“Hi Jason.”
He turned around to see Bridget Reed.
Albeit surprised, he spoke to her. “Hi. What are you doing here in Minnesota?”
“Surprised? Well, I’m surprised to see you too. I’m here for the opening of Edward’s new foundation. It’s here on Sunday. I just wanted to come over say hi and offer my condolences. I’m so sorry about your loss.”
His smile faltered and his entire body stiffened. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“I’ve been sitting over in the corner wondering for the last fifteen minutes if I should say anything considering.... But, then I thought that was foolish. We’ve known each other forever.”
Jason recovered and gave her that lazy half smile that drove her crazy.
“Well, I’m glad you did.”
Bridget tossed her blond hair over her shoulder, “Really?”
Jason took a long sip of his drink.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
She took the stool next to him and crossed those long sexy legs. She smiled coyly “Well…I don’t know. With everything that happened between us, I thought maybe you hated me.”
“I could never hate you Bridget.”
Bridget knew that losing his son and dealing with the on-going custody battle with the Carters splashed over the papers every day was the reason he looked so strained. Looking at him and just being next to him solidified the fact that she wanted Jason back; there was no question.
However, with everything that was going on in his life she would need to adjust her plan. Now would be a good time to change tactics. Jason looked more like he needed a friend than a lover. Tonight, she’d be a friend. Hopefully, later she’d become a lover. Bridget knew if she could get Jason back in her bed, she could win him back.
Bridget caressed his arm.
She gave a hearty laugh, “Good because after all we once meant to each other, I’d hate to think that we couldn’t at least be friends. Speaking of friends, you’ll never guess who I ran into last week at the club?”
He took another sip of his drink “Who?”
“Remember Ross? When we were about eighteen or nineteen, he was the guy who had that space between his teeth large enough to drive a Mack truck through.”
Jason couldn’t remember.
“Oh come on…you remember him. He tried to eat that soup at Sally Westing’s party and we all watched to see how he would sip it through that space between his teeth.”
Jason finally remembered. The memory caused him to laugh out loud. “Oh yeah, Ross!”
“Well, I saw him last week at the club and he’s finally gotten his teeth fixed. But, I still found myself watching him as he sipped his soup to see if it would dribble down his mouth like it did at Sally’s.”
Jason kept laughing. It felt good to laugh.
“Have you eaten dinner yet, Jason? Because I haven’t and I’m starving.”
“Actually, I haven’t eaten all day. I could eat something.”
“Good. Let’s get a table.”
A call was coming through on his cell. He looked at the screen. It was Vicky. He debated answering it but ended up clicking ignore…again.
Bridget and Jason left the bar area, grabbed a table, and spent the next couple of hours laughing and talking about old times.
*****
Vicky was in bed with Angel curled up next to her debating whether to call Jason again. She’d called him earlier but his assistant said he was in a meeting and would call her later. He hadn’t. Well, he’d left her a message letting her know that some things had come up at work that required him to stay over the weekend. But, he’d said he would call her later.
She watched the clock. It was getting late but she decided to try him again. This time it went straight to voice-mail. Vicky didn’t want to leave him another message. She’d already left him a couple. Instead, she fell asleep with the phone next to her head waiting for his call.
Chapter 21
Jason was tired but made it into the office early Saturday morning. He was probably the only one in the building. He sat down at his desk and just looked at all the papers on it. It was impossible to focus.
He raised his head and stared out into space. Jason wasn’t quite sure how long he’d been like that until Franklin walked in.
“Jason, I need your signature on these documents.”
“Franklin, its Saturday. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Apparently, doing more than you. I’m working.”
“I thought you were flying out to Atlanta yesterday.”
“Something came up so I postponed it until later in the week.”
“I don’t need a babysitter Franklin.”
“Why do you think everything I do is because of you?”
Jason laughed “Because it usually is. You’re either trying to keep me out of trouble or getting me into it.”
“I see this morning you want to be a comedian. Anyway, April called. She wants to get together this weekend.”
“So, how are things going with April anyway?”
Franklin shook his head.
“You…do...NOT want to hear about me, April or my problems.”
“Actually, I would. You’ve always been there for me, let me return the favor.”
Franklin did not want to talk about his disastrous love life. It showed all over his face. Franklin took a seat across from Jason, “So far, nothing is going on between us. We’ve just been doing a lot of talking and we’ve gone out a few times for dinner.”
“Jay, right now April and I are just enjoying each other’s company. Nothing much has changed between us since the last time we talked. Well, that’s not exactly true. Sandy and I have decided to take a break.”
“I hate to hear that but you know I’ll support whatever it is you decide to do.”
“Everybody isn’t as lucky as you were when you met Vicky.
