“But?”
Val hesitated. “But your previous dalliance is starting to make noise again.”
“Damn it.” Jake cursed under his breath. That word again. He was tired of Val tossing it around, as if he were nothing more than a celebrity looking for his next score. He didn’t correct her, though. He had more immediate concerns. “What kind of noise?”
“You know, the usual.”
Jake had already had too much of the usual, especially when it came to Macy Hayes. “More of the heartbroken, jilted lover bullshit?” Jake asked, grimacing. Would she never go away? “I’ve already told you what to do about that. Do it.”
“Jake...”
“What?” he demanded. “Figure something out. That’s what I’m paying you for. I have way too much riding on this movie shoot to let that fluffhead mess it up.”
***
Beth summoned Jordan to her office, ostensibly to discuss a possible plea deal on a case neither one of them liked. Jordan figured there was more to it than that, but hoped the real reason wasn’t Trey Lozano.
“I do have an offer for you on the Becker case,” Beth said as soon as Jordan sat down. “I’ll give it to you before you leave. There’s something else I want to discuss with you first.”
“What’s that?” Jordan kept her tone casual.
“I know you have issues with people caring about you, but I do care about you, so you’re going to have to deal with it. I’m also going to speak frankly, because that usually works best with you.” Beth leaned forward in her chair. “You’ve been moody and bitchy lately.”
Jordan snickered. “I’m always moody and bitchy. I can’t believe it took you this long to notice.”
“No, you’re not. You just tell yourself you are as justification for avoiding relationships.” Beth smirked. “You have guy trouble.”
“I do not. Having guy trouble would require having a guy.” Jordan affixed her gaze to the diploma that hung on the wall behind her friend’s desk. Western Texas University School of Law, Class of 2001. Jordan hadn’t even attended the commencement ceremony, so anxious she’d been to leave Grande Valley behind and start her career in entertainment law. At the time, she would have laughed in anyone’s face if they tried to tell her that returning to Grande Valley would resurrect her career and enrich her life. She wouldn’t change anything about the life she’d built for herself here. Well, except for one thing.
“Completely false. Guy trouble can, and often does, stem from not having one,” Beth declared. “Especially when there’s a really sexy one in town that you’re obviously interested in, despite your best efforts to insist otherwise.”
During the years they weren’t speaking to each other, Jordan greatly missed her friendship with Beth. Now she thought Beth talked way too much. “I used to watch him on TV,” Jordan said. “When I wasn’t working, or when I just started out and didn’t have very many clients, I watched the soap he was on.” She toyed with the sapphire ring on her right hand, one of her mother’s favorite pieces of jewelry, which Jordan seldom took off. She’d all but given up on wearing a ring on her left hand, but the occasional fantasy still crept into Jordan’s thoughts. When it did it, it always involved Jake Morrison. “That’s pathetic, isn’t it?”
Beth shook her head. “I think it’s sweet. I bet he’d think so, too, if you told him.”
“Doubtful,” Jordan said. “I haven’t heard from him in days. He’s probably given up on me.” Which would serve me right, because I’m the one that pushed him away.
“Or maybe he’s busy working,” Beth countered. “Either that or getting whiplash from all the mixed signals you send off, and he’s waiting for you to make the next move.”
***
The conversation with Val gnawed at Jake all through the afternoon’s filming. How the hell could he have been so stupid to get involved with a pathological liar with the brains of a squirrel? Temporary insanity was the only explanation Jake could come up with.
He’d had his reasons at the time, but in hindsight they didn’t seem like very good ones, especially since Macy didn’t seem to want to go away. He hoped Val could diffuse the problem, because he’d come too far to let Macy ruin things for him. Jake wasn’t going to let it worry him too much, though. Everything he wanted was still in reach. He’d simply have to work a little harder and move faster to make sure it didn’t slip away.
As soon as filming wrapped for the day, he summoned Trey. The kid was working out well as Reece’s gofer so far, and Jake figured he wouldn’t mind an extra assignment.
“Yes, Mr. Jake?” Trey asked.
This time, Jake didn’t correct him. He liked the young man’s earnest politeness. “I wanted to see if you’d do a favor for me? Deliver something to our favorite lawyer?”
“Still trying to win her over, huh?”
“Trying, yeah.” Jake kicked at the dirt. “It’s not easy, though.”
Trey’s face broke out in a grin. “Then let me help you, man. Jordan’s tough, but there’s no way she can resist both of us.”
***
Jordan was about to leave the office for the day when Jen informed her that Trey was there to see her. Without hesitation, she told Jen to send him back to her office.
He arrived in her doorway with his hands behind his back. The first time Jordan met him, he’d been in handcuffs. Now she was curious why he struck a similar pose. “Yes, Trey?”
He held out his hands, presenting her with a bouquet of miniature yellow roses.
Jordan hesitated. She remembered what Trey had said to Jake a few days before, that if he was older, he might fight Jake for her. Had he changed his mind and decided he wasn’t too young, after all? If so, Jordan didn’t want to lead him on. “Trey...”
He apparently sensed her hesitation. “Not from me,” he said. “I’m just delivering them for Jake.”
From Jake. Now Jordan didn’t hesitate to accept them. She tried to ignore the fluttering of her heart as she held the roses to her nose, taking in their scent. Spicy, with a hint of musk. Not unlike the man who sent them.
There was small envelope nestled in the roses, and Jordan opened it with a trembling hand to remove the card inside.
Your move.
Chapter 8
Her move.
Jordan wasn’t well-versed in the rules of chess or the rules of dating, so she had no idea what a proper, strategic move would be in response to the roses Jake sent. She also didn’t believe in reading tea leaves, horoscopes, or tarot cards, so they wouldn’t be any help, either.
Ultimately, she decided to follow Jen’s advice, which was to consider her gut instinct and then take the exact opposite course of action. As a result, Jordan found herself pacing her condo at eleven o’clock in Saturday morning, waiting for Jake to arrive.
Jordan’s gut instinct was to make no move. Her secretary likened that to being paralyzed with fear, which wasn’t far from the truth. Who would blame her, though?
Jordan’s father left when she was six, never bothering to look back. Good riddance, Jordan decided. She’d had her mom, they’d had each other, what else did they need? Except Jaclyn was gone now, leaving Jordan with no family, unless she counted a grumpy cat.
The departure of her father began a pattern of men leaving her, though to be completely honest, it wasn’t like Jordan ever had them. She simply deluded herself into thinking something might be there; the most notable example being Matt Finney. She’d jeopardized her friendship with Beth over him, only to have him tell her he figured she’d be hot in bed, but little else. That marked the turning point when Jordan stopped believing in love and happily ever after.
She settled for an arrangement with Carl that was borne out of convenience but seemed to suit them both. If neither of them wanted more from it than the other was willing to give, then there was no chance of being hurt. It wasn’t fulfilling, but it was at least risk-free. Then Jake showed up in Grande Valley and sent the order of Jordan’s life into chaos with his disar
ming smile and yellow roses, and she started to dream again.
He said he wanted to get to know her better, so naturally her first inclination was to shut him out. The opposite of that was to let him in, so Jordan made her move and invited Jake to spend the day with her. By sunset, he’d know enough about her to either follow the path of those before him and run, or he’d want to come back for more. Either way, the next move would be his.
On her third pace of the entryway, her phone rang, and Jordan lunged for it, hurriedly tapping the screen.
“I’m outside Fort Knox,” Jake said. “I assume there’s some security code that opens the gates?”
Of course, in all her nervous excitement, Jordan had forgotten to give him the access code to her gated condominium community. “Three-two-six-eight to get in,” she said. “Then I’m number nine.”
“My favorite number.” Jake chuckled. “On my way.”
A minute later, the doorbell rang. Jordan opened the door to find Jake standing there, wearing khaki cargo shorts and a blue polo shirt. She allowed herself the brief indulgence of checking out his legs. “Hi. Sorry about the security code.”
“No problem.” He took off his sunglasses and slid them onto the neck of his shirt. “Is all that necessary, though?”
“Maybe not. This is the nice part of town. But you never know,” Jordan said. “Do you want a quick tour of the place before we go?”
“Maybe later. Where are we going, anyway?” Jake asked. “You were pretty vague in your call. You just said to dress casual.”
“Lunch.” Jordan grabbed her purse from the table in the entryway. “I’m taking you to one of Grande Valley’s most famous restaurants, so the more casual the better.” As much as Jordan liked well-dressed men, this time she’d decided to prepare him a little for the place she was taking him to. She didn’t know if they even allowed ties.
***
Jake followed Jordan’s driving directions and ended up a lot closer to the international border than he expected—or wanted—to be when not sitting in a border patrol vehicle researching his film role. He pulled into the parking lot of a small, run-down, glass front building. A faded sign boasted they served the best tacos in town. “This is the place?” he asked.
“It is. I hope you’re hungry.”
“I guess,” Jake said. Jordan jumped out of the car so fast that Jake couldn’t even open the door for her. He found himself less excited. He wasn’t opposed to tacos, necessarily, but the appearance of the dining establishment didn’t exactly inspire him with confidence.
“I know it doesn’t look like much, but prepare to be amazed.”
“Amazed, huh?”
“Yes, seriously.” Jordan pulled open the glass door and gestured him inside.
Jake surveyed the surroundings. Okay, it definitely wasn’t much. It looked clean enough, though, and if Jordan said it was amazing, who was he to argue? He followed her to the counter.
“How hungry are you?” she asked.
“I can always eat.”
“Me, too.” She turned to the teenage girl working behind the counter. “Four single orders, please. Extra hot sauce on the side. And two large sodas.”
The girl quoted a total which sounded too good to be true, and Jake glanced up at the lettered board above the counter that listed the prices to confirm it. This might be one of the cheapest dates he’d ever been on. He fished his wallet from his pocket.
Jordan shook her head. “I have it. I invited you.” She passed a ten dollar bill across the counter.
She wanted to pay, too? Jake shrugged and let her do it, then carried the plastic tray containing their meal to a small booth. Apparently a single order contained three rolled tacos, topped with cheese and smothered in some sort of sauce. “Why not double orders?” he asked. He’d noticed that option on the menu sign. “Wouldn’t that be easier?”
“Maybe, but you get more cheese with the single orders, and who doesn’t want more cheese?”
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Jake tried to picture Macy eating in a place like this, but it was impossible.
Jordan picked up the drink cups from the tray. “Diet or regular?”
“Regular,” Jake said, and admired her figure, clad in denim capri pants and a sleeveless red shirt as she walked to the drink station. “Are you ever going to let me order for you?” he asked when she returned with the drinks.
Jordan shrugged. “Sure, if you’re the one taking me out.”
It was a fair enough point. She’d suggested both this place and the pizza joint. “And I’m assuming there are fancier restaurants in town?”
“Yes, there are.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Are you going to take me to one of them?”
“Would you say yes if I asked?”
“Most likely.” She gestured in the direction of his food. “Come on, tell me what you think.”
Jake stuck the plastic fork into one end of the rolled taco, lifted it and took a bite. The sauce had some kick to it, but it wasn’t too hot, and the distinct flavors surprised him. “Wow.”
“It’s one of the cheapest meals in town and one of the best.” Jordan picked up her own taco. “The recipe is a closely guarded secret. Many people have tried to replicate it, myself included, but with little success.”
Jake nodded as he sipped soda from a straw. “I wouldn’t have pictured you in a place like this.”
“Meaning you figured I was too pretentious?”
“Not that, exactly.” Jake hedged, not wanting to offend her. “I expected you to have expensive taste, though.”
“Oh, I do.” Jordan laughed. “Hang around long enough and I’ll prove it. When it comes to eating, though, I’m more interested in the food than the ambience.” She bit into the taco. “And this is good food.”
Jake couldn’t argue with that, as he finished off one taco and moved on to the next. “It’s nice to know someone in town who can show me around and introduce me to the local joints.” It definitely wasn’t a place Jake would have ended up in on his own, and he would have missed out on a surprisingly good meal. “It sure beats spending my day off from filming sitting around the hotel.”
“There’s somewhere else I want to take you to after lunch,” Jordan said. “If you can stand the heat.”
Jake insisted he could, but an hour later decided maybe he’d spoken too soon, as they strolled an outdoor market with the afternoon sun beating down on them. When Jordan said there was another place she wanted to show him, he hadn’t anticipated a shopping trip. Jake didn’t complain, though. He was happy to spend the time with her, wherever they were, and the quaint street market was an improvement over any indoor mall.
“Are they open every day?” Jake asked as they passed by booths displaying everything from brightly colored woven blankets to clothing and jewelry, even leather belt buckles and handbags.
“Just on Saturday,” Jordan said. “It’s one of my favorite weekend excursions, so thank you for indulging me.”
“My pleasure.” There certainly wasn’t anything like it in his hometown, or L.A. for that matter.
Jordan stopped at one of the booths, which featured an assortment of pottery in southwest colors. She picked up one of the pieces. “This would look good on my patio.”
Jake glanced at the pot. “Do you garden?” He hadn’t pegged her for the type, but Jordan had already surprised him a few times.
“In the desert?” Jordan shook her head. “No. I’d put a cactus in it. Not even I can kill them.”
Jake chuckled at her self-deprecating humor and decided to buy her the pot. “We’ll take it,” he said to the vendor and pulled out his wallet.
“You don’t have to do that, Jake,” Jordan protested.
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”
***
It was late afternoon by the time they returned to Jordan’s condo. She unlocked the door. “Do you want to come in, or do you have somewhere else you need to be?” Jordan aske
d, hoping for the former. She wasn’t ready for the date to end.
Jake didn’t hesitate. “I’d love to come in. I didn’t get to see the place earlier.”
Thankfully, Jordan had given the condo a quick banzai cleaning job in the morning, just in case. As she stepped inside, Cujo appeared, rubbing against her leg. “Do you mind cats? I can put her in the spare room.” She usually did when Carl was over. He wasn’t fond of her fluffy companion and Cujo wasn’t fond of him.
Jake shook his head. “It’s fine.” He bent down to pet the cat. “Hey, kitty.”
Jordan watched with some trepidation, but the cat didn’t snarl or hiss at Jake. “Her name’s Cujo.”
“No kidding?” Jake grinned. “That’s a great name.”
“I figured you might like it.” Jordan set her purse and the bag containing the pot Jake bought her on the table in the entryway. She still couldn’t believe he’d bought her a gift. Whatever the future held, Jordan would always have something to remember him by. “I have stuff to make a Cobb salad, if you’re interested.”
“Sure, that sounds great.”
Jordan went into kitchen. “Feel free to have a look around. We can call it a self-guided tour.” She opened the refrigerator and got out the ingredients for the salad while Jake wandered down the hall.
Before long, he was back in the living room. “Nice place,” he said.
“Thanks. I like it.” Jordan sliced the eggs she’d hard-boiled in the morning.
“How long have you lived here?”
“Almost two years. I think I’ve finally got it decorated the way I want.”
He nodded as he looked around. “Is that where the expensive taste comes in?”
“Yes. It doesn’t help that the design shows on TV are my guilty pleasure.” She arranged the sliced eggs on the salad.
Jake walked to the shelf where kept her movie collection. After a minute, he pulled a DVD off of it and held it up. “You actually have this? I think they only sold five copies.”
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