He sat down beside her and patted her hand. “I’m sorry, Jenna.”
“I was forced into quitting.” She sucked back tears. “My boss had no choice. He was told to get me back or else.” She wrung her hands. “I told him I needed another month, until Cindy was out of rehab and well enough to cope.”
“So you chose taking care of your sister’s family over your job. I’d say that’s very commendable.”
“I’d say it’s crazy. I really didn’t think they’d actually let me go.”
He rubbed her back. “Is it too late to change your mind?”
She looked up at him. “I don’t want to change my mind. I love the kids, and I don’t feel right leaving until I know that everyone’s properly taken care of.”
“Are you serious about catering? Or was this a one-night thing?”
“I’m not sure how serious I am. The idea has crossed my mind, but I haven’t thoroughly investigated the possibilities yet. Besides, I’m not really qualified—as you pointed out.”
He smiled kindly. “I’m sure your dinner would have been excellent. The appetizers were delicious.” His eyes scanned her face. “Didn’t Catherine approve the menu? Knowing how she is, I would have thought she’d want to have her say.”
“Yes, she did.” His knee brushed against hers and she left it there. It was warming and made her feel less alone.
She told him about the last minute substitution. She looked at their knees, still touching, and his finger as it gently rubbed the back of her hand.
He couldn’t be having an affair with Catherine Melrose. She was sure he had better taste. But she had to ask. “So, you’re dating Mrs. Melrose now?”
He studied her flushed face. “I’ve known her for years. We often go to the opera and the ballet together. But she’s a friend, not dating material.”
The fact he denied a relationship gladdened her heart, but still she scoffed. “She doesn’t think so.” Her foot beat a fast rhythm on the floor.
“You should have seen the looks she gave me when we were talking. She has the hots for you.” Mumbling under her breath, she added, “Don’t blame her for that.”
“She probably wanted you to hurry up and circulate the appetizers. Catherine likes things done a certain way. I can imagine she’d be very difficult to work for.”
“You have no idea.” Jenna was still pissed remembering how condescending she’d been toward her and her mother. “She told me to call her ma’am.”
He laughed. “That is so like her.” His gaze was warm on Jenna’s face. “She’s going to be all right, you know. But she can be very vindictive. She may make it difficult for you to pursue this catering idea.”
Her back straightened, and she moved slightly away from him. This temporary setback was a nuisance, but it wouldn’t deter her if this was what she chose to do. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here. Working a few catering jobs would tide me over until Cindy gets home.”
“How’s she doing? She’s still in rehab?”
“Yes. But even when she gets home, she won’t be a hundred percent.” She bit her lip. “It’s so darn awful to see her like this. She can’t walk or feed herself, and she gets so frustrated and weepy at times. The kids are wonderful with her, and she’s trying so hard to surprise and please them, so she keeps pushing herself. It’s heart-breaking to watch her struggle.”
“I know it is. It takes time, Jenna, and everyone has to be patient with her.” His eyes searched hers. “This does mean you’ll be here for a while, which makes me happy.”
She shifted her gaze away, not wanting to see the look in his eye. It confused her, and if she was honest, it excited her too.
He knew how to look at a woman and make her feel as though she were the only person in the world. And she was on the receiving end right now.
“Grant,” she said softly. “My life is so mixed up right now. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“That’s all right. I just want you to know that I’m here, and you can talk to me anytime. I’ll help you any way I can.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.” She darted a quick look at him, then glanced away. There was so much to like about him, it was downright scary. So far, she hadn’t found a fault, but maybe he was just better at hiding them than most people.
“When can I see you again?” he asked, giving her hand a squeeze.
She felt an internal tug and tried to squash it. What was the point of seeing him? The relationship was doomed—unless, of course, she could get a catering business up and running. Then she wouldn’t have to leave at all.
“Honestly, the last thing I need is a romantic complication right now. I’m currently unemployed, don’t forget. And I have my hands full with the kids.”
She mentally kicked herself. What was wrong with her? He was intelligent and charming, the sex had been fantastic. And she was a complete idiot.
Unfortunately for her, she didn’t have any hedonistic tendencies. “I have my sister to worry about and a career choice to make. That’s enough on my plate.”
His mouth was grim. “Why do you keep pushing me away? I don’t play games, and I’m being honest with you. I enjoyed our dates very much, and want to see more of you.”
She didn’t look at him because around him she was weak and she needed to be strong. “You’re a very desirable guy. You could have anyone. So what’s the fascination with me? Is it because I’m not interested, or the fact that I’ll be leaving soon?”
His jaw clenched. “Jenna, I think you’re even more afraid of me than I am of you.” When her mouth dropped open, he laughed. “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?”
When she didn’t answer, he spoke as if bemused. “I’ll back off for now, but I’m not giving up until you tell me to.”
No way would she do that. She wasn’t that much of a martyr. Still, it was time to change the subject. “What’s taking this so long? Shouldn’t Mrs. Melrose be out of the treatment room by now?”
“I would have thought so, but maybe they didn’t get to see her right away. You know how it is.”
“Yes, but she couldn’t breathe.”
“Once we got the antihistamine into her, she was out of trouble. This is a precaution and to ease her mind.”
“Good. The way she carried on you’d think she’d keel over dead.” Jenna sniffed. “I know she’s your friend, but that was pretty bitchy of her screaming at me in front of her guests. I’ve never been so insulted.”
“I’m sure she was frightened, and took it out on you.”
“Well, if I hadn’t said anything maybe she’d have eaten more mushrooms. Stupid cow.”
He laughed. “Oh, great. Now you’re not happy with just poisoning her, you’d rather have killed her.”
Her lips twitched. “Something like that.”
“Let’s be happy you didn’t. Or you really would not be working this side of town. Riviera Beach, maybe.”
She grinned. Riviera Beach, as lovely as it sounded, was across the Intercoastal from Palm Beach, and a world apart. Better known for its drive-by shootings than its dinner parties.
“I’d get a lot fewer complaints.”
He chuckled. “You never told me you were a gourmet cook. Any other secrets I should know?”
“No, but I’ve always loved to cook. It de-stresses me.” Her toe started tapping again. “I’ve taken a few cooking classes in New York and two cooking holidays over in Europe, so I’m not completely inexperienced.”
He was about to comment when Catherine Melrose walked back into the room, saying she would live.
Jenna had driven to the hospital while Grant sat in the back, comforting Mrs. Melrose. For the return trip, Mrs. Melrose insisted that Grant drive and that she’d sit in front. Jenna sat in the back without argument.
Mrs. Melrose berated her all the way home and Jenna wisely kept silent. She supposed that she and her mother had ruined the dinner party, embarrassed Mrs. Melrose, and caused problems for her guests.
Mrs.
Melrose’s cell phone rang, and Jenna could hear her end of the conversation. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you. I’m dreadfully sorry about dinner. We’ll do it another night, but trust me, I’ll make sure I get a proper caterer this time.” She laughed. “Yes, yes! You are so right. The woman didn’t have a clue what she was doing.”
“I did too,” Jenna grumbled.
Mrs. Melrose’s head snapped around. “She’s here with me right now—sitting in the back seat. Grant is driving me home.” Her eyes turned mean and malicious. “No, I will not be nice to her. She’ll be very lucky if I don’t sue.”
“I did you a favor,” Jenna said sharply.
Mrs. Melrose ignored her. “I just might on general principle. It would be a crime to let her continue when she’s a danger to society. Who knows how many people she would have poisoned if it hadn’t been for me?”
She’s really enjoying this, Jenna thought. She felt like putting her hands around the woman’s scrawny neck. That would show the old biddy what a danger she could be.
“That’s enough, Catherine,” Grant said. “You’ve made your point, now leave her alone. I’m sure you’ll do everything in your power to make sure Ms. Cassali never caters again. That should be enough to satisfy you. You don’t need to disparage her any further.”
His eyes met Jenna’s in the rear-view mirror. They were warm with compassion.
I don’t need him to defend me, she thought. Her anger level continued to rise. She was always competent, successful. She had never done anything professionally, or otherwise in her life, to be ashamed of. Tonight was no exception.
She had not been at fault. Who keeps food in the pantry they are allergic to? She wasn’t going to take this lying down. If Mrs. Melrose wanted a fight, she’d give her one.
“The fiasco tonight,” she said heatedly, “could easily have been avoided if you had told me about your shell fish allergies. You cleared the guests, but not yourself. And I’ll be damned if I let you slander my name and that of my business.”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Mrs. Melrose gave Jenna a withering glance.
She was not some snot that Mrs. Melrose could easily get rid of, and she had enough self-esteem not to be shaken by the likes of her. “Not a Merriweather-fucking-Post, that’s for sure,” she answered. “And you’re not the only game in town.”
They eyed each other like prize fighters in a ring. One would see victory, the other would end up down for the count.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Jenna woke up the next morning unsure if she’d done the right thing.
Catherine Melrose was a powerful woman in the community. She was a treasurer for the Christian Infinity Church, and co-chair of the Red Cross Charity Ball and the Heart Ball, two extremely prestigious events.
Women fought for the privilege to organize such events, and a socialite’s reputation depended on the success of the charity function she chaired. And Catherine Melrose was the top dog, the person everyone else set their standards against.
Lying in bed Jenna relived every shameful moment and remembered every heated word she’d exchanged with the Palm Beach princess. She closed her eyes tight to shut out the images that popped into her head.
Not only had she blown it, but her short term business venture had tanked before it even got off the ground.
Jenna had loved selecting the menu, preparing the food, and had anticipated the nice feeling she’d have when she saw the guests enjoying each course. The idea of catering had been festering around for some time. She knew she was a creative cook, but more importantly, she enjoyed it. This would be a pleasing temporary solution to her financial problem.
Feeling ridiculously sorry for herself, Jenna threw on a robe and went downstairs, needing some strong caffeine to deal with her morning blues.
“Morning, Rob. Morning, Mother.” She helped herself to a mug of steaming coffee and sat down at the table. She reached for the women’s section of the local paper.
Beets nudged her. Absentmindedly, she patted his big, hairy head. She didn’t even care that her housecoat became wet from his drool. Maybe he sensed her moment of weakness, because he nudged her again. His soft, gentle eyes watched her, and for an unguarded moment she bonded with the animal. He wasn’t such a bad dog after all.
“What’s up, Jenna?” Rob asked. “You look like you had a rough night. Was the job harder than you thought?”
“You could say that.” She glanced at her mother. “You didn’t tell him?”
“No. I thought you might want to tell the whole family at once. It was so funny everybody will want to hear.”
“Funny?” She made a face. “Are you kidding me? It was a total disaster.”
Rob looked from one to the other. “Now you’ve got me curious. What happened?”
Jenna kept her head buried in the paper, not in the mood for talking. “Mom can explain.”
Sharon tittered. “Oh, no. Save it. Tom will definitely want to hear the whole story, and so will the kids. Let’s tell it when we visit Cindy later. She’ll get a kick out of it too.”
Jenna wanted to strangle her feather-brained mother.
Rob refilled his cup. “How bad was it?”
“On a scale of one to ten? Triple digits.” Jenna busied herself, making an egg white omelet for herself and her mother, and pancakes for Rob. It felt good doing something with her hands. While she worked she recounted the story.
“I know it wasn’t your fault.” Rob stabbed at his pancake. “But she will certainly make it out to be. And Catherine Melrose knows everybody worth knowing.”
“I figured that.” Jenna took a consoling bite of the omelet. “The food came out beautifully. This could have paved my way into the Palm Beach society. Instead the door has been slammed shut.”
“It’ll be a lot tougher, but if I had to place a bet—” he waved his mug of coffee at Jenna “—I’d put my money on you.” His eyes met hers. “If this is what you really want to do.”
“It is…and thanks, Rob.”
He mopped the last of his pancake in the syrup. “The old guard can be very cliquey, but not to worry. Many of them are my customers. I’ll see if I can put a good word in for you.”
“I can take care of this. If Mrs. Melrose thinks she can stop me, she’ll find out what kind of backbone I’ve got.” Jenna pushed her plate away. “I crawled my way up the corporate ladder in a male-dominated industry, and a bunch of snarky women won’t prevent me from getting what I want.”
“But I thought you liked living in New York,” her mother said. “This is just to tide you over until you get your severance pay, isn’t it?”
“I do love New York, but right now I want to be a caterer more than ever. Just so I can rub that Melrose bitch’s nose in it.” She lightly pounded a fist on the table, which made Beets jump up and run to the door. “I’ll get on the Island’s all important A-list if it’s the last thing I do.”
Tom returned from whatever errand Sharon had sent him on. He looked at all their faces. “What happened?” He stopped dead in his tracks, concern deepening the creases in his weathered face. “Is it Cindy?”
Sharon grinned. “No, dear. Cindy is just fine. We have the most entertaining story to tell you. Sit down, and Jenna will make you pancakes while I tell you all about it.”
He plopped himself down next to his wife. “Go ahead. I’m all ears.”
“Jenna’s catering party was hysterical. Wait until you hear how she poisoned the hostess,” Sharon said gleefully, ignoring the dirty look Jenna shot her.
Jenna threw the tea towel on the kitchen counter and said to her mother as she walked out, “Make your husband his own damned pancakes. The recipe is on the box.”
* * *
The next afternoon the phone rang while Jenna was giving Amy her bath. She glanced at the caller ID and saw Grant’s name. She wondered if he was calling to see her again, or to say Mrs. Melrose had passed away. She liked both scenarios equally well.
She ans
wered with a smile. “Grant, hi.”
“Hi, Jenna. What are you up to this afternoon?”
“Well, right this very moment, I’m bathing Amy.”
“As we speak?”
“Uh-huh.” She had the phone tucked in the crook of her neck. “I’m used to multi-tasking.”
He laughed. “I guess you are. But don’t drown her, okay?”
“You still don’t trust me, do you?” Amy’s slick body was as slippery as an eel. “Just a sec, okay? Let me put her down.” After she had Amy out of the tub and wrapped in a towel, she returned to the phone.
“I’m back.”
“What did you mean by “putting her down”? It’s not like putting down a dog or a cat, I hope?” She could hear the smile in his voice and played along.
“No, I’m kind to babies and puppies. I keep my murderous instinct geared to rich bitches.”
“Glad to hear that. She’s fine by the way. Thanks for asking.”
“Ha! As if. And if she thinks for one minute that she can keep me from catering, she’s got another think coming.”
“That’s the spirit. You go, girl.”
“Oh, who am I kidding?” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m not a chef, I’m just a cook. What the hell do I know about running a catering business?” She answered her own question. “Nothing. I’m a corporate career woman, right? I should stick to doing what I do best.”
He chuckled. “Oh, come on. You aren’t going to let one bad experience stop you. You’ve got more gumption than that.”
How could he know her so well? They’d met six weeks ago, but sometimes he could see right into her and knew things she didn’t even admit to herself.
She perked up. “You’re right. There’s more fish in the sea.” Her chin rose, along with her spirit. “If Palm Beach doesn’t want me, there are plenty of golf communities here in West Palm that might want my services.”
“I love your services,” he said with a meaningful laugh. “I’ve been thinking about them all night long.”
ESCAPE INTO ROMANCE- 4 Book Bundle Page 39