by Jo Leigh
“She’s a teacher,” Payton said. Another thing he rarely did. Speaking for her wasn’t really necessary. “Middle school English. At a very good school in Scituate.”
Jenna stared up at him. It was clear by his tone and the reference to South Shore, which was a good school but not like Thorndyke Road or Amigos, that he was trying to glam up her job. He wasn’t even the least bit convincing. But that he’d thought she needed glamorizing squeezed her heart. What was it with him tonight? Maybe he’d already had a second whiskey before he’d come back to join her.
Faith gave her a charming smile. Rick, however, looked at Payton for a bit before turning to her. “That’s where all the real action is,” he said. “What excites students in those formative years makes all the difference. I’ve wanted to study tornadoes since I was fourteen. Kids are so passionate at that age.”
“They are,” she said. “I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was thirteen.”
There was a pause then, just long enough for a change of subject. Mindy was being awfully quiet. It was Payton who broke the ice. “Oh, wow, I need to eat,” he said. With his hand on his stomach, he turned to Jenna. “Can I get you anything?”
She shook her head. At least that was more like the Payton she knew. Then he surprised her with a kiss. Not the usual peck, either. There was a little bit of tongue and everything, right there in front of everyone. She ended it quickly. “Thanks, Mr. Bond,” she said, hoping she’d hit the right teasing note.
Payton winked at her. “You’re welcome.” He faced the group again. “Okay, then,” he said. “Great seeing you again, Faith. Will you be in town for a while?”
“A couple of days.” Faith smiled at Rick, and then at Payton. “I’m sure we’ll run in to each other again soon. Nice to meet you all.”
The beautiful couple eventually blended into the crowd.
Once they were back to being a foursome, the men went to peruse the buffet table while Jenna sipped at her White Russian. She and Mindy were standing right next to the chocolate fountain, but she wasn’t hungry.
Mindy bumped her shoulder and whispered, “Danger Bond defended your honor.”
“What?” Jenna laughed. “No, he didn’t.”
“Okay, your profession. Still...it was nice.”
Jenna forced another laugh, grateful Mindy hadn’t mentioned Payton’s weird behavior. She did, however, give Jenna a couple of questioning looks, especially when Faith and Rick walked past them again. Jenna smiled as if nothing at all was wrong. She wasn’t jealous. Not really.
But she had to admit she was mystified by Payton’s behavior. He hadn’t mentioned they were engaged. He’d spent most of the brief encounter grinning at Faith. But maybe he’d just been caught off guard, seeing his old friend. Jenna could imagine herself fumbling if she’d run in to her college boyfriend, Martin, at a party. Of course that was a different thing entirely. She didn’t think anything had gone on between Payton and Faith. At least he’d never said as much. Anyway, Faith would be an idiot to roam when she had Rick. He’d been completely charming.
Payton claimed a recently vacated spot at a bar-height table. She would’ve preferred to sit somewhere, but it was nice to be able to put her drink down.
“Now that I’ve looked around,” Payton said, finishing off his whiskey, “I don’t think there’s a more beautiful Vesper Lynd in the whole hotel.”
She smiled, knowing he’d have said that even if she’d thrown a sweater over a workday dress. “I honestly thought there wouldn’t be so many Vespers.” The words were just out of her mouth, as yet another one walked by. “I suppose it makes sense, though. The movie was relatively recent.”
“None of them carry it off as well as you do.”
Another compliment? Interesting. Payton normally kept his praise private. But then, he’d never kissed her like that in public, either. There was no reason why he shouldn’t say those nice things in front of Zane and Mindy, and yet...
“And I’ve never seen your eyes look so alluring.”
Okay, that was really over-the-top. What the hell was going on with him? Did it have to do with Faith? Were these guilt compliments? Or drunk utterings? Like her, he wasn’t a big drinker.
One of the things she appreciated most about Payton was that he was predictable. It might not be an appealing trait for a lot of women, but for her it was. She loved him for his stability. For the fact that their future together would unfurl without a lot of bumps and tears. Still, three compliments in a row? “What did you and Zane talk about for so long when you went to the bar? Ways to woo a sure thing?”
All of them laughed and Payton’s shoulders relaxed as he said, “I haven’t seen George and Cora for a while. Did they say where they were headed?”
Mindy finally piped up. “They’re dancing downstairs. We’re going to meet them as soon as Zane’s finished eating. Want to join us?”
Payton shook his head. “It’s too loud and crowded down there. I’ll probably stick around here.”
Jenna’s chest tightened again, which was ridiculous. He and Faith, they’d been friends. If they’d been more than that, Payton would have told her. She’d been a Wellesley girl. Martin had been her boyfriend for two years. There had been a few others, as well. Payton knew about them. Just as she knew about Payton’s old girlfriends during his years before the two of them met. In all the time she and Payton had been together, jealousy had never been an issue. It had barely been a thought.
She checked her watch before she turned to Mindy. “It’s ten thirty now. How about you two text if you decide to leave early, or we can meet by the second-floor elevator in an hour before the countdown begins?”
“I think it’ll be easier to meet here,” Payton said. “We already know where it is and from what I’ve heard, the reunion committee is doing something special at midnight here in this suite.”
Mindy and Zane agreed before they left, but not before Mindy gave Jenna an odd smile.
“You know what, honey?” Jenna said, catching Payton’s gaze. “Maybe next year, let’s think about going somewhere different for First Night.”
The way Payton looked at her, she might as well have asked if he wanted to go on a crime spree with her.
“Sure,” he said unconvincingly. “Why not? We can talk about it. What say I try and slog my way over to the bar again? We’ve got plenty of time. As long as I’m back before midnight.”
His expression, as eager as a she’d ever seen it, was all wrong. And why hadn’t he asked her to go with him. She’d known him too long to be this surprised. As he made his way through the throng of New Year’s Eve revelers, her heart sank.
Had they been coming to this reunion party every year because of Faith?
2
RICK’S CELL PHONE VIBRATED. Stopped, and then did it again. Some oaf plowed into his back and the only thing that kept him on his feet was the mass of writhing, frenetic partygoers in a banquet room so packed it made him wish he and Faith had never come to the reunion. But she’d asked, and he’d just been talking to his friend Sam, who’d wanted Rick to check out the prototype apartment in Boston, so it was a no-brainer. He wondered now if Faith’s interest in attending the party had been a little more personal than she’d led him to believe. She sure had liked catching up with Payton. Anyway, it didn’t matter. He and Faith had been having a good time. And it was only going to get better.
He pulled out his phone as Faith rubbed against him on the dance floor. It was a work call, and he couldn’t afford not to take it. There was no use telling her, not with the music so loud, but he held the phone up until she noticed and nodded at him.
He was grateful for the call. He liked to dance, but the band was loud enough to wake the dead. It took a bit of maneuvering, but finally he found himself in an overcrowded hallway, where he spotted a sign pointing him toward the
restrooms.
Once inside, it was quieter. Still, his ears rang despite the high-end plugs he took out and put in his pocket. Not the pocket that held tonight’s surprise. The other one. Then he pressed speed dial.
“Happy New Year, you bastard.” Even in the echoing bathroom with two hand driers running, his coworker’s Jamaican-tinged taunt came in loud and clear.
“Antwan, if you just called to harass me, I’m going to program your iPod to play nothing but ABBA.”
“You’re the devil incarnate,” Antwan said. “Here I am minding the weather of the world while you’re out dancing the night away. But being that I’m a nice guy, I’m still going to tell you that downtown Boston is looking tricky around two in the morning. Big snow dump, so you and Faith should hightail it to that fancy apartment right quick after she says yes.”
Rick reached inside his other pocket and pulled out the one-point-four-carat engagement ring he’d put there just before they’d left the apartment. “Thanks, man. Any other trouble spots?”
“Why do you care? You’re still going to ask her to marry you, yes?”
“Yep. Right after we finish the kiss. It won’t be like...you know.”
The last time he’d planned to propose, he’d hidden the ring in his jeans pocket. It had been her birthday. They’d gone up in a hot air balloon, which had seemed like a great idea at the time. The first ten minutes of their special flight? Fantastic. After that? A complete snooze. For both of them. The mood was irretrievably lost somewhere over the Oliver Wildlife Preserve a year ago November.
Of course, if he’d really wanted to ask her the big question nothing would have stopped him, as Antwan had been quick to point out. But then his friend thought he was being an idiot to propose. Antwan liked Faith well enough, but he said he couldn’t see the sparks. He was too damn romantic. A shared sense of humor, purpose and comfort would last long after the honeymoon was over.
“I’m sure nothing will stop you this time.”
Rick’s pulse quickened, which was just his excitement over finally doing the deed. “You got it. Anyway—”
“Hold your horses, Ricky. I’m not finished. Book your flight home for early Saturday morning. That’s the only break I see before Boston gets hit by a series of wicked storms. Potentially record-breaking snowfall.”
“Well, that’s annoying. I made dinner reservations for tomorrow night—”
“Which you might be able to keep, but I wouldn’t count on it.”
“Damn. So, tomorrow night’s a maybe, then we leave on Saturday...how early?”
“Before ten.”
“Well, thanks a bunch.”
“Yes, because I specifically created the polar vortex just to screw up your holiday.”
“I knew it,” Rick said.
Antwan laughed. “You’re proposing, and it’s New Year’s Eve. At least you’ll have a couple of nights. So make them count. Don’t you two be glued to The Weather Channel, eh?”
Okay, now Antwan was being plain annoying. Rick and Faith had been living together for over three years and they always watched The Weather Channel before bed. Just one of the many things they had in common. She completely understood about his work and didn’t even blink when he would hare off with his storm-chaser team at the first hint of a supercell. Hell, most of the time, she’d head out, too. Not as part of his team, but to do her own reporting thing.
She’d come to live in Norman to be near the National Weather Center. They’d met when she’d interviewed him, and he’d known right away that the two of them would be good together.
“Anyway,” Antwan said, a grin clear in his voice, “what are you doing talking to me in some toilet when you could be with your fiancée?
“She’s not my fiancée yet. And how did you know I was in the bathroom?”
“Nothing says class like a flush in the background, my friend. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Yeah. Thanks, buddy. Happy New Year.”
After disconnecting, Rick looked at the diamond again. It was all clean lines and flawless beauty, just like Faith. She didn’t really wear a lot of jewelry. Not that he’d seen. Which made sense. She was working out in their home gym every day that she wasn’t on assignment, or swimming at the rec center. And when they went climbing or scuba diving, jewelry wasn’t a good idea. But she’d wear an engagement ring. Probably.
He’d noticed one on Jenna’s finger. He wondered why good old Payton hadn’t mentioned she was his fiancée. The thought was cut short when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He spun around, dislodging the hand and ready to flatten the moron who’d touched him—until he got a whiff of the moron’s breath.
“Don’t do it,” the drunk said, his voice moist and sloppy. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties and was listing to his right. “Just live with her. ’N’ don’t have kids. They’ll drain you dry. Happy New Year.”
The man entered one of the stalls as Rick slipped the ring in his pocket. He hadn’t actually thought about marrying Faith, not until a couple of guys he worked with had started having kids. They were around his age and while he harassed them a lot, both of them seemed happier. From there the seed had been planted.
Besides, with Faith in his life, a future with kids didn’t sound so bad. She was an adventure junkie like him. They both had a major interest in atmospheric studies. And she was just the kind of woman he needed. Independent. Driven. Career-minded. Gorgeous. He’d never met a woman as easy to get along with. So yeah, even though Faith didn’t want kids now, she’d probably change her mind down the road. He wasn’t ready for them now, either. But he’d turned the first corner in his thinking. Sure, things would change. But they’d always looked forward to challenges.
Proposing to Faith was the logical next step. He wouldn’t say that last part to her, though. She’d just laugh and tell him his entire life was illogical. And he’d have agreed.
As he washed his hands, he thought again about that guy Faith had hugged. It was full-body contact. If he hadn’t seen it, he wouldn’t have believed it. She was most definitely not the huggy type. When she was forced into one, she’d bear it and come away with her very convincing fake smile, but she’d never initiated more than a guy hug—one shoulder to another, a quick pat on the back—when there was a choice.
Maybe she’d felt obligated to plaster herself against him? Some old debt she had to pay? No. She’d been smiling as if she’d just spotted a rare left-moving supercell.
What the hell was he worried about? Faith wasn’t interested in anything besides her work and, well, him. And Payton wasn’t as good-looking. Rick turned to check himself out in the mirror over the sink just to make sure. Damn it, he couldn’t tell. He looked more like a villain than Bond. Faith liked to call him dangerously sexy. Seriously, though, who named a guy Payton? Jesus. Still, weird name or not, he’d managed to get himself a hot fiancée.
The paper towels left something to be desired, but finally Rick couldn’t put it off any longer. He reinserted his earplugs and went back to find Faith. They only had twenty minutes until midnight.
* * *
JENNA WAS ONCE again by herself. Payton had gone off with a fraternity brother to grab a final drink, and she had no expectations of seeing him until just before midnight.
If Jenna had had it her way, she and Payton would have left with Mindy and Zane. They’d very rationally decided to go home so they wouldn’t be caught up in the mess of drunken crazy people trying to get on the train for the suburbs.
Instead, Jenna had walked too far in heels that were too high, and somehow managed to end up right in front of the dessert table again. She’d never fit in her wedding dress if she kept this up.
Oh, screw it.
She chose a chocolate-stacked, delicious-looking thing. For God’s sake, it had a brownie bottom, a cheesecake center and chocolate-
mousse top. It would take a stronger woman than herself to walk away.
She’d just taken her second bite when Danger Bond entered the room. His gaze swept directly over to where she was standing. Of course.
Faith joined him seconds later and Jenna spun around. Now she was facing a blank wall. Nothing suspicious there.
Good grief, why had Payton left her here? Why hadn’t they gone home already? She was tired and cranky. And she needed to put down her plate. Walk away from temptation. There was still coffee left, decaf even. But, naturally, there was no convenient tray nearby. The closest was by Faith and Rick, and since she wasn’t going anywhere near them, Jenna walked all the way across the suite, where she found a big tray next to a pretty decent unpopulated corner.
All was well until she looked over at her favorite couple...
But they weren’t where she’d last seen them. Instead, they were right in front of her. Well, not directly, but close enough to prevent a casual escape.
A deep cleansing breath made it possible to scan the room for Payton, but she couldn’t seem to cut off her thoughts about Rick. Or Faith, if she was honest. She wasn’t wearing an engagement ring. She’d called Rick her boyfriend. Those came and went, as she well knew, but surely Rick was a keeper. A beautiful woman like Faith could have anyone she wanted. A hunky storm chaser was far more in her league than an accountant.
Damn. Jenna was worried about Faith, but that was idiotic because Payton would never leave her. The two of them had their whole future planned out. They already had names picked out for their first child.
What was wrong with her? It had to be the alcohol. She’d had two White Russians, and Payton was bringing her a third. Even in college she was always on the hunt for caffeine, not booze. At least they were taking a train back home, but by the time they reached their stop, one of them had to be sober to drive Payton’s car to their place.
Faith was on the move, and Jenna watched her until she left the suite. Then Rick headed for the buffet so Jenna was free to move out of the corner. When her gaze caught on a clock near the door, she stopped in her tracks. Payton had been gone more than a while. Maybe drinking on an empty stomach had caught up with him? How awful to feel sick when this place was packed to the rafters. She hoped he was okay. And wasn’t still at the bar.
