Finding Home Read Online Free Page A

going somewhere?”
    Jessica laughed. “Well, if you want breakfast, I’ll have to find some eggs. If you need me, I’ll be in the henhouse.”
    She’d almost shut the door when she heard her name and popped her head back inside.
    “It was really nice having someone working with me this morning,” Ben said quietly.
    She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing. See you at breakfast.”
    She left with an extra bounce in her step.

Chapter Three
     
    “This is delicious,” Ben said, his mouth full of eggs. “What did you do to these things, Ma?”
    Ellie smiled at him then nodded at Jessica. “Ask the cook,” she said.
    “You made these? You can cook, on top of everything else?” he asked her.
    Jessica blushed. “Well, not much. Only what Ellie’s taught me. I’m more of a baker, actually.”
    Ben looked from his mother to her helper and couldn’t help but envy the fond regard Ellie gave the younger woman. His mother had always wanted a daughter. And Ben couldn’t cook a grilled cheese on a good day.
    Just then, his phone buzzed. A text from his old buddy, Hal, who’d heard he was back in town.
    Dude, just heard you’re back in town! Coming to the annual Christmas dance tonight? Lisa will be there!
    Ben sputtered as he swallowed his scrambled eggs wrong. He took a swig of orange juice and grimaced.
    Lisa. Petite and gorgeous Lisa…
    He had taken her to the prom ages ago, but they’d never really dated. She’d wanted a hometown hero, not an ambitious businessman. Now, he was neither. Apparently, she was still single, though Ben had no idea how. Either way, that ship had long sailed. He felt sure the girl wouldn’t want to see him in his disgrace. There was nothing heroic about him.
    He excused himself quickly and went into the living room, memories flooding back to him. He saw so clearly the way Lisa had looked at him, all hope and longing.
    “You’ll come back?” she’d asked. “You can do business here, you know.”
    He’d smiled, putting her off with gentle lies. “Sure,” he’d said. “I’ll be back.”
    Where he’d been going, he believed there would be beautiful women all over the place, throwing themselves at his feet. He wouldn’t need Lisa or anyone in Sauk Centre. He was going big.
    One of the worst parts about coming home, he decided, was having to eat your crow before moving on. It wasn’t a fresh start. It was a long process of apologizing and building oneself back up with the support of old friends, many of whom had been abandoned.
    It was humbling, and Ben didn’t like being humbled.
    Nah, I don’t think so, he wrote back after some thought. I need some rest.
    Then he shut off his phone, not wanting to hear the protests and jovial ribbings.
    * * * *
    Jessica was just putting away the dinner dishes when she heard a knock at the door. She put down her stack of plates and headed toward the living area, forgetting that Ben was in there. She stopped at the doorway when she saw him, the way his broad back stretched his athletic hoodie stealing her breath. That man was nothing if not good looking.
    Still, he’d been so quiet all day that she’d nearly forgotten he’d returned. At first, she’d worried that her eggs had made him sick, but Ellie reassured her that Ben was just moody sometimes and to leave it be. Sage advice, especially when Jessica had her hands full with the pie and brownie baking for the annual Christmas dance that evening. Ellie was their main baker, and the money these goods brought in would pay for the few non-homemade Christmas presents she’d give out. Jessica loved helping in the kitchen and had been thrilled to take over much of the food-making this year. Baking was a passion of hers she had squashed long ago, when the grocery store she’d worked at denied her a job behind their cake counter. They’d promised to train her but kept putting her off. Instead of persevering, she’d taken it as a sign and simply given up. The last thing she had baked in