Can't Stop the Feeling (Whispering Bay Romance 6)

She was warm and funny and didn’t talk overly long. Then, posing for the cameras, she smiled and cut the yellow ribbon that was strung around the entrance area, officially opening the playground. Kids and adults began streaming in, testing out the new equipment. Ben lifted Rachel onto a set of monkey bars. Jenna, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, made her way through the crowd like a politician, taking the time to talk to everyone she met along the way.

Like he’d told his mother, Jenna had made her feelings abundantly clear. She didn’t want anything to do with him. And with Mom now on board to move to south Florida, his mission here was almost complete. They could pack her things up, put Mom’s trailer up for sale and even have a little time left over to enjoy the beach house. He’d continue his work on the Earl Handy estate from the comfort of his leather chair in the Miami office.

Mom tapped him on the shoulder. “Honey, I hate to break this up, but I have to go to work.”

He helped Rachel down from the monkey bars and handed her over to Greta. “I’ll meet you by the swing set in a few minutes.” He waited till they were gone. “I thought you quit your job last week.”

“I did, but Carl just called. He still hasn’t gotten a replacement for me and he’s short on the evening shift.”

“That’s his problem, not yours.”

“Don’t be cross with me. I’ve worked at the Stop and Go since before you were born and Carl’s been good to me through all the tough times. I’m just filling in until he can hire and train someone else. That’s all.”

“How long is that going to take?”

“Just a couple of weeks. Three, tops. You rented that big house on the beach for a month, right?”

He didn’t like that she felt the need to go to work this evening. But he wasn’t going to argue with his mom. The fact that she’d agreed to move to Miami was a big weight off his shoulders. Besides, Carl Russell was a good guy, and his mom’s loyalty to him couldn’t be faulted.

They’d driven to the preschool in two cars. Greta could stay here with Rachel until the open house was over. “I’ll drive you to the store.”

“No need. My car’s at your place. I can walk there and drive myself back to Hopalinka. And since I’ll be working late, I’ll just stay the night at the trailer.” Her eyes got a faraway look. “I’ll be putting it on the market soon anyway. It’ll be nice to spend another night in my own home.”

“I’m not letting you walk all the way back to the beach house.”

Rachel ran up to him, her cheeks pink with excitement from playing. “Do we have to go now?”

“No, sweetheart, you don’t have to go yet,” Ben said. “I’m driving grandma back to the house and you can stay here and play a little longer.”

“I can?”

“Sure. Greta will take you home.”

“What about the hamburgers?”

“How about you and Greta stop by the burger place and get them to go? We can eat them out by the pool.”

“Okay!” She skipped back to the swings and resumed playing with a group of children while he filled Greta in on the plan.

“Burgers and shakes. Anything else?” She yawned as if she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Since there were kids around he couldn’t say the first thing that came to his mind. But screw this. Mom was right. He needed to get rid of Greta ASAP. First thing in the morning, he’d have Gavin find another nanny.

* * *

Jenna stayed at the playground inauguration celebration longer than she’d anticipated. It was more than just a simple matter of cutting a ribbon. As she was the city manager, people kept coming up to her and offering her their opinions. On everything.

“I think there needs to be a four-way stop on Beach and Main,” one man said. “Used to be we didn’t need it, but now the traffic is getting out of control.”

“Why don’t you bring that up at the town hall meeting tomorrow night?” she suggested.

“Oh, I’ll be there,” he said. “High school gymnasium, seven p.m. sharp.”

Her feet ached from standing in her heels and her face muscles were sore from smiling.

It was almost six and everyone except the preschool staff was now long gone. She thanked Mrs. Hodges and the rest of the teachers she’d met today, then walked back to her car. Despite the two muffins she’d eaten earlier, she was starving. She’d been working so much that she hadn’t had time to hit the Piggly Wiggly this week so there was nothing in her refrigerator. After a long afternoon of schmoozing, she deserved a big fat juicy hamburger and fries.

She was about three blocks from the burger place when she spied a small figure walking along the side of the road. At first, Jenna thought it was a dog, but as she got near enough she realized… Good Lord. It was a child. And it wasn’t just any child. It was Rachel.