No Place Like Home - Love in Seattle Read online

  No Place Like Home – Love in Seattle

  By

  Christina Butrum

  Copyright 2017 by Christina Butrum

  Ebook edition created 2017

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - for example, electronic, photocopy, or recording - without the prior, written permission of the publisher. The only exceptions are brief quotations in printed reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination, and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Artist Amanda Walker – PA and Design Services

  Edited by Dragonfly Editing

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  You can contact Christina Butrum at [email protected]

  Acknowledgments

  With each book that I publish, I have several people to thank! I’m going to try to do my best, even though words alone cannot express my gratitude.

  First, I want to thank my family, the ones who have stood beside me and have supported me along this journey. Without you all, I wouldn’t have come this far. I love you and I’m beyond thankful that I have such a supportive family in my corner!

  Second, I want to thank the Indie Community. I especially want to thank the authors who have become great friends, and the readers who have found me and my books – You all have shown me the greatest love, and I’m so thankful that I have each and every one of you beside me on this crazy journey of mine!

  I have several bloggers to thank for their endless shares and constant love! Thank you for being the awesome people you are and for always being there when authors need you! I can speak for the majority of authors when I say that we thank you, and are more than pleased to have you here with us!

  To my cover artist & personal assistant, Amanda Walker, thanks for always being there for me through everything! You’ve become so much more to me than the title of your business. You have become a great friend, and I’m forever thankful I found you.

  To my editor, Janet at DragonFly Editing, I owe the biggest thanks, because without you, I’d have several run-on sentences, along with several errors that I wouldn’t be able to fix myself. You’ve become a huge part of my journey!

  Thank you all so much for being here for me and showing me that I have the best people alongside me on this journey!

  The thought of coming back home had never crossed her mind. Once she had moved out, she was gone and there was no turning back – until now.

  Chapter One

  Late spring was a busy time of the year for Janelle Harper. Her schedule was booked full of upcoming releases and magazine articles that needed to be published. Working for a small downtown publishing company had its flukes, but for the most part she enjoyed her job.

  She had begun her journey last year when she decided to venture out on her own and make a successful future for herself. She had planned to leave her comfort zone in Seattle and move to Cincinnati, with the hopes of landing a job at the local bakery, but instead, she was offered a spot as a journalist at the local newspaper.

  The only problem at that time, being she couldn’t write an article to save her life. She had hated creative writing in high school, even more so in college. Journalism was the last thing she had ever imagined herself doing. Baking pies and selling pastries, yes. Offering words of wisdom and entertainment in the local newspaper and magazine, no.

  So, when she got the call from her mother with the news they were leaving for a vacation in the Florida Keys for the summer, and knowing they wouldn’t be back until early fall, she felt a bit perturbed at the thought of having to come back home to manage their business. The thought of helping them out for the summer was nice, until the thought of pulling double duty to make both jobs run smoothly overwhelmed her.

  Either way, it hadn’t done much good to tell her parents she didn’t think it was a good idea, with her work in Cincinnati being as time consuming as it was, and the fact that she had just started within the last six months. Her job wasn’t ready for her to relocate for the summer and neither was she, but her parents had insisted that her boss would understand and she would be just fine.

  After a long-winded conversation with her boss, an agreement had been made for her to work from home in Seattle, and Janelle decided it was time to pack her things for the trip back home.

  The flight back to Seattle was right on schedule. For the first time in her twenty-eight years, something actually went the way it was supposed to. Roughly four hours later, her plane landed at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

  Waiting in the baggage claim area, filled with concrete pillars and cold benches, she pulled a Nicholas Sparks book from her purse and got as comfortable as she could on a nearby bench. The worst thing about traveling had to be waiting for your things, coming in close second to that was the airport security. Ever since 9/11, security had increased at all airports nationwide.

  Seeing her bright, neon-colored suitcases barreling down the conveyor belt, she tossed her book into her purse. Smiling at the attendant, she gathered her luggage and continued on her way through the terminal.

  Hailing a cab in a busy city was the equivalent of pulling teeth. It was a pain in the ass, but it was well worth it to take public transportation rather than drive through the bumper-to-bumper traffic of Seattle. After helping the cab driver shove her luggage into the trunk, she climbed into the overly used, unclean backseat. She added this to the third worst thing about traveling.

  “Where to miss,” the old man, who was missing a few teeth, asked over his shoulder.

  “To 4336 North Wallingford Ave, please.”

  Resetting the taximeter, the driver put the car in drive and pulled out into the busy evening traffic. Estimated time of arrival according to his GPS was thirty-five minutes. Deciding it was only fair to give her parents a notice of her arrival she sent a quick text message, letting them know she would see them within the next thirty minutes.

  For the last twenty-eight years, she and her mother had formed a close bond. Her mother was truly her best friend, regardless of the circumstances of just moving to a new city where she hardly knew anyone. In Seattle, she had acquaintances, as she liked to call them, because she had been too busy to focus on friendships. Sure, there were a couple of people she might claim as more than an acquaintance, but that was about it.

  The chime of her messages interrupted her thoughts as she peered down at the small screen of her outdated smartphone. She had made plenty of mental notes to upgrade once she was settled, but it was uncertain when that would happen.

  I’ll see you in a little bit then. Love you.

  Love you, too.

  Her mother had just recently upgraded to a smartphone. She had called Janelle several times over the last few weeks to ask her how to text and what Facebook was and how to use it. Her mother had told her that they needed to become fluent with technology to support the business—which only confirmed what Janelle had been telling them for the last two years.

  Businesses survived with the help of advertising on the internet. Sending newsletters out at the beginning of the month each month would be a chore for her parents, but she had strongly encouraged it. Since then, her parents reported they’d had an increase in sales and had seen a number of new
customers in the last week—a good thing for a business that had been around for longer than a decade.

  Parking the cab along the curb in front of the two story, older style Victorian that Janelle had grown up in, the driver stopped the meter and announced, “$84.00, miss.”

  Handing him a one hundred-dollar bill and telling him to keep the change for a tip, she marked public transportation as number four on the list of downfalls of traveling. Taxi fare was expensive and she was nearly broke—two things that didn’t go well together. The thought of how much it would cost her to take a cab to work every day made her thankful that her parents’ coffee shop was within walking distance—exactly four blocks from their house.

  Hauling her bags up the front steps to the door, she waited patiently for her parents to welcome her inside. When no one came after the first ring, she pressed the doorbell again. The candy apple red door swung open and she was greeted by her mother. Standing with arms held out, her mother smiled as she welcomed an embrace. “You know you don’t have to ring that darned bell. You can walk right on in.”

  With her father’s assistance, she carried the luggage the rest of the way inside. Without being asked, her father lugged them upstairs behind him as he warned Janelle that her mother was about to talk her ear off.

  “Come in,” her mother motioned her to follow her into the living room. “How was your flight?”

  Kicking off her shoes, she left them neatly on the rug by the door. She followed her mother into the living room and took a seat on the comfy oversized chair. It had been her favorite place to sit before she had moved out. She had done plenty of college assignments while sitting in this exact spot.

  “The flight went good, without any delays,” she said, yawning. Back home it was way past her bedtime. Here, it was just past supper time. “The time change is going to be a struggle for me.”

  “Well, don’t let me keep you. You need to get sleep because the coffee shop will need you bright and early in the morning,” her mother said. “We’ll be leaving for the airport before six, and the coffee shop opens every morning at eight, except for Sundays, when it’s closed.”

  Janelle had thought about arriving in Seattle earlier than today, but had decided against it since she had a few things to get done back at home before making the trek here. Had she known that her parents were planning to leave that early in the morning, she would have second guessed her decision and changed her mind.

  Motioning for Janelle to follow her, her mother walked through the oak-trimmed doorway that lead them into the kitchen. “I made a list of things that need to be done. I trust that you’ll plan things out accordingly and get them done in a timely manner?”

  Grabbing the list from the table, she read through it. Everything seemed to be simple enough. The thing she would struggle with the most would be getting up early and making sure the shop was open by eight a.m. Surely the time change would make it the most difficult task for her.

  “I’m not seeing anything I can’t handle,” she assured, pinning the list to the fridge with a magnet.

  “I’m so happy you’re here, but I’m sad that we’ll only be able to visit for a short bit tonight.”

  Bummed at the thought, Janelle offered to make a fresh pot of coffee after she unpacked her things. She would need it, to be able to stay awake in order to visit with them for a while. Grabbing her bookbag and slinging it over her shoulder, she made her way up the stairs to her old bedroom, where she would be camped out for the next four months.

  The smell of clean sheets and fabric softener pervaded the hallway leading into the bedroom. It was guaranteed that her mother had just recently spring-cleaned the entire house, and had focused extra attention on Janelle’s old bedroom.

  A ray of light from the setting sun reflected off the dresser mirror. An old, welcoming warmth surrounded her as she unpacked her things, making sure to put them in their respective places. She made a mental note that she would need to have this place completely spotless—just the way it was now—before her parents came back home.

  Pulling her laptop from her bookbag, she plugged it into a socket by her old wooden desk. She was nestling it among her notebooks and other work necessities, leaving it to charge, when her mother hollered up the stairs, “Supper’s done if you’re hungry.”

  She hadn’t eaten since lunch—more than six hours ago. Even though she hadn’t done anything except sit on a plane, she couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs rumbling around in her stomach. Plus, she had missed her mother’s cooking in the short time she had been away. She had learned all of her mad cooking skills from her mother—one of the best cooks in Seattle.

  “You won’t have to tell me twice,” she said, zigzagging her way around the kitchen appliances to the sink. “I’ve missed your cooking.”

  “Well, help yourself. Eat however much you want,” her father offered, passing the ladle to her. “There’s plenty here for seconds and possibly leftovers for you to eat over the next couple of days.”

  “Thanks, guys,” she said, scooping a bowlful of broccoli and cheddar soup into her bowl. It had been her favorite soup since she was little, and her mother hadn’t forgotten.

  After pouring herself a glass of milk, she seated herself next to her parents at the table. The table had served many years as their place to eat suppers and discuss the events of the day—another thing she missed since she had moved to Cincinnati.

  “I take it your boss was okay with letting you come out here for the summer? It didn’t cause any problems back home in Cincinnati, did it?” Her father asked, before taking a bite.

  “Carolyn was fine with it once we made the agreement that someone would have to send me info via email so I can stay up to date on the latest.”

  It hadn’t taken very long to persuade Carolyn to let her bring her work with her to Seattle. Carolyn was easy-going, with a laid-back personality. As long as work was getting done, Carolyn couldn’t care less. The only ripple it had caused was among her co-workers, who had to figure out who would do what in Janelle’s absence.

  “I’m glad she approved of your temporary absence, and I’m thankful that you’re filling in for us while we’re gone,” her father said. He was on his second helping of the soup. “Vacations don’t come around too often for us, so when we were offered the opportunity to go to the Florida Keys, we couldn’t turn it down.”

  “It’s just too bad you and your sister can’t go with us,” her mother added to the conversation. “But I’m certain one day in the future you both will be able to accompany us on a trip. Our schedules will all need to match and I have a feeling that if we plan it, it can happen.”

  Her sister was a few years older, and much more sophisticated than Janelle was. Janelle had once envied her sister’s life before the stress her sister was under became apparent. Raising two kids with a loving, but workaholic husband, had taken its toll on her. Janelle did not, for one second, want that kind of life. She was in no hurry to settle down with that kind of commitment.

  Janelle knew that the chance of her sister being able to vacation was slim to none, especially since her husband was caught up in law firm obligations 24/7.

  Taking the last bite of her soup, Janelle stood and walked to the sink. After rinsing her bowl, she placed it in the dishwasher, knowing that her mother hated to see dishes pile up in the sink. “I’ll be looking forward to taking a vacation after this year is over with. I have so much on my plate from the Cincinnati Enquirer that I’m not sure I’ll have any free time while I’m here.”

  She wasn’t complaining, but rather sharing her frustrations with how overwhelmed her adult life had become within the last year. Not that she couldn’t handle it, because she was more than determined to make a successful life for herself; it was the fact that she needed to get organized, process through, and prioritize everything that was waiting for her on her plate.

  “We’re sorry for putting so much on you, dear,” her mother said, bringing Janelle close enough to kiss the si
de of her head. “If it gets to be too much out here, give us a call and we’ll figure something out.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be just fine, JoAnne,” her father assured. “Hon, you’ll just have to prioritize while we’re away.”

  Taking a look at the time, she realized it was getting late—she was technically three hours past her bedtime. “I hate to cut our visiting short, but I should really get some sleep if you want me up at the crack of dawn. These hours are already killing me.”

  After hugging each of them, she made her way to her room and changed into her pajamas. She set the alarm on her phone for the butt-crack of dawn—less than seven hours away. She would have to wake up and get a shower before she could even drink her first cup of coffee.

  Tomorrow would be a fun-filled, action-packed day and she had no idea what to expect. Knowing that five a.m. would come too soon, she tossed back the covers and climbed into bed before clicking off the lamp centered on the stand. The coffee shop would need her to be on time and she had a deadline to meet for the Enquirer, which was approaching at the end of this week. The only thing she could do was hope for the best as she snuggled into a deep sleep underneath the heavy comforter.

  Chapter Two

  Stumbling around at six a.m. could be added to one of her never-ending lists of things she hated the most. Trying to keep her eyes open, she made her way to the bathroom. Without allowing herself to hesitate too long, she turned the water on for her shower—tempted to turn it to ice cold to assist her in waking up quicker.

  Taking no longer than fifteen minutes, she turned the water off and climbed out. Seeing her reflection in the mirror served as a reminder of the reason she was never up this early in the morning. Wrapping her layered, dark brown hair into a nearby towel, she twisted it and balanced it on top of her head. Taking a closer look into the mirror, she could see the recent discoloration around her hazel eyes. Fumbling through her makeup bag, she pulled out a few things as a quick solution for her too-tired look.