“NO!”
“But Jane—“
“No, Julie. And you promised to never tell him either. There’s no reason for him to know about it. The past is over.” Jane sighed and then in a small voice said, “Please, just let it go.”
“Whatever you want, Jane.” Julie swallowed the lump in her throat, consumed with compassion for her friend. “Call me if you need me, okay?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll call you with the dates I’ll be there.”
“Okay.”
“Jane. I love you.”
“I love you too, Julie.”
Storyboards had been approved and scripts were being written. Auditions for the initial television commercials had been posted and dates for the casting calls announced. For CARL, everything was running smoothly.
Not so for Jane. The work on CARL was fulfilling. She could have never wished for a more challenging and enjoyable assignment. However, her personal life was another matter. Jane wasn’t sure what her relationship to Jason was since the phenomenal night they spent together. She hadn’t heard from him since. Typical man.
“Hello, Jane. Thought I’d check on you and see how you’re doing,” Ed said as he approached Jane who was working at Sally’s desk.
She smiled, looking up from the computer screen. “I’m fine, Ed. How are you?”
“Good. I’d like to talk to you for a moment. Could we go to your office?” He took her arm and led her in that direction.
“Actually, my team is working in there. Let’s go to the break room.”
Stepping into the break room, Ed began pacing. “Jane, I’ve been thinking about this whole situation. There’s no reason for us not to go on seeing each other. I mean it’s not like you’re really married in every sense of the word.” He stopped to look at her, wondering if he could gauge her reaction. Was there something going on between Jane and Jason?
Jane didn’t know what to say. She decided to be safe and suggested, “How about lunch?”
“I had a quiet evening in mind—French restaurant, candlelight, a moonlight stroll.”
“Ed, I wouldn’t feel right about that. Not just now.”
Ed sighed. “All right. I guess I’ll have to take what I can get.” At least she hadn’t completely shut the door on him. “So, where would you like to go for lunch? You know, I heard of a new deli a few blocks over that is suppose to have the best chicken salad in the city. I heard it from—”
Ed went on talking, but Jane wasn’t listening. Through the door of the break room she saw Jason walking out of the elevator and entering her boss’s office. How could one man cause such a physical reaction in her? Jane’s face began smiling of its own free will. Her heart began to race, paying no attention to her frozen state. Her palms began to sweat even though the break room was a little chilly.
Eventually, Ed stopped talking and looked at her. Not knowing what had transpired he said, “Jane, are you ready to go?”
“Hmm?” she said. “Were you saying something, Ed?”
Frustrated Ed said, “I was telling you about the new deli on East 51 Street. It sounds wonderful. Weren’t you listening? Never mind, let’s go. I’m starved.”
Before they could leave the break room, Terry’s office door opened and he and Jason emerged. Jason looked up to see Jane and immediately flashed that irresistible smile. He said something to Terry and walked over to the break room without looking away from Jane. “Hey, Janie. Having a good day?”
Jane’s eyes sparkled. “Fine, thanks. How about you?”
Jason’s eyes never left Jane, his killer smile remaining. “Excellent. Simpson.”
“Collins. Jane, why don’t you go get your coat and purse? I’ll wait for you here.”
Jason looked quickly at Ed and then at Jane. “Going somewhere?”
“Just to grab a bite of lunch.” Jane hoped she conveyed with her eyes the total innocence of this lunch.
“Enjoy, Janie,” he said holding in the ball of jealousy lodged in the pit of his stomach. Smiling and heaving a silent sigh, Jane left.
Ed watched her to be sure she was out of hearing range. Then he quietly spoke. “Listen, Collins, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing with Jane or what you feel you have to hold over her but know this. She will be free of you. And sooner rather than later.”
Smiling Jason said, “How about we let the lady decide what she wants? Janie is old enough to know her own mind.”
Rolling his eyes Ed said, “Do you have to call her Janie? That sounds so juvenile. Don’t you ever call her Jane?”
Jason’s smile now reached his eyes as he walked closer to Ed. In a firm voice he said, “Only when I make love to her.” And with that Jason strolled to the elevator.
Ed was seething.
The casting office on Broadway was packed with women as Jane and Sally tried to squeeze into the doors. “Okay, ladies, coming through.” Sally led the way, clipboard in one hand and pushing actresses with the other.
As they made it to sign-in desk, Jane turned to look at the women in the room. Her jaw dropped. “This doesn’t look good.” The room was filled with women that were . . . how shall we say, heavily endowed in the upper body portion of their physiques.
“Whoa, baby!” Sally said. “What is this, a Hooters convention? Wow, take a look at those knockers over by the water fountain. I’d give my eye teeth for those!”
“I don’t understand it! This is definitely not what we asked for.”
The door opened and Vincent McGrady came in. He turned to close the door and then walking into the room, looked up.
And froze.
Slowly, he looked around with an open mouth and wide eyes. Seeing Jane and Sally he walked over to them and tried to hide a grin. “No offense, ladies, but you both look a little out of place here.”
“Yes, I know. Our I.Q.’s aren’t quite as big as theirs, I suppose,” Sally replied.
Vincent smiled, looking around. “Nice . . . eyes.”
“Why don’t you look about eighteen inches higher if you’d really like to see their eyes’,” Sally said with an elbow jab into Vincent’s ribs.
Jane said, “This is terrible. We wanted ladies that could play the part of an average mom in our commercials. Can you see any of these women as the average mom?”
“Hehehe.” When Jane and Sally looked at him, Vincent tried to hide his laughter with a cough.
Just then the door opened and Jason walked in with Dana holding onto his arm. Jane’s heart dropped in her chest. She couldn’t hide the confusion in her eyes.
Jason looked around, shock written on his face. Dana looked amused. “Honey, if these are the women you’re looking for in your commercials, I’ve got a few friends that I could recommend.”
Making his way to the Patterson employees, Jason exclaimed, “What the hell is this?”
Jane put her personal feelings aside for the task at hand. “I have no idea. These are not the kind of women that we requested. I don’t understand what happened here.”
“I think we should ask the casting agency,” Vincent suggested.
Jason stormed over to the inner office and barged in asking for explanations. The casting director looked confused. “I have the instructions sent to me right here.” He pulled out his file and handed a document to Jason.
The document looked like an ad for an adult film. In the center in big letters it said, “Needed: Big Busted, Beautiful Women. Those under 38 bust sized need not apply. Casting for commercials for new toy (wink, wink).”
Dana, looking over Jason’s shoulder, said, “I’d love to see this new toy, Jaze darling.” She giggled.
Jason held the ad up for the others to see. “Jason, I have no idea where that ad came from.” Gathering her integrity, she turned to the casting director. “We have a more motherly image in mind. I’ll have my office fax you the correct specifications within the hour. You can dismiss these women.”
“Hey, whatever you want. I can set up another cal
l for the end of this week.”
“That would be fine. Thank you.” Jane felt deflated.
“All right, let’s adjourn to my office and talk this out. Vincent and Jane, I’ll expect you there ASAP.”
“Of course,” Jane replied. “Sally, I need for you to find the correct specifications of this role in my files and fax them back here. Then text me immediately to let me know when they have been received.”
“You got it.” Knowing her boss was internally beating up herself, Sally touched Jane’s arm and added, “It wasn’t your fault. There was just some strange mix-up.”
“Sure. Text me with that info, Sally.”
Walking through the front door, Jane heard Dana saying, “That’s all right, Sweetie. Let me know when you can get lunch.”
It’s going to be a long day, thought Jane.
Back at the conference room in the Talbot Toy offices, Jane sat with Vincent and waited for Jason to come in. “Vincent, what happened today?”
“I have no idea, Jane. It was the darnedest thing I’ve ever seen.” And then he had the audacity to start laughing. Jane scalded him with a look.
Jason walked into the room, followed by Shelly who was carrying a pad and pencil. After Shelly was settled in a chair, he turned and closed the door. Sternly, Jason began. “All right, we need to talk. It goes without saying that everything said in this meeting is confidential.”
“Of course,” Jane said.
“Absolutely,” Vincent said simultaneously.
“Just so you know, Shelly is keeping minutes of everything said for our records.” Jason sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I’d like to know exactly how the casting call went out.”
Vincent and Jane looked at each other. She spoke. “Well, we took your specs and wrote them up into a formal proposal—“
“Who wrote them up?”
“Vincent wrote it and then I approved it.”
“Got it. Then what happened?”
“I gave it to Sally along with the address. She had it couriered over to the casting agency.”
Jason stood up and started pacing. “There is something going on here. I don’t like it. If Dana hadn’t been curious about the auditions, I wouldn’t have been there to see it for myself. I hate to say it, but I think there is a mole at Patterson.”
Jane had stopped listening when Jason referenced Dana.
“Jane, did you hear me? I think someone at Patterson is deliberately sabotaging CARL.”
Jane looked Jason in the eyes. Her expression was hard as stone. Through her teeth she said, “I know my people and I know they are loyal to both Patterson and the CARL project.” And then because she was hurting she added, “We know about loyalty, Jason.”
Jane stood up. “We’ll tighten up all our access to documents on CARL. No one will be allowed to look, hear, touch, taste, or feel anything in the Patterson offices about CARL unless they are Vincent, Sally, or myself. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll get back to work.”
As Jane left the office, she opened her cell phone and punched in her office number. “Sally? We’re working late tonight.”
Jason watched her leave. He knew he was hard on her, but it was all business, right? He didn’t like the ice he had seen in her eyes. Maybe it was the mix-up at the casting office. Dana said she thought Jane was really upset about it.
Dana. That was it. How could he have been so stupid! He hadn’t known that Jane would be at the casting office. And anyway, if she knew how little Dana meant to him, it wouldn’t have been an issue. Having lunch with Dana was no different from Jane’s having lunch with Ed. And she had been engaged to him, for Pete’s sake.
Feeling righteous about his actions, Jason thought about his true intentions. He really wanted another chance with Jane. They weren’t off to a very good start. Work had been so intense the past week, he hadn’t had a moment to spare. Well, he had to do something. He was not going to let things come between them again. Not if they had a chance for a real relationship.
“Shelly, hold things down here. I’ll be at Patterson.”
Shelly smiled.
Traffic was murder getting over to Patterson. By the time Jason made it to the 15 floor, employees were crowding into the elevator to leave after a long day of work. Sally sat at her desk typing away. Jane was in her office, busy writing copy at her word processor.
Sally looked up from her desk. Jason motioned to her to ignore him.
Jason walked into Jane’s office and closed the door hard. “Kendall, we have to talk,” he said grumbled.
Not looking up Jane said, “Jason, I’m behind as it is. I really need to catch up.”
Jason stood in front of Jane, his palms down on her desk. “It’s Dana, isn’t it?”
Jane’s jaw tightened. “Jason, you don’t have to get permission from me to see anyone that you want. I mean, it’s not like we’re married,” Jane said sarcastically.
“Dana means nothing to me. She showed up as I was leaving and insisted coming with me to lunch via the casting office.”
Jane’s voice began to rise in volume as she stood up, put her palms on the desk, and went nose to nose with Jason. “And it didn’t occur to you to say ‘no’ to her?”
“No more than it occurred to you to say ‘no’ to Ed the other day.”
“Ed knows our situation. Does Dana?”
“Of course not. I haven’t told anyone.”
“Then you’re leading her on.”
“What?”
Jane walked to the window to look out. “Oh, Jay, you don’t have a clue when it comes to women. Dana wants you so bad she vibrates with it,” she said.
“Well, if that’s true it’s too bad because there’s only one woman that I want and she’s making it very hard to get close to her.”
Jane turned quickly and bumped into hard muscles. When had he moved behind her? “Me? Me? I don’t hear from you since we . . . you know . . .except a ‘hi, how are you’ as you’re passing through the office.”
“I’ve been swamped with work. It couldn’t be helped!”
“That’s right! I know! The work has always come first with you!”
“Is that what you think? Well let me tell you something, the work was all I had when you decided to go slumming in Europe. It got me through a lot of lonely nights.” He stomped away from her and then stopped. “But you know what? I never stopped thinking about you, what we had. When I was designing toys whose face did I see? Why do you think the J.J. doll was a big success?” Jason turned to face Jane. “Where did you think the idea for the doll came from? It was you, Janie. The J.J. stood for ‘Jane Junior.’ You were all I thought about. I missed you so much, my body ached with it. But I had to go on. The work was there for me when you weren’t.” Jason reached for the doorknob.
“Jason!” Jane called. Then in a small voice she said, “Don’t go.”
Jason turned to see tears in Jane’s eyes. She slowly started walking towards him. “You made a doll of me?” she asked.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I wanted to share that beauty with others.” He began walking towards Jane.
They met in the middle of the room. Jane reached up and placed her hands on each side of Jason’s head, gently bringing his lips to hers.
Quietly, Jason said, “Janie, I love you.”
The tension in both of them eased as they clung to each other, letting the dreamy kiss go on . . .
Sally was standing on the other side of the door listening in. This was better than the soap opera she had “TIVOed” at home. At the admission of the J.J. doll, Sally whispered, “I knew it!” Suddenly the conversation from Jane’s office ended. Sally waited to hear more. When nothing came, her first thought was to run for the coffee. She had brought coffee in before to ease tension. Come to think of it, they never did need the coffee that she offered. In fact, the last time she interrupted them with coffee, they were involved in a sweet kiss.
She heard sounds coming from Jane’s office. Bre
athing, gasps, moans. “Oh, my,” Sally whispered. She started to get overheated. Quickly, she walked back to her desk, got her purse and coat, and left.
“No, I don’t think they need my help at all.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
They lay in each other’s arms, sweaty and satisfied. Nothing was the same. Jason had confessed love for her. He was starting to talk about the past and that was a good thing. Jane wondered if she could as well. Her brow was frowned as Jason looked down at her. He took his thumb and gently massaged it. “What are you thinking about?”
Looking up into his beautiful brown eyes, Jane honestly said, “How much I’d like for things to work out between us.”
“I’m glad. So would I.”
“Do you think we really have chance?”
“Yes. But we’ve got to be honest with each other. I also think we should stop seeing Ed and Dana in any capacity.”
Jane smiled running a finger gently over his strong chest. “You mean be mutually exclusive with each other?”
“I always wanted my wife and I to be mutually exclusive with each other.”
Jane laughed and drew him closer.
After a long moment of silence, Jason traced her jaw tenderly with his finger. He glazed at her face as if memorizing a piece of priceless art. Jane was humbled by his tenderness.
Her heart started accelerating as Jason dropped little kisses all over her face. She would give him anything he wanted. If he only wanted to have this time with her before the big distributors meeting, then she would give it to him, and sadly walk away. If he wanted more, well, was it possible? Could he want more with her? She pondered these things as Jason continued kissing her. Then he moved the kisses to the skin behind the ear and Jane was lost.
Through the haze of passion, she heard Jason’s husky voice say, “Come home with me.”
At that moment she would have gone anywhere with him. Even a casting call with a room filled with big-busted women!
The days were flying by. The CARL Project was heating up, and so was the relationship between Jason and Jane. Although each had their own work to do in their own office, they usually talked once or twice a day on cell phones. Jason had programmed both of their cell phones to ring their special song when calling each other. Jane thought it so sweet.
The Biggest Part of Me Page 14