“Awww,” Sophie said.
Brenda placed a finger over her lips. “Shhh. This is my moment.” There were soft chuckles around the table. “Seriously, though, here’s to good friends. I love you all!”
“Here, here!” her friends yelled.
They clinked their glasses together again, and she took a deep swallow from hers.
“Now sit your butt down.” Sophie pulled her back onto the seat and into a hug. “Love you, too,” she whispered. Charlie’s death had made the word love flow freely all day long.
The waitress arrived at the table, a pretty redhead named Gina. “Can I get you anything else?” she asked. Her gaze encompassed the entire group before settling on Jay.
“Unless you’re going to give me your number, I’m fine,” he said with a playful grin. Often the charmer and flirt, his behavior came as no surprise.
Gina blushed. “Would any of you like more to drink? More to eat?”
It was obvious she was interested. She didn’t take her eyes off of him. With his dark Italian looks and short beard, he exuded masculinity. He could have her in the cooler in the back if he tried hard enough. Brenda stared down into her almost empty glass.
“Just the check,” Jay said. “I’m picking up the tab for this bunch of hooligans. Please thank the management for not kicking us out.”
“Awww, isn’t he generous?” Nick hooked his arm around Jay’s neck.
“I’ll pay for everybody but this guy,” Jay added, pointing at his friend with his thumb.
Sophie tossed her cloth napkin across the table and it landed on his empty plate. “You’re terrible,” she said. Her eyes flirted with him, and Jay grinned but didn’t offer further encouragement.
Sophie didn’t lack male attention, but she remained in an on-again-off-again relationship with a man who was no good for her, which tended to limit her dating options. Brenda had never suspected Sophie might be interested in Jay, but the moment that passed between them suggested otherwise. Unease lodged in her chest and warmed the spot right beneath her sternum, making her toss back the watery remnants of the Long Island Iced Tea.
Gina bussed the table and Jay took the black leather checkbook she handed him. He looked inside and immediately glanced up in Gina’s direction, but she had already walked away with their empty plates. A slow, stealthy smile spread across his face. He looked very much like someone who’d received exactly what he wanted. No doubt Gina had supplied her phone number. Surprise, surprise.
Jay’s gaze collided with Brenda’s and she froze. She hadn’t meant to stare, but that’s exactly what she’d done and quickly looked away, albeit too late.
She’d grown accustomed to seeing women react to Jay. They were often drawn to him.
He wasn’t overly tall, topping out a little over six feet, but when he entered a room he called attention to himself without calling attention to himself. He really didn’t do anything, except be…Jay. Casually sexy in the way that some men are. Under the right circumstances his smile turned impish, which when paired with his other physical attributes, made him spectacular to look at. Most women could easily be seduced by the slightest bit of interest from a man like him.
Most.
If things were different…
Brenda dismissed her musing as that of someone who’d clearly had too much to drink. She shouldn’t hypothesize about what could have been. No point in having her thoughts go in that direction.
Years ago that bridge had been crossed, burned, and charred to a brittle crisp.
Chapter Two
Jay stepped onto the sidewalk with Nick and the women, pulling his jacket closed to protect against the cool, early April air. Cars drove by on the street, and there was a little bit of foot traffic because of the high-end shopping center where they had eaten.
“I’m not looking forward to tomorrow,” Nick said, shoving his fingers through his too-long hair. “My flight leaves at six in the morning.” He groaned.
As the import director of a consumer food products company, he spent a lot of time overseas. He’d come back for a couple of days because of Charlie’s funeral but wouldn’t be back again until July.
Brenda stifled a yawn and swayed. Her shoulder bumped Jay. Reflexively, he caught her around the waist with a steadying arm. “You okay?” he asked.
His gaze slid over her upturned face, taking in the darkness of her skin—deep brown, like his favorite amaretto. The black wrap dress molded to her figure, and he felt her softness under the thin layer of fabric. She wore her hair cut short in a tapered pixie that flattered her oval face, with strands winging over her right eye and touching her eyelash.
She grinned and eased from his arm. “I’m tired and ready for bed.” She yawned again, looking rather sleepy, eyes struggling to stay open. She brushed the bangs of her hair out of her face. “Either that or I’m turning into a lightweight. I can’t believe I let you three force me to drink so much.”
Sophie snorted.
“Forced you?” Nick said, pretending to be insulted. “We couldn’t stop you if we tried.”
“We couldn’t stop the dancing, either,” Jay said.
“I’m ignoring you. All of you.” Brenda pointed at each of them.
Jay pulled out his phone and checked the time. They had been one of Gina’s last tables, and she would be getting off soon. He’d learned her schedule after she left her number in the checkbook. He’d made a trek to the restroom and stopped her on his way there.
“Do you have somewhere to go?” Brenda asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Jay’s always got somewhere to go and someone to do,” Nick said.
Oh boy. Now Nick would start his routine where he teased Jay mercilessly about his sexual exploits, and Sophie and Brenda would jump right in.
“Nothing’s changed, has it?” Brenda eyed him with part amusement and something else. Disapproval, maybe?
“Jacopo Santorini, the Italian Stallion,” Nick said. He neighed like a horse.
“That’s enough,” Jay said. When he’d first heard the name, he hadn’t known whether to be flattered or insulted. He happened to enjoy women and enjoyed sex. Lucky for him, he found them both in abundance.
“Well, don’t let us keep you,” Sophie chimed in. “Go do your thing—or that person.”
Jay pointed at Nick. “See what you’ve started?”
They all laughed at his expense, and right then the taxi Brenda had called pulled up at the curb. Brenda pouted, an attempt at playful petulance, but with her full, lush mouth, she came across as tempting and provocative. Jay’s eyes lingered on her lips far longer than they should have, and his breathing suspended, as if someone had cut off his oxygen.
Brenda sighed. “This is it, gentlemen. We need to do a better job of keeping in touch.”
Did she mean it, or was that simply the polite thing to say?
She walked over to Nick and gave him a long hug. “Bye-bye,” she said softly. “Have a safe trip, and tell your mother hello for me.” When he went back to Europe, Nick planned to stop off in Greece first, where his extended family lived.
“I will. She always asks about you.” Nick squeezed her tight and briefly pressed his face into her neck. Feeling as if he was intruding on a private moment, Jay looked away. He and Sophie exchanged hugs then stood silently as Brenda and Nick spoke softly, their heads close together.
Then Brenda walked over to give Jay a hug, too. She smelled sweet and flowery, but he couldn’t place the fragrance. “It was good to see you,” she whispered. Again he wondered if she meant it. She’d lived in Atlanta for six months, but neither of them had made an effort to get together.
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close enough to feel the full weight of her soft breasts and have her stiffen against him. The temptation to continue holding her was strong. He yearned to also bury his face in her neck, as Nick had done. But their hug didn’t last nearly as long as the one she gave their friend. They never did. Almost immediately sh
e pulled back, and his hand clenched at the loss of contact.
“It was good to see you, too. Get some sleep, lightweight,” he teased, tweaking the tip of her nose.
Brenda wrinkled it at him. “I will,” she sang as she sashayed to the waiting taxi. Sophie followed behind. From the backseat, they both waved and blew kisses out the window. He and Nick watched until the car disappeared.
His friend sighed deeply. “She’s great, isn’t she?” A wistful note filled his voice.
“Which one?” Jay asked, though he really knew.
“Brenda, of course.”
Of course.
Brenda attracted people no matter where she went. She was quite a character, with a cute little laugh that came easily and often, and was the kind of person who never met a stranger. One of those people who struck up conversations in grocery store lines and made lifelong friends as a result.
“Yeah, she’s great,” he agreed, keeping his tone neutral. Like Nick, he stared down the street where the cab had disappeared, a pain in his jaw from clenching his teeth so hard.
****
The taxicab rolled with a mild flow of traffic, the soothing voice of a talk radio host coming through the speakers. Brenda rested her head against the seat and yawned. She shouldn’t have drunk so much. She’d probably have a terrible headache tomorrow.
“I can’t believe how you have Nick eating out of your hand,” Sophie said from beside her.
They were on the way to Brenda’s house, where Sophie had left her jeep. She was spending the night instead of taking the long drive back to her apartment. As a flight attendant, she did like many airline employees and lived south of the city for an easy commute to the airport.
“You’re making this into a bigger deal than it is. He’s just being nice.” She shouldn’t have told her what Nick whispered out on the sidewalk.
“Being nice?” She couldn’t see Sophie’s face clearly in the dark vehicle, but she didn’t have to. The skepticism came through loud and clear. “He invited you to go to Europe, all expenses paid, and he didn’t offer the same to me or Jay. I’m pretty sure he’s trying to get in your panties.”
Brenda didn’t respond to Sophie’s assertion because, in all honesty, she had her doubts about Nick’s motives. His invitation had taken her by surprise.
Sophie yawned. “I’m exhausted.”
“Me, too.”
Silence.
“Jay’s so hot,” Sophie said. “But he’s not the least bit interested in me.”
Brenda lifted her head. “How could you even think about getting involved with Jay when…?”
“When what? Because of Jenna?” Sophie waved her hand dismissively. “Please, those two have been divorced for ten years, and they’ve both been involved with other people since then.”
“Other people, but not one of us,” Brenda said pointedly.
“Um, again, they’re divorced, and she’s more your friend than mine, if we’re honest.”
“I cannot believe you,” Brenda said.
“What? So she gets to call dibs on his penis for the rest of his life? Pfft. Please. There are people who give up their families because of love.”
“Are you saying you’re in love with him?” The question came out as a high-pitched squeal and her heart quivered, a rapid movement that left her a little breathless.
“Heck no! But I’d give up her friendship in a second for Jay.”
Brenda gaped at Sophie. “Remind me never to let you near my future husband.”
“I would never sleep with your husband, and besides, you’re the best of my besties. That’s a no-no, but if after you’re done with him and it’s true love…” She shrugged as she let the words trail off.
“Wow.” Brenda let out a short laugh and shook her head.
“You can have your goody-two-shoes crap. I’d rather have true love.”
“It’s not crap. There are just things you don’t do, that’s all.”
“And this has nothing to do with your mommy issues,” Sophie said dryly.
Brenda ignored her.
She and her mother had an odd relationship, but she didn’t have mommy issues. Her mother refused to grow up, and Brenda had always been the adult in their mother-daughter relationship. She’d always been responsible, prone to make the right decisions with her head, while her mother tended to go with her heart and hormones.
“But seriously, why do you think Jay’s never shown any interest in me?” Sophie asked. “I dropped a few hints tonight, but he didn’t appear to be the least bit interested.”
“Probably because you spent so much time talking about Keith, like you always do,” Brenda said.
Sophie swung her head in Brenda’s direction. “Did I talk about him a lot?”
“He kept coming up.”
“Ugh. Oh well. That waitress is probably under Jay as we speak.”
“Probably.” Brenda folded her arms, eyes trained on the passing cars and the bright lights of the shopping center they’d stopped in front of, wishing away the prickle of pain in her chest.
After the driver pulled off, Sophie turned her head in Brenda’s direction. “Hey, are you okay? You seem off.”
“I’m tired,” Brenda replied. It wasn’t entirely untrue. Even though it was Saturday, she’d gone into work for a few hours before swinging back home to meet Sophie and go to the funeral. Add to that the long day, the dancing, and the drinking, she looked forward to sliding under the sheets and sleeping late tomorrow.
Sophie rested her head against the seat of the cab and closed her eyes. “I’ve always wondered what happened, you know, between Jay and Jenna. They were together for a couple of years, got married, but the marriage didn’t even last two years. Why? I mean, look at him. I would have tried to work that out, whatever the problem was.”
“Jenna said irreconcilable differences caused the divorce.” Brenda didn’t know the whole story, but Jenna had mentioned something vague about them realizing too late that they’d made a mistake. She’d never heard Jay’s side. She’d never asked.
Sophie tilted her head in Brenda’s direction. “Maybe it wasn’t a love match. She was pregnant when they got married.”
Brenda shrugged. “I don’t know. Who knows why people get married or divorced?”
“People get married because they’re in love.”
“Not always. People marry for all kinds of reasons.”
“True.” Sophie closed her eyes again. “I know I made those comments about Jay, but it’s sad their marriage didn’t last. I thought for sure they were so in love. I knew, of all our friends who’d married young, their marriage would last. But it was the shortest lived. The boys turned out great, but it’s too bad things didn’t work out between them.”
Brenda looked out the window again. They’d rolled to a stop at another red light. On the sidewalk, a couple speed-walked arm-in-arm.
“Yeah. Too bad things didn’t work out,” she said quietly.
Chapter Three
Brenda slammed the car door and ran up the stone steps to the porch. She had about an hour to shower, change, drive to Sweet Treats Bakery, and get to her board meeting at the Fulton County Performing Arts & Community Center. She served on the fundraising committee of the center, which brought diverse programming to the area and boasted a state-of-the-art theater with the latest in digital and audio equipment. She probably couldn’t make the meeting on time, but was determined to try.
Her home was the first floor apartment of a 1920’s duplex in Candler Park. It was a long drive to and from her job in Alpharetta, but she’d immediately fallen in love with the place because of its charming façade and the way light came into the house. An added bonus was its proximity to the park, which served as a venue for festivals throughout the year, and the restaurants and shops within walking distance.
Inside, she hung her keys on the key rack and walked down the hallway to one of the two bedrooms. Although the house had been renovated five years ago, the owner had mai
ntained the character of the original construction with simple touches like refurbishing the cabinets and repairing the solid wood floors.
She tossed her purse on the queen size bed, the only new furniture in the entire apartment. It was Victorian in design, with an antique bronze headboard and footboard. Every other piece of furniture she owned had been purchased secondhand, including the distressed oak dresser.
Making good time, Brenda had changed and was in the process of locking up when she saw her neighbor and landlord from upstairs, Mrs. Chen, carrying two bags filled with groceries. She was an elderly white woman with a twinkle in her blue eyes that suggested despite the bent shoulders and slow walk, her energy and spirit remained intact. She always had a friendly greeting whenever they ran into each other, so Brenda didn’t hesitate to approach her.
“Need help with those?” she asked, pointing to the two totes, one in each of Mrs. Chen’s hands.
“You don’t mind?” Brenda had assisted her before, but she always asked.
“Not at all.” She was short on time but couldn’t allow her neighbor to lug those bags up the stairs by herself.
“I appreciate it so much.” Her voice sounded weary. Brenda took the bags and followed up the stairs to the second floor. They progressed slowly, Mrs. Chen holding the handrail and taking her time with unhurried, measured steps.
Inside the apartment, Brenda set the totes on the kitchen counter. “There you go. Anything else I can help you with?”
“Aren’t you a kind-hearted soul.” Mrs. Chen held up a finger. “Wait one minute.” She shuffled over to an old-fashioned ceramic cookie jar and pulled off the lid. But when she looked inside the container, her expression changed from smiling to disappointment. “I was going to give you some of my snickerdoodle cookies. I baked a whole batch a few days ago, but my grandson came by. He must have eaten them all.”
“That’s okay. I’m on my way to the bakery before my meeting tonight. I bring them dessert to make the meeting a little more pleasant.”
“I’ll make some more very soon,” Mrs. Chen promised, “and bring them down to you.”
An Unexpected Attraction (Love Unexpected Book 3) Page 2