Sandy: Vested Interest #7

by Melanie Moreland

“Emmy mentioned that,” he confirmed. “I forgot.”

  He handed her to me as he slipped off his jacket, then cradled her back in his arms, cooing down at her, using his handkerchief to wipe her face. I enjoyed seeing his softer side. He showed it to very few people, but his wife and daughter saw it the most.

  “You have a fresh suit in the closet.”

  “Good thing.”

  I chuckled. “Yes, it is.”

  He rocked Addi, nodding in satisfaction at the large room. With Maddox’s wife, Dee, pregnant, plus Aiden and Cami trying, I knew he was looking forward to the day the room was filled with BAM babies. I knew he already planned on expanding the day care for other staff members, but it required some reconfiguring of the building. He would sort it out—of that, I had no doubt.

  He glanced up. “Have you spoken to Jordan?”

  I smiled. “Of course. He is almost ready to put the house up for sale. He says he can’t believe the difference a few days have made.”

  Bentley grinned. “That’s what I hire the best for. Many hands make light work.”

  Bentley had sent a team over to Jordan’s house, along with one of the decorators. They had moved, packed, and staged his house, and it would be going up for sale by the weekend. His unneeded possessions had been moved to one of the many warehouses BAM owned, so Jordan could take his time going through the items. Jordan had worked from home the past few days while it was being done, and I had to admit, I missed seeing him in the office. But we were having dinner tonight, and I was looking forward to it. I was cooking dinner at my place so Jordan could just relax.

  “It’s happening so fast.”

  Bentley cocked his head, his voice soft. “The sale of his house, or something else, Sandy?”

  I smiled ruefully and took Addi from his arms, wanting to feel her warmth.

  “His house, his new place, and yes, I suppose the relationship we’re in.”

  Bentley shrugged, patting at the damp spot on his tie with his handkerchief. “The house was easy. Jordan was ready, the house only needed the minimum of staging, and the crew is efficient.” He gave up on his tie, tugging it over his neck and stuffing it in his pocket. “The condo was simple. Paperwork is something Jordan excels at.” He smirked. “He’s letting Liv help decorate it once she’s back from her honeymoon next month, so again—simple. I have a feeling his house will go quickly, and he can move forward, which brings us to the last point—your relationship.”

  “A very succinct overview.”

  He rolled his eyes. “That’s what I excel at. Frankly, I was worried about you and Jordan having a relationship, but both of you look happier than I’ve seen you in a long time. You complement each other, and it’s good to see you smile. I know it’s scary—all relationships are scary—but you have a lot to offer each other, and I’m enjoying watching him woo you.”

  “Is that a fact?”

  Reid stepped into the room. “We’re all enjoying that.”

  I glared at him. “I don’t think anyone asked for your opinion, young man.”

  Reid laughed, not at all put out by my tone. “Bent, Maddox is looking for you. He needs some stuff signed.”

  Bentley took Addi from me and headed to the door. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

  Reid turned to me, a wide smile firmly in place. “We’ve all noticed, Sandy.”

  “Noticed what, exactly?”

  “The little bunches of flowers. The small boxes of chocolate that appear on your desk. The fact that you actually leave the building for lunch—at the same time Jordan does, by the way. And that funny little grin you sport when he sends you a text.”

  “How do you know it’s Jordan sending me a text?”

  Reid leaned closer, his eyes dancing. “He’s the only person I know who makes you blush or smile that way.”

  I crossed my arms. My boys were far too observant.

  Reid mimicked my action. “Not to mention the way your eyes follow him when he walks away.” He winked, his lips quirking. “I think you like his butt.”

  I gaped at him. “Reid Matthews!”

  He bent to kiss my cheek, still smiling. “You once told me to grab happiness, Sandy. Take your own advice.”

  “Go back to your office and do some work. I am the one to give advice around here.” I pushed him out the door. “And I do not stare at his…butt,” I added.

  “Whatever,” he called over his shoulder.

  I watched him disappear around the corner, then began to chuckle.

  I did stare—it was a nice butt. But for Reid to have noticed meant I needed to be more careful.

  I couldn’t let the boys have one up on me.

  That simply wouldn’t do.

  The doorbell rang about seven. I finished stirring the pot and replaced the lid. I peeked in the oven, and satisfied, I hurried to the front door, opening it with a smile.

  Jordan stood on my front porch, returning my smile. In one hand was a large bunch of lilies—my second favorite flower—and in the other, a bottle of wine.

  He grinned at me, indicating my porch door with a tilt of his head. “The door squeaks. Needs some oil.”

  I winked. “No one can ever sneak in without me hearing them.”

  “Ah, good plan.”

  I waved him in, and he stepped past me, his woodsy scent filling the hall. I shut the door and turned to him. “Hello, stranger.”

  He set the wine on the table, holding out the flowers. I took the bouquet, inhaling the spicy fragrance of the lilies. I lifted my eyes to meet Jordan’s gaze. His green eyes were soft, gentle, and filled with warmth.

  “It feels like years since I saw you,” he confessed.

  “It’s been four days.”

  He moved closer, sliding his arm around my waist. “Like I said, years.”

  He tugged me close and I wrapped my arms around his neck, the plastic encasing the flowers crinkling in protest. He lowered his head and I met him eagerly, his mouth hovering over mine.

  “Hello, my darling.”

  Our lips touched, and the world ceased to exist. He gathered me close, the heat of his body soaking into mine. Our mouths moved together, sliding and tasting, refamiliarizing themselves with each other. His tongue stole in, caressing and light, then going deeper, his arms cinching me tighter. I cupped the back of his head, swimming in the sensations his touch brought out in me.

  I had missed him—more than I realized. The hole, the feeling of emptiness closed up, and I felt alive and rejuvenated.

  He explored me, his hands spread wide across my back, his mouth never ceasing its wicked possession. I clutched him close, never wanting this moment to end. I was lost to him. His taste, his feel, the safety I felt in his embrace.

  Until reality exploded, and Colin walked in.

  “Whoa—What the…?”

  Jordan and I broke apart, both of us startled and gasping for air.

  So much for not sneaking in. Neither of us had heard the porch door.

  I stared at Colin, struck dumb. He looked between Jordan and me, an odd expression on his face. He lifted his hand and ran it through his hair, then began to chuckle.

  “Nan, seriously. Making out in the front hall?”

  I cleared my throat, totally flummoxed. “Ah, Colin, I wasn’t expecting you.”

  He smirked. “Obviously. I assume it slipped your mind it was the second Thursday of the month?”

  Oh no—it had slipped my mind totally. Colin always came for dinner the second Thursday of the month.

  He began to laugh, not at all upset or even worried about the man standing beside me, with his arm around me, protective and wary.

  Colin stuck out his hand. “Hello, Jordan.” His lips twitched. “Nice to see you again. Unexpected, but nice.”

  For a moment, I was confused, then remembered Colin had seen Jordan in the office several times.

  Jordan extended his hand. “Colin.”

  They shook hands, one bemused and smiling, the other cordial but tense. Coli
n spoke up.

  “I assume you’re joining us for dinner?”

  Jordan glanced at me, and I lifted one shoulder. “Yes, he is,” I stated.

  Colin chuckled. “Teasing. How about we reschedule? I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  I shook my head. “No, stay. You can have dinner with us.” I drew in a long breath of air for bravery. “Get to know Jordan.”

  Colin smiled widely. “I’d like that.”

  I picked up the bottle of wine. “I’m going to check on dinner.”

  Colin headed toward the living room. “I’ll get us drinks.” He clapped his hands. “This is gonna be fun.”

  I met Jordan’s amused gaze and mouthed, “Sorry.”

  He shook his head and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “He took that well,” he muttered.

  “I forgot,” I whispered. “I forgot about our standing date because of you—you befuddled my head!” I slapped his chest. “What are you doing to me, Jordan Hayes?”

  He lifted my chin, his eyes twinkling. “Not what I want to be doing right now.”

  That odd giggle escaped my throat. Jordan grinned and kissed the end of my nose. “I’m looking forward to getting to know him a little. I know how much you adore him.”

  Colin appeared in the door.

  “Hey, kids, the sooner we have dinner, the sooner I leave, and you can get back to, ah, doing what you were doing. Let’s go!”

  I threw him a look that should have had him writhing on the floor. Instead, he grinned widely. “Come on, Jordan. I know Nan is sexy, but I have some great scotch I keep here I’m willing to share.”

  Jordan chuckled and squeezed my hand as he moved past me. I sighed as I headed to the kitchen.

  This was going to be an interesting evening—not at all what I planned—but interesting, nonetheless.

  Sandy

  I sat back, sipping my wine, listening as the two men I adored got to know each other. When I’d walked into the room earlier, they had been standing by the fireplace, talking in low voices, looking serious. But when they saw me, they both smiled and seemed at ease. Every time I left the room, their conversation began again, and I wondered what exactly they were talking about. They certainly seemed to have a lot to say to each other.

  At dinner, Colin was his usual chatty self, catching me up on all the things happening at the hospital and in his life. He was busy, happy, and seemingly quite comfortable with Jordan. We kept the conversation neutral, and the atmosphere was cheerful.

  He finished his second helping of dinner and set down his cutlery.

  “Awesome coq au vin. One of your best yet.”

  Jordan hummed his agreement as Colin picked up his wine.

  “So how long have you two been an item?” he asked casually.

  I cleared my throat. “Not long.”

  “You looked pretty friendly when I walked in the door.” He winked. “And I’ve never known you to forget about me coming over.”

  I felt my cheeks flush, and Colin began to laugh.

  “Nan, are you blushing?” He slapped the table as he chuckled. “Jordan Hayes, what kind of effect are you having on her?”

  Jordan joined in his amusement. “A good one, I hope.” He reached for my hand and squeezed my fingers.

  “I asked Sandy out a few weeks ago, Colin. We get along very well.”

  “I noticed,” Colin deadpanned.

  “I know you were close to your grandfather, and I hope my relationship with Sandy doesn’t upset you. But I’m very fond of her, and I think she is of me as well. Surely, you want her to be happy?”

  Colin sat up straighter, all teasing gone. He regarded Jordan and me briefly. “I want nothing more than for her to be happy. I haven’t seen her smile like this for a very long time, and if you’re the cause, then you have my full blessing. Not that you need it,” he added with a shrug. “You’re both adults and can do with your lives whatever you choose.”

  “I would prefer to have your blessing,” I said, meeting his eyes. He reminded me of Max—he had his eyes and the same tall, slim build. “I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but…” I trailed off.

  Colin shook his head. “No, you’re too young. Gramps would have wanted you to be happy. That was always one of his biggest worries. He knew, just like I do, that you have too much love in you not to have someone to share it with. He and I talked a lot about what would happen once he was gone.”

  That surprised me. “I didn’t know.”

  He smiled. “He didn’t want you to. We talked about a lot of things.”

  Jordan interrupted us. “Your grandfather was a great man. I met him several times, and I liked him a lot. He was very kind when my wife passed.”

  Colin smiled. “That doesn’t surprise me. He was a kind man to everyone. He loved my nan fiercely.”

  “I know.”

  “Will you care for her the same way?”

  Jordan shook his head. “I can’t. No one will ever love Sandy the way Max did. I’m not looking to compete with him, Colin. The same way Sandy will never replace my wife’s spot. But we can love another person just as strongly, though in a different way. How I feel about Sandy doesn’t take away the life I shared with my Anna. I believe my past helps me to be able to love another person because I know the joy that brings. The loneliness another person can dispel.” He leaned forward, his gaze steady on Colin. “I think Sandy and I can build something special together.”

  “You seem to be moving fast.”

  Jordan laughed, sitting back. “At our age, we have a wealth of experience behind us. We don’t need to play games or test the large dating pool. I like your nan, she likes me, and that is all we need to know. We don’t have the luxury of years ahead of us. If we’re happy, then we’re grabbing it. Living life now. Case closed.”

  Colin was silent, mulling over what Jordan said. Jordan lifted his wine and sent a subtle wink my way, making me smile.

  I picked up my wine. “How are all your Tinder dates going, by the way? Any interesting, ah, hookups lately, Colin?”

  He began to laugh. “Point taken, Nan. You’ll be happy to know I deleted the app. I met a new nurse at the hospital. She is quite—” he swallowed “—lovely. She reminds me of you, actually. We’ve had three dates, and I was thinking of bringing her to meet you.” He grinned. “Maybe we can double one night.”

  I smiled, hiding my surprise. Colin had never brought anyone to meet me. “I would like that.”

  “Me too.”

  He stood, placing his napkin on the table. “I should go. I have a five-a.m. shift tomorrow.”

  “What about dessert?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve interrupted long enough.” He reached across the table and shook Jordan’s hand. “It’s been a real pleasure. I hope to see more of you.”

  “You as well.”

  Colin winked. “You will.”

  I walked him to the door, and he turned to hug me. “I like him, Nan.”

  “I do too.”

  “I meant what I said. Be happy.”

  “I’m trying.”

  He pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Keep trying, Nan. I like seeing you this way.”

  “I’m sorry I forgot.”

  He shook his head. “That is the best part of all of this. I love the fact that you forgot. You were thinking of yourself, not me for a change.” Then he chuckled. “Next time, I’ll call first, though. That’s an image I only want to see once.”

  Then he left, still laughing.

  I joined Jordan in the kitchen. He had carried in the dishes and was loading them into the dishwasher. I leaned against the counter, watching as he stacked them in an orderly fashion, then reached under the sink and dropped in a pod, studying the controls for a moment before choosing a cycle and shutting the door.

  He met my amused glance. “What?”

  “Very domesticated.”

  He chuckled dryly. “I had to learn. To be honest, I enjoyed cooking more than Anna did. I took over the kitchen on the we
ekends.” He held up a finger. “Except for coffee. She made far better coffee.”

  “I see. Max was hopeless in the kitchen. I remember the time he tried to make garlic bread. I’m certain the fire department has fond memories of it as well.”

  Jordan threw back his head in amusement. Then he held out his hand. “Can we sit?”

  I took his hand and led him back into the living room. We sat on the sofa facing each other.

  “Are you okay with Colin?” he asked. “I know his arrival caught us off guard, and it was obvious he had no idea about us.”

  “Only because I haven’t seen him—it wasn’t something I wanted to share over the phone. I planned on telling him tonight, except—”

  His chuckle interrupted me. “You forgot about tonight.”

  “I did. This whole week has been so crazy. I guess I’ve been off-kilter.”

  He took my hand, holding it within his, making circles on my wrist with his thumb. “Lots to take in.”

  “Yes.”

  He released my hand and rubbed his face. I shifted closer, concerned.

  “Jordan? What’s wrong?”

  “I have something to tell you, and it’s either going to make you very happy, or you’re going to be upset.”

  “That’s a rather large variance.”

  “I did something.”

  “Obviously.”

  He paused and took my hand again. “The house goes up for sale tomorrow. The agent is having an all-day open house on Saturday. She will accept offers as of three o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. She anticipates a bidding war.”

  “All right.”

  “I’m fine with selling the house—I really am. But I can’t stand the thought of all those people traipsing through the house, making comments.”

  “Understandable.”

  “She strongly suggested I not be there.” He sucked in some air. “So, I decided to go away for the weekend. I think the break would do me some good.”

  I tamped down my disappointment that he would be gone. I was looking forward to seeing him at least one day on the weekend, but I understood.

  “Are you going to see Gina?”

  “No. I decided I wanted to take you to Boston. If you’ll come with me.”

  I blinked. “Boston?”