by Nina Singh
“Is that right, Jenna?”
She looked off at the horizon, her eyes growing distant and pensive. Several moments passed in silence and Cabe didn’t think she would answer. Finally, she took a deep breath. “When you said she was probably out there so that she could feed her family...”
“Yes?”
She clearly struggled to find the right words. “There were plenty of nights when my brother and I didn’t eat,” she confessed. “Especially during the summers when there was no school lunch to fall back on. I felt responsible when he was hungry.”
So unfair, Cabe thought. Jenna had been forced to parent not only herself but also her older brother. “You were just a kid yourself.”
“But he was the confused teenage boy. He looked to me for answers. Who else was there? Things got better as I grew older. Once I could start working, I made sure we both had at least one square meal a day. The elderly store owner on the corner of Falmouth and Main, down the street from our apartment, he offered me my first job. He knew I needed it. I never forgot that. Or his kindness. That man made all the difference in our lives.”
“What about your mother?”
Her lips formed a grim smile. “My mother wasn’t around much.”
“Still. She must have had some source of income.”
Jenna didn’t tear her gaze off the horizon. “She mostly lived off her boyfriends. In between men, she had odd jobs. Waitressing on and off. Cleaning offices here and there. Nothing really stuck. And she had other ideas about what to do with the little income she did earn.”
“Others must have helped you along the way.” He sincerely hoped so. Or what did that say about the town he’d grown up in?
“Of course they did. But once I started to earn it, then it wasn’t charity. It was accomplishment.”
He felt the breath leave his lungs in a whoosh. Even at such a young age, Jenna Townsend had valued her pride. While he’d been out pursuing tennis trophies and merit ribbons to prove himself to his parents, she’d been fighting for survival. And she hadn’t even done it for selfish reasons. She’d done it for her brother. To make sure they ate.
He didn’t know what to say to her. His own struggles in life seemed to pale in comparison. Cabe had never wanted for anything. Not for anything materialistic, anyway. Sure, he’d spent most of his hours alone, his parents completely absent or completely disconnected if they were around. But the thought of going hungry was an absolute foreign concept.
“You’ve achieved a lot, Jenna. You’re a successful, accomplished businesswoman.”
A false and bitter laugh escaped her lips. “I had no choice. I had to work harder and be smarter than everyone else. I promised myself I would never be like her.”
No wonder she was so driven, so rigid. Like that young vendor, Jenna had been carrying around a heavy burden since she was barely a teen. It all made sense now. Her inability to relax, her workaholic tendencies. All to outrun a legacy she’d already left so far behind. Yet somehow, it still chased her.
He and Jenna Townsend had a lot in common.
* * *
Jenna swiveled around in a large leather chair in one of the cubicles in the business center where she and Cabe had been working for the past two hours. Well, she’d been trying to work, anyway. She hadn’t really gotten as much done as she would have liked. The scene from this morning kept playing over and over in her head.
Cabe hadn’t even thought twice about offering that lovely girl whatever he’d had in his wallet. Sure, he could afford it. But not every wealthy man would have done the same thing. And his idea to have crafters set up in the store, that would be a true way to give back to this wonderful community she’d already grown so fond of in her short time here. Not only had he helped the girl with her immediate concern, he’d figured out a way to help her long term. All in all, a very monumental gesture.
So why did she feel so unsettled? She’d been tense and uneasy since the whole encounter. Something about the way Cabe had stepped in, taken charge of the situation, and gone above and beyond what she had intended.
It had impressed her. His kind gesture had impressed her.
And she didn’t like it.
She didn’t need any kind of white-knight hero to take over for her in such a situation. Hadn’t that been exactly the kind of thing that would have impressed someone like her mother? Amanda loved it when the men she was with took care of things for her. Especially if the gesture involved a display of wealth.
But Cabe’s actions had been all about kindness. Then he’d gone further to come up with an idea about how to continue the kindness on a broader scale.
It would be utterly selfish of Jenna to be cross with him. After all, it wasn’t the use of his money that had impressed her, it was the use of his heart, his generosity. He had helped that girl more than Jenna would have been able to. So now she was an annoying bundle of frustration, anxiety and anger. Not to mention confused.
She’d spent her life ensuring that she could stand on her own two feet, that she didn’t need any kind of assistance or guidance from a man the way her mom did. Cabe’s take-charge personality was now blurring that previously solid image of herself she’d worked so hard to achieve.
Yep. Cabe Jordan was totally, overwhelmingly confusing her. The man was a complete enigma, impossible to comprehend. He’d opened up to her about a monumental part of his life—that he’d been adopted. But then he’d refused to even mention it again the next day. Then just when she thought she’d imagined his openness and vulnerability, he’d gone ahead and made the wishes of a needy girl come true right before Jenna’s very eyes.
Basically, he’d walked into her office a few short days ago and completely scrambled her senses. She had no idea how to handle him. Nor could she imagine what her life was going to feel like when she went back to it without him in it. Once Cabe returned to Manhattan and she was back in Boston, her life would never be the same again.
But she’d have to accompany him back here to the resort at least once or twice more before the project was completed. Wouldn’t she? Not only was she his project manager for the store opening, she’d just been recruited for the local vendor outreach idea.
The thought of returning both excited and terrified her. Her psyche might not be able to handle another trip like this one.
She could not fall for Cabe Jordan. He was absolutely wrong for her. Look how much he’d disrupted her life in the few short days since he’d stepped into it. Who was she kidding, anyway? As if he would even entertain the thought of the two of them in any kind of serious relationship. Haughty models and bright-eyed actresses were far more his style. Technically, he was dating one now.
As if her thoughts had conjured him, he materialized in front of her. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to reveal tan, muscular forearms. The man looked like he’d stepped right out of a male trends magazine. Though that was the kind of thing she did not need to be noticing.
“Late-morning doldrums?” he asked, holding out a sweaty plastic cup of iced tea. “Freshly brewed. Thought you might need a break.”
Well, his timing was certainly a point in his favor. She inhaled the scent of the aromatic, lemony brew and felt her senses sharpen before she even took a sip. “Hmm, perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Can’t be too long a break though.”
“Wow, and you said you weren’t a harsh boss.”
“Demanding versus harsh. Big difference. We have that meeting with the retail manager.”
She turned to check the small bar on top of her laptop screen that read the date and time. “It’s not for another two hours. You said we’re meeting him right here on-site.”
“True, but you might want to change first.”
“Change? Why?”
“I meant to mention, Sonny likes to hold his meetings in an
open cabana on the beach. You’ll be way too warm in that pantsuit.”
A business meeting in a beachside cabana. She could really get used to this lifestyle. It did pose a problem, however. All she’d really packed were other suits. Well, except for her tankini in case she had time for a swim in the ocean. That would hardly be appropriate for a meeting, even in this environment.
“Oh, dear.” She looked down at her outfit.
“What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t really pack anything much different than what I’m wearing.”
He narrowed his eyes in disbelief. “Really? All you packed are business suits and one sundress?”
He remembered her dress? He didn’t seem the type to make note of such things.
She nodded, an embarrassed flush warming up her cheeks. How foolish of her. She didn’t even know how to pack for a business trip. “And a swimsuit.”
He seemed to think for a minute then turned abruptly. “Okay, let’s go.”
She knew he was a man used to being in charge and having others jump to fulfill his every demand, but these sudden turns were a bit tough to get used to. “Where exactly are we going? Two hours before our meeting?”
“The adjacent shopping center. I can check the status of the new paneling they’re to start putting in today.”
“Okay. What will I be doing?”
“You’re going to visit the ladies’ boutique. There’s got to be a couple of outfits you can pick out that are more suitable for an outdoor conference.”
She hadn’t seen that coming. “You want me to go shopping? Now?” She gestured to the piles of paperwork on the desk and her laptop blinking with several new emails. “I don’t have to remind you about all the work that needs to get done. Oh, and we have a meeting very soon.”
“Well, I’m not saying you should take all day. Just go pick out a couple of things.” He seemed to contemplate her, looked her up and down. “You don’t strike me as one of those women who takes forever and tries on a hundred outfits.”
She huffed out an exasperated sigh. “No. Of course not.” She was never indecisive about clothes. She just couldn’t usually afford to buy anything that wasn’t marked down and finding adequate, comfortable items on sale took a bit more time. She couldn’t be one of those women who shopped indiscriminately.
“Then I don’t see a problem. But we’re wasting time. Let’s go.”
“I need to get my purse from the suite.”
“Why?”
Was he being deliberately obtuse? “Because you’re making me shop.”
“Just have them put it on my account.”
Jenna halted. Oh, no. Not again. He was oh, so ready to buy things for her. The thought sent an irritated bristle up her spine. After all, this was no way comparable to the way he’d helped that girl on the beach. This was totally different. She wouldn’t have it.
“You are not buying me clothes, Cabe.”
“No. I’m not.”
She was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she paused. Way too easy.
She was right. “I’m ensuring my project assistant has what she needs to be productive and useful at a very important meeting,” Cabe said.
Productive and useful! She lifted her chin. “It doesn’t take clothes to do that.”
Cabe pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. “Why are we arguing about this? You need something to wear. The solution is simple.”
“But why do you want to pay for it? I can purchase the outfits myself. You do pay me well.” The second half of her statement was true. As far as the first part, well, she was on shaky ground there. She had no idea how expensive this boutique would be. And though she’d rather die than admit it to Cabe, she had to live on a strict budget and justify the spending of every dime. Or she’d never have anything left over for a rainy day after paying off her monthly school loan dues and taking care of all the other responsibilities.
“That’s not the point. The point is, I’m asking you to purchase the items. It’s not something that you have asked for or even want apparently. Anyway, it’s my fault you’re unprepared. I should have warned you about needing some casual beach clothes.”
Irritation flooded through her. Why did he have to make sense? But his argument did hold some truth. It wasn’t like this was her idea. She would have no intention of buying more clothes if he wasn’t asking her to.
Cabe obviously saw her softening. He moved quickly to further rally his point. “It’s just another asset.”
That was also true. If she needed a different laptop or a new tablet, she wouldn’t be expected to pay for it herself.
Besides, she had to admit the utter foolishness of walking into a luxury boutique on her budget and expecting to be able to find something. She doubted a place like that would have a sales rack.
Cabe broke through her thoughts. “If it makes you feel better, consider it a loan.”
She worked hard not to grit her teeth. “Oh? How so? Will you be wearing the clothes after I’m done with the meeting?”
His mouth twitched. “An interesting solution. But I was thinking more along the lines of donating the items in the company’s name to the women’s shelter back in Boston.”
That gave her pause. Of course, Cabe immediately sensed her hesitation and pounced.
“You know I’m making sense.” He drove the point home.
That may be, Jenna thought, but the fear that she was tumbling down a dangerous slippery slope sent an icy trickle between her shoulder blades.
He stood staring at her, waiting for her response. She forced herself not to look away from his intense stare. His eyes had grown dark. Due to utter irritation, she’d bet. Cabe probably wasn’t used to women turning him down when it came to such offers. Or anything else, for that matter.
The dress would go to good use. It wasn’t as if she’d be keeping it. A serpent of doubt crawled into her brain. Was she merely justifying the concept? Giving her head a quick shake, Jenna made herself take a mental step back. She hadn’t even seen the dress yet and she was already fretting about having to return it. Cabe continued to stare at her.
She folded her arms across her middle. “Fine. I’ll go take a look. If, and only if, I find something that I think may work, then I’ll put it on your account. And I will guarantee a donation receipt upon our return from the charity.”
“I have no doubt you will.”
“Fine.”
“Fine,” he repeated. “Well, that required more of a battle than it should have. You know, most women would jump at the chance of a shopping spree on the house.”
“I am not most women.”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, I’ll give you that.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she demanded, ready to do battle yet again for some reason.
He held up his arms in surrender. “I’m agreeing with you. You are definitely not like most of the women I know. Not in the least.”
She noticed the slight upward turn of his lips. He was teasing her! And she was falling for it.
She pushed her chair in and stepped away from the desk. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
He winked at her and her insides quivered like pudding. Not good. Not good at all. A professional, serious Cabe she could handle. She couldn’t say the same about this playful one. Or the generous one she’d witnessed on the beach. Or the concerned one who helped put ointment on her bites. Then held her against him as he told her the pressure he’d felt his whole life to be perfect.
Those Cabes were dangerous indeed.
“Go right ahead,” he said. “It was meant as one.”
As she moved to the door, Jenna had to remind herself that she was irritated.
* * *
Cabe reread the same
email for the seventh time and found he’d be hard-pressed to recall exactly what it said. He couldn’t focus. His mind insisted on wandering to Jenna. No little wonder with her scent still clinging to the air. Things certainly weren’t dull when she was around him. This morning alone, she’d managed to have him buy a tableful of island souvenirs and then she’d sparred with him over the simple purchase of a meeting-suitable dress. He hadn’t realized how uneventful these trips had been until this time. This trip had so far been one unexpected adventure after another because of her.
Had she found a dress she liked? Was she trying it on even at this moment?
Those thoughts had him wanting to kick himself. Surely, he had better things to do than contemplate the shopping status of a woman who was merely here to help him with a large venture.
He had to admit, however, that he’d be more than a little disappointed if, after all the back and forth about it, she came back empty-handed. It had not been easy to convince Jenna Townsend to accept something he’d offered to purchase for her. He’d done it twice in one morning.
She would have never accepted if it hadn’t been presented as a loan. Pledging the dress to charity had finally trumped it for her. Or so he hoped. He couldn’t really be certain of anything when it came to her. Why in the world did he find that so enticing?
He understood. Or thought he did. Jenna had fought fiercely her whole life to become and stay independent. He admired her for it. Who would blame her, growing up as she had? Rather than taking even the slightest risk of becoming like her mother, Jenna had worked hard and sacrificed to make a success of herself. And what a tremendous job she’d done.
His email folder dinged at him again, signaling the arrival of ten more urgent messages in his mailbox. He leaned back in his chair and decided it wasn’t even worth his effort to open any of them. His attention was too scattered, a first for him, he admitted with a jolt of surprise. Even more surprisingly, he wasn’t going to try to fight it. None of his to-dos were going to get done at this rate anyway. He may as well take a walk over to the shopping center.