Jett pointed out another door marked “private” and they swept inside. This time when the door shut, none of the reporters rushed in after them. Still Salem felt a need to get farther from the portal. She started deeper into the room, but Jett snagged her elbow.
He bent his head and searched her face. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think to prepare you.”
“It’s okay.” Salem realized she was clutching her purse before her like a shield. She relaxed her grip and eased the strap over her shoulder. “You have to put up with that all the time?”
He pursed his lips. “Normally I have security at any venue I go to. But I’d hoped the drama would have settled down a little by now. Especially way out here on the edge of the world.”
Salem felt humor tug on her lips at that remark. “You have to go all the way to Alaska to get to the edge of the world.”
Jett smiled and stretched out a hand, indicating they should go farther inside now. “I’ll keep that in mind should I ever need to disappear again.”
Jett led her toward a group of people who had, until now, been hidden by a privacy wall. Waiters serving hors d’oeuvres mingled through the crowd, some with champagne goblets on their trays, others with canapés.
Jett beckoned a man in a black suit and bowtie, said something quietly to him, and then handed him the clothes bag. The man nodded and left the room.
Across the way, a businessman in an expensive three piece suit broke away from the group and strode toward them with a warm welcome on his face. “Jett. So glad you could join us. How was the walk in? Didn’t get eaten by any sharks, did you?” He winked.
Jett shook his hand. “Jerry, nice to see you again. I tossed the sharks a little hamburger and made a run for it.”
Jerry chuckled and then his gaze turned to Salem. His hand stretched toward her, but he arched a questioning look toward Jett.
“This is my friend Salem. Salem, Jerry Ward. He’s head coach to the Mavericks, the team I’ll be helping coach today.”
Salem smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Jerry nodded and then batted Jett on the shoulder. I’ll see you down in the locker room?”
Jett nodded. “Be right there.”
“Salem?” A woman’s voice came from just behind her.
Salem turned to see Rose Atwood striding toward her. The very woman who had called her back for three interviews and then dropped her like a hot potato.
Salem forced a smile. “Rose. So good to see you again.” She hoped her face didn’t look as stiff as it felt.
Rose reached out her hand. “Likewise. I was so sorry to hear about your injury. How are you recovering, dear?” Kindness shimmered from soft blue eyes that were made all the more vivid by her short curls of white hair.
“Uh…” Salem replayed that last sentence again. Surely she hadn’t heard it right. “My injury?”
A quizzical frown pinched Rose’s brow. “Your fiancé called to say you’d been injured and were requesting to be taken out of the running for the job here at D.I.M.E.S.” She turned her focus to Jett and stretched a hand toward him with a smile. “Is this your fiancé?”
Salem felt a little like she was stuck in a dream trying to have a conversation with someone who kept blurting nonsensical words. “I’ve never…” Her brain seemed to stall as she struggled to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.
Jett bounced a glance off her and then grasped Rose’s age-spotted hand. “I’m Jett Hudson.”
Rose’s eyes widened a little. “Of course! Mr. Hudson! What a pleasure to meet you. Jerry told me you would be helping out his team today.” She darted her attention back to Salem. “I didn’t know you were engaged to such a famous football star!”
Salem blinked.
Jett smirked, thrust his hands deep into his pockets, and lifted a brow as if to ask how she had gotten them into this.
Salem gave herself a little shake. “I’m—”
“Jett! Darling! There you are!” The female voice was raised to full pitch.
Her stomach dropping at the intimate tone of the woman’s voice, Salem turned to search her out, realizing Jett and Rose were following suit.
A redhead that looked like she could have just stepped from the pages of a current issue of Gorgeously Vogue strutted toward them on a pair of impossibly high heels.
Salem felt her eyes widen as they swept up from the six-inch black bootie sandals to the hem of a black skirt that barely fit the qualifications. Didn’t a skirt have to cover at least some thigh? Her surprise notched up a few more degrees when only scant inches above the hem she encountered the bottom point of a plunging neckline that left her worried what might happen if the woman bent forward. A diamond piercing glittered from the woman’s navel, matching the sheath of diamonds collaring her long, slender neck. Her skin—and there was plenty to be seen—was a warm golden brown that Salem felt sure would be the envy of redheads worldwide. Despite her stilettos, the woman was still several inches shorter than Jett. That didn’t stop her from leaning in to aim a kiss straight at Jett’s lips.
Salem’s eyes narrowed.
Jett’s hands shot out to grip the woman’s arms. He held her back far enough that her kiss died in mid-air. “Janessa!”
Salem’s eyes narrowed even more. So he did know her.
The woman’s lower lip protruded in a pout. She batted her eyelashes and traced one long black fingernail over his chest before pausing to tap the region of his heart. “Have you missed me as much as I’ve missed you, darling?” The words emerged on a purr, and she leaned forward, again intent on gaining the kiss she’d been denied only moments earlier.
Salem’s chest pained her. She’d known he would be a heartbreaker. Had done her best to shield herself from the possibility. And had obviously failed miserably at the task. She looked away from the intimate reunion.
Rose, wide-eyed, flashed Salem a look of sympathy.
And for some reason, despite the dark and ugly emotion that had suddenly squeezed into her chest, Salem felt the need to come to Jett’s defense. She pointed a finger at him. “He’s not my fiancé.”
“Oh!” Relief sapped some of the indignation from Rose’s precise posture.
The minx frowned at Salem. “I should say not!”
“That is”—ignoring the redhead, Salem shot out a hand to clasp Rose’s arm before she could walk away. When Rose paused, Salem flicked an irritated look at Cat Woman still trying to drape herself into Jett’s arms, and then tugged Rose a few steps away. “I’ve never had a fiancé. Nor have I been recently injured. So I’m puzzled by your remarks.”
“You’ve never…” Rose clutched at the top button of her very modest blue blouse—though perhaps ‘very modest’ only came to mind in comparison with the black bit of fabric the redhead was wearing. Rose’s face paled as another level of comprehension dawned on her. “Oh dear.”
“Right.” Salem felt her tension heighten. She had a feeling she knew just exactly which man on planet earth to blame, but she had to be sure. She folded her arms, fists clenched. “Did the man give his name when he called you?”
“N-no. I’m so sorry. I should have called you to verify.”
Salem’s shoulders felt weighted. “It’s not your fault.”
Rose snapped her fingers. “I remember! He said he was a police officer in…” Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember.
“Riversong?”
“That was it!” Rose’s face lit up as though they’d just solved one of the universe’s great mysteries. “Do you know who it was?”
Salem’s blood was boiling faster by the minute. “Oh, yes.”
Rose laid a hand on her arm. “I do so apologize. If it’s any consolation, you were going to get the job. But I’ve already hired someone else.”
Salem offered what she hoped was a placating smile, but felt sure it fell far short of its intended purpose.
Rose squeezed her arm. “If you’ll excuse me dear, I have to run do some of the fi
nal set up in the banquet room for the dinner and dancing that will take place after the games. But if you are ever in need of a job again, you call me first, okay? If we have a position it is yours, without question.”
Salem opened her mouth to tell Rose to just call her the next time they had an opening. But in that moment she realized that, despite everything, she didn’t really want a job with D.I.M.E.S. anymore. She snapped her mouth shut. Considered how surprised she was by that fact, and only remembered to blurt a hasty “thank you” when Rose started to walk away.
CHAPTER 16
Jett felt like he’d just been pressed flat by a steamroller. He continued to hold Janessa at arm’s length. She was the very last person he’d expected to see today, or any day for that matter. He’d broken things off with her quite succinctly at the end of their first and only date. When he’d first met her she’d seemed much more…wholesome. But then she’d arrived for their date dressed much the same way as she was today. He had almost excused himself from the restaurant on the excuse that something had come up, but the gentleman in him had won out and he’d spent an excruciating hour with her before taking his departure. Maybe if he had walked away immediately, he wouldn’t be in this predicament now. He had given this woman absolutely no indication that he was interested in pursuing a relationship, but he doubted that was going to win him any points with Salem when he tried to explain this.
Salem was at this very moment in the middle of an intense conversation with Rose, and he had a sinking feeling from the expression on her face that Dale had pulled a doozy on her this time.
Janessa reached out with one of her ghastly black fingernails to touch his chin. “Jett, honey, I thought you’d be thrilled to see me.” She pushed her lower lip into an exaggerated pout.
He actually felt sorry for her—sort of. What kind of woman was so desperate for company that she would throw herself at a man who’d made it perfectly clear he wasn’t interested?
“How did you find me?” He released her and took a step back, folding his arms.
Janessa dipped her chin and batted her lashes. “You should know you can’t hide from true love, Jetty.”
Jett’s jaw ached. “Listen, I don’t know how you found me or how you got here, but I told you there can be nothing between us.”
“Oh nonsense.” She stepped right into his personal space again and placed her hand on his chest.
“Stop, please.” Jett stepped back again and held out one hand to keep her from following.
Janessa was pouting in earnest now. “You don’t have to play so hard to get.”
“I’m not playing, here. Trust me. I meant it when I said there could be nothing between us. You still haven’t said how you found me.” He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“It wasn’t hard to follow you from your house to the airport, and then it only took me a few minutes to convince the ticket agent to tell me what town you’d gone to. A little gushing about what a great football player you were while I pretended to need a ticket to Dallas, Texas, and she said she wondered what business you had in Seattle.” Janessa spread her hands as though it had been the simplest thing in the world to accomplish. “Finding you after I got here the next day, however, was a bit more tricky. But thanks to an article in the paper yesterday about this exhibition game, I took a chance that you might be here.”
Jett frowned. “This is an invitation only event. How did you get in?”
“Oh please.” Janessa made a dismissive sound. “It was easy as pie for my brother to hack in and add my name to the list.”
Jett sighed. At least the reporters weren’t nearly as bloodthirsty as Janessa. “Well, I’m sorry you went to all that trouble, because there’s nothing here for you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to be going.”
“You can’t seriously be walking away from me after I came all this way?” Her ire was loud enough that she was starting to draw attention.
A sliver of unease wedged into Jett’s stomach. He wasn’t afraid of Janessa, but this was getting downright out of hand. What was he going to do with her? He darted a glance around the room and was thankful to see the man that he knew Jerry used as his private security watching him alertly. Jett raised his eyebrows and lifted his chin.
The security guard shouldered his way through the crowd and took Janessa by one arm. “Miss, if you’ll come with me, there’s been a complication with your invitation to the event, and we just need to double check it.”
Janessa blustered a protest, but the guard firmly hauled her across the room. She didn’t have a fighting chance, balanced as precariously as she was on those improbable shoes.
Jett had never felt more relieved to see the back of someone. He searched the room and found Salem standing by herself near the bank of windows that looked down into the bowl of the stadium. Fans were already starting to trickle into their seats, even though the game wasn’t scheduled to start for another hour.
He stopped by Salem’s side and thrust his hands into his pockets, feeling the pressure of time squeezing in on him. He really needed to get down to the locker room. First he wanted to get Salem situated in the box seat reserved for her just behind his team’s bench.
But by the way the muscles in her jaw worked in and out, and the glitter in her eyes when she pinned him with a look, he had some explaining to do first.
“She’s not with me.” He tipped a nod in the general direction where he’d last seen Janessa. “I dated her one time and broke things off right away, but—”
“You don’t owe me an explanation.” She returned her attention to the green field below.
“But I want to explain, because…I care about you.”
Her face softened, and some of the rigidity seeped out of her posture.
Relief eased a bit of his anxiety. Maybe she wasn’t going to be as hardheaded as he’d feared. “Walk with me to your seat?”
Salem had been standing at the windows assessing her surprising reaction to Rose’s job offer, but mostly chastising herself for the foolishness of getting interested in a guy so soon after escaping her relationship with Dale. Of course a man as handsome and eligible as Jett would have women waiting in the wings. There were probably a dozen more that she didn’t know about. So why was it that only a minute into Jett’s explanation she was already caving and feeling sympathy for him? The man had somehow in just a few short days managed to crumble the walls she’d so carefully built over the past months. Would she never learn?
She flicked a glance to the spot where she’d last seen Janessa disappearing with the security guard. No woman would fly all the way across the country after a man who hadn’t given her any kind of hope, would she? “So…she just flew all this way on a whim and a prayer?”
Jett frowned in consternation. “I know it seems farfetched.” He nudged her across the room and into the quiet of a long cement hallway. “I hope you’ll believe me when I say that for my part there’s nothing going on between Janessa and me.”
Salem folded her arms as she followed him, wishing she didn’t feel so skeptical about that. Wishing her heart wasn’t pounding against her breastbone like she was clinging to his every word. “It’s okay, Jett. You don’t owe me anything. Really.”
He sighed and came to a stop next to a large steel door. “That may be, but even though I’ve only known you for a few weeks, I care about you. And I know Officer Schmuck did a number on your ability to trust.”
She smirked at that. “You think?”
He tilted his head. “I’m sorry about the job.”
She sighed. Waved a hand. Then squeezed the back of her neck. “Yeah. Wow. I keep telling myself nothing about that man can surprise me anymore, and then something else crops up and does. But you know what’s funny? Rose gave me a blanket offer for any future job, and I realized that I don’t want it. I love what I’m getting to do. And spending my grandmother’s last years with her is an amazing blessing. So Dale actually did me a favor, I guess.”
Jett curled one finger below her chin.
She gave him her full attention.
“I’m not Dale.” His brows lifted in a pleading expression that begged her not to lump him into the same category.
She gave a short nod. “I know.”
His hand fell back to his side. “In the short time you’ve known me, have I ever given you the impression that I’m dishonest, or misleading, or a cheat?”
She shook her head, having to concede that point. If Dale had taught her anything, it was how to recognize a cheat and a liar. Jett certainly didn’t fit the pattern.
He touched her elbow, sincerity shining in his eyes. “I want you to know that I haven’t been just leading you on. I didn’t have any woman I was running from, and I didn’t come to Washington looking for anything but escape and time away with God. Getting to know you has been a surprisingly pleasant bonus.” His hand slipped down to clutch hers. “Do you believe me?”
Relishing the warmth of his fingers surrounding hers, she studied his eyes. Windows to the soul, so the saying went. After a long moment, she had to admit that she did indeed believe him. “Yes.”
A breath that he seemed to have been holding puffed from him. “Thank you. I have to get to the locker room, but can we agree to talk about this some more later?”
She pressed her lips together and nodded.
And before she realized what was happening he’d pulled her into a quick hug that was more relief and friendship than passion and promise. He stepped back almost before she had time to respond, and opened the door. “There are sodas in the fridge and you can ring for any food you’d like. I hope you don’t mind, but Jerry’s wife and family are in here with you too. I’ll meet you here after the game. Might take me a few minutes to get up here, though.”
Salem peered in the door and realized that it was a box with leather lounge chairs, a private bathroom, and a mini kitchen. “It’s nice. Thanks. Have a good game.”
Angel Kisses and Riversong Page 13