Page 1 of Hidden Heart

Chapter 1

True love.

Jessica Stanley had listened to her friends prattle on and on about love—where to find it and where not to—but she knew the truth about “true love.” It was a myth, spread among generations to encourage the single woman to continue her search for her dream man. She’d called off the hopeless scavenger hunt a year after turning twenty-five.

Men weren’t what romance novels promised. Not by a longshot.

This wasn’t to say Jessica didn’t love men. She did. They brought many physical attributes to a relationship, but those could easily be replaced by quality batteries and well-crafted machinery.

She would stick to Friday nights out with good friends and weekends buried in books.

Most of her group had beaten her to the restaurant. The hostess pointed Jessica toward the rear corner of the bistro, a table almost hidden from view. She wiggled between chairs and tripped over someone’s coat before managing to get to them.

“Jessica!” Erin stood and threw her arms around her, White Diamonds perfume wafting with her movement.

Jessica took a deep breath and grinned.

“I wasn’t sure you’d make it! Alex said you were working on some big case this week.” Erin took her seat.

“It’s nearly finished, but I’m not thinking about it tonight.” Jessica shimmied out of her coat and took a seat beside Erin’s fiancé, Jonathan.

“I hear Alex is bringing a guy from work with him tonight,” Kelly chimed in after a long sip of her appletini, her tone suggesting more than a simple offering of information.

Jessica rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I think he mentioned something. I haven’t really talked to him this week. Maybe you’ll find your true love.”

Always on the hunt forthe one, Kelly overused the term more than anyone in their group.

“You aren’t still thinking about staying celibate the rest of your life, are you?” Jonathan asked as he tried waving down a waiter with his empty beer bottle.

“No. I’m just not wasting time searching for the catch of my life.” Jessica smoothed down her windblown chestnut hair.

“Look at us.” Erin linked her arm through Jonathan’s and smiled. “We’re happy. You know, it is possible to find a great guy who makes you happy.”

Jessica rolled her eyes at the sappy sentiment, ignoring the twinge of envy pulling at her heart. Jonathan didn’t comment, continuing his pursuit for an available waiter.

“Oooh, now that’s a good-looking man.” Kelly straightened her shirt and finger-combed her thick, red curls while keeping her eyes fixed on her prey.

Jessica followed Kelly’s stare. Alex pushed his way through the tables toward them, a man following behind him. A tall man with undeniably handsome features. A tall, hot man wearing a suit and mirroring a character straight off the set ofMad Men. His hair was too dark to be brown and too light to be black. Whatever the color, it accentuated his blue eyes perfectly.

Jessica fought the flush creeping up her neck. He was just a guy. An ordinary guy.

“Sorry we’re late. The damn cab got lost. I had to give him directions. Did you order appetizers yet? I’m starving!” Alex called out over the noise of the restaurant as he plowed through a small crowd of people. Arriving at the table, he shrugged off his coat and hung it over the chair. “Everyone, this is Royce Bradford.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the man standing behind him. “Royce, this is everyone. Jessica, Erin, Jonathan, and Kelly. I need to piss. Jess, get me a beer, would ya?” Alex disappeared before anyone could react to the new member of their group.

“He’s quite a whirlwind, huh?” Royce broke the awkward silence.

Kelly laughed like a nervous schoolgirl. If she started batting her eyelashes, Jessica would have no choice but to throw water at her.

“You can sit, you know.” Jessica waved a hand at the empty seat beside Alex’s coat. “He’ll be back in a few minutes and completely monopolize the evening.”

Royce took his seat with a polite nod and smile. Not an awkward smile; a controlled, casual grin.

Kelly was close to drooling on her plate.

“Royce. That’s an uncommon name.” Kelly rested her chin on her fist, staring from across the table.

“I’m afraid my mother may have read one too many romance novels before I was born. She was a huge fan of historical. Apparently, I was named after one of her favorite characters.” He rewarded her with a grin, showcasing a set of perfectly white teeth.

Jonathan dropped his empty beer bottle on the table. “Ugh! Forget it. This place is too busy. I’ll never get a beer. Alex always picks the busiest places.”

---