9 1/2 Days

by Mia Zachary

  Susan gasped. “Are you serious? And you think we can apply her case to my situation?”

  “I found this buried in the production of documents. It’s a memo from Bob Milton, the station manager, to Paul White, the news director. Milton says some pretty nasty things about your weight gain.” She handed the document over. “He also outlines the steps they should take to get rid of you.”

  Susan covered her mouth with one hand and tears glistened in her eyes as she read the damning statements.

  “This is the key to winning the case, Susan. They can try to prove breach of contract based on Clause XIII of your contract, but this memo clearly shows malicious intent. Someday we might see a case in which it’s successfully argued that looks and gender are bona fide occupational qualifications for television news anchors, but until then…”

  A triumphant smile spread across Susan’s face. “Until then, we’ve got WBNS by the balls.”

  AS HE STRODE through the lobby of the Wyndham Hotel, Danny tugged at the jacket of his borrowed tuxedo. He hated stuffing himself into a monkey suit, especially tonight. He was wearing his brother’s tux to meet the woman who was supposed to be his brother’s fiancée. Thankfully, this would be the last night he had to answer to his brother’s name. Would it also be the last night he saw Jordan?

  His pulse tripped along his nerves. His stomach was tied in tiny knots. He was really looking forward to spending time with the Gregorys tonight. He’d promised Grandma Emma a dance and Eric had challenged him to sing karaoke. But, as for the most important member of the family, he had no idea where he stood with Jordan.

  He’d tried flowers, compliments, charm, surprise visits and late-night phone calls. All of which had been met with reserve. Was she stringing him along or had she really lost interest? The uncertainty was making him nuts. Danny paused beneath the flower-strewn lattice at the entrance of the Liberty Ballroom, feeling unsure of himself.

  The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the night skyline of downtown Baltimore and the Inner Harbor. Crystal chandeliers glowed above tables set with creamy linen and topped with tall vases of peach roses, yellow tulips and sprays of fern. His eyes scanned the ballroom, looking for familiar faces.

  Waiters in white dinner jackets offered trays of hors d’oeuvres to the hundred or so people milling about. Near the windows, a photographer snapped group portraits of various family and friends. Meanwhile, a cameraman circulated through the gathering, interviewing guests for a keepsake video.

  Then he saw her. And she took his breath away.

  Jordan was stunning. Tonight she wore a lime-green cocktail dress that left a whole lot of golden-brown skin on display. The satin material caressed her generous curves like a lover. The strapless bodice showcased her cleavage while the short hemline bared her legs to the thigh. That surprised him most of all.

  Danny looked at her with a mixture of lust and pride. Her hair fell loosely around her bare shoulders as if inviting his fingers to stroke the silky tresses. Her light brown eyes were lined with dark green shadow, her lips glistened a deep rose. He’d never seen her look more sexy, more confident or more beautiful. Finally he forced his trembling legs to move.

  When he reached her side, he simply followed his instincts and took her into his arms. He claimed her mouth and kissed her eagerly, thoroughly, telling her without words how much he wanted her. When he broke the kiss a moment later, Jordan gave a self-conscious laugh, pretending to fan herself.

  “Hello to you, too.”

  He smiled at her, his hands still on her waist. “You are just gorgeous.”

  “All right, that’s enough, young man. Stop drooling over the girl and greet the rest of us.”

  Startled, Danny glanced around him and realized several members of Jordan’s family stood nearby, watching them. With a grin, he shook hands with Matt and Reece, accepted a kiss from Celeste and even gave Keisha a hug. He was both touched and saddened by the warm welcome he received. They were good people and he’d come to hate lying to them.

  Celeste looked him over then gave him an exaggerated wink. “You certainly do clean up nice. Save me a dance later so I can make my husband jealous.”

  Jordan looped her arm through his and leaned against him. “Watch it, lady. Uncle Matt won’t be the only one jealous.”

  Danny sighed and addressed the other two men. “Don’t you hate it when they fight over you?”

  “Doesn’t anybody want to dance with me?” Reece sulked.

  “With those two left feet?” Jordan laughed. “No way, little brother.”

  Just then a bell chimed lightly and the maître d’ invited everyone to be seated for dinner. Danny took Jordan’s hand and followed her to one of the round tables near the dance floor and brass-railed stage. Crystal buckets held chilling bottles of champagne and the place cards were replicas of Charles and Emma’s wedding announcement.

  As he held Jordan’s chair, Danny couldn’t resist leaning down to plant a kiss on her shoulder. Camryn beamed at them from across the table. “Get a room, you two.”

  “As long as it’s not the one we booked. I have plans for later.” Mason leaned over to give her a smacking kiss.

  “You’re supposed to get married before you have the honeymoon, you know.”

  “Daddy!” Camryn blushed hotly. “He hasn’t asked me yet.”

  The entrées were served and Danny was pleasantly surprised again. Jordan was eating, and not just her salad. She didn’t deny herself a single bite of the Fillet of Beef with Wild Mushroom Medley or the Ocean Trout in Filo with Tomatoes and Olives. He pushed his plate closer so that she could spear one of the baby potatoes.

  Danny indicated the head table. “Who are the people sitting with your grandparents?”

  “You met my mom’s parents at the barbecue. They’ve got their backs to us. The others are Grandpa and Grandma’s oldest friends.” Jordan subtly pointed to each couple as she named them.

  Danny watched the older folks laughing and gesturing and felt a pang of envy. It must be wonderful to share an evening like this with people who’d known you for several decades. He tried to picture what Jordan would look like in another forty years. She’d probably be as beautiful then as she was now.

  She caught him staring and smiled. “What are you thinking?”

  He couldn’t tell her the truth, not here, not yet. “I was just wondering if Charles and Emma are playing footsy under the table. She keeps glancing at him with a funny little smile.”

  Jordan looked over at her grandparents and giggled. “I think Grandma just put her hand on his thigh.”

  Eric made a face. “Ugh. You don’t think they still…?”

  “And why shouldn’t they? Some things get better with age.” Jordan’s father wiggled his eyebrows at her mother.

  Angela playfully swatted his shoulder. “Behave yourself, Jackson.”

  Danny felt a tightening in his chest and had to swallow a sudden lump in his throat. These people were so obviously in love as couples, and just as obviously loved each other as a family. The Gregorys shared a warmth and a closeness that was missing from his own life, except for his relationship with David.

  Horrified, he recognized the sting of tears behind his eyes. Because he couldn’t deny it any longer. He had fallen deeply, irrevocably in love. With the other women he’d dated, he’d always held a part of himself back. But with Jordan, he didn’t want to hold back anymore. He wanted to matter to her, as she’d come to matter to him. He wanted to have a place in her life, to be a real couple, and to be included in this family.

  The power of his emotions left him both stunned and disoriented. His first reaction was panic. He’d never been in love before so how could he be sure of what was happening?

  Then he felt Jordan’s hand on his thigh under the table, saw her very subtle wink, and a sense of calm settled over him, a sense of rightness. Danny reached over to cup her cheek and draw her to him. The kiss he gave her this time was sweet and tender, a prelude to the things he�
�d say to her later.

  Danny’s kiss rocked her to the core. In his eyes, she saw a tenderness and a longing that had never been there before. Lightning struck her heart. She had prayed that he would come around, that he’d realize they had something special, and it seemed her prayers had been answered. If that kiss was anything to go by, ten days wasn’t long enough for him, either.

  For the rest of the meal it was all she could do not to dance on the tabletop and shout with joy. But this was her grandparents’ night and she wouldn’t take attention away from them. With difficulty, Jordan concentrated on the game of Anniversary Trivia they were playing.

  “Okay, it’s my turn.” She picked up the small white card above her plate and read the question. “True or false? The first time Emma saw Charles, he was wearing a banana suit.”

  Her father laughed. “That’s true.”

  Eric turned his head in surprise. “It is?”

  “Yep,” Jackson replied. “Dad was the banana in his elementary school play about nutrition.”

  Danny murmured in her ear. “What is it with your family and bananas? If you’re not wearing them, you’re using them as fake weapons.”

  Jordan chuckled and whispered back, “Did you read the one fantasy called Strawberry Fields For Hours? We could plan a whole fruit-themed night.”

  “I’m next.” Her mother read from her trivia card. “To further their love of learning, which of the following classes have Charles and Emma taken? Citizen’s Police Academy, Ceramics and Pottery or Tai Chi?”

  After dinner, Jordan was extremely tempted by the slice of orange-vanilla wedding cake, but decided she’d indulged herself enough for one night. Instead she fed pieces of cake to Danny while they watched a video montage of photographs taken of her grandparents through the years.

  “They look very happy together,” Danny whispered.

  “I think they are.”

  As the lights came up, the DJ started playing up-beat tunes and encouraging people to come out to the floor. Before she could ask Danny to dance with her, though, Aunt Celeste had already grabbed him. But she made sure he was all hers for the first slow song, a romantic ballad about falling in love forever. Jordan melted into his embrace as they danced, hips swaying and thighs brushing.

  It felt so good, so right to be in his arms. She closed her eyes, focusing on the music and the magic of the evening. Danny must have been caught up in it, too. When the tempo changed to something faster, he continued to hold her for a moment before reluctantly letting her go.

  “Save all of the other slow songs for me, too, okay?”

  Jordan beamed at him. “It’s a deal.”

  The DJ had set up a karaoke machine on the stage, so in between dance numbers, the guests were treated to an impromptu talent show. Emma and Charles even stepped up to the microphone, delighting everyone with a hit from the latest pop song princess.

  Emma started off with, “Oh baby, baby. There’s something you just gotta know.” Then Charles chimed in with, “I love you baby. I’m never going to let you go.” Jordan winced and covered her eyes when they tried some moves from the video. Beside her, Danny howled with laughter. “Wow. That belly-dancing class they took really paid off.”

  A few songs later, Eric stepped onto the stage. Instead of singing, though, he made an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen, you’re really in for a treat tonight. My sister Jordan and her fiancé, David, have agreed to a duet.”

  Jordan looked at Danny with an expression of mock horror. “I didn’t agree to that. Did you agree to that?”

  Eric continued. “I’ve chosen a special song for them because it’s one of my grandparents’ favorites. Jordan, David, come on up here!”

  Jordan felt hot color rush to her cheeks as Danny took her hand and led her forward. She hadn’t performed in public since the Hairspray musical back in high school. She tugged on Danny’s hand. “Can you even sing?”

  “I never sing except in the shower. The water drowns out the worst of it.”

  “Oh, great…”

  She laughed, but to her surprise, when the music intro began, Danny’s rich tenor confidently belted out the first line. Jordan grabbed the other microphone, waited for her cue and came in with the next verse of a famous Motown hit. Although Danny sang with more enthusiasm than talent, they ended the duet to thunderous applause.

  As they held hands and took their bows, Jordan decided this was the best night of her life.

  15

  HE’D DANCED with almost every woman at the party in the past two hours. Danny loosened his bow tie and rested his forearms on the railing of the balcony outside the ballroom. A slight breeze blew off the Inner Harbor, cooling him off as he undid the top button of his shirt.

  “Are you having a good time?”

  He angled his head to see Keisha swaying toward him, a half-empty glass of champagne in her hand. Danny straightened. “Yeah, I’m just a little worn-out from all of that dancing.”

  “Well, I hope you recover quickly. You haven’t danced with me once tonight.” When she came over and leaned back against the rail, he could tell this wasn’t her first glass of wine.

  “I think I’m done for the night—”

  “You danced with everyone else. Why not me? Why won’t you dance with me?”

  Her voice took on a definite edge, one that was best avoided. Danny pushed away from the railing with the intention of going back inside. She came after him.

  “You know what they say, don’t you? Good on the dance floor, better in bed.”

  He rubbed his head, dropping his gaze in embarrassment. He had no clue how to respond to that. She shifted in front of him to block his path. He tried to go around her again.

  “Excuse me, Keisha. I’m going back in.”

  She grabbed the loose ends of his bow tie and pulled, forcing him to lower his head. She planted her lips on his in a smooth, expert kiss. It left him completely unmoved. In fact, it confirmed his feelings for Jordan that a great kiss from a gorgeous woman had no effect on him at all. Danny gently pushed her away and yanked his tie from her fist.

  Keisha glared at him, her voice rising. “What’s wrong with you? Men always find me attractive. They always want me. How can you choose Jordan over me?” She locked both arms around his neck and kissed him again, this time hard and angry and desperate.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Danny finally succeeded in breaking away just as Reece came out on the balcony. Startled and off balance, Keisha dropped her champagne. The sound of glass shattering against concrete distracted Danny for a second. When he turned back, Reece’s fist flew toward his face. Pain exploded in his head and his eye began to swell almost instantly. Keisha ran past them to the ballroom door.

  “You son of a bitch,” Reece growled through clenched teeth. “I knew there was something going on.”

  “I swear, it’s not what it looks like.” Danny’s fingers tentatively explored the bruise developing on his cheek.

  “Neither are you. I don’t know what’s going on, but you’d better leave.” Reece shoved him back a step. “Stay the hell away from both my cousin and my sister.”

  On the one hand, he felt compelled to stay and defend himself against Reece’s anger. But it was more important to get to Jordan before her cousin did. Given the animosity between the two, Keisha’s ploy would be like throwing gasoline on a lit match. Danny went back inside with Reece hard on his heels.

  At their appearance, several people pointed and stared. He heard a series of whispers ripple through the gathering crowd. Danny’s eyes urgently sought any sign of Jordan. A moment later, she pushed past some of the guests to get to his side. Her gaze swept over him, taking in his black eye and unbuttoned shirt.

  He seized her hand and drew her close. “We have to talk. Right now.”

  Reece glared at him. “You can’t talk your way out of this.”

  Jordan reached up with her index finger to tilt his chin. “What happened to your face?”


  “It’s nothing—”

  “Danny!”

  “Danny?” Reece shifted his attention to his sister. “Why did you call him…?” He turned back to Danny. “Who are you?”

  Jordan clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes darkening as she realized what she’d said. Danny pulled her aside, trying to put some distance between them, her brother and the rest of the guests drawn to the scene they were making. He had to explain. He had to tell her how he felt, but his words came out as jumbled as his thoughts.

  “This wasn’t supposed to happen. It took me completely by surprise. I didn’t mean for—”

  Jordan squeezed his fingers to get his attention. “What is going on?”

  Reece lowered his voice so that only she would hear him. “I went outside for some air and caught him kissing Keisha.”

  “What?” She dropped Danny’s hand.

  “I didn’t kiss Keisha. She kissed me.” He pressed his palms against his temples. “Oh God, this is such a mess!”

  “I can not believe—”

  “Listen to me,” Danny insisted, “I can’t pretend anymore.”

  Jordan blinked in confusion at the swift change of subject. “You promised me, Danny. We agreed.”

  “To hell with that agreement! I know we made a deal, but now I can’t do this—”

  “Jo-Jo, is everything all right?”

  Charles Gregory’s quiet inquiry broke through the tension. Jordan turned to her grandfather with tears in her eyes. Danny reached for her hand, but she was twisting her fingers together as she always did when she was upset.

  “No, Grandpa, it isn’t.”

  “Jordan, wait. I didn’t tell you—”

  Reece interrupted him. “The only thing you need to tell her is how sorry you are!”

  Beside him, Jordan took a deep breath. “No. I’m the one who should apologize—”