Jessica loved the words Vera chose. Sometimes the heart tells us things in whispers, and we miss them. She wondered how many whispers she’d missed in her life—or if she’d missed any at all. Thinking about what Vera had said, she assumed that one day she’d know that answer—she’d hear it loud and clear.
She looked into the sparse audience. Her Seaside friends were all there, except Jamie. Jessica closed her eyes as they began to play, trying not to focus on missing him. The music carried her worries away. After they were done playing the first piece, Jessica opened her eyes and was immediately drawn to the dark-haired man in the second row, wearing a dark blue tee and gazing right through her. Jamie. My Jamie. She was so happy to see him, and he looked so proud of her. He was sitting beside Mark, whom she suddenly realized looked a lot like the actor Peter Gallagher.
Jamie blew her a kiss as they began playing the next piece, and Mark shook his head. She closed her eyes again, choosing to ignore Mark’s head shake and soaking up the comfort of having Jamie nearby. She allowed herself to get swept into the vibrations of the cello, the higher notes of the violin, and the energy of the musical piece.
By the time they finished playing for the evening, the children were gone from the playground and the metal chairs were nearly full. The audience clapped and lingered, talking to the musicians, asking questions, and telling them how lovely they played. Jessica’s friends from Seaside hugged her and Vera and doled out accolades that made her head spin. As the crowd thinned and Jessica began putting her cello in its case, Jamie and Mark finally joined her.
Jamie handed her a bouquet of white and pink roses and kissed her cheek. “You were incredible. You’re so beautiful when you play. It’s as if the music is a part of you.”
“Thank you. These are so pretty.”
“Pink, for your graceful elegance when you play, and white, for our new beginning.”
The roses were gorgeous, but it was the thoughtfulness of the color roses he’d chosen and the meaning behind them that made her swoon like a schoolgirl.
Jamie drew her into his arms and kissed her.
“Jesus. I am right here, you know.” Mark turned away, crossing his arms over his chest.
Jessica stepped back, feeling her cheeks pink up. “I’m sorry.” She turned to finish putting her instrument away as Jamie and Mark joked around about their kiss.
“Babe, I’m going to help Vera with her violin. I’ll be right back.” He turned to Mark. “Behave yourself.”
“Me? I’m not the one playing tonsil hockey.” Mark laughed as Jamie walked away.
Hearing them joke with each other made Jessica feel a little better. Maybe Mark wasn’t as crass as the girls thought.
“You were good,” Mark said in a hushed tone as his eyes darted around the tent. Their friends were gathered just a few feet away.
“Thank you.”
“Working for the BSO is an important job,” he said in a voice that sent an icy chill down Jessica’s spine. Gone was the joking smile he’d flashed so easily when Jamie was with them, replaced with a manipulative look in his eyes, even as they jumped from person to person, to the beach across the street, and to the tennis courts to their right—everywhere but where she stood.
“Yes. It is.”
“You know who Jamie is, right? Of course you do.” He moved closer to her, pressed his shoulder to hers as she closed her cello case. “You also probably know that he needs to focus on his billion-dollar business and all this playing around is just that. Playing around.”
Stunned into silence, Jessica held her breath.
“Jamie’s not a knight in shining armor. He’s not going to swoop you off your feet and make everything in your world flowers and bunnies.”
She froze, unable to think. Her limbs trembled, and it was all she could do to grab the edge of the table to remain erect.
“Jamie Reed can have any woman he wants,” he said in a low growl. “You’re no different from any of the others he’s been with, no matter how pretty you are. He needs to focus, and unless you want to be the cause of his empire’s demise, I suggest you back off.”
Ohgodohgodohgod. She couldn’t even begin to process the things he’d said. You’re no different from any of the others…Back off.
“Smile pretty. Here comes Mr. Reed.”
Jessica couldn’t face Jamie. She couldn’t move at all. She felt his hand on her hip. His cheek brushed hers and she closed her eyes.
“Hey, babe. The gang’s going out for drinks. Want to go?”
She opened her mouth, but no words came. The world was spinning out of control, draining her of her strength. She felt dizzy and reached for Jamie’s hand.
“Babe?” Jamie whispered.
“She’s probably tired. Come on. Let’s go grab a few hours of fun before I go back to the Sheraton.” Mark grabbed Jamie’s arm.
“Hold up.” Jamie shrugged him off and moved around Jessica so he was facing her.
She kept her eyes trained on the ground. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. If she looked at him, she’d cry.
“Babe, are you okay?”
She nodded. “Just…not feeling too well.”
“Then we’ll stay in. We don’t have to go,” Jamie assured her.
“I’m here for one night and you’re going to blow me off?” Mark’s voice was light and carefree, as if he hadn’t just shattered Jessica’s world.
“You’re a big boy, Mark. I think you can handle a night alone,” Jamie said.
“Go,” she whispered.
“What, babe?” Jamie leaned closer.
“Go with him. I’ll be fine. I’m just tired.” And I need to think about what Mark said.
“I’ll stay with you. We can relax, go to bed early.” Jamie’s voice was laden with concern, and love, and all the things that had made her fall for him in the first place.
Even if Mark was just trying to scare her off, there had to be a reason. You’re no different from any of the others he’s been with, no matter how pretty you are. He needs to focus, and unless you want to be the cause of his empire’s demise, I suggest you back off. As much as she didn’t care about the other women he’d dated, Mark’s words still stung, and she did worry about taking Jamie away from his work. Hadn’t she done enough of that? Wasn’t that why Mark was there and why Jamie’s company was in the situation it was in?
She managed a glance at Mark, who shook his head the slightest bit, which she read clearly as, Back off. Stop monopolizing his time. Just enough of a sign for her to feel it like a knife to her heart.
“No, go with Mark. I’m fine.” I need to think. She’d been putting off making her own decisions, too. Maybe this was fate. Maybe this was the whisper Vera was talking about, and she should open her ears and listen.
“Are you sure, Jess? I don’t mind.” Jamie lifted her chin and searched her eyes.
She tried to smile, reached out and touched his stomach. She loved him so much it hurt. She nodded.
“I hate to leave you,” Jamie said quietly.
Mark turned a way-too-comfortable smile in her direction. She swallowed the bile that rose in her throat.
“Jessica, do you need Jamie to stay with you tonight? If you do, hey, I’ll back off. Who am I to come between two lovebirds?” He held his arms up in surrender.
“I’m fine. Go. I’ll take Vera home.”
Jamie folded her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “You sure you’re okay to drive?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll come by afterward if you’re not asleep.”
It was all she could do to nod her head.
Chapter Sixteen
THERE WAS A time when hanging out at the Beachcomber would be a five-hour, enjoyable affair, but Jamie had been there for two hours with Mark and his other friends, and it felt like two hours too long. He’d tried texting and calling Jessica, but her phone went to voicemail.
“Why don’t you go see how she’s doing?” Bella asked. “And tell her I’m totally bummed that she’s sick, and that we’ll table our chunky-dunking for another night.”
“Hey, hey, hey.” Mark tapped the table. “Let the man enjoy life a little. He needs to blow off some steam.”
Blow off steam? That was the last thing he needed to do. How had he ever overlooked all the things about Mark that were rubbing him the wrong way? What he needed was to know that Jessica was okay. He never should have left her in the first place.
He glanced around the table at his friends. Caden and Bella were forehead to forehead, whispering. Leanna was sitting on Kurt’s lap, as she almost always was, and Jenna was dragging Pete onto the dance floor. Pete rolled his eyes in Jamie’s direction, but the light in Pete’s eyes gave away the truth. He was so in love with Jenna that he’d do anything for her. Amy was texting someone, probably her new beau, Jake, and Tony hadn’t even come out tonight. Self-preservation, he’d told Jamie. Jamie hadn’t bothered to ask what he’d meant by that. And then there was Mark, eyeing every woman in the place.
What the hell was he doing here? He should be with Jessica. He didn’t want a drink, and he certainly didn’t want to dance without her. Hell, he needed to be with her, and he could tell by the look in her eyes earlier that she’d needed him just as badly as he needed her. But, as usual, he’d allowed himself to be swayed by Mark.