Family Interrupted by Linda Barrett Read Free Book Online

followed him to the garage and got into his passenger seat. As we put the ten miles behind us and I studied our surroundings, the trip seemed like a shadowy memory from long ago. The passing scenery was almost that of a strange land and I, a tourist. So, my family had been right. I hadn’t ventured away from home and the immediate neighborhood since the funeral. Everyone had noticed except me.
    My tension mounted the closer we got to Barnes Construction. The unknown scared me, and yet I knew every corner of the building. By the time Jack parked in his reserved spot, I was talking out loud to myself. “Stay calm. Stay calm.”
    Jack turned the key, and quiet surrounded us. “You’ll be fine,” he said, squeezing my hand. “I’ll be nearby.”
    The design center occupied its own wing in the main building. Jack was around the corner and down the hall.
    “There’d better not be a welcoming committee,” I said. “No more condolences. I couldn’t handle that. I just want to creep into my office.”
    A quick kiss. “I took care of it.” Another kiss. “I’m planning to stay put today. No site visits.”
    “Oh...I’m sorry...” I’d made it a point never to interfere on the construction side of the business. My husband was truly the Jack-of-all-trades.
    “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Today, I’m investing in you.”
    I bit my lip. He’d probably lose on this investment. We both knew I didn’t want to be there, but I owed him a try.
Suck it up, girl. You can do it. You used to love the work, and you’re good at it.
In the beginning, when Jack started the venture, I was as excited as he and at his side with a million ideas beyond decorating. I altered blueprints and changed layouts too, as long as the construction cost didn’t change.
    Now, I just wanted to hide away.
    Walking into the lobby, I stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice Mary Toomy, the front-office face of the company, as she set up for the day. Instead, I shadowed Jack and headed down the familiar hallway and around the corner. He stepped aside as I walked through the door of the design center. I passed the countertop and carpet sample displays. Passed the tile and cabinet choices, as well as the racks of bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Choices, choices. A million choices. How would I handle this again?
    As soon as I entered my own office, I smelled the lemony furniture polish and had to admit the place sparkled. On the large oak desk stood a vase of fresh-cut daisies, the perfect choice. Jack had heard me call them a happy flower at least a thousand times. Inch by inch, my gaze traveled around the familiar room, the room I used to call my home away from home. Sample books of wallpaper and fabrics lined the shelves; some were piled on the floor. Lifting them was akin to lifting weights—great for keeping muscles taut.
    A set of blueprints stretched across the desk with pads, pencils, and a calculator alongside. I absorbed everything, taking my time, studying the walls where framed pictures of decorated rooms were showcased. I usually updated the displays regularly, but these pictures had hung for a long time.
    Finally, I nodded, pulled out my chair, and sat down. Automatically opening the bottom right drawer, I threw my purse inside. The instinctive routine overrode my five-month absence.
    I plunged ahead. “So, tell me about this new model,” I said, pointing at the blueprint.
    “I think I’ll stick to the old one. She suits me just fine.” Jack’s eyes gleamed in a shade of blue I’d tried to reproduce a hundred times but couldn’t.
    I smiled at his joke, but a mass of doubts tumbled inside me, doubts Jack didn’t want to acknowledge. The man knew darn well what it took to provide the individualized decorating services our buyers deserved. I needed to be friendly, to listen, concentrate, and come up with selections and ideas. I hadn’t had an original idea in...a very long time. The challenges ahead made me nervous,