Her Best Friend Jon

by Kristy K. James

  "Yeah, I know. What can I say. All the girls drool when I'm wearing jeans, but put me in a suit and they swoon. Do you need me to catch you?"

  "Catch this," she said, lightly punching his shoulder. "See if I ever compliment you again."

  "So I should take, 'you clean up nice' as a compliment?"

  "Absolutely." She looked at the long white box he cradled in one arm. "Is that for me?"

  "It is." He handed it to her, and then walked with her to the table. She sat it down, untied the wide red ribbon, lifted the lid off, and gasped.

  "Jon, you didn't have to do this." Half a dozen deep red roses lay inside, surrounded by baby's breath and a wreath of ferns.

  "I know, but I wanted to."

  "They're beautiful. Thank you so much. I can't remember the last time someone gave me flowers." Hannah bit back a smile as she watched a flush creep up his neck and cheeks. "I'll just put these in water and we can go."

  "Uh-" The blush intensified in color, and he stared at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the room. "I forgot to make the reservations. The odds of us getting a table anywhere worth eating tonight aren't good."

  "That's all right. We can go somewhere else," she said, pulling the only vase she owned out from under the sink, holding it under the faucet and filling it half full. She'd worry about arranging them when she got home.

  "What I meant to say is that I don't think we'll be able to get into any fancy restaurant. It's Valentine's Day."

  "We can go somewhere most people wouldn't normally go then."

  "Where?"

  ~~~~~

  Of all the places she might have chosen, the Dairy Queen in the food court at the mall was the last place Jon would have guessed. But there they sat, dressed to the nines, and eating barbecued pork sandwiches and ice cream. On one hand he felt a little guilty, but on the other, this was so much more comfortable than it would have been had they been sitting across from each other over a candlelit table.

  "I like to come here sometimes just to people watch," she was saying, dipping her spoon in the banana split Blizzard she'd ordered.

  "There aren't many people to watch tonight," he said, glancing around the dining area. Only about a dozen tables were occupied, mostly with seniors, and teens who probably couldn't afford to go on a proper date. Of course one of their guards sat alone, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. A second one was stuck in a car keeping an eye on his truck. He wondered if they had wives or girlfriends they wished they were spending the evening with.

  "That's okay. It's kind of peaceful." Peaceful but for the music being piped in. He didn't particularly care for the rock groups that dominated the playlist, but at least it wasn't loud enough to annoy him. They ate quietly for a few minutes. "Jon? Can I ask you a question?"

  "Sure."

  "It's kind of personal." He raised his brows, but after a slight hesitation he nodded. "I'll understand if you don't want to answer, but I was wondering- That night your mother called-" She couldn't seem to get the question out, and he knew why. There was no way to word it without sounding like the nosiest person on the planet, and he knew Hannah well enough to know that she wasn't like that. Not even a little bit. "Never mind. It's not important."

  "I don't like to talk about that part of my life, but the condensed version is they're both drunks. They have been for as long as I can remember. I grew up with not enough food and too much discipline. Now we have an arrangement that works well for us. When they need money, they call me and I send a check. I pretend to believe whatever lie they tell me, and they pretend they're grateful for the help, and then we don't talk until they're broke again. That's it in a nutshell."

  "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked," Hannah murmured. The sadness in her eyes as she gazed at him was a whole lot better than the pity he'd been expecting. But then he already knew she was different than the other women he'd dated, so it shouldn't have surprised him.

  "It's all right. It's not a secret or anything. And it could have been a lot worse. I had the guys, and their families were great. I spent a lot of time at their houses. Without them, I'd probably have grown up to follow in my parents footsteps."

  "Still-"

  "Still- It's over, Hannah. I've made my peace with it. In fact, unless they call, I don't even think about it anymore. I help them when they ask because without them, I wouldn't be here. And because I like to think it makes me a better person. But they're the reason why I understand about the whole dysfunctional family thing. Anyway…" He popped the last bite of his sandwich in his mouth, chewed it, swallowed it, and got to his feet. He hated that she was feeling bad now, and he knew the perfect way to put it out of her mind.

  "Are we leaving?"

  "Nope. But Chris and Dan are going to grill me like a well-done steak tomorrow, and I'm not going to lie to them. May I have this dance?"

  "Jon!" she exclaimed, smiling even as a blush colored her cheeks. "There's no dance floor here. We're in the middle of the food court."

  "There's a floor, there's music, and we won't be bothering anyone. We're practically the only people in here. Besides, they're finally playing a slow song. And one that I know for a change."

  When he walked to stand before her, holding out his hand, he watched as Hannah swallowed hard, then placed her hand in his, and rose to stand before him. He hadn't realized it until just then, but he was glad she hadn't worn flats. She wasn't vertically challenged by any means, but he was still more than a head taller. Even with the heels though, when he pulled her into his arms, the top of her head barely reached his chin.

  They stepped a few feet from the table, and then he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and he brought their joined hands up between them, resting them against his chest. At that point, he didn't care that it was all pretend. He just closed his eyes, rested his jaw against her hair, and decided to enjoy the moment. He wasn't going to question why she felt so good, and he wasn't going to be sorry later because in that moment, he knew there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

  As they danced to an old Johnny Rivers tune, he heard soft murmurs and even a giggle or two in the background. But none of it really registered. All that mattered was that he was holding Hannah. And he wasn't sure he ever wanted to let her go.

  ~~~~~

  They hadn't said much of anything after they sat back down at the table, just smiled self-consciously when a few people applauded them. Hannah finished about half of her ice cream, while Jon polished off the rest of his. Later, they strolled at a leisurely pace on their way to the main exit, glancing in the store windows as they passed each one. It was nearing closing time and the clerks were hurrying with their cleanup, probably so they could leave to enjoy what was left of the romantic sort-of holiday.

  When the jewelers shop appeared on their right, almost by silent agreement, they sped up until they reached the doors, where Jon helped Hannah on with her fur-lined, hooded cape. She really was a lovely woman, he thought, slipping into his coat, and then holding the door for her.

  The ride to her apartment was just as silent, though not entirely uncomfortable. A light snow was falling, and he'd turned the radio to a classical music station. He actually liked the fact that she didn't feel the need to fill every second with nonsensical chatter, unlike most of the women he'd dated in the past. Not that there had been an abundance, but still, most of them didn't appreciate quiet moments.

  After he turned the key off in her driveway, Jon hurried around to the passenger side to open her door. While the lecture he'd received earlier was still rattling around his head, that wasn't why he did it. It just felt like the natural thing to do. They were halfway to the stairs when he snapped his fingers.

  "Hang on a sec," he muttered, jogging back to the truck, returning shortly with the box of candy. "Sorry. I forgot it was behind the seat."

  "Flowers and candy? Jon, thank you." He liked that she just accep
ted the gift, simply and graciously.

  "You're welcome. Now let's get you in out of the cold." And it was cold. He couldn't imagine wearing a dress in this weather. Even with slacks on, his legs were freezing.

  He walked with her up to her second floor, his hand resting on the small of her back. When they reached her apartment, they stood there, neither sure what to do. But after unlocking her door, Hannah solved the problem, stretching up on her toes and kissing his cheek, much like she'd done on the anniversary of her father's death. Only this time it felt different. Better.

  "I really had a nice time tonight."

  "I did, too. Thanks for saying yes." As she stepped inside and started to close the door he said, "Hannah?"

  "What?"

  "You clean up really good, too."

  "Thanks."

  As the lock clicked behind her, Jon reached up, touching the spot where she'd kissed him with his fingertips.

  ~~~~~

  "So how did the date go?" Sam asked as he and Jon walked through the skeletons of the houses they'd had to rebuild after the fire. They'd decided not to wait after all, putting half the crew in charge of getting them up. "I don't like this," he said, wrapping a hand around a three-by-three post, one of half a dozen running the length of the building. "I know I specified four-by-fours on the blueprints."

  "You did." He smacked the wood and snorted. The architect of their group, Sam had designed every house for this project – and for several subdivisions before this one. "I've been kind of distracted lately. We'll replace them before we put the loft up. I promise. And the date was – really good, thanks."

  "Somehow I never saw you as being comfortable with any girl in a romantic setting."

  "Thanks a lot. But we didn't have to worry about that anyway."

  "You didn't take her out?"

  "I did, but it didn't go exactly the way your wife and Jess planned." He explained about the lack of reservations, and what they'd done instead, and Sam grinned and slugged his shoulder.

  "Good save, buddy. I'll bet Hannah loved that."

  "Are you being sarcastic?"

  "Hardly. I wish I'd thought to do that with Holly. If there's one thing I've learned since we got married, it's that women love stuff like that. The things that might seem silly to you and me mean more to them than if we spend a small fortune."

  "Maybe I started a new trend then. You all can take your wives on cheap dates – if you dance with them." He watched Sam grin for a second, before his lips turned down.

  "We should tell Cal to try it. He's in the doghouse today."

  "Uh-oh."

  "Yeah. I guess Darby called Jess this morning. She was crying."

  "Oh jeez. What did he do now?"

  "I guess he left the house really early yesterday. She said he did leave a card and a box of candy on the dining room table…and then he didn't get home until long after she'd gone to bed."

  "Are you kidding me?" Jon closed his eyes and groaned. What was Cal thinking? He understood that he was still mourning his mother, but he needed to stop running away and remember he had a wife who needed him. "Like father, like son, huh?"

  "Yeah. At least Cal didn't run off to Florida like Kelly did, but he might as well have. I guess he scheduled a big Valentine's party last night that lasted until midnight. Jess and Holly are ready to lynch him."

  "If he doesn't straighten up, I may help. He's being an idiot."

  "I won't disagree with that. But you, my friend, are turning into quite the Romeo. When I tell Holly about last night, it might restore her faith in one of you."

  "Restore her- What? I've never given her – or anyone else – a reason to not have faith in me," Jon said, scowling.

  "Well, that came out wrong. We've just all given up on you ever hooking up with someone, but it looks like that's changed. You and Hannah make a great couple."

  "Yeah. I guess we do," he mumbled, unable to meet Sam's eyes.

  It was moments like this when he felt guilty. But he had a good reason for deceiving them. When they found out what was really going on, they'd understand why he and Hannah were only pretending to date.

  Except last night- Last night, as he held her in his arms, he'd almost forgotten that they were pretending.

  Chapter 9

  "You know," Emma said, after swallowing a bite of the baked chicken on her plate, "I may have to drag Ty down here for our anniversary."

  "Seriously?" Harry asked, her chin dropping. Hannah bit back a smile and wondered if maybe she should have gotten the chicken. While the Salisbury steak she'd chosen was okay, it wasn't anything to write home about.

  "Well, what's not to like? Good food, great prices, the atmosphere… Well, it doesn't scream romantic, but it's better than going out for burgers or tacos."

  "Wanting something a little on the expensive side for your gift this year?" Jess asked, snickering. Emma flashed her a proud grin.

  "You betcha. I've put together a slide show of all the reasons why we should stay at the Grand Hotel – for a week. Kind of like a second honeymoon. Five years is a milestone, you know."

  Hannah listened to the vacation talk, awed at how close all of these women were. The whole point of this supper was to entertain Harry, and hopefully make her forget her problems for a little while, and it looked as though it was a success. Jess, Emma, Holly, Jenna and Harry seemed to be as close as sisters – closer than she and Mary had ever been – and she felt a wave of longing to really belong. Sure, they'd taken her under their wings, trying to make her feel like part of the group, but she still felt like an outsider.

  And a fraud.

  They all thought she and Jon were really together, and while she found herself wishing it were real more and more every day, it was still a lie. And she wondered if they'd feel the same when – if – she ever came clean about why she was here.

  "Don't you agree, Hannah?" Holly asked. Oops. Obviously she'd missed something.

  "I'm sorry. What did you say?" she murmured, feeling her cheeks flush.

  "Daydreaming about Jon?" This came from Harry, who was smiling at her. "I don't blame you a bit. I couldn't stand Chris when I first started working for them, but Jon's charms never escaped me. Except he seemed more like one of my brothers than boyfriend material, which turned out to be a good thing in the end."

  "I hope you've never mentioned that to your husband," Holly said, giggling like a schoolgirl.

  "Chris knows he doesn't have anything to worry about." Hannah watched as her expression turned soft. There would never be any question about how much she loved the man she'd married. "I'm just glad Jon had the good sense to recognize how right Hannah is for him. He's always seemed lonely to me."

  And thus began a conversation that made Hannah squirm. None of the girls had ever known Jon to date anyone as long as the two of them had been together. A couple of weeks tops, and then he would stop calling them. So they were very hopeful this time, and wondered where she stood on the subject. How to answer that loaded question?

  "I think Jon is one of the sweetest men I've ever known," she murmured, starting intently at her plate.

  "I don't know any man who likes to be described as sweet," Emma said in disgust. "Surely there's more to him than that. He's definitely a sexy guy, but what I want to know is this. Is he a good kisser? Because he just looks like he'd be an expert at it, if you know what I mean." Hannah wondered if her cheeks might rival the red on a fire truck, and when everyone at the table laughed, she supposed they did.

  "You have no idea," was all she could manage though, remembering how very good his lips felt against hers. Just thinking of it made her tingle from head to toe, and she wondered if it would ever happen again.

  "I have to say we were all impressed with how he saved Valentine's Day," Jenna said, her voice tinged with jealousy. Word had it that all Ed had done was send her a card – a humorous card – and then turned his phone off for the night.

  "He sure did,"
Hannah agreed softly. "That was, by far, the most romantic date I've ever had."

  "But was it the date or the man?" Harry wanted to know.

  "It was both." But mostly it was Jon.

  She couldn't imagine another man making such a mundane meal in one of the most unromantic places on earth into one that gave her the warm fuzzies every time she thought about it. And she'd thought about it every single day for the past few weeks. How good it felt to be held so close to him. How strong and broad his shoulders were. How good he smelled.

  She was grateful when Jess steered the conversation to more neutral topics, such as the party they intended to have when Scotty was given the all clear and could be out and around everyone again. They talked about how much they were all looking forward to warmer weather, and finally, about the fact that Darby was missing from the night's festivities. Since Hannah was the only one to experience the death of a parent, they wanted to know if what she and Cal were experiencing two and a half months later was normal.

  "It's hard to say," she admitted. "Grief is different for everyone. Cal throwing himself into work is pretty normal, I would think. I did the same thing. Maybe not to the same extreme, but I did work a lot more. Staying busy was the only way life felt normal to me for weeks."

  "But did you cut the rest of your family out of your life?" Holly asked. "Because I just can't believe that's normal. Not in any way."

  "That I don't know. My sister lives in California, so I can't use that as a measuring stick, but my mom and I seemed to get closer for a while after the funeral." Until she discovered that her mom should have had her face plastered in post offices across the nation. Sure she'd made certain that everything was legal, but what she'd done to Ed was nothing less than criminal.

  "So Cal is being thoughtless and neglectful," Jess muttered. "I know he's probably not doing it on purpose, but he's still being a jerk."

  "No kidding," Jenna said, nodding in agreement. "I'm afraid if he doesn't straighten up, his mother won't be the only person he'll have lost."