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Guilt also kept him away from her. Had Jake’s parents not been celebrating his graduation festivities with him, they would’ve been on the plane that killed Ana’s grandmother. Ana and her grandmother were supposed to show up the next day for commencement, but neither of them ever arrived. Instead, the last thing he’d done before heading out to sea for six months was help bury Gretchen Staffordshire.
“How are your parents?”
“They’re good. Mom wishes they could travel more. Still. Every time I talk to them, they go on and on about their garden.”
He couldn’t imagine getting worked up over zucchini, but maybe that was what retirement did to a guy. Although he figured he’d end up on a beach somewhere after he sold the necklace, so maybe he’d have to look into citrus gardening.
“I miss them,” she said.
“They’d love to see you.”
His mother once told him that seeing Ana’s broken heart was too painful. Afraid they only brought up painful memories for Ana, they kept their distance and left the ball in Ana’s court. Jake knew Ana was too proud to ask for help, and she saw seeking out his parents as asking for help. As much as he’d tried over the years, he’d never been able to convince his parents that she needed them. It was that same guilt that had him keeping a respectable distance all these years. He looked out for her, but never too closely.
“The gossips are out in full force tonight.” She nodded toward a group of impeccably dressed women cackling and occasionally looking in their direction.
“Do you care?”
She shook her head. Even when Gretchen had been alive, grooming her granddaughter to be a member of polite society, something about Ana had stood out. She always seemed so much more than many of these people. “Did you learn anything interesting?”
He couldn’t give a damn about these people. He’d always been on the outside looking in. He fit in well enough that he could pass for a guest here, but he’d never be one of them and they all knew it.
“Nope. Somebody talked shit about Mitzy Frasier’s dog, or maybe Mitzy is the dog, I don’t know, I tuned out most of the conversation.”
He laughed out loud.
Gretchen would have had a fit if she heard her granddaughter curse at a function like this. But in the privacy of her own home, Gretchen had sworn like a sailor. Jake’s time in the navy had been nothing compared to his time in Gretchen Staffordshire’s kitchen on Thanksgiving Day as she prepared dinner for the entire staff.
He smiled at the memory and noticed Ana smiled, too.
“How’s the job?” Jake asked.
Leonard had been furious when Ana turned down the job he’d so generously offered her at Staffordshire International in order to work for a nonprofit group that helped women escape from abusive situations. Laughing at Leonard’s reaction had been well worth the lecture he’d received.
“It’s as good as it can ever be,” she said. “I’m glad I’m helping people who need it. I’ve actually started tutoring a lot of the kids who come through the house. Many of the moms are hesitant to let their kids go to school so I’ve been helping them keep up to date on their schoolwork.”
“That’s great,” he said, though he already knew everything she told him.
She wasn’t an official SI job, but that didn’t mean Jake didn’t keep tabs on her. She’d be pissed if she knew, but her situation could be dangerous. Ana’s safety had always been his concern.
Staffordshire International might be the name on his paychecks, but it’d been drilled into him from a young age that his job was to make sure the Staffordshires were safe. He took that responsibility very seriously.
Except for Leonard. Fuck that guy. He’d spent his years as head of Staffordshire International taking advantage of people when they were down. He made millions from unsuspecting people who thought they could trust Gretchen Staffordshire’s grandson. They’d been wrong, and it killed Jake to know that he hadn’t found out about it in time.
Jake’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He peeked at it and saw the status update from Leonard’s bodyguard. He clicked a few keys and confirmed that he was connected to museum security.
“Leonard is leaving so the place should start to clear out soon. Will you stay to see the rock one more time?”
* * *
The rock?
The Staffordshire Diamond was a breathtaking work of beauty. It had no equal. The emerald cut showed off the lack of color and flawlessness, both internally and externally. Sure, there were bigger diamonds, diamonds more famous than the Staffordshire, but none that had been in the same family as long, not with such a rich history that only involved love and happiness.
And Jake called it a rock?
Ana tried to keep her expression neutral. Stupid, because Jake saw right through her; he’d always been able to.
Finally, she nodded.
