Happy Mother's Day: Ready for Romance / Ready for Marriage

Not surprisingly, Evan was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Sterling arrived ten minutes after Jessica, greeting her with a small approving smile, and set about sorting the mail.

Jessica spent the first part of the morning organizing the material she’d researched the day before and typing up her notes. That way, Evan wouldn’t be forced to waste time deciphering her hasty scrawl.

She’d just completed printing out the results when a breathless Evan entered the office. From the look of him, he’d raced all the way up from the parking garage. Briefcase in hand, he marched up to her desk.

“Do you have those notes ready?” he asked, reaching for the file before Jessica had a chance to present it. She stood up, intending to discuss a few points with him, but he brushed past her and hurried into his office without a word. She would have followed him, but he closed the door.

Jessica was taken aback; unsure of what to do, she turned to Mrs. Sterling. The personal assistant sighed and shrugged. “Working for Mr. Dryden can be a real trial,” she muttered, then grinned and added, “No pun intended.”

As Mrs. Sterling chuckled at her own little joke, Evan reappeared, looking composed and confident. He’d removed his raincoat and was leafing casually through the file. He glanced over at Jessica and his face relaxed in a broad smile.

“You’re an angel,” he said, kissing her cheek as he walked past. Jessica had seen him kiss Mrs. Sterling in the same affectionate manner.

“I’ll be in a meeting with Damian this morning,” Evan announced on his way out the door.

As the morning went on, Jessica found herself wondering exactly what her role in the office was. Although Evan had recently been assigned the Earl Kress case, his work load had been light during the past few months. Now that she’d finished the research, there was barely enough to keep her busy.

From various bits and pieces she’d heard, Jessica gathered that Evan’s interest in corporate law had waned. Surely Damian hadn’t hired her expecting miracles! Since he was so closemouthed about Evan’s troubles, Jessica wondered if Mrs. Sterling could fill in some details. She didn’t want to be obvious about asking, which could prove tricky since the woman was so clearly devoted to her employer.

“That Evan’s a real charmer, isn’t he?” Jessica began conversationally.

“He always could charm the birds right out the trees,” Mrs. Sterling answered proudly.

“He’s different now from the way I remember him. More … intense.”

Evan’s personal assistant nodded and muttered, “I’d like to shoot that woman.”

Jessica’s heart leapt with excitement. “What woman?” she asked, trying to hide her eagerness. She was about to learn what had happened to change Evan so drastically from the man she’d known.

Mrs. Sterling glanced up, as if surprised that Jessica had heard her mumbling. “Oh … it’s nothing.”

“But it must be something. Evan isn’t anything like he was a few years back. Oh, he’s charming and sweet, but there’s an edge to him now. A sharpness, I guess. Something I can’t put my finger on.” She looked expectantly at the other woman.

“That’s true enough,” Mrs. Sterling reluctantly conceded.

“You say a woman’s responsible for the changes in Evan?”

“Isn’t it always a woman?”

“What happened?” Might as well try a more direct approach, Jessica thought. Tact wasn’t getting her anywhere.

“It’s a pity, a real pity.”

“Yes, Evan just isn’t the same,” Jessica said again, hoping to encourage the other woman to continue.

“It shouldn’t come as any surprise, really. Yet it does, Mr. Dryden being the charmer he is. Plain and simple, he fell in love with someone who didn’t feel the same way about him.” Then she clamped her mouth shut as though she’d already said far more than she should—far more than was circumspect for a personal assistant to say about her boss.

But this much Jessica already knew. She wanted the particulars. Who was this woman who’d hurt Evan so badly? Her back stiffened at the thought of someone rejecting him—the man she’d worshiped from afar during her tumultuous teenage years. Whoever this woman was, Jessica decided, she was a fool.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Sterling was unwilling to provide any further information.

About eleven Evan walked into the office. He smiled as he strolled past Mrs. Sterling’s desk to hers. “The research you did was wonderful, Jessica. Thank you.”

His appreciation caught her off guard. She wondered if Damian had said something to him and was momentarily speechless.

“I appreciate the effort that went into your report,” he murmured. “I’m very pleased with the quality of your work.”

“I … I was happy to do it. That’s my … my job.” The words stumbled off the end of her tongue. Jessica was astonished that his praise could fluster her like this. She was embarrassed now by the way she’d overreacted last night when she’d learned that he’d left the office. It was her own fault for not taking time to eat lunch. Evan’s disappearance wouldn’t have bothered her in the least if she had….

“Damian said you were here till almost eight.”

So Damian had mentioned that. “As I said earlier, I was only doing my job.”

“Mom and Dad are having a barbecue this weekend,” Evan continued, “Saturday, around four. I’d like you to attend it with me.”

His invitation threw her, and she wasn’t sure what to say. Although she hadn’t had a lot of work experience, she knew that dating the boss could lead to problems.

“This shouldn’t be a difficult decision,” Evan said, raising his eyebrows.

His pride had already suffered one blow, and Jessica refused to deliver a second, no matter how slight. “I’d enjoy that very much,” she said. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

He smiled affectionately. “You always were sweet.”

As a teenager, Jessica’s daydreams had been filled with such scenarios. She’d close her eyes and pretend Evan had asked her out. Now her dream had come true, but Jessica was left wishing it had been Damian issuing the invitation, instead of his brother.

“I’ll pick you up. You are living in the city, aren’t you?”

Jessica nodded. “Wouldn’t it be simpler if we met at the party? As it happens, I’m spending the weekend with my parents, and I can walk over with them.”

Evan seemed a bit surprised by her suggestion. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“Then that’ll be fine. I’ll look forward to seeing you there.”

There’d been a time in her life when she would’ve gladly walked across a bed of hot coals to attend a party with Evan. Any party. Anywhere. Hadn’t Damian been counting on that when he hired her—even if he claimed to know she was long over her crush?

“The party’s in honor of some dignitary,” Evan went on. “A French artist. Mom wants to throw the quintessential American party for him. She’s worked herself into a tizzy for the event. I can guarantee this will be the most elaborate barbecue Boston has ever seen. The last I heard, she’d hired a country-and-western band.”

“It sounds like fun.”

“Considering all the effort that’s going into it, I’m sure it will be. You can do the two-step, can’t you, sweet Jessica?”

“Of course.” How easy it was to stretch the truth. In fact, she’d only done the two-step once or twice before. “Well, I’m pretty rusty,” she amended.

“Me, too. We’ll leave the fancy footwork to Damian.”

Damian, she thought with a sigh. There was definitely something wrong with her, something psychological—something rooted deep in her childhood, she supposed—if she could agree to date one brother while longing for the other.