Page 40 of Lead Me On
“What time do you want me to pick you up?”
She glanced at the plain silver face of her watch. Ten-thirty. “Going through the reports may take a while. And I should really stop at the office. I took a personal day, but… And your work. I don’t want to get you in trouble.” She meant to offer to wait until five, but her urgency stopped the words from leaving her throat.Please don’t make me wait until five.
“I can leave early. How about two-thirty? Is that too late?”
“No! Thank you. Chase, you’ve been so nice to me. And thank you for last night.” Silence greeted her words, letting her know she needed to replay them in her head. Oh, God. “I mean, thank you for your help at the bar!”
“No, thank you. Really.”
Jeez. Hadn’t this happened last time? This polite appreciation for a devastatingly dirty act? “I… Okay. Well, I’ll see you at two-thirty.” She gave Chase her address and hung up.
Flustered and distracted, she rushed into her office and began hurriedly sorting through the mail on her desk. Her personal life was fluttering out of control, and she couldn’t stand the thought that her work life might be sliding, too. If she could just keep Jennings Architecture running smoothly, it would act as a cap, keeping her secrets dark and hidden. Everything would be fine. She would be fine.
“Jane?”
She jumped up from her seat, hand flying to her chest. “Good morning, Mr. Jennings!”
“Jane, what are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to be sure everything was in order for the rest of your day, sir.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. If there’s something going on in your life, take as much time as you need. You’ve earned it.” He put his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor for a few seconds before glancing up at her. “Isthere something going on?”
She really didn’t want to lie to him, especially when his eyes were warm with concern. “Mr. Jennings…”
“I’m worried about you, Jane. Yesterday you sent me an e-mail that had two typos.”
She gasped in genuine shock.
“I know,” Mr. Jennings said with a solemn nod. “I called Lori to find out if she had any idea what was going on.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Jennings. I promise I won’t let this affect my work again. I—”
“Oh, come on, Jane. I’m not worried about the e-mail. I’m worried aboutyou.But just tell me to back off if it’s none of my business.”
Her cheeks were on fire—she was sure of it.
“All right, the framers are starting on my house today, so I’m going to take Lori up to see it. Will you lock up when you leave?”
“Yes, of course. You’ve got your keys? And your phone?”
He nodded, but she noticed that he patted at several pockets before leaving. A lump growing in her throat, she watched him go. Quinn Jennings was like a brother to her. The kind of big brother she would’ve picked for herself if that kind of thing were possible.
She’d never had a big brother to look out for her. It had been just her and Jessie, and for a while there, she’d loved being a big sister.
For so many years it had been just Jane and her mom. She’d never suspected her new stepfather would be released from prison and show up on their doorstep with all his belongings stuffed in one duffel bag. Neither had her mother, or she would never have married him. That sort of defied the purpose of a lifer husband.
But Mac had been released on a technicality and everything had changed. Big Mac had been intimidating as hell, and Jane had spent months waiting for her mother to send him on his way. But he’d stayed, and then suddenly there’d been a little brother.
Jane had thought of Jessie as her pet. She’d held him and fed him, and had once tried to tie a leash around him. She’d even led Jessie into her room and let him nap on her bed while she did homework. The truth was, she’d helped to spoil him rotten as much as her mother had.
But then she’d hit puberty, and her little brother had been the last thing on her mind. She’d been a horrible sister from the moment she’d turned twelve. Neglectful and distant and self-obsessed. She’d contributed to his problems. But if she could help him now, maybe everything would be okay.
Jane glanced at the phone. A good sister would call her ex-boyfriend D.A. no matter what. A good sister wouldn’t hesitate. But Jane was hesitating.
Snatching up the phone before she could talk herself out of it, she dialed Greg’s number.
It rang a few times, and she was greeted by a moment of silence before Greg said, “Jane?”
