Happy Mother's Day: Ready for Romance / Ready for Marriage

“You haven’t met Ramona, have you?” Evan murmured. Without waiting for a response, he made the introductions.

Jessica could see that the blonde had fallen under Evan’s spell, just like most women did when he’d decided to charm them. His magnetism was lethal. Jessica nearly felt sorry for the unsuspecting Ramona.

The two couples moved off to get something to drink. They were making small talk and sipping punch when Damian suddenly asked Ramona to dance. The woman glanced anxiously at Evan, obviously reluctant to leave him. Jessica smiled softly to herself, recognizing Damian’s ploy. He’d all but thrown her and Evan together.

Damian and Ramona joined the throng of dancers. “It’s a wonderful party,” Jessica said to Evan. “I’ve been having a good time.”

“Glad to hear it,” Evan commented distractedly, his eyes following the other couple. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand to her.

It became apparent as they moved into the dancing area that Evan was more interested in keeping an eye on Ramona than dancing with Jessica. She and Evan made polite conversation, but his attention wandered as often as her own. The dance couldn’t end soon enough for either of them.

When it did, she was grateful that Damian and Ramona were on the far side of the dance area, because she needed time and space to bring order to her thoughts. When the number ended, Evan was corralled by an older couple who wanted to talk to him privately. He cast Jessica an apologetic look and moved away.

She strolled to the far reaches of the property, near the fence that bordered her parents’ home. A white footbridge crossed a good-size pond. She stood in the middle of the bridge, dropping small rocks into the still water and watching the ripples radiate to the shore, one after another.

Absorbed, she hadn’t noticed Damian’s approach and was startled when he spoke. “I wondered if I’d find you here,” he said.

“I used to come here a lot when I was growing up,” Jessica admitted. “I guess you could’ve charged me with trespassing.”

“Not too likely.”

“I know. That’s why I used to come. It was so peaceful. So safe.” A duck glided past, disturbing the water in the pond, and Jessica wished she’d brought some bread crumbs. The ducks had often been beneficiaries of her trips here.

Damian was silent for a moment, then he said, “You’re discouraged, aren’t you?”

“About what?”

“It’s over, you know,” Damian told her softly. “It was over a long time ago—more than six months now.” He sighed. “I was hoping he would’ve forgotten her by now, but …”

Oh, dear, Jessica thought. Apparently Damian believed she was here at the pond brooding about Evan, when in fact nothing could be farther from the truth. She’d been standing on the bridge thinking about Damian.

“Who was she?” Jessica asked curiously.

“Someone he met on a beach. No name the family had ever heard of before, not that it mattered. Mary Jo Summerhill.”

“What happened?”

“No one really knows. Whatever it was devastated Evan. He hasn’t been the same since. My brother isn’t one to burden others with his problems. He’s like that duck down there on the pond—everything seems to roll off him like water. He’d been in and out of a dozen relationships, and I assumed he was never going to really fall for any woman, but I was wrong.”

“You have no idea what happened between him and Mary Jo?”

“No. He changed abruptly after the breakup. His heart clearly wasn’t in his work, so I cut back his hours. That helped for a time, but now I’m not sure it was the right thing to do. I’ve never seen him more miserable.”

“Have you tried to talk to him?”

“A dozen times,” Damian said, “but if anything, he’s resented my prying. This broken relationship seems to have hurt him more deeply than he’s willing to admit.”

“He’ll get over her,” Jessica said reassuringly. “It just takes time.”

“I thought so, too.” Damian shrugged. “But now I wonder …” He paused, gazing down at the water. “He needs you, Jessica. You might be the only one able to reach him.”

“Me?”

“I knew the minute Dad mentioned you were coming in to apply for a job that you could be the answer to our prayers.” She started to say something, but Damian wouldn’t let her. “You’re just going to need a lot of patience.”

Jessica sighed in frustration. “If I’m going to need patience, it’s with you. You and your family seem to think I’m still a kid with a crush on Evan.”

Damian’s eyes darkened. “All right, all right, I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re old enough to make up your own mind.”

“Thank you for that,” she said. Turning away from him, she rested her hands on the railing and stared into the serene waters below. “I remember once when I was about six years old coming to this bridge and crying my eyes out,” she murmured.

“What were you so upset about?”

“You,” she said, turning back and jabbing a finger at his chest.

“Me?” Jessica had never seen such an expression of outraged innocence. “What did I do?” Damian demanded.

“Your father was taking you and Evan to the roller coaster at Cannon Beach. My dad was out of town on business, and our mothers were taking the shopping cure. They weren’t keen on having to drag me along, and I can’t remember who, but one of them suggested I go to the carnival with you and Evan.”

“And I didn’t want you with us,” Damian finished for her.

“Not that I blame you. No fifteen-year-old wants a six-year-old girl tagging along.”

Damian chuckled. “Times change, don’t they?”

Her mother had said the same thing earlier. Indeed, times do change.

To Jessica’s astonishment, Damian reached for her hand. He linked their fingers and tugged her off the bridge. “Where are we going?” she asked.

He looked at her in surprise. “Where else? The beach. From what I gather, that roller coaster’s still in operation. The party here is starting to wind down, and I don’t think we’ll be missed, do you?”

She couldn’t help but agree.

Four

Carrying a sticky cone of pink cotton candy in one hand and a purple stuffed elephant in the other, Jessica strolled leisurely with Damian down the long pier. The tinny music of the merry-go-round played behind them, mingling with children’s laughter. The scent of the bay and fresh popcorn swirled around them like smoke from a cooling fire. The night was perfect. The sun had set, and clusters of bright stars blinked down on them.

“I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed myself more,” Jessica said to Damian. She held the cotton candy toward him and he helped himself to a handful. Taking another bite herself, she savored the sugary sweetness melting on her tongue.

“We still haven’t gone on the roller coaster,” Damian reminded her.

“That’s because you spent all that time trying to win this silly elephant.” She hugged it against her, belying her words.

“Are you game?” Damian asked, gesturing toward the huge steel structure.

Jessica shrugged. “I … I don’t know if that’s such a good idea after all the junk we’ve eaten.”

“Trust me.” He looped his arm through hers and pulled her along, not giving her a chance to protest.