“I don’t know a thing, except that I find you fascinating and I’d like to see you again.”
She turned and gazed at him, his face illuminated by the street lamp positioned behind them. He was smiling at her casually, then his fingers reached out to entwine themselves into the loose strands of her hair. She stood abruptly as if his touch had electrocuted her and turned away.
“Jay, I’m not sure seeing me again is such a good idea,” she blurted.
“Why not? I don’t see a wedding ring on your finger. Unless…you’re not interested?”
“I'm not married,” she answered facing him. “But I do have a lot of baggage.”
“Don’t we all,” he laughed, stretching his arms across the back of the bench.
“Not like mine,” she replied swiftly, her eyes filling with tears. “I'm almost thirty-five, divorced twice and I have two small children,” she stated nervously but concisely. Secretly she hoped that knowledge alone would be enough to scare him away. She wasn't sure she was ready to date again or allow another man inside her heart and doubted she was even capable of it. Beside, Jay was another musician , she thought, as if the word alone conjured up a fate worse than death.
He nodded. “Well, I’ve never been married and I’m not necessarily looking to do so either. I was merely thinking it might be nice to spend some more time with you. My band plays on the island a few days every week. I was hoping you might like to see me while I’m here. But if you’re not interested…”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were…or that I…” She sat down heavily beside him. “There are things about me that you should know before you decide if you want to see me again, that’s all.”
“Like what? Underneath the skirt you’re really a guy,” he teased, sliding an arm loosely around her back.
Annie laughed. “No. I’m not a man.”
Jay smiled. “Well, I’m happy to hear that.”
“Jay, do you know what my last name is?” she asked, her smile fading.
“No.”
“My full name is Annie Logan-Wade.”
He gave her a confused look and shrugged his shoulders, suggesting this new information meant nothing to him.
“My ex-husband is Michael Wade.” She watched his eyes slowly register what she had said. Then he sat back against the bench and Annie’s heart sank.
“ The Michael Wade?” he asked. “From Thrust?”
Annie nodded. “Yes, he’s the father of my two little girls.”
Jay rubbed at his chin. “Is he still a part of your lives?”
“No. I haven’t seen or heard from him since the March music awards in New York City.”
Several minutes passed and then a steady smile crept across his face. “Well, I’m still game if you are, Ms. Annie Logan-Wade. Unless you’re not interested, in which case, I won’t push you.”
Annie smiled, embarrassed. “Yes, I think I’d like to see you again, Mr. Preston.”
He pressed the fingers of her right hand against his mouth. “Well, I’m glad we cleared that up,” he teased. “Because I really would like to see you again.”
She turned around to meet his eyes, her face reflected an uncharacteristic innocence, not the gaze of a woman that had been through hell and back. “It’s been a long time since I’ve dated,” she whispered. “Hell, it’s been a long time since I’ve socialized at all!”
He smiled. “That doesn’t matter to me. No pressure here, Annie. I’m not looking to complicate your life or mine. You look like you could use a friend and that’s all I’m looking for in return.”
She sighed with relief and let her body relax.
Jay was a mixture of a California beach bum with a shoot-from-the-hip charm. He seemed honest, genuine and handsome in a comfortable way, totally at ease with himself. Sitting beside him, Annie felt at peace.
They sat chatting easily like a couple that had known each other for years, and marveled at how much they actually had in common. An hour passed in the blink of an eye before Annie realized how late it had gotten.
“Jay, what if I had said Michael was still in my life, would you still want to see me again?” she asked, when they were almost back to their cars.
He skewed his face as if in pain and exhaled loudly. “Wow, I’m not sure. I mean seriously, I don’t think it would be wise to piss off someone in the business with as much clout as Mike. Do you know what I’m saying?”
Annie nodded.
“But you said he isn’t, right?”
“No, he’s not.”
“Then you must have custody of the kids?”
“He’s never contested it so I guess for now, I do.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s drinking again,” she sighed. “And he knows I won’t allow him to see the girls until he cleans up his act. I’m not sure when or if that will ever happen. But he knows the rules.”
Jay smiled and took two steps closer to her until their bodies almost touched. His fingers reached out and seductively danced up the bare skin of her arms and paused at the crest of her shoulders. Then he bent closer and lightly kissed her forehead.
“Annie,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I feel like I’ve known you a long time. I can’t explain why, and, at the risk of sounding like I’m trying to get you into bed, I won’t even try.”
His voice was a low, masculine rumble that vibrated inside Annie’s chest, it soothed and comforted and seemed to draw her in. Effortlessly, she fell against him and tentatively placed her hands against the hard muscles of his arms. He smelled good, not spicy or sweet, but simple and clean like bed sheets after being dried on an outside line. A smile formed on her face and she closed her eyes. “I think I understand what you’re saying,” she replied.
“Are you free tomorrow night or is that too soon?” he asked.
She bent back to meet his gaze and smiled. “No, that sounds fine.”
Over the next several days, Jay became a somewhat permanent fixture at the beach house. He enjoyed the girls’ company, helped with the meal preparations and, when the children were napping, passed the hours with conversation that tremendously deepened their growing friendship. They kissed, they cuddled and, although she sensed he wanted something more, he never pushed her for it.
Four days later, Dara stopped by the house. “Well, you and Jay seem to be hitting it off,” she winked.
Annie quickly blushed. “He’s a nice guy,” she answered.
“So, are you sleeping with him?” Dara asked, poking an elbow into Annie’s ribcage.
“No! We’re just friends,” Annie protested.
“You mean, ‘not yet’.”
“I mean no, we’re not, and I’m not sure I want to.”
“What's that supposed to mean? Have you really looked at Jay? He's gorgeous!”
“Yes, he is but…I’m not sure I want to spoil what we have now. Besides…Oh, never mind. You’d never understand.”
“Besides what?”
Annie rolled her eyes not wanting to continue the present conversation although the look on Dara’s face told her that an answer was necessary.
“I don't get that feeling , you know, that vibe that gives you goosebumps when a man touches you. It feels like there's something missing.”
“I think you’ve been reading too many romance novels,” Dara commented.
Annie plunked herself down at the kitchen table. “When I was with Michael, all he had to do was look at me from across the room and my knees went to jelly,” she said with quiet reflection.
Dara reached across the table and slapped Annie’s wrist. “Jay isn’t Michael and you should be damn happy about that.”