Jordan leaned back against the pier, staring out across the water. Yeah, and she liked all of those things now too.

“She’s pregnant with Matt’s baby,” she reminded herself. She couldn’t possibly be attracted to her. That would just be…crazy.



Chapter Twenty-Five

Annie was nervous as she looked around at everyone. But she couldn’t put it off any longer. Was it something to say over dinner though? She looked over at Jordan and found her watching. Jordan gave her a reassuring nod, chasing some of her nervousness away. She put down her half-eaten fajita and stood up.

“I have some news,” she said. Everyone stopped eating and looked at her. She decided the best thing to do was blurt it out. So she did just that. “I’m…I’m going to have a baby.”

It was a shocked silence that greeted her statement.

“You mean…like adopt?” Staci asked.

Annie touched her belly. “No…like I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Yeah, wow,” Jessica said. “I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”

Annie looked over at Jordan, who sported an amused expression. “I’m not dating anyone,” she said.

“Oh, my God,” Staci said. “Sperm bank?”

At that, Jordan laughed, and Annie nearly rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Well, then, what’s going on?” Jessica asked.

Annie blew out her breath. “Look, let’s just get it all out in the open, okay.” She again looked at Jordan. “Matt. Matt is the father.”

Again, silence. And again, Staci was the one to break it.

“You mean our Matt?”

Annie nodded. “Yes. Our Matt.”

Staci’s eyes widened. “You were dating Matt?”

“No. We were not dating.”

“Oh, cool, Annie,” Jessica said. “You were fuck buddies? I would have never guessed that was your style.”

Annie stared at her, shocked. She felt a blush on her face and knew she’d turned beet red. “No…we were not…buddies of any sort.” God, whose idea was it to tell them? She shook her head. “Look, the whys and hows of it don’t matter,” she said. “I wanted you to know because I can’t hide it much longer.”

She lifted up the end of her tank, showing off the baby bump that her maternity shorts could not conceal.

“Well, I thought you’d gained weight,” Staci said bluntly.

Annie turned slowly, looking at Jordan with raised eyebrows as she let her tank top cover her again. Jordan smiled at her and said what she always said.

“You’re not fat.”

“Uh-huh.” Annie motioned to the table. “So enjoy the rest of your meal and please don’t gossip about me.”

“Nothing to gossip about,” Brandon said. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

She sat down again and Suzanne nudged her. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“Am I getting fat?” she whispered.

“No. She was being petty. You know she always had a crush on Matt.”

“I know.” She picked up her fajita again. Even Staci’s comment didn’t curb her appetite.

* * *

Annie put the last of the leftovers in the fridge and wiped down the counter. Suzanne had stayed late and helped them clean up but she, too, had taken her leave. It was quiet in the house, and she found Jordan sitting out on the deck in the dark, sipping from her wineglass. She was about to flip on the porch light, then decided not to.

“So you survived?” she asked as she sat down beside her.

“Glad it’s over with,” Jordan said. “They seemed to have fun though.”

“Yes, they did.”

“Did you?”

“It was okay. But things like this remind you that even though you work together, it doesn’t always mean that you’re friends,” she said.

“True.”

Annie leaned closer. “You’re being awful quiet. Is everything okay?”

Jordan turned toward her, but it was too dark to read her eyes.

“Fine. I just wanted some peace.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

Jordan reached out and wrapped her fingers around Annie’s arm. “Not from you, Annie.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Stay.”

Annie felt Jordan’s fingers slip away from her, and she had to resist reaching out and taking her hand. Instead, she folded her hands together and rested them on her stomach. She let the quiet wash over her, listening to the sound of the water as it lapped against the retaining wall. The breeze rustled her hair, but before she could tame it, Jordan gently moved it from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

Annie turned, again wishing she could see Jordan’s eyes. She swallowed, imagining what she might find there. She looked back over the dark bay, enjoying the closeness she felt with Jordan, even in their silence.

They sat there for the longest time, the only sound to break the quiet the occasional bark of a dog and the constant waves hitting the pier. She was relaxed and mellow and felt her eyelids getting heavy.

“I think I’m going to bed,” she said finally.

Jordan turned. “I’ll be in soon.”

Annie stood, then leaned over, kissing Jordan lightly on the cheek. “Thank you. It was a nice day.”

Jordan smiled. “It was a nicer evening.”

Annie smiled too, squeezing Jordan’s shoulder as she left.



Chapter Twenty-Six

It was a rare rainy evening and instead of their normal routine of sitting on the deck after dinner, they were inside. Annie was on the sofa, legs curled under her, reading a book. Jordan was in the recliner, aimlessly flipping through TV channels, not finding anything to hold her attention. When her phone rang, she was thankful for the distraction. However, she was surprised by the caller.

“It’s Peter,” she said.

Annie raised her eyebrows.

“My boss,” she clarified before answering. “Hello, Peter.”

“Ah, Jordan. I was afraid you weren’t going to answer. You’ve been a bit of a stranger this summer.”

She went out to the deck, standing under the porch to keep from getting wet from the light rain that was still falling. “I assumed Antonio was handling things,” she said. “He hasn’t called for help.”

“Yes, he’s handling things. He just doesn’t do them your way,” he said. “I expected you back by now.”

“I told you it would probably be September. Is there a problem?”

“Tokyo.”

“Tokyo? I thought that deal was wrapped up,” she said.

“All but the fine print. But Mr. Hashimoto refuses to deal with Antonio.”

Jordan smiled. Mr. Hashimoto was brutal in negotiations, but she’d managed to soften him up. It had taken six months, but he’d finally agreed to her terms. She could imagine him and Antonio butting heads.

“And you want me to run interference?”

“I need you back here, Jordan. We can’t let this deal fall through. He’s threatening to pull out.”

“I can’t come back now, Peter,” she said. She looked through the window, finding Annie watching her. “Perhaps I can handle it from here.”

“No,” he said. “I need you here in the office. Can you at least come back for a few days? Help Antonio through this? Mr. Hashimoto respects you. You were on the team that put this deal together.”

She let out a heavy sigh. “When?”

“Now.”

She knew she didn’t really have a choice. “Okay.”

“Thanks, Jordan. I knew I could count on you. I was so sure of it, I’ve already booked your flight. Check your email.”

“Does that mean I’m leaving tomorrow?”

“Yes. Don’t sleep in.”

She slipped the phone into her shorts pocket. She didn’t want to leave, not even for a few days. What the hell was she going to do when September got here?

The rain had turned into nothing more than a fine mist, and she walked out in it, leaning on the railing. No, she didn’t want to leave. She would miss it here. She would miss…Annie. Hell, she would even miss Fat Larry.

She looked out over the bay, the light on the pier surrounded by fog. God, what was wrong with her? It was only for a few days. Then she’d come back, she’d tie things up, she’d hire someone to take over the store…then she’d be gone for good. She closed her eyes to that thought. Not for good. Not this time. She wouldn’t disappear this time. She wouldn’t do that to her parents again.

She turned when she heard the door open. Annie was watching her. She moved closer, close enough for their shoulders to touch as they leaned on the railing together.

“You’re leaving?” The question was asked quietly, almost as if she didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Yes.”

Annie turned to face her. “Will you come back?” This time, the question was little more than a whisper.

Jordan turned too, leaving them face-to-face. She nodded. “Yes. I’m only going for a couple of days.”

The relief in Annie’s eyes was palpable. “I’m not…ready for you to leave yet, Jordan.”

Jordan nodded. “No, I’m not ready to leave either.”

“Is there a problem or something?”

“Yeah, a client in Tokyo. He doesn’t want to work with my assistant. It’s just wrapping up a deal that I worked on in the spring,” she said.

“Oh.”

“It should only take a couple of days,” she said again.

Annie nodded, but Jordan still saw doubt in her eyes. Without thinking, she pulled Annie closer. Annie didn’t hesitate and her arms snaked around Jordan’s waist. As soon as Annie was pressed against her, Jordan knew it was a mistake. They had hugged before, of course. But never quite with the intimacy of this hug. She wondered if Annie could feel the energy between them.

“We really need to stop doing this,” she said, her eyes still closed as Annie’s face was buried against her neck.

“Why?” Annie murmured.

“I think you know why.”

Annie pulled back but only enough to meet her eyes. “Do I?”

“We’re awfully close to that line, Annie.”

Annie’s smile was slow, sweet. “I think we’ve already crossed the line, Jordan.”

Jordan smiled too. “Mentally, yes.”

Annie pulled away a little more but didn’t completely untangle from her. Her eyes were open and honest, and Jordan tried to decipher what she saw there.

“Something’s…happening to me,” Annie said. “I feel…different.”

“Does that frighten you?”

“No…yes…maybe a little,” she said with a smile.

Jordan reached out, brushing her fingers across Annie’s cheek, then lower, caressing her lips with the barest of touches.

“You know you never, ever have to be afraid of me,” she said.

Annie swallowed. “It’s hardly you I’m afraid of, Jordan.” She smiled slightly. “Maybe you should be afraid of me.”

Jordan smiled too. “Oh, that, I definitely am.”

Annie took another step away from her, breaking their contact.

“So? You’re leaving. When?”

Jordan sighed. “Tomorrow. He already had my flight booked.”

“And you’ll be back home when?”

Home? Yes, this did feel like home. When had that happened?

“Hopefully on Saturday,” she said.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about the store. I’ll take care of it.”

“I’m not worried,” she said.

Annie nodded, then motioned to the house. “I think I’m going to shower and get to bed early.”

Jordan nodded. “Sure.”

Annie made it to the door, then stopped. Jordan held her breath as Annie walked back over to her. She leaned closer, kissing Jordan…not on the cheek, like she usually did. Not on the lips, either. No, on the corner of her mouth, just enough to let Jordan know that they had indeed crossed over the line.

“Goodnight, Jordan.”

“Goodnight.”

Jordan stood still, watching as Annie went back inside. She turned around to the bay again. What was happening? Her pulse was racing, her heart was pounding and she had a difficult time catching her breath. Oh, she knew exactly what was happening.

Did Annie?



Chapter Twenty-Seven

Annie stared at the laptop, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. She couldn’t seem to concentrate on the inventory this week. Oh, who was she kidding? Had she even tried to do inventory? No. All she could see was Jordan driving away that morning.

In the light of day, they’d both been a little…well, she didn’t want to say distant, but perhaps more careful with what they said, what they did. She still couldn’t believe she’d kissed Jordan like she had. What in the world had she been thinking?

She leaned back in the office chair and stared at the ceiling. She knew exactly what she’d been thinking. She nearly panicked at the thought of Jordan leaving. The intimacy of the hug they shared had been so…so sweet, so innocent and yet so very thrilling it made her pulse race. She couldn’t remember a time—ever—in her life where a hug from someone had made her feel like that. Something about Jordan caused her to…to crave her touch, made her want to touch Jordan, to be close to her. And the kiss? She’d be lying to herself if she said it had been an accident that she’d brushed Jordan’s lips with her own. Shocked by her actions? Sure. Jordan had been as well.