The Summer Wedding: Groom Wanted / The Man You'll Marry

“Hello,” she said pleasantly, giving him her hand.

“Delighted,” Dean said again, turning to smile at her. He held her hand considerably longer than good manners required. Jill had the impression she was being carefully inspected and did her utmost to appear composed.

Finally, he released her and nodded toward the entrance. “If you’ll both excuse me for a moment, Nicholson’s just arrived.”

“Of course,” Jordan agreed politely.

Jill waited until Dean Lundquist was out of earshot. Then she leaned toward Jordan and whispered, “Suzi’s dad?”

Jordan made a wry face. “Smart girl.”

Not really, since few other men would have had cause to inspect her so closely, but Jill didn’t discount the compliment. She wasn’t likely to receive that many, at least not from Jordan.

“Who was that standing with him?” She inclined her head in the direction of a tall, good-looking young man. Something about him didn’t seem quite right. Nothing she could put her finger on, but it was a feeling she couldn’t shake.

“That’s Dean Junior,” Jordan explained.

Jill noticed the way Jordan’s mouth thinned and the thoughtful, preoccupied look that came into his eyes. “He’s being groomed by Daddy to take my place.”

“Junior?” Jill studied the younger man a second time. “I don’t think you’ll have much of a problem.”

“Why’s that?”

She shrugged, not sure why she felt so confident of that. “I can’t picture you losing at anything.”

His gaze swept her warmly. “I have no intention of giving Junior the opportunity, but I’m going to have a real fight on my hands soon.”

“Just a minute,” Jill said. “If Suzi is Dean Senior’s daughter, then wouldn’t a marriage between you two secure your position?” It wouldn’t exactly be a love match, but she couldn’t envision Jordan marrying for something as commonplace as love.

Jordan gave her a quick, unreadable look. “It’d help, but unfortunately I’m not the marrying kind.”

Jill had guessed as much. She doubted there was time in his busy schedule for love or commitment, just for work, work, work. Complete one project and start another. She knew the pattern.

Jill couldn’t imagine falling in love with someone like Jordan. And she couldn’t picture Jordan in love at all. As he’d said, he wasn’t the marrying kind.

“Jordan.” A woman’s shrill voice sent a chill up Jill’s spine as a beautiful blonde hurried past her and straight into Jordan’s unsuspecting arms, locking him in a tight embrace.

“This must be Suzi,” Jill said conversationally from behind the woman who was squeezing Jordan for all she was worth.

Jordan’s irate eyes found hers. “Do something!” he mouthed.

Jill was enjoying the scene far too much to interrupt Suzi’s passionate greeting. While Jordan was occupied, Jill took an hors d’oeuvre from a nearby silver platter. Whatever it was tasted divine, and she automatically reached for two more. She hadn’t recognized how hungry she was. Not until she was on her third cracker did she realize she was sampling caviar.

“Oh, darling, I didn’t think you’d ever get here,” Suzi said breathlessly. Her pretty blue eyes filled with something close to hero worship as she gazed up at Jordan. “Whatever took you so long? Didn’t you know I’d been waiting hours and hours for you?”

“Suzi,” Jordan said stiffly, disentangling himself from the blonde’s embrace. He straightened the cuffs of his shirt. “I’d like you to meet Jill Morrison, my date. Jill, this is Suzi Lundquist.”

“Hello,” Jill said before helping herself to yet another cracker. Jordan’s look told her this was not the time to discover a taste for Russian caviar.

Suzi’s big blue eyes widened incredulously. She really was lovely, but one glimpse and Jill understood Jordan’s reluctance. Suzi was very young, early twenties at most, and terribly vulnerable. She had to admire his tactic of putting the girl off without being unnecessarily rude.

Jordan had made Dean Lundquist’s daughter sound like a vamp. Jill disagreed. Suzi might be a vamp-in-training, but right now she was only young and headstrong.

“You’re Jordan’s date?” Suzi asked, fluttering her incredible lashes—which were almost long enough to cause a draft, Jill decided.

She smiled and nodded. “We’re very good friends, aren’t we, Jordan?” She slipped her arm in his and looked up at him, ever so sweetly.

“But I thought—I hoped …” Suzi turned to Jordan, who’d edged himself closer to Jill, draping his arm across her shoulders as though they’d been an item for quite some time.

“Yes?”

Suzi glanced from Jordan to Jill and then back to Jordan. Tears brimmed in her bright blue eyes. “I thought there was something special between us….”

“I’m sorry, Suzi,” he said gently.

“But Daddy seemed to think …” She left the rest unsaid as she slowly backed away. After three short steps, she turned and dashed out of the room. Jill popped another cracker in her mouth.

Several people were looking in their direction, although Jordan seemed unaware of it. Jill, however, keenly felt the interested glances. Not exactly a comfortable feeling, especially when one’s mouth was full of caviar.

After an awkward moment, conversation resumed, and Jill was able to swallow. “That was dreadful,” she muttered. “I feel sorry for the poor girl.”

“Frankly, so do I. But she’ll get over it.” He turned toward Jill. “A lot of help you were,” he grumbled. “You were stuffing down crackers like there was no tomorrow.”

“This is the first time I’ve tasted caviar. I didn’t know it was so good.”

“I didn’t bring you along to appraise the hors d’oeuvres.”

“I served my purpose,” Jill countered. “But I’m not happy about it. She’s not a bad kid.”

“Believe me,” Jordan insisted, his face tightening, “she will get over it. She’ll pout for a while, but in the end she’ll realize we did her a favor.”

“I still don’t like it.”

Now that her mission was accomplished, Jill felt free to examine the room. She wandered around a bit, sipping her champagne. The young man playing the piano caught her attention. He was good. Very good. After five years of lessons herself, Jill knew talent when she heard it. She walked over to the baby grand to compliment the pianist, and they chatted briefly about music until she saw Jordan looking for her. Jill excused herself; their meal was about to be served.

Dinner was delicious. Jill was seated beside Jordan, who was busy carrying on a conversation with a stately-looking gentleman on his other side. The man on her right, a distinguished gentleman in his mid-sixties, introduced himself as Andrew Howard. Although he didn’t acknowledge it in so many words, Jill knew he was the president of Howard Pharmaceuticals, now retired. Jill pointed out that PayRite Pharmacy, where she worked, carried a number of his company’s medications, and the two of them were quickly engaged in a lengthy conversation. By the time dessert was served Jill felt as comfortable with Mr. Howard as if she’d known him all her life.

Following a glass of brandy, Jordan seemed ready to leave.

“Thank you so much,” she told Mr. Howard as she slid back her chair. “I enjoyed our conversation immensely.”

He stood with her and clasped her hand warmly. “I did, too. If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep in touch.”

Jill smiled. “I’d enjoy that. And thank you for the invitation.”

Then she and Jordan exchanged good-nights with her dinner companion and headed for the elevator. Jordan didn’t speak until they were inside.

“What was all that with Howard?”