She wrapped up a piece of crystal, sliding it into the box. “It’s a house, Dad. I would rather see you happy.” She sat down on the bed and took my hand. “You’ve mentioned rambling around in this place several times. I wondered if maybe it was time to move on.”
“Lots of memories here.”
She nodded. “The memories, you take with you. Maybe the sad reminders can stay behind.”
I had thought a lot about the conversation since then. She was right. I didn’t need a house with four bedrooms and twenty-five-hundred square feet to wander around in. I had a service that came in and cleaned the house, but the truth was, eighty percent of it was unused. I had another company come in and do the outside maintenance, but the gardens remained empty aside from the few perennials. Anna had loved gardening, but I was never big on it so had no interest in all the flowers and plants she would add every year, except to admire her handiwork. I had no desire to try to plant anything myself. The thought of another summer of trying to manage it all suddenly seemed a little overwhelming.
The phone rang, and with a smile, I answered. “Hello, Gina. How’s my daughter?”
“Good, Dad. How are you?”
“I’m fine. How are Tina and Leo?”
Gina laughed. “Busy. Eric took Leo to soccer this morning, and I’m sitting in the stands while Tina swims.”
“I miss them.”
“You need to come for another visit.”
“I will.”
“You sound down, Dad. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. I was thinking about something just before you called.”
“What?”
“The conversation we had at Christmas about selling the house.”
There was silence, then she spoke. “Are you ready for that?”
“I think I am. It’s too big for just me. I don’t use the pool anymore, and frankly, I think the house needs a family in it.” I rubbed a hand over my eyes. “I think maybe you’re right—it’s time to move on. You could come and take anything you want—I can ship it out to you. Maybe the dining room set? I know you always loved it. And your mother’s china.”
“I would love that.” She paused. “Has something happened, Dad? Something that made you decide?”
I sat down, unsure what to say. I had always been honest with my kids. “I had a date last night. I think it made me realize it was time to make some changes.”
“It must have been some date.”
I chuckled. “I’ve been thinking about moving for a while. I think I realized last night, if I’m ready to move forward in my life, maybe I need a fresh start in other places as well. And to be honest, I’m getting tired of rambling around in this place.”
“Too many memories?” she guessed.
I thought about bringing Sandy here. How I would feel being in the house she shared with Max. They would always be in the background. Our past lives. Past loves.
“Good memories, but yes.”
“Whatever you think is best, Dad. You know I support you.” Then her voice became teasing. “So, this date… You’re not suddenly going to spring some young woman on me as an evil stepmom, are you?”
I laughed at her words. “No. The lady I took to dinner was my age. Quite respectable.”
“Okay then.”
“I’m not looking to replace your mother, sweetheart. I’m just…” I trailed off, unsure what to say.
“I know, Dad. Mom would be happy you are trying. So am I. Warren will be fine with it. You’re too young to stay alone for the rest of your life. Just don’t rush into anything, okay?”
“I won’t. I’ve known this lady for a long time. We’re friends and we went to dinner.”
There was another pause. “Was it Sandy?”
I was surprised by her question. “Yes, it was. How did you know?”
“You always talk about her. I sometimes wondered why you didn’t ask her out sooner. I figured when you were ready, you would.”
“I was waiting for her to be ready.”
“Ah, Dad, you’re such a gentleman. I love you.”
I chuckled. “I love you too.”
“I’ll have to call you later, and you can tell me all about the date. Tina’s lesson is done, and she’ll be here in a minute.”
“All right, sweetheart. Thanks for calling.”
“Okay. Oh, and, Dad…”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for telling me. Remember to practice safe sex. Even at your age!”
Then, laughing, she hung up.
I set down the phone, grinning. I wasn’t surprised at Gina’s easy acceptance of the changes in my life. We had always been close, and she fussed a lot over me being alone. She had also suggested I sell the house two years ago, but at the time I wasn’t ready. At Christmas, I had wavered but decided against it. As I looked around the room, I decided that, perhaps, now I was ready.
* * *
I checked in with Sandy midafternoon. She answered the call, her voice a little breathless. It immediately took me back to the way she sounded after I had kissed her.
“Hello, Sandy. Having a good day?”
“A busy one. I decided to clean out some spaces. I’ve filled two garbage bags. Honestly, I have no idea why I had some of this junk stuffed in drawers.”
I chuckled. “I know. Sometimes I can’t even recall putting things in places.”
We shared some amusing stories, the mirth welcome. Then I cleared my throat.
“Thank you again for last night. It was wonderful.”
“It was.”
“Especially the end.”
Her subdued laughter was music to my ears. “That was unexpected, but yes, highly enjoyable.”
“Are you free Tuesday?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a tasting menu at Wallaby’s. Each tasting is paired with the perfect wine. Seven courses. How does that sound?”
“Like I might be drunk?”
I snickered. “We’ll take a cab, and I’ll make sure you get home safe. Would you do me the honor of coming with me?”
“I would love that.”
“Great. And Sandy, Van is getting married in a month. Would you come with me as my plus-one?”
“Oh, ah…”
Her hesitation prompted me to ask. “You would prefer not to let people know we’re seeing each other?”
“We’ve only had one date, Jordan.”
“Two, after Tuesday, and in a month, it will be so many, you will have lost count.”
“You’re very sure of yourself.”
I couldn’t resist teasing her. “I felt your response to my kiss, Sandy. I have every reason to be sure.”
“You’re such a rake.” She teased back. “I thought you were a gentleman.”
“I’m both.”
“I see.”
“So?” I pushed. “Tuesday, about twenty more dates, then the wedding? Yes?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
I couldn’t help my grin. “Perfect.”
* * *
Sandy
Monday morning, my stomach fluttered with nerves. As I prepared the boardroom for the usual start-of-the-week meeting, I worried about seeing Jordan.
How would he act? Would people know we’d been out together? I valued my privacy and I was certain he did as well, yet I also felt anxious about my reaction to him.
He’d been on my mind all day yesterday. Snippets of our evening came back to me, making me smile as I sorted drawers and tidied the house. The way I felt in his embrace—safe and secure. Surrounded by his scent. Max never wore cologne since many of the hospitals had a fragrance-free policy, so I wasn’t used to it, but Jordan smelled like fresh air in the fall—woodsy and warm. I liked it.
And his kiss.
It awakened in me something long dormant. With the age difference between Max and me, our sex life had shifted greatly as Max grew older. The last few years of Max’s life, his body had suffered terribly with his MS. He fought it valiantly
, but the passion we had shared so strongly throughout our earlier marriage was missing. We snuggled, exchanged whispered words of love, gentle kisses, but that was all. As hard as we tried to prevent it, I became more of a caregiver than his wife, and although I wouldn’t have done it any other way, that side of our life was gone.
I touched my mouth, still feeling the pressure of Jordan’s lips on mine. The tender possession that had deepened and blossomed into something more. It left me wanting.
And in many ways, it scared me.
Reid walked into the boardroom, his laptop tucked under his arm, a cup of coffee in his hand. He stopped beside me, dropping a kiss to my cheek.
“Hey, Sandy. How was your weekend?”
I patted his cheek. “Good. Yours?”
“Great. Becca and I went shopping for some furniture.” He shook his head. “I’ve never been able to shop for my own stuff before. There’re so many choices and decisions. Good thing I have her.”
I smiled. “Yes, it is.”
Other staff members filed in, and I took my usual place to the side of Bentley. I opened my pad and got ready, knowing once he strode in, the meeting would start. It was as if everyone waited for him, feeding on his energy and leadership to begin the week.
Aiden and Maddox sat down, both smiling and greeting me. My breath caught as Van walked in, followed by Jordan. I relaxed as they both said hello. Jordan smiled, nodded, and sat in his usual place. There was nothing out of the ordinary with his demeanor, nothing overly familiar, yet I felt his glance from across the table. Saw his smile widen a little as I returned his salutation. I averted my eyes as the feeling I was about to blush rushed over me.
Heaven’s sake, I hadn’t blushed since I was fifteen. What was this man doing to me?
Bentley walked in, set his leather-bound journal on the boardroom table, and clapped his hands.
“Morning everyone. We have a busy week ahead of us, so let’s get to it.”
I was grateful for his briskness this morning. I needed to occupy my hands—and my mind.
Blushing.
What next?
Swooning?
Heaven forbid.
* * *
I stayed in my seat, furiously writing the last few moments of the meeting as people filed out. Bentley had been on fire this morning, discussing new projects, the hiring of additional staff, the transition of some people to the new building, as well as a hundred and one other items on his list.
Busy, indeed.
I jotted down some questions I needed to ask, then snapped shut my notepad.
I glanced up, surprised to see all the boys still in their seats. They were all relaxed, sipping coffee, Aiden eating what I was certain was his fourth Danish of the day. I met their glances, confused.
“Boys—what’s up?”
“Just checking in, Sandy,” Maddox drawled, a smile on his lips.
“Checking in?”
“You look good today,” Bentley stated softly. “Lovely as usual, but better.”
“I had a nice weekend.”
Aiden lifted one eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Very productive. Cleaned out some drawers, went shopping, that sort of thing.”
Reid leaned forward. “Anything particularly interesting filed under ‘that sort of thing’?”
I rolled my eyes. They were fishing. They knew I had lunch with Jordan last week, and like curious children, they wanted to know what was going on. I stood, brushing off my skirt.
“I deleted that app, if that is what you’re wondering. You can all stop worrying.”
“We’ll never stop worrying about you, Sandy,” Bentley stated. “We love you too much.”
His words made me smile.
“I’m fine, boys. Carry on with your life.”
“Dee and I were out to dinner on Saturday,” Maddox said.
I glanced at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Imagine my surprise”—he smirked—“when I saw you across the restaurant, having dinner. With Jordan.”
“Imagine,” I replied, trying not to laugh. I was incorrect. They were worse than curious children. Four sets of eyes stared at me, all waiting for me to speak.
“The restaurant was lovely. I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as we did,” I responded, keeping my voice neutral.
“You looked quite cozy,” Maddox added.
“Tell me, how many phone calls happened between the four of you on Sunday? I’m quite shocked none of you was at my door demanding answers yesterday.”
They all spoke up at once.
“Emmy wouldn’t let me.”
“Cami said to leave you alone.”
“Dee refused to let me come say hello on Saturday. She told me to give you some privacy.”
“Becca told me to butt out.”
I picked up my notepad. “Good thing your partners have some sense. Yes, Jordan and I went out for dinner. We had a nice evening. We spoke yesterday on the phone, and we do plan on seeing each other again. Now, I will try to refrain from dragging him into the supply cupboard and having my wicked way with him, and I promise not to make kissy faces at him during meetings, but heaven only knows. He is rather sexy. Now, I believe we’re done here.”
I swept out of the boardroom, shutting the door behind me. The silence I left was deafening and the shocked looks on their faces priceless.
But I had a feeling I had made my point. I knew that each of them would approach me today and grovel. I planned on enjoying it. I found it quite funny, if I was being honest.
I wasn’t angry or even upset. I knew they were all concerned about me, and I also knew they were idiots a great deal of the time when it came to personal matters. Still, I had to set some boundaries.
Even if I loved them all the more for their behavior.
I approached my desk, all other thoughts disappearing when I saw what waited for me. Sitting beside my keyboard was a small vase containing three perfect irises.
There was no note. No indication of who had left them, but I knew who it was.
Jordan.
It was a lovely little reminder of the weekend.
Of him.
The boardroom door opened, and the partners all filed out, heading directly to their offices. They all looked crestfallen, and I was instantly ashamed of berating them.
“Boys,” I called softly.
They all turned, looking at me.
“I love you. Interfering idiots you are, that hasn’t changed. I promise if I need you, I will call, okay?”
They all smiled in relief, making me chuckle. They couldn’t stand it if they felt I was upset—the hard-hearted, tough businessman image they projected was simply that. An image. Underneath their fancy suits and gruff exteriors, they were all caring, loving men—and fiercely protective.
I was glad to be one of the people they cared so deeply about.
“Now, get back to work,” I demanded. “I can’t do all this myself, you know.”
Reid laughed. “I think you do most of it.”
I tilted my chin. “Remember that.”
They were all sniggering as they dispersed.
I touched the petals on my irises, smiling. I looked up to see Bentley in his doorway, watching me. I winked at him and he grinned.
“I love seeing you smile like that again.”
I arched an eyebrow at him, and he lifted his hands in supplication, then disappeared into his office.
I opened my laptop and got to work.
Sandy
Jordan’s eyes widened in shock. “Maddox was there? I never noticed him.”
I nodded with a grin. “Neither of us did. Apparently, Dee dragged him out of the restaurant and refused to let him interrupt us.”
He lifted his wine. “What are the odds?”
“I know.”
“Does it bother you? Their interference? Or should I say, attempted interference?” Jordan asked with a smirk. “I love how you shut them down.”
I felt the need to def
end them. “No, I know how worried they have been. They’re just trying to watch out for me.”
He leaned across the table, his voice low. “If you still have to prove a point, I’m okay with you dragging me into the storage cupboard.” He sat back with a wink. “I’ll take one for the team.”
I laughed at his humor. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You do that.”
The waiter slid a plate in front of us. “Elk ravioli with a blue cheese and thyme cream sauce,” he announced, then poured us the next wine pairing. “A rich Syrah with essence of black plum, pepper, and blackberry.”
I eyed my plate with anticipation. Everything had been delicious so far. I cut into the pasta and tasted the offering. The richness of the cheese and the dense filling was heaven.
Jordan groaned around his mouthful. “This is amazing.”
I sipped the pungent, dry wine with appreciation. It was the perfect accompaniment to the decadent pasta.
“This just gets better and better,” I agreed.
We had left the office together, heading straight for the restaurant in a car service Jordan ordered for the night. He planned on taking me home, then having the car drop him off at his place since we would both be drinking. He had kissed my cheek in the car, and we had held hands, both enjoying the quiet on the short trip to the restaurant. I liked not having to fill the time with empty chatter. I had never been very good at small talk. Since we had sat down, though, conversation had flowed, and I was enjoying every moment with Jordan.
“I concur,” he said, tasting his wine. “How we’re supposed to get through seven courses, I’m not sure.”
I indicated our plates. “I’m not sure we’re supposed to finish everything they give us.”
He shook his head. “Nope, too good.”
He was right. The portions weren’t huge, but I had noticed other people literally taking a bite and leaving the rest. Jordan and I cleared our plates. Spicy, shredded lamb and vegetable rolls. Ahi tuna with a drizzle of citrusy glaze on top of crispy noodles. Each course was delicious and the wine that accompanied it, heady.
I finished my pasta and sat back to enjoy the last of my wine. Jordan mimicked my position.
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 78
