Only she didn’t think Annie was going to let her run. Annie wasn’t quite as naïve as Jordan thought. Annie knew exactly what was going on between them.
A quick knock on her office door brought her out of her thoughts. She turned, finding Peter standing there, his expensive suit as impeccable as ever. He was a handsome man and he dressed the part. He could have just popped out of the pages of GQ. He was also as arrogant and vain a man as she’d ever met.
“Good job today. I knew you could handle it.”
“I could have done that remotely,” she said. “Why bring me all the way back here?”
“Because I wanted Antonio to learn from you. You handling it from afar would have done nothing for him.” He walked farther into the office. “I really wish you would take him under your wing more, Jordan.”
“I don’t like him. Why would I do that?”
Peter laughed. “No, not too many do. But he’s good.”
“Not good enough to handle Tokyo, obviously.”
“He reminds me of me,” he said.
“What? Cocky?”
Peter laughed again. “You do know you’re the only one who would dare speak to me like that.”
She nodded. “I also know I busted my ass for this company for the last twelve years. Surely that’s afforded me the right to speak my mind.”
“Which you do quite often,” he reminded her. “So how are things back home?”
“I’ve been running my brother’s store. I’ve got to hire a manager before I come back.”
“What kind of store?”
She sat down behind her desk. “It’s a little souvenir-type thing. Tourist trap.”
“You’re kidding. That’s what’s been keeping you away. A souvenir shop?”
Jordan bristled. “Are you implying I’m wasting my talents?”
“Don’t you think? I know what your salary is here, Jordan. Taking a leave of absence wasn’t cheap.”
“My parents needed me. Besides, not everything is about money, Peter. And the little souvenir shop, as you call it, does quite well.”
He shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong, Jordan. Everything is about money. Everything.”
She didn’t argue with him. It was something she used to believe as well. Why else had she busted her ass all these years?
“Now, I’d like you to spend some time with Antonio.”
“Why?”
“Like I said, take him under your wing. Teach him.”
“He’s been my assistant for three years. He thinks he already knows everything,” she said.
“We both know he doesn’t. I thought it would take you at least two days to get Mr. Hashimoto to sign off. You’ve got time.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m going to head back. I’ve got a ton of stuff to do there in the next month.”
“So you’re still insistent on taking the full four months? I was hoping being back here would change your mind.”
“Like I said, I’ve got unfinished business there.”
“I didn’t think you were that close to your family. You rarely even mentioned them.”
She shrugged. “I never mention much of anything about my private life, do I?”
“No, I don’t suppose you do.” He stared out her window, his face taking on a pensive look. “You know, I lost a brother once too,” he said. “Many, many, many years ago.” He turned, looking at her. “We were in high school. He was two years younger than me. We were on a family outing at Lake Michigan. It was a great summer day. We were playing in the water, horsing around. And one minute he was there, the next…he was gone. Drowned. Just like that.” He turned his back to the window. “I always thought that my parents blamed me. They never said, but sometimes, as a kid, I could tell.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He headed toward the door, then stopped. “I sometimes forget I even had a brother. Don’t let that happen to you.”
“No.”
He nodded. “Well, then I guess I’ll let you get on with it. I’ll see you in September.” He raised his eyebrows. “Right?”
“Right.”
He closed the door behind him, and she spun around in her chair, taking in the view out her window once more. She felt nearly stifled by it. As she’d told Annie once, she was surrounded by concrete and steel. It had become normal for her. Until now. Now, she longed for the peace and quiet of her sleepy little hometown on the Gulf Coast. Water and trees, green and blue…a salty gulf breeze, the rolling bay, pelicans and gulls.
She let out a long, slow breath, then reached for her phone. An unconscious smile lit her face as she found Annie’s number. She leaned back in her chair, waiting for her to answer. She didn’t have to wait long.
“Hey, you,” Annie said. “I was hoping you’d call today.”
The sound of Annie’s voice brought a lightness to her heart and a grin to her face. “Yeah, just now got the chance. How are things?”
“Everything’s fine. No issues,” she said. “You?”
“Got the contract all finished. Didn’t take long.”
“So you’re coming home?”
Home? Jordan smiled. “Yeah, I’m coming home. It’ll probably be late tomorrow. I haven’t made arrangements for a flight yet.”
There was a slight pause. “I miss you.”
Jordan’s hand tightened around her cell phone. “I miss you too, Annie.”
“We…we probably need to talk, huh?”
Jordan laughed quietly. “You think?”
Annie laughed too. “So…I had lunch with your mother. Thank you for that.”
Jordan nodded. “You’re welcome. I was afraid you’d eat nothing but popcorn.”
“So now I realize how much you’ve spoiled me this summer,” Annie said.
“Oh? You’re only now realizing that?”
Annie’s laugh was delightful, and Jordan couldn’t get the grin off her face. They sat there in silence for a moment, listening to the other breathe. Jordan felt like an adolescent with a teenage crush.
“Listen, I need to get going,” she said. “Got a few things to take care of still.”
“Okay. I’m glad you called.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Like I said, it’ll probably be late.”
“Okay.” Another pause. “Can’t wait.”
Jordan smiled again. “Goodbye, Annie.”
“Bye, Jordan.”
Jordan laid the phone on her desk and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. She was in way over her head, she knew. She hadn’t realized how far Annie had gotten inside of her. It never occurred to her that their friendship would—could—turn into all this. It had evolved so slowly, so easily, it snuck up on her when she least expected it. Now…now she had no idea what she was going to do about it. At least Annie recognized it too. At least she wasn’t blind to what was going on with them.
Maybe it would be better if she was. Maybe then, Jordan could back away. She let her eyes slip closed. No, she didn’t want to back away. She wanted something that she thought she’d never have.
She sat back up and shook her head. Did she seriously think she could have that with Annie? Annie was carrying her brother’s baby. Annie was…straight, for God’s sake.
She buried her face in her hands.
“God, what am I going to do?”
No. The question was…what was Annie going to do?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Annie glanced at the clock again. It wasn’t even eleven yet. Jordan had said it would be late before she got in. The day was going to be endless, she knew.
Just like the night had been. She’d made a simple dinner of black bean tacos with rice on the side. And she’d taken her solitary glass of apple cider out on the deck, but that made her miss Jordan even more, so she’d gone back inside to read. That couldn’t hold her attention either, so she’d showered and was in bed before nine. Unfortunately, sleep wouldn’t come and she’d tossed and turned until nearly midnight.