She pointed the way as if he didn’t know.

When he arrived there, a redhead was smiling at the guests going in and then she approached him.

“Sheldon Kendall?”

“Yes. I’m looking for Jason. I got a letter saying he’s living here.”

“I’m Kelly Ashton.”

“Are you the new owner?”

“I am. Let’s go somewhere more quiet.” She walked to the end of the porch, away from the crowds. “Jace isn’t here anymore. I’m sorry, but I don’t know where he went.”

Sheldon’s disappointment was telling. He gazed out at the lush lawn. It looked wonderful.

“Have you traveled all the way from North Carolina without telling him you were coming?”

“The letter I got is only a few weeks old. He said he was here.”

“He was, but he and Ari left about three weeks ago.”

“Ari?”

“His son. I guess he didn’t tell you about the boy, either?” Kelly said.

“His letter was very short.” It was so short that Sheldon could interpret little if anything from it.

“Why don’t you come inside and have something to eat and drink. And I’ll make some calls.”

“Thank you.” Sheldon had nothing else to say. He couldn’t just turn around and go back to the bus station. In any case, there wasn’t another bus until tomorrow night at the earliest. He adjusted the knapsack on his shoulder.

Kelly pointed to the parking lot. “As you can see we’re having an open house today.”

“Open house?”

“It’s a long story and Jace didn’t agree with it, but I offer paid tours of the house and grounds to the public. People love history, especially when there are period costumes and furnishings to see.” She started walking. Sheldon followed her. “I’ll cordon off the upstairs rooms for us.”

“I’m sure that will be fine.”

Kelly led him through the front door. At the grand staircase, she secured the velvet cord after the two of them went up the first step. At the top of the stairs, Sheldon looked back. There was a lot of coming and going. He remembered the parties they used to have when his father was alive. The foyer would be full of women in fancy dresses and men in formal attire. Now he looked at people wearing shorts and T-shirts with earbuds hanging around their necks.

“Sheldon?”

He caught up to Kelly. “You’re perfectly welcome to join a tour, or you can wait in this room until we find out where Jace is. He told me it was yours.”

Sheldon stepped inside his old bedroom and the rest of the world receded.

“I’ll get you something to eat,” Kelly said. “Is there something in particular you’d like?”

“Anything would be fine. Thank you.”

She smiled and closed the door.

Nothing had changed and everything had changed. The paint was different. Curtains replaced the heavy drapes that used to hang at the windows. The bed was the same, although the covers were new. The whole room was brighter. There was a small table sitting in front of the fireplace. He remembered it well. In fact, he could recall the dates of all the antique furniture. He knew when renovations had been done prior to his leaving. Obviously, from what he’d seen from the foyer to this bedroom, other changes had also been completed.

Sheldon’s room was huge and looked out one side of the house. In all the years he’d lived here, he’d never moved to the master bedroom, but preferred to remain in the room where he’d grown up. It had been redecorated. Laura had done that once, but her changes were gone now. The bed, a giant four-poster, sat between the windows. The fireplace was on the left with a sitting area in front of it.