by Nicki Night
“Sorry for being late. What are we drinking?”
Jewel raised her glass. “Cabernet Sauvignon.”
“Pinot.” Harper pointed at her drink.
Dominique raised her hand signaling the waiter who hurried over. She ordered Jewel’s drink and turned back to the ladies. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing. Of course we were going to wait until the circle was complete before spilling all the juice.”
“I know. Let’s order and get started. Work has been so crazy I feel out of touch with every area in my life.”
“Me, too,” Harper said. “Besides the fact my boss tried to make a pass at me.”
“What!” Dominique and Jewel barked together.
“Okay. You start! What happened?” Jewel asked.
“He’s the cute new one, right?” Dominique seemed excited. “Was he a jerk about it?” she asked.
“Or did you actually like it?” Jewel asked, raising a brow. “You don’t seem upset.”
“Whoa! One at a time.” Harper held her hands up. “It was actually sweet.”
“Sweet!” Dominique reared back.
“What does that mean?” Jewel sipped.
The waiter checked in and they ordered meals.
“First he complimented my dress and immediately apologized. I said thanks and told him no apology was needed. Then he sighed like something was wrong. I asked if he was okay and he said this...” She paused. Jewel and Dominique leaned in. Harper giggled. “‘I didn’t want to offend you. It’s just that you really are beautiful and I was trying to find a way to say that without being inappropriate. I hope that doesn’t make you uncomfortable.’”
“Aww. That is kind of sweet, isn’t it Jewel.”
“It depends on what happens next. What day was this?”
“Monday.”
“How has he been since then?” Jewel asked.
“Almost like a shy kid with a crush. He avoids being around me unless there’s a business need, but he has checked in a time or two to make sure I was comfortable but it’s clear that he has a thing for me.”
“Wow! That certainly makes for an interesting work environment,” Dominique said.
“Do you feel comfortable? Because that’s what’s important.”
“Actually, Jewel, it didn’t bother me at all. He wasn’t creepy about it and has gone out of his way to make sure it doesn’t get creepy.”
“Would you date him?” Dominique inquired.
“If he wasn’t my boss? Absolutely. He’s gorgeous!” Harper rolled her eyes.
“Dammit! He needs to get fired!” Jewel slammed her napkin on the table.
Laughter poured from each of them.
“That’s all I’ve got,” Harper said once they recovered.
“I think I need to go last. What’s happening with you Dom?”
“They’re trying to kill me at work. I’ve been pulling ten-hour shifts. It’s been affecting my beauty sleep. And I know I said I’d never date any more attorneys, but I met this guy at one of my company’s receptions and he was G O R G E O U S. Luckily, I found out that he was a judge so that makes it okay.”
“You’re going to date him?” Harper asked.
“I don’t know. We exchanged cards. He emailed me suggesting we do lunch, but I’m going to wait and see what I find about him first. Did I mention that he was gorgeous?”
“I’d say you pretty much spelled it out for us.” Jewel lifted her glass but ended up laughing too hard to take a sip.
“Oh my goodness!” Harper wiped a tear. “This is why I love when we’re together. You ladies crack me up. Whew! Okay, Jewel. Your turn.”
“Yes. What’s up with Sterling Bishop? How was the date? Spill every drop of that scrumptious juice. Don’t leave out a single detail!” Dominique ordered.
Jewel grinned, trying to hold the laugh bubbling behind her lips. Both friends sat on the edge of their chairs waiting for her speak. “That date pretty much lasted all week.”
“What!” Dominique’s voice cracked and carried far beyond their table. Several patrons looked in their direction. The three of them snickered.
“How did this happen?” Harper asked.
“The date was great! We had dinner on a private yacht and went back to my place.”
“And.” Dominique stretched the short word into several syllables.
Jewel fell back in her seat and laid the back of her hand on her forehead. “It was explosive!”
“Whoa!” Dominique shouted, garnering more stares.
“Wait! What was explosive?”
Jewel and Dominique looked at Harper sideways.
“Oh!” Harper’s hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes stretched wide. “Jewel,” she sang.
“We hung out for the rest of the week going to the movies, dinner, all kinds of stuff. It was really fun.”
“See. I told you to give him a chance. You and this compatibility thing.”
Jewel sat straight, holding up a finger. “We had a great time this week, but that doesn’t mean this will be anything permanent. I’m having fun while it lasts.”
Dominique threw her hands up and let them fall against the table with a slap. “Really, Jewel.” She leaned back so the waiter could place their meals on the table. When he walked away, Dominique continued. “Don’t lead him on if you really don’t want him. He doesn’t seem like a player that would take that lightly.”
Jewel twisted her lips. “I’m not leading the man on. It’s only been a week. It’s not that serious.”
“What if it gets serious?” Harper asked, taking in a mouthful of pasta.
“It won’t. I won’t let it. He has an ex-wife and a child, remember?”
Dominique waved her comment off. “Sometimes serious sneaks up on us.”
Jewel shifted in her seat wondering if the girls noticed.
“Let’s go back to the juicy details.” Harper saved her. “Tell us about the dates.”
They enjoyed dinner as Jewel relayed the details of her whirlwind week with Sterling.
“Oh. And Kevin upped his offer. He really wants me to take the position at his company.”
“Are you considering it?” Dominique’s fork only made it halfway between her plate and her mouth.
“Didn’t your dad give you the promotion?” Harper asked.
Jewel looked toward Harper first. “Yes. I got the VP position.” She directed her attention to Dominique. “The offer is attractive and would give me full reign over operations and would look amazing on my résumé. But I’m not sure if it’s the right move. Ugh.”
“That’s tough.” Dominique shook her head.
“When does he want an answer?”
Jewel cut her eyes upward and brought them back down to Harper’s line of sight. “Like...yesterday. I’ve been putting him off and the longer I put him off, the more he sweetens the deal. It isn’t about the money. It’s about the opportunity. Here’s the thing...” Jewel shifted in her seat. “Although I would have a better title at his company, my family’s business is actually a better look for my résumé and there’s more room for growth. I’m leaning toward staying now that I got the new position. I’m just not sure going to Kevin’s company would be worth it.”
“You’ll have to think that through long and hard.” Harper sighed.
“You’re right, you need to determine if it will be worth it. I wonder what your dad would make of it. Does he know about it?”
“No!” Jewel shook her head vigorously. “When Sterling and I talked about it this week, he said the same thing.”
Dominique dropped her fork. “Really.” She looked at Harper and the two of them snickered.
“What?” Jewel looked back and forth between them.
“You’re asking Sterling for advice now?”
“Oh ple
ase.” Jewel waved away their concerns. “Like I said, I’m having fun now but in the end, he’ll never be more than a friend.”
Dominique narrowed her eyes at Jewel. She didn’t seem convinced.
Jewel’s phone vibrated. There was a text from her sister for everyone to meet at their mother’s house by eight thirty. The display on the phone told her it was past seven thirty.
“Looks like someone called a family meeting tonight. I’m going to have to cut my dinner short, ladies. Sorry.”
Harper wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I hope everything is okay.”
“Yes, Jewel. Keep us posted.”
“Will do.”
Jewel quickly finished her meal, said goodbye and headed to her parents’ home.
Alarmed by the nondescript text, she pushed the speed past the limits to arrive in record time. Jade and Chris were in the kitchen with their parents. Jewel was even more surprised to see her grandparents, Mary Kate and Freddie.
“Hey Grandma! Hi Granddad.” Jewel leaned in for a kiss and Mary Kate squeezed her in a warm embrace.
“How’s my favorite baby girl?”
Jewel shimmied into her grandfather’s arms.
“Granddad! You just said I was your favorite,” Jade scolded him.
“I did, didn’t I?” In his usual way, Freddie tittered and sat down, giving neither the satisfaction of a response. His tease made everyone laugh. Mary Kate winked and patted his hand.
“Hey Mom. Hey Dad.” Jewel kissed each of them, giving her mother the thumbs-up for her chic pantsuit. El blushed. Jewel then greeted her brother and sister with a hug.
“Where’s Chloe?”
“We’re waiting for her now.” El sat down at the table with her in-laws and a cup of tea.
“Everything okay?” Jewel looked around curiously.
“I guess we’ll find out when Chloe gets here. She called the meeting,” El said.
“Oh. I thought you and dad called the meeting.” Jewel walked to the refrigerator, retrieved a container of orange juice and poured a glass.
The garage door opened and Chloe walked in with Donovan on her heels.
“Hey everyone!” Chloe kissed her grandparents, parents and then her siblings. Donovan greeted the women with hugs and kisses and the men with firm shakes.
“Anybody hungry?”
Chris stood. “Yep.”
“You just ate!” Jade admonished.
“Now I want some of my mother’s good food.” Chris grabbed a dish and handed it to his mother.
Bobby Dale chuckled. El smiled as she piled food onto her son’s plate.
“Anyone else?” El asked. Her meals were hard to resist. Everyone but Jewel ate. Instead, she took sample bites from her siblings’ plates.
After the meal and a bit of light discussion, Chloe stood and called Donovan up to stand by her side.
Chloe wore an expression mixed with worry and excitement. Jewel wondered what she was about to share with the family. Donovan laced his fingers between hers and placed his other hand gently on her back. His supportive gesture seemed to calm her a bit. Was she pregnant? El would be upset if she had a baby before getting married. Appearances mattered to her.
“What’s going on?” Jewel couldn’t stand the suspense.
“Donovan and I have set a wedding date.”
“Congratulations,” Mary Kate and Freddie said together.
“You certainly have our blessing,” Bobby Dale said. El nodded with her hand on his shoulder. They were in agreement. “When?”
Donovan looked into Chloe’s eyes. “Labor Day weekend.”
“Okay.” Jade sang the word. “That’s a little over two months away. We’ve got a lot of work to do in a short period of time.”
“Yeah. The date is sooner than expected, but I thought you had a real surprise for us,” Chris teased.
That couldn’t have been the news, Jewel thought. Surely Chloe and Donovan had to know that the family expected they would choose a date soon. There had to be more. Jewel wondered what it was.
“In Puerto Rico,” Chloe said in a rush as if she couldn’t wait to get the words out of her mouth.
The room fell silent. All eyes went to El. She sat straighter but didn’t speak. Ever since Chloe and Donovan’s engagement, El had been looking forward to hosting their wedding right at Chandlers. She couldn’t wait to make it the biggest event their friends could ever witness and talked about it all of the time. This was good news for everyone except El. This was also another example of Chloe standing her ground and for that she made Jewel proud.
El cleared her throat and set her chin slightly higher. “Well if that’s what you want.”
“It is what we want, Mom.” Chloe’s hopeful expression pleaded with El. “The wedding will be held at Donovan’s resort.” Chloe turned to Donovan. When she looked into his eyes, Jewel swore Chloe’s eyes glazed with admiration. Her sister’s love for Donovan seeped into the atmosphere.
“I think it’s perfect. That’s where it all started. Why not get married there?” Jewel said.
“Yes!” Jade chimed in. “How romantic.”
“Serenity will love this.” Chris walked over to Donovan and shook his hand. “You better take care of my big sister.”
“For sure.” Donovan patted Chris’s arm.
“Well, sweetie,” Freddie said to Mary Kate. “I guess we’re going to Puerto Rico.”
“Good. I can finally wear that two-piece I’ve been holding on to.”
“Uh. Grandma! No two-pieces allowed. Not in Puerto Rico. Not anywhere!” Jade scrunched her nose.
Everyone laughed except El.
“I’m happy to help any way I can.” Bobby Dale confirmed his acceptance even as he placed a comforting hand over El’s.
“I won’t say I’m not disappointed. Chandlers would have been an ideal location for the wedding and everyone would be able to make it.”
Everyone waited for Chloe’s response. “I’m sure you’re disappointed. Mrs. Rivers would have loved to host our wedding at their place as well, but Donovan and I decided that Puerto Rico would be best. It means so much to us.”
“Fine.” El sat. It was obvious that she wasn’t as excited as the rest of the family.
“It would be great to know that we still have your blessing,” Donovan said.
El huffed. After a few moments of silence, she nodded.
Jewel noticed Chloe hold Donovan’s hand tighter. She looked over at her parents and her father was still holding her mother’s hand. The gesture warmed her heart and she found herself wondering what it must be like to have a partner so supporting and comforting. She watched the way both Chloe and her mother appeared calmer. Those simple wordless gestures seemed to mean so much. Jewel hadn’t experienced that in a date before. Could she have that with Sterling? Would he be interested in joining her at the wedding? Would she want a destination wedding for herself?
Those random thoughts jolted Jewel. What was she thinking? Her tryst with Sterling could only be temporary. They were having fun but nothing serious could ever come from it—or could it?
Chapter 20
The weeks whizzed by and Sterling had Jewel at his side all along the way. Work, Jewel, family—that was how he’d spent his days. There weren’t many places they hadn’t gone to together. He’d even done things with Jewel that he’d never done with other women like go shopping. Sterling couldn’t believe he had let her coax him into a trip to the mall. He even stood outside of the fitting room giving her the thumbs-up on the outfits she tried on. As far as he was concerned, everything looked amazing on her. Somehow they found themselves in each other’s beds on Friday and Saturday nights.
Jewel was a breath of cool spring air. Refreshing, funny, witty, smart and beautiful—she was the complete package. Not to mention she was the first woman to make
his toes curl while making love. What more could he ask for? They hadn’t defined what they were. She even referred to them as friends, but Sterling wanted more. He couldn’t let Jewel get away. He just had to convince her having an ex-wife and daughter would never hinder him from being the man she needed.
Sterling could tell she’d taken issue with these things by the way she withdrew at times when he talked about Kylee. She tried to be discreet, but he always noticed. With starry eyes, she talked about the future and Jewel never mentioned a stepchild in the life she envisioned. That was his only obstacle. Although Jewel appeared to be the perfect woman, there was no way he could move forward with her if she couldn’t accept his daughter. Kylee was his world. She had to love Jewel and Jewel would have to love her back. He just needed to show Jewel that it was possible.
Sterling heard his name. Jewel’s voice had a way of causing jolts of electricity to course through his body. Everything about her was stimulating.
“What’s up, babe?” He’d taken to calling her that in recent weeks.
Jewel trotted down the steps in a tank, ripped jeans and glittery sandals. Her designer handbag hung from her forearm. With her hair pulled back, every exquisite feature in her beautiful face was on full display. Her red sexy lips made his member twitch.
Jewel plopped the purse on the counter, embraced Sterling and wrapped her feet around his back. As Sterling laughed, he had to steady himself to avoid letting her slip. Jewel threw her head back and laughed, too, releasing music into the air and drowning out the sound of the bacon sizzling in the pan. She kissed him all over his face before sliding back to her feet.
Sterling kept her in his arms and kissed her forehead. Air circulated in his chest. Her playful nature really did something inexplicable to him.
“I’ve gotta go. Our dresses for the wedding came in and we need to get fitted.” Jewel grabbed a mini croissant, tore it open and laid two slices of bacon inside. “You won’t believe how much we managed to get done in a few short weeks.” She took a bite. “I can’t believe the big day is less than two months away.”
Mention of the wedding made Sterling imagine Jewel’s beautiful body under a tropical sun. The thought made him desire her right then and there. “You’re coming back tonight, right?”