Chapter 2
“Hey, Mom, I’m here!”Jack Turner announced as he lumbered through the front door of his childhood home.
“In here, honey,” his mom called from the kitchen. Of course, that’s where she’d be.
He strode through the house, and smiled as he greeted his mom, who was hurrying around and getting dinner ready. She turned, and a frown showed on her lips.
“That’s what you’re wearing?”
Jack looked down at himself. Jeans, T-shirt, shoes. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Serenity will be here. You could have at least worn a polo or something. Not a grunge-metal band T-shirt.”
Jack refrained from rolling his eyes. Dressing up had never been his thing, and his brother’s fiancée was cool about the way he dressed. He actually really liked his brother’s fiancée, Serenity.
A year ago, Ethan literally ran into her at the park. At the time, there’d been a movie being filmed in town, and she’d lied about who she was—Rinny Harp, a set coordinator on the movie. Eventually, she’d confessed to Ethan who she was, and ultimately, they’d understood. She was famous and accustomed to people wanting the actress and not the girl who wanted to be loved.
It’d taken Ethan a second to cool off and look at things from her perspective, and once he did, they’d made up and been nearly inseparable since. Jack was happy for his younger brother, but man, it took work to keep envy from rearing its ugly head.
He wanted love. He wanted commitment. He wanted that same excitement of finding the one and settling down too, but the prospects in Wishing Well were…okay, but none of the women he’d dated held any sort of spark. Zip. Zilch. Zero.
“What can I do to help?” Maybe that’d distract his mom enough she’d forget about his shirt.
“Uh,” she said and looked around. “Set the table for me? Ethan and Serenity should be here any minute.”
“Sure.” He shuffled over to the cabinet where the plates were stored, and took out the needed number, and walked to the adjoining dining room.
“So, how’s the Stewart house looking?”
At the mention of the Stewart house, his mind made a beeline to gorgeous Jo Stewart. How had he not remembered her, a grade below or not. Dark blonde wavy hair, light brown eyes, and the cutest nose he’d ever seen on a woman. Add the smattering of freckles strewn across her cheeks and forehead, and she was Jack’s idea of the perfect woman. Well, as far as looks went.
He’d shaken her hand and felt an earthquake run through his body. That tiny, innocent touch had thrown his nerves into chaos. Had he known it would, he’d have stuffed his hands in his pockets. He’d quickly attributed the reaction to his pitiful dating life. The one that didn’t exist.
The only disappointing thing was how quiet she’d been during lunch. When Charlie had insisted on him joining them, he’d hoped it would lead to gleaning more information about Jo. Well, he had learned one thing. She’d blush at the drop of a hat, and she seemed a little nervous, which Jack didn’t understand.
It wasn’t like he was a catch. His football career had gone out the window when his leg was injured during one of his practices the summer before he was supposed to start his pro career. All his dreams…poof, gone. He’d returned home as the self-proclaimed loser.
Instead of retiring from football like he’d planned all his life, he’d finished rehab and found work with a local contractor. Once he had some experience, he’d struck out on his own. The work didn’t make him rich, but it paid the bills unlike his foray into wood carving. That’d just depressed him when his pieces didn’t sell. He still worked on things here and there, but only when he had time.
Shrugging, Jack replied, “Okay, I guess. Still a ton to do. It really needs a complete makeover, but Charlie can’t afford it.”
Charlie had given him a tour of the place when he first started working for her. She’d told him about the history of the house, having been in her family for generations. It’d started life half the size it was currently, and sometime in the early 1900s, it’d been added onto. In the 80s, her family had shut it down to the public, and it’d been a simple residence since then. He hadn’t said anything at the time, but he could picture the house returning to its original glory, a stunning bed and breakfast now that a high-profile wedding was bringing attention to the town.
“Oh, that’s too bad,” his mom replied.
“What’s too bad?” Jack’s dad asked as he strolled in through the mudroom attached to the garage.
“Charlie Stewart can’t afford a total house remodel, so I’m doing a few things here and there for her.”
His dad was quiet for a moment. The realtor side of the man was about to appear. “That’s a great piece of property. Thirty acres. The acreage could bring a huge sum, and Charlie could find a great little house in town that she could manage on her own. I’ve had calls from several development companies inquiring about it. Now that Serenity has shown a light on our little town, we’ll need accommodations for tourists.”
Jack didn’t want to laugh, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Yeah, I can tell you right now, Charlie has no intention of selling, ever.”
“Yeah, I know.” His dad set his briefcase against the wall and joined Jack in the dining room. “I’ve asked Charlie multiple times if she’d consider selling. I mean, I felt like I was obligated to tell her how valuable the property was and that there was interest just in case she ever changed her mind.”
Setting the last plate in place, Jack returned to the kitchen. “How did she respond?” He was pretty sure he could picture the woman running after his dad with a rolling pin like something out of a cartoon.
His dad grunted. “Uh, yeah, not so well.”
Laughing, Jack nodded. “I bet?—”
“Hey! We’re here,” Ethan called from the front of the house.
A second later, Serenity entered the kitchen ahead of Ethan. “Hey Ralph and Sophie.” She reached their mom and offered a hug. “It’s so good to see you again.”
Their mom embraced her. “It’s good to see you too, sweetie. We’re so glad you’re here.”
“Thank you,” she said and looked at Ethan.
“Just ask.” He smiled.
Their mom’s eyebrows knitted together. “Ask what?”
She chewed her lip. “Well, Eternal Vows magazine sent one of their writers to interview me and follow me around while we’re getting ready for the wedding. I was hoping maybe she could join us for dinner.”
“Of course, there’s more than enough food.”
She gave a sigh and a smile. “Oh, thank you. I’d told my team I’d ask first.” Pulling her phone from her purse, she concentrated on the screen.
Ethan looked around the kitchen. “Put me to work.”
Their dad snorted. “If only he’d felt that way about mowing the lawn.”
There was a brief hum of laughter.
Their mom pointed toward the dining room. “You and Ethan go sit down, and the rest of us will bring dinner.”
Minutes later, dinner was on the table and just as Jack went to sit down, the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” He strode through the house, and his jaw dropped as soon as he opened the door. “Jo?” She was a complete and total knockout in a soft pink blouse, ankle-length pants, and sandals. He was pretty sure she’d taken a shower because her hair looked even softer than it had at lunchtime, and he was certain he smelled a hint of vanilla and cherry. His pulse ticked a little higher.
“Jack?” As soon as she said his name, she squeezed her eyes shut and smacked her forehead. “Of course, you live here.”
He laughed. “No, I don’t live here. I’m having dinner with my family. What are you doing here?”
A smile stretched on her lips, and his heart galloped. He thought she was beautiful before, but that smile was something a man looked forward to coming home to. The grin slipped, and confusion played on her face. “I’m supposed to be having dinner with Serenity Harper.” Jo pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. “I?—”
“You’re the writer?” Charlie had mentioned something about that when they were having lunch, but he hadn’t put the two together. Now that she was standing at his door, it was hitting him smack in the middle of the forehead, complete with a DUH!
“Uh…”
A second later, Serenity joined Jack at the door. “Jo Stewart!”
“Um, yeah, that’s me.” She grinned. “And obviously, you’re Serenity.”
Her face lit up, and she gushed. “I’m so, so, so excited to meet you! Please call me Renny. All my friends do, and I just know we’re going to be friends.”
“Thank you for inviting me.” Jo looked from the actress to Jack as she stepped inside. “Are you two engaged?”
Jack and Serenity exchanged looks and then laughed. “No, I’m engaged to Jack’s brother, Ethan,” Serenity said.
“Oh,” she chuckled, “Okay.”
Serenity took her by the hand. “Come on in, and we’ll talk more while we’re having dinner.”
Jack followed as his future sister-in-law tugged Jo through the house to the dining room.
Shock played on his mom’s face. “Jo Stewart?”
“That’s me.”
“Are you the writer?” Jack’s mom asked.
Nodding, Jo smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Do you know each other?” asked Serenity.
A sheepish grin played on Jo’s lips. “Uh, actually, I grew up here. This is my hometown.”
“Oh, my goodness. That’s so serendipitous.”
Ralph motioned to the chair across from Serenity. “Have a seat, Jo.”
Jack pulled the chair out and held it for her. Suddenly, he was excited someone was doing a write-up about his brother’s impending nuptials. “You didn’t know Ethan was engaged to Serenity?” he asked as he waited for her to sit.
Shaking her head, she sat and replied, “Actually, I like to go into interviews blind, and I’ve been so busy I don’t really keep up with what’s going on in Hollywood.” She grimaced and looked at Serenity. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’m just glad you were available.” She hugged Ethan’s arm. “Jo is the best writer at Eternal Vows. I’ve read everything she’s written. Her stories are always so full of heart and depth. It’s like she’s the bride’s best friend.”
Their mom looked at Jo. “Wow, that’s a ringing endorsement if I’ve ever heard one.”
Soft pink blanketed Jo’s cheeks. Jack took note of the humility. A trait he’d found lacking in most of his dates. “I should have put it together before now that you were the writer Serenity was talking about.”
Jo laughed it off. “It’s okay. It’s not like I broadcasted it.”
“I bet your grandma was tickled pink to see you. It’s been how many years since you’ve been back?” asked his mom.
“About six years.”
“You were dating Craig Martin, if I recall.” Jack’s mom smiled as she offered Jo a roll.
It was slight, but Jack caught the downturn of Jo’s lips. Her gaze dipped to the table. “Yeah, I was. We broke up a few months ago.”
His mom sighed. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. We wanted different things.” She cleared her throat and murmured under her breath, “He wanted a different woman, apparently.”
“What?” Jack asked.
“Oh, nothing.” She glanced at him and then looked at Serenity. “So, I thought I’d go over my process if that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect.” Serenity grinned.
Until now, Jack hadn’t been interested in anything wedding-related, but now, he was all ears. Maybe Jo would slip a few details about herself in there. It was certainly worth hanging around to see if she did.