Take a Chance on Me (3 page)

Jessica struggled to maintain her mock-severe look. Ana glanced at the counter again, fanning herself with her hand.

Jessica burst into giggles. “You are absolutely incorrigible.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Believe me, it is.”

Ana patted Jessica’s hand. “See, that’s why we get along so well. I provide the material, you provide the vocabulary.”

“That’s me, your own personal Roget’s.”

“My what?”

“Never mind.” Jessica glanced over at the counter and froze. Eyes wide, she snatched up her menu and hid behind it, sinking lower into the cushioned seat.

Ana’s hand pressed down on the menu, bringing her chocolate eyes into view. “A clever disguise,” she said, using a hideous fake French accent. “Zhey would never zhink to look behind zhee menu.”

Jessica pulled the menu back up. “Please tell me that’s not your future hubby.”

“Who? Tall, blond and scrumptious?” Ana whipped back around. “Why? Do you know him?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Ooh, sounds juicy.” Ana rubbed her hands together. “He was supposed to take you out but stood you up. No, you met on a train, had a torrid love affair, and never saw each other again. No. Better. He’s the father of your unborn child.”

Jessica slapped the menu down on the table. “For God’s sake, Ana, keep your voice down. No date, no train, and definitely no unborn children.”

“So what’s the story?”

Jessica shrugged, tracing patterns in the water rings on the plastic tabletop. “He’s the security guy at Summit.”

“You’re getting this freaked out over a co-worker? Honey, you work in a high school. You don’t have to act like a student too.”

“Gee, you two are made for each other.”

Ana flicked a glance over her shoulder. “Why?”

Jessica planted the menu in front of her face again. “Thirty seconds into my first day, he tried to give me a detention for being tardy.”

Ana burst out laughing. “Classic!”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Jessica peeked over the edge of the menu.

Tom was still standing at the counter, waiting for his order. How long did it take to bake a pizza, for heaven’s sake?

“Darlin’, you know I adore you, but the plain truth is you do look young.” Ana tugged down the menu again, gazing at Jessica with a critical eye. “When was the last time you ordered a drink without being carded?”

Jessica crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I hardly ever drink.”

Ana glanced skyward. “Work with me here, Jess. Okay, rephrase. When was the last time you got carded?”

“For a drink?”

“Why else would someone need ID?”

Jessica was silent.

“All right, spill.”

“Lottery tickets.”

“But you only have to be eighteen to buy…” Ana stopped short at the look in Jessica’s eye. “Ah.”

“I know I look young,” Jessica sighed. “I’m sure I’ll appreciate it when I’m forty, but there’s not much I can do about it at the moment. But still. Mistake me for a student?”

Ana tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, studying Jessica. Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, her hand crept up unconsciously, smoothing a few stray wisps of hair. In the half hour following Ana’s phone call, she’d pulled it up into a swingy ponytail. Add in her jeans and sweater, and she knew she looked even more like a teenager than usual.

Another glance confirmed that he was still there, checking his watch impatiently. Jessica ducked behind the menu again.

Ana nudged it aside and grinned at her. “So tell me.”

“Nothing to tell.”

“And that’s why you’re hiding.”

“Look, he already thinks I’m immature.”

“If he sees you acting like this, I’m sure he’ll change his mind.”

“He’s just a guy at work, okay? Nobody special. We didn’t get off on the right foot, and it’s, well, awkward.”

“Crushes usually are.”

Jessica dropped the menu and stared at Ana, who sat across the booth with her arms crossed and her full mouth pursed in a knowing smile. “What are you talking about? I don’t have a crush on him.”

Ana leaned forward, jet-black hair swinging in loose curls around her heart-shaped face. “Honey, you are so crushing for him. Not that I blame you. He’s yummy.”

“I am not crushing.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

“Too.”

“Not.”

The two women stopped, then burst out laughing. Jessica snorted. “And with this conversation, I think I’ve left high school behind and have successfully returned to third grade.”

Peals of laughter pulled Tom’s attention away from the menu tucked under glass at the front counter. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the stupid thing memorized anyway, considering Aphrodite’s was his all-time favorite pizza joint. And he always ordered the same thing too—a large Zeus’s special, easy on the sauce, well done.

His glance flicked around the cozy restaurant. About half the tables were occupied, which was par for the course on a weeknight. Small tables groaned under the weight of menu-and-condiment holders, random jelly jars holding clutches of plastic flowers, and the ubiquitous Chianti bottle/candle combination. Somehow, the servers always managed to find a spot for the pizza too.

A group of college students sat in the far corner, swigging beer and fighting over the last slice of pizza, while stacks of textbooks lay unopened on the floor next to their table. Yeah, they were studying hard. Several young couples were tucked into dark, cozy booths. Two long tables had been shoved together in the center of the room, and what looked like an entire elementary class was crowded around them, shoving down pizza and trampling the nice birthday party decorations.

He heard the laugh again. For some reason, it nagged at the edges of his memory, and he looked around, trying to identify the source. A striking Latina woman sat at a table halfway across the restaurant, her companion obscured by a menu. She glanced in his direction and then leaned towards the person on the other side of the table, a devilish grin on her face.

He turned away, watching the table via the angled mirror over the counter. Whatever was going on, it sure looked interesting.

Suddenly, she stretched out her hand and snatched the menu away from the person sitting across the table. Tom angled his head slightly to get a better view. Definitely female, definitely young, with her red-brown hair caught up in a casual ponytail. Even through the mirror Tom could see the dark flush creeping up her neck and the startled look on her heart-shaped face.

Heart-shaped face? He whipped around, just in time to catch a glimpse of Jessica Martin flinging herself below table level.

Yes, it was getting more interesting by the minute.

“You are such a coward.” Ana’s voice was tinged with amusement.

“I needed something out of my purse,” Jessica shot back.

Of course, since her purse was on the seat next to her, the excuse was flimsy at best. She really needed a minute to regroup. Bad enough that he was here, worse that Ana had noticed him, and hideous that he had spotted her. And she knew he had. In the brief moment before she dove for cover, recognition had flared in his eyes.

And now she was sitting in the middle of a full restaurant with her head stuck under the table. Life just kept getting better and better.

“You don’t need your purse. You need to get laid.”

“Ana.” Jessica nudged her friend’s foot “Shut up.”

“I’m serious. You need some between-the-sheets action, and he looks like just the guy to give it to you.”

“I swear, Ana, if you don’t knock it off…”

Ana’s foot swung forward and tapped her on the shin. A glance to the side of the table confirmed that two very masculine shoes were visible. Grimacing, Jessica slid back up onto her seat. She pasted a smile to her face, which apparently had burst into flames judging from the heat radiating from her cheeks.

“Hello, Tom.”

“Drop something?” His face was perfectly calm with just a hint of teasing glinting in his eyes.

“Napkin,” she said. Ana snorted. Jessica shot a death-ray glance her direction. “So, what brings you here?”

“Pizza,” he replied.

Jessica could feel herself flushing even brighter. Damn her Irish complexion.

“Why don’t you join us?” Ana asked, smiling up at Tom. Jessica kicked her under the table.

Tom glanced at Jessica, then back at Ana. “Thanks, but I’m just taking a Zeus home. It should be ready any minute.”

“Too bad. But you can wait here until it’s done, right?”

No, of course he can’t
.

“Sure,” he said, sliding onto the bench seat next to Jessica. “Thanks for the invite.” He held out his hand to Ana. “Tom Cameron. I work at Summit.”

“So I hear.”

Tom slid a glance at Jessica. “Really?” He turned his attention back to Ana. “It appears you have the advantage.”

“You might say that.” Ana grinned at him. “Ana Lopez. Nice to meet you.”

Jessica inched slowly toward the inside corner of the booth, trying to put as much space as possible between herself and Tom. God forbid they should accidentally brush shoulders, or bump elbows, or suddenly find their thighs pressed together from knee to hip.

As it was, her body was hyperaware of his presence—had been from the moment she realized he was in the restaurant. She could feel little quivery sensations radiating from the vicinity of her stomach. Not unpleasant, but not conducive to intelligent conversation either. At least Ana and Tom were carrying on a lively conversation quite well without her input. Which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“So, do you like working at Summit?” Ana asked, hands folded primly on the tabletop.

Jessica rolled her eyes. Ana was physically incapable of leaving the reporter side of her personality at home.

“Of course.” Now that sounded like the Tom Cameron she knew—brusque, clipped, to the point.

“I bet the kids drive you crazy, huh?”

“Actually, they’re the best part of the job.”

Ana widened her eyes, glancing from Jessica to Tom and back again. “Really? Even doing all the discipline, dealing with the problem kids?”

“Oh, yeah. Especially the problem kids. Some of these kids have lives you can’t even imagine. I figure I might be the best part of their day. Gives me something to live up to.”

“Interesting,” Ana murmured. “They’re lucky to have you.”

She flicked a quick glance at Jessica, eyebrows raised and lips pursed. Then her attention returned to Tom, a huge smile on her face as she asked another question.

Jessica closed her eyes briefly. Ana was all but pasting a best-in-show ribbon on Tom’s chest. Yes, he was attractive. Yes, he was interesting. But they
worked
together, for heaven’s sake. And Ana knew she had taken herself off the market until she had a full-time contract. If only her friend would take a hint and stop trying to throw them together.

With a start, she realized that Ana was standing up. “Where are you going?” she asked, an edge of desperation lacing her voice.

“Just the ladies’ room,” Ana replied, smiling innocently.

“I’ll go with you,” Jessica said quickly. She turned to go, remembering too late that Tom Cameron was currently blocking her only exit route.

Ana laughed. “No, stay. I’ll be back in no time. You two chat a little bit.” And with a final grin, she headed for the restroom, leaving Jessica and Tom alone.

It seemed Ana was determined
not
to take that hint.

Jessica shifted slightly, a move she regretted as her leg came into much closer contact with Tom’s. Even through her jeans, she could feel the heat radiating from his body. His thighs were firm and well-muscled, filling out his dress slacks nicely. God, what would he look like in jeans?

She wasn’t sure whether that was something she really wanted to see—or something she probably shouldn’t.

Clearing her throat, Jessica turned sideways in the narrow booth. Now their thighs weren’t touching, but her knee was bumping his, and she had a full-body view instead of the little side-glances she’d been tossing his way since he sat down.

He was just sitting there, impassive look on his face, although that spark of amusement lingered deep in his eyes. The silence stretched between them, accentuated by the sounds of the restaurant around them—glasses clinking, children shouting, the soft rumble of conversation punctuated by laughter.

She took a deep breath. “Look, I’m really sorry about—”

“Nothing to apologize for,” he replied.

“Still, Ana shouldn’t—”

“What, ask me to join you? I didn’t mind.” He smiled, inclining his head toward the front of the restaurant. “I’d rather sit for a while than stand at the counter like an idiot.”

“Oh, you’re not an idiot.” Jessica blurted out.

“Gee, thanks. I appreciate it,” he said, the spark of amusement getting stronger by the second.

Jessica sighed, shaking her head. “No, I’m the idiot.”

Tom reached over and took her hand, his thumb stroking across the back of it gently. “Nobody at this table is an idiot, okay? Just relax. I’m not going to bite.”

“Too bad.”

Jessica looked up, startled, into the amused face of her best friend, who had chosen this precise moment to return from her bathroom break.

Flustered, she tugged her hand from Tom’s grasp and slid even farther into the corner of the booth. The blush was back on her face with a vengeance.

“Um...we were just...I was just...it’s not what you…”

Ana ignored her, turning her full attention to Tom as she sat down again. “So tell me some more about Summit, Tom.”

“No, I don’t want to monopolize the conversation any more than I already have. What about you? What do you do?”

Jessica laughed, ridiculously grateful for the change in subject. “What, do you live under a rock? Ana is KITI’s star investigative reporter. Weeknights at five and special assignments.”

Ana waved away the description with a little hand-flutter. “Oh, please. You act like I’m Katie Couric, slumming with the common people. I’m just a journalist who works on television.”

“I see.” The clipped tones were back in Tom’s voice, and Jessica glanced at him curiously. The cheerful humor had fled from his expression, and his eyes seemed shuttered. “I don’t watch the news much.”