He was inordinately pleased to discover she was not an employee’s wife as he had first suspected when he had viewed her lush wet form. There was an indefinable, intangible something, strangely appealing, about her that intrigued Joshua. He was so used to female interest that it rarely affected him, but the naked admiration in Ms. Graham’s warm brown eyes had given his masculinity a raw jolt.
Dry, she didn’t inspire wild, sensual thoughts ... exactly. Physically she was shorter, plainer, and rounder than any other woman he had ever dated. Although he had thought about that wet T-shirt clinging to her chest more than once these past few weeks.
Still, she was hardly a brilliant conversationalist, although their meetings thus far had been too brief and under such bizarre circumstances it was impossible to make a fair judgment. So he couldn’t logically determine where his interest in her was coming from.
Maybe it was just a reaction to the anticipated tension of meeting his father again. Or perhaps he was simply acting rebelliously true to form by bringing a clearly unsuitable companion with him. Whatever the reason, he had made his decision and he fully intended to stick by it.
Unfortunately he had forgotten to ask Edna a few things about the inappropriate Ms. Graham. Like what the devil was her first name? And why did she know so much about children’s literature and his recently acquired stepmother Rosemary Phillips? However, given Edna’s current mood, Joshua wisely elected to let those two items remain a mystery for a bit longer.
Three
“I don’t see my mommy anywhere.”
“That’s okay,” Eleanor said in a deliberately bright tone. She smiled encouragingly and glanced down at Jennifer. “I’m sure she’s here somewhere. Let’s go look for her together.”
The little girl sniffled and took a shaky breath, but held back her tears. Eleanor winced silently as Jennifer clutched her hand, squeezing Eleanor’s fingers in a viselike death grip. She was awfully strong for a four-year-old.
Hand in hand they traversed the crowded children’s department of the library, dodging kids with armloads of books, stepping over a pile of puzzle pieces strewn on the floor, and detouring around a group of energetic toddlers.
“Do you see her?” Jennifer asked, ending her question with a woeful hiccup. “Do you see my mommy?”
“Not yet,” Eleanor replied, turning up her cheerfulness another notch.
She scooped down and picked up a stuffed yellow bunny that was lying in their path, handing it to Jennifer.
“You hold onto this,” Eleanor instructed, hoping to distract the little girl. She suspected if Jennifer’s mom didn’t appear soon there were going to be a few tears and a lot of panic. Eleanor felt ill equipped to deal with either.
“Mommy!” Jennifer lit up with enthusiasm. She dropped the stuffed rabbit and Eleanor’s hand and raced toward her mother. “Where were you? I’ve been waiting forever and ever for you to come.”
“Is story time over already?”
“We just finished,” Eleanor replied, hoping to ease the guilty flush from Jennifer’s mom’s face. The poor woman seemed exhausted and looked about nine-and-a-half months pregnant.
“Thanks so much for staying with her.” Jennifer’s mom rubbed her bulging stomach distractedly. “She’s been very clingy these past few days. I think she’s feeling a bit insecure.”
“No problem,” Eleanor said reassuringly. “She was very brave.” Eleanor patted Jennifer’s shoulder. “I’ll see you next Saturday, Jen.”
“Bye, Miss Graham.”
Peace restored to her world, Jennifer happily trailed her mother out of the library, chattering every step of the way. Eleanor felt a strange, funny ache as she watched them leave. Mother and daughter, comfortable and happy with each other.
Was this something she wanted for herself? A little girl to spend time with and share a few special and even some not-so-special moments? Eleanor had never thought of herself as a particularly maternal person before but lately she had experienced some unusual stabs of yearning whenever she was around children.
Even the annoying ones.
Dangerous thoughts, indeed.
Shaking off her odd mood Eleanor once again scooped up the rabbit and put it away in the toy box, then glanced around the children’s room of the Somerville County Library. It was the usual Saturday morning bedlam. Parents and kids everywhere, working at the computer terminals, huddled together at low tables, scrambling among the stacks searching for books. Eleanor loved every wild, crazy minute of it.
“I’ve picked up the puppets and put away most of the books from your story time, Eleanor. I can have someone straighten out the rest of the story room later. What time did you say your ride was coming?”
“Eleven.” Eleanor smiled in appreciation at the young library assistant. It was one of the things she liked best about working at the library. Everyone always lent a hand, without being told or asked.
“I’m going to get my tote bag and purse out of my locker,” Eleanor said, checking her watch. “If someone shows up asking for me, let them know I’ll be right out.”
“Sure.”
Eleanor hurried out of the department. Her gaze moved beyond the clusters of kids and parents, then stopped abruptly on the solitary man standing in the entrance arch. He was looking around curiously, as if he had never seen the inside of a library before.
Joshua!
Eleanor halted in her tracks. For a split second everything inside her went still. His perfectly creased khaki pants, pressed blue oxford button-down shirt, polished loafers, and expertly tailored navy blazer should have made him look totally out of place in this bastion of suburbia. But they didn’t.
Eleanor remembered a friend once saying that a man who’s comfortable in his own skin is comfortable anywhere. That expression certainly defined Joshua. He had that easy confidence that people have when they are successful at what they do and a relaxed grace that made you want to watch him and him alone.
“Ms. Graham?”
“Hello, Mr. Barton.” A stray brown curl fell across Eleanor’s face. She quickly looped it behind her ear. “I wasn’t expecting you. Mrs. Jackson said she would send a car to take me to the airport.”
“My driver is waiting out front. No doubt double-parked.” Joshua frowned. “The parking lot is a madhouse.”
“Sorry.” Eleanor dipped her head. “It’s always crazy around here on Saturdays, especially in the morning. I’ll go grab my things. I promise it will only take a few minutes.”
She leaped away before he had a chance to protest, returning in record time.
“Ready?” Eleanor asked in what she hoped was a confident voice. Her palms were sweaty and her stomach was fluttering like she had swallowed a bird, but she was steadfast in her determination to conquer her nerves.
This was really happening. Fate had mysteriously placed her in the path of her most secret desire and she had spent every night of the past week vowing to make it a memory that would last a lifetime. Of course the real trick would be to make it a positive memory.
A few moments later they were safely inside Joshua’s chauffeur-driven Bentley. Eleanor was trying hard to act as though it were a common occurrence to be driven around in such luxury and failing miserably.
The car was incredible. The leather seats felt as soft as silk and she could see her reflection in the polished wood accents of the car’s interior. It even smelled luxurious.
Eleanor took a deep breath, scrunched her shoulders, and snuggled back into the leather. It was heavenly.
“Do you spend a lot of time at the library?”
Startled, Eleanor jumped up. Lost in the unexpected sensual enjoyment of her environment, she had nearly forgotten Joshua was sitting beside her. She looked over at him and smiled timidly.
“I’m at the library every Saturday morning doing children’s programs. Story times, arts and crafts, holiday events, whatever is needed. I even did a puppet show one morning. I was a terrible puppeteer, but the kids didn’t seem
to mind. They laughed along with me at all my mistakes.”
“You work there?” Shock widened Joshua’s piercing dark eyes. “As a second job? Do I need to seriously evaluate the pay scale for my employees and make some adjustments?”
“Of course not,” Eleanor answered. She nervously plucked off a piece of lint from her skirt. “The only reason I can afford to work part-time at the library is because I have a real job at Hamilton, Barton and Jones.”
Joshua cocked his head. “Why do you work there if you don’t need the money?”
Eleanor squirmed, then lowered her head. She willed herself not to blush. “Because I want to be a children’s librarian, not a financial analyst,” she murmured.
“Excuse me?”
Her head shot up in defiance. “I said I want to be a children’s librarian.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I attend classes two nights a week and have already successfully completed more than half the required courses. If I continue at this rate, I should have my degree by next spring.”
Joshua lifted one eyebrow. “You have to go to school and take special classes to work in a library?”
“Yes,” Eleanor replied frostily as he hit a nerve with his all-too-familiar question. “In fact you need an advanced degree to be a librarian.” She regarded him pointedly. “A master’s degree.”
“Uhmm. I guess there is more to being a librarian than learning how to shhhhhh people.”
Eleanor opened her mouth to issue a scathing retort to Joshua’s condescending comment but halted when she noticed the glimmer of amusement twinkling in his eyes.
She broke into a small smile. “Well, there is an exciting course on buying sensible shoes I can’t wait to take. The class fills up fast, but I’m hoping to snag a space next semester.”
He laughed. “So that’s how you know so much about Rosemary’s books. I asked Edna how she knew you would be knowledgeable about children’s literature but I never got a straight answer.”
“Mrs. Jackson must have seen a copy of my continuing education request for reimbursement form. When I started my graduate program I took mostly business reference and computer technology courses and the firm willingly paid for them. However once I ventured into kiddie lit, I was on my own.”
“Why don’t you like working at my company?” Joshua asked quietly.
Joshua’s face revealed mild curiosity, but his voice had an almost forlorn tone. Eleanor’s throat constricted. She suddenly felt terribly disloyal.
“It’s not your company,” Eleanor insisted. She bit her lower lip. How could she possibly explain to a man whose entire professional life was based on making huge sums of money that his type of work brought her no joy?
“I just don’t want to spend my days crunching numbers and writing reports,” Eleanor said carefully. “I’ve discovered a career that brings me real pleasure and I plan on pursuing it.”
“What about financial security?”
“Have you been talking to my mother?”
He laughed again. Eleanor immediately decided it was a sound she could listen to all afternoon. She grinned hesitantly, hardly believing the personal direction in which the conversation had been heading. She wasn’t used to such genuine male interest. It was, unfortunately, something she could quickly learn to enjoy. Especially if it came from this particular man.
“Your mother doesn’t approve of your new career choice?” Joshua asked.
Eleanor shook her head. “She thinks I’ve lost my mind giving up a promising career in the corporate world of finance to be, as she calls it, ‘a modestly paid public servant.’ ”
“Ummm, parental objections.” Joshua grimaced knowingly. “Something I’ve had a bit of experience with.”
“Gosh, who’d ever look at the two of us and believe we have the same problem.”
“Who, indeed?”
Their gazes met in merry understanding. Joshua’s eyes were so warm and inviting, his smile achingly sensual. Eleanor felt herself sway toward him ever so slightly, wondering dreamily if she closed her eyes, would he kiss her?
“We should be at the airport in twenty minutes, Mr. Barton.”
The chauffeur’s deep voice shattered the spell. Eleanor pulled herself back abruptly. Her heart began beating at a maddening pace while her cheeks began to heat. She cast her gaze out the darkened car window.
Pull yourself together, Eleanor lectured herself sternly. He’s just making polite conversation. He is not in any way, shape, or form interested in you. As a woman. And it’s certainly bordering on the pathetic when you interpret good manners and innate kindness as sexual interest.
But how in heaven’s name was she going to cope with her perfectly understandable and completely inappropriate attraction to him?
Eleanor pondered this question in gloomy silence, but as the car sped past a large strip mall she sat up in alarm.
“Oh goodness, I almost forgot. We need to make a quick stop before we reach the airport.” She turned toward Joshua apologetically. “I have to pick up my dress. For the formal dinner on Sunday evening.”
“No problem.”
Joshua lowered the privacy partition and Eleanor hastily gave the chauffeur directions. In ten minutes the car pulled up to the front curb of the small dress shop.
She opened the door without waiting for the chauffeur, committing what she felt sure was a major breach of the rich-and-famous etiquette, judging by the driver’s startled expression.
“I’ll be right back,” Eleanor shouted, making a mad dash for the store. The last thing she wanted was to walk into this small shop with either Joshua or his chauffeur. It would simply be too mortifying for either of them to know that she was in fact renting a formal gown for the weekend instead of buying one.
Eleanor expected to be in and out of the store in five minutes or less. However, she ran into a rather sticky problem. They couldn’t find the dress she had spent three agonizing hours selecting.
“Are you absolutely certain that my dress isn’t here?” Eleanor cried in frustration. “It’s dark blue, with silver trim around the neck and sleeves. I specifically told the salesclerk I would be in this morning to pick it up and pay for the rental.”
“I already checked twice,” the young salesgirl declared in a bored voice. “It’s not here.”
“Well, please look again,” Eleanor insisted in a firm voice. “I absolutely must have that gown. Now!”
The girl flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked away in a huff.
“What’s the delay?”
Eleanor silently groaned in frustration when she heard Joshua’s deep, sensual voice.
“Apparently they’ve lost my dress,” she finally admitted, certain that this sort of thing never, ever happened to people like Joshua.
He glanced about the shop curiously. “Don’t they have another one?”
“I doubt it,” Eleanor muttered under her breath. “My luck is never that good.”
The salesgirl returned with a superior smirk on her face and empty hands. Eleanor didn’t bother saying anything. What was the use? She turned around in defeat and left.
Once back inside the car, Eleanor huddled in the corner of the Bentley and fought against despair. Maybe she should stay home and forget the entire weekend. Or perhaps she could fly down on the plane with Joshua, give him a detailed briefing on Rosemary’s books, then fly back home. Alone.
A wistful feeling caused Eleanor’s throat to tighten. She really, really wanted to spend this time with Joshua but how could she possibly attend a very formal occasion without the proper clothing? In her heart Eleanor knew that even if she was dressed correctly she would most likely still feel out of place. Yet if she was dressed right she could at least blend into the crowd. Pretend, just for an evening, that she belonged.
“Change of plans,” Joshua announced to his driver. “We have to make another stop. I need to buy a dress for Ms. Graham. I’ll phone our pilot and
tell him we’ll be late.”
Joshua turned his head in Eleanor’s direction and asked, “By the way, what is your first name?”
“Eleanor ... but I really—”
“I’m Joshua.”
“Yes, I know. But as I was trying to say before, I really can’t allow you to buy me a dress.”
“Why?”
“It isn’t proper.”
Joshua’s eyebrows drew together. “I’m not trying to be improper, I’m trying to be expedient. There’s a dress boutique next to the shop where I have my suits made. I’m assuming they will have the right type of dress you require for this party.
“The boutique is on the way to the airport, so we won’t be driving miles out of our way. The prices at this store are sure to be exorbitant and I certainly don’t expect you to go into debt purchasing an article of clothing you need in order to help me.
“Therefore, I only feel it’s fair that I pay for your dress. However, if there is someplace else you would rather shop, please inform my driver. Immediately.”
Eleanor’s mouth opened and closed. She couldn’t think of anything to say that didn’t sound peevish and immature, so she kept silent. She realized she shouldn’t really be surprised by his actions. Joshua was a man who solved a problem by taking control.
Well, she had a few surprises of her own. Knowing it would be foolish to make an issue of it now, Eleanor wisely decided to wait and sort out the details of paying for the dress later.
All too soon they arrived at the elegant, staid women’s store Joshua had selected. It reminded Eleanor of a church. Hushed, quiet, reverent.
A reed-thin salesclerk in a sleek black shift drifted toward them. Eleanor’s heart sank. She looked down in distress at the mushroom-colored short-sleeved cotton knit top with matching calf-length skirt and flat-heeled pumps she was wearing. This was by far the trendiest outfit she owned and it didn’t measure up to the clothes the saleswoman was wearing. She definitely didn’t belong in this shop.
Eleanor would have turned and run in a second, but Joshua must have sensed her panic. He clutched her elbow firmly and began urging her forward.
A Night to Remember Page 4