Jessica (Seven Sisters Book 2) Read online

  Her heart gave an extra beat. “You would?”

  “Very much. I haven’t dated anyone since Amy died, but somehow, I have the feeling that you’re the one I should be asking.”

  “Hmm. Something’s going to have to happen before that.”

  “Oh? What’s that?”

  “You’re going to need to stop calling me Miss McClain. My name is Jessica.”

  He smiled. “I can do that.”

  Jake opened the car door. “Hey, Dad. Don’t we need to leave?”

  Kent looked at his watch. “Oh, wow. Yes, we do. Coming.”

  “When you get back, if you ask me out, I’ll say yes,” Jessica told him.

  “Okay, then. It’s a date . . . for me to ask you out on a date.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Here’s the number where you can reach Jake’s grandmother. You can arrange rides and whatnot with her. I’ll see you later—take care. And thanks again.”

  “You’re welcome. Now you’d better git or you’re going to miss your flight.”

  He climbed in his car and they drove off. Jessica went into the house, stuck the phone number on her fridge with a magnet, and went to climb in the shower. As the hot water worked its magic on her sore muscles, she thought about everything that had happened that day. So, her dream was warning her that Kent would be leaving. It was nice to have a little bit of warning before it happened. Was that the purpose of the dreams, to prepare her for the unexpected? If that was the case, it would make sense that the dreams were being guided by some outside force, but she couldn’t imagine that. It was so tangled up in her head, she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to get it all sorted out.

  One thing she did know—Kent was interested in her. He’d been a little shy about asking her out, but his feelings were written all over his face, and she couldn’t be happier. It had been a long time since she’d dated anyone, but she felt the same way Kent did—they were the right ones to break the long streak for each other. She’d be the first after Amy, and Kent would be the first after that long-haired hippie who had ripped her heart into a million pieces and left her standing in the middle of the rubble.

  Whatever his name was. The jerk.

  Anyway, that was in the past, and she wanted to focus on the future now. The very awesome and amazing future that had Kent Morgan in it.

  ***

  Kent exhaled as he settled into his seat on the airplane. He’d barely made it on time, but now there he was, flying out to Kentucky where he’d be joining Billy Blaine’s tour already in progress. This was the kind of opportunity he’d been working toward his whole life, and now that it had finally arrived, he was more grateful than he could say, but he was also nervous.

  In the past, whenever he’d imagined his dreams coming true, Amy had been there at his side. He knew he’d have to be gone from time to time, and he’d pictured her at home with Jake. Now, he was leaving Jake with his grandmother, and while Jean loved the boy fiercely, Kent was worried that she wouldn’t be able to handle every eventuality that might come up.

  He smiled to think about Jessica. He’d given her number to Jean, so now they should be fully connected, and he’d told Jean to turn to Jessica in case of an emergency. He knew Jessica wouldn’t mind, and it gave him a greater measure of peace. His own parents lived in California and were dealing with failing health—otherwise, they’d be more than happy to be another line of defense.

  The plane taxied down the runway and then launched into the sky. This was Kent’s least favorite part of flying—that moment when they were going so fast that he felt pushed against his seat. It was the realization of something far stronger than he was controlling his movements, and for those few moments, he felt trapped. But as the plane lifted into the sky and leveled out, that feeling faded, and he was able to relax again.

  If this panned out . . . if he was able to write three songs for Billy . . . he swallowed. Jessica was right when she’d said this would launch his career. Of course, he was only as good as his next song. He wasn’t naïve enough to think that one or two hits would set him up for life. What they would do was put him on the radar, and then he’d have the chance to prove himself to the market at large. What an exhilarating, terrifying thought.

  ***

  “It’s so good to meet you, Mrs. Rohan,” Jessica said, taking the older woman’s hand in hers.

  “And it’s good to meet you.” Jean Rohan peered at Jessica curiously. “Please, come in.”

  Jessica stepped over the threshold and smiled. This house was absolutely everything a grandma’s house should be. There were crocheted doilies everywhere, cross-stitched sayings on the walls, and the scent of cookies lingering in the air. “What a lovely home.”

  “It’s modest, but it’s cozy.”

  “Which is exactly why it’s cozy.” Jessica took the seat she was offered. “How long have you lived here, Mrs. Rohan?”

  “Please, call me Jean. And let’s see—we bought the house about forty years ago. We lived in a tiny apartment when we first got married, and we scrimped and saved and were finally able to come up with a down payment for this. We were so happy to get it that it never occurred to us to move after that.”

  “And why would you want to? This house is perfect.”

  “We’ve been very happy here. When my Timothy passed away five years ago, some of my friends thought I should move into a retirement village, but I couldn’t imagine leaving this place behind.” She folded her hands on her lap. “Now, tell me about yourself. I understand you were Jake’s teacher this year.”

  “That’s right.”

  “Well, you’ve done a good job. He’s been able to make some real changes over the last few months—he’s more like the boy he used to be.”

  Jessica shook her head. “I don’t deserve any of the credit for that. That’s all due to his father.”

  “Kent’s a good man. I couldn’t have been happier in Amy’s choice of a husband. He took the best care of her right up to the end, but now . . . now I think it’s high time he took care of himself a little more. Is that where you come in, my dear?”

  Jessica felt her cheeks flame. “I don’t know,” she said after a pause. “I like him, but we just started getting to know each other recently. I can’t predict the future.” No—but she could dream about what was going on right at that moment. Was that a helpful thing? She hadn’t quite decided.

  “I’m sure Kent’s told you that he hasn’t dated anyone since Amy passed. Just the fact that you’re here now is a big step for him, and one that I’m glad to see him taking. Amy was a wonderful girl and we all miss her terribly, but Kent needs more happiness in his life.”

  “I don’t know if I’m the one who can help him find it, but I do promise that I won’t hurt him,” Jessica replied. “However this plays out, I’ll always be fair and honest with him.”

  “And that means the world.” Jean sat back and smiled at her. “So, you’re taking my grandson to build things today. He should be down in a minute—I heard the shower start just before you knocked. He’s so excited—I haven’t seen him this enthused about something for a long time.”

  “I’m so glad. My uncle’s a great guy, and I know they’ll get along well. Plus, there are about fifty other boys there for him to hang out with.”

  “Which is exactly what he needs.”

  Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Jake skidded into the living room. “Hi, Miss McClain. Sorry, Granny—I got going a little too fast and couldn’t slow down.”

  Jean shook her head indulgently. “Just don’t destroy my house while you’re at it.”

  “Okay. Is it time to go?”

  “Yes, it is.” Jessica stood up. “I’ll have him home in time for dinner.”

  “Enjoy yourself, Jake, and listen to instructions,” Jean told him.

  “I will, Granny. See you later!” He bounded out of the house, and Jessica turned to Jean with an incredulous look on her face.

  “I told you—he’s making mir
aculous changes. Have a good time.”

  “We will. Thanks, Mrs. Rohan.”

  Jessica followed Jake outside, only with considerably less bounce in her step. She didn’t think she was even capable of that kind of energy.

  They climbed into her car and she insisted that Jake buckle up, and then they were on their way.

  “Dad called last night and said he made it safely. I thought you might want to know.”

  “Thank you.” Just what did Jake think was going on here? Did he think they were in a relationship? “I’m sure you were relieved to hear that,” she said, trying to put the focus back on the father/son dynamic.

  “Yeah. I was glad he called.”

  Jake turned on his Walkman and didn’t say much for the rest of the drive, but she could tell by the way he looked out the window that he was excited about where they were going. When they reached the ranch, he bounded out of the car and into the shop without looking back, and she laughed.

  “That one will be fun to have around,” Jonathan said, coming up beside the car.

  Jessica leaned out the open window. “He’s definitely eager to be here. Do you want me to hang around for a while until he’s settled in?”

  “I think you’re fine to leave. Will you just be at home? I can call you if something comes up.”

  “Yeah, that’s where I’ll be. Well, after I hit the library.” She remembered the cell phone her dad had shown them the night of the Zap—one of those would come in handy, but she didn’t know if they’d ever become really popular. They were probably super expensive.

  “Okay. I’ll be in touch, and plan to pick him up around five.”

  “Will do.” She got out of the car just long enough to tell Jake she was leaving and when she’d be back. He was concentrating so hard on bending a piece of metal that he only looked up long enough to nod, and she smiled. She couldn’t wait to see what he was making.

  ***

  Jake couldn’t stop talking all the way home. He had comments about everything from the way the shop was run to how he’d gotten along with the other boys to the cookies Mrs. McClain had served. Jessica just listened as she drove, knowing she was witnessing a huge step in his recovery—he was coming alive again, and it was great to see.

  She dropped him off at his grandmother’s, then returned to her house to see the answering machine light blinking. She pressed the button, and Kent’s rich voice filled her kitchen.

  “Hi, Jessica. I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing, and also to thank you for helping out with Jake. I talked to Jean this afternoon, and she thinks you’re pretty amazing. And . . . so do I.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, things are going well here. We’ve talked about the concepts for the songs, and I’ve got some ideas jotted down that I think will work. Um, thanks again, and I’ll see you when I get back.”

  Jessica smiled as she pushed the button to listen again. She wished she hadn’t missed his call, but this way, she could listen to his voice whenever she wanted to. Silly girl, getting all weak in the knees over a phone message.

  Tracy, Candice, and Marti came over later that night with pizza and a video, and they stayed up laughing and chatting until after midnight. Jessica felt one of those headaches forming behind her eyes, and she reached for some aspirin.

  “Hey, have you seen a doctor lately?” Candice asked, leaning on the kitchen counter and watching Jessica swallow the pills. “You seem to be having a lot of headaches this year.”

  Jessica shook her head. What was she supposed to say—“No, they’re just related to this weird dream thing I’ve started doing.” Maybe Candice was on to something—maybe she did need to see a doctor. If this was a medical problem and not a mental health problem, there might be some kind of cure.

  “I’ll call tomorrow,” she promised after she put her cup in the sink. “I probably should have gone in earlier, but I’ve been busy.”

  “Yeah, I definitely think you should get checked out. I know you’ve been under some stress with work and stuff—maybe the headaches are your body’s way of asking for a break.”

  “If I knew a way to get rid of stress, believe me, I’d be all over it.” Jessica laughed. “Is there such a way?”

  “I think you need to have more fun,” Marti said. “Date a little . . .” She paused, and a strange expression crossed her face. “Are you seeing someone?”

  “I don’t know if you’d call it seeing him,” Jessica hedged, and all three sisters were immediately paying attention. “He’s out of town right now, and he told me that he’d like to go out when he gets back. Does that count?”

  “Oh, I think it counts. Or it sort of counts,” Tracy said. “Intention to date is almost as good as dating.”

  Jessica shook her head. “I think you’re splitting hairs.”

  “Well, regardless, I think it’s great,” Tracy replied. “So, tell us all about him.”

  It didn’t take her long to share what she knew, and that’s because there wasn’t much. She realized as she was talking just how very little there was to say. When Kent came back, they’d have to plan some long conversations so she could get to know him better.

  What she did know about him, though, she really liked, and that was enough for just then.

  “Let us know when you’re ready to bring him to the house,” Marti said. “We want to be there when he meets Mom and Dad.”

  “I don’t know that we’ll get to that point,” Jessica said. “That’s not something I can predict.”

  “Well, if you do, let us know,” Marti told her. She had another one of those funny looks on her face. Jessica wanted to ask her what was up, but she didn’t—Marti would probably just tease her about having a boyfriend, and she wasn’t ready to call Kent a boyfriend. And she definitely wasn’t ready to get teased.

  By the time she climbed into bed, she knew the aspirin wasn’t going to work, and when the dream came, she was pretty much expecting it.

  Chapter Eight

  Jake crept down the stairs of his grandmother’s house, his jacket draped over his arm. He unlocked the door carefully and then slipped outside, pulling the door closed behind him.

  He walked down the street, glancing from side to side as though worried about being followed. He turned left and then right, his footsteps slowing as he became tired. On and on he went, trudging through the dark streets that glistened just a bit from leftover rain. The streetlights were the only thing keeping the night from swallowing him.

  At last, he reached his destination and entered the cemetery. He walked down the rows quickly, obviously knowing where he was going. When he got to the last row on the north, he stopped and knelt down at a gravestone that read Amy Rohan Morgan.

  ***

  Jessica’s phone rang and woke her up. Her heart pounded as she scrambled to answer—she’d been sleeping deeply, and she’d never liked being scared awake. Well, not that anyone really did like it, but she particularly hated it.

  “Hello?” she mumbled after almost dropping the receiver in her clumsy haste.

  “Jessica? It’s Jean Rohan. I’m so sorry to bother you in the middle of the night, but Jake’s missing, and I don’t know what to do.”

  “It’s all right, Mrs. Rohan. You can always call me, day or night.” She rubbed a hand across her face. “I’ll get dressed and drive around your neighborhood, all right? He can’t have gone far.”

  “You’d do that? Oh, thank you, dear. I was about to call the police, but I just had the thought that I should call you first.”

  “I’ll go take a look, and if I can’t find him after about an hour, then we’ll call the police.”

  “All right. Thank you, dear.”

  Jessica hung up, then blinked a few times to pull her thoughts together. She knew very well where Jake was. Now she just had to wake up enough to go get him.

  She took off her pajamas and pulled on some jeans and a T-shirt, then splashed some cold water on her face. She grabbed a couple of granola bars from the kitchen, remembe
ring that Jake had looked hungry in her dream—although she wasn’t sure how someone looked hungry unless they had lost a bunch of weight or something—and headed out.

  It only took her a short time to reach the cemetery. Thankfully, it wasn’t one of those with huge iron gates that were locked closed every night. Instead, it was a smaller lot, with maybe two hundred headstones, and there wasn’t a gate. She parked and walked the same path she’d seen Jake follow, and within just a few minutes, she found him, sitting in the dark next to his mother’s grave.

  “Hey,” she said softly, not wanting to startle him.

  He turned and looked up at her, his face tear-streaked. “Miss McClain? What are you doing here?”

  She sat down on the grass next to him. It was a little damp from dew, but she didn’t care. “Your grandmother called me and said you were missing. She’s pretty upset.”

  “I thought she was asleep.”

  “Grandmothers have a way of knowing when something’s up with one of their grandkids.”

  He nodded. “But how did you know where to find me?”

  That was the question. “Schoolteachers have a pretty good way of knowing stuff too,” she said. “I just asked myself where you were most likely to be.” It wasn’t a convincing lie, but it was the best one she could come up with. “Why are you out here in the middle of the night?”

  “My dad doesn’t like to come here,” Jake said. “We’ve only been once since my mom died. He says it hurts too much, but I actually feel better when I come.”

  “You sneak out so he doesn’t know you’re here?”

  “Yeah. If he knew, it would upset him, I think.”

  “And you come here a lot?”

  “Every so often, yeah.”

  That explained his sneaking out at night. “But what about your grandma? Doesn’t she come here—wouldn’t she bring you?”

  He shrugged. “I guess I never thought to ask. I mean, it’s sort of a taboo subject at my house, you know? I’m used to not talking about it.”