Northern Fascination

“Mom’s on husband number six. Dad’s with his fifth wife.”

Norris whistled beneath her breath. “Your family could have its own soap opera.”

“Or a really bad reality TV show,” Jenna said with a laugh. But for the grace of God that had never happened. All she’d ever wanted was a nice stable home environment—to just stay put in one spot for a while. At least her mother had been considerate enough to consistently remarry within the same school district until Jenna had graduated.

“That’s perfect—just the kind of thing I was looking for.” Norris snapped her notebook shut. “Okay, well, I think that covers it. I’ll want to do a follow-up story when the new place is open for business.” Norris tucked her notepad and pen into her pocket and stood, heading for the door. Norris was nice enough not to smoke in Jenna’s little business space and even if the interview hadn’t been over, Jenna knew the other woman was jonesing for a nicotine hit.

“Cool. Merrilee’s planned a ribbon cutting and as mayor, she’s booked the first appointment. I’ll see you tomorrow at ten for your mani/pedi.” Norris had insisted on doing the interview outside of her appointment. She didn’t believe in mixing business and pleasure.

They both stepped out onto the sidewalk.

“See you then,” Norris said, taking off as if she was running late for a day-after Christmas clearance sale. She always looked as if she was running late to something. Jenna figured it must’ve been all those years in the news business.

Jenna’s event notification went off on her cell phone. Perfect timing. She’d be right on time to meet Nelson over at the new spa.

Bundling up, she blew Tama a kiss and headed out the door. Strolling down the sidewalk, her interview fresh on her brain, she thought, for about the millionth time, how much she loved it here. She waved at Nancy and Leo Perkins as she passed the dry goods store. Petey, driving past in his beat up Suburban, blew the horn at her.

For the first time in her life, she almost felt settled. There was still something that niggled at her, a dissatisfaction of some sort, but she was sure once the business was finished and she moved into her own place—the apartment above her shop—that would disappear as well. Then she’d know complete happiness.

LOGAN LOOKED OVER THE reports, months in the making, regarding their expansion in Alaska, spread in front of him on the round mahogany table. His father, as CEO of JMC, Inc—Jeffries Mining Consolidated—commanded a corner office with an impressive view of the Atlanta skyline twenty miles south of them.

Davis Jeffries, his gray hair cropped close and wearing his customary Brooks Brother’s suit and monogrammed cuff links, read through documents his secretary had brought in unrelated to their meeting, while they waited on Martina and Kyle—Logan’s cousins—to arrive. His father had never been one to waste time on small talk. Martina, Logan’s age, handled IT while Kyle, two years their junior, worked the field operations side of the business.

Logan leaned back in the padded leather chair, the same as he had countless times before and studied the same picture he always studied on the paneled wall opposite the seat he always sat in.

Great-grandfather Jebediah Jeffries, the company founder who started out as a prospector in the north Georgia mountains and had struck gold, stared at him from the framed portrait, his stern gray gaze unflinching, shrewd. Ever since Logan had been old enough to remember, the old man had seemed to be holding him to some standard. He was thirty now and it still felt as if his ancestor was somehow measuring him.

Logan looked back to the spread sheets on the table. He’d reviewed the company cash flow and financials prior to the meeting, not that he didn’t already know what was there. He always knew. It was his job to know. He’d taken over as Chief Financial Officer when his uncle Lewis, Martina’s and Kyle’s father, had died in a car accident. Logan had been being groomed to eventually fill that position when Lewis retired, so it was no surprise. The board had decided Logan was ready for the position when Lewis met his untimely end.

Martina strode in, followed by Kyle, and they took their seats at the conference table.

Davis looked up and said without preamble. “Let’s get started.” He turned to his son. “How do you feel about the recommendations?”

They’d started by pinpointing six potential sites, three of which had, over the course of the past few months, been eliminated. The other three were ranked as a first, second and third choice. Logan had watched the developing reports with interest once Good Riddance had been identified as a contender, aware that Jenna Rathburne lived there now. After months of evaluation, once a decision was reached today, things would progress quickly.

“I think we’ll see a nice return on this. Acquisitions worked up the numbers for the buy-out. The residents of Good Riddance, Alaska, are about to hit the jackpot with what we’re going to offer them for the town.” Good Riddance had been recommended as the first choice. “No one there is starving but neither are they fast-tracking.” JMC could make them all rich beyond their wildest dreams. With the company’s offer, the townspeople could relocate to wherever they chose and do whatever they wanted.

Then again, the company stood to make whatever money they spent back ten-fold. Sleepy little Good Riddance, Alaska, literally sat atop a gold mine.

Logan pointed to the bottom line on the financials. “Last year, it would’ve been cost prohibitive but given this new technology, it’s now a good deal.”

Davis turned his attention to Martina. “What about your end?”

“From an IT standpoint, Barton, our second choice, is actually preferable. But we can work with Good Riddance.”

Davis nodded. “Kyle?”

“Barton’s not bad, but Good Riddance is better.”

After asking a few more questions, Davis finally nodded. “Then let’s make an offer for Good Riddance.” He looked at Logan. “Are you sending Chaz?”

Charles “Chaz” Fischer usually handled the actual approach and buyout negotiations. Not this time, however.

“I’m going to handle this one,” Logan said.

“You?” Kyle said. “You never leave the office.”

“Exactly. The negotiations should take a couple of days, tops. Once it’s wrapped up, I’d like to take some vacation time. I’ve always been interested in Alaska.” That was true enough. He’d always been fascinated by the state. And then there was Jenna. He’d kept up with her through a mutual friend on Facebook. And back in the day, she’d fascinated him as well.

What were the odds his company would wind up buying out the tiny little bush town she’d moved to, on the other side of the continent?

Davis concluded the meeting but asked Kyle to stay to discuss equipment updates. Martina and Logan stepped out into the carpeted hall.

“I had lunch with Aunt Laura today,” Martina said.

Logan raised an eyebrow in inquiry. If his mother was “doing” lunch, there was an ulterior motive.

“Yes, she’s at it again. She wants me to find you someone suitable. I thought about telling her I could hook you up with my friend who’s a stripper just to watch her pass out.” Martina grinned. Logan’s cousin possessed a quirky sense of humor he really appreciated. They both knew none of her friends were strippers—at least Logan didn’t think they were. “Just giving you the head’s up, cuz. Now that you’ve hit the big three-oh and got the big title, it’s time for you to pony up and contribute to the Jeffries legacy establishing the company’s future leader. Of course, you’ll have to walk a suitable girl down the aisle in some expensive matrimonial display first.”

Logan shook his head. “I can find my own dates, thanks.”

“Except you’ve been busy with work and finishing up your MBA. Bottom line, you’re not moving fast enough in that direction to suit your parental unit. When you get back from Alaska, be ready to look over the brood mares I line up for you while you’re gone. Make it easier for me. Do you prefer blondes, brunettes or redheads?”

Strictly because they’d just discussed Good Riddance, Jenna came to mind. He was absolutely certain, however, that the outgoing Jenna who did nails for a living wasn’t his mother’s definition of suitable.

“I’d have to say blondes.”

JENNA OPENED THE FRONT door of the new spa and her future home and stepped inside. Even though it was just an empty shell at this point, it was her empty shell.

Home. She grinned and twirled across the open expanse. Breathless, she stopped and looked around her, envisioning the place a month from now.

There was still a faint sense of uneasiness inside her she couldn’t quite shake. When Sven got her place framed in, maybe then she’d shake this feeling.

Thick glass windows offered views of the large evergreens on two sides and Good Riddance on the other two sides.

The materials for the interior lay stacked at the back of the building. She heard Sven, the construction foreman, talking to one of his guys outside. They should finish up the rear exterior today and not a minute too soon. Snow was fast on its way and it was already colder than Sven liked to have his crew working outside. That was the reason she hadn’t popped around out back. She didn’t want to slow them down.

She liked the big third-generation Swede in charge of her construction. Well, she didn’t like him that way. He was a good-looking guy and they got along great together, but there were no sparks there. Just to test the waters, she and Sven had kissed once. Once had been enough. Not that it was awful. Sven was actually a very competent kisser, but she wasn’t looking for competence. Well, actually, she supposed she did want competence, but she also wanted overwhelming passion and that just hadn’t been happening. So, friends they were.

Tomorrow they’d start the interior construction. She pulled her coat tighter around her, envisioning the walls in place and the waterfall that would be in the reception area. It wouldn’t be a big spa but it would be nice. And like most Good Riddance business owners, she’d live upstairs. It was definitely cheaper to build up rather than out.

The front door opened and Nelson Sisnuket stepped inside. His long, raven-black hair was pulled back in its customary ponytail, held with a leather strip.

Nelson was a good friend. Most people liked Jenna well enough, but very few people “got” her. Nelson did.

“Hi, Jenna.”

“Hey, Nelson,” she said, giving him a quick hug.