And he’d given her a most precious gift, a gift he wasn’t even aware he’d given: her acceptance of self, belief in herself. So after consulting Melissa, and with Crystal’s okay, Sophie had arranged a surprise she hoped he’d recognise for what it was and enjoy.
Even with Melissa planning to live independently, Jared was still very much his youngest sister’s protector. Sophie remembered a conversation she’d had with Melissa.
‘I guess that’s because you’re the baby,’ Sophie had said. ‘When your father died, Jared wanted to make sure you—’
‘No.’ Melissa shook her head. ‘My father wanted nothing to do with me. I’m not his biological daughter. Our mum had an affair. He discovered it after she died. I was only a few weeks old, so I don’t remember her.
‘But I remember my father’s coldness towards me and my bad behaviour as a result and getting attention for all the wrong reasons. I was alone, I was different, I was an outsider. I had no biological parents and only a half brother and sister and they had each other.’
Sophie touched Melissa’s hand, sad that she couldn’t see the blessing she’d been given in Jared. ‘But, Melissa…’
‘I know.’ Melissa flapped a hand. ‘I’m so lucky. Even as a four-year-old I remember Jared standing up to his father and copping a beating to protect me.’
‘Beating?’
‘Oh, yeah.’
Which sounded to Sophie as if it had happened more than once.
Melissa didn’t want to hurt Jared’s feelings by appearing ungrateful and moving out and leaving him all on his lonesome but she needed to do her own thing. She and Crystal were also very concerned about his work-life balance.
Yes, there were women, but not often and he never dated the same one more than a couple of times. He needed a woman who could light his fire, Melissa had said. And she’d looked at Sophie when she’d said it. A woman he could settle down with and make a family of his own.
Melissa worried he wasn’t looking because he still felt that responsibility for his baby sister who was no longer a baby, but that he might see things differently if she wasn’t around…
The apartment solution was a good one, Sophie thought, on the short cab journey to Enzo’s. Jared had organised a taxi for Sophie ahead of time so she could ensure everything was organised and he was bringing Lissa. A place of her own would give Melissa independence, she’d be ten minutes away from Jared, and Pam lived in the same complex if she needed help.
And Jared could move on with his life.
And Sophie was not going to think about that tonight. She’d be much too busy making sure everyone else had a good time.
Jared shuffled Sophie around the makeshift dance floor to one of the local band’s recent hits. The rhythm was essentially fast but they moved to their own beat—much slower and out of time if anybody cared enough to look.
The restaurant’s sliding doors had been removed and the dance floor set up outside. Coloured lanterns danced on their strings in the gentle ocean breeze, the scents of kerosene torches and salty air and fried garlic assaulted the senses.
‘You did a brilliant job getting it together on such short notice,’ Jared said against her ear. ‘You’ve worked practically non-stop and I appreciate it. Thank you.’
Sophie looked over his elegantly clad shoulder. Pam was in the corner having an up-close and serious conversation with some hotshot Sophie recognised from the office. Crystal and Ian had left earlier with Arabella, but the guest of honour was laughing up a storm with some of her friends by the remains of the birthday cake inside. ‘You’re very welcome and I’m grateful for the opportunity.’
Melissa had wanted the occasion to be a formal affair. All the guys looked gorgeous in suits despite the warm evening and the girls, glad of an excuse to tart themselves up for a change in what was normally a casual lifestyle, wore semi-formal dresses and plenty of bling.
Every one seemed to be having a good time. Sophie had enjoyed a champagne to celebrate the cake cutting. And Jared, as usual, looked irresistible in his dark suit and classy silver tie.
He must have noticed her smiling—or was she drooling?—because he tilted her face up to his, placed a slow melting kiss on her lips that promised all kinds of anticipated delights and murmured against her mouth, ‘I think we can leave now.’
Oh, and she wanted that promise fulfilled. ‘But it’s only ten-thirty and the party’s my responsibility. I need to—’
‘Please the man who paid you,’ he murmured again.
He slid one large finger beneath the strap on her right shoulder and drew a sensuous circle there. ‘Ah…’ She shivered at the little thrill of anticipation that trickled all the way down to her toes, but she had a job to do. ‘But I…Lissa—’