After a quick stop at his brother’s house to pick up their things and one at a downtown coffee shop, they got on the highway. She didn’t know about him, but she needed the caffeine pick-me-up. Without it she might fall asleep on the ride home. She’d rather not snore during their first formal date.
“You seem close to your cousin Derek. Are you like that with the rest of your family?” Jen asked as they crossed over the Newport Bridge.
He’d spoken fondly of his family in his letters, and she’d read in numerous places the Sherbrookes were a tight-knit group. Until this evening, she hadn’t realized just how close. And she was a tad jealous. While she was close to her parents and Kristen and Keith, she didn’t have a large extended family like Brett.
“Affirmative. We’re all around the same age.” He glanced at her briefly. “Some of my cousins have tighter relationships with each other than others. Jake and Trent are the closest, I think. Only a few months separate them in age, and they did everything together until college. They even had kids within months of each other.”
She heard disappointment or something close to it in his voice but didn’t comment. Whatever emotions he was experiencing were his business. If he wanted to share them with her, he would. “You’re lucky. I always wanted a big family like yours.”
She might want a large extended family similar to Brett’s, but she’d never complain about what she had either, considering what her life had been like before Reggie and Erica Wallace adopted her. A time she remembered quite well.
The garage floodlight went on, and she watched Brett shift the car into neutral. Hours ago she’d been thinking about canceling their day at the beach. Back to where their day had started, she was so happy she hadn’t acted on the impulse.
“My meeting with Filmore tomorrow starts at noon. I don’t know how long I’ll be,” Brett said. He turned off the car then shifted his position so he faced her. “If it’s like our first meeting, it’ll be a while.”
She followed politics enough to make an educated decision at the polls. Outside of that, she knew next to nothing about what went into a campaign. “I hope the meeting is more interesting than our quarterly staff meetings. Those are boring enough to put even an insomniac to sleep.”
She dreaded the quarterly staff meetings the office insisted on holding. As far as she knew, everyone in the office did, including the accounting firm’s president. Still, every quarter another one popped up on the calendar.
“Doubt it.” He reached over and took her hand. “We’re meeting at his office in Boston. If it’s not too late, do you want to meet for dinner?” The pad of his thumb rubbed against her palm, sending tiny sparks of heat up her arm.
She’d agreed to work on plans for their upcoming Girl Scout meetings tomorrow. Kristen would understand if she rescheduled. Actually, she’d probably encourage it. For at least the past year, her sister had been urging her to date more. She’d even tried to set Jen up with some of Dan’s friends. Each time, Jen had come up with some excuse to not go. However, the real reason was currently sitting across from her. Back then she’d kept her mouth closed about it. She’d been too afraid if she told Kristen she didn’t want to date other men because she was half in love with a guy she’d never met, her sister would think she’d lost her sanity. After all, it was a silly reason, especially since at the time Jen didn’t think she’d ever meet Brett. Today proved it hadn’t been as ridiculous as she’d once thought.
“Definitely. If it’s easier, I can meet you in Boston.” She didn’t need much of an excuse to drive her new car. But in this case, it also seemed fair. Jen didn’t know exactly how far away North Salem was, but he’d driven down twice now to see her. It seemed only right she reciprocate and make the trip north.
He smiled, once again pulling her eyes toward his all-too-perfect mouth. They hadn’t kissed since before leaving for Pirate’s Cove. This moment seemed like the perfect opportunity to rectify that, and she wasn’t willing to wait for him to do it.
Jen leaned toward him and touched her lips to his. Earlier in the afternoon, he let her set the pace of their kiss. Not this time. Instead Brett moved his mouth over hers, his lips communicating both strength and passion. With each second, her heart seemed to thump harder and faster. When he finally pulled away, she searched her mind for a good reason not to invite him inside for the night. Only one popped up.
You’re a responsible adult, she reminded herself. Only a crazy teenager would invite Brett over for a slumber party after getting together only twice. Right?
“If tomorrow doesn’t end up working out, what does the rest of your week look like?” Brett asked.
Although he’d ended their kiss, his face remained only inches away from hers.
Week? She tried to picture her schedule, not an easy feat with Brett’s fingers moving up and down the back of her neck.
“Pretty typical.” At least she thought so. Honestly, she wasn’t completely certain because she couldn’t focus on anything but his skin on hers.
“Monday and Tuesday are out for me,” Brett said.
“I have plans for Wednesday already.” She sounded as disappointed as he felt.
He probably shouldn’t make any plans until after his meeting with Filmore and the rest of his campaign team tomorrow. He remembered the first time his uncle ran for the US Senate. The campaign had taken over his life. If he wanted to win first the primary and then the election, he should devote all his time and energy to the campaign and nothing else. In that respect, starting anything with Jen was a bad idea. Bad idea or not, he planned on carrying it out. If he couldn’t see her tomorrow, he didn’t want to wait until next weekend, but he didn’t think he had much of a choice.
“How’s Friday after work?”
“All yours,” she said.
“Outstanding.” He opened his car door. “I’ll grab your stuff.”
Like she had at his brother’s house, she didn’t wait for him to come around and open her door. Instead she met him at the back of the car. This time though he pulled her bag out before she could. After closing the trunk, he took her hand.
The lights flanking the front door switched on when they approached the steps, and he wondered if she’d invite him inside. It was well past midnight already, and he had roughly an hour and a half drive home. If she asked him to stay, he should say no. He wouldn’t.
He waited for her to unlock the door. “I’ll call you as soon as my meeting ends.”
“Great.” She accepted the bag he held toward her. “Be careful driving home. I can make you a coffee to take with you if you think you need it.”