Romance: Dedication - A Workplace Romance (Dedication Series, Romance, Contemporary Romance Book 1) (9 page)

              “You know Mr. Belmore,” Jane asked in quiet surprise.

              “Oh, yeah. Sammy and I go way back. Started at around the same time. Don’t tell him I told you this, but he’s got a fondness for gummy bears. The sour kind. Give him a jar at Christmas and watch how you become his favorite.

              “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?” Franklin quipped.

              “Why didn’t you figure it out?”

              Franklin scowled while his brother laughed. Austin held out a hand to Jane. The sweet, crooked smile on his face was comforting as he shook her hand firmly.

              “I’m Austin, it’s nice to meet you.”

              Just as they finished introductions, a bell ran throughout the dining hall. Jane had no idea what it meant, but to everyone else it seemed to signify that it was time to take a seat at the table. There were cream pieces of thick paper, folded in half, with gold lettering on them with their names. Jane thought back to the family dinners at her home. There was a  long table, usually brought up from the basement, laden with food and everyone was either laughing, screaming or watching the game. Here, it was like stepping into an alternate world.

              That fact was confirmed when appetizers were brought out. Each place had a little card next to it identifying what it was as well as the ingredients inside. Jane picked up the card. The first course was apparently chilled oysters with apple ginger mignonette. The woman had no idea what that was. As far as food went, pizza and burgers were her forte. She looked at the oysters sitting in their shells closely before Franklin nudged her. He picked up one of the shells, let the concoction slide into his mouth. She shivered. The thought of a slimy oyster going down her throat was a little more than she was prepared to handle.

              When Jane looked up, Franklin’s family was staring at her along with a few other guests at the table. Franklin nodded his head towards the food quietly. She steeled her stomach, picked up the shell between her fingertips. As she brought the food to her lips, she could smell the overpowering scent of them.She held her breath, ate the oyster in one bite. When she started breathing again, she heaved a sigh of relief. It wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it would be. The oyster was still a bit slimy, but beside that, it was delicious. Franklin gave her a look that said
see, you were being ridiculous.
She partly agreed, but she partly wanted to kick him beneath the table.

              The next dish that came out wasn’t nearly as intimidating. Turkey, covered in herbs and some kind of sauce that at least made Jane’s stomach rumble. She ate the dish happily, interjecting her opinion when it was asked for, listening contentedly otherwise. She learned that Franklin had many aunts and uncles, all of them seemed either very dull or very colorful to Jane. His uncle Cliff was an investment banker, his aunt Trudy liked to sing in lounges on the weekend. It was the most mixed group of people she’d ever seen, but she found herself fitting right in.

              As far as welcoming meals went, the dinner with the McKinnon’s was one of the best to date. No one was giving her sideways glances or berating her on how work was going. Helen kept conversation surprisingly light and cheerful. Jane felt like she’d fell out of her busy world and landed right into a sitcom.

              “My friend, Rebecca, she works with a whole slew of tech companies,” Jane explained over an exquisite chocolate pot de creme. “That’s sort  of her specialty. You’d never know it by looking at her either, but the woman’s amazing.               All the start-ups want her to help them get an in at the company.” She talked casually to Richard, who sat across the table from her, eating eagerly from the small pot of chocolate. Seeing where Franklin got his sweet tooth from made Jane smile inwardly.

              “I think I might have heard some talk about her down on the fifth floor with all my old team. Brunette, tall, kind of scary?”

              “That’s the one.”

              “Oh yeah, the boys downstairs adore her: She’s got a really good eye for talent.”

              “Yes, she does. I wish I was more like her.”

              “Don’t put yourself down. Belmore didn’t shove you off on another analyst yet, did he?” She shook her head, drawing an encouraging look from Richard.  “See, that means you’re doing something right. Now, that deal you worked up for him, yeah, I heard about it. That’s just the start. Keep powering through, Jane, you’re gonna do just fine.” Talking to someone like Richard helped dispel some of the lingering doubts that still clung to Jane. For months now, she’d been given more and more responsibility at the office. And while Belmore wasn’t being outright meant to her, he wasn’t really giving her any real feedback that she could work with.

              “You really think I’m on the right track?” The last of her pot de creme was gone. Jane stared down into the white ceramic, waiting for Richard’s answer.

              “Listen, I’m not going to steer you wrong. As much as I love my son, I wouldn’t want to see him with a girl that didn’t have an ambition that matched his. You have that drive, Jane, I can tell.”

              The words drew out a happy look in Jane. Lighting up her face, and making her beam over at Richard with thankful eyes. He was such a nice man, so unlike his son in many ways. Already, Jane could tell that Franklin behaved so much like his mother. Helen, as pleasant she was, Jane could tell that given the chance she’d cut a person down to size without even a bat of her perfect eyelashes. She was poise and confidence: A strong presence that went well with her husband's genuinely good nature.

              “Well, I think it’s time for bed,” Helen said once the last of the desert dishes were taken away. “Jane, I was going to go to the spa in the morning before the party, would you like to come with me?”

              Jane nodded eagerly, “I’d love to! Who knew that spa’s were open on Thanksgiving?” She added.

              “I just need to get my nails done, it’ll be fun. Our own girls day.”

              With the night swiftly coming to an end, the table began to slowly empty. Franklin walked Jane up a spiral staircase, showing her to the room. With a promise of returning in an hour, he left to catch up with his brother. Jane didn’t mind, the room was like something taken out of an expensive home renovations magazine. Clearly a man’s room. It was all dark leather, sleek chrome accents, dotted here and there with lush olive green and calm cream tones. In the bathroom she found his-and-her sinks, a shower with nozzles drilled right into the iridescent tile. And then there was the tub. The deep, two person tub that managed to take up its own wall. It was made of a smooth gray stone, which warmed the moment Jane went to fill it up.

              She selected a rose scented bubble  bath, the shimmed excitedly out of her clothing. A moment of pure bliss broke over her as she sank into the wondrously warm water. Jane’s head lolled back against the tub, supported by a rolled towel.

              A girl could get used to this, she thought, smiling to herself as she sank down to her chin. She lost track of how long she stayed in that tub, but her muscles were more than happy for the reprieve. All the stress from the last few days was slowly being worked away. Why had she been worried anyway? His family was so nice. A bit intimidating, but weren’t all people that helped build empires even the smallest bit scary?

              So lost in her thoughts, Jane didn’t hear the bathroom door open. And when she opened her eyes to find Franklin perched on the edge of the tub, Jane nearly jumped out of her skin.

              “Holy shit, you scared me.”

              “I’m sorry.” She narrowed her eyes at him: he didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “You looked so serene that I didn’t want to disturb you.” A hand came down, ghosting through the slowly fading bubbles.

              “How’s your brother?” She asked.

              “He’s fantastic, you’ll meet his wife tomorrow. They have a baby on the way.”

              “That’s so amazing.” The words were slowly starting to mix together, as the heady combination of her lack of sleep and the relaxing bath went to Jane’s head. “Would you be upset if I said I didn’t want to talk about babies or brothers right now.”

              “Not at all,” Franklin whispered, “Did you want to do something that doesn’t require any talking at all?”

              Jane opened one eye, peeking up the man, “I’m a bit tired, honestly. How about a movie? You’ve been wearing me out lately. Plus, I don’t really think I’d be able to face your mother if you do all those things you were telling me about earlier.”

              Franklin pushed himself to his feet, moving swiftly to take a towel from the silver drying rack. He held it open for her, wrapping it gently around Jane’s body as she emerged from the tub. “Fine, movie it is.” He placed a kiss on the place between her shoulder blades, drawing  a small shiver from Jane. “But, we are both going to be naked.”

              “I think I can live with that deal.”

              The simple times were the best. Jane would attest to that anytime she was allowed to. Being draped over his body, listening to the light gust of his breath, the television humming in the background: Those were the moments when Jane knew what they had was real. Even though they fought, and sometimes the douche McKinnon would show himself in Franklin, Jane could put all of that aside at the end of the day.

              “Franklin,” The whisper met only darkness, “Franklin,” Jane said again, a little lower than the first time. Her head was buried in the crook of her neck, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the words that were forcing themselves out of her mouth. “I think I love you.” Sound asleep, Franklin didn’t even budge, but it still felt good to be able to say the words aloud.

***

              Thanksgiving morning started out as both familiar and unfamiliar to Jane. Similar to her home holidays, Jane began the morning with a steaming hot cup of coffee. Made delicious with a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar. What was different, however, was that it was served by Franklin, who came into their room bearing not only a tureen of coffee, but a full spread of delicious breakfast goodies.

              “Mother will be ready to leave by ten,” He relayed through a bite of toast. “She might have scheduled you for a deep tissue massage too.” Franklin lifted an elbow, effectively stopping Jane from stealing the last chocolate crepe from the plate.

              “What will you do all day.”

              “Hmm, I think I’ll pine after you. Maybe write a few love songs...a poem or two.” He shook his head at her dismayed look, “I’m going golfing. We have a small course out in the back. When you’re done getting all pretty, I’ll take you on a tour.”

              It was a lovely idea, one that unfortunately was pushed aside when Helen knocked on the door. Thirty minutes later, Jane found herself in another toasty warm town car, heading out to a spa that had Helen raving.

              “I wish I had time to get a facial,” She said, studying her reflection in a little Dior mirror. Jane stayed silent, sure that the woman's poreless skin was the envy of all her neighbors: Jane even was a little bit jealous at the flawless complexion. “Tanya does an amazing enzyme scrub. If you come back for Christmas I’ll make us an appointment.” Her voice was excited, eyes wide with apparent joy.

              “Oh, Helen, no, I couldn’t,” She tried to resist, but the woman just shook her head, snapping the compact shut in the next moment.

              “Nonsense. I don’t have a daughter of my own; I enjoy having someone to spoil. Besides, seeing how my son looks at you.” In a show of dramatics that would have impressed any housewife, Helen pressed a hand to her chest, closing her eyes as a beatific smile drew up her lips. “He’s glowing. I’ve never seen him so happy.” In the next moment Jane was surrounded in the scent of lilac and lavender. Helen had thrown her arms are her, taking her up in a tight embrace.

              “I..I don’t know what to say,” she cleared her throat as Helen moved away, “Has he not brought other people home.”

              “No one like you,” Said Helen honestly, “Usually I can see when they’ll be flings, or long term. Most of the girls haven’t lasted longer than eight months. And he never treated them like he does you.”

              “Well, Helen, I really care for you son.” The admission that she’d made to the darkness still rang in her ears. Franklin hadn’t mentioned it, so she’d assumed that he really had been asleep. A part of her wished that he’d heard. It was a secret that was eating her up inside, only half sated by  what had transpired only a handful of hours before.

              “I know. If you didn’t, I would have had him send you home the moment you walked into my home.” Just like that, cold Helen was back. Jane sat back in her seat, trying hard not to stare at the woman beside her. “Franklin’s a good boy, usually has horrible taste in women. Not like his brother...his wife is a treasure.”

              “I heard about the baby, you must be excited to become a gran-” Helen held up a hand, one finger moving to press against Jane’s lips.

              “We do not say the ‘G’ word. I’m too young to be a grandma.” The woman beamed, “But i am so excited. There’s so many things to prepare for. We have to have a shower, buy gifts, maybe prepare a room in the estate for the baby. It’s going to be wonderful.” Then suddenly. ‘Do you want children, Jane?”