Unmerited Favor: The Compassion and Peril of Mercy ( Un missable Series Book 2)

by Jerry Summers

  Jay just nods, still looking slightly perplexed. “Damn, I was hoping I was on to something.” The two spent the rest of the evening enjoying the beer and the view of the beach.

  CHAPTER 5

  LUCKY BASTARDS

  Nate walks into Jessica’s office and finds her, eyes closed, elbows on her desk, rubbing her temples. He pauses inside her office door and watches the tortured expression on her face. When he finally speaks, Jessica jumps, startled by his presence.

  “Shit, you scared me,” she says with a sigh.

  “It looks to me like I need to fix you an espresso and get you some Tylenol. Migraine again?”

  She nods. “Would you, please? This expansion is beginning to take its toll on my nerves, and it just keeps demanding more out of each of us.”

  Nate gives her a sympathetic look, drops a stack of invoices onto her desk, and leaves her office. He returns a short time later with the espresso, a biscotti, and Tylenol to find her now grumbling, “All I do is pay bills and put out fires…what was I thinking?”

  Not feeling terribly empathetic because of his own increased workload, he hands her the coffee and stands in front of her desk. She motions with her left hand for him to have a seat. Nate sighs, and she glances up from the invoices at him, seeming to realize his frustration for the first time.

  “Will you please sit down for a few moments?” she asks. “I just need some real human conversation and interaction. I know your workload is outrageous, too, but we haven’t taken time to speak with each other about anything other than assignments for weeks now. I really miss talking with my friend.”

  He considers this for a moment and then plops into the chair. “Well, if you put it that way, how can I refuse? Besides, you’re still the boss. And I miss you, too.”

  She manages a smile and then asks, “Did we do the right thing?”

  “Only you can answer that question, hon. From an outside perspective, things are really going very well. Lidia has Brazil running ahead of schedule. Every production manager spending time there loves the staff and their insistence on quality, and all the bills are paid on time.”

  She nods gratefully. “Thank you for reminding me of all the good, but you also just dumped a ton of bills on my desk again.”

  He winks. “That is precisely why you make the big bucks, my dear.”

  She responds with a sardonic look. “Maybe I should just put you in charge of paying all the bills, if I’m still the all-powerful boss.”

  He just cocks his head to the right and shoots her a sly suggestive grin. Then he asks, “How is your relationship with Mr. Green going these days?”

  She scoffs. “It’s not ‘going’ at all. Since our first date, we have only spoken on the phone. There just hasn’t been any time…”

  Nate stands up, walks around behind Jessica, and begins to massage her shoulders and neck. She groans in appreciation, as she feels the tension start to release. “Phillip is a really lucky guy to have you. I hope he knows that.”

  “Of course he does, but don’t forget, it’s mutual. We are lucky to have each other.”

  “I haven’t told you this lately, but I am so happy you came to work here. You have been a blessing to me in so many ways. I know your schedule has been out of control as much as mine has…Are you and Phillip getting to spend any time together?”

  “Well, it has been a bit of a struggle lately, but he is both supportive and understanding. Jess, I think you should put all this aside, call Sean, and insist he go to dinner with you. Don’t take no for an answer. The two of you should enjoy each other’s company without discussing work-related issues, at least once in a while, or you’ll lose your chemistry.”

  “I want to, but I can’t. There is just so much to do here.”

  Nate almost groans. “Be spontaneous! For once in your life, for Christ’s sake, just make it happen.”

  She is quiet for a moment. “You’re right. I’ll call Sean, if you promise to do the same with Phillip. We all need some downtime.”

  “Oh, you have no idea how amazing that sounds. Phillip has the day off, and I’m gone as soon as you call Sean and set the date. And by the way, you look hot today, Jess. You’ll rock his world.”

  “Thanks. You always have a way of cheering me up,” she says, this time with a genuine smile.

  “I only speak the truth. Now call that lucky bastard.”

  Jessica reaches for the phone and dials Sean’s private line. Sean answers and seems pleased to hear her voice. Jessica tells Sean she has decided to take him to dinner right now, she will be by his office in thirty minutes to pick him up, and she isn’t going to take no for an answer. Sean seems somewhat taken aback by her forcefulness and insistence and then asks her to hold on for a moment. Jessica hears him cup his hand over the phone and yell for Evelyn. He asks Evelyn if she could possibly reschedule his four-thirty meeting with Bradley Jenkins for first thing tomorrow morning. Sean takes his hand off the receiver and begins to explain he is trying to reschedule a meeting, but before he can say anything else, Jessica interrupts, saying, “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Then she hangs up the phone.

  Nate grins. “Well played, girl. Now get the hell out of here.”

  He helps her out from behind her desk, and they walk out of the office together. He gives her a quick hug, tells her to have a fabulous dinner, gets in his car, and drives away.

  Jessica watches his taillights disappear around the corner and thinks, I never do stuff like this. What is it about Sean that makes me want to be with him so badly? Her cell phone rings, and she answers it without looking to see who it is.

  “Hello?”

  Sean says, “Somehow we got cut off.”

  “Nope, I hung up on you, and I’m on my way to your office now.”

  Slightly puzzled, he replies, “Well, it’s a good thing I was able to rearrange my schedule, then.”

  Jess shrugs. “I knew you would. And if not, I would have waited until you were through with your meeting.”

  “What is this all about, Jessica?”

  “I just thought we were all working too hard, so I gave Nate the rest of the day off to spend some time with Phillip, and I decided it was time you and I have dinner again. It’s my treat tonight.”

  “But last time we had dinner I was paying off a bet I had lost.”

  Her heart flutters, and she swallows hard, wondering if he means he doesn’t want to have dinner with her. “Well, I guess if you don’t want to have dinner with me again after tonight, then you don’t have to ask me out.”

  Sean chuckles. “We will just have to see how it goes then, won’t we? I do have some details I need to talk to you about for the grand opening in Brazil.”

  “This is supposed to be an evening off work. I’ll tell you what, we can discuss whatever plans we need to discuss over cocktails, but then no more work talk over dinner. Fair enough?”

  “Deal.”

  “OK, then. I’m here. I’ll be up as soon as I find a parking space.”

  After they hang up, Sean tells Evelyn, “Jessica is on her way up, and she is taking me to dinner.”

  Evelyn smiles and replies, “I look forward to hearing about it tomorrow.” She winks at him.

  He rolls his eyes. “It’s not like that. This is a dinner meeting. To talk about things in Brazil.”

  Evelyn puts her hands on her hips. “You’d better not screw this dinner up by talking business. When a woman calls you up out of the blue on your private line and invites you to dinner, it’s a date, not a business meeting! Don’t be an asshole.”

  “Do you really think Jessica is looking at this as a date?” he asks, slightly surprised, considering their lack of communication over the past few weeks.

  Evelyn squints at him. “How can you be so brilliant at work yet so stupid in real life? Of course it’s a date!”

  �
��Then how do I look? OK?”

  “Oh my, Mr. Green.” She chuckles. “Does it make you nervous, going on a date with Ms. Silva?”

  “Answer my goddamned question!” Sean says, his dignity returning full force.

  She continues smiling. “Sean, you look great. If the restaurant is more casual, take off your tie. Otherwise, you’ll be fine.”

  He clears his throat. “Thank you.”

  Suppressing another chuckle, she hears the door open and peeks out of Sean’s office.

  “Hello, Ms. Silva. Please come in,” she says and motions for Jessica to enter Sean’s office. “Where will you two be dining tonight?”

  “I thought we would eat on the wharf. If that’s OK with you, Sean.”

  Evelyn smiles and winks at Jessica, then turns to Sean and says, “Definitely lose the tie, Mr. Green.”

  Jessica smiles in response and then looks at Sean. “Please do. The wharf isn’t formal at all. Besides, you’re way more fun when you’re relaxed, and tonight is about relaxing.”

  Sean sighs, loosening his tie. “Very well, if you girls insist.”

  Evelyn bids them both good night. “Try to have fun tonight,” she says, glancing between them. “Both of you.”

  As they leave Sean’s office, Jessica thanks Sean for rearranging his schedule to have dinner with her.

  He smiles. “I’m glad you asked me to join you tonight.”

  Jessica blushes in response.

  Sean takes the time in the car to brief Jessica on the upcoming schedule for Beauty Boutique’s grand opening in Brazil. He suggests they delay the opening by a week so Ricardo’s memorial service can be held before the opening. She agrees.

  “I’ll be heading to the villa at the same time Ricardo’s body is on its way back to Hugo…” Sean explains. “I assured Hugo I would take care of all the necessary arrangements, and I want to meet with him when Ricardo’s body arrives in Brazil. Would you go with me? That way we can work together on the grand opening and finalize all the details before everyone begins to arrive.” His eyes glint. “Perhaps even spend a little time relaxing together at the villa.”

  She feels a tremor in her lower stomach. “I’ll clear my schedule if possible. I’d love to go with you.”

  They clarify many of the preliminary scheduling details and the list of those staying at the villa and in hotels.

  Jessica says, “If at all possible, I’d like Nate and Phillip to stay at the villa, even if it means I have to stay in a hotel.”

  Sean replies, “Don’t worry. I’ve already worked those details out with Bonnie. Nate and Phillip will be in one of the guesthouses on the villa grounds, as will Evelyn and Richard, her husband. I will stay in my usual room, and you will have your regular room. Wendy will stay in the master bedroom suite with Bonnie, and that fills the villa, so all other staff will be in hotels. Then, after the memorial service, we will all stay for the grand opening, and the nonessential staff in the hotels will head home. All the important dignitaries have confirmed they will be at the opening, Carmen said she will wear your design, and I understand from Nate that Lidia has everything at the factory under control.”

  Jessica nods. She has already confirmed with Nate, and it seems all the preparations are complete and in place at the factory. “I really appreciate all you’ve done for me, especially finding the factory and all the marketing thus far.”

  Sean chuckles. “That’s why you pay me so well.”

  Jessica counters, “We both know you gave me a great deal, and I couldn’t afford your services before you decided to be very kind to the Beauty Boutique.”

  He just laughs. “I’m still getting paid very well. Don’t worry about it.”

  She shoots him a look, pulls into a parking space at the restaurant on the wharf, and begins to get out of the car. He hurriedly walks around to her door and insists she sit back down again.

  Jessica looks up at him. “Why should I do that?”

  “Because I asked you to, that’s why.”

  Reluctantly, she sits back down. He closes the car door, then opens it and offers her his hand.

  Jessica, now smiling slightly, takes his hand and asks, “Did you really just have me sit back in the car so you could open my door?”

  “Yes, yes, I did.”

  “Well, that’s a bit odd, but thank you, I guess.”

  “What’s weird about my being a gentleman?” he asks with a wry smile on his face.

  “Nothing, I suppose. No man has ever done that for me, that’s all.”

  “Well, I’m not just any man. I’m a gentleman.” He offers her his arm, and together they stroll into the restaurant.

  The hostess seats them at a table overlooking the bay, per Jessica’s request. They continue talking about the Brazil trip and how pleased both of them are with the factory’s progress, production quality, and Lidia’s management skills.

  Jessica says, “After the grand opening, I’m prepared to authorize Lidia to ship garments directly to the stores, rather than to me, based upon the quality control reports I’ve been receiving.”

  Sean is slightly surprised and asks, “Is the Brazilian factory ahead of your production timeline?”

  She shakes her head, amazed. “Sean, they’re almost five months ahead of my projections. It’s unbelievable.”

  He looks impressed. “You know, many of the major shoe stores in Brazil and other parts of Latin America have signed contracts with Beauty Boutique Clothing and are waiting for their first shipments, even though most of the cross-selling training hasn’t been completed.”

  She nods. “All but two of my sales supervisors are heading to Brazil to finish the training, and this phase should be completed within a month of the grand opening, which in turn should coincide with the receipt of our first shipments.”

  The conversation pauses as he considers the perfection of the schedule so far, and the waiter arrives at their table.

  “Pardon me,” he murmurs. “Would you like to order drinks, or perhaps appetizers?”

  He orders Jameson Midleton neat, since they don’t have his scotch, and Jessica orders a dirty martini, extra dry. The waiter briskly scribbles down their drinks and assures them they will have them soon.

  Jessica turns to stare Sean down. “After we finish our drinks, no more business discussion! I won’t allow it.”

  He smiles and agrees. “I’ve covered everything I needed to cover, but since you’re so adamant, is there anything else business related you would like to discuss?”

  “No, I believe we can now just enjoy the evening.”

  “Terrific, but I have to ask, what prompted this invitation, Jess?” He catches himself and clears his throat. “Um, can I call you ‘Jess’? Jessica just seems a bit formal to me.”

  Slightly amused by the slip, she replies, “Of course you can. As for answering your question…may I be totally honest with you?”

  “Well, yes, but that sounds a bit ominous.”

  She laughs. “I hope it’s not. OK, honestly, Nate was chastising me for working everyone too hard and not taking any personal time. So I tried to give him the rest of the day off, but he refused to unless I did the same thing. Then I decided to call you and ask you to drinks and dinner. Here’s the part that may be ominous to you—I think you know I’m attracted to you, and during our last date, I found you to be charming and witty. And when we kissed, I was surprised about how strongly I felt about it. I think I want to pursue it.”

  Sean sits quietly for what seems like an eternity to Jessica, and when he finally does speak, she is somewhat unpleasantly surprised.

  “Well, this is going to complicate our working relationship a bit, isn’t it?”

  A slight blush blooms across her cheeks and, not knowing how to respond, she asks, “Did I just embarrass myself by telling you how I feel? Are the feelings not the same for
you?”

  Realizing how bad his response must have sounded, Sean exclaims, “Oh my God, no! Jess, I find you to be alluring and sexy, and when we kissed, I was thrilled by how much it excited me and how right it felt. I have just never dated or been enthralled by any client of mine before, and I’m not sure what to do. I am very much interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you.”

  She lets out a sigh of relief and smiles. “Oh thank God. I thought I had just made a complete fool of myself before we had even finished our first drinks.”

  He acts on a whim, reaching across the table to lace his fingers through hers. “Absolutely not! So, how is this going to work? Do we tell people?”

  Jess, still smiling, says, “I think others see it already. Nate has, Evelyn has, and Bonnie has nailed me to the wall about my feelings for you about every five minutes for a while now. Even Wendy managed to make me jealous on purpose, so I would make the decision to let you know how I felt about you.”

  Sean looks confused. “What are you talking about? Wendy?”

  “Oh, come on, you didn’t notice Wendy flirting with you at Bonnie’s?”

  “Uh, no, I didn’t. Besides, I think she’s a dingbat, albeit a nice one, and I’m not attracted to her in the least.”

  “Well, Wendy noticed my jealousy when you offered your jet to fly her back to San Diego,” she says, tracing the rim of her martini glass.

  “So just because I offered my jet to Wendy, you thought I was interested in her? Please.” He almost chuckles.

  “Well, I didn’t know!” She says, playfully smacking the back of his hand.

  Sean bursts into laughter. “I offer my jet to clients and friends all the time.”

  “Well, Wendy made it worse for me when she referred to you as a hunk of prime meat that she wouldn’t mind getting a mouthful of.”

  Sean blushes profusely. “Oh, God. She said that to you?”

  “Yep, and when she was getting ready to leave, she told me I’d better make up my mind to pursue you soon or she was going to. Then, when she actually said good-bye, she confessed that you really weren’t her type, but she wanted me to feel jealous to recognize how I felt about you.”