by Nina Singh
Jess. No one else was home. He stood and opened the door for her.
She granted him a small smile. Saints above. How did a woman manage to look so tempting in paint-covered overalls and a do-rag bandanna wrapped around her head? Not that the rag was doing much to maintain any control of her unruly locks.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ve finished.”
Jordan hadn’t been expecting the feeling of disappointment that meandered through his gut at the announcement. Nor did he anticipate wondering when he would see her next.
“Oh. Well, thanks. Let me just grab my checkbook.”
But she stopped him with a hand to his chest before he could turn away. The contact sent a surge of heat through his core. As if reading his errant mind, she pulled away in haste.
“No, don’t do that.”
“Do you prefer an electronic transfer of funds?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean I won’t accept any money. It was a labor of love. Truly. I’m happy to know Sonya liked it and hopefully she’ll enjoy it even more with the additions made today.”
Jordan felt a moment of uncertainty. Should he insist? He’d never had anyone turn down a fee for rendered services before. The original artwork was one thing, but he’d asked her to come by this afternoon and add to it.
She smiled at his confusion. “It really isn’t necessary, Jordan. You needn’t waste another thought on it.”
What manner of sorceress was this young lady? She beguiled him. Did something to his senses he wasn’t familiar with nor prepared for. Under any other circumstances, despite their clear differences and incompatibility, he might have asked her out. Maybe something as simple as having her show him around this new town he found himself in. And then at the end of the day, they could share a bottle of wine over a cozy candlelit dinner. Then see where things led.
Just. Stop.
Mere moments ago he’d been reminding himself of all the reasons he shouldn’t entertain such thoughts about Jess—or any other woman for that matter.
“I don’t know what to say. I feel like I should pay for all the time and effort you put in.”
Her eyes narrowed on his face. “I assure you, it isn’t necessary in this case. Like I said, I refuse to be paid for a task I initiated and loved doing.”
He’d never actually thought about it that way; wasn’t sure if it even made much sense. “If you’re certain,” he said, giving her a chance to change her mind once more.
“I am. I wouldn’t cash a check if you gave me one.”
Several awkward moments ensued. Neither one of them seemed to know what to say next. Though he felt like kicking himself, he desperately didn’t want her to walk out the door just yet.
“Do you need help gathering your things?” He finally managed to speak a coherent question.
“Uh... Thanks but I’ve already loaded everything into my car.”
“Oh. I guess—I guess you’re all set, then.”
She glanced away, a rosy glow appearing on her cheeks.
But then they both spoke at once, over each other.
“I can see myself out.” Just as Jordan said, “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Okay, now the air felt really awkward. He was a successful, accomplished businessman for heaven’s sake. He gave professional presentations and delivered talks to some of the most prominent people in the industry. And here he was stammering, trying to talk to a woman he’d just barely met.
He had to get a grip. And he had to stop focusing on how her curves filled out what should have been a completely unflattering denim outfit. Or how her nose seemed to have just the perfect number of light freckles that he only just now noticed.
This was getting ridiculous. He shook off the wayward thoughts. There was no use for them. He was bound to run into her from time to time. Especially considering Sonya would no doubt participate in many activities at the community center where Jess worked. But he would leave it at that. He owed it to his little sister to make her the number one priority right now. After all, if it wasn’t for him, that precious little girl could still very well have her hearing intact.
“I should probably get back to work, then,” he told her then watched her walk out without another word.
* * *
She certainly was leading a glamorous, adventurous life, Jess thought with sarcasm as she settled onto her couch and pulled her tablet out to find a movie to stream. Unlike her mother.
Martha’s Vineyard had its fair share of pubs and restaurants. There was plenty to do to socialize, particularly in the summer. She’d been invited to head out to one of those spots with a couple of friends in her apartment building. She’d declined. This suited her just fine. Lately, she was getting tired of the weekend routine of staying up all night then missing half the next day sleeping in. Anyway, she needed some downtime. Her emotions had been on a proverbial roller-coaster ride since Jordan Paydan had stridden into town.
Some strange sorcery must have come into play just then because her tablet lit up with a notification of an incoming call. To her surprise, it was Jordan. Probably calling to give her feedback on Sonya’s reaction to the completed diorama. Her mouth went dry and she took a quick sip of water before she could answer.
“Hello,” she spoke into her phone.
“I hope I’m not calling at an inconvenient time,” his smooth, baritone voice asked over the tiny speaker.
Jess glanced down at the capri sweats she wore and her thinned-out ratty T-shirt. Then she glanced at the pint of mint chocolate chip she planned on as her dinner.
“No. Not at all.”
“We were wondering if you were busy later. If you had plans for this evening?”
They were? It took effort to keep her voice from stammering when she answered. “Nothing terribly exciting or urgent,” she managed to say. Quite an understatement that was. Her date with the streaming service notwithstanding.
There had to be some explanation for this phone call. Perhaps it wasn’t even happening. Maybe she was just dreaming it. It was the only theory that made sense.
“Excellent. See, you and I were sort of wrong about Sonya’s reaction to your artwork.”
Jess’s heart sank. That explained everything. He was calling because his sister was less thrilled, apparently wanted something changed.
“Uh, we were?”
“She wasn’t just happy with it. She was thrilled.”
“Oh!” Relief surged through her chest. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
His amusement at her reaction was clear in his voice when he spoke again. “She asked to thank you in person. Like immediately. Any chance you can join us for dinner?”
The offer was so unexpected, Jess was glad she’d put her glass down on the coffee table. No doubt she would have dropped it. “Dinner?”
He hesitated. “We’ll understand if you’d rather pass—”
“No! I mean, I didn’t have any plans for dinner at all. Other than the ice cream. Mint chocolate chip. Which isn’t really a dinner, but sometimes a girl just needs to relax with a creamy frozen treat. Plus, it’s from Bimby’s down the street. Have you been there yet? The best ice cream this side of the Atlantic. And they have all sorts of fun activities. Mini-golf, bumper boats. You should really go. Even a petting zoo!” Oh, dear Lord, now she was rambling like a madwoman.
Thank goodness he couldn’t see the redness that was sure to be coloring her cheeks. He’d just so completely thrown her off guard. Not that she ever felt fully calm or collected when it came to this man.
He chuckled once more. “We’ll be sure to check it out. As for tonight, I’ve just fired up the grill, then Sonya’s going to help me throw together a salad. It should all be ready by the time you get here.”
Jess knew she should decline, knew that graciously turning down
his invite would be a good idea. An even better idea would be to resolve to try and avoid Jordan Paydan as much as humanly possible.
And it wasn’t like she was in any state of dress to be seen out in public, in a ratty T-shirt with even rattier capri sweats and fuzzy socks. Why on earth couldn’t she be one of those women who stayed dressed and ready for anything? Rather than one who threw on any old top and a pair of sweats at the first opportunity? Again, so unlike her mom. Jacinda was always ready to go, no matter what the situation called for. Not this again. How many times a day did she have to remind herself not to compare herself to her mother? She’d learned long ago that no one really compared to the woman, least of all her only child. For one, Jacinda wouldn’t dream of living full-time on an island off the Massachusetts coast where most people only came on vacation.
In the end, her self-will utterly failed her. “I’m looking forward to it,” she replied into the phone on a resigned sigh then made her way to the small bathroom of her apartment. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s the least we can do. Especially considering you refused any sort of payment for all your hard work.”
There it was. A reminder that she couldn’t read too much into this invite. Jordan was simply being polite and trying to find a way to thank her since she’d refused his offer of payment. Nothing more than that.
“I can be there in about half an hour if that works.”
“Great. I’ll let Sonya know. She’ll be happy to see you.”
He’d just told her that Sonya would be happy to see her. Not Jordan. Again, it would be silly of her to think otherwise, even for a moment.
“Oh, and Jess?” he asked before she’d disconnected.
“Yes?”
“Bring the ice cream. I’ve always loved mint chocolate chip.”
CHAPTER FOUR
JORDAN COULDN’T QUITE recall when he’d actually become an impulsive man. For that was what extending the dinner invite to Jess had been: completely impulsive. But the look on his baby sister’s face when she’d seen Jess’s completed castle had sent a bolt of emotion through him he hadn’t been ready for.
Jess was responsible for that look. So when Sonya said she wished Jess hadn’t left before she could tell her thank you, he hadn’t allowed himself to think too much about what he wanted to do. He wanted Jess to share the evening with them, one of their first few evenings in their new home without the stress and hassle of unpacking or trying to get fully settled. The little girl had been through so much in such a short period of time, it touched Jordan’s heart when she did manage a genuine, heartfelt smile.
He threw a dozen prepared kebabs on the patio’s built-in circular stone grill and turned to really study his new backyard for the first time. His new environment was so different than the high-rise luxury apartment he’d called home until just recently.
An inground crystal-blue pool complete with two cascading waterfalls marked the central centerpiece of a lushly green outdoor space. A gray brick patio area led to a double screen door to the kitchen of the main house. The caretakers’ cottage, which Elise occupied, could be seen about an acre away. The grill and a built-in fire pit sat between the sitting area and the pool.
Would Jess like it?
Funny, he’d never particularly felt the need to impress a woman before. An outside observer may find it coldhearted, but the women he’d been involved with in the past weren’t ones he’d felt terribly invested in emotionally; his relationships were based on not much more than mutual attraction.
He glanced at the expensive Italian Frascati sitting in the ice bucket by the glass dining table. He’d spent an exorbitant amount of time in the gourmet wine shop earlier this evening picking out a bottle he thought would suit what little he knew of Jess’s tastes. So yeah, that was something of a new experience, as well.
He was definitely trying to impress her; there was no denying it. Nor was there any denying of the bolt of pleasure that shot through his center when he heard her voice behind him. He turned to find her walking through the kitchen screen door with Sonya trailing behind her.
“Something smells mouthwateringly delicious. I hope it’s okay. Sonya let me in when she noticed me outside the front door.”
No, he didn’t mind at all. Was immensely pleased she was here and would be spending the evening with them.
“Of course not. Come in. Have a seat. The kebabs should be ready momentarily.”
Sonya was beaming. She pulled her chair close to the one Jordan had pulled out for Jess and sat right next to her. Hard to explain exactly why the little girl had taken such a swift liking to the young artist teacher. Perhaps they were kindred souls or spirits who had called to each other. So what was his own excuse?
“Thanks for coming out,” he told her.
She gave him a small smile before answering. “Thank you for the invite. To be honest, I never thought I’d be having dinner here, in this house.”
“Oh? You were familiar with the house from before?”
Jess chuckled as she settled into her seat. “You’re kidding, right? This place is known throughout town. The old Tallard mansion. Everyone’s been wondering about its next occupant ever since the Tallards moved to Panama City last year.”
So maybe she was impressed. Only, it had nothing to do with him. He would have to do something about that.
“They shall wonder no more.”
She looked around. “The patio additions are new. And so are the waterfalls.”
“I had them add a few new touches.”
“Very nice,” she repeated. Damn it, he should have thought to ask her to bring a bathing suit. The night was pleasantly warm and the pool water heated to the perfect temp. He found himself wondering what she would look like in a formfitting bikini. She looked like the type who might have a belly button ring. And a small tattoo somewhere discreet, maybe on her inner thigh. He had to shake those images away before it was too late.
Sonya continued to smile as the two spoke. Within minutes they’d each filled their plates and had begun to eat.
“You appear to be a man of many talents, Mr. Paydan,” Jess declared. “Quite the cook based on this meal.”
Jordan grunted. “Hardly. The kebabs were premade at the butcher and Sonya suggested crispy French bread to go with it all. I’m going to have to figure out meals going forward. I’ll have to find a live-in chef or a meal delivery service like we had in Manhattan. Or we’ll be having kebabs every night unless we want to starve.”
Whether Sonya heard the gist of what he’d said or she was reacting to his expression, he couldn’t be sure. But she giggled with amusement. She was truly enjoying herself. When was the last time that had happened?
Jess nodded. “Clara mentioned that your mom had moved to New York after leaving the island. The vineyard must seem like a far cry from Manhattan,” she supplied.
“It’s going to be a bit of an adjustment. But my mother grew up here. And I think it’s a better environment for Sonya.” The ever-present feeling of guilt clogged his throat and he had to clear it before he choked on it.
“That’s why you made such a drastic move?”
He nodded. “I should have done so as soon as I found myself the guardian of a small child.”
“Sounds as if it was somewhat unexpected.” Jess shifted in her seat. “If you don’t mind my asking, how did that come about? I’m sorry if it’s not something you like to discuss.”
Did he mind talking about it? He certainly hadn’t spoken of their circumstances much with many others. Though every one in New York’s social circles was well aware of his tale. It had made all the rounds in the city papers. He found himself wanting to share the story with her, though she was barely more than a stranger at this point.
He put his fork down and began to tell her.
* * *
Jess wanted very
badly to reach out and stroke Jordan’s hand in comfort as he spoke. Sonya had finished eating and was now lying on a lounge chair by the pool, fully engrossed in a picture book. As accomplished and successful a man as Jordan was, he must have been completely taken by shock by the circumstances that had led him to where he was today. But Jess didn’t know him well enough to guess as to whether he would welcome such a move. She hardly knew him at all. So why did she feel so touched by what he was describing to her about all the turmoil he’d been dealt in the past few years?
“I lost my mother as a teen,” he told her. “She became ill and never recovered.” The sorrow in his voice as he spoke of the loss had tears stinging her eyes.
“She’s a bit of a legend around here,” Jess said. “Local girl who moved on to become an international fashion model. Then married a successful American tycoon.”
Jordan swallowed. “They lived a fairy-tale life until hers ended. In a way, my father never really recovered either after she was gone.”
“I’m so sorry, Jordan.” The words felt so useless as she uttered them.
“I tried to keep myself busy and distracted with school. I’d been attending an exclusive boarding school in Rhode Island. My father insisted it was better for me to maintain my regular routine. So I went back even though I worried about leaving him.”
“Your father’s concern for you overrode his grief.”
“He grieved a long while. So it surprised me when he remarried over a decade later. Sonya’s mother is everything my mom was not.”
“How so?”
“She was a model, as well. They met during fashion week at a charity event. That’s where any similarities end between her and my mother. She barely acknowledged her child, leaving her in the care of my father and an ever-revolving stream of nannies. I never risked insulting my father by mentioning it, but I have little doubt that Sonya’s conception was merely a ploy to snare a wealthy husband.”
Jess grasped for the right words, but they failed her.
