by Dara Girard
“I was young and I had a heart, and you broke it. Was I so insignificant to you that you couldn’t even see how I felt?”
Her heart crashed to her feet when she saw the look on his face. He hadn’t known. All this time she had thought he had spitefully captured her heart and broken it, when he hadn’t known he had captured it in the first place. False pride laughed at her again. How could he have known? He had never really seen her. Plain, boyish jocks didn’t care about stupid high school dances. They were just pals and would understand. She glanced up at him. He was too still. She jumped up and shook him. “Breathe.”
He continued to stare at the wall.
She shook him harder. “Stop that or I’ll punch you.”
He took a deep breath and began to cough.
She fell back into her chair. “I wish you wouldn’t do that.”
He didn’t hear her. His voice was quiet, as if he were in a dream. “I could never figure out why you hated me so much. What had I done that—”
She shrugged, wanting to make light of it. “Well, it’s all over now.”
“Why didn’t Eddie tell me?”
“Who knows?” Who cares? She wanted to forget everything. “It’s okay.”
He shook his head. “No wonder you hated me if you thought me capable of that. You thought you were in love with me and I…”
She touched his sleeve. His face was so anguished; she could almost see the painful memories flash in his eyes. He remembered his sadness and added hers. “I shouldn’t have told you.”
“I should have known.”
“You couldn’t have known. How would an eagle know a blade of grass worships him?”
She would forgive him, but she would never trust him. How could he have known he was the first love of a young girl desperate to fit in? Their past was a setup meant for heartbreak: French lessons in the park, on the bay. She sighed, forgiving the foolish girl she’d once been. “It didn’t matter anyway.”
“It does matter,” he said, with a vehemence that shocked her. “You were my best friend. You were the only one who…You were all I had, the only person I could share my thoughts with. He knew that, and he turned us into enemies.”
His best friend? She didn’t understand what he was saying, but she knew he couldn’t blame Eddie. “No, I turned us into enemies. I played the woman scorned and enjoyed it. I never gave you the chance to explain, because…” Her voice fell. “I didn’t want a reason to care about you again.”
“And now?”
“Now what?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Can you care about me again?”
She narrowed her eyes, cautious. “Be friends?”
He nodded.
She chewed her lower lip, unsure.
“Jasmine, remember when you used to collect stones?”
“Yes.”
He held out his hand. In the middle of his palm sat a turquoise stone. “You gave this to me.” He came around the table and stood in front of her. “You’re not the only one who had hope.”
“Kenneth, I didn’t give you this.”
He looked down, stunned. “You didn’t?”
She tweaked his chin. “Gotcha.”
“Up to your old tricks.” He grinned. “I should have known.”
She stared at the floor, not knowing what else to say.
His voice changed, “Jasmine, it’s nice to see you again!”
She glanced up, startled. “I’m sorry?”
He hugged her and spun her around. “It’s been a long time!” He kissed both her cheeks. “How long has it been? Ten, twelve years? You look great. What have you been up to?”
Jessie laughed. “What are you doing?”
“I haven’t been up to much. I’ve been helping this company widen its profit margin. Radson Electronics. You might have heard of it?” He lifted an eyebrow, inviting her to play along.
She smothered a grin. “Oh, yes. I think so. Michelle talks about it all the time. I’m glad you’re working there. I know how hard it is for you to keep a job. I, on the other hand, work for this crazy workaholic, looking after his niece. Fortunately, I’m having so much fun; I don’t mind finding paper clips in my salad.”
His eyes burned into hers. “I missed you.”
I missed you too. “Yeah.”
He hugged her again. She’d remembered this most about him. He had always been affectionate: pulling her hair, kissing her forehead, grabbing her hand. It felt good to be in his arms. Too good.
She wrinkled her nose. “This is disgusting. We’re covered in food.”
He shrugged. She could feel the muscles in his chest move against her. She briefly shut her eyes. “Who cares?” he said. “I just got one of my best friends back.”
One of his best friends? Doesn’t he have enough friends? She pulled away. “So you’ve conquered your only enemy.”
He laughed. “Not quite. Some board members want me to resign; some family members would like me dead—”
She widened her eyes alarmed. “What?”
“Inheritance. And then there are the women.”
“Women?”
“With the probability of sounding vain—yes, women. But you can help me.” He rested against the table. “As friends, let’s make a promise that we’ll warn each other about bets, dares, or pranks concerning one another.” He flashed her a conspiratorial grin. “You know, it will be a great relief to have you on my side. You wouldn’t believe the amount of women who bet that they can get a date with me.”
Damn. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, you wouldn’t comprehend the lengths some women will go to.” He lightly touched her chin, then let his hand fall. “I’m glad you’re not like that. You wouldn’t go after some guy just because of a stupid bet.”
She swallowed hard. “That’s right.” The gentle glow in his eyes made her want to reveal all, but she said nothing.
“Good.” He turned away. Jessie squeezed her eyes shut and silently swore.
“This place looks awful,” he said. “Ms. Rose is going to have a heart attack when she sees it.”
“I wouldn’t want that. I like her.”
“I’m glad. She’s American, but she cooks Caribbean food like a dream. Do you still like ‘dip and fall back’?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll make sure she makes it for you.”
His kindness hurt. “You should go to bed. I’ll clean up. I don’t mind.” She needed time alone to think anyway. Physical labor always helped to clear her thoughts, and she definitely needed to clear them. She silently groaned when he said, “Neither do I.”
They filled two buckets with soap and water. Kenneth mopped the floor while Jessie scrubbed the table and chairs. They both wiped the walls, “accidentally” splashing each other once in a while. Morning slipped through the windows by the time they finished.
Kenneth rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Wow, it’s amazing what we can get done when we’re not arguing with each other.”
“I’m…sorry about everything,” Jessie stammered.
“You don’t—”
“I mean everything.” Like the fact that the only reason I’m talking to you now is because of a ridiculous bet.
He draped a brotherly arm around her shoulders. Jessie had to resist the urge to lean into him. “Now that I’ve got you in this remorseful mood, you probably wouldn’t mind paying for the cost of my dry cleaning.”
Jessie elbowed him in the ribs. “You still have a tux you owe me.”
“I have my old prom tux upstairs.”
“Can you still fit into it?”
He gave a world-weary sigh. “No, I got fat.”
She laughed. “The only place you got fat was in your wallet.”
“Yes. And I have to be at work in three hours.”
Jessie looked at her hands, then pulled at her cheeks. “Mashed potatoes and peas cannot be good for the skin. I can feel my face hardening.”
“No, your face always looks like that.”
“Sorry.” He rubbed his shoulder. “Old habit. I’ll remember next time.” He unbuttoned his shirt.
“What are you doing?” Her voice came out as a squeak.
He stripped off his shirt and looked at his shoulder. “I’m looking to see if you left a mark.” His eyes were bright with merriment. “Were you expecting something else?”
“No.” She touched his shoulder and noticed a tiny bruise. “Oh, damn, did I do that?”
He pulled up his shirt. “Probably not. You punch like a girl.”
Jessie met his eyes, ready for battle, but was quickly assuaged by the teasing gleam there. A tingling sensation entered her stomach. She licked her lips, which had suddenly become dry. Slowly the distance between their lips began to close.
“Uncle Kenneth,” Syrah called from the hallway. They pulled apart before she entered the room. “I had a nightmare and couldn’t find Aunt Jessie—” When she saw Kenneth and Jessie, her mouth dropped open.
“We, uh…” Kenneth looked at Jessie for help.
“It’s an ancient ritual practiced by a small tribe…uh…to cover yourself in food for good luck,” Jessie improvised.
Syrah nodded her head. “Oh.”
“We just wanted to check it out.” She tugged on her shirt. “I’d better go change.”
Kenneth grabbed her hand before she could leave. His voice was soft, brushing against her ear like a caress. “Good morning, Jasmine. Sleep well.”
* * *
She was in deep trouble, deeper than she ever thought possible. What had happened to her integrity? Jessie got out of the shower and changed. Not only had she made a promise she was already breaking, but she was falling for him again. With no reason to hate him, she had nothing to protect herself.
But she had a duty. She couldn’t put her own foolish desires in front of her family again. If she had cared about how much her parents had wanted to send her to college, she wouldn’t have given her scholarship away. She couldn’t let her family down for a man who would never return her affections. Damn it, she had to win for her father, for her family. She couldn’t bow out and admit defeat, not when she had made such progress.
Life was a battle that left a few casualties. Kenneth wouldn’t necessarily be a casualty. He would understand her need to get the pendant back. He had to. It was a risk she needed to take. She rested against the door. But it still felt wrong.
Chapter 15
It was nearly noon when she woke up. She pulled together an outfit (one of Teresa’s blouses, which was a little too big, jeans, and a light sweater), then noticed that the hamper where she had carelessly thrown her clothes was empty. She ran downstairs and found Freda loading the washing machine.
“Are you washing my clothes with his?” she asked, noticing one of Kenneth’s shirts dangling out of the machine.
Freda sent her a haughty look. “You don’t expect me to do a separate load for you, do you?”
“I didn’t expect you to do it at all.”
“Well, I am.”
“Thank you, but…” She let her words trail off, but Freda understood clearly.
She grinned. “If your unmentionables start to multiply, I’ll separate the clothes.”
Shamefaced, Jessie went into the family room. She found Syrah putting together a puzzle.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said. “You should have woken me.”
“That’s all right. Uncle was late for work too.” A wicked grin spread on her face. “You should have seen his face when he saw what time it was.”
“I’m sure it was very entertaining.” The thought of Kenneth brought heat to her face. Not just the thought of him, the memory of him, the feel of his arm around her shoulder, his chest against hers. The warmth he offered when they became friends. He was an unfortunate pawn, but there was no other choice. Still, she definitely had to talk to Teresa. “Get your shoes, Syrah. I have to run some errands.”
* * *
Jessie glanced at the gray two-story building as she parked. It was built in a traditional country-home style with a wraparound porch and arched windows. The garden was its most alluring aspect, exploding with blush-colored roses, pink tulips, and stone urns spilling over with purple geraniums, irises, and peonies. It had been their mother’s joy. At times she could see her mother’s orange cartwheel hat bent over a bud peeking through the soil. Now Teresa tended to it just as faithfully.
Jessie checked the time. Teresa usually didn’t have students until later in the afternoon. She hoped that schedule hadn’t changed. As they walked up the drive, they noticed a redheaded girl weeding.
“Hey, can I help?” Syrah asked the girl.
“Sure.” She looked up at Jessie. “If your mom will let you.”
“I’m not her—” Jessie began.
“Can I?” Syrah interrupted.
“Okay.”
Jessie left Syrah in the garden and walked into the house. The smell of magnolias and daylilies scented the air.
“Well, look who’s here,” Teresa said, putting down a sheet of music. “What’s going on?”
Jessie sat on the couch. “Since when did you have other kids weed the garden? You never let me weed.”
“That’s because you couldn’t tell a weed from a flower. Denise is bored and driving her mother crazy, so I thought I could make her useful. Besides, later I’m going to make some body creams.”
Jessie glanced at the clock. “Don’t you have a student this afternoon?”
Teresa smiled sadly. “Not anymore, I’m afraid. Patricia has decided that she wants to learn to play the trombone.”
“I’m sorry.”
She brushed the pity away with a wave of her hand. “I’m used to it. When you’re free, I need help clearing the garage. Michelle has been complaining that it’s a safety hazard.”
“I’ll see when I have a free moment.” Which might be sooner than you think.
“So what are you doing here?”
She bit her thumbnail, then stopped. “I need your advice. I’m in big trouble.”
“It can’t be bigger than—”
“It is.” She took a deep breath, then said in a rush, “I think I’m falling in love with Kenneth again.”
Teresa waved her hands as if trying to free herself from a cobweb. “Wait a minute. What do you mean by again?”
“When he was tutoring me, I fell in love with him. After the prom, I hated him, but now that we’ve made up, I think I’m falling for him again.” She buried her head in her hands. “I can’t believe I’m so stupid. You would think one heartbreak was enough. I know he doesn’t think of me that way. I’m just a pal, someone you kiss on the cheek and pat on the back.” She looked at her sister. “But when I look at him…”
“I don’t see what the problem is. Just charm Kenneth for real. It won’t be hard. You were meant to be together.”
“I’m not in the mood to hear about your visions.”
She sighed. “You never are. So what do you want to do?”
“I want to stop feeling this way. I want to charm him. I want him to want me and want to win that bet.”
“So it’s his friendship or the pendant?”
She pinched the couch cushion. “I’ve put friendship over family honor before. It wouldn’t be fair to do it again.”
“We only want you to be happy. We’ll save enough to buy the pendant back. The unfortunate question is: could you stand being Deborah’s maid for a year?”
Jessie rested her chin on the back of the couch. She could save a friendship and torture herself, secretly loving him while she lost the pendant and her dignity. He wasn’t worth that much. She raised her head. “No, I have to win. I refuse to fall in love with him and be like the hundreds of other women who want him.” She straightened as her conviction grew. “I don’t want him, I want the pendant. That’s all that matters. Besides, it’s a harmless bet.” Jessie chewed on her nails, her convict
ion wavering. “He doesn’t have to know about it, right?”
“Right. Besides, if you kill him with kindness, even if he does find out, he’ll forgive you.” Teresa held up a hand as a thought struck her. “Wait right here.”
Teresa came back with a small bouquet of daylilies. “I was going to put them in the dining room.”
“What are these for?” Jessie asked, taking the bouquet. It smelled sweet and looked like bursting sunbeams.
“A gift for him.”
Jessie handed it back to her. “I can’t give a man flowers.”
Teresa pushed it away. “Why not? They’re beautiful. Men like flowers too. For all you know, you may start a trend.” She grinned.
“I don’t know.”
“Then find out. Stop stalling.”
Jessie glanced down at the flowers again and inhaled their scent.
“If I were you, I’d bet on love. A year can go faster than you think.”
True, but unrequited love can make a year feel like eternity.
Jessie headed for her car. “Come on, Syrah.”
Syrah leaped up and raced after her. “Are we leaving already? Do we have to?”
Jessie stopped and stared at Syrah, who was covered in dirt. “I have to deliver these flowers.”
“Can I stay here and help Denise weed? We’ve got more to do, and…” She lowered her voice. “I may even get paid for it. Then we’ll go and get ice cream. She said that her mother can drop me home later.”
Teresa came out onto the porch. “It’s okay,” she said.
Jessie tugged on Syrah’s cap. “Be good, then. I’ll tell your uncle where you are.”
“Thanks.” She ran back to the garden.
* * *
Jessie sat in her car and stared at the bouquet of daylilies, then glanced up at the building. Like a proud mother, the sun polished the glass windows of Radson Electronics and Software. She sighed. She might as well get it over with. She felt ridiculous going through security with the bouquet, and totally idiotic when she got in the elevator and people complimented her.
“Oh, those are lovely flowers. You are so lucky,” one woman said.
“How do you know she’s lucky?” another replied. “He’s probably trying to get on her good side.” She pulled Jessie’s collar so she could whisper in her ear. “Don’t let him bribe you with flowers, dear. Wait for the jewelry.”
