Right from the Start (10 page)

Kenzie only smiled. “Will, this is my assistant, Lou.”

“So, you’re the man of the hour,” Lou said. “Place looks great.
Think the agency will be perfect here once we get everything in place.”

“I hope so.” Will sat beside Kenzie.

Her parents and the judge appeared again, and they all chatted
while Will made quick work of lunch and went back for seconds.

The blond whistler showed up, too. An attorney named Nathanial,
who appeared to be on good terms with everyone. Especially Kenzie. The guy was
certainly territorial, draping his arm over her shoulder, casually drinking from
her bottled water. Her boyfriend?

Of course such a beautiful woman would have one. Will didn’t
want to think about why he was suddenly so interested in Kenzie’s personal life.
Their relationship was building and business focused. Period.

But maybe he just felt included in her life right now. The
whole situation felt familiar, in fact. Lots of laughter and affection. Wasn’t
all that long ago he and Melinda had thrown their own parties. Family gatherings
on holidays. Dinner parties to schmooze Melinda’s clients or his own business
associates.

But that had been before they’d decided to take the next step
in their long-term relationship, to get married and settle down. That’s when
life had taken a sharp left turn in a new direction, one that involved autism,
divorce and an unexpected career in politics.

* * *

K
ENZIE
DROPPED
ANOTHER
folder into the file drawer of her desk. After the
moving party yesterday, she was left alone to organize her office so she could
work this week. Only the cases she currently mediated were kept nearby. Most of
the information she needed to work was handled digitally, but there were still
some hard-copy documents that needed old-fashioned signatures.

Crossing another item off her list, she scanned what was left
to do in preparation for Monday’s appointments.

Check internet connection.

Get printer and scanner
running.

Set up switchboard.

Hang shingle.

The equipment company would move the copier tomorrow afternoon
and set up the machine, so Lou would deal with that. Kenzie could temporarily
live without the switchboard thanks to other modes of communication—voice mail,
cell phones and email—but the shingle was important.

Her parents had gifted her with the gold nameplate when she’d
first opened her agency. It had hung beside the door to her offices in the strip
plaza since the day she’d first opened for business.

To Kenzie, the shingle symbolized a lot more than a good-luck
memento. Wrapped up in one simple nameplate, inscribed in an elegant font, was
all the love and support and respect of parents who loved and supported
unconditionally but didn’t give their respect unless earned.

Her parents were the product of another generation with a
different work ethic, a generation that had been big on rewarding effort.
Businesses were established by the sweat of hard work and practical choices, of
tightening belts when times were tough and making disciplined sacrifices for
long-term goals rather than indulging immediate gratification.

They hadn’t bought their first home until they’d saved enough
money to purchase a starter house in cash. They’d bought only used cars until
financially able to afford new cars and didn’t believe in paying a bank to lend
them money. They believed they shouldn’t be spending money unless they had it in
their pockets—or accounts—to spend.

Her father had established his title insurance company with her
mother running the office by his side, and they’d grown that company
successfully over forty-plus years. Not only had they provided quality of life
for Kenzie, including a private school education, but they’d looked after their
own retirement. When they’d finally sold the company, they were financially
secure and able to enjoy their golden years.

They were proud of Kenzie’s accomplishments, and she didn’t
want to begin her first official day in her new location without that shingle
hanging beside the front door. Sentimental, true, but Kenzie liked feeling that
love and support was with her on this all-important start, so she was motivated
to get the equipment up fast, so there’d be some daylight left to install the
shingle.

A scanner and printer were essential since she’d scheduled her
first meeting for 7:30 a.m. The furniture was already in place thanks to
Nathanial, so all she had to do was unpack the boxes, network the equipment and
make sure everything worked.

Fortunately, her mother hadn’t minded cutting short the
Mother’s Day festivities. Since her parents had arrived back in town from their
winter home in Punta Gorda specifically to help Kenzie move, they hadn’t yet
settled in from the trip.

Both had looked tired at the celebratory lunch and more than
content to get home and rest after a long drive and moving day. Kenzie was
tired, too. With any luck tonight would be an early one, so she could start the
week somewhat clearheaded.

Fortunately both her new internet connection and equipment
cooperated and she was ready to tackle the shingle with plenty of daylight to
spare. She should have asked her father to install it before returning the
rental truck yesterday, but she’d gotten derailed by her inspiration to provide
Will a meal. How hard could hanging a shingle be? She was all sorts of handy.
She’d hung everything in her house from new drapery hardware to mirrors.

But when Kenzie tried to track down her toolbox, she couldn’t
find it anywhere. The last person she’d seen with it yesterday had been
Nathanial, who had been using the drill to reassemble table legs.

One phone call solved the mystery.

“Damn, Kenz. It must still be on my backseat,” Nathanial said.
“I had it when I got ambushed by Fiona and Jess in the parking lot.”

Fiona and Jess were identical twin sisters and friends of
Kenzie’s from the earliest years with Madame Estelle. They’d alternated having
crushes on Nathanial all through middle school, vying for his attention
unsuccessfully until Kenzie had officially claimed him for herself in the eighth
grade. To this very day neither could resist the chance to bask in his
blond-haired, blued-eyed, president-of-the-student-government gorgeousness and
reminisce about the old days.

“I meant to bring it inside with those books I promised you,”
Nathanial explained. “But I couldn’t shake them without jumping in my car and
physically leaving.”

Kenzie smiled. Fiona and Jess in tandem had always had the
ability to overwhelm Nathanial. Truth be told, they could overwhelm Kenzie when
they got going. “Where are you now?”

“Command performance at Sarah and Sean’s for Mother’s Day.”

That ended her plan to retrieve the toolbox since his older
sister Sarah and her husband lived in Charlotte, two hours away. “Her first
Mother’s Day. How special. She feeling all right?”

“Okay for just having a baby I guess. Can’t stop smiling but
looks pretty wiped. I wouldn’t say that to her face, of course. Little Sophie is
pretty cute. Doesn’t do much but sleep.”

“I think that’s normal. Probably good for Sarah because it
sounds like she needs to rest up. Well, no big deal. Say hi to everyone and give
Mom and Sarah hugs.”

“Will do. Sure you don’t mind waiting until tomorrow? I’ll drop
everything off on my way into the office in the morning.”

“No problem. Have fun and get home safely.”

“Will do. Sorry I bailed on you today. Not enough hours in the
day, and this case is kicking my butt.”

Kenzie sank back in her chair and yawned. She needed coffee.
“Nathanial, please. You went above and beyond this week helping me. I appreciate
everything you’ve done. Enjoy your day. I’m trying to get out of here
myself.”

“Get done what you need to and leave the rest. It will be there
waiting tomorrow.”

“Sound advice.”

“That you need to hear even if you don’t ever listen.”

“Ha! Takes one to know one.”

He chuckled. “Go home, Kenz. See you in the morning.”

“I’ll be here. Hugs.”

“Hugs back at you,” he replied with their usual goodbye.

And as she disconnected the call, Kenzie continued to smile.
Nathanial had that effect on her. They were a solid part of each other’s lives.
Nathanial had always been there through every up and down, through every
decision and accomplishment, through every disappointment and heartache. He was
a man who shared the same views about life and love, and she believed she’d been
as reliable a part of his life, too.

He was right about one thing—all these tasks would wait until
she got around to them.

But she was still set on the shingle. She didn’t have the heart
to ask her dad to make the drive over when he was probably napping. Then a
thought occurred to her, and she pushed away from the desk and went to her newly
installed door that led directly to the parking lot. Sure enough Will’s truck
sat in the closest spot to Angel House. Did she dare trouble the man again?

She debated for the grand total of two seconds.

The door was unlocked, so she slipped in and headed down the
hallway of rooms that had once been the preschool studios for jazz, acro and
ballet. She wondered what Angel House would do with these rooms—make them
offices or classrooms?

Kenzie turned the corner into the open area that led backstage
of the recital hall then stopped short when she saw the young boy sitting on the
floor in front of a laptop.

“Oh, hello,” she said, surprised.

Will’s son. He looked even more like his dad up close, except
for his eyes, which were deep blue.

Sam didn’t seem to hear her. He seemed completely absorbed in
the laptop. A computer game, perhaps.

“Hello,” she said again.

The little boy glanced up but didn’t make eye contact. He
didn’t respond to her at all. Not a greeting, not a smile, not even the
slightest hint of recognition she’d addressed him. But he kept pressing keys and
working the mouse pad with intensity.

Kenzie wasn’t sure what to make of that, but felt uncomfortable
ignoring him, so she tried again. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I’m looking for
your dad.”

He didn’t look up again, but she did get a response. His brow
drew tight beneath the glossy black bangs, not exactly annoyance. Or was it?

Okay...

She wouldn’t have expected such antisocial behavior from the
child of such a socially adept man. He’d been every bit of charming and gracious
yesterday to her family and friends, and Kenzie would have expected nothing less
from a man who had successfully entered the political arena.

But in all fairness, she didn’t know this little guy and didn’t
have children herself. She did know children of divorce carried their own
special burden, precisely the awareness she tried to impart divorcing
parents.

“I’m going to find your dad,” she said. “Nice meeting you.”

His brow furrowed more deeply, but Kenzie didn’t get a chance
to consider what to make of Will’s son’s uncommunicative behavior before
movement in the open doorway caught her attention.

She glanced inside to find Will on his back on one of those
wheeled dollies, hanging half out of an opening in the wall. A panel that looked
as if it had once covered the cutout had been propped nearby, and she realized
that’s why his son was sitting where he was in the hallway within eyeshot of his
dad.

That was about all Kenzie noticed though, because Will scooted
the dolly then, and a little more of him vanished into the wall. What was still
visible was quite a sight, though.

Long, long legs that ended in sturdy work boots. Knees bent to
draw her attention to the way the jeans hugged his thighs and hips. With his
knees parted, there was simply no avoiding the sight of his crotch and the
expanse of toned tummy that made her own tummy swoop drunkenly.

What was it about this man that so appealed to her, a man who
had already gone through two wives? He was handsome to be sure, but Kenzie knew
her share of handsome men and hadn’t ever been engaged in a power struggle with
her inner child over one before.

As if she didn’t have enough on her plate right now.

“Excuse me, Will.” She refused to let her stupid reactions
interfere with her actions. “I don’t want to disturb you.”

But she did disturb him, judging by the sound of clattering
metal—some tool hitting the floor.

His thighs flexed as he set the dolly in motion with one strong
pull. He slid out of that wall cubby, emerging in a fluid motion, a breathtaking
expanse of muscled chest in tight T-shirt, broad, broad shoulders then the thick
cords of his neck, and that chiseled face with those quick dimples and eyes that
managed to see right through her.

“Hello, Kenzie.” His gruff voice filtered through her in a
physical way.

She barely managed to whisper, “Hello, Will.”

Maybe it was the sight of him from this angle, all stretched
out before her in one completely attractive package. Whatever the excuse, her
foolish inner child had taken over her thought processes and left him to assume
control of the conversation as she stared at him like a deer in the
headlights.

“What can I do for you, Kenzie?”

Foolish, foolish inner child. “I need to hang my shingle. May I
borrow some tools?”

“Sure, what do you need?”

“A drill and a hammer, please. I already have anchors and
nails.”

“Help yourself.” He pointed to a massive industrial tool cart
that was easily waist-high.

Then he scooted the dolly away from the wall so he could sit up
and glance toward his son.

“I met your son.” She headed for the tool cart, exhaling a
relieved sigh to escape his high-beam gaze. “He’s adorable. I thought I heard
you call him Sam that morning in the park. Did I get that right?”