Page 57 of An Unexpected Love

“What has that got to do with anything?”

“Apparently he felt it was either you or the company. He chose you.”

“He sent you here to tell me?” That didn’t sound like something Jordan would do. He preferred to do his own talking.

Suzi gave a short, humorless laugh. “You’ve got to be joking. He’d have my hide if he knew I was within a mile of you.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I fancied myself in love with him not long ago. He was pretty decent about it. He could have used me to his own advantage if he’d wanted, but he didn’t. Beneath that surly exterior is a real heart. You know it, too, otherwise you’d never have married him.”

“Yes…” Jill agreed softly.

“He needs you. I don’t know why you left him, but I figure that’s between you and Jordan. He’s not the kind of man who’d be unfaithful, so I doubt there’s another woman involved. If anything, he’s too honorable. If you don’t realize what you’ve got, you’re a fool.”

Jill’s emotions were playing havoc with her. Jordan had resigned! It was too much to take in.

“Are you going to him?” Suzi demanded.

Jill hesitated. “I, uh…”

Suzi shook her head. “If it’s pride that’s stopping you, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Eventually Jordan will come to you. It may take a while, though, if you’re determined to wait him out.”

“I’m going to him.” Recovering somewhat, Jill looked at Suzi, struggling to speak. “I can’t thank you enough for coming. I owe you so much.”

“Don’t thank me. I just hope you appreciate what he’s done,” Suzi muttered as she picked up her purse, tucking it under her arm.

“I do,” Jill assured her, leading the way to the front door. No sooner had Suzi left than Jill went looking for her mother.

She found her in the kitchen. “I heard,” Elaine said before Jill could explain the purpose of the other woman’s visit. “It might not last, you know.”

“I’m going to him.”

Her mother’s eyes searched Jill’s face before she nodded. “I knew that, too.”

As they embraced briefly, Jill whispered, “There’s a box in my room, Mom. Shelly brought it over for you—and for Andrew Howard.”

The drive into downtown Seattle seemed to take forever. It was rush hour and the only parking space she could find was in a loading zone. Without a qualm, she took it, then hurried toward Jordan’s office. Luck was with her because the building hadn’t been locked yet, but she was waylaid by a security guard. Fortunately, he was the same man she’d met earlier, and he let her stay.

“Has Mr. Wilcox left yet?” she asked.

“Not yet.”

“Thank you,” she said, sighing with relief.

She hurried to the elevator. Jordan’s office was on the top floor. When the elevator doors opened, she ran down the wide corridor to the outer office where his assistants worked. No one was there, but the double doors leading into Jordan’s massive office were open. He was packing the things from his desk into a cardboard box.

Jill stared at Jordan, unable to move or speak. He looked haggard, as though he hadn’t slept at all during the week she’d been gone. Dark stubble shadowed his face, and his hair, ordinarily neat and trim, was rumpled.

He must have sensed her presence because he paused in his task, his eyes slowly meeting hers. His hands went still. The whole world seemed to come to a sudden halt. In that unguarded moment she read his pain and it became hers.

“You can’t do it!” she cried, choking on a sob. “You just can’t.”

Jordan’s face hardened and he seemed to clamp down on his emotions. He ignored her and continued packing up the objects from his desk. A smile, one that spoke more of sadness than joy, came into his eyes. “Your husband is unemployed as of five o’clock this afternoon.”

“Oh, Jordan, why would you do such a thing? For me? Because I left you? But you never told me… Not once did you explain, even when I pleaded with you. Didn’t you trust me enough to tell me what was happening?” That was what hurt most of all, that Jordan had kept everything to himself. Not sharing his burden, carrying it alone.

“It was a mistake not to tell you,” he admitted, the regret written clearly across his face. “I realized that the night you left. By nature, I tend to keep my troubles to myself.”

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