He took a safe answer. I want to play professional football.
But she shook her head. Come on, Mitch. Thats not a dream. That was already your reality. Were playing a game. You have to come up with something you could never have in a million years.
He searched his brain for an acceptable answer and ended up stalling. I dont know, Jenny. There arent a lot of things I cant buy.
Something money cant buy.
Happiness?
Sure. She waited for him to elaborate.
This time, he tried to be honest. I want the TCC to have a successful election that brings the membership together under a good leader.
She rolled her eyes. Lame.
You dont want that?
Of course I want it. But thats motherhood and apple pie. Who doesnt want it? Plus, its not for you personally. Tell me something thats for you.
I cant think of anything off the top of my head.
Oh, yes, you can. She was obviously not going to let this go. I owned up to secretly wanting a silly, whimsical house. Spill.
You should build that house.
Quit stalling.
But he had to stall, because he knew exactly what it was that would make him happy. Something he could dream about and never have. But he wasnt going to tell Jenny. He refused to hurt her all over again.
He shook his head. I cant tell you.
Yes, you can.
No, I really cant. Inside his head, he was asking himself what the hell he thought he was doing even flirting with the truth. He needed a lie, and he needed one quick.
Why not? she pressed.
Let it go.
You wouldnt let me off the hook.
He thought about it for a moment longer. And then he gave her a different truth. I want a miracle cure for my shoulder. I want to be back to one hundred percent.
You will be-
But he shook his head. I keep telling myself its getting better. He hadnt voiced his deep-seated fear out loud to anyone. He didnt really know why he was doing it now. But its not.
She reached out and touched his arm, her sympathies obviously engaged. You just have to be patient.
This isnt about patience. Its about the physical limitations on the human body. Now that hed stuck his toe in the pool of bald honesty, he plunged all the way under. I see the expression on the physiotherapists face, the expression on my doctors face. They told me six months. Well, its been a year. And theres been no discernable progress for the last six weeks.
I understand these things can plateau.
He sent her a look that told her to stop lying.
She swallowed. Thats your secret dream?
Yes. It was the only secret dream he could tell her about. The other was a relationship between the two of them where she didnt get hurt in the end. Impossible.
Is there anything I can do to help? she asked.
The genuine caring in her eyes blew him away. After all that had happened, all hed done to her, that she could muster up this kind of compassion for him was nothing short of amazing.
Anybody ever tell you youre a saint?
She coughed out a laugh. Good grief, no. My mother used to tell me I was the devil in disguise.
Your mother had no right to say that.
She was ill.
She was nasty.
Jenny gave a philosophical shrug. Shes out of the state now, and out of my day-to-day life.
On impulse, Mitch brushed the pad of his index finger across Jennys temple. Dont let her live on up here.
Im not.
Build the house, Jenny. The one you love.
Are you going to pay for it?
It took everything Mitch had not to say yes.
Wednesday evening, Jenny determinedly rolled up the plans for the French country house and slid them into a cardboard tube. It was all well and good for Mitch to tell her to dream. But reality was reality. She wasnt building it.
Jenny? Cole called from the front room. He was home earlier than usual, and she hadnt heard him come in.
Back here, she answered in response, tucking the plans to the back of a shelf on his built-in china cabinet.
Cole had been incredibly generous about letting her stay with him. She was becoming positively spoiled by the cook and the housekeeper, and she now teased him about never leaving.
Hed told her she was welcome to stay as long as she liked. He said hed begun to think of her as the sister hed never had. Since Jenny had always wanted siblings of her own, his words had touched her on a very deep, emotional level.
He strode into the dining room, loosening his tie, having already discarded his suit jacket somewhere along the way. Can I ask you a huge favor? He winked and grinned. Sis?
Am I going to hate this? she teased in return.
I hope not. You can say no if you really hate it.
What if I only sort of hate it?
Then you should say yes and make me happy.
Go ahead. She pretended to brace herself against the back of a chair. Hit me with it.
Jeffrey Porter called today. From the Tigers.
I know who you mean.
He offered a fifty-thousand-dollar contribution to my hospital charity if I gave him my fourth ticket for the Longhorn Banquet.
The fourth ticket? So, hed be attending with them.
Hed be my date? Jenny asked.
He would. Tickets have been sold out for months.
Jenny didnt have anything against Jeffrey. She didnt see her and Jeffrey going anywhere on the relationship front. But fifty thousand dollars was a lot of money.
Its a good charity? she asked Cole.
Theyre building a new pediatric wing.
He wont think he and I are on a real date, right?
Cole shook his head.
Jenny analyzed the request for a downside. It was a lost opportunity to date someone new. Then again, thered be a whole lot of new people at the party.
What do you think? Cole put in.
As long as you dont think Ill be misleading him.
Dont worry. He just broke up with his girlfriend. But hes not looking for a replacement. Trust me when I tell you youre not going to break Jeffreys heart.
That did sound kind of conceited, didnt it?
It sounded very sweet. Youre a caring person, Jenny Watson.
And so are you.
Youll tell Emily that?
I already have.
I like having you in my corner, sis.
And I like having you in mine. She hesitated. Bro. Then she giggled. Ive never called anyone that in my life.
Then, I stand adopted. Did you pick out a dress yet?
She shook her head. I was thinking about going to look for something tonight. She made a show of inhaling the spicy aroma of the cooks baking lasagna. After dinner.
Cole reached into the pocket of his slacks. Here, take my credit card.
Dont be ridiculous. Jenny might not be able to afford custom furniture, but she could definitely afford her own clothes.
He flipped open his leather wallet. I want you to get something special.
Im not taking your credit card, Cole.
He seemed to be ignoring her. In fact, why dont you call Emily. Go to Maximillians. Tell her Im buying for you both.
Jenny felt her jaw drop open. The Maximillians?
Had he lost his mind? The purses alone at that store cost three thousand dollars.
But he held out the slim platinum credit card. If you dont let me buy a dress for you, Emily will never let me buy one for her.
You cant spend that kind of- You cant spend any kind of money on our dresses.
But I can. Thats one of the perks of making a whole lot of money. You get to spend it on anything you want.
Im saying no, Cole. She took a backward step. There was no way he was talking her into doing this.
He stepped forward. I need you to do this.
You dont-
Correct me if Im wrong, but I think Emily might, just might, be slightly attracted to me.
Slightly attracted? Jenny was pretty sure it was a lot more than slightly attracted. She also realized Emily was fighting it for all she was worth.
I want to see what shell do. If she has the chance to pick out a dress, a no-holds-barred, money-is-no-object dress, just for a date with me, I really need to know what it is shell choose. Do me this favor, sis.
Jenny rolled her eyes. I cant believe it. She socked Cole playfully on the shoulder. I cannot believe you just made the one and only argument that could get me to use your credit card to buy a three thousand dollar dress.
Dont restrict yourself to three thousand. Cole grinned. And dont restrict yourself to a dress. Youre going to need shoes and accessories. And so will Emily.
Jenny continued to shake her head. This was surreal.
He took her hand and placed the credit card firmly in her palm. I mean it. You have to go wild. If you do it, Emily will do it, and then Ill know whether or not Ive got a shot.
She might just spend your money out of spite, Jenny felt compelled to warn him. While she was pretty sure Emily harbored a secret attraction to Cole, she was also sure Emily had a very strong will. She didnt want to fall for Cole, and she was annoyed at him for chasing her.
I wont get my answer because she spends my money. Ill get my answer from what she spends it on.
The edges of the credit card were hard against Jennys palm. Are you sure about this?
I am positive about this. Call her. Right now.
Jenny tucked the credit card away and reached for her phone. What are you hoping shell buy?
Cole gave a shrug. Ill know it when I see it.
Jenny pressed her speed dial. Then she listened to Emilys gasp of disbelief, followed by her growing conviction that Jenny should absolutely indulge herself at Coles expense and, finally, her mounting excitement as she bought fully into the plan.
Mitch had watched Jenny drive off from Coles house half an hour ago, so he knew Cole would be alone. He knew he had no one but himself to blame, but he missed the days of being able to wander over to Coles house on a whim, or having Cole wander over to his house to share the interesting bits of information from their lives. It never had to be earth-shattering, not the kind of thing where you pick up the phone to call your family or whoop it up with the gang, just the everyday, normal things that you wanted to share with another human being.
But he felt like he couldnt invade Jennys space every evening. So, instead, now Cole was with Jenny, while Mitch was alone. He felt as if hed screwed up two relationships in his life.
As he started up the driveway, Cole came out the front door, car keys in his hand, striding toward his Mustang.
Hey, Cole, Mitch called out, in case Cole hadnt spotted him.
It appeared he hadnt, because he turned guiltily. Oh, hey, Mitch.
Got a hot date? Mitch joked, striding closer.
No. Im He pocketed the keys. Its nothing. He hesitated a moment longer. You up for a beer?