Marilyn stared at her mother.
“We need to make a move soon,” Alice said. “We believe they’re close to considering Greeves Minerals’ offer.”
“Greeves Minerals? Is that why you declined to go on Biz Q&A? Doesn’t Patrick now own part of that company?”
“Well, we assume he’s inherited Margaret O’Neill’s shares. But no, we didn’t decline because of that. We just don’t have the time to be on the show. But if you do decide to go on Biz Q&A, I agree that you should tell Patrick about Grant Ace bidding for Well of Brilliance. I’m sure Patrick won’t have a problem with it, though. We’re all professionals. Mind you, if we succeed in buying Well of Brilliance, appearing on Biz Q&A to announce our new venture would be a great idea.”
“I’ll have to think about it, Mum. I mean, I run my own business—”
“I know, darling,” Alice interrupted with a hand on her arm. “You’re doing very well with it and you have no idea how proud your dad and I are of you. But it’s not as if business brokering is your passion, is it? You only went on your own because you wanted to prove to yourself and to everyone else that you’re just not a pretty face who happens to have us as your parents, right?”
Marilyn’s lips curved in acknowledgement. There had been a time when she had hated working for Grant Ace. She’d felt that their employees, especially the upper-level managers, had never believed her suitable for a management position.
Well, she herself had questioned if she was any good. She knew she’d leapfrogged her way up only because she was the bosses’ daughter. Sure, she was entitled to it. After all, she expected to inherit the company eventually. But she’d constantly wondered if she could go far on her own. So she’d set out to find the answers by distancing herself from her parents, business-wise.
“You’re an asset to any business, Marilyn. Your dad and I would be fools not to try to encourage you to rejoin our management team.”
“Let me think about it, Mum,” she said, even as her heart expanded from her mother’s words.
“Of course. We’ll see you next Saturday for dinner.”
She gave Alice a kiss. “Drive safely and give my love to Dad.”
Alice nodded, waving goodbye, and Marilyn shut the door.
Now she could go back to Jarryd.
She took a deep breath, putting aside her business conversation with her mother to concentrate on the man waiting for her in her living room. She found him sipping on his iced tea, reading a business magazine that she’d left on the coffee table.
Her breath hitched. She missed this—seeing Jarryd in her space. He’d always looked like he belonged here. Or rather, like he belonged with her.
Marilyn shook her head. Wishful thinking didn’t make something true. And she’d already made a vow to herself before Jarryd had arrived that she wouldn’t succumb to his charms unless he wanted the same thing she did—an exclusive, ongoing relationship. Unfortunately, a casual, no-commitment fling with him would only make things much harder for her in the long run, so that was off the table.
“I’m back,” she called out.
Jarryd glanced up and smiled widely. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, as soon as I finish putting the flowers in a vase.” She walked to a side table against the wall near the lounge and took the crystal vase displayed there. It was her favourite, and nothing else would do for the surprise gift Jarryd had given her.
Gah, she’d gone sentimental now, had she? How foolish.
She turned to head back to the kitchen counter where she’d left the bouquet and was surprised to see Jarryd there, starting to undo the wrapping from around the flower stems. “What are you doing?”
“I want to help you put these in that vase. Ruby gave me a mini-tutorial.”
She chuckled at the picture of Lucas’s florist mother teaching Jarryd how to arrange flowers. “What brought that on?”
“I bought a bunch from Ruby for my mum’s birthday last month. I mentioned to her that when I took the flowers out of their binding and put them in a vase, they didn’t look as good as when they came out of her shop, especially since the container I used had a wide mouth. So she taught me how to rearrange them.”
“I see,” she said with a grin. “I should let you do it, then.”
“Yes, let me show you,” Jarryd said with put-on superiority. He put water in the vase and plonked the flowers in it. Then he moved some stems here and there until he achieved the look he wanted. “Ta-dah!”
She clapped, laughing. “Ruby will be proud of you.”
“The important question is,” Jarryd said, stepping close to her and taking her by surprise with his sudden seriousness, “do you like them?”
She swallowed, his nearness robbing her lungs of oxygen. “Yes.” Oh, God, that sounded too high-pitched. “Yes, I love them. Thank you,” she said in a more normal tone, albeit breathless.
“Good,” Jarryd mouthed, staring in her eyes.
And she stared right back, finding herself unwilling to break the connection... and wanting so much to kiss him.
Don’t you dare, Marilyn Grant!
She stepped back and trained her gaze to the flowers. “Let’s go to dinner so you can tell me what you want to tell me,” she said hurriedly.
Jarryd inhaled deeply. “Yes. We should.”
*****
Marilyn laughed out loud at Jarryd’s description of a funny Christmas party invitation he’d recently received. She should be surprised that she could feel so relaxed with him as he drove them to the restaurant, but she really wasn’t. She’d always known that she and Jarryd had a great rapport. Clearly, that hadn’t disappeared.
And their physical chemistry hadn’t gone anywhere, either—at least, for her part. Her traitorous body was already seeking some bedroom action just by being with him in the enclosed space of his car. Even as she kept up with their conversation, she couldn’t help but play in her mind how hot sex had been with him. Argh! She wanted her brain to be the one making the decisions tonight, not her body or heart.
“Here we are,” Jarryd said, turning into the parking area of the Banjo Patterson Cottage Restaurant.
She hid a rueful smile. She loved this establishment, having been here a few times in the past. The old-world charm of the centuries-old sandstone building which housed the restaurant made everything feel more romantic. But if Jarryd disappointed her tonight by propositioning her for casual sex, it might just forever spoil this place for her.
Jarryd opened her car door and held out his hand. She took it as she got out of the car, but let go as they started to walk to the restaurant. All she needed to do was hold on to her self-control until this dinner was over. By then, she would know his real agenda and she could decide her next steps accordingly.
“Miss Grant!” the maître d’ exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”
“Hi, Hector,” Marilyn said with a smile. “Jarryd here made the reservations tonight.”
“Of course, sir,” Hector said, acknowledging Jarryd before leading them to a table in a private room with views of the Parramatta River. The affable man informed them of the specials and took their drink orders.
“You come here a lot, obviously,” Jarryd commented once Hector had left.
“This place is one of my parents’ favourites. I’ve been here with them a few times before.”
“I bet the table they originally reserved for me wasn’t this private,” Jarryd said with a grin. “This is great.”
She smiled her relief. It had worried her that Jarryd might have been put out when Hector treated them like VIPs because of her. But she should have known that small things like that didn’t bother Jarryd. He was an easy-going guy.
“You can tell me all you want to say to your heart’s content,” she teased. “Nothing stopping you now.”
Jarryd exhaled heavily. “Okay.”
Ah, he was nervous. Which increased her nerves too.
“So earlier today, I told you that I did
n’t mean what I said when I broke up with you,” Jarryd said. “I had personal problems that I didn’t quite know how to handle, and I guess I thought breaking up with you was better than getting you involved in them.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. Jarryd was looking at her pleadingly, like he was willing her to say she understood. She nodded to keep him talking.
Jarryd leaned forward and stared into her eyes. “Some of the issues I’ve been grappling with are still ongoing. But there’s one thing that I’m sure of despite everything that’s still muddling me.”
She gawked at the intensity in his gaze, her breathing shallowing.
“I miss you,” Jarryd said softly, his stare unwavering.
Her chest heaved and she blinked repeatedly. He missed her. Her heart started dancing in her chest.
A server appeared, but Jarryd kept his eyes glued to her as he sat back in his seat to allow the man to set their drinks on the table.
And she couldn’t look away from him either.
“May I take your order?” the server said.
“I’ll have your fish special,” she murmured, not even remembering what the dish was.
“I’ll have the same,” Jarryd said as he held her gaze.
“Certainly,” the server responded, hastening away to give them back the privacy they clearly wanted.
“I miss you,” Jarryd said again, his voice more insistent.
She wanted to respond in kind, but instead she asked, “What does that mean?”
“I’d love for us to start seeing each other again.”
Her heart skipped before racing. “Why?”
“Because I miss you.” The worry was clear on Jarryd’s face.
“What I want to know is,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment to stop her heart from overpowering her head, “what exactly do you miss?”
“You. The whole you.”
“Not just the sex?” she asked, watching his face intently.
Jarryd’s lips quirked upwards. “No, definitely not just the sex, even though I miss that a hell of a lot.”
Marilyn suppressed her smile because she wasn’t done interrogating him about his motives. But she couldn’t help but feel happy. He missed her, and not just the sex.
“I’m not after a casual relationship, Jarryd,” she said sternly, just so he truly understood where she was coming from.
“I’m not either,” he said softly. “Not with you.”
She gawked at him, wanting so much to believe he meant those words. He looked utterly sincere, but could she really give in so easily?
“I am so sorry for being such an idiot two months ago,” Jarryd said, his tone earnest. “But my decision back then didn’t have anything to do with how I feel for you even if I did say the stupidest things. I have no excuse apart from being totally out of my depth with the situation I found myself in. But I’m very clear about things now. I want to be back with you.”
She filled her lungs slowly, her mind whirling with reasons why she shouldn’t be so quick to take him back. But her heart was forcing her to think of the other side of the equation. Jarryd didn’t have to come back to her. He could have easily found himself another woman to date. Heaven knew there were plenty who’d jump at the chance to be with this total hunk. Yet here he was, pleading with her. Didn’t he deserve another chance? Didn’t they?
“I want to be with you, Marilyn. I want so much to make us work. I miss you.”
This time she didn’t try to hide her happy smile.
Relief flashed on Jarryd’s face. “God, I so want to kiss you,” he murmured.
“I’m not done asking you questions.”
He put on a chastened expression. “Fire away.”
“Would you share with me the problems that got you muddled?”
Jarryd’s brows furrowed. “Can I tell you about them when I’m ready, please? I will tell you eventually, just not now.”
She frowned back at him. “I understand that there are things you want to keep to yourself. But if we’re going to be dating again, I’d want to be able to help you through your issues. How can I do that if you won’t give me an idea what they’re about? I’d continue to worry, especially when it sounds like they’re something major. Besides, wouldn’t our relationship be mainly about sex if we’re not sharing our problems with each other and being each other’s comfort and support?”
“Give me your hands.” Jarryd placed his on the table, palm open, so she could reach for them.
She did and Jarryd’s fingers closed around hers.
“Aren’t there things that some couples keep from each other?” he asked. “I mean, do your parents tell each other everything? I know mine don’t. My dad keeps certain things from my mum if he knows she’ll only get worried. I do intend to share most things with you, but just not these particular ones that cropped up two months ago. And like I said earlier, you’ll still get to know about them eventually. Just not yet.”
Marilyn stared at their interlocked fingers. She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. She hadn’t meant to throw serious-relationship questions at him, but she’d felt comfortable enough—safe enough—to ask them. Didn’t that show how close a connection she and Jarryd truly had?
She was happy to take things slow, as long as she and Jarryd had the same intention: a committed relationship that might end up being long-term, if that was where this journey took them.
“Okay,” she said.
“Okay, what?”
“Okay to you missing me.”
“And?”
“Okay to dating again.”
Jarryd’s face broke into a happy smile. “And okay to kissing you right now?”
Her answer was an inviting grin.
Jarryd swiftly got out of his chair, went to her, tilted her chin, then bent down to kiss her. Hungrily.
Marilyn cupped his face and kissed him back.
She waited for Jarryd to break the kiss, but he went on... and on. Finally, he stood back up, and she noticed Hector standing by the threshold.
With her parents next to him.
CHAPTER FIVE
Jarryd pulled back. He wanted to keep on kissing Marilyn, but he was getting too hot for her. And this wasn’t the time and place to get a hard-on. He noticed her eyes rounding as she stared at something behind him.
He twisted to see what she was looking at and gulped involuntarily. Alice Grant smiled at him, although her surprise was still clear on her face. But Barry Grant, who looked as distinguished as he did in magazine photos, had a big scowl on his face.
Damn. This wasn’t the way he’d wanted Marilyn’s father to meet him.
“Hi, Mum, Dad,” Marilyn said, “I didn’t realise you’d be here tonight.”
“It was a last-minute decision,” Alice said, walking inside. “And Hector mentioned you’re here.”
“We’d like to join your table, if you don’t mind.” Barry’s tone demanded agreement.
Marilyn’s gaze flickered to Jarryd.
“Of course not, Mr. Grant,” he answered with a smile, gesturing for a handshake. “I’m Jarryd Westbourne. Pleased to meet you.”
“Hello,” Barry replied, gripping his hand tightly. “Alice was just telling me about you on our way here.”
Jarryd kept the grin plastered on his face, not having an instant response to that. Whatever good things Marilyn’s mother had said about him might have been negated by what they’d just witnessed. He wouldn’t be surprised if the Grants hated attracting attention in a public place, and there he’d been, devouring their daughter’s mouth in one of their favourite restaurants. What timing.
A server arranged two extra places on their table, giving him time to get back his bearings—and swallow his disappointment. No more heart-to-heart talk or sweet kisses with Marilyn tonight in this place.
Time crawled for Jarryd as he fielded question after question from Barry. If it hadn’t been for Marilyn and Alice interjecting with some light-hearted comments e
very so often, this dinner would simply have been an inquisition. In a way, he didn’t mind. It wasn’t everyday he got someone of Barry Grant’s calibre talking business matters with him.
“What do you do to get new business?” Barry asked next.
“Currently, I’m lucky enough to have a steady stream coming from my list of contacts from my previous company, and also from referrals from my current clients. But I’m about to work with a marketing consultant to help me with branding and to also help me tap into the cold market.”
“Can’t rest on your laurels,” Barry said, nodding. “And how’s cash flow for you? From what you’ve said, you would have had to put in extra capital to feed your growth. Monthly obligations like interest repayments and wages could kill your momentum if your cash inflow is dry for a period of time.”
“I do have to watch it carefully,” he said simply.
Things were a lot better now after he’d decided to use the five million dollars Margaret had deposited in Westbourne Constructions’ account without his consent a month before she passed away. He hadn’t wanted to touch it at first, but Margaret had said to consider it as her investment in his company. Accepting that gift, which was separate from his inheritance, seemed to be the only way he could thank her for the love she’d shown him in the one year they’d gotten to know each other.
Marilyn started talking about the charity events she’d been organising for the Christmas season. To Jarryd’s relief, Barry had stopped giving him the third degree to discuss Marilyn’s plans.
Phew.
*****
“Please let me get this,” Jarryd said, pulling out his credit card from his wallet and holding it up for Hector to take.
“No,” Barry said definitively, handing his black Amex to Hector, who grabbed it without hesitation.
Jarryd suppressed his sigh. At the very least, he wanted to pay for his and Marilyn’s dinner considering this had turned out to be their reconciliation date. But now wasn’t the time to get into a competition with Barry over who was the boss.
“How about we give you a lift home, Marilyn?” Barry said. “Your place is out of Jarryd’s way. It’s easier for us.”
The Unknown Billionaire (Captured by Love Book 6) Page 4
