“Is she a nice young lady?” his mother wanted to know.
“Yes, Mom, she is. And there’s nothing between us.” At least not yet, Drake thought.
“You’re not getting any younger,” his sister, Gail, said. “Don’t I see some gray in your hair?”
“Is that dye in yours?” Drake responded. “I see a couple of wrinkles on your face, too.” His sister was so vain he expected her to grab a mirror.
“In your dreams, old man.”
“Learn to cook,” his uncle said to Gail, “and the men will come.”
She rolled her eyes. “You are one sorry man. I don’t know how Aunt Helen puts up with you.”
“By ignoring him,” his aunt said, dishing a second helping of fried chicken.
Drake’s mind flashed to Jasmine again.
“It’s going to take you forever to get some grandkids, sis,” his uncle said. “Grandkids are pure joy.”
The macaroni stuck in Drake’s throat. He swallowed three times before he choked it down.
They’d had this same conversation around the dining-room table a million times. Babies weren’t something men often talked about. It was just a given that after you were married a few years and settled down a couple of kids would come along. Drake’s fork clattered on his plate.
“Deanna is home for the weekend,” Gail said just to pester him. “She’s living in D.C. now. I invited her over. She should be here in an hour.”
“You two used to hang out together,” Drake said.
“But she’s not coming to see your sister. She’s here to see you,” his mother said. “I don’t think you’ve seen her in five or six years. Very attractive young lady.” Now his mother was on the marriage bandwagon.
“You’re not trying to choose my dates for me, are you, Mom? I thought you gave up a long time ago.”
“Mothers never give up, son. I just want to see you settled with a nice young lady. Your dad and I were married at your age and you’re not even seriously dating someone.”
“Well, I like to take my time,” Drake said. “It’s a serious decision and I certainly don’t want to be included in the fifty percent divorce rate.”
“Bite your tongue, young man. I’ll say the problem is instant gratification. Couples aren’t willing to put in the time to iron out the kinks.”
“Some aren’t worth ironing out.”
“Some could survive if they gave themselves more time and stopped looking for the image of the ones on TV. No one’s perfect. There’s that adjustment period.”
“How did we get on this topic?” Gail asked. “It’s soooo depressing.”
“I agree,” Drake said. What woman would want to marry a man who couldn’t give her children?
The conversation had made dinner stressful. Soon after dinner, Gail’s friend arrived, but she wasn’t Jasmine. They talked over old times before Deanna finally went to the movies with his sister and he drove back to Middleburg earlier than he’d planned.
Against his better wishes, Drake called Jasmine. He’d ask her out on a date. For dinner or maybe a movie or show, something. But she didn’t answer her phone.
Jasmine had just come in from an emergency call. Floyd was on call, but the vet tech said he was already handling an emergency. So he asked if she would take the call. Just as she was walking in the door, Casey called to her.
“Hey, girl.”
Jasmine waved.
“Noelle and I are going shopping at Tysons Corner. Want to go with us?”
“Just got in from a call.”
“She won’t be here for at least half an hour. You have time to dress. Come on. It’ll be fun. We’ll have dinner before we come home.”
Maybe it would be good to hang out with other women. She needed to be more sociable. Also it gave her more time with her sister. Jasmine shook her head. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around that.
“All right.”
Jasmine showered and dressed in record time. She was ready by the time Noelle drove up in her sporty little car. Noelle tooted her horn. Casey and Jasmine came out at the same time. But Jasmine’s steps slowed. Since Noelle didn’t invite her, she felt as if she were imposing.
Noelle hopped out of the car. “I’m glad you could come, Jasmine.”
Casey slid in the backseat and Jasmine slid into the front passenger seat. “I only do this once,” Casey said. “Next time, you’re in the back.”
“I don’t care where I sit as long as I don’t have to drive. I feel like I spend most of my life on the road.”
“I never thought about that. You have to drive from farm to farm. How far do you go each day?”
“An average of one hundred to one hundred and fifty miles, depending on my caseload.”
“That has to be a pain,” Casey said.
“Not really. It’s beautiful out here. The scenery relaxes me.”
“You can see more of it if you didn’t have to drive. Dr. Floyd usually lets the vet tech drive.”
“I think he’s the only one with a tech right now,” Jasmine said.
“Well, just sit back and enjoy,” Noelle said. “We’ll be at the shopping center before you know it.”
Noelle’s little car shot forward. The serene mountain roads gently gave way to more lanes and more traffic. It was immediately apparent when they were nearing the city. People drove as if they were trying out to be racecar drivers, shooting in and out of lanes as if they were afraid of missing something. It reminded her of L.A.
Finally they pulled into a crowded area, the likes of which Jasmine hadn’t seen since she’d arrived in Virginia.
Noelle circled a while before she fought for a suitable parking space in the mall parking lot.
Tysons Mall had lots of high-end stores.
“So what are you shopping for?” Jasmine asked.
“We don’t know,” Noelle said. “Maybe a few things to wear on the honeymoon, but I have a few months. I’m not rushed. I just love to shop. I could use a new purse.”
An hour into shopping, Jasmine wondered why she had wasted a perfectly good afternoon. They took loads of clothes into the changing room, didn’t buy one single item, then they found another handful of clothes to try. Jasmine was slowly going insane. Were she and Noelle really sisters? She was seriously contemplating taking a taxi back home. She didn’t care about the cost.
“Jasmine, try this on,” Noelle said.
“What?”
“Try it on,” said Casey.
Jasmine fingered the thin, skimpy blouse as if it were a foreign object. “We’re looking for clothes for Noelle. We don’t have time to shop for me.”
“I don’t know what I’m looking for,” Noelle said. “You’re the only one who hasn’t tried anything on. Come on.”
Jasmine shook her head. That blouse definitely wasn’t her.
“Come on. Is this your size?”
Jasmine checked the label and nodded.
“Then let’s go.” They finagled Jasmine into a dressing room. Before she could try on the blouse, a pair of slacks sailed across the door.
“Open up so we can see it,” Noelle said after a few minutes.
By the time Jasmine modeled the first outfit, they had three more outfits for her to try.
“I’m not trying on all these clothes.”
“Won’t take but a minute,” Noelle said. “That outfit looks great on you. You have to get it.”
Jasmine had to agree it looked fabulous on her curves.
“You have to strut your stuff,” Casey said. “With the clothes you wear, a man wouldn’t know you had curves at all. They like women with hips and a butt. You have enough to give a man whiplash.”
Jasmine laughed. “You need to stop.” She didn’t turn heads. “The horses don’t care what I wear.”
“You aren’t trying to impress the horses, girlfriend,” Casey said.
She would not think of Drake. She hadn’t heard from him at all after the kiss that left her tossing and turning in her bed
late into the night.
She tried on the other outfits they handed her.
“I don’t know how you could leave any of these in the store,” Noelle said. “They look fabulous on you. And then you won’t have to go shopping when Drake asks you out.”
Jasmine groaned, “You all are too much.” But she left the store with four new outfits.
Jasmine couldn’t believe it. She gazed at Noelle and Casey. They were treating her as if they’d been friends for years. They were accepting her for who she was.
“I have enough food at home to feed a stable of horses,” Noelle said. “Let’s eat at my place.”
Noelle’s house was an old white colonial. Farther back, some distance away, hidden by trees, stood several buildings.
“Leila sent over some of the leftovers from the party. I have enough food to last all of us a couple of weeks, so I’m going to pack enough for you to take home with you,” Noelle said. “I think Grandpa is afraid I’ll melt away. He’s always asking Leila to make sure my refrigerator is stocked.”
“He probably indulges all of your whims,” Jasmine said.
“He’s the perfect granddad now, but it’s no secret that I didn’t grow up here,” Noelle said. “I moved here in January.”
Jasmine nodded, but wouldn’t ask her to explain. Jasmine knew Noelle’s parents lived in California.
Noelle smiled. “I just learned recently that George Avery was my grandfather. I came here to meet him. Many of the people around here know my background,” she said. “My mother and Mackenzie Avery were childhood neighbors and close friends. When my father found out he was sterile, my mother asked Mackenzie Avery to be the donor. He was in school in California then. And his features were very much like my father’s. He saw how badly my mom and dad wanted children, and wanted to help.”
Jasmine understood the reason Mackenzie had donated sperm for Jasmine’s parents, but why did he do it for a virtual stranger? She would never know the answer.
She stared and Noelle continued to talk.
“I know. Crazy story, right? It seems so odd. My grandfather didn’t know of my existence and he was grieving after Mackenzie died. When I arrived, shortly after I learned the truth, I didn’t know whether I’d even identify myself. But Colin convinced me to do so. Colin impressed upon me that my grandfather needed me, and so we told him together.” She glanced at a picture of the older man, who was barely smiling about something. “I’m glad I did. It’s changed him. Gave him something to live for.”
Deep into thoughts of George Avery and Noelle’s story, Jasmine jumped when Casey’s arm touched hers. Noelle seemed so well adjusted.
“How did you learn about Mackenzie?” Jasmine asked.
“My parents told me years ago, but I was older when I developed this yearning to meet him.”
“How did your parents feel about all this?”
“My dad and Granddad play poker and golf together. Granddad is actually going to Carmel in a couple of weeks to play a few rounds and watch Tiger Woods play at Pebble Beach.”
“So you had a good relationship with your father.”
“The best. Truthfully, I’m a daddy’s girl. Mackenzie was dead by the time I was ready to meet him. My mother’s parents ran a summer camp here when I was small. The one I’m reopening this summer, and this is their old house. Anyway, Mackenzie gave me riding lessons when I was small. I didn’t know of our connection then, but he did.”
Suddenly a shadow crossed Noelle’s face. “We talked the week before he died, and we were going to get together that weekend. Both of us were looking forward to the trip.”
“He wanted to get to know you as an adult?”
“Very much.”
Noelle was conceived just like she was. A million questions ran through Jasmine’s mind.
“How did your dad feel about this?”
“I don’t know how he would have felt if Mackenzie was still alive. He knew I was going to spend time with Mackenzie, and then after his death, come here to meet my grandfather. By then Mackenzie wasn’t a threat to him. Like I said, I’m Daddy’s girl.”
Daddy’s girl. What would it feel like to be Daddy’s girl?
Jasmine cleared her throat. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to see Mackenzie before his death.”
“Yes,” Noelle said quietly, her eyes becoming glassy. “Me, too.”
Jasmine stood. “I’ll set the table while you get the food.” She had to move, do something other than sit and think.
Two hours later, Noelle took Jasmine and Casey home. Jasmine barely had time to get inside before her phone rang.
“Jasmine…”
“Drake, could you come over?”
“Sure. I’m twenty minutes away, but I’ll be right there.”
What would happen if she told Mr. Avery she was his granddaughter? Would he want her? Would he trust her as easily as he trusted Noelle? Noelle had a family connection. Her mother was a neighbor. Jasmine was a stranger. How could he welcome a stranger as easily?
Jasmine scrubbed her hand over her face. Why did she ask Drake to come over? He couldn’t do anything. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, when her defenses were down. But she was glad he was coming. She did not want to be alone.
Jasmine sounded panicked. Drake mashed on the gas. All kinds of disasters ran through his head in the fifteen minutes it took him to get to her place. He’d sped all the way.
She met him at the door. When she fell into his arms, he was as shocked as she seemed to be. Anything that would make this strong woman come unglued was serious.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Gathering her strength, she pulled back. “I’m sorry I called you over. I’m okay.”
“What’s wrong?” he repeated, easing her into the room and closing the door.
“I’m just being silly.”
He took her face between his hands and gazed directly in her eyes. “Talk to me, Jasmine. Trust me.”
She turned away, led the way to the family room. “I just keep thinking about Mr. Avery. He’s my grandfather, too, but I can’t tell him.”
“Why not?”
“There’s the drama with his nephew. Then there’s the trouble at the office. If people found out they’ll think I’m looking for a handout. That I expect special treatment because of our connection.”
“No, they won’t. You pull your own weight and then some.”
“People get funny when money and careers are involved. I’ve worked too hard to get where I am to have my work second-guessed.”
“You have to tell him eventually. Don’t you see? If he accepted Noelle, he’ll accept you, too.”
“It’s too much all at once. He only found out about Noelle. I can’t just spring myself on him immediately. Maybe in a year or two.”
“Think about it, Jasmine. You have a newfound sister and a grandfather. They would willingly accept you in the fold.”
“I don’t know that. At least, I’m not ready to test it.”
This was tearing her apart and Drake wanted to help her. “You don’t have to make the decision today.”
Their gazes met. “No. I’ll be here for a while. You’re right. I have time.”
As if it were as natural as rain, she came to him, slid her arms around his waist and lay her head against his chest. Drake closed his arms around her.
He wanted her. Really wanted her. He’d only have to move a few inches for his lips to touch hers. But she didn’t need a lover right now. She needed friendship. And if it killed him, and Lord knew it was, friendship was what he’d give her.
For now.
Chapter 5
Although Jasmine liked to drive to appointments to enjoy the solitude between visits, the vet assistant was driving her around today. With Ponce on vacation, her workday was extremely long. Floyd had suggested she take the intern. She pulled out her BlackBerry and started to write up notes on her visits. This way she wouldn’t have to do it once she got back to the office. She closed he
r eyes a moment to gather her thoughts. Her day had started at four-thirty that morning. It was already five in the afternoon and she had another three hours to go—at least.
“I really like this work,” the vet assistant, Gordon Dale, said. “I’m looking forward to becoming a vet one day.”
Jasmine smiled. It had been only a couple of years since she was at his stage. But it seemed like a lifetime ago. Where had the time gone? You really had to like the work to put in the long, dirty hours. At least he was competent.
“It won’t be long,” she said. “Where are you from?”
“New York.”
“Do you want to practice there?”
He shrugged. “Not sure. I want to roam around a little first. Maybe even go to a foreign country. Work on an African safari or something.”
“Sounds exciting. Especially since a lot of the animals are becoming extinct. I have a friend over there now.”
“Yeah. That’s cool. How much farther to the next stop?”
“Another fifteen minutes.”
“I guess you cover a lot of territory working in a rural area like this.”
“We cover farms in a fifty-mile radius. Travel over all kinds of roads.”
Jasmine’s mother had called the day before. She usually called twice a week. This time she told Jasmine again that she and her stepfather would be arriving soon—as if Jasmine needed the reminder. Time to get busy finding a bedroom set for the guest bedroom. As if she had the time to shop.
More than likely Steven would come with them since Drake was his friend. Maybe he’d stay at Drake’s place.
Drake. If that wasn’t another kettle of trouble, she didn’t know what was. That kiss. She still couldn’t get it out of her mind. He’d called her Sunday to take her out to dinner, but she’d refused. Instead she’d fallen in his arms like an airhead with no self-esteem or coping skills. Suddenly she’d lost her ability to think. That’s exactly what he must be thinking.
They needed distance, which wasn’t difficult. It was Wednesday, and she’d managed to avoid him since Sunday. In a sense she felt ungrateful, like a coward. He’d canceled his date to take her to Noelle’s party. And she hadn’t thanked him for it. He’d brought over dinner many evenings to make her feel more welcome.
Then Comes Love Page 6