Page 2 of Hidden Heart

“It’s Friday night in Chicago. Every restaurant istoo busy,” Jessica pointed out.

Turning in his chair, Royce raised his hand, and a short blonde waitress walked up to their table, wearing one too many layers of makeup, but endowed with enough cleavage to distract from the error. Jonathan watched in awe, barely able to sputter out his order. Jessica pretended not to notice the eagerness of the waitress or the way she fawned over Royce. The buttons on her blouse threatened to burst off and injure one of them if she pushed her chest out any farther.

Alex returned to the table as the drinks arrived. “Jess, I was afraid you wouldn’t make it tonight. You said you’ve been buried all week.” He sipped at his beer. “Jess works at McCannis and Sons. Trying to take down some big corporation for screwing with the employees’ 401(k)s.”

Royce raised an eyebrow in her direction. His blue eyes darkened. “Not another Enron, I hope.”

“No, nothing that serious. Just some corrupt bastards messing with balances and withholdings.” Jessica waved a hand in the air. “I’m just a paralegal, not the attorney. Alex makes everything I do sound more important than it is.” Heat spread over her cheeks, and she cursed inwardly. He was just like any other guy, and she didn’t need or want his approval of her job.

“Oh, please!” Alex rolled his eyes. “You carry that asshole you work for. If it weren’t for you, he’d have lost his partnership and most of his cases last year.”

Jessica laughed off his praise and squeezed his hand. “The big brother I never had.” She changed the subject by asking Kelly about her day.

Kelly was a professor at UIC, their alma mater, and loved to talk about her job. Royce made the perfect new audience, so Jessica relaxed in her chair and watched the show.

Kelly grew more desperate every day to find her soulmate. She wanted a family, the perfect husband, and exactly two children, one boy and one girl. It was her life goal, and achieving it would make her complete. Jessica didn’t understand Kelly’s obsession, but she wouldn’t begrudge her friend anything she wanted. Kelly deserved the fairytale of her dreams, even if Jessica didn’t believe in fairytales anymore.

Royce listened dutifully, occasionally glancing at Jessica. She tried to ignore his stares, but couldn’t deny he was making her warm under the collar.

He was very attractive—she couldn’t deny that either. Too attractive. He would be interested in one thing, then he’d leave, or he wouldn’t be interested in her from the start. Either way, he spelled trouble. She tried to focus on Kelly, but having heard the rant a dozen times before, Jessica found it very difficult.

“What do you do?” Kelly finally turned the conversation over to Royce.

“Oh, he’s the new VP of marketing.”

“Alex, he’s a big boy. Let him answer.” Erin reached over the table and playfully slapped Alex’s hand.

Jonathan watched her, his brow lowered and stare questioning.

“Well, he’s right. Just moved here from New York.” Royce scanned the menu.

“You don’t have an accent,” Jessica pointed out with skepticism. She shrugged off Alex’s glare. He was one of her closest friends, so she was able to forgive him for being part of the male cult of society. He had nursed her through several breakups, and never once muttered the words “I told you so,” even if he had, in fact, told her so...more than once.

“No, I’m originally from here. Well, the northern suburbs,” he explained, his tone relaxed, his eyes locked on hers.

Jessica tore her gaze from him and looked at Alex. “I thought you were up for that promotion.”

He shook his head. “No, I’m up for the advertising department.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

“Yes and no.” Alex shrugged. “Let’s talk about something not work related.” He looked at Jonathan, who brought up a new subject.

The talk turned casual. Jonathan and Alex made plans for tailgating during football season. Kelly smiled like a starstruck teen at Royce, who continued to be polite while stealing glances at Jessica.

“Are you in sales or the craft of advertising?” Jessica found herself asking over her latte. The meal was well-past over, and the dessert plate Alex had ordered for the table remained in the center, scarcely touched.

“I prefer the craft. I went to school originally for writing. Advertising didn’t seem too far off from fiction at the time. However, business being what it is, there isn’t much in the way of craft anymore. Now, it’s all about projections, sales numbers, and profit margins.” He sounded forlorn. She suspected he longed for something left behind in the past—a feeling she understood all too well.

“So, you started out as a writer and ended up as the VP of marketing. Not too bad, I guess.” The words rolled from her mouth with such sarcasm she chastised herself for not being better at hiding her annoyance for the opposite sex. Alex reminded her relentlessly not all people of the male persuasion were bad, and she’d do better in life not to hate men in general. Hate was a strong word and didn’t accurately express her feelings. Mistrust worked better. She simply didn’t trust men.

“Royce, how is it you haven’t been snatched up by some beautiful woman? I mean, New York is crawling with them,” Kelly blurted out, and didn’t even have the decency to appear embarrassed.

“Kelly, not everyone is out searching for their one and only,” Jessica interjected. “I’m sure Royce has enjoyed the company of plenty of women in New York. It doesn’t mean he had to settle down with any of them.” She maintained her composure surprisingly well when Alex kicked her shin with the tip of his booted foot. The corner of Royce’s lips curled.

“Actually, there was one woman in New York. I only lived there for three years. She and I parted ways a few months back.” Royce focused on Jessica as he answered, then swung a carefree smile toward Kelly.

“You’ll have to forgive Jessica. She doesn’t believe love exists anymore.” Erin pushed her dessert plate away.

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