Ready for Romance

by Debbie Macomber

  Not surprisingly, Evan was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Sterling arrived ten minutes after Jessica, greeting her with a small approving smile, and set about sorting through the mail.

  Jessica spent the first part of the morning organizing the material she’d researched the day before and typing up her notes. That way, Evan wouldn’t be forced to waste time deciphering her hasty scrawl.

  She’d just completed printing out the results when a breathless Evan entered the office. From the look of him, he’d raced all the way up from the parking garage. Briefcase in hand, he marched up to her desk.

  “Do you have those notes ready?” he asked, reaching for the file before Jessica had a chance to present it. She stood up, intending to discuss a number of points with him, but he brushed past her and hurried into his office without a word. She would have followed him, but he closed the door.

  Jessica was taken aback; unsure of what to do, she looked at Mrs. Sterling. The secretary sighed and shrugged. “Working for Mr. Dryden can be a real trial,” she muttered, then grinned and added, “No pun intended.”

  No sooner had Mrs. Sterling finished chuckling over her own little joke than Evan reappeared, looking composed and confident. He’d removed his raincoat and was leafing casually through the file. He looked over at Jessica and his face relaxed into a broad smile.

  “You’re an angel,” he said, kissing her cheek as he walked past. Jessica had seen him kiss Mrs. Sterling in the same affectionate way.

  “I’ll be in a meeting with Damian this morning,” Evan announced on his way out the door.

  As the morning progressed, Jessica found herself wondering exactly what her role in the office was. Although Evan had recently been assigned the Earl Kress case, his work load had been light in the past few months. Now that she’d finished the research project, there was barely enough to keep her busy.

  From various bits and pieces, Jessica had learned that Evan’s interest in corporate law had waned recently. Surely Damian hadn’t hired her expecting miracles! Since he was so closemouthed about Evan’s troubles, Jessica wondered if Mrs. Sterling could fill in some details. She didn’t want to be obvious about asking, which could prove tricky since the woman was so clearly devoted to her employer.

  “That Evan’s a real charmer, isn’t he?” Jessica began conversationally.

  “He always could charm the birds right out the trees,” Mrs. Sterling answered proudly.

  “He’s different now from the way I remember him. More…intense.”

  Evan’s secretary nodded and muttered, “I’d like to shoot that woman.”

  Jessica’s heart leapt with excitement. “What woman?” she asked, hoping to hide her eagerness. She was about to learn what had happened to change Evan so drastically from the man she’d known.

  Mrs. Sterling glanced up, as if surprised that Jessica had heard her mumbling. “Oh…it’s nothing.”

  “But it must be something. Evan isn’t anything like he was a few years back. Oh, he’s charming and sweet, but there’s an edge to him now. A sharpness, I guess. Something I can’t put my finger on.” She looked expectantly at the other woman.

  “That’s true enough,” Mrs. Sterling reluctantly conceded.

  “You say a woman’s responsible for the changes in Evan?”

  “Isn’t it always a woman?”

  “What happened?” Might as well try a more direct approach, Jessica thought. Tact wasn’t getting her anywhere.

  “It’s a pity, a real pity.”

  “Yes, Evan just isn’t the same,” Jessica said, hoping to encourage the other woman to continue.

  “It shouldn’t come as any surprise, really. Yet it does, Mr. Dryden being the charmer he is. Plain and simple, he fell in love with someone who didn’t feel the same way about him.” Then she clamped her mouth closed as though she’d already said far more than she should—far more than was circumspect for a secretary to say about her boss.

  But this much she already knew. What she was looking for were the particulars. Who was this woman who’d hurt Evan so badly? Her back stiffened at the thought of someone rejecting him. The man she’d worshiped from afar during her tumultuous teenage years. Whoever this woman was, Jessica decided, she was a fool.

  About eleven Evan walked into the office. He smiled as he strolled past Mrs. Sterling’s desk to hers. “The research you did was wonderful, Jessica. Thank you.”

  His appreciation caught her off guard. She wondered if Damian had said something to him and was momentarily speechless.

  “I appreciate the effort that went into your report,” he continued. “I’m very pleased by the quality of your work.”

  “I…I was happy to do it. That’s my…my job.” The words stumbled off the end of her tongue. Jessica was amazed that his praise could fluster her so. She was embarrassed now by the way she’d overreacted last night when she’d learned he’d left the office. It was her own fault for not taking time to eat lunch. Evan’s disappearance wouldn’t have bothered her in the least if she had….

  “Damian said you were here till almost eight.”

  So Damian had mentioned that. “As I said earlier, I was only doing my job.”

  “Mom and Dad are having a barbecue this weekend,” Evan continued, “Saturday, around four. I’d like you to attend it with me.”

  His invitation threw her. She wasn’t sure what to say. Although she hadn’t had a lot of work experience, she knew that dating the boss could lead to problems.

  “This shouldn’t be a difficult decision,” Evan said, grinning.

  His pride had already suffered one blow, and Jessica discovered she was unwilling to deliver a second, no matter how slight. “I’d enjoy that very much,” she said. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

  He smiled affectionately. “You always were a sweet thing.”

  As a teenager, Jessica’s daydreams had been filled with such scenarios. She’d close her eyes and pretend Evan had asked her out. Now her dream had come true, but Jessica was left wishing it had been Damian issuing the invitation, instead of his brother.

  “I’ll pick you up. You are living in the city, aren’t you?”

  Jessica nodded. “Wouldn’t it be simpler if we met at the party? As it happens, I’m spending the weekend with my parents, and I can walk over with them.”

  Evan seemed a bit surprised by her suggestion. “You’re sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “Then that’ll be fine. I’ll look forward to seeing you there.”

  There’d been a time in her life when she would have gladly walked across a bed of hot coals to attend a party with Evan. Any party. Anywhere. Hadn’t Damian been counting on that when he hired her—even if he claimed to know she was long over her crush?

  “The festivity’s in honor of some dignitary,” Evan went on. “Mom’s worked herself into a tizzy for the event. I can guarantee this will be the most elaborate barbecue Boston has ever seen. The last I heard, Mom hired a country-and-western band.”

  “It sounds like fun.”

  “Considering all the effort that’s going into it, I’m sure it will be. You can do the two-step, can’t you, sweet Jessica?”

  “Of course.” How easy it was to stretch the truth. In fact, she’d only done the two-step once or twice before. “Well, I’m pretty rusty,” she amended.

  “Me, too. We’ll leave the fancy footwork to Damian.”

  Damian, she thought with a sigh. There was definitely something wrong with her, something psychological, something rooted deep in her childhood, she guessed, if she could agree to date one brother while longing for the other.

  The hours flew by and before Jessica knew it, the workday had come to an end. Mrs. Sterling had just stepped out of the office when Damian strolled casually in.

  “Evan’s left for the day,” Jessica said, a little flustered to find him standing in front of her desk. Especially since she’d again been thinking how much she’d have preferred to attend the family barbecue with him.

&
nbsp; “I’m not here to see my brother.”

  “Mrs. Sterling will be right back.”

  “I came to see you,” Damian explained, his eyes dark and intense as they settled on her.

  Jessica tensed. Did he have some complaint with her work?

  “Don’t look so worried. I came to tell you my parents are holding a party this weekend. A barbecue.”

  “Yes, I know. Evan mentioned it earlier.”

  Jessica swore Damian’s eyes brightened with interest. He crossed his arms and leaned against her desk. “What did he say about it?”

  “Not much. Apparently it’s in honor of some dignitary.”

  “I see.” He hesitated as if he was unsure, which Jessica knew was completely out of character for Damian. “I was wondering…” he began, then straightened and buried his hands deep in his pants pockets. “Would you like to come to the party with me?”

  Her shoulders sagged as she opened her mouth to explain that Evan had already invited her, but before she could respond, Damian added, “I realize it’s short notice, but I didn’t hear the details myself until this morning.” A hint of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Mother phoned, wanting to be sure I’d be there. She seems to be taking her duties very seriously.”

  “Ah…”

  “There’s a problem,” he guessed.

  She nodded glumly. “Evan’s already invited me to the party—as his date.” She wanted to tell Damian she’d much prefer to attend with him, but she couldn’t. “I’m sorry,” she added.

  “He did?” Instead of looking displeased at this turn of events, Damian sounded positively delighted. “Don’t be sorry.”

  His reaction annoyed her.

  “It isn’t like a real date,” she said, wanting to make that clear. “At least, that wasn’t the impression Evan gave me. The invitation was his way of thanking me for working so hard on the research project.”

  “My brother wouldn’t invite you if he wasn’t interested in your company,” Damian insisted. “Besides, I wouldn’t want my brother to think I was cutting in on his territory.”

  His territory.

  Damian must have guessed her feelings, because he said, “Evan asked you first.”

  He was right about that, she thought, but little else.

  Damian turned away, and it suddenly became important to Jessica to explain herself. “I don’t think you should put much stock in Evan’s invitation. It really was just a way of thanking me.”

  “It’s a start, though, don’t you think?” Damian said over his shoulder. “A good start, at that.” He left her then before she could say anything more.

  Jessica was upset, and it wasn’t until she got home that she figured out why. Damian hadn’t invited her to the party out of any real desire for her company. He’d assumed that Evan hadn’t asked her—and he was looking for an opportunity to throw her and his brother together socially.

  JESSICA ARRIVED at her parents’ house early Saturday afternoon, after spending all morning shopping for the perfect outfit. Cathy had come along to offer encouragement and advice.

  She might not be attending the barbecue with Damian, but when she showed up looking like a movie star, he’d wish she was. This was her mission, plain and simple.

  Evan had casually mentioned the country-and-western band, but he’d also said the barbecue was in honor of some dignitary. These somewhat contradictory snippets of information served to confuse her about how to dress. Nothing in her closet seemed suitable, but then little in the shops did, either.

  In one outfit she resembled Annie Oakley, and in another Jackie Kennedy. There didn’t seem to be much of a middle ground—until she found a long denim skirt, a red shirt decorated with rainbow-colored fringe sewn about the yoke and white cowboy boots. A white silk scarf tied around her neck lent a touch of elegance.

  Her mother’s eyes widened with approval when Jessica modeled the outfit. “I wish now I’d gone shopping, too, and bought something new myself. You look great.”

  “Thanks.” Her mother’s praise gave Jessica confidence. Cathy, who tended to dress like a character in a sci-fi movie, had also said she looked great, but Jessica wasn’t sure she trusted her friend’s fashion sense.

  “It was so sweet of Evan to include you,” Joyce Kellerman went on to say. “Not that I’m surprised, his being your boss and all. Life is certainly full of little twists and turns, isn’t it?

  “It sure is,” Jessica said without elaborating.

  “I’m thrilled that you’re working with Evan.”

  “He’s a nice person.”

  “He’s wonderful. It’s always been my dream, I know it’s silly, but well, we’re such good friends with the Drydens…I’ve hoped you’d grow up to marry one of Lois’s boys.”

  “Whatever you do,” Jessica said quickly, “don’t say that in front of Damian or Evan.”

  “Why not, dear?”

  “Mom, it’d embarrass me to death!”

  “But you were so keen on Evan a few years back, and I thought…I hoped…”

  “Mother, I was only fourteen!” Her old infatuation with Evan was turning into the proverbial albatross around her neck—thanks to Damian and her mother. If it wasn’t for them, the whole thing would have been forgotten by now.

  “You’ll make a beautiful bride,” her mother said, adding the finishing touches to her own outfit. Suddenly she changed the subject. “Lois has worried herself sick over this silly barbecue.”

  “But why?” Mrs. Dryden had thrown a hundred parties more elaborate than this.

  Her mother sat on the bed and leaned back on her hands. “I don’t suppose there’s any reason to keep it a secret. Walter’s been approached about running for the Senate.”

  Walter Dryden had been active in community affairs for years. Although he’d never held public office, he’d often managed the successful campaigns of others. He’d taken an early retirement from the law firm, and, from what Jessica understood, had grown restless with inactivity. Running for office would doubtless come as a welcome challenge.

  “Has he decided he’s going to run?”

  “Your father and I think so. He hasn’t declared his candidacy yet, but we’re confident he will. He’s testing the waters with this barbecue tonight. Several people from the political arena will be present. This is probably the most important party of Lois’s marriage. Little wonder she’s a nervous wreck.”

  Even before Jessica and her parents arrived for the barbecue, the pungent smells of tomato sauce, spices and roasting meat mingled with the afternoon sunshine and drifted over the fence.

  As they were greeted at the front door, Jessica was reminded, by the way Lois hugged her mother, what very good friends the two women were. Their friendship had spanned twenty years, and they were like sisters. Jessica felt the same way about Cathy. They’d met in college, where they’d been roommates for three years.

  When Jessica didn’t immediately see Evan or Damian, she wandered outside. A series of round tables decorated in red checked tablecloths were scattered across the lush expanse of lawn. The day was perfect, warm but not hot, and the sky was cloudless. A soft breeze ruffled the leaves of the large shade trees that lined the property. This was New England summer at its best. The smells of food were heavenly, too, reminding her how hungry she was. Shopping and preparing for the party hadn’t left time for lunch.

  Several dozen guests had arrived, and Jessica scanned the crowd. She spotted Evan standing next to a lovely blonde in a chic white fringed dress with a turquoise belt and silver buckle. Jessica didn’t recognize the woman, and a few discreet inquiries got her nowhere. She became all the more curious. She attempted to make her way to Evan, since she was officially his date, but in actuality, she was seeking an introduction to the lovely blonde. Perhaps this was Evan’s new romantic interest, she thought hopefully. But before she could reach Evan, she was waylaid by some family friends. Most of the Drydens’ guests were older people, established names Jessica had known or hea
rd all her life.

  “Hello, Jessica,” Damian said from behind her. She turned to find him in the sort of suit he wore at the office. He’d made an attempt to dress to the theme with a black Stetson, which, Jessica thought, looked entirely out of place on his very Bostonian head.

  His eyes glimmered with appreciation. “You look—” he hesitated as though he didn’t know what to say “—good.”

  Jessica wagered that it wasn’t often Damian was at a loss for words. It lifted her spirits considerably.

  “I imagine you’re wondering who that blonde is, the one draping herself all over Evan,” he suggested casually.

  Jessica pretended she was, although she couldn’t help being grateful to this unknown woman for keeping Evan occupied. Otherwise he might feel obliged to pay attention to her, and she’d much rather spend her time with Damian.

  “Who is she?” Jessica asked, playing his game.

  “Do I detect a small hint of jealousy?”

  “Of course not.” The question irritated her.

  “That’s Romilda Sidonie.”

  “Who?”

  “The European dignitary’s daughter.”

  That explained it. Naturally Evan considered it his duty to make Romilda feel welcome. Jessica was pleased to see him apparently enjoying himself.

  “Would you like me to introduce you?” Damian asked.

  “No,” Jessica said, noticing Evan and Romilda moving toward the dance area. “Evan’s having a good time. I don’t see any reason to interrupt him.”

  “You’re his date.”

  “But only because you prompted him into asking me.”

  Damian’s eyes narrowed. “What makes you say that?”

  “I’m not completely naive, you know. I think the reason you came into my office to invite me was that you didn’t think Evan had—you wanted to make sure the two of us were together in a social situation so you could see what happened. Am I right?”

  He joined his hands behind his back and took two small steps away, then turned to face her again. She saw a hint of a smile in his eyes. “If you’re right—though I’m not saying you are—I’d never admit it.”