Jennifer shrugged and shook her head. "Nothing."
With a smile, James chuckled. "You're a terrible liar. You can talk to me about it," after a moment of hesitation, he added, "whatever it is." Jennifer only offered him a smile. She turned in the seat to lean against the door and took up her previous positon.
Her sudden change of mood was disheartening. Everything seemed to be going so well, so smooth. James couldn't think of what could have possibly bothered her enough to shut her down. He shook the thoughts from his mind. Perhaps it was just a female thing. One minute they were happy, the next, sad, mad, or frustrated about something you did, didn't say, or didn't do.
James smirked to himself. At least that was his experience with Katie. Beyond her, the other small handful of serious relationships hadn't fared well at all. He was a great guy-not to be one to toot his own horn.
He cared about the work he did and about helping others less fortunate than himself. That had to count for something. He commanded respect and delivered to his clients above their expectations again and again, yet when it came to love, he was clueless, and he knew it.
That's why he was playing his hand so aggressively. He had to, right? Put everything out there on the table and stop beating around the bush-that's what he planned to do. He just needed to wait for the right time, the best time. He was certain Jennifer wouldn't refuse him. They had a history together. Albeit, a working history, but it was still something, and one he would have to work with.
The ride became the quietest part of their trip for the first time since they had boarded the jet. Jennifer said nothing and James didn't bother to pull her out of her shell.
The location James gave the driver was just 10 minutes away. After all, Summit wasn't a really big place. In fact, it was incredibly small, with just over 20 thousand people. Nearly all of them worked in New York.
James stared out the window expectantly, feeling a sense of calm and peace flood his soul as he passed familiar places, homes, and trees. He smiled.
"So where are we going?" Jennifer asked from his side. James glanced to her.
"It's a surprise," he grinned. The somberness than had befallen Jennifer earlier seemed to dissipate with each minute of the drive. When she smiled at James, it was with a certainty that wasn't there at the beginning of their drive.
"We're in a residential neighborhood," she paused, "Am I going to meet your parents?"
James laughed and quickly shook his head. "No."
Jennifer snapped her fingers. "Too soon?" She giggled. "Maybe next time then, right?"
He beamed as he heard Jennifer's cute giggle join with his in the car. He liked this side of her laughing. He'd call it sweet music to his ears, but that was just being dramatic.
As his chuckles lessened, James wet his lips. The twinkle was back in Jennifer's eyes and it made his heart turn over, or something else, for that matter.
The car began to slow and James snapped his head to the windows. He reached for the handle and held it eagerly. There was no need to wait for the driver to open their door. As soon as the car stopped, he bounded from within and turned back to reach for Jennifer's hand. His smile was proving to be infectious. Jennifer allowed James to help her out the vehicle. She shouldered her purse and looked around with unease.
"Where are we?" She spoke in a soft, hushed voice.
"You'll see," James said eagerly. He shut the door behind Jennifer and led her along a stone path to the front door of the house, something that appeared to be two stories high. It was large and beautifully arranged with a car resting peacefully to the left of the building in the driveway.
He wanted to pull Jennifer along, but restrained himself, allowing her to take her time along the path as she stopped to look around the house and neighborhood. At the front porch, he took the short steps in one stride and quickly moved to the door and knocked. A few fat seconds later and Jennifer joined at his side.
"Who lives here?" Jennifer asked again.
James ignored her this time and knocked again. There was a doorbell, but he rarely used it. He felt himself growing a little impatient. He should have called-normally, he would have; but, the car was in the driveway so he knew she was home.
It was difficult to hear if anyone were moving around inside the house. Above them birds chirped and cars glided lazily along the road. With a frown, James knocked on the door again, trying to be louder than the previous two times. At his side, Jennifer pulled at her fingers.
"Maybe they're not home?" She tried to offer optimistically.
"Just a moment!" It was a muffled shout from within the house. James breathed a sigh of deep relief, something that Jennifer noticed. She glanced between James and door, and then her eyes grew wide.
"I'm I going to meet Melony?" She asked, an excited pitch in her tone. James only grinned at her.
Moments later, the doorknob and locks rustled from within. When the door pulled back, a gorgeous redhead greeted them. She was probably two inches shorter than Jennifer, but just as lovely with a dusting of freckles on her cheeks. She had intoxicating emerald eyes. Her face morphed from shock, surprise, and then to excitement.
"James!" Melony exclaimed, pushing through the screen door to give him a hug. It was full and hearty, like it always was. "You're in Jersey?" She turned to Jennifer, a wide beam still on her lips. "And you?" She glanced to James. "Are you going to introduce me?"
"Yes, yes," James grinned and gestured to Jennifer. "This is the famous Jennifer Rhodes."
"Oohh," Melony's face changed and she grinned at Jennifer, "the assistant," she said merrily as she extended a hand. Jennifer took it and chuckled as the short woman shook her hand firmly. "I'm Melony."
Jennifer nodded. "It seems James had done a good deal of talking about the both of us."
Melony smiled brightly. "What does he say about me?"
"Well, you should tell me what he says about me," the women giggled together and James rolled his eyes playfully.
"Nothing but good things, ladies. You're both fantastic," James said proudly. "We had a meeting today with the president from ABC Training." Melony nodded eagerly, listening to Melone's words.
"Wow. Well, that sounds good. Will you be in town long?"
James shook his head. "Leaving tonight, maybe within the hour," he reached out and touched Melony's arm. Had they been alone, he might have tipped the edge of her chin in good, innocent fun.
"I just couldn't come home for business and not see my good friend," he glanced behind Melony, towards the front door, but it was nearly closed. "Is Lydia home?"
Melony nodded and rubbed her hands together. "Yes, she's upstairs. She'll love seeing you-you should step in for a bit," Melony nodded vigorously when she saw Jennifer attempt a protest. "No, really, step in. Have a glass of tea or something."
James grinned, and then looked towards Jennifer. "We'll just be a few minutes or so."
Inside, Melony quickly gathered glasses for drinks. They hovered in the kitchen, a large square on the first floor with an open cooking area a large dining table as well. Instead of helping themselves to the seats, however, they stood and held their drinks.
"So how's the new contract going?" Melony asked, mostly to Melone. "I mean, how are you here?"
"We took a jet," Jennifer answered. She seemed more at ease in the presence of another woman than she was with Tim. Melony turned to Jennifer and grinned.
"Oh, the chartered jets, eh? Aren't they wonderful?"
"James has taken you before?" Jennifer asked. James pressed his lips together and watched Melony carefully. She glanced towards him casually with a wry smile and nodded.
"Sure. Sometimes he's taken me and my daughter to Chicago for the Christmas tree lighting."
Jennifer's mouth dropped. "You have a daughter?" She looked over Melony again. The woman was thin, toned, and had no resemblance to a mother with the acclaimed "mom bod".
"Yes, she's 13," Melony laughed. "I'll call her down in a minute before you leave. She loves James."
Jennifer eyed James. "That's great," she turned to Melony again. "Are you married?"
At the question, Melony's face fell. James coughed and stepped forward. He wasn't sure if he saw pain on Melony's face or not.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Jennifer tried quickly to backtrack.
"It's okay," Melony assured Jennifer. James touched his Melony's arm and she smiled back. "I'm fine, James, really." When Melony looked back to Jennifer, her smile softened, but was still genuine. "I'm widowed actually."
A hand flew to Jennifer's mouth. Melony continued, "It was 9/11," she said softly. "He was one of the commuters, like many around here." The darkness of her words caused a thick silence to fall on them, like a moment of silence for her lost husband.