Already Home. Susan Mallery

how much I love you.”

      Jenna laughed, then leaned across the console and hugged her mother. “I love you, too, Mom. Thank you.”

      “I haven’t bought the coffee yet.”

      The thank-you wasn’t about the drink, but then her mother already knew that.

      “I’m glad you’re home,” Beth told her as she climbed out of the SUV. “This is where you belong. Real people live in Texas, not in Los Angeles. All those Hollywood types.” She sniffed. “Is there anyone normal in the city?”

      “A few, but they never go out at night.” Jenna linked arms with her. “I’m glad I’m home, too.”

      Jenna couldn’t quite escape the feeling that going back to look at her store was like returning to the scene of the crime. But it had to be done, and someone, probably her, needed to get her business started.

      Despite having spent the past couple of weeks getting things ready for the grand opening, every time she pulled into the parking lot and stared at the space she’d rented, she couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

      Three months ago she’d been in Los Angeles. Her husband had walked into their tiny bathroom while she’d been brushing her teeth and had announced he was leaving her for another woman. He was in love and he was leaving.

      What Jenna remembered most was standing in that cramped space wondering when she was supposed to spit. At what point in that kind of confession was it polite or expected for her to lean over the sink, spit and rinse?

      She’d been unable to speak with all that toothpaste in her mouth, so she’d stood there like an idiot. Eventually Aaron had walked out, leaving her stunned, emotionally shattered and with toothpaste dribbling down her chin.

      Later they’d talked. Or he’d talked, explaining all the reasons the breakup was her fault. She realized now that that was Aaron’s thing. Taking whatever was good and strong in a person and systematically destroying it. On the outside, he was pure charm, all dark good looks and an easy smile. On the inside, he was the devil. Or at the very least, an evil minion.

      She supposed she could have fought for her marriage, but a part of her had been relieved to have a reason to leave. So she’d packed up everything she owned and had returned to Georgetown, Texas.

      She’d been lost, so going home had made sense. As much as anything could, under the circumstances.

      She was grateful her parents had never asked why she didn’t try to get a job in a restaurant. She’d been a professional chef for nearly a decade. It was what she knew. Or it had been. Today, cooking anything seemed impossible.

      Oh, sure, she could throw together something easy. A bisque, a dozen or so pasta dishes, a savory tart, prime rib. The basics. But to creatively cook? To take new flavors and blend them into something so good it was almost magic? That had been lost.

      It was as if her culinary soul had been stolen. As much as she wanted to blame Aaron—and a case could be made that he was guilty of theft—she’d been the one not standing guard, not protecting what mattered most of all. She’d been the one to let him berate her, mock her and claim her best ideas as his own. She’d let herself begin to doubt her abilities, her imaginative self, and now she was just someone who had once known how to cook.

      The killer was, no one knew. Not that she wanted to talk about it or have people feel sorry for her—she didn’t. On the outside, she was as good as she’d ever been. It wasn’t as if she’d lost her actual skills. But the thing she’d loved best—the spark of creating—was gone. And she didn’t know how to get it back, much less articulate the problem to anyone else.

      She tried to tell herself that opening a cooking store was a grand adventure. It was her new destiny. She would pass on her skills to others, share the wealth, so to speak. And if she didn’t want to use that as inspiration, she had three years of lease payments to worry about. If she couldn’t perk her mood with self-help, then she would get real with fear. Whatever worked.

      At least the location was great, she thought, staring at the big windows and glass front door. Old Town was a thriving part of Georgetown, and her store was in the middle of it. To the right of her space was a yarn store called Only Ewe. To the left was an insurance agency and beyond that, a beauty salon.

      Old Town itself—a series of square blocks—was a combination of business and retail with some residential areas. There were restaurants, boutiques and a couple of banks. Foot traffic was high, and Jenna was hoping that impulse buying was also a part of everyday life.

      As she got out of her car and studied her store, she told herself she could do this. She could be successful with her new business. She’d never been a big believer in “fake it until you make it,” but maybe now was the time to explore a new philosophy. After all, like it or not, the store was opening. The sign would be delivered early next week. The final deliveries of her inventory would arrive two days after that. Then it was just a matter of getting everything in place and opening the doors.

      She was waiting to see how well she did before spending money on advertising. Grate Expectations would sell high-quality kitchen supplies with expert instruction. She would demonstrate, offer cooking classes and give the people in town the chance to learn the secrets of professional chefs. There didn’t seem to be any competition for this kind of business in the nearby communities.

      As she pulled out her key to the store, she heard a car door slam. She turned and saw a dark-haired woman walking toward her.

      “Hi,” the woman called. “Jenna?”

      “Yes. You must be Violet.”

      They’d spoken on the phone. Violet had been one of nearly a dozen calls she’d had about the job she’d posted in the paper. Of the potential applicants, Violet had had the most experience, not to mention the most normal personality.

      Now Jenna took in the short, spiky hair, the dark eyeliner and thick lashes. Violet’s beige lace T-shirt covered a deep purple tank top. Her skirt was layered and also purple. Dozens of necklaces hung down in various lengths, while an equal number of bracelets clinked on her left arm. High-heeled ankle boots completed the outfit.

      She looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties. Humor and curiosity sparkled in her brown eyes and her smile was friendly.

      “Great location,” Violet said as Jenna wrestled with the door. “Very upscale. You’ll get a lot of walk-in traffic. Especially if you’re cooking. People will follow the smell.”

      They went inside. Jenna turned on the lights, then glanced around at the chaos.

      She saw shelves against the walls and freestanding racks in the middle of the main room. A newly installed kitchen setup gleamed from one side. The desk for the cash register was in place. Boxes were stacked nearly five feet high. Unpacking was going to take days.

      Daunting didn’t begin to describe it, but Jenna didn’t care. Hard work was exactly what she was looking for. If she was exhausted, she wouldn’t have as much time to think. Besides, this was America. According to legend, all that stood between her and success was a little hard work. Fortunately, the ability to do what needed doing had always been one of her strongest attributes.

      “Nice,” Violet said, walking around. “The high ceilings are great. Some of the places around here have a second floor, so the ceilings are lower.” She headed for the kitchen area, set down her purse and tugged on her sleeves. As she pulled up the lace, Jenna caught sight of a tattoo of flowers on the inside of her wrist.

      Violet wasn’t anything like Jenna had imagined. She’d pictured someone older. Someone more … conservative. But Violet had energy and an engaging smile. The pixie cut gelled to a fashion-forward mess suited her, as did the Goth-inspired makeup. Violet looked both fun and approachable.

      Ten years of working in restaurant kitchens had taught Jenna to trust her gut when it came to hiring. For all his telling her that she didn’t know what she was talking about, Aaron had listened to her gut, too.