Her personal fantasy carried her through the next couple of miles, right up until Walker turned right at the base of a street and drove what felt like straight up.
“They live here?” she asked as she took in the old, elegant houses and the incredible views of both the city and the water.
“Uh-huh.”
“Queen Ann Hill?”
“Uh-huh.”
Figures. While she knew in her head that Walker obviously came from some kind of money, his current lifestyle allowed her to forget. “Where do Reid and Dani live? Next to Bill and Melinda Gates?”
“Reid has a houseboat. Dani’s currently staying in Penny’s old place.” He glanced at her. “Why are you upset?”
“I’m not. It’s just…” She shrugged. “I’m fine,” she said, not willing to admit the obvious wealth freaked her out. She’d read about the houseboats in Seattle. The crappy ones went for a million, while she’d had to pay off a fifty-dollar tire five bucks at a time.
They pulled in front of a pretty brick-fronted two-story house. While Zoe turned off the CD player and unfastened her seat belt, Elissa followed Walker around to the back where she collected the two boxes she’d brought and he grabbed the wrapped car seat.
“Ready?” he asked.
She was starting to question her judgment in accepting his invitation. What if his siblings were more like Gloria than like him? What if they resented her or looked down on her because she worked in a diner and hadn’t finished high school? What if—
The front door opened and a petite, pretty woman with hazel eyes and a fabulous haircut stepped out to greet them.
“Walker,” she said with a smile, but her gaze locked on Elissa and Zoe. “You made it.”
“Hey, Dani.” He paused and urged Zoe in front of him, then put his hand on Elissa’s back. “This is Elissa. She lives in my building. And her daughter, Zoe.”
Dani’s smiled widened. “Wow. Okay. Nice to meet you. Come in. Everyone else is here. Hey, guys, it’s Walker. And he brought a friend.”
Elissa groaned, then elbowed Walker in the ribs. “You didn’t tell them you were bringing me?”
“Penny always makes more than enough food,” he said, obviously confused about her dismay.
“It’s not about food,” she muttered, wondering if it was good news to realize that in some things, Walker was just as clueless as every other man on earth.
He escorted her and Zoe into a large open living room filled with presents and trays of food. Two men stood by a table. They looked enough like Walker for her to guess their identity.
A very pregnant auburn-haired woman waddled in. “A friend,” she said, then stopped when she spotted Elissa and Zoe. “How nice.” She smiled. “I’m Penny Buchanan. Oh, goodie. You brought me presents.”
Despite her nerves, Elissa found herself laughing. “Congratulations on the baby,” she said as she handed over her two boxes.
“Thank you.” Penny eyed the box Walker held. “That looks big enough to be a car seat.”
“You said it’s what you wanted,” he said, sounding slightly uncomfortable.
“And it is. Come on,” Penny said, taking Elissa’s arm. “You met Dani already. This is Reid,” she said, pointing to the man on the right. “And Cal, my husband. This is Elissa and Zoe. Walker’s friends.”
“So we heard,” Cal said pleasantly and shook her hand. “Welcome.”
“Thank you.” Elissa turned her attention to the other man and froze. He looked familiar. Incredibly familiar. The name clicked. “Oh my God. You’re Reid Buchanan.”
The
Reid Buchanan. A Seattle native who had pitched major league baseball for ten years. He’d quit last season because of a blown shoulder. She still remembered—
“Hey, baby,” he said smoothly.
Eek! She’d worked at a restaurant long enough to recognize
that
particular tone of voice. It came from a man who assumed a woman was interested. Uh-oh.
She carefully took a step back and leaned against Walker. “I’ve always been a bit of a baseball fan,” she said. “This year I’ve been too busy to follow the season much, but usually I’m right there on my sofa, cheering.”
Cal chuckled. “Nicely done, Elissa. Good deflection, quick recovery.” He lightly punched Reid in the arm. “You gotta get over yourself, guy. Not every woman wants to be with you.”
Reid shrugged good-naturedly. “Most of them do.”
Elissa looked at Zoe, who was listening intently, and held in a groan. Hopefully her five-year-old would miss the nuance of the conversation.
Penny bent down to Zoe. “I’ve made margaritas for everyone else. They’re a grown-up drink I don’t think you’d like. But I also made these really cool berry slushies. I thought I was going to have to drink them all by myself, but maybe you could try one and if you like it, you’ll have some.”
Zoe nodded tentatively.
Penny straightened and held out her hand. “Why don’t you and your mom come into the kitchen and you can have a taste?”
“Okay.”
Zoe took Penny’s hand. Elissa followed them and everyone trailed along behind.
Dozens of delicious smells filled the bright kitchen. While Penny poured a bright red drink from a blender into a glass, she glanced at the stove.
“Dani, give the front two pots a stir, will you? Cal, honey, check the bread in the oven. It should be toasted by now. Pull it out and put in the pastries. Reid, I need fifteen minutes on the timer. Elissa, are you up to zesting? I need one orange and three limes zested. Everything is in that bowl. Walker, there’s a couple of big flank steaks on the counter. Could you cube them, please?”
In a matter of seconds, everyone was hard at work. Elissa zested her limes elbow-to-elbow with Walker.
“She really knows her way around a kitchen, huh?” Elissa said in a whisper.
“She could have been an Admiral,” Walker murmured back. “Penny knows how to be in charge.”
Elissa glanced at the pregnant woman who sat at the small table with Zoe. They were both sipping their bright red drinks. Zoe giggled at something Penny said.
This was nice, Elissa thought. Walker’s family might be wealthy, but they were just like everyone else. No one seemed to be in competition with Gloria for an evil witch award, which was comforting. She was having a good time and even more important, Zoe was getting out and seeing a big family in action.
Elissa thought of her own family. They’d been on her mind ever since she’d found out Bobby was trying to get in touch with her. Sometimes she understood why her parents had made the decision they had, and sometimes she wondered why they couldn’t love her enough to give her a second chance. They were missing out on their own grandchild. Zoe was growing up and these years could never be recaptured.
It had been their decision, she reminded herself. Their loss. Only now, watching the love and affection in Walker’s family, she understood it was her loss, too.
“S
HE
’
S NICE
,” D
ANI SAID
, coming up to stand behind Walker as they watched Penny open a huge box her friend Naomi had sent.
“I think so.”
“I like her daughter, too.”
He looked at Zoe, who sat at her mother’s feet watching intently as the presents were opened.
“She’s a good kid.”
“I’m glad you’re dating,” Dani said.
“I’m not.”
His sister leaned close. “You can pretend all you want, big brother, but you have it bad.”
“At the risk of sounding like an eight-year-old, do not.”
“You can lie to yourself all you want, but don’t lie to me. It’s all there. The way you watch her, the way she watches you. We can all feel the heat.”
He didn’t bother to tell her that heat wasn’t a relationship. Of course he wanted Elissa—what man wouldn’t? She was an irresistible combination of sweetness, intelligence and caring. Plus, he’d kissed her and now he knew how good it could be between them.
“There are complications,” he said, hoping to deflect Dani.
“Such as your reluctance to make a commitment? Why is that? If you let this one get away, you’re a fool.”
There was so much she didn’t know, he thought. So much she would never know. They were, as Penny had said, a family of secrets and he certainly had his share.
Penny picked up the two boxes Elissa had brought. “You don’t even know me,” she said. “You really didn’t have to do this.”
Elissa grinned. “I’ve tasted your cooking now. Think of them as gifts of worship.”
Penny laughed. “Okay, that kind of praise I can handle.”
She opened the smaller box first. Inside were a pair of dangling earrings. Walker recognized them as Elissa’s work. Penny gasped. “I love them.”
Dani pushed past them and bent over the jewelry. “Me, too. Where did you get them?”
“I made them,” Elissa said with a small shrug. “It’s sort of a part-time job.”
“I want them,” Dani said.
Penny snatched them out of reach. “Get your own.”
“I’d like to.” She looked at Elissa. “Can you make a pair like that?”
“Ah, sure. Or I can do something different. I have a lot of designs.”
Dani plopped down next to her. “Good. We’ll talk when this one is done with her presents.”
Penny reached for the second box. “I would like to point out that Elissa was the only one sensitive enough to bring the expectant mother a gift just for herself.”
Cal patted her arm. “The baby is your present.”
“Ha.” Penny ripped the wrapping paper, then opened the white box. She reached inside and held up a small blanket in shades of yellow. “It’s lovely. Did you crochet it yourself?”
“I wish,” Elissa said. “My neighbor makes them. Doesn’t she do beautiful work? I love how soft the yarn is.”
“Mrs. Ford made me a blanket,” Zoe said. “It’s pink and has gold trim.”
Penny leaned forward and touched the girl’s nose. “It sounds like the perfect blanket for a princess.”
Zoe beamed. “It is.”
“We should have brought her,” Walker said. Maybe with the old lady along, people would get off of him about dating Elissa.
“She’s on one of her day trips to a casino,” Elissa told him, then looked back at Penny. “My neighbor is fabulous. She’s in her nineties and does exactly what she wants. She’s sweet and feisty and I adore her.”
“Sounds like everything Gloria isn’t,” Dani muttered.
“Elissa met her,” Walker said.
Dani patted her arm. “You have my sympathy.”
W
HILE
T
HE
W
ATERFRONT
was all about light and air and the view of the water, Buchanan’s was about old-world atmosphere and intimacy.
Walker arrived at the restaurant shortly after lunch for his meeting with the staff and let himself in the front door. As he stepped into the cool, dim interior, he tried to remember the last time he’d been in the place. Two years ago? Three?
High-backed booths lined the perimeter of the main dining room, with more rows of booths in the middle. The only tables were for large parties and they were set up in the two alcoves and the private dining room.
He could hear voices coming from the back. The cooks would be prepping for dinner. Buchanan’s had an in-house butcher who was responsible for cutting all the meat, which was responsible for earning Buchanan’s its reputation. The regular menu had a token chicken dish along with a couple of pasta choices. The specials always included a single fish choice. But people came to Buchanan’s to eat good steaks.
He glanced around at the red leather and dark wood. The paneling was old, but well kept. The old-fashioned light fixtures had passed from outdated back to trendy.
He noted the folded piles of white tablecloths and other linens. Clean dishes were stacked on a long sideboard, ready to be put in place. By four that afternoon, the store would be vibrating with activity, but now there was only the low rumble of voices and the sounds of trucks in the street.
One side of the double swinging door opened and Ron Alcorn walked into the main dining room. Buchanan’s general manager stopped when he saw Walker, then smiled and hurried toward him.
“I thought you’d come in the back door,” he said as they shook hands.
“I wanted to look around first,” Walker said. “The old place still looks good.”
“We think so. Business has been excellent.” His smile faded. “We’re all very sorry to hear about your grandmother and wish her a speedy recovery.”
Based on what Walker had seen at the main office, he doubted that. Gloria was obviously hell to work for. She made some drill sergeants he’d known look like choirboys.
“Thanks for your concern,” he said. “She’ll be out for several months. In the meantime, I’m going to be making a few changes.”
Ron’s tension was subtle but visible. Walker had an idea about the other man’s concerns, but he decided to deal with them later. First he wanted to talk to the kitchen staff.
“Everyone in back?” Walker asked.
“Yes. You said not to bring in the waitstaff, so I didn’t make this a mandatory meeting. A few of them came in on their own time.”
“That’s fine. You can pass on the message to the others when they show up for their shifts.”
He led the way into the kitchen.
The restaurant had been built when real estate was cheap and labor practically free. There was room for nearly two dozen to work in the open space.
The grill dominated one wall, butting up to an old oven. The steaks would be seared on the grill, doused in butter, then finished in the oven so they didn’t dry out.
Today there were fewer than ten cooks, including a recent culinary graduate who made the salads.
“Afternoon,” Walker said. “Thanks for taking the time to see me.”
The men exchanged glances, obviously wondering why he thought there’d been a choice.
“Most of you know my grandmother recently suffered a heart attack. When she collapsed, she broke her hip. While she’s laid up, I’ll be running the company, including Buchanan’s. I’ve been over the numbers and everyone here is doing a damn good job. Sales are up, customers are happy and that makes my job easier.” He turned to Ron. “You have a good staff. You pick good people. They work hard. I was a little concerned about the sick leave policy. It’s not what anyone could describe as generous, so I’m increasing it by two days. You’re still required to give notice, but otherwise, the change is effective immediately.”
There was a moment of silence, followed by stunned applause.
Walker went over a few more minor points, then ended the meeting. After speaking with each person individually, he took Ron aside.
“Anything else?” he asked the manager.
Ron shifted uneasily. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
Walker had wondered if the other man would come clean or if he, Walker, would have to mention it first. He would bet Ron’s reluctance was more about his fear of Gloria than his character.
“Someone’s stealing liquor,” Walker said flatly. “I went over how much you’re buying versus how much you’re selling and the numbers don’t add up. Even spilling a bottle a day, you’re still coming up short.”
Ron swallowed. “I know,” he admitted. “I’m trying to figure out who’s doing it. I have a good idea, but I’m waiting to catch him. I didn’t mention it before because…” He shrugged. “I wanted to present the problem and the solution.”
He wanted to save his job, Walker thought, not really able to blame him. Hearing the news of liquor theft, Gloria would have fired Ron immediately.
“I’ll give you a week,” Walker told him. “If you haven’t fixed things by then, I’ll come in and fix them for you.” He was willing to give Ron a little more time, but not to be taken advantage of.
“That’s fair,” Ron said. “So, how long have you been in the restaurant business?”
“About ten days.”
Ron looked surprised. “You’re good at it.”
“I was in the Marines before that. I led men into fights I knew we might lose, in which a lot of them were going to end up dead. Compared to that, this is easy.”
“J
UST A LITTLE LOWER
,” Penny said with a moan as she lay back, eyes closed, body supported by several sofa cushions. “Oh, yes. Just like that.”
Reid dug his thumbs into the ball of her foot and wondered what it was about women and foot rubs.
“Shouldn’t Cal be doing this?” he asked.
“He should and he will when he gets home. In the meantime, you’re here and I’m taking shameless advantage of you.” She opened one eye. “Does this make you uncomfortable? Is it too intimate?”
“We’re talking about your feet, Penny,” he said.
“But it’s something guys do to get women into bed.” She opened the other eye. “You do realize I’ve never had a sexual thought about you? Even once. And now I can’t imagine having sex ever again. I’m so huge and swollen. It’s disgusting.”
Penny was his friend, so he accepted her words in the spirit he knew she meant them. It wasn’t as if he’d ever seen Penny as anything but another sister. As for Cal, well, his brother had his sympathy.
“Remind me never to have kids,” he muttered.
“You’re careful, you should be fine.” She closed her eyes again and moaned as he pulled on her toes. “You’re really good at this.”
“Practice.”
“When I feel human again, I must remember to ask one of your women what you’re like in bed. I mean, you have numbers that would impress a rock star, but what’s the style like?”
He thought of the screams and moans, not to mention the nail marks on his back. “I do okay,” he said modestly.
“If your foot rubs are anything to go by, then you do better than okay.” She placed her hands on her stomach. “Come out, come out, wherever you are. Mommy is more than ready to have you in this world.”
“Just a couple more weeks.”
“Easy for you to say. You can still sleep at night. I just lie there, hating how I feel. On the plus side, he or she is very active.”
“Still don’t know the gender, huh?”
“We want it to be a surprise.” She thrust her other foot at him. “Have you been to see Gloria?”
“A couple of times.”
Penny raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“She’s old and frail.”
“Since when?”
He smiled. “Don’t worry. I still know she’s a snake, but I kinda feel sorry for her.”
“Then you’re the best one to handle her nursing care. How’s that going?”
“I spoke with her doctor, along with a physical therapist. I have some names. We’ll work three nurses in rotating eight-hour shifts, with a fourth to cover days off. Whoever Gloria hates the least will get the prized day shift.”
“I’m impressed.”
He scowled. “I’m not useless. I can do more than throw a baseball.”
Not that he wanted to, but he didn’t have a choice anymore. He swore silently, knowing better than to go down that road.
“Still, it’s nice of you to look after this,” Penny said.
“Cal and Dani are too emotionally tied up with Gloria to deal with it and Walker’s running the business. Oh, Gloria said to bring the baby to her as soon as he’s born.”
“I assume that was an order,” she said mildly.
“You bet.”
She opened her eyes again. “I feel sorry for her, too. She had so much—a great business, a large family, and now there’s nothing. You and Walker are neutral about her. Cal and Dani obviously dislike her. No one wants anything to do with her.”
“It’s not like you to be so kind,” he said.
“I know. It’s because I don’t have to deal with her. When we’re both back at work and she’s bugging me about my menus and making snide comments about the food I cook, then I’ll hate her, too. But until then, I can afford to be generous.”
“Maybe Walker will stay in charge of things. He might find he likes running the company.”
“I wish,” she said, “but my luck’s not that good. Besides, being in charge would mean sticking around. Walker doesn’t like to do that. It means risking getting involved.”
Reid stared at her. “What are you talking about? Walker left because it was his job.”
“And why did he go into the Marines in the first place?”
“To screw with Gloria.”
“I know that’s what everyone says, but I don’t believe it. I think there’s way more to the story. Walker has always held himself a little apart from everyone. Maybe this time will be good for him. Maybe Elissa will be good for him. I really liked her and Zoe.”
“They were all right.” Elissa had been pretty and easy to talk to, which he liked in women he wasn’t going to sleep with. Otherwise, conversation was a waste. “You’re wrong about Walker. He doesn’t hold back.”
“What do you know about him?” Penny asked. “What do you know about his dreams? His fears? His deepest, darkest desires?”
“We’re guys. We don’t talk about that stuff.”
“Exactly. You have me to talk to. Cal has me and Dani. Who does Walker have?”
“I don’t know. His buddies from the Marines?”
“Have you met any of them? Does he bring anyone around?”
He felt uncomfortable with the questioning. What was it about women and feelings? “Leave Walker alone. He’s fine.”
“He’s not, but I’m hoping he will be eventually.”
“T
HERE ARE MESSAGES
!” Zoe said excitedly as Elissa climbed out of her car after work. “Me and Mrs. Ford listened to two of them when they called and there are even more.”
“That’s great,” she said as she closed the car door and bent down toward her daughter. “Don’t I get a hug?”
“Oh, Mommy.” Zoe hugged her quickly, then pulled on her hand. “Come on and listen.”
Elissa allowed herself to be dragged into the house. Sure enough, her normally quiet answering machine blinked excitedly. There were six messages and when Elissa played them back, they were all about ordering jewelry from her.
Apparently Dani and Penny had done more than just wear her creations, they’d talked about them. In the past ten days, Elissa had sold more than a dozen pieces and booked three at-home jewelry shows. If this kept up, she could actually start buying more expensive materials
and
open a savings account.
“You’re famous, Mommy!” Zoe said with delight. “Everyone knows your pretty work.”
“I guess so.”
The phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Elissa Towers, please,” said an unfamiliar female voice.
“This is Elissa.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Marcia Bentley and I’m in charge of booking people into the Labor Day Crafts Fair we have every year. Are you familiar with it?”
Was Marcia kidding? It was the biggest craft show in the state. Elissa had gone several times, mostly to get ideas, and she’d been overwhelmed by the variety and quality.
“Of course,” she said quickly. “It’s wonderful.”
“I’m glad you think so. One of my regulars has a family emergency and won’t be able to make it. I’ve heard so much about your work that I wanted to offer you her spot. It’s on one of the main aisles, very close to several food and drink vendors. Are you interested?”
Elissa sank onto a kitchen chair. Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Of course,” she said, barely able to speak from the shock of it all. “I’d love to be a part of the fair.”
“Good. If you’ll give me your address, I’ll get the contracts to you right away. You can sign them and send me back a check.”
Marcia filled in a few more details, then hung up with a promise to get the paperwork out that day.
When Elissa hung up, Zoe danced impatiently. “Who was that, Mommy?”
“A lady about the big Labor Day Craft Fair. She said I can have a booth.”
Zoe grinned. “That’s good, right?”
“It’s the best.”
Her daughter yelled with excitement, then ran through the open door in the kitchen to share the news with Mrs. Ford.
Elissa stayed in her seat and waited for her brain to stop spinning. This was incredible. Okay, yeah, the cost of the booth would set her back some, but she would more than make it up the first morning. Her biggest problem was inventory.
She got up and crossed to her workbench. Her finished jewelry was in boxes on an upper shelf. She would need several hundred pieces for that show—which meant hours and hours of work and using her emergency credit card to buy supplies, but it would be worth it. She could easily clear a couple thousand dollars
and
have enough money to pay off the bill when it arrived.
Talk about a lucky break. Or
was
it luck? Did Penny or Dani have anything to do with the invitation? Or Walker? She wouldn’t be surprised if it was him. This was exactly the sort of thing he would do.
She found herself wanting to share her good news with him, only he wasn’t home. These days he put in long hours at Buchanan Enterprises. She hadn’t seen him in nearly a week. She missed him. Funny, six weeks ago she’d barely known who he was. Now everything seemed to remind her of him.