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“Yeah,” his brother nodded. “She waved hello and left about 10 minutes before you got here. But it’s nice to know you were at The Oxford later than her tonight,” Chris nodded in approval. “But things went well today with her, and getting everything set?”
“Yeah,” Austin nodded. “We had a conference call with the wedding planner, and everything should be going public soon. At least that’s what we were told. And, get this, I ended up knowing their planner. She’s an old friend, someone I’ve partied with multiple times in L.A. throughout the years,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Only me, right?”
“Not surprising,” Chris added. “You seem to know everyone. Hey - how was working with Jane? Your face had an oh-shit expression on it when I mentioned she was here,” Chris asked curiously. “Everything OK? Dad and Mom love her. She’s been a great addition to The Oxford team.”
Austin nodded and took another sip of beer, not quite sure how to respond. The conference call went well, at least he thought it did, but he couldn’t get a reading on Jane. It was clear that she was in charge, but he didn’t necessarily want to stand around taking orders from her.
“Oh, God,” Chris replied, looking at his brother. “You didn’t say or do anything stupid in front of her, did you?”
“Why is that the first thing that comes to your mind?” Austin asked, shaking his head with a chuckle.
“Because it’s you, and when it comes to women you seem to have this one-track kind of mind,” Chris answered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Austin shot back.
“Please tell me you didn’t try to hook up with her or ask her out,” Chris shot back just as quickly.
“Hook up with her? No way!” Austin shouted, causing Chris’s buddies to look over at the two of them. “Why would I try to hook up with her? Geez… I didn’t realize my reputation was that bad.”
“I’m just saying,” Chris continued. “It’s not like stranger things haven’t happened.”
“No, I did not hook up with her, or say or do anything stupid. My God, I’m working with her. What do you take me for?”
“Good,” Chris nodded. “The last thing we want to do is lose her. I gotta be honest with you, I was worried when Dad mentioned he was partnering you with her.”
“Worried? Why’s that?” Austin wondered aloud.
“Well,” Chris said, looking at Austin, “you do know what she looks like, don’t you?”
“Of course I know what she looks like,” Austin asked, confused as to what Chris was trying to get at.
“Austin. She’s gorgeous,” he stated in a matter-of-fact tone while looking directly at his brother. “And don’t try pulling your typical Austin bullshit and say that you haven’t noticed. I know you’re not blind, and you’re certainly not stupid when it comes to the ladies.”
Austin chuckled and then took another sip of his beer. He had definitely noticed how beautiful Jane was the first time he met her. She had the kind of beauty that you couldn’t miss. It was the first thing that crossed his mind when he’d walked into the conference room on the first day and saw her sitting with his father. Her dark hair, brown eyes, and her beauty was mesmerizing.
“Yeah,” Austin said, trying to act casual, “I noticed.”
Chris looked over at his two buddies who were still entranced with the ladies at the bar, and then he said to Austin, “I mean, let’s face it, she’s a far cry from the girl we went to high school with. I almost didn’t believe it was her until I looked her up in the yearbook.”
“What are you talking about?” Austin asked, confused and oblivious to what Chris was saying. “What do you mean, high school?”
“Yeah, Jane Jones went to our high school. She’s a twin, and that’s who she was here with tonight.”
Austin sat still, trying to think back to a Jane Jones from high school. He knew the name sounded familiar the first time Chris mentioned it, but he wasn’t sure why.
“What year was she in?” Austin asked his brother, trying to remember a girl named Jane Jones back in the day. He had known just about every girl in high school and had hooked up, or dated, most of them but, for some reason, he couldn’t picture her.
“She was a year younger than you. Believe me, she looked like a different person back then,” he added. “She had this short cropped bob, almost like the Uma Thurman haircut in Pulp Fiction, and these big glasses. Probably not your type,” Chris joked, but he meant it. “I understand why you didn’t connect the Jane Jones from high school with the beauty who works at The Oxford.”
“I honestly don’t remember a Jane Jones from high school at all,” Austin said, shrugging his shoulders and nursing his beer.
“I didn’t either,” Chris added. “Her twin sister looked just like her, but with longer hair… They’re not identical twins, like Ben and Harry. If you look back in your yearbook, you’ll remember her. Her parents were teachers at the high school, too. Do you remember Mr. and Mrs. Jones? She taught history and he taught math.”
Austin sat there, thinking back, and wasn’t able to recall Jane at all. “I remember Mr. and Mrs. Jones, but I don’t recall them having kids in school with us. Bro, I think you’re wrong. There’s not one girl in high school I wouldn’t remember,” he said with a teasing smile.
