Kathryn Alexander - Heart Of A Husband

“No arguments, Jo.” He cut off her protest as they walked together toward the staircase. “Buy whatever you need. I trust your judgment.”

“But the car, Jake. Ina gave me the keys to that blue car and told me it’s mine to use while I’m here. I can’t accept that.”

“It’s a rental. When you leave, I’ll send it back. You’ll need transportation while you’re here and, in case you haven’t noticed, there aren’t any bus stops out here in the country.”

“I’m going to find some temporary work while I’m here so I can repay at least part of the money.” Joanna stood at the foot of the stairs, looking up into smoky gray eyes that showed no hint of the answers she was seeking.

“There’s no need. Don’t worry about it,” Jake assured her before an uncomfortable stillness fell between them.

“Aunt Mae seemed to be doing very well today,” Joanna said. “She’s better than she was in the hospital.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “The cardiologist saw her yesterday. He changed her medication. He will come by the house tomorrow to check on her.”

“I think you may have saved her life by bringing her here,” Joanna admitted the thought that had awed her. How much Jake had been willing to give up to help Mae.

“I want her to have the best chance she can.” Jake rubbed a hand against the muscles in the back of his neck. “Did Mae ever tell you how much she loves Indiana farmland?” he asked, with a gentle laugh. “Years ago she told me stories about growing up around here. I think that’s why she liked me so much that first time we met at the clinic. She found out I was from this part of the country, and that was all it took.”

Joanna’s laugh was soft. “No, she’d have loved you even if you were city born and bred. You’re the son she always wanted and never had.”

“Maybe,” Jake replied, “But either way, I’m grateful. She’s a pleasure to know.”

“Yes, she is,” she agreed before another awkward silence had to be chased away. “You have a beautiful home, Jake. Ina showed me around.”

“It was my father’s.” His words were suddenly quiet, solemn. The house had belonged to his mother, too, for a few years. Before she’d walked out on them. But he wouldn’t acknowledge it. Not to Joanna, barely even to himself. He could hardly remember the woman whose absence had left more of an imprint on his life than her brief presence ever did. But that was enough reflection on unpleasant memories for one night. What had they been discussing? The house, he recalled. “This place is pretty much the way my father left it.” Except for Joanna’s room.

“It’s very…picturesque,” she replied, and he looked away from her, down to the dark wood of the banister. She stopped talking, sensing his mood change. Had she managed to say something wrong already? During their first conversation? “I—I appreciate everything you’re doing for Aunt Mae and for me,” she offered in a gentle voice.

Jake met her gaze, his eyes guarded again. Unreadable. “I know,” he replied. “But you’ll need to rely on Ina, not me. I’m not going to be here much.” He’d make sure of it. He’d decided that the moment he’d asked her to come.

Joanna nodded her head. “I’ll sit with Aunt Mae as much as I can so you can cut down on the expense of hired help.”

“That’s not necessary. There’s a steady stream of caretakers in and out of here,” he answered. “Mae just needs you around for moral support, I think. And comfort. I realize you two are very close.”

“She’s been good to me,” Joanna responded, placing her hands on the smooth wood railing. “She accepted me as family from the moment we met. Unconditional love. After my difficult childhood years, I needed that.”

Jake gave a brief nod, not trusting himself to speak. The subject of her troubled past was not a good one to embark on. It brought too many painful emotions to the forefront that he wasn’t capable of dealing with tonight. It would make Joanna sad, and he couldn’t bear to see her sad again. Even if it wasn’t his fault, this time.

“Well…” she began hesitantly, “I guess I’ll say good night.”

“Good night, Jo,” Jake responded as he watched her turn and make her way up the staircase to the second story of this house. His house. In the two years he’d lived here alone, he couldn’t count the times he’d wondered how it would be to have her here, in his home, with him. Now, here she was, against his better judgment. And on this first night, it was proving to be as impossible as he’d suspected it would be. Jake shook his head in a mixture of frustration and sadness. There could be no future for them together; nothing had happened to change that. Now, all he had to do was stop wanting it…wanting her.

“W e could use you for however many weeks you’re available, Miss Meccord. Could you start tomorrow?” the administrator of Smithfield Children’s Home asked at the end of an extensive interview.

“Yes, definitely,” Joanna replied. “I certainly can.”

“Fine. Come in around four o’clock so you can have dinner with us and meet the children.”

Joanna had the urge to hug the man, but he looked so dignified sitting behind his large oak desk, she decided against it. “Yes, I’ll be here. Thank you, sir.”

“Glad to have you on board.” The gray-haired gentleman stood up, extending a hand to Joanna. “We’ll be expecting you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Joanna shook his hand before finding her way to the personnel office where she picked up the necessary forms. Then she headed for her rental car. A part-time temporary job. She couldn’t wait to share the news with Ina, and thank her for her help in getting this position.

Pulling into the driveway, Joanna saw Jake’s silver sports car parked next to the garage. She gathered up the paperwork, slid her purse over her shoulder and hurried through the crisp wintry air toward the house. She pushed open the front door and stepped into a hallway filled with the aroma of a bakery. It smelled wonderful. Like home. Except, not any home Joanna could actually remember.

“Ina?”

“In the kitchen, dear,” Ina called from the far end of the house.

Dropping her car keys into her small handbag, Joanna hung her coat in the closet and headed toward the kitchen. “Hi!”

“Hello,” they greeted her. Jake sat at the table with a half-eaten slice of peach pie in front of him and the morning newspaper in his hands.

“Want a piece of pie?” Ina asked. “Freshly baked.”

“Not right now, but thanks. It looks delicious,” Joanna responded. She glanced toward Jake and was surprised to see him wearing a casual navy shirt and jeans. And glasses. “I’ve never seen you wear glasses,” she commented. She liked the look.

“That’s because we haven’t been around each other much for the past two years,” he replied as he looked up from his paper.

“How did your interview go?” Ina asked, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

“Great!” Joanna exclaimed. “I got the job!”

Ina opened her arms, enveloping Joanna in a big hug. “That’s wonderful, dear. I’m so happy for you!”

“What job?” Jake asked with obvious surprise. “You haven’t been here more than forty-eight hours.”

“I know, but Ina told me about Smithfield Children’s Home. She knows several people who work there, and she made a few calls. They needed some temporary help to work with the children…someone with a social work background. And I got the job! I can’t wait to tell Aunt Mae.”

But the idea didn’t seem to please Jake. “You don’t need a job while you’re here, Joanna. If you need more money—”