Jayden wagged a finger at her. “Show them how valuable you are.”
Brandi wasn’t ready to get into the meat of the matter. She wanted to soak up his presence, just for a bit.
“How was your day?” she asked.
“Let’s just say I’m glad tomorrow is Friday.”
She nodded.
What she hadn’t told Jayden was that she’d barely slept after he’d left. She’d started work at five because she desperately needed something to do. Her boss had actually kicked her off her email by manually restricting it so she couldn’t do much at home once he realized what she was doing. His threats to send her to a spa had been enough for her to head to the garage and work her frustration out there. Only, she’d thought of Jayden the whole time.
“This is really good,” she said after a few bites.
“I keep telling her she needs to make us all a recipe book.”
“I bet your mother is adorable.”
“I’m biased.” His gaze narrowed. “I think you and her would be trouble if you ever got together.”
“Oh?” She hesitated, the familiar panic rushing in. Meeting a guy’s family was off the table. She just didn’t do that.
“Yeah. I think she’d really like you.”
Why did he have to be so...him?
She stared into her half eaten container. She was starving, and yet her nerves made it hard to eat.
Brandi sighed and set the food on her knee.
Jayden watched her. She didn’t think there was anything about her he wasn’t aware of right now.
“When do you want to talk about last night?” she asked.
“Whenever you want to.”
She rolled her eyes. Of course, he’d be annoyingly reasonable like that.
“I think it shouldn’t have happened. It was a mistake.” Even though she said the words, she didn’t fully agree. Why had it felt so right if it was a mistake?
Jayden wiped at his mouth with a napkin. “Maybe it was too soon, but I can’t call it a mistake.”
Brandi glanced away for fear that he’d see the truth. Instead, she trotted out the same line she’d told herself all day. “It shouldn’t have happened.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because. Because I have too many things going on. You’re Nicole’s...I don’t know. I don’t want to date right now.”
“So your objections are a matter of timing?” Jayden leaned back against the arm rest. “It’s not that I’m a Black man or that you don’t like something about me?”
She glared at him. “I’m not superficial. I don’t—”
“Easy.” He held up his hands. “I’m just throwing facts out there. It isn’t a judgement.”
“There’s the whole Nicole part.”
“Is that really an issue though?” He tilted his head to the side. “Nicole and I didn’t connect. You’ve indicated Nicole felt the same. Now I’m admitting it. Is there anything about two people not working out that means we can’t at the very least be friends?”
“Which we do you mean? You and Nicole? Or you and me?”
“You and me. I’d hope I can be friendly with Nicole, too.”
“I never said we couldn’t be friends. Now you’re twisting my words.”
“No, I’m not. Just listen to me for a second. Nothing about Nicole and me fizzling out means we can’t have a relationship. I know you have a lot going on. I also know that right now we want two different things. But I’m also willing to tell you I don’t need a dating relationship right now.”
Brandi clutched the bowl with both hands now.
He was saying they should be what? Friends? Fuck buddies? And where had this come from?
He was the man with the plan. Wife. House with a fence. Kids. If he had the chance, she thought he’d knock out all three this year if possible. And he was telling her he’d wait? Put that plan on hold because of her?
“That’s a lot of pressure,” she muttered.
“It shouldn’t be though.” His hand shifted and she half thought he intended to reach for her. “Am I a pain to be around? Would you say we don’t have fun?”
Brandi pondered the question. “I don’t know that I’d say we have fun together. I’m not sure you know what fun is. You are easy to talk to, though.”
Jayden blew out a breath. “Look, we can go back and forth all we want about what we like about each other and what we both think, but none of it matters if I’m not what you want right now. You’re entitled to all of your thoughts and feelings. I do think you’re winding yourself up over something that doesn’t have to be complicated so long as we are both open and clear about where we are with things. What I know is that until you tell me there’s no chance in hell, this is going to work, I’m going to keep coming around. You tell me we’re friends because that’s all you can do right now? That’s cool. I respect that. But I’m willing to step back only because I see down the road potential.”
“How do you see that? How do you know that?” she blurted.
He grinned at her boyishly. “Active imagination?”
Brandi laughed. She couldn’t help herself.
“See, I make you laugh.” He poked her thigh. “You’re the kind of girl who likes people that can make her laugh.”
“Maybe.” She scooped up another bite of food.
Brandi did like him.
A lot.
And that was part of her problem. Jayden would always be a distraction, friends, dating or otherwise. But the idea of him not being around made her panic, too. She didn’t have to pull punches or tip-toe around his feelings like she did with Nicole. With him, she could truly be herself without emotional Spanx.
There was no way he’d stay around. Not really and truly.
He narrowed his eyes. “Okay, then let me show you I know how to have fun.”
“A Jayden having fun?” She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t think that really exists.”
“Tomorrow.” He held out his hand.
This was a bad idea.
She should tell him to leave, that it was all a horrible idea. And yet...
“Okay. Fine. Yes, I’ll let you show me your sad idea for fun. You helped a lot this week. This is the least I can do to repay the favor.”
“You’re so kind.” He smiled and her stomach tightened.
Damn him.
He snapped his fingers. “The promotion. What’s happened?”
She mentally seized the topic, grateful for the excuse to talk about anything else. “Nothing yet, really.”
“What are you thinking about doing?”
She considered the question while she ate the last bite of food. “I guess I need to decide what I want to do.”
“And that is?”
“Gosh, I don’t know.” She blew out a breath. “I sort of lucked into what I’m doing.”
“What were you planning on doing with your business degree?”
“Get a job.” She shrugged. “Which was why landing in construction was so weirdly perfect. I guess at this point I have to decide if I want to stay an office manager, or move over and only help with one facet of the work.”
“Answer me this, do you see yourself here in five, ten, twenty years?”
Brandi didn’t have to think about that at all. “Yeah. I mean, so long as someone is running the company, I would like to. There’s just something about the homey feel of it all that I like.”
“Does upward momentum matter to you?”
“You mean like moving up the ladder?”
“Yeah.”
“Not really. A little. I don’t know. I mean, I went from minimum wage when I started to where I am now. Whatever I move into is probably where I’d be for years. I guess I need to decide if it’s a financially smart decision.” She let herself stare at the carpet without really seeing it. “I think specializing is the better choice. I’ve got about as much experience doing what I can as an admin-office manager-do-it-all girl. And who knows? Maybe I end up liking the eng
ineering side of things and go back to school?”
“Don’t rule it out. Especially if you get some sort of arrangement where there’d be a spot for you to keep working there.”
She nodded.
It was a sound decision.
“Did you get the results in today?” Jayden asked.
“Hm? Oh.”
Brandi pushed to her feet. She’d been so wrapped up in her head that she hadn’t grabbed the mail.
She crossed to the entry, unlocked the door and grabbed the wad of advertisements and the odd bill from the mail bin. She thumbed through them, only to stop at a particularly large envelope folded like a taco around the rest.
The little green banner with the white seed was a logo she’d stared at for weeks.
It was printed on the kit she’d bought when she hatched this plan.
“B? Brandi?” Jayden rose from the sofa to stand behind her.
She plucked the envelope out of the mess. He reached around and took the bundle of mail from her.
This was it.
The results were finally here.
Obviously she knew they’d come at some point, but it had all felt so far off when she’d begun. Only, here it was.
“Want to sit down?” Jayden whispered.
“Yes.” She folded her legs and sat down right there in the middle of the living room.
He chuckled and lowered to sit beside her. “You also don’t have to open it now.”
“But I want to.”
She knew this DNA test wasn’t the magic bullet. It wouldn’t make her life better or fix her issues. At best it was information she could use to formulate decisions and a plan for how to track down her father. At worst, it was something to add to her medical file.
Jayden’s hand stroked her back in large, soothing circles. She laid her head on his shoulder and carefully pried the envelope open.
Inside were several packets of information.
She pulled the stack out and set the envelope aside.
The front page was a glossy picture of a smiling family. She turned that page to a sort of welcome letter.
“Huh, there’s an online portal, too,” she muttered.
“I’ve heard they’ll update results, too. Over time as their data becomes better, they’ll narrow it down even farther.”
Brandi flipped through more pages further explaining the testing and margins for error.
And then there it was.
The first page was a full-color graph with ethnic groups notated with percentages.
She frowned at a large swath of color.
That wasn’t...
“I’m not half Hispanic,” she said.
Jayden didn’t say anything.
She held the paper closer to her face, as though that might help with her comprehension.
What was this? She’d assumed... It was the logical conclusion, wasn’t it? But, how...?
“What does Punjabi mean?” She felt like she should know this, and yet she didn’t.
“I think that’s another word for Indian, I think. Like, from India,” Jayden said slowly. “I could be way off the mark though.”
Brandi flipped to the next page. “I’m half Indian? Punjabi? Punjab?”
Her whole life she’d just assumed that she was Hispanic. Her dark hair, her skin...
She’d made the decision in high school to learn Spanish over another language option because it seemed a logical way to connect with that part of herself. Her ability to speak Spanish had landed her current job. All because she’d decided to start checking a different box on forms to irritate her mother.
And now she wasn’t even Hispanic.
She hadn’t been prepared for this. Suddenly it felt as though she were adrift without an anchor. But that seemed overly dramatic. She knew Spanish, that didn’t make her anything except what she was; an educated woman. Still, it was a lot to take in.
“Hey?” Jayden nudged her. “Talk to me.”
“I just... I always assumed, I mean...” She turned her head and looked at him. “I wasn’t prepared to be sad over not being Hispanic. Or, I guess... I don’t know, but I’m a little sad. And confused. And curious.”
She spread the paper out and looked at a second breakdown, this time in a chart that was all numbers and letters.
“I’m guessing you have positive feelings toward Hispanic people? Maybe guys on your construction crews have accepted you? Treated you like you belonged?”
She nodded slowly.
One of their foremen had a wife who often sent special treats just for Brandi. She often got invited to things like baby showers other people in the office weren’t. Since coming to Seattle, she’d often eaten at the table of a Hispanic coworker. Maybe she had held on to the idea she had a place in that community more than she realized.
“Those same people aren’t going to treat you any different now that you have this.” Jayden nudged the paper. “Instead, you’re gaining something else.”
Brandi blew out a breath and flipped the packet closed. “Thank you.”
“You don’t want to look at the rest?”
“I’m only up for a little self-flagellation a day, thank you very much.”
There was a lot to unpack, and even more questions. Plus, she had a moral wrestling match to deal with. Was she wrong to be sad? What right did she have? Who the hell was her father?
She reached over and squeezed his knee. “Thank you for coming over tonight and being here for this.”
Suddenly she was very exhausted. Last night’s lack of sleep was catching up with her. She sighed and relaxed just a bit more.
Jayden was so big and warm. There was something comforting about him, about knowing he heard and remembered every word she said.
Agreeing to that date was a very bad idea, and yet she was looking forward to it.
“I hate to be that girl, but...I’m going to bed now,” she muttered, yet didn’t pick her head up off Jayden’s shoulder.
He squeezed her hand. “That’s okay. I’m just glad we talked.”
Brandi let her eyes shut. All the uncertainty spiraled around her, but right now with Jayden to help support her, she felt as though she could do this. But could she do it on her own?
“Don’t fall asleep on me. That’s going to make being friends difficult.” He nudged her over then got to his feet.
She peered up at him with one eye.
He held out his hand and took it. He pulled her to her feet, his other arm wrapping around her waist to steady her.
Brandi looked up at him and knew last night could happen again so very easily. A growing part of her wanted it to happen on a regular basis. And yet, wasn’t she supposed to be on a path? A plan?
Jayden combed his fingers through her hair. He sighed then took a step back. “Everything in me wants to kiss you right now, so that’s my cue to leave.”
She bit her lower lip and watched him back away from her toward the French doors.
There was so much heat in his eyes. He wanted her.
If she gave the slightest indication she was having second thoughts, he’d pounce. And deep down that was what she really wanted.
“Night.” She wiggled her fingers at him, both hating herself and absurdly proud she’d managed to bid him goodnight.
“Later.”
Jayden ducked into the greenroom then out to the drive.
Brandi groaned and threw herself down on the sofa. Her cell phone slid off the arm and almost hit her in the face. She picked it up and groaned again when she saw a missed call from Nicole.
Why was nothing ever easy?
Day 6: Friday
Brandi still wanted to go back in time and kick her own ass for agreeing to go out with Jayden. At least she’d been able to sleep in after staying up on the phone with Nicole for hours helping her study. It was almost like they were back in college and cramming for finals. Only Brandi had never before kept boy news from Nicole, and now she was.
Though to be fair, Nicole
hadn’t wanted to talk about her tipsy phone call and what had happened with her classmate. Normally Brandi would have poked, but she wasn’t feeling it. Not when she had her own secrets.
She checked her phone once more, then glanced at her reflection.
Brandi had expected Jayden to tell her to wear a cocktail dress and diamonds. Instead, he’d sent her a cryptic, wear something you can move in, message.
What the hell did that mean?
He’d refused to give her anymore hints.
She’d broken out her sparkly, kind of leather looking leggings. They were figure hugging and sexy, but she could do anything in them. She’d paired the leggings with a simple black tank top with a voluminous black, sheer top over it with star cut outs. Add a pair of star earrings and some heels, and the look was done. Sexy and comfortable, somehow.
Five more minutes, then she could be annoyed at him for being late. Though did she really need a reason to be annoyed at Jayden right now? She was doing fairly well finding annoyance on her own. It wasn’t really his fault. This whole situation had her cranky.
Maybe she should cancel?
A knock at the front door startled her.
She turned and frowned at it.
Who the hell would be knocking at the front door?
Brandi considered ignoring it. She didn’t want to get caught by some salesman, so she was distracted when Jayden got there. But she also wanted the person to go away.
Again someone knocked.
Brandi sighed and stalked to the front door. She flipped the lock and yanked it open, only to blink at Jayden. He wasn’t in his suit, but he was wearing jeans. He wore a trim black T-shirt that hinted at the figure underneath with a black-and-white striped sport coat.
“What are you doing at the front door, Beetlejuice?” she blurted.
“Beetlejuice? You get Beetlejuice from this, really?” He chuckled and lifted a bundle in his hand. “The front door seemed more appropriate for a date.”
She stepped back so he could enter. “This is weird. People I don’t know use the front door. It’s a little bit Beetlejuice.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He entered the house. That was when she noticed the bundle under his arm.
The Wrong Perfect Match (Fullilove in the House Book 1) Page 13