by Jordan Dane
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a real tease, Sam Cooper?”
Her friend knew how to milk a story, so Jess settled into her seat with an elbow on the table and her chin resting on her palm.
“You love him, don’t you?”
Sam looked as if she’d object or deny, but in the end she only smiled. “I was going to have him paint my house, but after he kissed me, I came up with another idea. Now we’re taking a long-overdue vacation together. I pick the place, and he pays.”
“Sounds nice,” Jess admitted. “And what if he had won?”
“He told me he wanted me to cook for him, some family recipes from his mother. No pressure there.”
Unlike her, Sam was an excellent cook. She would have aced any test Ray could have conjured up.
“Ah, that’s kind of sweet.” Jess cocked her head. “In a ‘me Tarzan, you Jane’ sort of way. Add candles, ditch the chimp, and I see real romance potential.”
Sam chuckled. “No matter how it would’ve turned out, if I got more time with him, I would’ve been a winner either way.”
“I’m happy for you, Sammie. No one deserves love more than you.” She raised her glass. “I feel that we’ve both made it through a dark tunnel and come out on the other side, together. So let’s drink to new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings.” Her friend held up her glass and took a sip.
Jess drank to Sam’s prospects. Her friend had always lived a charmed life compared to hers. Despite the fact that Sal Pinzolo would no longer be a threat—and she could stop sleeping with her Colt Python under her pillow—too much remained unsettled in Jess’s life to make her feel good about her future. And although she had come full circle, with the destruction of Millstone’s mansion closing that chapter in her life, she felt restless and anxious for something new to happen.
Without having any idea what it should be.
A week later
The morning held the promise of an early fall as a crisp breeze jostled the trees of the Chapel Hill Cemetery. Not a cloud marred the pale blue sky. If not for the nip in the air, the day had the feel of spring and new beginnings.
A strange contrast to why she’d come.
Dressed in a dark pantsuit and holding a dozen white roses, Jess spotted Harper standing alone by a grave, staring down at the modest headstone. Since his usual Jerry Springer tee and jeans weren’t fitting for the solemn occasion, Seth wore a navy suit and gray-striped tie, looking more like the man Alexa had talked about.
Why hadn’t she seen it before?
When she got closer, he looked up, not hiding his sadness—not from her.
“Hey, Jessie.” He took a deep breath. “When I said I’d be here this morning, I really didn’t expect you to come. But I’m glad you did.”
She’d come for him. And despite not knowing Mandy, she’d come to recognize the occasion and acknowledge her passing from this life. In the end, she felt a connection to her. Mandy had been a girl unable to deal with what life had dished out. And thanks to Seth, he’d helped her see beyond the labels of hooker and drug addict to find the human being Mandy Vincent had been before she met Danny Ray Millstone. Except for the mercy of a higher power—or a fortunate roll of the dice—Jess might have turned out the same.
She placed her roses at the base of the headstone, next to the elegant pastel lilies he had brought. Jess smelled the earthy aroma of the freshly turned soil at her feet. And she watched a hawk make lazy circles in the sky, content to stand next to Harper in silence until she found a way to comfort him.
“You picked a real nice spot, Harper.” She stared across the horizon and took a breath. “It’s peaceful.”
Seth had paid for Mandy’s funeral expenses. She’d been buried two days ago, with Jess and a handful of others in attendance, but today would have been her birthday. Mandy would have been twenty-three years old.
“You know, Jake told me that you made a difference with her.” She watched the breeze blow his hair, but he didn’t look up. “She had gone to him for money, to start a new life somewhere else. I think that’s why she called you…that day.”
He turned to look at her, a questioning expression on his face. She could tell he didn’t believe what she said.
“Despite Jake being an asshole”—she furrowed her brow—“I don’t think he lied about that.”
When a tear rolled down Seth’s cheek, she knew he was struggling to find the words to share what he was feeling. And she was content to let the quiet moment linger between them.
“I was the one who got her killed,” he said. “I put her in the line of fire.”
“No, you only tried to help her.” She touched his arm. “Mandy made the wrong choices in her life, long before you came along. I think meeting you gave her hope…that things could change for her.”
He shut his eyes tight, then slowly looked down at her grave.
“No really, just think about it. You have…” She tugged at his sleeve until he looked into her eyes. When he did, her breath caught in her throat. “…such a big heart. This wasn’t only about your father and your search for the kids in his casebook. Once you found who you were looking for…”
His eyes made it hard for her to continue—especially when her gaze lingered on his lips. She swallowed and took a deep breath.
“…you wanted to make a difference. And you have. Believe me, you have.” She nodded and let go of his arm. “I mean, you did. With Mandy.”
For an instant, his eyes softened and his guilt-ridden grief faded long enough for her to imagine he might kiss her again. She held her breath, waiting for that moment. That second chance. But when he didn’t, she saved face by shifting the conversation.
“So…have you reconciled your past with Max? I mean, are you still planning on using that old case file to track down the kids he saved? I know it’s none of my business now, but—”
He stared at her, blinking. The shift in topic had thrown him. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair.
“I don’t know, Jessie.” He shook his head. “When I found you, I realized you were a strong, capable woman, making it on your own. You didn’t need me. Mandy was different. If I did make a difference with her, maybe I should still pursue this…quest of mine. And you’re right. It’s not about my father anymore.”
“Oh, I think Max has a great deal to do with this.” She grinned, feeling the heat of her blushing cheeks. “You inherited his good-guy genes…and his courage. You’ve had a connection to your father all along, smart guy.”
Seth nudged his lips into a crooked half smile, an expression Jess wanted to remember. And after he touched Mandy’s headstone one more time, he headed for his car. Jess walked with him, but halfway there she got a call on her cell. She reached into her pocket and recognized the number. Area code 907. Payton Archer.
“I gotta take this. It won’t take long,” she assured him. “Don’t leave me—”
He interrupted her by saying, “Never.”
“At least, not without saying good-bye,” she added.
Seth watched her walk away, but not before he saw her smile, and say, “Hey, Payton. Yeah, it’s good to hear your voice too.”
And his heart sank.
He should have been happy for her. Jessie had found someone she cared about, yet seeing her happy with another man only made him miserable. It had been the reason he had walked out of her life months ago, something he’d never told her. He could see being a friend to her eventually, but his heart wasn’t ready to let go.
Most men would see Payton Archer—a former NFL quarterback—as a major rival. But Payton was a good man and not the problem. It was Jessie. She thought of him as a kid and had no feelings for him beyond friendship. And hearing the phrase “let’s be friends” would zap the love muscle out of commission. He couldn’t face hearing those words from her.
By the time he got to his Mustang, he blocked out the world by plugging music into his ears as he waited for Jessie. When Secondhand
Serenade launched into “Fall For You,” he slumped against his passenger door and shut his eyes, letting the lyrics do a number on his heart. He was so rapt in his misery that he never saw Alexa walk up. She pulled the earbuds out to get his attention.
“Hey there, Harper.” She slid next to him and nudged his shoulder with hers. “I came by to steal you away. Nothing fancy. Just you and me.”
“I thought you left town after the funeral.” He let his eyes search for Jessie. When he found her, he wished he hadn’t. He heard her laugh from where he stood.
“No, I thought you might need a friend.” Her hand brushed his hip as she leaned against his car.
“A friend, huh?” he asked, finding it hard to hide his disappointment at hearing the word “friend” from another woman.
“For starters,” she said in a low husky voice.
His eyes grew wide when Alexa raised an eyebrow and lowered her gaze to his lips and beyond. But she shocked him even more when she loosened his tie. She straddled his legs and leaned close, tugging at his tie and unbuttoning his shirt, not taking her eyes off his. He swallowed, hard. And when her perfume drifted to him on the wind, goose bumps raced across his skin. And his reaction had nothing to do with the chill of a stiff breeze.
“Don’t you want to hear what I have in mind?” She winked.
Jess ended her conversation with Payton, promising she’d call later when she had more time. After the fire, she’d called him, and they had talked. And he’d called to check on her several times since then, yet with the time difference between Alaska and Illinois, they had played phone tag all day. A part of her wished he lived closer to Chicago. The close emotional bond they had formed, while searching for his niece, had been hard to live without these past few months. But Jess knew in her heart that a visit from Payton would only complicate things.
She’d been in denial and had to deal with her feelings for Seth, whatever they might be.
Was she trying to sabotage her long-distance relationship with Payton, protecting her heart before he broke it off? Or were her feelings for Harper real? Two good men. And she had no idea if the choice was even hers to make. Maybe both of them would open their eyes and see her more clearly—a familiar pattern she’d noticed for the men in her life.
When she headed toward Seth, she looked up to see Alexa unbuttoning his shirt. The intimacy of her stance disturbed her. And Harper couldn’t take his eyes off the tall blonde.
“Damn it, Beckett,” she muttered.
Jess veered toward the van, hoping they wouldn’t see her. She had no right to be jealous. She’d cleared the path for Alexa. And Seth deserved a good woman in his life. But if she truly believed that, why did she have this damned lump in her throat?
“Hey, Jessie. Where are you going?”
She stopped when she heard Alexa’s voice, but she stayed where she was, and yelled back, “Something came up. I gotta go.”
Alexa narrowed her eyes and left Harper behind, walking toward her. The woman’s eyes never left her, and she found it hard to hide what was in her heart.
“You’re welcome to join us. We’re just grabbing a bite to eat…and take things from there.”
“No, really. I’ve gotta go.” She tried to smile, but couldn’t. “Take it easy on that Midwest boy. Break him in real slow, you hear?”
Alexa touched her arm as she turned to leave. “Are you okay with me…and Seth? Seriously. I’ll back off if you’re not.”
Jess stared at Harper standing on the curb near his vehicle. He’d tossed his suit jacket in the car and stood in shirtsleeves minus the tie, looking anxious. Alexa had given her one more chance to make her choice. But for Harper’s sake, she couldn’t do it.
She’d never be anyone’s prize.
“No, I’m okay with it. He could use a good woman in his life. It should be you.” She hugged Alexa, and this time she smiled at Seth and waved good-bye. “Thanks for all your help, Alexa. We couldn’t have done it without you. Have a safe trip back.”
“Well, I was hoping I wouldn’t go back to New York City alone,” the blonde said.
“Oh?” Jess’s heart lurched in her chest.
Was Alexa going to take Harper with her? Harper had shallow roots in Chicago. None that couldn’t be uprooted for something better. The thought of that kind of finality with him gripped her stomach.
“Yeah, Garrett would like to meet you. I think he wants to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Wielding your own justice can be addictive…and empowering. Think about what we could do.” Her friend smiled. “You game?”
Jess had almost forgotten about Garrett Wheeler’s interest in her. And after the background check she had done on the man, what little she’d found only made her more intrigued. Linked to the most powerful and influential men on the planet, Wheeler had access to money, resources, and connections she could only fantasize about.
And he wanted her. Jessica Beckett.
Was she ready for the big leagues? Could she be the kind of woman he was looking for? It only took her a moment to make up her mind. Jess took a deep breath with her heart throttling her rib cage. A big change was coming. She felt it.
“Hell, yeah, I’m game.”
Downtown Chicago
Midmorning
Days later
Seth Harper had come to the realization that for him, women should come with warning labels—something fitting yet blatant like the tag he’d seen on a kid’s Superman costume that stated Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly. Or another warning had hit home with a message from a Swedish chain saw, Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand. Most people might find such advice obvious, but in his case when it came to women, nothing should be taken for granted. Considering his boneheaded moves with Jessie Beckett, could taking flight in spandex or stopping a chain saw with his bare hands be that far behind?
Those options certainly would have been less painful.
In his limited experience, he found that being in love exposed a guy to losing a vital body part—the heart in most cases—unless your name happened to be John Wayne Bobbitt. But the hazards in love weren’t readily apparent or tagged with a warning. And he saw no easy way out of his current predicament.
Especially since things weren’t up to him anymore.
It had been days since he had seen Jessie at the cemetery, and she was ignoring his phone calls again. After leaving a couple of messages, he figured the ball was in her court, and she knew how to reach him. But playing hard to get was not his gig. And no guy in his right mind ever sounded convincing in that role, not with a strong, intelligent woman like Jessie.
She had put distance between them. And he had no say in the matter.
So this morning he’d agreed to join Jonathan Humphries for breakfast, something they did from time to time, but his heart wasn’t in it. His heart was with Jessie. He knew he’d be lame company for Jonathan, but he’d made a promise to the man. They walked together to a nearby hotel café and he pretended to enjoy it despite how he felt.
“Great day, isn’t it?” the older man prompted.
“Yeah, sure is. I’m glad you suggested this.” He forced a smile with hands in his slacks and barely glanced up. Ignoring the beautiful weather and his good friend, Seth had only one thing on his mind.
How could Jessie cut him out of her life so easily?
After the question formed in his mind, he realized how stupid it sounded. He had done the same to her not long ago when he walked out of her life after she left for Alaska in search of a missing girl. And he had been as miserable then as he was now.
“Allow me.” Jonathan pulled open a glass door and stood to one side, extending a hand into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on East Pearson Street. Seth had been so distracted he’d forgotten his manners.
“No, here, Jonathan. Let me.” He reached for the door and let the man go first.
The café served a fine breakfast and overlooked the lobby. They were seated and ordered, but halfway through thei
r meal Jonathan eased back in his chair and stopped talking. He stared at Seth as if he were a science experiment that had gone bust.
“What?” He’d kept up his side of the conversation, hadn’t he?
“You’re putting up a good front, but you can’t fool me, young man. If I had to guess, I’d say a woman was at the root of it.”
Seth winced at him, hating to be so transparent. But he’d known Jonathan Humphries too long to continue faking a good mood.
“Why are women so…complicated?”
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “Do you really expect another man to answer that?”
Seth crooked his lip into a smile and shook his head. “Guess not.”
“Dare I ask the young woman’s name?” the man questioned.
But as Seth thought about what to say, someone caught his eye in the lobby below. He saw Alexa Marlowe, Jessie’s friend. And seeing her gave him a good excuse to avoid answering Jonathan’s question. The man knew Jessie and might voice his disapproval, something Seth was in no mood to hear.
And even though he appreciated that his friend had his best interest at heart, when it came to how Seth felt about Jessie, he wasn’t ready to deal with the stark reality that she had no interest in him. None. He wanted to believe that love was a gift between two people and that it had all the durability of Super Glue—without being toxic to small animals.
Yet with Jessie, things were never that simple.
“Excuse me, Jonathan. I see someone I know. Do you mind? I won’t be long.”
Alexa glanced over the hotel lobby, looking for Jessie. They had made plans to eat breakfast together somewhere close and talk about the job her boss Garrett Wheeler would propose. If the bounty hunter still felt like making the trip to New York City with her, she would arrange for another passenger on Garrett’s jet, a departure already set for three days from now.
But a male voice calling her name forced her to turn around. Seth Harper was a very pleasant sight to see as he walked toward her, dressed in navy slacks and a pale blue dress shirt. The only thing better would have been to see him naked under her bedsheets—an image that warmed her skin and other places.