"It was nice meeting you too, Mona." She watched helplessly as the regal woman gathered up her purse and moved toward the door. Stepping into the hallway, Mona turned to glance back at her.
"Thanks for trying, dear. Jackson is a wonderful man, but sometimes he can be a real jackass." She chuckled when Jen's mouth dropped open. "I'm sorry. That wasn't very ladylike, was it?"
"You. . .you read my mind," she confessed with a smile. "Was it that obvious?"
"You seemed a bit flustered when you came out. I've seen that look before. . . I've felt that look before," Mona corrected as she put on her gloves.
"Mrs. Traynor? Would you care to have lunch with me?" Amazed by her own boldness, the words blurted from her mouth. But the surprised look of pleasure on Mona's face confirmed it was the right thing to do.
"Why, I'd love to have your company."
"It's a date then. Give me a minute to get my coat and I'll see you in the lobby."
***
Lunch with Mona Traynor was a small sacrifice to help the older woman feel better. What Jen hadn't counted on was enjoying it immensely. Though she was dignified and polite on the surface, there was no pretense. Mona was warm and funny and surprisingly down-to-earth. Jen lost track of time listening to stories about her years with Linc and the boys. What shone through each memory was a sharp sense of humor and an unwavering devotion to her family.
"Do you enjoy working with my sons?" Mona set her spoon in the saucer after stirring her second cup of Earl Grey. "I think I should inform you that Jefferson's in love with you."
Jen nearly choked on her tea. Swallowing hard, she began coughing. "What?"
"Shall I thump you on the back, dear?"
"N-no. I'm fine."
"Jeff stops by at least once a week and fills my head with visions of Jenna Stone."
Poor Jeff. He was so sweet and easygoing. She'd grown to like him very much. Knowing he was fond of her, she'd done her best to dissuade him politely. She kept their conversations light and impersonal and was always careful to make sure they went to lunch in groups.
She knew instinctively that he would never act upon his interest. In his eyes she was married, and that was it. Still, she'd learned from cold, hard experience that perception was easily interpreted as truth. And the battle from rumor back to reality was a long, lonely road she wanted no part of.
"I. . . I don't know what to say, Mona. I think Jeff is a great-"
"Oh heavens, don't worry about it. I was only teasing. Not to downgrade you in any way dear, but Jefferson tends to fall in love several times a year."
She smothered a laugh in her napkin. "I'm sure one of these years, he'll fall for real."
"Let's just hope I'm still young enough to appreciate it." Mona sipped from the porcelain cup. "Wait until you're my age. All you'll think about is how many grandchildren you don't have."
"Well, there's always Jake." Jenna carefully tested the mysterious and dangerous waters. "Maybe he'll settle down." Was he seeing someone seriously? When she found herself holding her breath, she cursed her own stupidity.
Mona snorted indelicately. "I doubt that. He's too wrapped up in his work." She set her cup down. "I worry about him the most. He comes across as being able to handle anything. But, Jackson is really the sensitive one. Even more than Jeff."
Lost in thought, she spoke more to herself than Jen. She laid her napkin on the table. "The divorce hit him harder than his brother. Jeff stumbled a little, then got right back up and kept going. I remember being surprised by Jake's reaction, since he was several years older. He'd always been so mature for his age, we assumed he'd be fine."
Her eyes were laced with guilt when she met Jen's gaze. "He wasn't, though. And he hasn't been since."
"What do you mean?"
"He was always pretty serious, and way too competitive with himself, but it got worse after the divorce. Jake eventually worked through his anger toward Linc." Mona hesitated. "He joined the company and worked his butt off to prove himself. Linc gave him control a year ago." She traced a pattern on the icy water glass. "Still works himself to death proving his dad didn't make the wrong decision."
"But, he is successful," Jen reminded. "Specialty's one of the largest contractors in Virginia. Surely, Linc knows he's working hard."
"Linc loves what Jake is doing."
What was she missing? "Jeff seems pretty happy with the way things are. Is it Harrison?"
"No. Jeff wouldn't want to run Specialty. In fact, he'd be happier doing design work. He's not crazy about estimating, but that's where Jake needs him." Mona sighed. "And Harry inherited his shares when his dad passed, but Buchanan never held a controlling interest in Specialty. Linc was majority shareholder."
"So, Jake pressures himself." Jen wasn't too surprised. It was why he was so demanding, of others and himself. He never slowed down enough to appreciate how well he'd done.
Mona gathered up her coat. "The ironic thing is– that's exactly how Linc was while we were married. I waited and waited for him to slow down and enjoy life with me. Now that he finally has, it's ten years too late." Her cheerful smile didn't reach her eyes. "Jake can't forgive me for not sticking by his dad. He can't understand that I just got lonely. When I met George, I'd already been divorced a year."
The brisk winter wind whipped around them as they headed for the parking lot. Mona turned up her collar. "I see the same isolation in Jake. . . the same loneliness I felt before I met George. The few times he's ever spoken to me about the divorce. . ." Mona paused, her eyes wistful as she searched for the right words. "Jake doesn't believe in gray areas. Marriage is forever."
Jen wasn't sure if the tears in Mona's eyes reflected their conversation or the blustery wind. "He'll come around someday," she predicted, desperate to cheer the older woman. "He'll meet a woman who brings him to his knees and he'll understand what you went through." Mona's halfhearted smile made her ache. Though her own parents had cut her off, she couldn't imagine being exiled from one of her children. "Then, you can make him apologize."
"I pray that day comes soon."
***
The vision of the older woman stooped against the blowing wind remained with Jen as she drove back to the office. Eventually, her thoughts turned to Jake. Finally processing his reaction to the news of his mother's arrival, she remembered the bleakness in his eyes. She'd been chilled by his manner, by what she'd assumed was simply rudeness over Mona's unscheduled visit. Now that she knew the real reason, his behavior frustrated her. Ten years he'd wasted-
"He was an adult," she muttered as she pulled into the parking lot. Why was Linc allowed back into his life? Tucking her face into her scarf, she was grateful to get inside out of the wind.
Mentally pushing aside her indignation, Jen reminded herself that Jake's issue with his mother was not her concern. Slipping out of her coat, she quickly scanned her messages. She hadn't been seated more than ten seconds when Jake buzzed, wanting to see her. Had he watched her cross the parking lot?
Scooping up her pad, she unearthed a pen and headed into the lion's cage for the second time that day, hoping his mood had improved. Deliberately injecting a smile into her voice, Jen stuck her head around his door. "Did you need something?"
"You said you'd be gone an hour. My watch shows it's been nearly two."
Oh yeah. He was in a much better mood. Battling a sudden rush of animosity, she took a deep breath and sat down. "I'm sorry if you were inconvenienced. I'll stay late to make up the time." Take that, jerk. "Now, what is it you need?"
Not missing the sarcasm behind her false cheeriness, he rose from his chair, leaning over the desk to stare down at her. Shocked, Jen had to force herself not to budge, although with him towering over her, the urge was strong to lean back and create some distance. Her toes curled up inside her pumps at the barely suppressed anger she read in the set of his jaw.
"What I need is for you to be here when you say you will. What I don't need," he emphasized, "is being interrupted when
my mother decides to pop in, uninvited. I pay you to screen the annoyances from my life . . . not add to them."
His eyes simmered with annoyance. Swallowing hard, she remembered to breathe as he lectured her. With Herculean effort, she managed to maintain an icy calm. "I understand. Was there anything else?"
"Yeah. One more thing," he announced. "In the future, I'd ask that you refrain from socializing with my family. I'm not paying you to have lunch with my mother." Flinging his pencil to the desk in disgust, he turned to the window, as though to dismiss her. "The last thing I need is you spreading gossip around the building."
Jen knew he heard her ragged gasp because she didn't bother hiding it. Jake had been itching for a fight all day and she was an easy target. But, damned if she would stand by and take his insults.
"Is that all?" She managed to choke out the sentence with barely contained fury. Despite her effort to remain calm, her movements were stiff and jerky when she rose from the chair and all but ran to the door.
"I'd like the Tower contracts in the mail by the time you leave tonight."
Move to the door. Do not speak, her brain pleaded. Not when she was so furious– not when he was being so incredibly unreasonable. Taking a deep, steadying breath she stopped in the doorway.
When she glanced back, Jake was still staring out the window, but he was far too angry to see anything. "For the record . . . you don't pay me to have lunch with anyone. That hour is mine to do as I wish. And if I wish to have lunch with a friend, it's my business." The volcano had erupted, and her smoldering words tumbled out. "As long as we're being so very blunt with each other, in the future, I'd appreciate if you could summon the courage to do your own dirty work. You know . . . maybe find the guts to disrespect your mother in person."
She tried not to flinch when he jerked around to face her, his expression stunned– over her words or her foolish bravery, Jen wasn't sure. "Trust me, it hurts more that way," she announced, uncaring that she was exposing herself to his scrutiny. "It's so much more personal when you can see the pain in her eyes." Turning on her heel, she walked out. Her last comment was tossed over her shoulder. "Personally, I don't have the stomach for it."
Chapter 7
The phone was ringing when Jen pushed through the door. Flinging her purse on the rocker, she snatched up the receiver, wondering whether she would have a job to return to in the morning. The fleeting hope it might be Jake, calling to apologize disappeared with the sound of an achingly familiar voice.
"Jenny? Hey . . . it's me. Guess where I am right now?"
"Tibet? London? Kansas City?" She grinned, conjuring her brother's face.
"Wrong on all three. I'm at Dulles, kiddo. Or, at least I will be . . . in about twenty minutes. I might be flying over your house right now."
"Dan. . . are you serious? Really?" A thrill of joy strummed through her, the day's disappointment washing away at the suggestion of a visit from her jet-setting older brother. "How long? Can you stay a few days?" She'd already begun making plans when he spoke again.
"Sorry, kid. Just overnight– and I shouldn't even stay that long. I'm flying through on business, and I couldn't resist. I haven't seen the kids in ages."
"We'll take it– whatever time we can get," she agreed, overjoyed by the thought of seeing her favorite brother. And after the day she'd endured, she needed cheering up tonight.
"Don't come to the airport." Dan's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'll catch a cab and see you in an hour or so."
The line went dead before she could say goodbye. She debated a few seconds whether to surprise the kids with their impending guest, before deciding she couldn't wait to share the happy news. Mentally planning dinner, she bolted for the kitchen.
"Alex! Meg! Come here," she shouted. She listened as footsteps thundered over her head, then down the stairs. "Guess who's coming for supper tonight? Uncle Dan!"
***
They had just finished dinner when the doorbell rang. Jen was carrying a pile of dishes to the kitchen. "Dan, can you stop rolling around on the rug and answer the door? I'll be there in a minute."
She grinned when her lanky, immaculately dressed brother disentangled himself from the wrestling match that had sprung up on the dining room floor. His hand-tailored suit probably cost a fortune. Jen rolled her eyes as she set the dishes on the counter. Dan had never been one to take care of his clothes. Becoming a globe-hopping executive hadn't changed that fact.
"It's someone for you, Jenny."
"Coming." Slinging the dish towel over her shoulder, she headed for the door. Whoever was waiting had been abandoned on the steps. Her brother, in the meantime, had been waylaid by two shrieking children and dragged bodily down to the living room.
Apologizing to the person waiting patiently in the gloom, she snapped on the outside light. "I'm sorry to keep- Jake!"
Lord, she hoped he hadn't driven all the way over here to start Round Two. Hell, after the things she'd said, he might be here to fire her. She hadn't caught a glimpse of him in the hours after their argument. Of course, she hadn't really been looking, either.
"W-what are you doing here?" She managed to find her voice, relieved when it sounded only slightly nervous. She would be civil and apologize. This wasn't the time for a scene, not with Dan only here for one night. Inhaling a deep breath, she waited.
***
If Jenna looked surprised to see him, then Jake could only surmise he must appear thunderstruck. When the door was opened by the tall, rangy stranger in a disheveled suit, he'd experienced a level of shock on par with a two by four to the head. Jenna appeared genuinely puzzled by his presence, but there was no way to hide the glow about her. She was radiant. Her beautiful face flushed with excitement, sapphire eyes sparkling with happiness. The long, wild hair he ached to run his fingers through had been freed from its usual prison and trailed past her shoulders. He absorbed her grimace over the high pitch of Megan's excited cries of "Dad".
"Please come in. I'm sorry for the chaos, but you caught me by surprise."
"No. I should have called first." His voice sounded as rigid as his body felt, standing paralyzed on her steps. After the way he'd acted, he'd known his apology should be in person. Jake couldn't forget the wounded expression in her beautiful eyes when he'd lashed out at her. She'd been a convenient scapegoat. . . but his angry words had cut deep. Of course, his tirade hadn't stopped Jen from slicing him down to size, but he'd still felt strongly that an in-person apology was in order.
Now, standing before her, he was tongue-tied. Jen was showing no signs of distress from their earlier confrontation. In fact, it didn't appear she had given him another thought when she left for the day.
"I'm sorry to bother you so late." He winced inwardly at the confusion he read in her eyes. Why the hell had he stopped? Dammit, it could have waited until morning. Except– he knew it couldn't. Part of him had feared she wouldn't return.
"It's no trouble," she insisted, holding the door open to allow him entry. "Why don't you come inside? I was just making coffee."
Hell, no. He couldn't get out of there fast enough. His legs had already taken over for his misfiring brain and backed down the steps. "No, thank you. Go back inside, Jen. It can wait until tomorrow. I'm sorry to disturb you."
Turning on his heel, Jake strode to his truck. What an idiot! He'd been beating himself up for the past four hours, wondering whether Jenna would return to work the next day. When all this time, she was home celebrating the arrival of her long-overdue spouse.
It was about time the jerk showed up. He wondered whether she'd even bother to mention Alex's head injury to Rick or the role he'd played in the adventure. Doubtful. The Suit didn't strike him as the type to be interested in life's little details. More likely, Rick would be ready to make up for lost time. No wonder she looked so damned flushed and beautiful. She'd be enjoying a second honeymoon with her husband in a few hours.
And what would he have tonight? Aside from a mother-huge headache forming be
hind his eyes, he would go home to his sterile, silent condo. Alone. Home to an endless, empty evening with another takeout carton. "I've got to get a life."
He needed to start dating again. Yeah, he'd go home and call what's-her-name. Beth or Bev. Barb. . . some damn B name. The one he'd seen a few months ago. Hell, she'd be happy to hear from him. He tried to muster some enthusiasm.
As he recalled, Bev/Barb would be more than willing to help him exercise his mounting frustration. And she had red hair, he remembered. Even if it was sorta fake looking. It wasn't long– not like Jen's. But if he didn't expect too much . . . it might be good enough.
The engine roared to life and he pulled away from the curb, taking care not to notice the warm, inviting glow spilling from the windows.
Jenny. The bastard called her Jenny.
***
"Jeez, how do you do this every night?" Jen's brother flopped down on the couch, handing her a beer. Unsuspecting of what an ordeal it would be, Dan had allowed himself to be roped into the kids' bedtime routine.
Clinking their bottles together, she grinned. "I tried to warn you."
"Three stories? Really?" Dan shook his head. "I think I got conned."
"Uncle Easy. Alex saw you coming." Leaning back, they enjoyed the comfortable silence for a moment. "You appreciate the rare quiet moments like this."
"So, how are you, Jenny? I haven't had time to catch up since I got here. You seem happy. The kids are awesome." Her brother took a contented pull from his bottle. "Your boss seemed like a decent guy– for the forty seconds I spoke with him."
"He's great. I love my job. Jake treats me like I know what I'm doing, which, as you know-" She raised an eyebrow. "Has been something of a rarity for me."
"Jeez– sometimes I forget how much you and the kids have been through." His eyes narrowed in memory. "You sure as hell had a pretty bad patch the last couple years.
"More like a decade," she reminded. "Dropping out of school. Mom and dad disowning me," she added. "Rick cheating with any woman who breathed . . . then dumping me for a ho." She rattled off bad memories like they were baseball stats. "Getting himself killed-"
Trusting Jake (Blueprint To Love Book 1) Page 8
