by Marni Mann
“Cream? Sugar?” Brett asked.
“Just black, thank you.”
I’d put the drawings in a special order when I packed them into my bag, so I lifted the first one off the pile and held it in my hands, waiting for Brett to join us. Once he set the mug in front of me, I thanked him again, and he took a seat across from me.
“We’re going to start with the most personal room in the house.” I placed the board on the table and pushed it toward them. “This is how I envision your bedroom.”
“Oh my God,” James said as she stared at the sketch.
I held my breath, waiting to hear the rest of her reaction and Brett’s, who remained silent.
Since I’d done work in this condo, I already knew his taste. My goal was to combine his style with James’s, throwing in both masculine and feminine colors and accessories while keeping the space soft and light where relaxation was the key theme.
It hadn’t been easy.
“Both closets can be adjusted any way you want them,” I said. “I just wanted you to see the location of each, the size, and possibilities. Also worth noting is that the ratio of sleeping to lounging space in the main room can be increased or decreased, depending on how much you want of each.”
James looked at Brett, and he gave her a nod. Then, the both of them glanced at me.
“I’m in love with it,” she said. “All of it.”
Even though the sickness in my stomach was still there, I felt like I could finally take a deep breath without the tightness in my chest holding me back.
“It’s good, Samantha,” he said. “Real good.”
I let myself smile but only briefly before pulling out the second board and setting it in front of them. “Here’s the man cave.”
Brett’s gaze moved to James. “We didn’t discuss a man cave.”
“I know, babe. I wanted to surprise you. What do you think?”
He shook his head, his teeth gnawing on his lip. “I think it’s perfect.” His stare moved to me. “Now, I see why James loves you. You’ve got one hell of an eye for this.”
Brett didn’t seem like the kind of guy who gave compliments easily. Because of that, his words meant everything to me.
Trying not to let the emotion come through my voice, I said, “Thank you,” and then I placed another board in front of them. “Here’s the movie theater.”
“Fuck,” he said. “I didn’t think it could get better than what you’d shown me.” As he looked up, all the anxiety left my body, and it was replaced with excitement. “But it just did.”
10
Jack
Brett: You’re not going to believe this shit.
Me: I’m hungover as fuck. I’d believe just about anything right now.
Brett: Samantha is our interior designer. She’s in my house, meeting with us about our place in LA.
Me: You didn’t know you’d hired her?
Brett: I’d never met her until this morning.
Me: Christ. I didn’t even know she did that for a living.
Brett: You busy now? I’d say it’s the perfect time to come over to talk about Puma.
Me: I’ll be right there.
Brett: I’ll stall her if I have to.
Me: Good man.
11
Samantha
I placed the final sketch on the table and slid it over to James and Brett. This board showed the backyard where I’d designed a summer kitchen, two large seating areas, a fire pit, and a pool. “The colors I used in the living room were also incorporated outside.” I moved the drawing of the living room right next to it, so they could see them side by side. “I want the interior to flow seamlessly into the outdoor space. My idea was to go for a spa, Zen-like feel.”
“It’s stunning,” James said. “Magical even. I can’t believe we’re going to own something so beautiful.”
So far, they liked everything I’d shown them, and structurally, they didn’t have any changes. However, certain additions had been discussed for several of the rooms, and I would work in those elements and send them updated designs.
James looked up from the drawing and said, “Samantha, I’m so blown away by everything right now; I don’t even know what to say.”
“I do,” Brett came back with while looking at his fiancée. “You’re making James fall in love with the house so much, she’s going to want to move there permanently.” He glanced at me. “I can’t have that. My business is here. So, you need to do me a favor, Samantha. The next set of sketches you bring need to really suck.”
“Brett!” She gently punched his arm. “LA is work. Miami is home. I’ve told you that since I moved here. Samantha’s designs, despite how incredible they are, won’t change that.” She gave him a quick kiss and then gazed at me. “One day, I’ll convince Brett to move out of this condo and into a house, and we’ll get to start this process all over.”
“Jesus,” Brett groaned.
She laughed. “You can tell he’s terribly excited about that.”
“You have a gorgeous home here,” I assured the both of them. “And a lovely place in LA that will serve as a nice getaway.” I brought the coffee mug to my lips, and just as I took the last sip, I heard the soft buzz of the elevator.
“Hey, hey,” a man said from the entryway, the sound of feet now moving across the floor.
Jack.
I would recognize his voice anywhere.
The anxiety, which had been gone since I received Brett’s compliments, was back and seizing my chest. Tingles were spreading throughout my whole body. There was a tightening in the back of my throat.
I held my breath, turning around in my chair, waiting for Jack to appear in the kitchen.
I shouldn’t be surprised he was here. He was partners with Brett after all. What surprised me was how the simple sound of his voice caused such a reaction inside me, a war erupting in my mind with no resolution in sight.
“Good morning, Jack,” James said, obviously recognizing his voice, too, since he still hadn’t emerged.
“Morning,” he replied back.
I sucked in another breath, and that was when he appeared.
Our eyes locked.
Dark gray suit. Black tie. That sexy beard covering some of his face.
God, he was so ridiculously good-looking.
“Grab yourself some coffee,” Brett said to him.
“Nah, I’m good.”
Jack went over to James and gave her a hug. Then, he clasped Brett’s hand, leaning into his chest where they patted each other’s backs. Finally, he came to me, moving in fast to kiss me on the cheek.
That scent.
Those rough whiskers.
The softness of his lips.
It was impossible to calm what was happening inside me.
If James or Brett were watching me, I was sure my face was giving away exactly how Jack made me feel. And, if Jack noticed, I was sure he was loving every second of it.
“I didn’t know you were stopping by this morning,” James said as Jack sat in the chair next to mine.
He crossed his arms. “Brett has some files I need to look at for one of my clients.”
“Do you need to go?” she asked Brett.
He shook his head. “I don’t think Jack’s in a rush.”
“I’m not,” Jack replied.
Since we were done with our meeting and it sounded like the boys had some things they needed to discuss, I grabbed my bag from the back of my chair and lifted it onto my shoulder. “I’ve kept you long enough. I’m going to leave the drawings here, so you have them, and once I have updated designs, I’ll schedule another appointment with you.”
“Sounds wonderful,” James said.
I smiled at her before extending my hand toward Brett. “It was really nice to officially meet you.”
His grip was firm. “It was a real pleasure, Samantha.”
“I’ll walk her out,” Jack offered.
Neither Brett nor James said anything. I didn’t wan
t to fight him on it, especially not here and in front of them, so I stayed silent as I moved out of the kitchen and into the foyer, immediately stepping into the open elevator.
Once he got in and the door shut, I said, “Did you know I was here?”
“Brett told me.”
“So, you knew this whole time that I’ve been designing for them.”
He shook his head. “No, I just found out today. Brett didn’t know either until he saw you this morning.”
I moved to the other wall, opposite him. “You have no concept of boundaries, Jack. You really need to stop following me.”
He faced me, reaching behind him to hold the railing. “Samantha, I’ll go anywhere to talk to you even if that means coming to my best friend’s house. I wanted to see you. I heard you were here, so I came over.”
“Don’t you know how wrong that is?”
He smiled. It was so sexy, it almost hurt.
“You’re all I think about. Don’t ever call that wrong.”
“Jack, we—”
“Have dinner with me tonight.”
His suggestion was so casual; it was like we’d been dating for years.
I laughed. “No.”
“Why? You have plans?” He didn’t wait for me to respond. “I’m flying out tomorrow to go to Nashville to meet with your brother, so I’ll be gone for a few days. Have dinner with me tonight.”
I’d gone out last night for the Super Bowl, and now, he was asking me to go out tonight. I’d have to find someone else to watch Lucy; I couldn’t ask Grace for back-to-back evenings since she had school, too. When work tried dragging me away during weeknights, I always fought it. Being home for Lucy was my top priority, and tonight was no exception.
“No.”
His stare narrowed. “Please.”
“Why do you want to have dinner with me, Jack?”
“Because we both need to eat. Why not do it together?”
“You’re still my brother’s agent.”
His smile grew. It wasn’t mocking me at all. It was doing the opposite. “It’s just dinner, Samantha. Don’t let your mind wander; don’t overthink it. Two people, sitting at a table, enjoying food together. That’s it.”
“But why now, after all these years, do you want to see me so badly?”
“Because I can’t get you out of my head. Because seeing you again brought back everything I’d felt eight years ago, but this time, it came back even stronger.”
I needed to get out of this elevator and away from him because he was clouding my judgment.
“I’m supposed to meet with a client tonight,” I lied. “Let me see if I can get the meeting moved, and I’ll let you know.”
The door opened as we reached the lobby. I stayed on my side of the elevator, far from his hands, and slipped out. I wasn’t more than a few steps away when he called my name.
I turned around.
“Just say yes.”
I took a deep breath, the sound of his voice hitting me in a place where it shouldn’t. “I’ll text you.”
I faced the front door and walked through it, rushing down the sidewalk toward my building.
Surprisingly, my hangover was gone, which probably was due to the coffee and the vitamin shake and the egg sandwich.
But I still didn’t feel right, and it was because of Jack.
I’d avoided my brother’s games, so there was no chance I’d run into him. Now that I had seen him again, it had gone so much further than I ever expected. And, now, I was faced with a decision.
One that didn’t become any clearer as I opened the door to my condo. I dropped my bag in the entryway and went straight to my bedroom, kicking off my heels and climbing into bed.
Anna’s eyes popped open, as she’d been napping. “How’d it go?”
I picked a piece of egg off the comforter. “Jack showed up.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
I turned my head toward her. “I can’t even make that up.”
“And?”
“He wants to have dinner.”
“And?”
“Do you know any word besides and?”
She grinned. “AND?”
“I told him I’d text him to let him know.”
With my phone uncomfortably resting in my back pocket, I slipped it out and set it on my nightstand. “I’d have to ask my parents to take Lucy tonight and—”
“I’ll watch Lucy.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. I’m just going to tell Jack I can’t have dinner. I’m really not sure it’s a good idea for me to go anyway.”
“Samantha.”
Anna never called me by my full name, so I knew whatever she was about to say was going to be serious.
“Don’t think about what happened. Just hear him out, and focus on what kind of guy he is. You know, if you don’t do this, you’ll never forgive yourself.”
I hated when she was right.
Especially now.
“So, you’re saying I should—”
“First, you’re going to pick up your phone and text him that you’re in for dinner.” She sat up in the bed, looking as bossy as she sounded. “Then, we’re going to plan your outfit and get you ready. Finally, I’m going to stay here and watch your kid. You have zero excuses; don’t try to come up with one.”
I pushed my head back into the pillow. “Really?”
“Just fucking text him already.”
I rolled my eyes and reached toward the nightstand, pulling my cell phone into my hand. I opened the last text from him, and I started to type.
Me: Tell me where to meet you.
Jack: I’ll forward you the reservation.
Jack: Samantha?
Me: What?
Jack: Thank you.
12
Samantha
Even though I could see Jack from the entrance of the restaurant, sitting in the back corner of the dining room, the hostess insisted on escorting me to his table. So, I walked behind her, feeling the moment when his eyes connected with my body, which was only a few steps in, and he continued to watch me as I made my way across the large space.
I wanted him to question whether or not I would show.
I wanted him to look in my direction as I approached the table, wearing my favorite black dress that hugged every curve I had, that showed my small amount of cleavage, so he could see what he’d given up.
Those were the reasons I had arrived a few minutes late and why I had told Jack I’d meet him here instead of accepting his offer to pick me up.
As I reached him, he stood and kissed me on the cheek. “You look gorgeous,” he whispered in my ear.
He’d told me to believe everything he said.
From the way he was looking at me, from the intensity of his gaze, it was impossible not to.
I tried to stop myself from blushing, and I took the seat across from his.
He was wearing a different suit than he’d had on earlier. This one was black, and he’d paired it with a matching solid tie that was incredibly sexy. He’d shaved under his chin, so his beard looked a little more refined.
“Have you eaten here before?” he asked.
Pappardelle was one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. There was no way he could have known that, so him choosing it had to be a coincidence. One that I definitely noted.
I placed my napkin in my lap. “Many times.”
“Then, you must like it here.”
“Very much.”
He paused for several seconds, his thumb tracing the drips of water running down his glass. “I appreciate you rearranging your schedule to join me.”
Those goddamn fingers.
They made me quiver.
Enough where I couldn’t think of anything to say back to him.
Fortunately, I was saved by the waiter.
“Welcome to Pappardelle. My name is Alvin, and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
As I reach
ed for the wine menu in the middle of the table, Jack said, “I’ll take a bottle of the Domaine J.F. Mugnier pinot noir.” His eyes never left mine.
Jack knew he didn’t have to impress me with his success. I was well aware of how much money he made off my brother, and Shawn was just one of his many clients. Therefore, the three-hundred-dollar bottle of wine he’d just ordered was because he liked it and because he had excellent taste.
I broke our stare to look at the waiter. “Two glasses, please.”
He nodded and disappeared from our table.
Jack’s gaze turned even deeper.
Feeling the need to break the silence, I said the first thing that came to me, “I didn’t peg you as a wine drinker.”
He rested his elbows on the table and leaned in closer. “I have a wide range of taste when it comes to alcohol.”
“How did you know I didn’t want white?”
He rubbed across his bottom lip. “Something tells me you like white for social settings because it’s light and easy. When you want to enjoy what you’re drinking or you’re dining, you like red.”
The only thing Jack Hunt had known about me was how to make me come.
But that was no longer true. He’d just pointed out something that not even Anna ever picked up on.
“Am I right?”
I shrugged.
“Samantha, agreeing with me doesn’t mean you’re caving. This isn’t a point system. No matter what, you’re always going to win. I was in the wrong; I think we’ve already established that.”
I wasn’t keeping score.
I was just trying to keep it together.
“Have we, Jack?”
The waiter then returned to the table, holding the wine. He showed the label to Jack, who nodded in approval, and the waiter poured him a taste. Once Jack swallowed the small amount, he nodded once more, and the waiter filled both glasses.
Jack held his up in the air. “Should we toast?”
I swirled the wine around and gripped the stem. “I think you should.”
“To eight years later.” He smiled, and my teeth immediately sank into my bottom lip. “And to the three days I spent with you that I still haven’t forgotten.”
