Her Summer Refuge, page 12
Jessa frowned. “You’re hoping he’s going to give up, aren’t you? You want him to throw in the towel and leave Timber Falls, because you can’t find a good reason to say no to him.”
For the first time, Beck looked at Jessa as if he was truly seeing her, and she caught a glimpse of the truth in his eyes. He did want Will to fail and give up.
But Beck would never admit it.
“I want to be certain,” he said. “Plain and simple.”
“Will’s not giving up,” she told him. “He is loyal to the Brooks family—to my dad’s memory and my family’s legacy. He made a promise to my dad that he’d ensure the resort continues operating, but the only way to make a real profit is to expand. Please, Beck. I want this for Will—but I want it for my dad and my grandparents, too.” She put her hand on her stomach. “And I want this for my daughter. I’m asking you to please consider the variance for the amusement park.”
Beck leaned forward, his face serious. “I’ll consider your request when you tell me if you’ll come to work for me. Is that a deal?”
“What you mean to say is that if I come to work for you, you’ll give Will the variance.”
Beck lifted a shoulder but didn’t deny or confirm her accusation.
Which meant that she had a very serious decision to make, and she only had two weeks to decide.
Could she work for Beck Hanson?
If it meant that Will got his variance, she already knew the answer, but she’d still wait to tell Beck what she had decided until absolutely necessary.
Perhaps something would change, and she wouldn’t have to work for Beck.
It was a far-fetched wish, but it was a wish, nonetheless.
* * *
Will tried to distract himself by working around the resort. He mowed and trimmed the property, which took him a couple of hours. He sprayed off the deck on cabin one after someone had spilled something sticky and didn’t bother to clean it up themselves. He fixed a hole a neighbor’s dog had dug near one of the flower beds in front of cabin five. And he restacked the woodpile near cabin four since the renters there had been using it for a nightly campfire.
But no matter how much Will worked, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jessa and the previous Friday night. His thoughts returned to her baby, to her in the kitchen, to the laughter they had shared putting the crib together and the gentleness in her touch as she laid his hand on her stomach—and the moment when she looked like she wanted to kiss him. But his thoughts didn’t stop there. He thought about all the years he’d had a crush on her in middle school, then how his feelings had deepened in high school and how he had lost his heart to her completely between prom and the end of the summer. And he thought about the future. A lot. What it would look like when Jessa left the resort.
When she was in New York or in Europe, it had been easier to forget about her. To know that she was going to be in Timber Falls—that he would probably see her at church each week—it would be impossible to forget about his feelings for her.
Because despite his best efforts, despite trying to talk his heart into listening to him, Will was still in love with Jessa—and his love was deepening with each passing day.
He sprayed cleaner on the windows on cabin two and wiped them down with a squeegee, trying not to think about Jessa. Again.
But it was impossible. He had tried to keep distance between them over the weekend, but he knew he was only hurting and confusing her. He could see it in her gaze and in the slope of her shoulders. He couldn’t keep it up forever without alienating her—and he didn’t want that, either. But how was he supposed to talk to her about what was bothering him? He could never tell her that his feelings were deepening and that he was going to be miserable when she left. Not only because it wasn’t fair to her, but because his head was smarter than his heart. Acknowledging his growing feelings wasn’t a good idea. He would have to force himself to stick with plan A and harden his heart toward her.
It took another hour to finish the windows and Will’s stomach was growling. He hadn’t stopped for lunch—but it wouldn’t have mattered if he had. Jessa had taken the car into town just before noon. He had watched her pull out of the resort, trying not to be concerned about her and the baby. She was a grown woman. She was more than capable of taking care of herself—and she wasn’t his responsibility. The sooner he accepted that, the sooner he’d get over his feelings.
Glancing at his phone, he saw it was after two, and she hadn’t returned. It was probably for the better. He needed to grab something for lunch, and it would be easier to do it without bumping into her in the cabin.
Will set the cleaner and squeegee on the back deck of the main cabin and entered through the sliding door. It was a hot day, and the sun was beating down on him. The air-conditioning was a nice relief from the heat. He went to the sink and washed his hands and was about to grab a loaf of bread to make a sandwich when he heard Jessa enter the living room.
With a groan, he quickly pulled out the lunch meat, sandwich spread, pickles, tomato and lettuce from the refrigerator. Maybe she wouldn’t come into the kitchen until after he was done. He could work fast.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her—the opposite was true. He ached to see her. But each time he saw her, it was getting harder and harder to imagine a day when she would leave.
“Hey,” she said as she entered the kitchen, pausing at the sight of him.
He felt grumpy and out of sorts, but he couldn’t be rude. “Hey.”
She set her purse on the counter but didn’t make a move to say anything.
All she did was watch him.
He felt a little unnerved as he continued to make his sandwich, but he wouldn’t ask her what she wanted.
“Did I do something?” she asked, her voice quiet—tentative.
He paused, his hand over the lunch meat, but still didn’t look up at her. “What do you mean?”
“You ignored me all weekend. You’re ignoring me now. Did I do something to insult you or offend you?” She paused and then said, “Are you having second thoughts about letting me stay here?”
This time he did look at her—and he could see that she was hurt—by him—just as he had feared.
“I’m not having second thoughts, Jessa.” He felt defeated and sorry for hurting her.
“Then what? Did I say something? Or do something?”
“No.” He let out a sigh and wiped his hands on a dish towel. How was he supposed to communicate his feelings with her? “You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s me. I’m just working through some things. It’s not your fault and I’m sorry.”
She studied him for a second and then started to play with the strap of her purse. “I’m sorry, too.”
“For what? You haven’t done anything, Jessa.” He felt even worse. She shouldn’t blame herself for his bad attitude.
“I’ve inconvenienced you and—and I think I know what I’m going to do about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Beck offered me a job as a paralegal in his office—and it sounds ideal—except that I’d have to work for Beck. But I think he’s harmless, really. He’s a big talker, but I can handle that.”
Will was shaking his head even though she wasn’t looking at him.
“He wants me to give him an answer after the festival in two weeks, so I won’t commit right now—but I want you to know that I’m not going to be in your way for much longer.”
“Jessa.” He was still shaking his head as he approached her. “Please don’t do anything rash. I’m sorry—I’m not upset that you’re here.” He briefly closed his eyes. What he was really upset about was her leaving, but he couldn’t say that. Not now. Maybe not ever. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. I know I can’t give you the kind of income that Beck can, but you’ll always have a home and food and whatever you need.” Even as he said the words, he knew he couldn’t give her what she needed. Not really. She needed independence and the freedom to buy her own car, to purchase the necessities without feeling like she was a burden to him. “I can try to figure out a wage—but—” He was helpless. Until he could make more money, his hands were tied.
“Let’s not worry about it for now,” she said as she finally looked up at him. “I have a couple weeks to figure things out, but I wanted you to know so that if you were having second thoughts, you’d know that I won’t be here forever. The baby and I won’t be your problem much longer.”
“Jessa, you’re not a problem.” He wanted to reach out and take her into his arms, to convince her that he wanted her in his life—but she had pulled away from him the other night, suggesting that she didn’t want it. Even if she did—he couldn’t offer her what she truly needed.
If only he could get that variance. He could expand and—it was the same old story. Over and over again.
His hands were tied because of Beck—and now Beck was trying to take Jessa, too.
Jessa walked around Will and went to the counter where he had been making his sandwich. She’d made a few for him and knew how he liked them.
As he watched, she put the sandwich together, cutting it down the center, and put it on a plate. She pushed the plate across the counter toward him—but when he went to pick up the plate, she didn’t let it go.
Instead, she met his gaze and said, “Don’t run off, Will. Stay and enjoy your sandwich in your kitchen. This is your home. I’ll leave.”
She let go of the sandwich and picked up her purse, then left the room.
A couple of seconds later, he heard her bedroom door close.
Will bent down and rested his elbows on the counter. He placed his face in his hands and groaned again, his appetite gone.
This wasn’t how he wanted things to go between him and Jessa. He didn’t want to live like strangers—and though he knew they needed to behave like employee and employer, that was impossible, too. They could never be so impersonal. If they were in the same space, it was inevitable that they would be drawn to one another.
Will had never felt so confused. He was attracted to Jessa—yet he knew it was foolish to pursue her. He wanted her to stay—yet he knew it was best for her and the baby to leave. He was falling in love with her all over again—yet there was no hope for a future with her. His mom had warned him not to get involved—yet here he was.
Why couldn’t life be simple?
And why did Beck Hanson have to offer Jessa a job that she’d be foolish not to accept?
Chapter Eleven
It had been a week since Jessa had confronted Will in the kitchen and told him that she was thinking about taking a job with Beck. Since then, they had found a quiet coexistence. Will joined her in the mornings for coffee again, they ate lunch and supper together, and discussed the daily needs of the resort, but they never sat together in the evenings or discussed anything personal. Jessa sensed Will was trying to keep his distance and maintain a semiprofessional relationship. Yet—he wouldn’t tell her what had changed or why.
But as the days passed, Jessa longed for more from Will. It was difficult to be so close yet not have the liberty to share everything with him.
She was just cleaning up lunch on Saturday afternoon when Will entered the kitchen.
“Do you still need to run into town today?” he asked her.
“Yes. Joy Asher said she has a check from the Asher Foundation she’d like to give me for the festival and asked me to stop by around one.”
“Mind if I drive you?” he asked. “I’d like to run a few errands myself.”
“Of course not.” Jessa relished the idea of spending time in Will’s company. She missed their easy camaraderie. With just a week left before the festival and the deadline to give Beck an answer, she was running out of time to figure out a different plan.
More importantly, she was running out of time with Will.
“I’ll take a quick shower and then we can leave,” he said.
He’d been working outside all morning and looked like he could use a cool shower. The resort was full, as usual. The sun was merciless, and the humidity was high.
“Great,” she said. “I’ll just change and be waiting for you.”
She had never been to the Ashers’ mansion before, but she had seen it from the road and heard from everyone that it was an impressive home. Jessa knew it was silly, but she wanted to dress up a little to visit Joy—though Joy was as down-to-earth as they came.
After starting the dishwasher, Jessa went into her bedroom and found a sundress to wear for the afternoon. Her growing stomach was making it harder and harder to fit into her clothes. She only had a month left before her due date and wondered how the baby could grow any bigger. Thankfully, several of the ladies from the mothers of preschoolers group had given her maternity clothes they no longer needed, and she had added a few things to her wardrobe. The sundress she chose for today was a simple, pink dress that went down to her knees and had thin straps over her shoulders. She put on a pair of sandals and a dab of lipstick and grabbed a white cardigan.
When Will entered the living room a few minutes later, he paused to take in her appearance. She was thankful she had taken extra care, since the look on his face told her he liked what he saw.
“You look very pretty,” he said to her.
“Thank you.”
He looked nice, too, in a pair of khaki pants and a short-sleeve button-down shirt. His blue shirt made his eyes shine and when he smiled, her legs felt a little wobbly.
They left the cabin and drove toward town.
Jessa wanted to say something—anything—that would ease this tension between them. But all she could think about was the impending decision she needed to make.
“Riverfest is a week away,” she said.
“How are you feeling about everything?”
“Good. The festival committee has almost everything under control. I just need to get a few more donations and make a couple more decisions.”
“I’m happy it worked for you to be involved. I know how much it means to you.”
Jessa swallowed the nerves bubbling up inside her. “Beck will want an answer from me next week.”
“I’ve thought about little else.”
She glanced at him. “You’ve been thinking about me?”
He didn’t look at her, but she could see the struggle in him. “I think about you all the time, Jessa. I’ve been trying to come up with a way for you to stay at the resort, so you don’t have to work for him. But I can’t think of any way that makes sense. Beck can afford to hire you—and I can’t give you more than what I’ve already offered. If that’s not enough—and I know it’s not—then you need to do what’s best for you and the baby.”
She put her hand on her stomach and the baby pushed back. Jessa wanted to reach for Will’s hand to feel, but she didn’t dare. The last time was just before he had pulled back from her.
“If I didn’t have to,” she said, quietly, “I wouldn’t.”
They didn’t speak for the rest of the drive and when they pulled into the Ashers’ property, Jessa was too overcome by the home to say anything.
The estate was spectacular, with a tennis court, enclosed pool and a white Victorian mansion. Just behind, the Mississippi River meandered along the property, sparkling in summer brilliance.
“Wow,” Jessa finally managed to say. “I can’t imagine living here.”
“The Asher family almost lost the house,” Will said. “Most of them live in Washington State now, which is where Chase Asher grew up. He used to come here for the summers to spend time with his great-uncle. That’s how he met Joy. She was hired to do some light cleaning. Apparently, they fell in love, but when Chase’s dad heard about it, he took Chase away and sent him to Europe. What he didn’t know was that Joy was expecting twins, so four years later, when Chase came back to sell the mansion after his uncle died, he was surprised to find Joy living here with their daughters and her three foster sons.”
“That’s incredible,” Jessa said. “And they were married and chose to stay here?”
Will nodded. “The extended family decided to start a charitable nonprofit organization for the town, since Timber Falls helped them establish their multimillion-dollar company. And Chase and Joy are the directors of the organization. They do a lot of good for Timber Falls.”
A couple of dozen cars were lined up on the circular driveway in front of the historic mansion and Jessa frowned. “What are all these cars doing here?”
Will shrugged but didn’t hazard a guess.
He parked his car and Jessa climbed out, looking up at the three-story mansion. It was beautiful with wavy-glass windows and dormers.
Will joined her and they walked along the driveway to the front door, where he rang the bell.
“Joy told me to be here around one,” Jessa said. “But I feel like we’re intruding on a party or something. Maybe she forgot she asked me to come, and she has something else going on.”
“I’m sure she’ll explain,” he said as the door opened, and Joy appeared.
“You made it!” she said with a grin and a big hug. “Welcome.”
Jessa received the hug, but she was a little confused. Joy was dressed in a pretty floral sundress and looked like she was entertaining guests. Jessa could hear them chatting in the foyer behind Joy.
“I’m sorry if I got the day and time wrong,” Jessa said. “It looks like you’re busy, so I won’t bother—”
“Surprise!” Joy said with a gentle laugh. “Come on in. Everyone’s here for you.”
Jessa’s mouth slipped open, and she looked to Will. “Everyone’s here for me?”
Will was grinning from ear to ear.
“What is this?” Jessa asked him as she started to follow Joy into her home.
