Happy Mother's Day: Ready for Romance / Ready for Marriage

“I’m sorry, Jessica.”

Evan’s thoughtlessness wasn’t Damian’s fault and she said so, then asked bluntly, “Is there anything to eat around here?” She blinked back unexpected tears. Hunger always had a strange effect on her emotions, but it was embarrassing, and she tried not to let Damian see.

“You mean you haven’t eaten since lunch?”

“Not since breakfast, unless you count an apple, and if I don’t eat soon I’m going to cry and you really wouldn’t want to witness that.” The words rushed out and she felt a sniffle coming on. “Never mind,” she muttered, turning away from him. She wiped her nose with her forearm and returned to the library. Several ponderous law volumes were spread open across the tables. She closed them and began lugging them back to the shelves.

“I found a package of soda crackers,” Damian said, coming into the room.

“Thanks,” she said, ripping away the clear plastic wrapper and sniffling again. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to act like this.” She ate a cracker quickly and managed to hold back a sob. “Don’t look so concerned. I just needed to eat.”

“Let me take you to dinner.” Damian lifted a couple of the volumes and replaced them for her.

“That isn’t necessary.” A second cracker had made its way into her mouth and she was beginning to feel more like herself.

“We owe you that much,” Damian countered. “Besides, I’m half-starved myself.”

“The least he could’ve done was waited,” Jessica fumed.

Ignoring her comment Damian suggested a popular seafood restaurant nearby.

“He made it seem like it was a matter of life and death, and then he doesn’t bother to tell me he’s leaving,” she continued. “You’re right,” she said as Damian cupped her elbow and led her out the door. “Evan has changed.”

Damian didn’t respond to this comment either.

They walked the three blocks to the restaurant. It wasn’t too crowded, and they were given immediate seating at a wooden table near one of the windows. Even better, the waitress brought hot bread and chowder no more than a minute after it was ordered. Damian must be a regular here to get such service, Jessica thought, her good mood restored now that she’d eaten something warm and filling.

“This is excellent,” she said. “Thank you.” She sighed in contentment as she spooned up the last of her chowder.

Grinning, he finished his own soup, then reached for another piece of bread.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded. How like a man to keep something humorous to himself and then feel superior about it.

“I think I might just have averted a lawsuit. Can’t you hear it? ‘Woman Sues Boss over Lost Meals.’“

“I’d get a huge settlement.” The corners of her mouth twitched with a smile. Her eyes met Damian’s and soon their amusement had blossomed into full-blown grins.

He had very nice eyes, Jessica mused. They were a dark gray and revealed his keen intelligence, his sharp insight. She wanted to clear away any lingering misconception he had about her and Evan, but she couldn’t think of a way to do it without sounding as if she was jealous of whatever person Evan spent his personal time with.

Jessica wondered what Damian saw when he looked at her. Did he see the woman she’d become or the pesky kid next door who’d adamantly declared that his younger brother was her destiny?

The waitress arrived then with their main courses. Damian had ordered oysters and Jessica baked cod, which was delicious. By the time they’d finished, she felt completely restored.

“I said some things I shouldn’t have back at the office,” Jessica began, feeling self-conscious now but eager to explain. “You see—”

“You’d worked far longer than necessary and were starving to boot,” he interrupted. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I just wanted to be sure I hadn’t provoked you into firing me.”

“It’ll take more than a demand for food to do that,” he assured her, hardly disguising his amusement.

The June sky was dark and overcast and the temperature cooler as they came down the stairs and into the street. “It looks like rain,” Damian said. No sooner had he spoken than fat raindrops began to fall. Taking Jessica by the elbow, he sprinted across the street. Neither had thought to bring an umbrella.

“Here,” Damian said, running toward an alcove in front of a bookstore. The business had closed hours earlier, but the covered entrance was a good place to wait out the cloudburst. Jessica was breathless by the time they got there. A chill raced through her and she rubbed her arms vigorously.

Damian’s much larger hands replaced hers, then he stopped and peeled off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

“Damian, I’m fine,” she protested, fearing he’d catch a chill himself.

“You’re shivering.”

The warmth of his coat was more welcome than she cared to admit. No doubt about it, Damian was a gentleman to the core.

The downpour lasted a good ten minutes. Jessica was surprised at how quickly the time passed. When the storm dwindled to a drizzle and eventually stopped, Jessica discovered she was almost sorry. She was talking books with Damian and had discovered they shared an interest in murder mysteries. Damian was as well-read as she was, and they tossed titles and authors’ names back and forth without a pause.

“Did you drive to work this morning?” he asked.

She shook her head. She’d taken the subway.

“I’ll give you a lift home, then.”

“Really, Damian, that isn’t necessary. I don’t mind using public transit.”

“I mind,” he said in a voice that brooked no argument. “It’s too late for you to be out on the streets alone.”

How sweet of him to worry about her, she thought. “But I already have enough to thank you for.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was just thinking—I seem to be continually in your debt. You’ve got a heart of gold.”

He chuckled. “Hardly, Jessica.”

“You hired me without any job experience, then you bought me dinner, and now you’re driving me home.”

“It’s the least I can do.”

They returned to the office building, walking directly to the underground parking garage. Damian opened the car door for her and she nestled back in the leather seat.

One thing she’d learned during their time together was the fact that Damian was protective of his younger brother, though she doubted Evan appreciated that.

“You’re worried about him, aren’t you?” she asked, without clarifying her question. Damian knew who she was talking about.

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“Evan’s the real reason you hired me, isn’t he? You think I might be able to help him through this … difficult time.” It wasn’t a responsibility she welcomed or wanted. She was about to explain that when she noticed the way his mouth quirked in an amused smile.

Instead, she told him sharply, “I’m not a silly fourteen-year-old infatuated with an older man. What I felt for your brother was just a crush. It was over years ago.” That was the simple truth.

His shrug was noncommittal.

“Nevertheless,” she forged on, “you hired me because of Evan?”

It took Damian a few minutes to answer. “Sometimes I wonder,” he finally said. “Sometimes I wonder.”

Three

Jessica got to work early the following morning, hoping to have an opportunity to thank Damian again for dinner and more importantly to let him know how much she’d enjoyed the evening. But when she passed his office, the door was closed and his personal assistant was searching urgently through a file drawer. It didn’t look like the time to pop in unannounced.

Not surprisingly, Evan was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Sterling arrived ten minutes after Jessica, greeting her with a small approving smile, and set about sorting the mail.

Jessica spent the first part of the morning organizing the material she’d researched the day before and typing up her notes. That way, Evan wouldn’t be forced to waste time deciphering her hasty scrawl.

She’d just completed printing out the results when a breathless Evan entered the office. From the look of him, he’d raced all the way up from the parking garage. Briefcase in hand, he marched up to her desk.

“Do you have those notes ready?” he asked, reaching for the file before Jessica had a chance to present it. She stood up, intending to discuss a few points with him, but he brushed past her and hurried into his office without a word. She would have followed him, but he closed the door.

Jessica was taken aback; unsure of what to do, she turned to Mrs. Sterling. The personal assistant sighed and shrugged. “Working for Mr. Dryden can be a real trial,” she muttered, then grinned and added, “No pun intended.”

As Mrs. Sterling chuckled at her own little joke, Evan reappeared, looking composed and confident. He’d removed his raincoat and was leafing casually through the file. He glanced over at Jessica and his face relaxed in a broad smile.

“You’re an angel,” he said, kissing her cheek as he walked past. Jessica had seen him kiss Mrs. Sterling in the same affectionate manner.

“I’ll be in a meeting with Damian this morning,” Evan announced on his way out the door.

As the morning went on, Jessica found herself wondering exactly what her role in the office was. Although Evan had recently been assigned the Earl Kress case, his work load had been light during the past few months. Now that she’d finished the research, there was barely enough to keep her busy.

From various bits and pieces she’d heard, Jessica gathered that Evan’s interest in corporate law had waned. Surely Damian hadn’t hired her expecting miracles! Since he was so closemouthed about Evan’s troubles, Jessica wondered if Mrs. Sterling could fill in some details. She didn’t want to be obvious about asking, which could prove tricky since the woman was so clearly devoted to her employer.

“That Evan’s a real charmer, isn’t he?” Jessica began conversationally.

“He always could charm the birds right out the trees,” Mrs. Sterling answered proudly.

“He’s different now from the way I remember him. More … intense.”

Evan’s personal assistant nodded and muttered, “I’d like to shoot that woman.”

Jessica’s heart leapt with excitement. “What woman?” she asked, trying to hide her eagerness. She was about to learn what had happened to change Evan so drastically from the man she’d known.

Mrs. Sterling glanced up, as if surprised that Jessica had heard her mumbling. “Oh … it’s nothing.”

“But it must be something. Evan isn’t anything like he was a few years back. Oh, he’s charming and sweet, but there’s an edge to him now. A sharpness, I guess. Something I can’t put my finger on.” She looked expectantly at the other woman.

“That’s true enough,” Mrs. Sterling reluctantly conceded.

“You say a woman’s responsible for the changes in Evan?”

“Isn’t it always a woman?”

“What happened?” Might as well try a more direct approach, Jessica thought. Tact wasn’t getting her anywhere.

“It’s a pity, a real pity.”

“Yes, Evan just isn’t the same,” Jessica said again, hoping to encourage the other woman to continue.

“It shouldn’t come as any surprise, really. Yet it does, Mr. Dryden being the charmer he is. Plain and simple, he fell in love with someone who didn’t feel the same way about him.” Then she clamped her mouth shut as though she’d already said far more than she should—far more than was circumspect for a personal assistant to say about her boss.

But this much Jessica already knew. She wanted the particulars. Who was this woman who’d hurt Evan so badly? Her back stiffened at the thought of someone rejecting him—the man she’d worshiped from afar during her tumultuous teenage years. Whoever this woman was, Jessica decided, she was a fool.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Sterling was unwilling to provide any further information.

About eleven Evan walked into the office. He smiled as he strolled past Mrs. Sterling’s desk to hers. “The research you did was wonderful, Jessica. Thank you.”

His appreciation caught her off guard. She wondered if Damian had said something to him and was momentarily speechless.

“I appreciate the effort that went into your report,” he murmured. “I’m very pleased with the quality of your work.”

“I … I was happy to do it. That’s my … my job.” The words stumbled off the end of her tongue. Jessica was astonished that his praise could fluster her like this. She was embarrassed now by the way she’d overreacted last night when she’d learned that he’d left the office. It was her own fault for not taking time to eat lunch. Evan’s disappearance wouldn’t have bothered her in the least if she had….

“Damian said you were here till almost eight.”

So Damian had mentioned that. “As I said earlier, I was only doing my job.”

“Mom and Dad are having a barbecue this weekend,” Evan continued, “Saturday, around four. I’d like you to attend it with me.”

His invitation threw her, and she wasn’t sure what to say. Although she hadn’t had a lot of work experience, she knew that dating the boss could lead to problems.

“This shouldn’t be a difficult decision,” Evan said, raising his eyebrows.

His pride had already suffered one blow, and Jessica refused to deliver a second, no matter how slight. “I’d enjoy that very much,” she said. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

He smiled affectionately. “You always were sweet.”

As a teenager, Jessica’s daydreams had been filled with such scenarios. She’d close her eyes and pretend Evan had asked her out. Now her dream had come true, but Jessica was left wishing it had been Damian issuing the invitation, instead of his brother.

“I’ll pick you up. You are living in the city, aren’t you?”

Jessica nodded. “Wouldn’t it be simpler if we met at the party? As it happens, I’m spending the weekend with my parents, and I can walk over with them.”

Evan seemed a bit surprised by her suggestion. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“Then that’ll be fine. I’ll look forward to seeing you there.”

There’d been a time in her life when she would’ve gladly walked across a bed of hot coals to attend a party with Evan. Any party. Anywhere. Hadn’t Damian been counting on that when he hired her—even if he claimed to know she was long over her crush?

“The party’s in honor of some dignitary,” Evan went on. “A French artist. Mom wants to throw the quintessential American party for him. She’s worked herself into a tizzy for the event. I can guarantee this will be the most elaborate barbecue Boston has ever seen. The last I heard, she’d hired a country-and-western band.”

“It sounds like fun.”

“Considering all the effort that’s going into it, I’m sure it will be. You can do the two-step, can’t you, sweet Jessica?”

“Of course.” How easy it was to stretch the truth. In fact, she’d only done the two-step once or twice before. “Well, I’m pretty rusty,” she amended.

“Me, too. We’ll leave the fancy footwork to Damian.”

Damian, she thought with a sigh. There was definitely something wrong with her, something psychological—something rooted deep in her childhood, she supposed—if she could agree to date one brother while longing for the other.

The hours flew by and before Jessica knew it, the workday had come to an end. Mrs. Sterling had just stepped out of the office when Damian strolled casually in.

“Evan’s gone for the day,” Jessica said, a little flustered to find him standing in front of her desk. Especially since she’d once again been thinking how much she’d prefer to attend the family barbecue with him.

“I’m not here to see my brother.”

“Mrs. Sterling will be right back.”

“I came to see you,” Damian said, his eyes dark and intense as they settled on her.

Jessica tensed. Did he have some complaint with her work?

“Don’t look so worried. I came to tell you my parents are holding a party this weekend. A barbecue.”

“Yes, I know. Evan mentioned it earlier.”

Damian’s eyes brightened with interest. He crossed his arms and leaned against her desk. “What did he say about it?”

“Not much. Apparently it’s in honor of a French artist.”

“I see.” He hesitated as if he was unsure, which Jessica knew was completely out of character for Damian. “I was wondering …” he began, then straightened and buried his hands in his pants pockets. “Would you like to come to the party with me?”

Her shoulders sagged as she opened her mouth to tell him that Evan had already invited her, but before she could respond, Damian added, “I realize it’s short notice, but I didn’t hear the details myself until this morning.” A hint of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Mother phoned, wanting to confirm that I’ll be there. She seems to be taking her duties very seriously.”

“Ah …”

“There’s a problem,” he guessed.

She nodded glumly. “Evan’s already invited me to the party—as his date.” She wanted to tell Damian she’d rather attend with him, but she couldn’t. “I’m sorry,” she muttered.

“He did?” Instead of looking displeased at this turn of events, Damian seemed positively delighted. “Don’t be sorry.”

His reaction annoyed her.

“It isn’t like a real date,” she said, wanting to make that clear. “At least, that wasn’t the impression Evan gave me. The invitation was his way of thanking me for working so hard on the research he needed.”

“My brother wouldn’t invite you if he wasn’t interested in your company,” Damian insisted. “Besides, I wouldn’t want Evan to think I was cutting in on his territory.”

His territory.

Damian must have guessed her feelings, because he said, “Evan asked you first.”

He was right about that, she thought, but little else.

Damian turned away, and it suddenly became important to Jessica to explain herself. “I don’t think you should put much stock in Evan’s invitation. It really was just a way of thanking me.”

“It’s a start, though, wouldn’t you agree?” Damian said over his shoulder. “A good start, at that.” He left her then before she could say anything more.

Jessica was upset, and it wasn’t until she got home that she figured out why. Damian hadn’t invited her to the party out of any real desire for her company. He’d assumed that Evan hadn’t asked her—and he was looking for an opportunity to throw her and his brother together socially.

Jessica arrived at her parents’ house early Saturday afternoon, after spending all morning shopping for the perfect outfit. Cathy had come along to offer encouragement and advice.

She might not be attending the barbecue with Damian, but when she showed up looking like a movie star, he’d wish she was. This was her mission, plain and simple.

Evan had casually mentioned the country-and-western band, but he’d also said the barbecue was in honor of an artist. These somewhat contradictory snippets of information served to confuse her about how to dress. Nothing in her closet seemed suitable, but then little in the shops did, either.

In one outfit she resembled Annie Oakley, and in another Jackie Kennedy. There didn’t seem to be much of a middle ground—until she found a long denim skirt, a red shirt decorated with white fringe sewn about the yoke and white cowboy boots. A white silk scarf tied around her neck lent a touch of elegance.

Her mother’s eyes widened with approval when Jessica modeled the outfit. “I wish now I’d gone shopping, too, and bought something new myself. You look great.”

“Thanks.” Her mother’s praise gave Jessica confidence. Cathy, who tended to dress like a character in a sci-fi movie, had also said she looked great, but Jessica didn’t really trust her friend’s fashion sense.

“It was so sweet of Evan to include you,” Joyce Kellerman went on to say. “Not that I’m surprised, his being your boss and all. Life is certainly full of little twists and turns, isn’t it?

“It sure is,” Jessica said without elaborating.

“I’m thrilled that you’re working with Evan.”

“He’s a nice person.”

“He’s wonderful. It’s always been my dream—I know it’s silly, but well, we’re such good friends with the Drydens … I’ve always hoped you’d grow up to marry one of Lois’s boys.”

“Whatever you do,” Jessica said quickly, “don’t say that in front of Damian or Evan.”

“Why not, dear?”

“Mom, it’d embarrass me to death!”

“But you were so keen on Evan a few years back, and I thought … I hoped …”

“Mother, I was only fourteen!” Her old infatuation with Evan was turning into the proverbial albatross around her neck—thanks to Damian and her mother. If it wasn’t for them, the whole thing would’ve been forgotten by now.

“You’ll make a beautiful bride,” her mother said, adding the finishing touches to her own outfit. Abruptly she changed the subject. “Lois has worried herself sick over this silly barbecue.”

“But why?” Mrs. Dryden had thrown a hundred parties more elaborate than this.

Her mother sat on the bed and leaned back on her hands. “I don’t suppose there’s any reason to keep it a secret. Walter’s been approached about running for the Senate.”

Walter Dryden had been active in community affairs for years. Although he’d never held public office, he’d often managed the successful campaigns of others. He’d taken an early retirement from the law firm, and, from what Jessica understood, had grown restless with inactivity. Running for office would doubtless come as a welcome challenge.

“Has he decided he’s going to run?”

“Your father and I think so. He hasn’t declared his candidacy yet, but we’re confident he will. He’s testing the waters with this barbecue tonight. The ostensible reason is to welcome this artist—a Pierre Sidonie—but a number of people from the political arena will also be present. So this is probably the most important party of Lois’s marriage. No wonder she’s a nervous wreck.”

Even before Jessica and her parents arrived for the barbecue, the pungent smells of tomato sauce, spices and roasting meat mingled in the afternoon sunshine and drifted over the fence.

As they were greeted at the front door, Jessica was reminded, by the fervor with which Lois hugged her mother, what very good friends the two women were. Their friendship had spanned more than twenty years, and they were like sisters. Jessica felt the same way about Cathy. They’d met in college, where they’d been roommates for three years.

When Jessica didn’t immediately see Evan or Damian, she wandered outside. A series of round tables decorated in red checked tablecloths were scattered across the lush expanse of lawn. The day was perfect, warm but not hot, and the sky was cloudless. A soft breeze ruffled the leaves of the large shade trees that lined the property. This was New England summer at its best. The aromas of the food were heavenly, too, reminding her how hungry she was. Shopping and preparing for the party hadn’t left time for lunch.

Several dozen guests had arrived, and Jessica scanned the crowd. She spotted Evan standing next to a lovely blonde in a white fringed dress with a turquoise belt and silver buckle. Jessica didn’t recognize the woman, and a few discreet inquiries got her nowhere. She became all the more curious. She attempted to make her way over to Evan, since she was officially his date, but in actuality, she was seeking an introduction to the lovely blonde. Perhaps this was Evan’s new romantic interest, she thought hopefully. But before she could reach Evan, she was waylaid by some family friends. Most of the Drydens’ guests were older people, established names Jessica had known or heard all her life.

“Hello, Jessica,” Damian said from behind her. She turned to find him in the sort of suit he wore at the office. He’d made an attempt to dress to the theme with a black Stetson, which, in Jessica’s opinion, looked entirely out of place on his very Bostonian head.

His eyes glimmered with appreciation. “You look—” he hesitated “—good.”