Free The Lake House Secret, A Romantic Suspense Novel (A Jenessa Jones Mystery) by Debra Burroughs Page B

Ramey.”
    “Maybe.” She flipped the fish on the grill.
    Jenessa returned to Ramey’s side. “Hey, I was wondering…what’s with Michael Baxter?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “What’s his story? What happened to him after high school?”
    Ramey grinned. “Interested?”
    “No, not really,” Jenessa replied, working to keep her voice even and casual. “I mean, well, we were friends in high school and then we lost touch after I left. I’ve run into him a few times since I got back and I just wondered.”
    “Hmm.” Ramey eyed Jenessa like she wasn’t sure that’s all it was. “He went into the army after high school, then he went to college back east. He met a girl there and they got married, had a baby, then she left him.”
    “What?” That wasn’t at all what Jenessa had expected to hear.
    “Yes, that’s what happened. He moved his little family back here to Hidden Valley and one day she up and left him.”
    “What about the baby?”
    “Oh, she left him here with Michael. The boy’s about five now.”
    “He has a son?” Jenessa’s hand flew to her chest as a tingling sensation spread across it. The baby she had given up for adoption had been a boy.
    “Yeah, little Jake, short for Jacob,” Ramey replied.
    “I had no idea.” Did he look like his daddy? “Jacob Baxter,” Jenessa muttered.
    “Yeah, pretty sad. Michael’s such a nice guy.” Ramey had known Michael all her life. They had both been born and raised in Hidden Valley.
    “How did he manage with a job and a baby?”
    “Well, you know his folks still live here. His mom watched the baby while Michael was at work—still does. I think Jake’s going into kindergarten in the fall.”
    One of the french doors opened and Sara stepped out with a platter. “What are you girls talking about?”
    “Nothing special,” Jenessa said. “Just catching up.” She gave Ramey a wink and walked back inside before Sara could stir something up.

Chapter 11
    They sat down to dinner. The chatter around the table was background noise to Jenessa, her mind was on Michael and his little boy.
    “The salmon is delicious, Ramey,” Aunt Renee praised. “Isn’t it, Jenessa?”
    Hearing her name brought her attention back to the table. “What?”
    “The salmon.” Aunt Renee lifted her forkful of fish. “Delicious, isn’t it?”
    “Oh, yes. Delicious. Great job, Ramey,” Jenessa recovered.
    “Special seasoning?” Sara asked.
    “Your mom’s recipe,” Ramey replied. “The risotto is hers too.”
    “I’m glad you learned to cook from her, because her recipes were wasted on my sister and me,” Sara said.
    Jenessa had to agree. Their interests always seemed to lie elsewhere. “Maybe now that we’re grown up you can teach us a few things, Ramey.”
    “Men are always impressed by a good meal, girls,” Aunt Renee noted. “I can’t believe I’ve got three lovely single ladies right here and not a man in sight for any of you.” She grimaced and shook her head.
    “Okay, moving on to another subject,” Jenessa cut in, glancing around the table. “Would any of you object to my driving Dad’s car for a while? My old Toyota is on its last leg, and I, frankly, don’t have the money to repair it right now.”
    “I wonder who he left it to in his Will,” Sara said, taking a bite of risotto.
    The last thing Jenessa wanted was to battle her sister over the car. “Until we find that out, do you mind if I drive it? I need a reliable vehicle for my new job.”
    “As long as you don’t bang it up,” Sara warned. “Maybe Daddy left it to me.”
    “Maybe not,” Jenessa countered.
    Sara frowned. “Then we may want to sell it and split the proceeds after we sort out Daddy’s estate. The house too.”
    “The house?” Jenessa’s voice rose. “You want to sell our house?” She was finally beginning to feel at home somewhere, feeling part of a family again, and now her sister was talking about getting rid of her home.
    “It’s far too big for