One Breathless Night(2)

It lasted just a few seconds too long, that hug. It was so unlike Payton that Jenna barely noticed when Danger Bond joined them.

Faith stepped back. “This is Rick. My boyfriend. We’re in Boston because of him.”

Payton introduced himself. Jenna watched the two men shake hands. Evidently Faith was partial to good-looking guys with dark hair. Jenna sighed at her foolishness. It was an alumni New Year’s extravaganza. People were consuming great food and lots of alcohol. So they hugged. It didn’t mean anything. Even so, she moved right up against Payton’s side.

Payton put his arm around her. “Jenna, this is Faith Quentin. We were friends in college.” They shook hands, and Faith gave her a quick head-to-toe. It made Jenna feel superior when she didn’t check out Faith in return. No one but Mindy needed to know that she’d already scrutinized the woman.

Danger Bond held out his hand, too. “I went to school across the Charles River, but Faith lets me come here, anyway. Rick Sinclair.”

His smile was great close up, genuine but at odds with his steely jaw and piercing blue eyes. It occurred to her, as Payton finished the introductions with Mindy and Zane, that the college across the river from Boston U was MIT.

“So you stuck with journalism.” Payton smiled at Faith. Or maybe he’d been smiling all along.

“I did. I’m very lucky. Journalism has—wait. How did you know?”

“I—” Payton seemed startled. He recovered quickly, so no one noticed. Except Jenna. She saw the telltale tic that meant he was flustered. “I must’ve read something in the alumni magazine,” he said easily. “If I remember correctly, you won a National Magazine Award.”

Jenna blinked. Either he’d followed Faith’s career or he’d read his alumni magazine cover to cover, something Jenna could have sworn he didn’t do.

“Damn straight she did.” Rick pulled Faith in for a quick hug. “She’d only been working for Discover for a year and a half. The NM award is the magazine equivalent to the Pulitzer.”

Faith blushed and tossed her perfect blond hair behind her shoulder. “He’s only bragging because he was a major part of the series.”

“Really?” Zane, who’d lost no time filling his plate, rejoined the circle. “What was it about?”

Payton hadn’t gotten his dinner yet. He should have been starving. Jenna was about to point out that he was drinking on an empty stomach, but when Faith said, “Climate change and the formation of supercells,” Payton looked as if he’d never heard anything more fascinating.

When Payton asked her what part Rick had played, Jenna gave up. If he wanted to wake up to a hangover, that was his business.

Seemingly taking her fiancé’s curiosity in stride, Rick said, “I’m a meteorologist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory.”

Faith gave Rick a look. A couple’s look. “More like a professional storm chaser who also happens to hold several advanced degrees.”

That certainly got Jenna’s attention. “Storm chasing. Well, that sounds terrifying and dangerous.”

Rick shrugged. “It can be dangerous, but it’s also an incredible rush. I don’t think I caught what you do?”

“She’s a teacher,” Payton said. Another thing he rarely did. Speaking for her wasn’t really necessary. “Middle school English. At a very good school in Scituate.”

Jenna stared up at him. It was clear by his tone and the reference to South Shore, which was a good school but not like Thorndyke Road or Amigos, that he was trying to glam up her job. He wasn’t even the least bit convincing. But that he’d thought she needed glamorizing squeezed her heart. What was it with him tonight? Maybe he’d already had a second whiskey before he’d come back to join her.

Faith gave her a charming smile. Rick, however, looked at Payton for a bit before turning to her. “That’s where all the real action is,” he said. “What excites students in those formative years makes all the difference. I’ve wanted to study tornadoes since I was fourteen. Kids are so passionate at that age.”

“They are,” she said. “I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was thirteen.”

There was a pause then, just long enough for a change of subject. Mindy was being awfully quiet. It was Payton who broke the ice. “Oh, wow, I need to eat,” he said. With his hand on his stomach, he turned to Jenna. “Can I get you anything?”

She shook her head. At least that was more like the Payton she knew. Then he surprised her with a kiss. Not the usual peck, either. There was a little bit of tongue and everything, right there in front of everyone. She ended it quickly. “Thanks, Mr. Bond,” she said, hoping she’d hit the right teasing note.

Payton winked at her. “You’re welcome.” He faced the group again. “Okay, then,” he said. “Great seeing you again, Faith. Will you be in town for a while?”

“A couple of days.” Faith smiled at Rick, and then at Payton. “I’m sure we’ll run in to each other again soon. Nice to meet you all.”

The beautiful couple eventually blended into the crowd.

Once they were back to being a foursome, the men went to peruse the buffet table while Jenna sipped at her White Russian. She and Mindy were standing right next to the chocolate fountain, but she wasn’t hungry.

Mindy bumped her shoulder and whispered, “Danger Bond defended your honor.”

“What?” Jenna laughed. “No, he didn’t.”

“Okay, your profession. Still...it was nice.”

Jenna forced another laugh, grateful Mindy hadn’t mentioned Payton’s weird behavior. She did, however, give Jenna a couple of questioning looks, especially when Faith and Rick walked past them again. Jenna smiled as if nothing at all was wrong. She wasn’t jealous. Not really.

But she had to admit she was mystified by Payton’s behavior. He hadn’t mentioned they were engaged. He’d spent most of the brief encounter grinning at Faith. But maybe he’d just been caught off guard, seeing his old friend. Jenna could imagine herself fumbling if she’d run in to her college boyfriend, Martin, at a party. Of course that was a different thing entirely. She didn’t think anything had gone on between Payton and Faith. At least he’d never said as much. Anyway, Faith would be an idiot to roam when she had Rick. He’d been completely charming.

Payton claimed a recently vacated spot at a bar-height table. She would’ve preferred to sit somewhere, but it was nice to be able to put her drink down.

“Now that I’ve looked around,” Payton said, finishing off his whiskey, “I don’t think there’s a more beautiful Vesper Lynd in the whole hotel.”

She smiled, knowing he’d have said that even if she’d thrown a sweater over a workday dress. “I honestly thought there wouldn’t be so many Vespers.” The words were just out of her mouth, as yet another one walked by. “I suppose it makes sense, though. The movie was relatively recent.”

“None of them carry it off as well as you do.”

Another compliment? Interesting. Payton normally kept his praise private. But then, he’d never kissed her like that in public, either. There was no reason why he shouldn’t say those nice things in front of Zane and Mindy, and yet...

“And I’ve never seen your eyes look so alluring.”

Okay, that was really over-the-top. What the hell was going on with him? Did it have to do with Faith? Were these guilt compliments? Or drunk utterings? Like her, he wasn’t a big drinker.

One of the things she appreciated most about Payton was that he was predictable. It might not be an appealing trait for a lot of women, but for her it was. She loved him for his stability. For the fact that their future together would unfurl without a lot of bumps and tears. Still, three compliments in a row? “What did you and Zane talk about for so long when you went to the bar? Ways to woo a sure thing?”

All of them laughed and Payton’s shoulders relaxed as he said, “I haven’t seen George and Cora for a while. Did they say where they were headed?”

Mindy finally piped up. “They’re dancing downstairs. We’re going to meet them as soon as Zane’s finished eating. Want to join us?”

Payton shook his head. “It’s too loud and crowded down there. I’ll probably stick around here.”

Jenna’s chest tightened again, which was ridiculous. He and Faith, they’d been friends. If they’d been more than that, Payton would have told her. She’d been a Wellesley girl. Martin had been her boyfriend for two years. There had been a few others, as well. Payton knew about them. Just as she knew about Payton’s old girlfriends during his years before the two of them met. In all the time she and Payton had been together, jealousy had never been an issue. It had barely been a thought.

She checked her watch before she turned to Mindy. “It’s ten thirty now. How about you two text if you decide to leave early, or we can meet by the second-floor elevator in an hour before the countdown begins?”

“I think it’ll be easier to meet here,” Payton said. “We already know where it is and from what I’ve heard, the reunion   committee is doing something special at midnight here in this suite.”