“I’ll get right on it,” Tyler said.
Jordan nodded and left the room.
“You know, when she’s around I actually forget who the boss is in this place,” Matthew said with an amused smile. “She really is—Wait a minute! Ty, that’s it!”
“What’s it?”
“You can pretend to date Jordan.”
Tyler stared at him with a flabbergasted expression for several moments before he spoke. “Is there a switch I can turn on in your brain that will limit the amount of stupid things you say in one day?”
“I’m serious, Ty.”
“I know. That’s what’s worrying me.”
“Don’t you see how perfect it is? She’s been working for you for two years. Do you know what kind of doubt that would put in Trisha’s mind? She’s going to wonder how long you’ve been attracted to her and whether you and Jordan ever hooked up before. She’ll wonder about the long hours at the office and she’ll remember every nice thing you’ve ever said about Jordan.”
Tyler’s mouth dropped in disbelief. Even after knowing Matthew for nineteen years, he still had not grown accustomed to the evil that lurked within his best friend.
“Just so you don’t think I’m shooting down every idea you have,” Tyler began slowly, “I’m going to take the logical approach and state every reason why this is bad idea.” He leaned forward and began counting on his fingers. “One, she works for me, which is already a recipe for disaster. Two, she is the mostuninteresting woman I’ve ever met. She may be a great accountant, but you can’t speak to her about anything besides work. It’s beyond her, so having thatintimateconversation you were talking about is impossible. Three, we have nothing in common. Four, she would never agree to go out with me, and five, my soul will be fundamentally altered afterpretendingto date her. It’s just wrong…and somewhat gross.”
“Gross?” Lines of disbelief creased Matthew’s forehead. “Ty, don’t think that you’re fooling me for a second. You know as well as I do that you have had steamy dreams about our accountant in tight black leather. That must mean that somewhere deep in your subconscious you find her attractive.”
Tyler shook his head, stood up, and walked to the window. “That wasonedream I hadtwoyears ago, Matt. I keep telling you to stop living in the past.”
“This coming from a man who doesn’t want to let go of his ex,” Matthew muttered sarcastically.
“Enough with the smart remarks! It’s not gonna change my mind. The answer is no!”
“Fine.” Matthew, now tired of arguing, stood up and accepted defeat. “But at least think about what I said. Trisha is happy because she thinks you’re miserable, so turn the tables. Once she sees you’re happy, she’ll be the one who’s miserable.” He stood up and left the office, leaving Tyler very deep in thought.
*****
Jordan opened the front door to her little townhouse and pulled off her jacket. She tossed it on the sofa and began unbuttoning her blouse as she walked to the kitchen. “Hello, Princess,” she said to the gray and white cat, who was comfortably nestled in her basket. Princess blinked her lazy eyes several times before indulging in a luxurious stretch.
Jordan pulled off her blouse, tossed it into the washing machine and turned back to the cat. “Go open up for Roscoe while I get dinner started.”
Princess gave a snort of disapproval, trotted to the door and flipped open the latch for the doggy door. Jordan smiled. It had taken her five months to teach Princess that trick, but she knew now that if she used the wordsopenandRoscoein the same sentence, her not-so-bright cat would get the picture.
Roscoe, on the other hand, was the smartest dog in the world. She had found the Great Dane wounded and abandoned on the side of the road a year ago. It took almost four weeks to nurse him back to health. The bond between them had been instantaneous and she could recall the very second she fell in love with him. He was just a lovable dog. Sure, he was moody and somewhat temperamental, but he was also dependable and strong-willed. This was why she’d decided to name him after Tyler’s father, the big man himself, Roscoe Evans, who shared those very same qualities.
She couldn’t ask for a better dog. He was loyal, protective, and a good listener, everything she wanted in a life-long partner…except for the fact that he had four legs…and he slobbered…a lot!
Roscoe’s huge body came charging through the large doggy-door at full speed. He hurled himself at Jordan, almost knocking her over. The kitchen was small so there was virtually no space to move once he was inside. “Hey there, boy,” she said, scratching his head. “It’s good to see you too.” She tried to pull away before his saliva-drenched tongue swept over her face, but he was too fast for her. “Ooh! Dog-breath. My favorite.”
She managed to subtly push him away and stole a few seconds to disappear into her bedroom and pull on a T-shirt. Sweeping her dark, brown hair up into an untidy ponytail, she walked back to the kitchen, washed her hands, and headed straight for the pantry. “So what will it be tonight, guys? Any takers for chicken?”
Roscoe barked his approval while Princess appeared uninterested and continued licking herself.
“Chicken, it is then.”
She spent the next thirty minutes preparing her dinner and ensuring that both cat and dog had eaten before cuddling up on the sofa with her chicken chow mein. Roscoe trotted in behind her, still licking his lips, while she switched on the television to watchOur Love, Our Lives. Although it was completely mindless garbage, she just couldn’t get enough of this Soap Opera. She loved watching the drama unfold, how weddings were stopped right before theI do’s, how dead loved ones were miraculously brought back to life, how the paternity of babies were never known. It was beautiful. The small town of Juniper Hills and all its little secrets never ceased to keep her absolutely riveted.
Well, it wasn’t really the Soap Opera she enjoyed. She liked the noise and drama that filled the space.
Noise and drama went hand in hand with having a big family and she missed them every day. Growing up with four boys—five if she counted Perry—had not been easy, not for one single second. Even though she was the only one with an X-chromosome, her brothers had never treated her like a girl. All of them had tortured her in one small way or another.
Dominic wasn’t as bad as the rest of them. Being the eldest came with some sense of responsibility and maturity, so playful teasing was Dom at his worst.
