by Nina Singh
But she would do it for Sonya.
The little girl shrugged. Then started to sign. S-C-A... Jess couldn’t make out the next letters. Sonya continued with E-D.
Scared. She was telling her she was scared.
“Everyone gets a little frightened to be on stage.” Sonya seemed to understand the gist of what she was saying. Then Jess signed O and then K.
They both settled on the mattress and slowly began flipping the thick cardboard pages. She had no idea how much time had passed. So she was surprised to wake up to Jordan’s wide smile a couple of hours later with Sonya snuggled tight up against her chest.
* * *
Jordan had to admit how torn he felt at the scene that greeted him when he finally stepped into his sister’s room after losing track of time while he worked.
Jess had fallen asleep herself. She lay sprawled on the side of Sonya’s bed fully clothed on top of the covers.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she gingerly stood so as not to wake the child who had nestled up against her. “I guess I was so tired, I couldn’t stay awake.”
“So it would appear.”
She didn’t make eye contact as she strode by him out of the bedroom and into the hall. Jordan softly shut the door behind him and turned to where she stood.
She was a disheveled mess. Her clothing had to still be at least damp and clung to her in a wrinkled mess of fabric. Her hair was a pile of unruly curls framing her face and cascading down her shoulders only about half still in the clip. Her cheeks were ruddy and her eyes swollen with sleep.
He thought she looked achingly beautiful.
“I’ll just be on my way, I guess. Sorry to have overstayed my welcome.”
But he stopped her before she could walk away. He gently took her by the arm and turned her to face him. “Wait.”
“What is it, Jordan?”
“It’s late. And you’re tired. There’s no need for you to leave. Spend the night in the guest room. I’d feel better not letting you drive given the hour and your grogginess.”
He could see the battle behind her eyes. Jordan didn’t want to speculate as to the causes of her hesitation; wouldn’t allow himself to read too much into the reaction. She had to know he was simply offering a logical alternative to driving in the middle of the night while she was sleepy.
Logic apparently won out. She hesitated some more before finally blowing out a breath. “I guess it’s probably wise to stay.”
Before she could change her mind, Jordan showed her the way to the guest suite down the hall.
“Good night, Jordan. Hope you have a pleasant sleep,” she said, then slowly shut the door.
He knew full well that wasn’t terribly likely. Not with Jess merely a few feet away under the same roof.
The hours that slowly passed until morning only served to prove him right. Jordan spent the night tossing and turning, his mind restless and all too aware of his alluring overnight guest.
When morning finally arrived, it wasn’t soon enough. Jordan made his way into the kitchen and immediately plugged in the coffee machine. He wasn’t surprised when Jess appeared in the doorway. She looked every bit as tempting as she had last night.
“Thank you for such fine accommodations. I definitely needed the rest.”
At least one of them had gotten some sleep, Jordan thought with no small amount of envy. “What kind of host would I be if I didn’t offer you a cup of coffee upon awakening?”
She gave him a small, albeit grateful, smile. “I’ll take you up on that. I’m not really safe to operate heavy machinery before a hit of caffeine in the morning.”
There went his resolution from just yesterday about not inviting Jess to any more activities. But he knew they had to talk before she left. They couldn’t just ignore what had happened last night. Though he wanted nothing more right now than to do just that, he’d never been one to put off things he didn’t want to face.
The coffee was brewed in no time and he was soon pouring each of them a tall, steamy mug of the rich Jamaican blend he always had on hand.
“This smells heavenly. Thanks,” Jess said before taking a small sip.
“How did Sonya seem last night?” he asked her.
“Tired. Very tired.” She ducked her head as if embarrassed. “And apparently, so was I.”
“We shouldn’t have asked you to stay after such a long day. I apologize.”
Jess blinked and looked away. “I’m glad you did. I enjoyed getting Sonya into bed. She’s a delightful little girl.”
“She’s been through a lot. In a very short span of time. I need to be careful with her.”
She sucked in a breath before continuing. As if she were weighing her words. “You do seem quite protective of her.”
“I’m all she has.”
“I think she may need more, Jordan.”
Her statement didn’t surprise him. He wasn’t blind to the happenings around him, and Jess had proven herself to be one who spoke her mind. “If you’re referring to her developing disability, she has standing appointments with several professionals in the city. She’s seen everyone from doctors to counselors to speech pathologists. She’s getting the utmost care to deal with this as it happens.”
Jess looked down. “That’s not what I’m referring to. I figured you would have that part handled given what I know of you already.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing almost.”
She shrugged. “No, it’s not. But sometimes matters require more than the writing of a check.”
“Like what?”
“When I think of what you’ve told me about her. All she’s been through in the past couple of years...”
What exactly was she getting at? “Not to sound harsh, but what exactly is your point? I’m getting her the best care that money can buy.”
Jess let out another long breath. “Exactly. Maybe what she needs isn’t something that can be bought.”
Jess tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand seemed to be trembling ever so slightly as she spoke again. “She lost her father, a somewhat stable home. After she watched him get ill. Then her mother abandoned her.”
“I told you she’s in the care of a child counselor.”
“I’ll try again. Look around you, Jordan. Look at this island. This community. There has to be a reason this is the place you chose.”
He shrugged. “Of course there is. My mother had wonderful stories about growing up here. We even visited a few times when I was a child. I know what a tight-knit community this is.”
She clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Yes. Bingo. It is a tight-knit community. And the sooner she gets the sense of belonging and welcome that I’m sure this town is ready to greet you both with, well, I think it would do a world of good.”
“Maybe you should just come out and say what you’re leading to, Jess.”
She literally braced both hands on the counter in front of her. Whatever she was about to tell him had her grasping for support.
“I want Sonya to feel like she belongs here. That she can make friends here and find an extended family. She’s reaching for a connection, Jordan.”
Like you did when you moved here, he thought but kept the thought to himself.
“How do you propose that happens?”
“Well, I know we touched upon it briefly already. And I hope it’s not too presumptuous of me to bring it up again.”
Jordan had a small inkling of where this might be heading. He simply waited for her to continue.
“I think it would be a good idea to let her start by participating in the community center play.”
* * *
By the time Jess made it home, all she wanted was a hot, steamy shower. But her phone started blowing up as soon as she powered it back on. Mostly texts from Clara.
/> I’m dying to hear how your evening went with you-know-who.
There were four other follow-up texts along the same theme. Also a voice mail from Travis. She couldn’t bring herself to quite listen to that just yet. As much as she adored Travis, she would never see him as anything more than Kelly’s older sibling. And her older brother by extension. He’d been subtle and not so subtle over the years about his desire to develop something more between them. And for the most part, he’d accepted the circumstances. Still, she didn’t want things to be awkward between them like they had been last evening when she and Jordan had run into him.
Jordan. How she wished she could read him better. To his credit, he hadn’t overreacted at her mention of the Mother Goose play. Part of her feared he might. He just reiterated why he was against the idea and that he was too tired to get into the matter right then. And that his spreadsheet still needed some work.
In other words, he’d effectively dismissed her when she’d brought up the topic.
Well, she’d done what she could. If she got the chance, she would try again. For Sonya’s sake.
But for now she had to try and get all thoughts of Jordan Paydan out of her head. Easier said than done, she thought and peeled off her clothing to jump into the shower finally.
Her phone was still pinging with messages by the time she got out. Muttering under her breath about nosy coworkers, she went to mute it once and for all. As much as she loved Clara, she was in no mood to discuss all that had transpired between her and Jordan.
But the latest message wasn’t from her boss. It was from the man himself. And his message indeed took her by surprise.
Please let me know date and time of next rehearsal. Sonya will be there. J
* * *
All in all, the performance could be considered a success, Jess thought as she stood onstage with her cast of children three weeks later. Only one major piece of scenery had toppled over and only half the children had flubbed their few lines. Granted, the other half had completely forgotten theirs. Jess was just glad it was all over as she took her bow along with her tiny castmates. They were receiving a standing ovation. Her gaze was drawn to the little girl standing at the other end of the stage with a wide grin on her face as she bowed before the applause.
Sonya had been a natural. She only had three very short lines but so did most of the other children. And she’d delivered them beautifully. The little girl had not missed one rehearsal in the three weeks since her brother had surprised Jess by giving her the go-ahead. Her assumptions about Sonya being included had been spot-on, if she did say so herself. The other children had immediately embraced Sonya as one of their own. If Jordan appreciated her role in his sister’s newfound group of friends, he hadn’t bothered to acknowledge it. In fact, she hadn’t seen him much at all over these past three weeks, only in passing. Sonya had been dropped off and picked up for each session by her nanny. Never him. Just as well, Jess figured. She needed time to try and curb her growing attraction to a man who was so utterly wrong for her. Jordan was high society, New York City elite. She was a completely different breed. He’d always be the jet-setting city man while she had finally found a stable comfortable existence on a coastal island.
She’d thought that she could overcome such differences with Gary, and look how that had turned out.
Only, the plan to try and forget about Jordan hadn’t quite worked. She’d thought about him constantly since having coffee that morning in his kitchen.
Either he was avoiding her, or she’d made much more of their activities at Kimby’s than he apparently had. Jess hmmphed under her breath as the children scrambled off the stage and ran toward their parents. What did it matter if Jordan appreciated her suggestion or not. She hadn’t done it for him. She’d done it for his sister.
He had to be out there. There was no way he would have missed Sonya perform.
“Don’t forget,” she called to them before they got far. “After-party on South Beach. Your parents all know where to go.”
Maybe Jordan would even show up for that gathering. She couldn’t deny that she hoped he would. That she wanted to see him again. Nor could she deny that a day hadn’t gone by when she hadn’t thought about him and what he might be doing. While he’d probably forgotten who she was.
Why else would he be so completely MIA?
It didn’t matter. She refused to look for him in the audience. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. But her eyes had other ideas. She spotted him a few rows back from the center of the stage. He leaned forward to give his sister a hug with one arm and pulled a colorful bouquet of flowers from behind his back with the other. He handed them to her. The child’s delight was nearly palpable though she stood half an auditorium away.
The image took her breath away. Even from a distance she felt a pang of longing for him that no other man had ever evoked within her. He wore a black collared T-shirt with fitted khakis that flattered his trim and muscular physique. Despite the casual wear, he looked every bit the international tycoon that he was. A tycoon who had made sure to make time for his little sister’s performance of a swan in Mother Goose. Jess forced herself to look away. There was no time to stand here and wallow in her longing. About three dozen guests were headed toward the beach now where some of her colleagues were already setting up.
And if one of those guests happened to be Jordan Paydan, well, she’d just have to pretend he was no different than any of the other parents.
She made those words a mantra as she drove toward the coast and greeted the parents as they arrived. No sign of Jordan. Doubtless this little beachside party of hers to celebrate her hard work and that of the children was too lowbrow for him. He was probably taking his sister and Elise to a fancy gourmet restaurant to celebrate instead. His loss, she thought with no small degree of petulance. Her party was a huge success. With an impressive showing, good music and a variety of food between all her cooking and the various potluck dishes her guests so graciously provided.
But her heart did a little flip in her chest when she heard his voice from behind as she refilled the ice bucket.
“You sure know how to throw a hopping soirée.”
Jess made sure to compose herself before she turned to face him. No different than any of the other parents...
“Welcome, Jordan. Glad you made it.”
Elise and Sonya stood a few feet away, the nanny chatting with one of the other moms.
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Jordan said.
“Thank you.” She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. That was the best response she could come up with? Another of those unbearable awkward silences ensued between them. All the times she’d rehearsed in her head the conversations they would have once she finally saw him again, and all she’d managed to come up with was a lame, “Thank you.”
“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked by way of recovery.
Only that made no sense either, as he was already holding a sweaty bottle of beer. Why was it so hard to know what to say to this man?
He chuckled as he held it up. “All set. And I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
Jess tried to feign nonchalance.
“Really?”
“Definitely. And also admitting that you were right. From the very beginning. Being a part of this production has done a world of good for Sonya. She’s been upbeat and bouncy for the past three weeks. Since she started attending rehearsals with you. Even had a couple of playdates over. I believe that’s what they’re called these days?” He turned to glance in the direction his little sister stood blowing fat soap bubbles with two other girls. “And she seems less focused on her hearing loss. Is even attempting to speak more. Though we still have a long way to go.”
“I’m so glad to hear all that, Jordan. Thank you for saying so.”
“It’s all your doing, Ms. Raffi.”
S
he shook her head in argument. “No. Sonya just needed a springboard. I’m just glad I was able to help her find one.”
He took a swig of his beverage and turned back to focus on her. “I wanted to ask you about something actually, to maybe see about maintaining her momentum.”
“I’ll help any way I can.”
“She’s already signed up for those swim classes at the center. I wanted to see about her taking your art class, as well.”
It would have been a terrific idea. If only he’d asked a couple of weeks ago. “I’m afraid my class has ended, Jordan. I only have one session in the summer. There isn’t enough interest once the season really kicks into gear. The children don’t want to be cooped up in a room indoors on hot days when they could be cooling off on the beach or at a pool.”
Jordan’s expression clouded with disappointment. “I see. Makes sense.” He uttered a small curse under his breath. “Looks like I blew it. Again.” He seemed to have added the last word almost on a whim.
“Maybe I could stop by once in a while? Show her some basic techniques.”
He broke into a wide smile. “You would do that?”
“Of course. It’d be my pleasure. I have plenty of time now that I won’t be teaching again until the fall.”
He rubbed his chin. “Then why don’t we make it a regular thing?”
“Regular?”
“Yes. You could be a tutor of sorts. Maybe once or twice a week.” He took a swig of his beer before continuing. “Who knows? The arrangement might do wonders for Sonya. It might even serve as a therapeutic outlet. One of the specialists we consulted mentioned art therapy as something we should consider.”
Jess held her hands up to ward off the idea before he went any further with it. “Whoa. I need to be clear. By no means am I licensed or qualified as an art therapist.”
He shrugged. “I understand that.”
“I’d simply be spending some time with her. Showing her how to paint.”
