by Dara Girard
Jessie smiled weakly.“Uh, right.”
The elevator stopped on the third floor, and two women Jessie recognized stepped on: Willow Woman, who she discovered was named Claire Barker, and her friend, Janet Perez.
“I had the most fabulous date with Kenneth the other night,” Claire said.
Jessie frowned. That couldn’t be right, Kenneth had been home most of the night. Perhaps she meant early evening. She mentally kicked herself. It was none of her business.
“He is so generous. He took me driving near Catlon Bay, and we had dinner on the water.”
“Well, that couldn’t beat the time he spent with me.” Janet grinned. “We didn’t go anywhere at all.”
When the elevator stopped on her floor, Jessie had half a mind to go back to her car and throw the bouquet away. But that was being petty. What did she care how he spent his spare time? He was a man, not a saint.
She stepped off the elevator and saw Kenneth coming out of his office. He spotted her, and his face lit up with such delight that even Mrs. Mathew stared at him. Jessie felt her body tremble at the impact of his bright eyes and arresting smile. She couldn’t believe they were meant for her.
“Hi, Kenneth,” a smooth voice said.
She looked behind her and saw Brooke dressed in a tailored designer suit, returning his smile. Her body immediately went back to normal. She sighed. Figures.
The soft chatter seemed to die down as he came towards them. He walked past Claire and Janet without even a nod. Jessie thought that was rude, considering he was dating them, but she reminded herself that it was none of her business. She sidled to the wall, so it wouldn’t be so obvious when he passed by her.
She glanced down at the bouquet and sniffed it. Perhaps she should take them home and rest them on the windowsill. They were like sun catchers. As she considered this, a shadow fell over her. She glanced down at a masculine pair of brown shoes. Her eyes slowly trailed up.
Kenneth looked down at her, his eyes so warm with pleasure that they melted her insides. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I…uh, brought you these.” She shoved the bouquet into his chest, afraid her sweaty palms would drop them.
Claire, Janet, and Mrs. Mathew watched them as if they were at a movie. All they needed was a tub of popcorn. Brooke smiled kindly at her, then left.
He took the flowers and stared at them. An enigmatic expression crossed his face.
Jessie brought her fingers to her lips, then stopped. “You don’t like them, do you? They’re from our garden, so they’re not professional.”
He smiled and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “They’re beautiful. Come on.” He took her hand. Jessie thought she would burst into flames at the sudden heat that curled itself around her. She had to remind herself that being attracted to him did not mean she was falling in love with him.
Kenneth looked at Mrs. Mathew. “Hold my calls for now, please.” He turned towards his office. Janet and Claire blocked the way. “Do you need something?”
“Uh, no,” Claire said. They didn’t move their eyes, which were focused on Jessie.
“I assume you have work to do,” he said tersely.
His tone broke through their paralysis. “Oh, certainly.” They sent Jessie one dismissive glance and walked away.
“She’s probably a relative,” she heard Janet mutter.
* * *
Kenneth ushered her inside his office and shut the door. “A woman’s never given me flowers before.”
Jessie sat down, her hands nervously fluttering in her lap. “You don’t have to pretend if you don’t like them.”
He took a flower from the bouquet, cut off its stem with a penknife, and placed it in her hair. He rested his hands on the arms of her chair and gazed down at her. His face eased into a smile. “I like them very much,” he said, his voice like silken oak.
Jessie stared at his lips, wanting them to be on hers, wanting to touch him and tangle with the tiger he kept hidden underneath. “I’m glad.”
He drew away. “I’m afraid that I don’t have a vase anywhere.”
“Oh, that’s okay. It doesn’t—”
He snapped his fingers. “Wait a minute.” He went to his kitchen, emptied out a milk carton, cut a hole at the mouth, filled it with water, then placed the flowers inside. “That’s better.”
“That was clever.”
“I knew that B.E. degree would come in handy.” He placed the flowers on the windowsill. “That was very sweet of you.”
Jessie grinned sheepishly. “Out of character, huh?”
He paused and gazed at her pensively. “No, not at all.” He took a seat behind his desk, undoing his tie. “So where’s Ace? I hope she didn’t get on your nerves, forcing you to drop her body off somewhere.”
“No. We like to play this game called Scavenger. I dropped her off in a field with a map and a compass, and we’ll see if she can make it here.” She laughed at Kenneth’s startled expression. “That’s a joke.”
He shrugged. “I knew that.”
“Actually, she’s a busy girl. She’s made a new friend and found herself a job weeding.”
“A job?”
“I couldn’t talk her out of the notion. Don’t worry, it’s with my sister Teresa.”
“Ah, good. So you’re free to go to lunch.”
Jessie started. “Uh, I didn’t come here to weasel a meal out of you.”
“Why not? Other people do.” He grabbed his coat from off the back of his chair.
“I just don’t think we should be seen eating together.”
He paused in the act of putting on his jacket. “Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to be seen as just one of your women.”
His warm gaze turned hard and flat. “Hmm. That is a problem.” He placed his coat back on the chair and sat down.
His sudden change in mood filled her with regret. She didn’t want to ruin their already-fragile relationship.
“Wait, that didn’t come out right. I’m not judging your lifestyle or anything.”
Kenneth looked at her disappointed. He turned to his computer. “Okay.”
She hated when he looked at her that way. “I mean, everyone knows you like women.” She tried to sound understanding. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
He rested his elbows on the table and toyed with his watch.“I see, and just how many women do I have?”
“How would I know?” Why did he have to make her feel like some foul-smelling thing he’d discovered under a bush? She was just being honest.
His eyes challenged hers. “Well, you seem to know more about my social life than I do.” He took off his watch and swung it on his finger in a circular motion. “Tell me about it.”
“You’re dating your employees, for example.”
He dropped his watch on the table and swore, hoping he hadn’t cracked its face. When he was certain it was okay, he returned his attention to her. “What did you say?”
“I overheard Janet and Claire talking.”
“About what?”
“About you.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. God, did no one have anything better to do than listen to or create rumors? No matter how quietly he tried to live his life, he could not escape them. “So what have I been up to?” He tossed his watch up in the air. “Have I gone to Catlon Bay again?”
“Yes.”
He slid his watch back on and said, “Jasmine, what kind of restaurants are there around Catlon Bay?”
“Seafood restaurants, of course.”
“Funny that I would take someone there, considering that I hate seafood.” He pinned her to her seat with a penetrating gaze. “Or had you forgotten that?”
She sat back, momentarily rebuffed. She had forgotten about that. And now that she thought about it, most of their claims weren’t plausible. Aside from the fact that he was usually in his office, he didn’t like Thai food either and wouldn’t have had tim
e to eat with Syrah and then have a hot rendezvous with Claire.
He clasped his hands behind his head. “I once heard that your sister Teresa was seen flying on Halloween.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
He shrugged. “That’s what I heard.”
“Lies.”
He nodded. “Yes, people have a funny habit of telling them.”
“Okay, your point has been made.” She stood, wanting to fall through the floor.
He let his hands fall. “So are we going to lunch or not?”
In her surprise, she tripped over his rug. When she regained her balance, she asked, “You still want to go to lunch with me?”
He slipped into his jacket. “Sure. You behave like a twerp every once in a while, but I can handle it.” He opened the door. “Let’s go.”
Jessie took off her sweater and left it on the chair. The day was hot enough.
When they got outside, they squinted from the blaring sunlight. The sidewalk was bursting with businesspeople out for lunch, tourists grabbing refreshments from street vendors, and kids rolling past on bicycles and skateboards. Jessie felt herself relaxing in the summer fun, but it slowly died as people watched them. Women stared, nudged, and whispered when they saw Kenneth. She knew they couldn’t help themselves; his classic male presence was magnetic. Even she sent quick glances his way.
She glanced up and halted, staring at the building ahead.
“What’s wrong?”
She began to walk. “Nothing.”
He looked around, then understood. He caught her wrist, stopping her. “When was the last time you were in there?”
She could feel herself being seized by memories as she looked at the familiar oak doors of Fedor Malenkov Jewelers with its elaborate glass etching. In the show window, gems lay on dark velvet with the same enticing promises as ladies in the red-light district. A few pieces sat there: an antique amethyst choker, an Edwardian diamond pendant, a set of wedding and engagement rings, and pearls in elaborate yellow-gold settings. “I don’t know.”
He let her wrist go. “You can’t avoid it.”
She averted her gaze. “It’s the past now.”
“Doesn’t your cousin BJ work there?”
“Yes. He was taught the trade.”
“I always thought you’d follow your father.”
She turned to him. “Me?”
“Yes, you were fascinated by stones and gems.”
“I loved the stories, but I never had the skills to be a jeweler.”
He walked towards the door. “Since we’re here, we might as well say hello.”
She grabbed his arm. “No.” She didn’t want to see BJ, the son her father never had. He was a little older than her, a large, solitary man who spoke little. Seeing the shop was difficult enough; she didn’t want to step further into the past by talking to him.
The door suddenly chimed, and a little woman with a large purple head-wrap stepped out. She had a smooth brown face and keen, dark eyes. She spotted Jessie and smiled. “Going in or going out?”
Jessie took a step back. “Neither.”
The woman lifted a brow; a knowing smile hovered over her lips. “It’s not there, you know.”
“What isn’t there?”
“The pendant. You want it, don’t you? You want to know where it is?”
Jessie quickly looked at Kenneth, hoping she wasn’t giving him any ideas. “I already know where it is,” she said casually. “Safe with the Ashfords.”
The woman blinked and frowned. “Oh, I see. Of course.” She shrugged. “Say hello to Teresa for me.”
“A friend of your sister?” Kenneth asked, watching the strange little woman walk away.
“Yes. Her name is Bertha,” she said absently, wondering why she had mentioned the pendant. She shook her head. The woman was odd anyway.
“That’s Bertha? I thought she’d be scarier than that. I heard she turned a man into a—”
Jessie moved her hand in a quick dismissive gesture. “Never mind what you heard. It’s probably nonsense.” Most of her sister’s friends had rather interesting reputations.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go in?”
“Yes.”
Kenneth didn’t argue with her. Instead, he took her hand. “Fine. You’re going to love this place. It has the best food and the best view you could imagine.”
Jessie was so taken back by the affectionate gesture that she tripped on the uneven pavement.
“I’m sorry,” he said, steadying her. “Am I walking too fast for you?”
“No, you’re fine.” She was the one on hormonal overload. She had to get a grip.
As they passed a Mexican restaurant and a lovely Greek bistro, Jessie became increasingly curious about their destination. Her curiosity soon grew to worry. What if he took her to some place where she couldn’t read the menu or pronounce the food? She really wasn’t in the mood for making a bigger ass of herself. Her anxiety had reached its peak when he finally stopped in front of a hot dog stand at the opening of Long Creek Park.
“Here we are: Le Chien,” Kenneth announced. “And don’t worry, it’s all on me. Order whatever you like.”
Jessie looked at him, stunned. She didn’t know if she should be outraged or amused. She chose the latter, inwardly laughing at how much she had worried. “Oh, thank you,” she cooed. “You’re so generous.”
“Ah, Mr. Preston, it’s great to see you again,” the hot dog vendor said. He smiled, offsetting his hook nose. “I see you’ve brought a friend.”
“Yes,” Kenneth said. “I want you to give her the best you have.”
“Certainly.” Two bright hazel eyes focused on her. “That’s a beautiful flower.” He gestured to her hair.
Jessie touched the flower with self-conscious fingers. “Thank you.”
“What would you like to order, madam?”
She looked at the list of items as if she were at a five-star restaurant. “I’m not sure.” She turned to Kenneth. “What would you suggest?”
“Well, his rack of lamb with Dijon mustard crust is excellent,” he said, pointing to the hamburger list. “However, I prefer his beef and broccoli.” He gestured to the hot dog section.
“That sounds good.”
“Two orders, please, with everything but onions.” He glanced at Jessie for confirmation.
She nodded.
“Certainly, sir, and would you like an appetizer?” He pointed to his assortment of chips and cookies.
“Crostini sounds good.” He picked up two bags of potato chips.
“And something to drink?”
Kenneth turned to Jessie, who was thoroughly enjoying this game of make-believe and the man who was playing it. “What are you in the mood for, darling?”
“A chilled bottle of merlot would be divine.”
He turned to the vendor. “You heard the lady.”
The vendor nodded. “Of course.” He fixed their hot dogs and handed them their cold sodas. “That will be two hundred and eighty-seven dollars.”
Kenneth reached for his wallet and suddenly looked worried. “I hope I have enough.”
The vendor grinned. “So do I, though you do make a good dishwasher.”
He smiled and handed him the money. “Thanks.”
“Good day, and come back soon.”
Kenneth gave Jessie her lunch, then held out his arm. “Now let me take you to the table that I reserved for us.”
Jessie looped her arm through his, as if she had done this many times before. “Wow, you really must be important to reserve a table here. Some people are on the waiting list for six months.”
He sent her a sly glance. “I have my ways.” He led her to a clearing in the trees, where a fountain squirted water from two unicorns. He gestured to a wooden bench under a maple tree.
“Here we are.”
“The view is lovely,” Jessie said, taking a seat. She placed her drink and chips beside her, then unwrapped her hot dog. She took a bi
te and closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of the trees, the grass, the bun, and Kenneth’s musky cologne. She opened her eyes and stared at the fountain, suddenly feeling the need to cool off. “Hmm, you’re right. The food is delicious. I’ll have to tell all of my friends about this restaurant. Though I doubt we’d be able to afford it.”
Kenneth stared at her for a moment, his eyes sweeping her face as if seeing her in a new light. He turned to the fountain. “I wasn’t sure how you would respond.”
“Afraid that you might end up with ketchup on your head?”
“That did cross my mind, but somehow I knew.” He unwrapped his hot dog and frowned at it. “People always want the extravagant, showy things, things that don’t mean anything except to the people you’re trying to impress. But this means a lot to me. Grabbing something from Le Chien and coming here is one of my favorite things to do. You couldn’t get this fresh air cooped up in some fancy restaurant.”
Jessie took a sip of her drink. “I always thought it was the company rather than the place that was important.”
He paused with his hot dog halfway to his mouth. He shot her a stunned glance. “Is that a compliment?”
She thought for a moment, then laughed. “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.” She patted herself on the back when Kenneth smiled at her. Compliments were definitely a charm requirement.
They finished their lunch in silence, not wanting to disturb the almost-magical harmony that rippled around them. They watched two couples walking their dogs, a group of kids playing soccer, and some people sunbathing on the concrete slab around the fountain. It was a perfect summer day, with the sun gently spreading its rays and the cool breeze from Catlon Bay playing the leaves like a musician would a violin.
Jessie didn’t realize she had dozed off until she woke up and found her head on Kenneth’s shoulder. He had a solid shoulder and wide enough to carry all the responsibilities he had inherited, yet soft enough to rest on. She checked the corner of her mouth, hoping that she hadn’t drooled on him for one reason or another. She hadn’t. She inhaled his scent. He smelled like ketchup, fresh leaves, and a masculine scent all his own so intoxicating that it made her head heavy. She soon realized the reason was that his head was resting on hers. She sat up, waking him up.
