He dropped one of his smoldering gazes on her. “What about in twenty?”
She turned away, not sure what to do when neither being polite nor blunt seemed to work. He was making her look bad, when she was still trying to prove herself in this job.
Jay stared from across the room, clearly not about to intervene now that they’d established boundaries. She shouldn’t have reminded him of how he played the boyfriend role in college. She’d used him, and it appalled her that she hadn’t realized it until now. One memory, in particular, wouldn’t leave her alone, though she hadn’t thought about it since the night it happened. They’d been at a party, and a guy from her Chem lab came over to say hi. Jay had protectively put his arm around her shoulder, but she’d shrugged him off and turned to flirt with the other guy. There’d been a look in Jay’s eyes as he walked off. It bothered him. And now it bothered her.
***
Clarissa came over with the bridal bouquet. “Hold this for a second.” She handed the bouquet to Jay and held onto his shoulder while adjusting the strap of her shoe. “The bride’s afraid to set this down. She thinks somehow it’ll get lost. So now, I’m her personal safety deposit box. Oh, and you need to go reassure the caterer he’s getting paid because Mrs. Phillips complained all through dinner, saying she’s not paying for food this bland.”
Jay handed back the bouquet. “I’ll talk to the caterer.” He surveyed the room, checking on the whereabouts of Rebecca’s no good ex-fiancé. Eating cake and joking with the groomsman. Good.
Clarissa ran a hand through her glossy black hair. “So, what was going on with you and Rebecca earlier? I saw you two looking cozy, talking to some hot guy. Are you two together or something?”
“Me and the hot guy? No.”
Clarissa slapped his arm. “You and Rebecca.”
“No.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“He was bothering her so I stepped in.”
“Ahh. But you’ve never done that for me, and I have guys all over me all the time at weddings.”
“And when have you ever needed help with that?”
“That’s not the point, Jay. It would’ve been nice if you offered.”
“Fine. If I ever see you in distress, I will come to your aid.”
She smiled. “See, that’s the thing. I’m never a damsel in distress. But I do like attention every once in a while.” She patted his cheek before walking off, looking back once, probably to see if he was watching her cat-like movements.
He was getting too old for these games. At least, being a morning wedding, this thing would be over soon. He might get some time to play a game with Bridger before his bedtime, or sit with him and watch the Power Rangers defeat someone in a costume so ridiculous, it should be illegal.
An old man coaxed Rebecca out onto the dance floor, and Jay watched them sway together. Maybe he just needed to calm down and give this thing time. Boss and assistant. It didn’t have to be such a complicated relationship. Monday, they’d be back to the old grind: appointments, calls, scheduling. She wouldn’t be wearing that form-fitting dress. He forced himself to turn away and look at something else.
