AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brent stepped up beside her. “Yes, she did. I confess, I’m glad it didn’t work out because I lucked into one of the best employees I’ve ever had. She’s creative, hard-working, dedicated, and the care she’s shown my daughter is exemplary. I know they’re not the same skills she’d need to learn docent work here, not exactly, but when I spoke to the primate department supervisor on the phone, he was very keen to follow up with Jessica.”
Marjorie nodded, and the lemur chittered a bit beside her. “We all agree. In the fall, Jessica, you’ll get an email to schedule an orientation session. You’ll be the first fall docent intern in our history. Congratulations.”
Her heart was pounding so hard that she almost missed the words. Blinking wildly back at Marjorie, Jessica finally found her voice again. “Yes! I’d love to.”
“And would you like to let Cassius sit on your shoulder? He’s fairly old, to be honest. Won’t mind a bit.”
Jessica grinned broadly. “Please!”
As the old lemur settled on her shoulder, the softness of his fur settling against her cheek, Jessica couldn’t help but catch Brent’s eye. He was smiling back at her, but maybe, just maybe, there was something more, something appreciative in his glance that wasn’t just her wishful thinking.
***
In spite of her better judgment, when Brent suggested that they have dinner together while Cara was at her grandfather’s, she’d accepted the invitation. He’d been a perfect gentleman all day, apart from the stray lingering glance (though he wasn’t the only one guilty of that). But as the sun set, a bit of wistfulness settled into her chest, and the feeling that she didn’t want to go home. She didn’t want to leave him alone in that house and be alone in her apartment.
She just wanted to stay with him.
After the zoo, and after Cara had left for her grandfather’s, they’d stopped back at Brent’s mansion. He’d changed into a suit and tie to match the dress code of the restaurant. She wasn’t sure how, probably by that same rich people magic that allowed him to get a reservation the same day at an exclusive restaurant, but he had a set of dresses for her to try on. She’d had no idea when he’d asked her size at lunch that was where he was going with it.
Jessica looked up at the immaculate building in front of her. She ran a hand down the front of her red dress and hoped she hadn’t sweated too much while walking around at the zoo.
“We’ll be on the patio. I called ahead.”
Jessica raised a brow. “When did you call, exactly?”
“While you were talking to that monkey expert.”
“That’s some optimistic thinking. I hadn’t even said yes yet.”
“It’s not that onerous to cancel a dinner reservation if you’d said no.” Brent held the door open for her, and the hostess gave her a smile and took them out to the patio immediately.
“Order whatever you like,” Brent offered.
“I plan to.” Jessica held up her menu and smiled cheekily at him.
“Do you like oysters?”
“Um, sure?”
“You aren’t certain?”
Jessica cringed. “I’ve only ever had them fried. Or in shots.”
Brent leaned forward. “Shots? As in drinks?”
“Yep. With vodka… some tabasco sauce.”
He sat back and laughed deep in his chest. “I don’t think they offer oyster shots here.”
When the waiter came by, Brent put in an order for the Paradise Cove oysters, and they both ordered a Caesar salad.
“And for my entrée, I will have the New York Strip,” Brent said.
“And I,” Jessica said, “will have the filet mignon and South African lobster tail.”
She raised her brows at Brent and then gave him a wink as she handed the waiter her menu.
“Actually, that’s a brilliant idea. Cancel the steak. I’ll have what the lady is having. Medium rare on the filet mignon.” Brent nodded to her.
When the waiter left, Jessica sipped her water. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Why not have a perfect dinner to end the perfect day?” Brent moved the tip of his finger around the edge of his glass. “So, tell me about yourself.”
“You know about me. You probably know more about me than I do about you.”
“What do you want to know?” Brent paused as the waiter came by to let them try the wine.
Jessica lifted the white wine the waiter had just poured.
“A Chardonnay.” Brent sipped. “Light notes of vanilla. Always nice with a good lobster.”
Jessica mimicked Brent and sipped her wine. “Mm.”
