by C. C. Wood
She shook her head. “That’s all I had to say about Jordan. I just wanted you to understand what I mean when I say thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing my nephew back to me.” Joyce reached out and took my hand. “For many years, I’ve watched him drift through life. The only thing he seemed to care about was work. Now I see the Jordan I remember from so many years ago.”
I thought Jordan’s reserve had been something he’d always had, maybe a leftover trait from childhood or a natural shyness. It never occurred to me that it was his way of dealing with the loss of his parents, of protecting himself.
And it should have because I had a similar inclination. I wanted to keep people at a distance. If they didn’t get close to me, they couldn’t hurt me. Yancy was the only reason I knew Lucy, Chelsea, and Grier. I would never have opened myself up to them if Yancy hadn’t introduced them to the group one by one.
Swallowing hard, I decided it was time to take another risk and open up to Joyce, just a bit.
“He does the same for me, you know,” I admitted. “I feel…different with him.”
Joyce’s eyes misted over with tears and she squeezed my hand tighter. “Then I’m doubly glad he met you.” Abruptly, she released me and leaned back, blinking her eyes rapidly. “Okay, enough of that talk. I just wanted you to know how I felt and to tell you that you shouldn’t let him push you away if he tries. It’s obvious to me that he cares for you deeply.”
“I care for him too,” I shared.
She blinked away more tears. “Okay, enough! Let’s eat pasta. Carbs make everything better.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
An hour later, Joyce and I were still chatting as we walked back to the building, our bellies full of pasta and a shared piece of excellent tiramisu. She had insisted on paying for lunch despite my attempts to refuse. I relented when she promised to let me purchase our meal the next time we met. I had a feeling she would conveniently forget that promise when the occasion arrived, but that was an argument for another day. At the moment, I needed to get back to the office.
“Thank you so much for taking me there, Joyce,” I said. “I had no idea that restaurant existed but I will definitely be going back.”
“You’re welcome, dear. I hope we’ll be able to do this again soon.”
“I’d love that,” I replied.
As we entered the lobby, I immediately saw Jordan coming out of the little cafe in the middle of the massive atrium. His eyes locked on me then drifted over to his aunt. Then he smiled.
He looked pleased to see us together as he walked toward us. “Joyce, you told me you wanted to go to lunch with Tanya soon, but I didn’t expect it to be quite so quick.”
“You know me, sweetie, I don’t let the grass grow under my feet.”
“Of course you don’t.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then gave me the same treatment. I could almost swear I felt eyes on us. Sure enough, when he stepped back, I saw several of our coworkers loitering near the cafe, coffees in hand as they watched us.
Jordan and I might have spent nearly every night together over the past few weeks, but we’d kept our relationship out of the office. Other than the occasional lunch together, we rarely saw each other during the working hours.
By greeting us so warmly and kissing me on the cheek, Jordan might as well have announced to the entire firm that we were an item. This usually would have annoyed me, but my relationship with Jordan was different.
We weren’t a short-term fling. This was serious. Plus, if the coworkers who just witnessed Jordan’s display of affection shared with the other employees, maybe I wouldn’t have to watch women in the firm flirting with him all the time.
While it was likely harmless flirting, it still rubbed me the wrong way.
Of course, now I would have to tell Cynthia before she heard it through office gossip. Though she was my assistant, we were also friends. She would definitely be hurt if I didn’t tell her personally.
I barely paid attention as Joyce and Jordan chatted, responding when I thought I should. Soon Joyce was heading out the door, refusing Jordan’s offer to walk her to her car.
“Sweetie, I’m hardly elderly. You need to get back to work.” She kissed his cheek and gave him a hug. “Now, don’t wait two weeks before you call me again or I’ll be forced to come visit you at the office.”
She gave me a hug and kiss as well.
“Thank you again for lunch, Joyce,” I said.
“You’re welcome, dear. We’ll do it again soon.”
Waving over her shoulder, she walked out the door into the sunshine.
As Jordan and I walked toward the elevators, I noticed that our coworkers had disappeared, likely already sharing the news that the Snow Queen was dating the new partner.
“So, why did it sound like a threat when Joyce said she would come to the office to see you?” I asked him.
Jordan smiled at me, his eyes twinkling. “It was. I’ve asked Joyce never to come into the office. She’s somewhat…distracting.”
I laughed because he was right. Joyce was larger than life.
“Did you have a nice lunch?”
“I did,” I replied. “I really like your aunt. She’s…” I trailed off. “Wonderful.”
“She is,” he agreed as we stepped into the elevator. He pressed the button for our floor. “And she likes you a lot as well.”
“You realize that there were several junior and senior partners watching us from the cafe, right?” I asked him after a short pause.
“I do,” he responded simply.
“It will be all over the office by the end of the day,” I continued.
His eyes narrowed on my face. “Is that a problem?”
“Not really,” I answered, shaking my head. “In fact, I’m hoping it means the other women in the office stop hitting on you in front of me.”
Jordan chuckled. “I’m sure it will.”
I glanced over at him as we exited the elevator. “You think it’s funny?”
“Not really,” he replied, shaking his head. “Which is exactly why I kissed you in front of everyone this afternoon.”
“I’m not sure if I want to thank you or pinch you,” I stated.
He laughed again just as we walked into the office. Immediately, heads turned and assistants and partners alike stared at us in shock. I realized this was the first time Jordan had laughed in the office since his arrival months ago. The sound was not only rare but also beautiful. He had a wonderful laugh, rich and deep, and I loved hearing it.
I looked toward my office to find Cynthia watching us with speculative eyes. Then she grinned.
Apparently, I wouldn’t have to tell her that Jordan and I were together. She’d already assessed the situation accurately.
“Dinner at my place tonight?” Jordan asked.
Acutely aware that the people in the immediate vicinity were listening, I leaned toward him, lowering my voice.
“Can we stay at my house tonight?” I asked.
“No problem.”
I tried to sound casual when I said, “Why don’t you bring some things with you? I’ll clean out a drawer and some closet space for you.”
One of his brows cocked up and he smiled slowly. “Should I do the same in my bedroom?”
“If you want.”
He stepped a bit closer. We were standing together, our bodies nearly touching. “Oh, I want.”
Suppressing a shiver, I stepped back. “Then the next time I come over, I’ll be prepared.”
“See you tonight,” he stated quietly.
“Tonight.”
As I moved toward my office, I could feel eyes watching me. Cynthia stood when I got closer and followed me into the office.
She shut the door as I sat down at my desk. “Tell me everything, boss.”
“Considering you just called me the boss, that sounded a lot like a demand.”
“Whatever. Tell me what’s going on because just a f
ew weeks ago you were barely speaking to that gorgeous man.”
“It’s a long story,” I explained.
“You’re free until three-thirty, so we’ve got time.”
Chapter Sixteen
To my surprise, the office gossip about my relationship with Jordan ended quickly. There was some talk, some sidelong glances, but for the most part, no one seemed to care.
So much for my concern that the gossip would run rampant and make me uncomfortable.
I mentioned as much to Cynthia on Wednesday morning when she brought me coffee. She just laughed. “I don’t think people want to risk pissing off Mr. Hawke. No one wants to be on his bad side. Except maybe me,” she joked. “I don’t think I’d mind him turning those icy blue eyes on me and telling me I’m a bad girl.”
I just stared at her until she grinned sheepishly.
“Too far?” At my nod, she shrugged. “Sorry, for a second I forgot that you’re dating him now.”
I laughed softly and shook my head. “No, you didn’t. You’re just incorrigible.”
“Ha! You’ve been spending too much time with the Brit if you’re using words like incorrigible.”
“Get out of my office before I have to fire you,” I replied. “Because I really don’t want to spend the next three months looking for my next assistant and another six training them to do what I need them to do, the way I want them to do it.”
Completely unfazed, Cynthia rolled her eyes. “Yes, boss.”
“Thanks for the coffee,” I called.
She lifted a hand in acknowledgment and closed my door behind her.
My cell phone rang a few moments later and I sighed, giving up on the idea of getting any work done for the moment.
“Woman, I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks. We’re having lunch today, no arguments,” Chelsea declared. “I’ve already talked to Yancy and Grier. Lucy can’t come, so it’s just the four of us.”
I glanced at the clock. I had three hours to do six hours worth of work. “Chelsea, I’m not sure I’ll be able to swing it today, I have a ton—”
“No excuses. I’ll go down a little early and grab you something and you can eat and run, but the girls and I are dying for an update. I mean, we’re assuming things are going well because you’ve been locked up tight with your new man, but we want details.”
Knowing that she wasn’t going to let it go, I relented. “Fine. I’ll come down for a half hour or so and eat, but I really do have to keep it short.”
“Done. I hope you don’t mind talking with your mouth full because I intend to live vicariously through you. This stupid dry spell is making me consider joining that hook-up site. What’s it called? Tidbits?”
Laughing, I leaned back in my chair. “No, sweetie, that’s not what it’s called. And I don’t know what you’re talking about. What about that guy who asked for your number when you and Grier went out for drinks a few weeks ago?”
“Ugh. We went to coffee and he spent the entire time talking about his investments. Forget businessmen, I need a guy who uses his hands on a daily basis and knows exactly what to do with them.”
I laughed. “Jordan knows what to do with his hands.”
“You can tell me all about it at lunch. Go work so you can stay for the whole hour.”
After Chelsea and I hung up, I set a reminder on my phone to meet them downstairs at noon and got to work. When my phone went off a couple of hours later, I glanced up in surprise to see that it was a quarter to twelve.
I saved my work and grabbed my wallet out of my purse. As I walked toward the elevator, I saw Jordan talking to Scott Pratt, one of the founding partners. They both nodded at me as I walked by. Scott smiled, but Jordan winked. I’d never seen him do that before.
When he saw the expression on my face, he grinned, shoving his hands into his pockets. I realized then that he enjoyed making my composure slip.
Master of the mind fuck.
That was what my colleagues called Jordan. He had a way with words and a quick, razor sharp mind that constantly surprised me.
Thinking of that made me shiver, but I was unsure why.
Master of the mind fuck.
The words swirled in my head as I entered the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. I didn’t understand the reason the words were so unsettling to me. I still hadn’t figured it out by the time the elevator arrived at the lobby level and I squeezed out with the rest of the occupants.
True to her word, Chelsea was already waiting for me at a table in the atrium, a packaged salad and glass of iced tea sitting in front of an empty chair. I saw Yancy and Grier in line in the cafe, waiting to pick up their orders.
“Thank you for picking up the salad,” I said to Chelsea as I sat down.
“You’re welcome.” Her eyes moved over me. “You look a lot more relaxed than the last time I saw you.”
“Thank you, I am.”
Her lips curved into a knowing smile. “I’d say your drought problem is over.”
“Well…”
Chelsea lifted a hand. “No, no, don’t start yet. As much as it kills me to say this, we need to wait for the others.”
As soon as she spoke the words, Grier and Yancy plopped down at the table with their food.
“Hey, y’all,” Yancy greeted. She turned toward me. “You look different. Did you change your hair?”
“No, she got laid,” Chelsea joked.
Yancy smiled but shook her head. “No, that’s not it.” She studied me for a moment. “I can’t put my finger on it, but you look different.”
“She’s in love,” Grier stated, sipping her water.
Chelsea and Yancy both turned to me in unison. “What?”
“I never fell out of love with Jordan,” I admitted.
Grier shook her head. “You’re not just in love, you know you’re loved in return.”
“Oh my God,” Yancy breathed, clapping her hands together. “That’s awesome!”
“He said he loves you?” Chelsea asked, her eyes wide.
I nodded. “This weekend. After we had brunch with my father and his aunt.”
“You met the family?” I didn’t think it was possible for Chelsea’s eyes to get any bigger but they did. “Holy shit, that’s quick!”
“I said the same thing to Jordan,” I replied with a shrug, “But he pointed out that we dated for six months before he moved away and that is a solid foundation.”
“I thought you said y’all had a no-strings thing?” Yancy asked.
For the first time in a long time, heat rose in my cheeks and I knew my skin was flushed. “Well, that is what I thought, but…” I trailed off because I wasn’t sure how to put it. I was also embarrassed by how willfully blind I’d been to Jordan and his feelings.
“He wanted more?” Yancy asked. “I thought it was his decision to move away.”
“It was,” I replied, sipping my iced tea to soothe my suddenly dry throat.
“He didn’t know you felt the same way,” Grier stated.
I shook my head, feeling idiotic for not seeing it before.
Grier looked at me and I could almost hear her thoughts.
“I know, I know, I should have talked to him,” I admitted, lifting my hands.
The corners of her mouth tipped up. “Well, it takes two to make a relationship and, many times, it takes two to fuck it up.”
“Preach,” I murmured beneath my breath. So many of the divorces I saw resulted from the actions of both parties in a marriage. There was always an exception to the rule, but it was rare. “I just hate that we wasted two years.”
“And if you think back, do you honestly feel you were ready for a serious relationship two years ago?”
I stared at her for a moment, thinking about that time in my life and how I felt about relationships then. “No, I wasn’t. I wasn’t open to it at all.”
Grier nodded. “So maybe these two years weren’t wasted. Maybe you spent them growing into someone who’s ready to commit
.”
“Seriously, how did you get so smart?” Yancy asked Grier. “You’re five years younger than me, but I feel like you know so much more.”
Grier giggled, the light sound unfamiliar but still beautiful. “Many years of watching other people live their lives, make mistakes, and find success.”
“I think she’s an immortal who stopped aging at twenty-five,” Chelsea mumbled. “She’s probably a thousand years old.”
We all laughed, even Grier.
“My dad invited him to our Thursday night dinner this week,” I announced.
“Wow, your dad invited him to Thursday dinner?” Yancy asked.
I’d explained to my friends that it was our time together and non-family members were rarely invited.
“And he brought up marriage this weekend,” I blurted out.
“Your dad?” Chelsea asked, looking confused.
I laughed. “No, Jordan.”
“What?” Chelsea and Yancy yelled in unison.
Grier winced at the volume of their voices and I laughed.
“He didn’t ask me to marry him,” I clarified. “He just brought it up.”
“Still, you guys have only been together a little over a month. That seems really quick,” Chelsea said.
“Yeah, that does seem quick,” Yancy agreed.
“Maybe it is, but we didn’t decide to elope this weekend. It was just a conversation.”
“We haven’t even met him yet,” Chelsea pointed out. “If it’s that serious, I want to meet him.”
“Chelsea, why do you need to meet him?”
“You’re one of my best friends. Best friends meet the boyfriend before he becomes the fiancé. What happens if he hates us? You won’t hang out with us anymore!”
“Of course I’ll hang out with you,” I told her. Chelsea wasn’t overly dramatic often, but she did have her moments. “And if he doesn’t love you as much as I do, then he’ll just have to get over it.”
“Promise?” she asked.
“Yes, now quit being a drama queen.”
Chelsea scowled at me. “I’m not a drama queen,” she denied.
“You all can come over for dinner this weekend. I’ll cook something.”
Chelsea and Yancy looked at me with stark fear in their eyes. Even Grier seemed hesitant.