“Jansen,” Dove said when she answered the phone, “I could have sworn you said your meeting with Delicious Donovan was a business meeting.”
“Well, hello to you, too,” Jansen quipped. “And it was a business meeting.”
“Not if you read Hot News.”
Jansen expelled a frustrated sigh. “I hate that website,” she said through gritted teeth.
“What were you two huddled over? I swear that picture looks like the two of you were going to kiss at any moment. So, did you?”
“See, I was calling you to take you to lunch, now I’m rethinking that.”
“Oh, don’t be like that, Jansen. I’ve had a few calls this morning about you Donovan. I didn’t believe it until I saw that picture.”
“You know what, I hope no one else believes there’s something more than business between us,” Jansen said as she nibbled at her lip. She hated rumors, and more than anything else, she loathed that everything she did was newsworthy to some. “You know, if people covered the other things that I do the way they cover who I date... I’m not getting on my soapbox tonight.”
“I hear you. But are you going to address the rumor about you and Donovan. And if you don’t want him, tell him I’m single.”
“Stop it,” Jansen said with a laugh.
“I’m just saying. Since I’ve been working for you, you haven’t given anyone half a chance to win you over. Remember that dude who wanted to marry you?”
“Please don’t remind me of Mr. Stalker,” she said, referring to Jake Bensimon, a man who didn’t know the meaning of the word no. “Dating him was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.”
“But he was a cutie-pie.”
“With several issues, let’s move on.”
“Yes, about that lunch. What time should I be ready?”
“About two? At db Bistro?”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
After hanging up with Dove, Jansen rushed home so that she could take a look at the coverage of the nonstory about her and Donovan. No matter what was written, she wasn’t going to address it at all. Her personal life, or lack thereof, was her business.
* * *
Bradley woke up from a restless sleep to the sound of his phone ringing. “Yeah?” he said when he answered.
“Bradley,” Kenyon said, forgoing a hello. “We have a problem.”
“Do you know what time it is?”
“Six-thirty, and did you know your sister’s wedding is the same time as the gala.”
“You’re calling me at six-thirty on a Saturday morning to tell me something that has already been taken care of? The date of the gala has been changed to October, and had you read the last few emails that I sent you, you’d know that already.”
“All right, that’s not why I called you. I just wanted to wake you up to see if you’re still holding a torch for Jansen Douglas.”
“I’m going to get out of my bed and come to your house to kick your ass. I’m seriously trying to rest.”
“Just answer the question.”
“Why?”
“I just read a story about her and some dude that asked her to marry him last night.”
Bradley sat up in bed as if he’d been jolted with a cannon blast. “What?”
“I guess she’s over you. Why did you ever let her get away?”
“I’m hanging up on you.”
“All right, all right. But you know what today is, right?”
Bradley glanced at the date on his alarm clock. The accident.
“You want to go have breakfast?” Bradley asked, realizing that his brother would never admit how he was feeling.
“Sounds good to me. Let’s meet at the West Egg Café.”
Bradley smiled, that was their father’s favorite place to take them on Saturday mornings when Shelby and their mother were at the hair salon. “Big brother, are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m really feeling it today, Brad. I thought about the last thing I said to Mama and...”
“She knows you didn’t mean it.”
“How do we know that?”
“Because Mama would’ve forgiven you for your outburst regardless. Sometimes it did feel as if she was spending more time with other people’s families, but she had enough love in her heart for all of us.”
“Yeah, well, I was being an asshole and I never got the chance to say that I was sorry.”
“We can go visit her and Dad after we eat,” Bradley said as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Do me a favor,” Kenyon said.
“What?”
“Don’t tell Shelby that I called you this morning being emotional.”
“How much is it worth to you?” Bradley quipped.
“You jerk.”
“See you in a little bit.” Pulling himself out of bed, Bradley took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of black cargo shorts and white polo shirt. As he brushed his wavy hair, he tried not to think about Jansen with another man. Walking back into his bedroom, he opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out the small black box that he’d been holding on to for the past three years. Opening it, he ran his finger across the brilliant five-carat diamond he’d called the Jansen stone. He’d had the ring designed just for her, shaped like a heart, white gold and platinum.
I bet her fiancé went to a freaking chain store, he thought as he snapped the box closed and tossed it back into the drawer. It was time for him to get over Jansen. She’d obviously gotten over him.
* * *
Jansen pulled her hat down over her eyes and ran past a horde of reporters and photographers. How did these people always show up at the first sign of a scandal? You’d think she’d been caught kissing President Obama. “Jansen, Jansen,” a reporter called out as she jogged to catch up with the model. “Is it true that your relationship with Donovan Strange is the inspiration behind his new wedding collection?”
“No comment,” she replied.
“Are you engaged?” another reporter called out.
Jansen sighed and sped up.
“Will you two get married in Paris during Fashion Week?”
She ducked inside Starbucks and crossed over to the bathroom. Pulling out her phone, she called Donovan to see if his day had been as crazy as hers. “Hello?”
“Donovan,” she said. “Please tell me you aren’t getting bombarded with calls?”
“Since about six this morning. Try explaining all those calls to my assistant, who has Hot News as her home page, that we are not dating.”
“Oh, wow.”
“I thought the blogs would run the picture, but this coverage is ridiculous.”
“I guess your wedding line has everyone thinking you have matrimony on the brain.”
“Whatever. Matrimony money. It’s amazing how much a woman will pay for a dress she’s only going to wear once.”
“Careful, you’re starting to sound jaded.”
“You’re not recording this, are you?” Donovan laughed. “I don’t think you’d want to sell our conversation, since I’m making you the star of my line. Besides, you’re not some groupie with nothing to lose.”
“You’re horrible, you know that.”
“Anyway,” he said, “how are you going to address this? Me, I’ll just ignore it. But if you want to release a joint statement, I’m with it.”
“I don’t know what to do, but I’m already over the media chasing me. All I wanted to do was meet my assistant for lunch.”
“You know, I’m all for toying with the media. Free publicity for my upcoming line, but if your man—”
“That’s a problem I don’t have.” Instantly, she thought of Bradley. Had he seen any of this? Did he care? Or was he having a good laugh
with his new boo?
“And why is that? You’re rich, beautiful and smart. And you’re single, I don’t get it.”
She had a two-word answer on the tip of her tongue. Bradley Stephens. He’d been the one man she had ever allowed to get into her mind and soul. And after all she gave him, she’d been left with a broken heart. The pain from her breakup with Bradley had taught her one valuable lesson—never fall in love again.
“I’m good with focusing on my career right now,” she replied. “We can deal with this after Paris. I’m worn-out already.”
“Where are you and your assistant meeting for lunch?”
“At db Bistro.”
“Why don’t I join you and add more fuel to the fire and show you how to confuse the rumor mill.”
“I’m sure Dove would love for you to join us.”
“Your assistant’s name is Dove?”
“Yes,” Jansen said with a laugh. “And no bird jokes.”
“I make no promises. I’ll see you guys in a little bit.”
Jansen walked out of the bathroom happy to see that the media hounds had moved on. She was sure the Starbucks baristas had had a hand in their disappearance, so she dropped a few bills in the tip jar then headed for the bistro.
Chapter 4
Bradley shook his head and tried to pretend he wasn’t affected when Kenyon showed him the picture of Jansen and some designer on his tablet. “Good for her,” he said then gulped his water.
“You’re a terrible liar. If you could see your face.”
“It’s been damn near three years. What was I supposed to expect?”
“I know you wanted her to come back to Atlanta and be by your side. And don’t tell me that’s not the case. Every girlfriend you had after her has been a clone of Jansen Douglas.”
“There’s no such thing as a clone of Jansen. She’s one of a kind.” With a far-off look in his eyes, Bradley picked up his glass of water. “She’s going to be at Shelby’s wedding.”
“Probably with her man. Damn, you really messed that up. I bet Mama isn’t happy about that decision.”
Setting his glass down, Bradley chuckled. “You’re right about that. She loved Jansen as much as I do.”
Kenyon slammed his hand on the table. “I knew it! You’ve been pining away for that woman all of these years. Why didn’t you just support the girl’s ambitions?”
“Because I’m tired of losing people I love. I knew she was going to be one of the world’s top models. She couldn’t do that in Atlanta. And,” he said, pointing to the iPad, “she needed to find someone who understands that world. It looks like she did.”
“That’s bullshit. If you love her, you should let her know that. I don’t see a wedding band yet.”
“Whoa, whoa, who are you and what have you done with my cynical big brother?”
“Life’s too short to be lonely,” Kenyon said as he cut into his waffle. “If there’s a shot for you and Jansen, why not find out?”
“Because she’s about to marry someone else?”
Kenyon shrugged. “Until she says I do, you have a chance.”
I blew my chances a long time ago, he thought as he cut into his omelet.
After eating, the brothers headed to their parents’ burial site. It was a cool Atlanta morning and on the anniversary of losing Joan and Winston, they all needed time to reflect. As soon as Bradley and Kenyon walked up to the mausoleum, Bradley’s cell phone rang. And as he expected, it was Shelby.
“What’s up, little sister,” he said.
“I—I woke up and looked at the calendar and I’ve been crying all day,” she said.
“I’m going to put you on speaker. Kenyon and I are at—”
“I wish I was there, too,” she said. “Ken, hi.”
“Hey, little princess,” he replied.
“I haven’t been called that in a while. You guys went to the West Egg Café this morning, didn’t you?”
“Sure did,” Bradley said.
“I always wondered why you two and Daddy loved that place so much.”
“Same reason that you and Mama loved Macy’s,” Kenyon said.
Shelby’s laughter made them smile. “We just needed some girl time. Lord knows, Sunday was all about football with the three of you.”
“Does your fiancé like football?” Bradley asked.
“Not really.”
“That’s not good,” Bradley said.
“Why haven’t we met him?” Kenyon inquired.
“So, y’all are just going to team up on me? Today of all days?” Shelby whined. “Have either of you come to Paris to visit us?”
“Like we have time for that,” the brothers said in concert.
“You could make time,” she said.
Kenyon and Bradley looked at each other and shook their heads. “Fine,” Bradley said. “We’ll be there next week.”
“And stay until the wedding?” The hope in her voice meant they would be in Paris for the next two weeks.
“Hey, Shell,” Kenyon said. “Did you invite Jansen to your wedding?”
“Kenyon!” Bradley exclaimed. “Ignore him, Shelby.”
“Actually, I did. She’s going to be in Paris for Fashion Week anyway, so the timing was perfect.”
“You still talk to Jansen?” Bradley asked despite himself.
“All the time. Wait, I’m not supposed to tell you this. Our rule is, I don’t talk about you and I don’t funnel information to you.”
“The gossip site mentioned Jansen’s fiancé. Have you met him?” Bradley asked, ignoring the last part of her statement.
“No, and I’m kind of surprised. She never... Bradley, I’m not having this conversation with you. I don’t know what you did to Jansen, but I’m not about to get into the middle of it.”
“Girl,” Kenyon said. “Spill it.”
“No.”
“Then I’m going to stop payment on that check to that wedding planner, who is charging way too much anyway,” Kenyon said, while holding back his laughter.
Shelby started speaking broken French, telling her oldest brother that he was a vat of chicken fat and should be tossed in the ocean.
“Do you even know what you just said?” Bradley asked.
“It doesn’t matter, I’m not going to sit up here and tell you her personal business when you broke her heart.”
“Bye, Shelby,” he said. After hanging up with his sister, Kenyon turned to Bradley and shook his head.
“You know she’s right.”
“You started this,” Bradley exclaimed. A brisk wind blew over them.
“Either Mama or Daddy sent that,” Kenyon said. “You better calm down and figure out how you’re going to get the one woman who you ever loved to be yours again.”
Bradley dropped his head. “That’s going to be easier said than done. Shelby’s right, I broke her heart and acted like a selfish jackass.” Another breeze hit them. “Sorry for the language, Ma.”
Kenyon laughed and wrapped his arm around his brother’s slumping shoulders. “Come on, we have to plan a trip to Paris.”
* * *
Jansen picked at her food while Dove stared at Donovan as if he was a living and breathing Egyptian god. Of course, he loved the adulation. Jansen hid her laughter as Dove reached out to wipe a smidge of sauce from Donovan’s cheek with her napkin.
“You don’t want to be caught on camera with a face full of marinara sauce,” she said, then dropped her hand.
“Thank you, Bird of Beauty,” he replied. “But I’m hoping we can avoid cameras for the rest of the day.” Donovan pulled out his tablet and opened the Procreate app. “This is what I’m thinking about for the showstopper.”
Dove looked over his shoulder. “
Wow.”
Jansen was speechless as she looked at the pink-and-ivory lace dress. The mermaid dress looked as if it was going to be curve hugging, and the bodice was just amazing. A low-cut neckline, lace and beading intricately weaved together. “Wow,” Jansen said. “This is amazing.”
“Just a first draft. I want to play around with the hemline. Maybe the mermaid thing is played. What are women trying to look like on their wedding day anyway?”
“Beautiful,” Dove said. “She wants to be the only woman her groom has eyes for and she wants him to be eager to take that dress off her.”
Donovan smiled. “You’ve really thought about this, huh?”
“What woman doesn’t have those thoughts?”
Jansen silently said that she didn’t, at least not anymore. But she knew the dress Donovan was working on would do everything Dove said, and more. “I don’t think you need to change a thing about this dress,” Jansen said.
Donovan nodded. “I thought you’d say that. When I drew this, I thought about you the whole time.”
“It does look like something you’d wear,” Dove said.
“I think—” Jansen’s phone rang, interrupting her. Looking down at the screen, she saw it was Shelby. “I have to take this.” She rose to her feet and headed into an empty corner. “Hey, Shelby.”
“Bonjour. You know, I’m trying really hard not to be pissed off with you,” she said.
“What are you talking about?”
“You and Donovan Strange.”
“Oh. My. God. That news has gone international already?”
“So, it’s true? Bradley will be so heartbroken.”
“It’s not true and why would your brother care?”
Shelby cleared her throat. “We’re still doing this no talking about Bradley, right?”
Jansen narrowed her eyes, though her friend couldn’t see her. “What did you do, Shelby Elaine?”
“Whoa, you went full government name. I didn’t do anything. I just told him that I didn’t know about your fiancé.”
“I’m not engaged,” Jansen said.
Blissful Summer: Make You Mine AgainUnraveled Page 3
