Page 160 of A Matter of Time

I leaned in and hugged her tight. “Call me J.”

Her arms wrapped instantly around me, and she put her head down on my shoulder. We went and hid in the supply closet so no one would see her cry. She didn’t want to be a bitch, but she liked everything done a certain way, the right way, and the whole department hated her for insisting on quality instead of quantity. I assured her I didn’t, couldn’t ever hate her, and we went from there. By the time we got back to her desk, we were a team, and a pretty formidable one as the weeks progressed.

We clicked in some intangible way that taught me to trust my instincts and her to explore her limits. She didn’t have to worry about me keeping up with her or being jealous of her or stabbing her in the back—her only concern was the work. And I, who was unsure if I could even do the job, came to the realization that I had the ability, as she nurtured my talent from potential to fruition.

Our ideas bounced off each other and sometimes the walls. She drew on any surface that was handy, and when the others complained, Gloria Todd, the head of our department, moved us off the main floor and into a tiny cubbyhole of a corner office. Dylan papered one side of the room, tearing it down and taping it back up every morning. Where she was fevered and driven and frantic, I was calm and soothing and still. She said I was like water to her flame, but instead of drowning her, I just kept her even. We fit like puzzle pieces and were both noticed and complimented. It didn’t even bother me that Dane had been right. I liked my new job, my new life. I liked being Jory Harcourt.

Dylan had been pressuring me for two months to meet her husband, and she wanted to meet the somebody special in my life. Since there was no one, as I was taking a long hiatus from dating, I asked her if my brother would suffice. She was happier with that and so had arranged a small dinner party with two other couples, her best friends that she wanted me to meet, her husband, and one of his coworkers that she was crazy about. I knew before the words were out of her mouth that she was playing matchmaker, but she was my friend and wanted what was best for me, so I agreed to meet Raymond Alvarez, along with everyone else, at her house on Saturday night.

At a quarter to nine neither Dane nor Ray had materialized, and Dylan, true to form, went ahead and served dinner. She had no patience whatsoever, and waiting to serve food was not where she was going to start. We ate from a buffet line on her counter and sat around the living room. When the doorbell chimed after we all had gotten settled, Chris rose to get it, placing a gentle hand on his wife’s knee to keep her seated. I wasn’t surprised that it was Dane. Funny to see him there in his Armani tuxedo, looking like he had literally stepped off the cover of GQ. He was stunning.

“Oh my goodness,” Dylan breathed out, her eyes running over the man slowly, up and down, finally settling on his face, on his pale gray eyes under thick, perfectly shaped black brows. “Are you Dane?”

“I am.” He smiled at her, passing her a bottle of Dom Pérignon. “I’m sorry to be late. I forgot I had to put in an appearance at a charity function this evening, but I didn’t want you to think for a moment that meeting Jory’s partner wasn’t of paramount importance to me. So I brought you a gift, and I’m hoping that perhaps we might have dinner with you and your husband next week sometime, if that would work.”

She could only nod. He was giving her his full attention and it was short-circuiting her brain. “That would work. That would be great.”

“Excellent.” He smiled at her before he offered Chris his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Chris was spellbound as well. “And you,” he said as he shook Dane’s hand.

I watched Dane meet the others, shake their hands, and smile until the room was silent, watching, waiting on him. I got up, and he stepped in front of me, a hand on my shoulder.

“How are you?”

I smiled up at him. “I’m good. Are we still on for brunch tomorrow?” It had become our Sunday morning ritual after the first time meeting with the lawyer.

“Yes. Let’s hit the gym first. I have to beat Jude at racquetball this week or I owe him a car or something, and even though annihilating you isn’t much practice, at least it gets my blood moving.”

I chuckled. “You’re frickin’ hilarious.”

He grinned before patting my cheek gently and turning to go. “Don’t forget we’ve got to go through applications sometime tomorrow. I’ve got to start interviewing next week.”

“How many assistants is that in the two months I’ve been gone?”

He smirked at me. “Just shut up.”

“Carina, then Debbie, and last Friday you fired Shannon, right?” I asked innocently.

“Keep it up.”

I nodded, looking down before my eyes were suddenly back on his. “Say it.”

“What?”

I squinted at him. “C’mon, just say it.”

He gave me a long look before he suddenly sighed. “Fine. You’re right. You were the best assistant I ever had. You took care of me at work and at home. You were phenomenal. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Yes.” I preened.

“You know you’re amazing. I should tell you more often.”

It was all I needed to hear.

“Here,” he mumbled as he passed me something.

When I looked at what was in my hand, I realized I was looking at the royal-blue leather billfold I had seen and wanted when we went to Vail over Christmas. I had decided it was too expensive. I didn’t actually need a new wallet. My head snapped up, and he smiled.