A Total Mismatch

by Madelaine Grant

  “It was wonderful seeing all of you,” he said, giving each sister a hug before leaving them. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, he headed back to his office. Now he could concentrate on finishing the work on his desk before meeting Sam. He planned to be there close to the time she finished the belly dancing gig. Then he’d have her all to himself for the rest of the weekend.

  ~ ~ ~

  The crowds at the craft beer convention seemed larger on Saturday, Sam thought, when she returned from a much-needed break a little after five o’clock. Everyone was eager to try the many samples of beer available, and the East Village Brewery table was always packed. As she was preparing to start her routine, she caught a glimpse of some familiar faces. A surge of excitement brought her into the throng surrounding the display. “Geoff–Andrew!” she called, waving a hand at her cousins.

  Coming closer, she realized they didn’t recognize her. “It’s me, Sam!” she exclaimed.

  “Sam?” Geoff looked puzzled. “What are you doing in that outfit?”

  “It’s a long story,” she said, smiling at them. “I’ll tell you later. I have to do my routine for the next ten minutes. Can you stick around?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” Andrew declared. “Let me give Dad a call and tell him to meet us here. We’re headed to see your parents for dinner tonight.”

  “Yeah, wait ’til he sees you in costume. Mom will be shocked, too.” Geoff started laughing. “We didn’t know belly dancing was one of your many talents.”

  “I’ve been doing this since college, for your information,” Sam declared before making her way back to the area where she performed.

  Her cousins pushed to the front of the crowd to get a better view. After several men had joined her in the dance, Geoff decided to do the same. After he finished, Andrew was next. As he was dancing with her, his parents joined the throng. When she finished the routine, her uncle and aunt came to greet her.

  “Well, well, this is a surprise,” Uncle Jim said. He gave her an enormous hug. “I didn’t know you were a professional dancer.”

  “I can’t believe it’s really you!” Aunt Faith exclaimed, holding on to Sam’s hands. “You look so different.”

  “I hope you can keep a secret.” Sam looked at her relatives with a serious air. “My parents don’t know anything about this, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

  “Of course,” her uncle replied. “Mum’s the word. Right, boys?” He turned to his sons.

  “Absolutely.” Geoff nodded his head. “You have my word.

  “Me too,” Andrew chimed in. “I think you look really hot.”

  Sam laughed. “Thanks. But I’m sure it would shock my parents if they ever found out. I’m in enough trouble with them as it is.”

  “Don’t worry about a thing.” Jim Milburn gave his niece another big hug. Looking at his family, he added, “We have to get going. I asked them to bring the car to the front of the hotel.” Turning to Sam, he said, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow at noon.” And then they were gone.

  Sam felt a lump in her throat as she watched them walk away. Their warmth was in sharp contrast to her parents’ and sisters’ cold and critical attitude. She resolved to stay in closer contact with her uncle and his family. Again, the thought struck her as it did so often–why couldn’t she have been born into a close-knit group of loving people? Forcing those useless thoughts away, she headed back to the brewery table. She’d be on call again soon.

  Shortly after six, Sam caught sight of Peter at the edge of the throng surrounding the East Village Brewery display. Waving her hand, she managed to catch his attention, and he headed toward her.

  “Well, well, this is quite something,” he said, looking pleased. “There’s a good many people here. I’m sure having you as the symbol of the brewery has brought more attention to their craft beer.”

  “I hope so,” Sam replied. “How did it go at the gallery today?”

  “A piece of cake. Jack sold two of his smaller paintings, and he has a deposit on a larger piece. Heidi was a big help, too.”

  “Good. I’m glad everything worked out. I guess you don’t need me after all.”

  “Is that so?” Peter retorted. “I expect you bright and early Tuesday morning, young lady.”

  Sam laughed at his mock vehemence. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

  “Tell me, did anyone try taking your photo or video you? I know we talked about this at our meeting earlier in the week,” Peter said with a serious expression.

  “Not really,” Sam replied. “But there was a television crew here earlier filming everything at the convention. It will probably make the evening news.” A frown crossed her face. “I hope my family doesn’t see it, although they know nothing about my belly dancing.”

  “I wouldn’t be concerned. With this costume, they’d hardly recognize you.”

  Peter stayed for about half an hour, and when he saw Jordan approaching, stopped to shake hands. “Sam’s almost done. I have a feeling she’ll need a long night’s rest after all this excitement.”

  “Looks like a great turnout,” Jordan said, gazing around.

  “I think she brought in a good crowd,” Peter replied before leaving.

  Sam was in the middle of her dance routine when Jordan made his way to the front of the group. She knew he was there by the sudden prickle of awareness that made her skin tingle. When he joined her in the dance, she felt the immediate heat of his body as he bumped hips and circled her with sensuous movements. It was like a repeat of their first time dancing together at the Blue Monkey. But this time, she knew they’d end up together for the night.

  At exactly seven, Jordan put a possessive arm around her waist. “Now it’s our time,” he said in a low tone. “I’ve shared you with enough people. How about room service for dinner and then a long leisurely bath?”

  Nothing ever sounded so good. “You’re on,” she said. “I am one worn-out belly-dancer.”

  He couldn’t help laughing as he led her away.

  Chapter 26

  Jordan drove Sam home early in the afternoon on Sunday. They’d enjoyed a leisurely brunch at the hotel and finalized plans for dinner with Uncle Jim and his family. Jordan made a reservation for seven o’clock at Balzanos, the Italian restaurant owned by his good friend, Nick.

  The closer they approached her brownstone, the quieter Sam became. She couldn’t help thinking about the messy appearance of her place.

  “You’ve hardly said a word since we left the hotel.” Jordan glanced in her direction. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing important. Except I didn’t get a chance to put things in order before I dashed out of my house Friday. My life’s been too hectic with all these belly dancing gigs. You’d better keep your eyes half-closed the whole time we’re there.”

  He started laughing before she finished speaking. “I can handle disorder. In fact, I’ll volunteer my superior organizing skills and help straighten things out.” He gave her thigh a fond squeeze.

  “Thanks for the offer, but it’s several years too late. I spent two hours earlier this week trying to rearrange the cabinets in my kitchen, so that I could have it done before the contractor comes to give me an estimate. Believe me, you could hardly see a change, and I was exhausted by the effort. I’d much rather spend my time with you outdoors for the next few hours. The kitchen can wait.” Now that she’d made this confession, Sam relaxed.

  He parked in front of the brownstone and turned to her. “Did you hire someone already? I didn’t know you were seriously thinking of doing that.”

  “Peter gave me the name of the man who renovated the gallery. I haven’t phoned him yet, but I plan to contact him tomorrow. The kitchen needs a major overhaul. I’m sure you’d agree.” Would he be upset she hadn’t consulted him?

  “You’re r
ight on that score. Even if you decide to sell, you’d have to modernize the place to get a decent price.”

  “I don’t plan to sell anytime soon. I like living here, but when I compare it to your spotless condo, I can’t help seeing the difference. With new appliances and flooring, I can give my kitchen a fresh look.”

  Her home needed more than a new kitchen. But he didn’t want to discourage her. Another plan for a possible living arrangement had popped into his head during the past week. He’d need to give the idea more thought before mentioning it. It did have interesting possibilities for spending more time together.

  He retrieved their overnight bags and opened the car door. “We have to talk about this upcoming wedding next weekend. There’s a rehearsal dinner Saturday night, the actual wedding on Sunday and a brunch Monday morning. We can probably skip the brunch and spend at least one day on the boat.” He shook his head in annoyance. “I’m free of weddings until the Labor Day weekend. One of my sisters is getting married for the third time.”

  Sam started up the steps beside him. “She’ll probably have a small wedding if it’s the third time around.”

  “Oh, no. That would be too easy. Her prospective husband hasn’t been married before and wants a big affair. Since he’s willing to foot the bill, I’m in for another lousy weekend. I can’t squirm out of this one.” Jordan’s expression was grim.

  It was Sam’s turn to laugh as they entered her house to the sound of loud meowing. “Poor Jordan. With three sisters, you must have seen your share of weddings.”

  He dropped the overnight bags in the hallway. “You can’t imagine how many weddings I’ve been to in the past few years. My jaundiced view of the marital state must’ve come from walking down that aisle more times than I can remember.”

  Sam walked into the kitchen to feed the cats. Jordan trailed after her and cleared off a kitchen chair to sit on. He tried not to notice the piles of clutter on the table and counters. “We can take a long hike around the park if you’re in the mood.”

  “That sounds okay. Or maybe we could walk down to the Met and wander around. I haven’t had time to do anything like that in ages.” She emptied the contents of a large can of cat food into two dishes. “I’ll need to change into something comfortable for walking.”

  “Sounds good to me. I haven’t been to a museum in years. You’ll have to be my guide.”

  She came over and put her hands on his shoulders. “It would be my pleasure.”

  He couldn’t resist pulling her onto his lap. “I can think of lots of ways to have pleasure, but we’ll have the whole night for those kinds of pursuits.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her close for a long, soulful kiss.

  She cuddled against his firm chest with a sigh of contentment. “This is nice. Just being with you makes everything better.”

  “That’s what I want to hear.” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “We need more leisurely days like this. Tomorrow I have to be in the office by two. At least we can lounge around for the whole morning unless you have other plans.”

  “No plans. That sounds wonderful.” Her painting time could wait.

  It was so comfortable sitting there with him that Sam almost forgot about her desire for the outdoors. “We should get some fresh air,” she murmured. “Maybe the museum is too far away, but a brisk walk would do us good.”

  “Fine. We’ll do the museum when we have more time. Right about now, I have a fantasy of a luscious bowl of ice cream with all the fixings. On our walk, I’ll be on the lookout for an ice cream shop.”

  “You would,” she retorted, getting up to find her sneakers. “If I lived with you, I’d be as fat as a house.”

  “Who says?” he challenged as she walked away. She was going to live with him at some point. Jordan had already decided that. Now all he had to do was convince her.

  ~ ~ ~

  A little before seven on Sunday night, Jordan and Sam entered the small Italian restaurant in mid-Manhattan.

  “I hope Uncle Jim can find this place,” Sam said. “It’s a well-hidden gem.”

  “I gave him good directions. He shouldn’t have a problem,” Jordan replied.

  He slipped an arm around her waist. “Have I told you how sexy you look tonight? That’s one of my favorite tops. Easy to slip off, too.” His hand moved up to caress her bare back while his eyes darkened with desire.

  With a mock stern expression she rounded on him. “Your mind is either on food or sex. Do you realize that?” The halter-neck top Jordan admired did exactly what the saleswoman at that boutique said it would.

  “I can’t deny it. Both turn me on.” Lowering his voice, he said, “But you’ll always come first. Remember, I neglected several late-night sundaes to take you to bed.”

  “That was a big sacrifice,” she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

  Before he could deliver a suitable retort, the hostess came to show them to their reserved table. “Nick will come out later to say hello. Meanwhile, he told me to let you know your drinks tonight are on the house.”

  “That’s very kind of him.” Jordan looked pleased. “We’re waiting for four more people, who should be here shortly.”

  As he finished saying those words, the Milburn family walked in. Sam hurried to greet them. “I’m so glad to see you. I thought you might have trouble finding this place.”

  “No problem. Jordan gave good directions.” Jim Milburn gave her one of his enormous hugs. “This has that authentic Italian look. And I can smell the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce. I love it already.”

  “Yeah, this looks cool,” Andrew said glancing around.

  Realizing she hadn’t introduced Jordan to her family, Sam said, “I want you to meet Jordan. His good friend, Nick Balzano, owns the restaurant, and I can vouch for the food. It’s marvelous.” She headed to their table with the others following behind her.

  Jordan was eager to greet everyone. He noticed how happy Sam looked as she presented each of her family members. It was in stark contrast to the way she described her parents and sisters. Jim and his two sons were tall men with athletic builds. By comparison, her aunt was much shorter and well-rounded. She had perceptive gray eyes and a warm, pleasant expression. He liked her immediately.

  When Sam mentioned the name Milburn, Jordan knew he’d heard that name before. Yes, Andrea’s parents’ name was Milburn. Was it just a coincidence? He’d have to find out.

  When everyone was seated, Jim said, “I’m so glad we could get together tonight.” Turning to Sam, he added, “It’s been too long since we’ve seen you. At least six years. The last time we were all together was at Grandma Wilma’s funeral. We can’t let six more years go by.”

  “Has it been that long?” Sam exclaimed. “I’ve been so busy starting the gallery that time has just flown. I haven’t had a real vacation in those six years. But I’m taking a whole week off this summer.”

  “That’s my doing,” Jordan chimed in. “I love sailing, and last weekend I took Sam out on my boat for two days. She loved it and wanted to circle the globe for a year. Well, since that’s not possible, we settled for one week.”

  “That sounds like a good compromise. Faith and I love sailing, too. We’re near enough to Annapolis to get out pretty often with friends who own a forty-eight-foot sloop. If we could get you down one weekend, I’d arrange at least one day on the water.”

  “Yes, I hope you can come down this summer and visit with us, even if it’s just a weekend,” Faith said. “We’re still in the big house, so there’s plenty of room. We don’t need much notice. Please consider it.”

  Sam beamed at her aunt and uncle. “Thank you for the invitation. I’d love to spend more time with you. You are by far my favorite relatives.” Surrounded by the love of her uncle and his family, Sam was filled with a rare sens
e of joy.

  Their waiter appeared with baskets of crusty Italian bread. For the next few minutes everyone studied the menu.

  “Why don’t we order family style?” Jim suggested. “That way, we can try lots of dishes.”

  “I can vouch for the veal scaloppini,” Jordan mentioned. “That is one fantastic dish. The spaghetti and clam sauce is also marvelous.”

  “I’d love an eggplant entrée,” Faith said. “We’re trying to eat less meat and more vegetables.” She eyed her two sons and her husband.

  “You may be into veggies, but there’s nothing wrong with a big, juicy steak. How about it guys?” Jim glanced at Andrew and Geoff.

  “Dad, you know Mom’s right. Especially now that you’re getting older. Less red meat is important for your health,” Geoff said with a righteous air.

  Andrew nodded. “Most of the people I work with are either vegans or vegetarians. It’s a coming trend.”

  Jim turned to Jordan. “What about you? Does a nice thick steak appeal?”

  Jordan glanced from Faith to Jim. “Your wife’s probably on the right track, but every once in a while I love a filet mignon wrapped in bacon. Pretty decadent, huh?”

  “Decadent but delicious.” Jim sighed. “Okay, we’ll get eggplant parmesan and also a fish dish. Of course, we’ll have salad. That should be a well-rounded meal.”

  Nick Balzano appeared with two bottles of wine. “Good evening folks. I’ve selected a Pinot Noir and a Sauvignon for you to try tonight.”

  “Thanks, Nick.” Jordan smiled at his friend. “I know we’ll enjoy your selections.”

  “Remember, I’d like to have you and Sam over for brunch one of these upcoming weekends,” Nick reminded Jordan. Coming around to Sam, he bent and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad Jordan brought you again.”