Anything for You

Jess smiled. Everyone knew Ned had a crush on Levi’s little sister, who was still in college. “You irresponsible pup. What can I do for you?”

“You have an extra bedroom, right? Ever think about renting it?”

Jess blinked. “Um...no, I never did.” With Davey’s issues, it had never crossed her mind.

“Well, I could pay you I don’t know...a couple hundred a month? And I could hang out with Davey, too, if you needed coverage or something. I have no life, except when I’m driving to Geneva to date She Who Cannot Be Named.”

A couple hundred a month, plus the raise, would mean home ownership a lot faster.

And Ned and Davey got along great; they were pretty close in age, and Ned, like Davey, was a dork about comic books and action movies. It might be really nice to have another adult in the house.

“Let me ask my brother,” she said. “If he says yes, it’s a go.”

“Great. Because if I have to move back home, I’ll kill myself.” He stood up. “Gotta make some calls. See you at O’Rourke’s.” He rose and opened the door, almost bumping into Prudence. “Oh, shit, hey, Mom. Gotta go.”

“Is that how you greet your mother?” Pru said. “Give me a kiss, you thankless slob.”

Ned rolled his eyes and kissed his mother’s cheek. “You look young and beautiful today, Mother,” he said.

“That’s more like it. Now get out of here. The grown-ups are gonna talk.” She came into Jess’s office and nodded approvingly. “Heard about the promotion. Well done, Jess.”

“I can’t thank Honor enough.”

“You know what would look great in here?” Pru said. “A cutout of Captain James Tiberius Kirk, USS Enterprise. Or Khan. Even better.” She threw herself into the chair. “So how was your weekend? Got anything good to tell me? Carl and I stayed in and did the usual. Watched HBO, fooled around, got caught by Abby again, it’s like the kid wants to see us naked.”

“I’m positive that’s not the case.”

Pru smiled. “How about you? You and Connor do anything fun?”

Yes. Prudence was the third person who knew, strangely enough. Ever since Jess had started working here, Pru, who was about fifteen years older than she was, had just sort of decided that Jessica and she were friends. It was as easy as that. Almost every day since Jess started, Pru would come in from the fields, smelling like grapes and fresh air, plunk herself down in the chair and talk.

Then one day about six months ago, Jess and Pru had been at O’Rourke’s, and Connor made a rare appearance from the kitchen. He went over to a couple who practically fell over themselves with compliments, then glanced over at Jess and Pru. Gave a nod, then turned his attention back to the couple.

“You two doing it?” Pru had asked.

Jess had been so surprised, she jolted, spilling her root beer.

“Don’t worry,” Pru went on. “I won’t tell anyone. I totally get the allure of a secret fling. That’s the problem with being married for twenty-five years. Not a lot of secrets. So how is he? Is he fantastic? I bet he’s fantastic.”

Jess’s face had hurt from blushing. Couldn’t exactly deny it when it was put so bluntly.

But she found that it was pretty nice to have a girlfriend.

Oh, Jess had plenty of pals. Colleen, Emmaline Neal, who worked with Levi and had just married Jack Holland, some of the women on the ambulance corps. Faith was nice, too, and Jess liked seeing Levi so happily married. Honor was close to being a friend, but Jess always felt like that was a line she shouldn’t cross, given the whole boss/assistant thing.

But Pru... Pru was different. Funny, way too open about sharing her sex life, but really, really kind. And to the best of Jess’s knowledge, she never did tell anyone.

“Hello? Jess? You’re not saying anything,” Pru said now. “Did you guys have a fight?”

Jess glanced at the closed door. “Well, he proposed,” she said in a low voice.

“Fantastic!” Pru held her hand up for a high five. “Bring it here, girl!”

Jess didn’t.

“Oh, shit.” Pru sank back into her chair and crossed her legs. “Did you say no?”

“Of course I said no.”

“Why?”

“Because...you know. Davey wouldn’t go for it.” She looked out the window, to the sweet green fields, the grape leaves fluttering in the wind. “Besides, even putting Davey aside, it’d be a no. Connor and I are just friends.”

“Who get it on like starving ferrets.”

“I’m quite sure I never used the word ferret for anything, Pru.”

“Still. You sure you don’t want to marry him? He’s so hot. And he cooks. I mean, come on, sister. Don’t be greedy.”

“No, no. He’s great. He is. But...marriage is just not for me.”

“Ouch. Poor Connor.” She winked, taking the sting from her words.

“I better get back to work, Pru.”

“Sure. Me, too. Hey, have you met the wedding planner?”

“I did.”

“Talks a lot.”

That was almost funny, coming from Prudence, who was rather free with conversation, as well. “Part of her job, I guess.”

“I guess. See you at O’Rourke’s later on. Oh, will that be weird for you? Since you broke his heart and all?”

“His heart is not broken. Seriously. He was just going through the motions.”

“If you say so. See you later. It’ll be fun.” Pru smiled and stood, hitched up her Carhartts and thudded down the hall, and Jess tried to get back to work.

She hadn’t broken Connor’s heart. She was almost sure of it.

CHAPTER NINE

THE SECOND CONNOR walked into the restaurant on Tuesday morning, Colleen swiveled around from her place at the bar, frowning.

Times like this, the magical twinsy bond really sucked.

“What are you doing here? It’s your day off. You look like your dog just died, and you don’t even have one.”

“Don’t want to talk about it,” he said.

“Con—”

“No.” He strode into the kitchen and set his bags down. Time to get to work.

Yesterday, Manningsport Day—such a dopey holiday, though one he usually liked—he’d gone to five Mennonite farms. Bought cilantro and baby romaine, goat cheese and lamb. This morning, he’d driven to the fish market in Corning and bought some gorgeous haddock that had been swimming in the Atlantic the day before. Fish tacos would be the special, then, with a side of creamy coleslaw. Burger of the day would be lamb with cheddar, sautéed baby Portobello mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Soup du jour, Potage St. Germaine, perfect for spring with the new peas and fennel. Rafe could do something with rhubarb for dessert. Maybe a nice Chantilly cream on the side.

“Connor.” Colleen stood there, a frown on her face, idly rubbing her enormous belly. Hard to believe she still had two months to go.

“Yes?” he said with great patience, slicing a leek, then chopping it at lightning speed.

“What happened?” Her voice was quiet.

So it was that bad, then. She was actually concerned.

“Dog-Face,” he said after a minute, “you know how you love fixing people up?”