Page 11 of Forgettable in Every Way

Jules must not have thought so, as she went right back to her drawing and paying attention to Jack.

Simon decided he needed to be more direct. “Jules, I would love to know what you’ve been up to. Where do you work? Where do you live?” He was eager to know everything about her.

She focused intently on drawing the trunk of the elephant. “I live in LA, and I uh ... I um ... develop software.”

Simon tilted his head, detecting she wasn’t exactly being truthful, which seemed so unlike her.

Calista reached across Jack and patted Jules’s shoulder. “She’s being modest. Jules is like a super spy. And not only does she live in LA, but she lives in a chic condo building that has valets, a doorman, and tight security. She’s like a rock star.”

“You’re a spy princess?” Jack asked, as if that were the coolest thing he had ever heard of.

It certainly surprised Simon. He remembered she’d graduated with a computer science degree, but she never talked about wishing to be a spy.

Jules shook her head at Calista with an exasperated expression. “I’m not a spy.”

“You have yet to prove otherwise.” Calista winked. “I mean, you took down that criminal last Christmas.”

Jules rubbed the back of her neck, uncomfortable. “I only helped you figure out his real identity. You did the rest.”

Simon blinked, not following. He couldn’t imagine Jules spying or taking down criminals. But he had been blind to so many things about her, so maybe he’d missed that side of her too. “So, what do you do?”

Jules bit her lip, still refusing to look his way. “It’s complicated. I’m not exactly at liberty to say. But I don’t work for the CIA or FBI.” She flashed Calista a chagrined smile.

“I’m still not buying it.” Calista laughed.

Though the conversation confused Simon, he was even more intrigued by Jules. If only she would look at him and really talk to him. He wasn’t sure how to get her to do either.

Simon was most glad when a server brought over their food. It gave him another chance to speak to Jules. As soon as the server placed Jules’s order of ham and swiss on a croissant in front of her, he took the opportunity. “Do you remember that deli we would go to on Second Avenue? You always ordered ham and swiss on a croissant.” Simon wanted Jules to know that he remembered her. “It was across from that old piano store where you would help me practice my audition pieces.”

“Do you play the piano, Jules?” Calista asked, surprised, as the server finished setting every dish on the table. The aroma of freshly-baked bread and savory meat filled the air between them.

“She does,” Jack answered. “And it makes everyone happy.” He reached for his grilled cheese sandwich and took a large bite from it.

Simon had told Jack last night that when Princess Jewel played, all the people in the kingdom would gather around in awe of her talent, while the Daft Prince sang. The people of the land of New York would clap and cheer for both of them and make requests. Which was all true.

Jules tilted her head and gazed at Jack with a question in her eyes. “I actually can play.”

Simon cleared his throat, afraid Jack might reveal who the Daft Prince was. “She’s bloody brilliant at it. She’s never met a piece she can’t conquer.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jules said uneasily, blushing. Still, she would not look at Simon.

Simon thought how adorable it was that she would blush about such a thing. Even more so how refreshing it was to be around someone who didn’t need to make everything about her.

She truly is lovely.

“Wow, Jules. What other hidden talents do you have?” Calista asked.

“She can do anything. She bakes magical biscuits and can ice-skate.” Jack took another large bite of his sandwich as if he were famished.

Jules ran a hand over Jack’s curls like it was natural for her to do so. “Sir Jack, I’m not sure I deserve all your praise.”

“But you do,” Simon answered.

Jules’s head snapped his way. She finally allowed Simon a glimpse into her indigo eyes, swirling with so many questions. Mainly questions about Simon’s motives. Simon himself wasn’t exactly sure what his plan was. All he knew was he wanted the chance once again to get to know the beautiful woman in front of him who was tucking some hair behind her ear. An echo from their past called him, and he knew he had to find out what he had missed out on.

Simon followed her hand as it pushed up the strap on her tank top that had slid down. He wanted to know how it would feel to brush his lips across her bare shoulder.

“You must be thinking of someone else.” Jules turned away from him, doing her best to be dismissive.

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