Chapter 5

Jessa

I wished the front steps would crumble and the ground would swallow me whole. Instead of a bright, hot blush of embarrassment, my cheeks felt like cold marble. I felt frozen all over, and if Robert hadn't hauled me along by my arm, I wouldn't have been able to move.

I knew he was a snob; I had seen it before in the way he treated wait-staff and even acquaintances that did not have as much money. But the cruelty I felt in his grip, and his cutting disregard for Dayton was more than I could stand.

But what could I do?

My heart sank when I looked back and saw that Dayton had turned away. He was right; there was nothing more for him to do. It was my choice, but I was frozen from the inside out.

If I reprimanded Robert in public, he would find some way to punish me later. Already he dragged me towards my father to demand some kind of recompense for my disloyal behavior.

Robert believed people were either part of his world or needed to get out of his way.

That thought sparked a burning hope. Maybe I could get Robert to back out of our engagement. My heart hammered and I tried to find the words that would push him over the edge and set me free.

Then I looked up and saw my mother emerge from the office building. Her hand shook as she slipped on a pair of dark Armani sunglasses, but she wasn't fast enough to hide her puffy eyes.

"Ah, Mrs. Lauren," Robert called out. "Perhaps you can help clear something up for your daughter."

My mother held up her hand. "Not now, Robert dear. I hate to put you off, but I need Jessa right now."

Robert scowled and pinched my arm tighter to him. "This will not stand. That worker, that maggot of a man down there--"

"Don't think twice about him," my mother said. "Darling, I had a reservation at Manning's for brunch; do you think you could use it? I hate to break up your morning with Jessa, but I simply cannot do without her."

Robert huffed, but the temptation of an exclusive restaurant reservation distracted him.

"I was planning to meet the Brewers. Only you will do as a substitute," my mother said. She was a genius of diplomacy, appealing to Robert's snobbery as well as his inflated sense of worth.

He smiled and dropped my arm. "For you, Mrs. Lauren, anything," he said. Then he turned to me. "Will talk about all of this later. First I'll discuss it with your father."

My mother whipped her hand in a dismissive wave. "Mr. Lauren is not here. Best get to the restaurant. You have the best taste in champagne, much better than Mr. Brewer's, and I know I can count on you to choose the best from the menu."

Robert frowned, both flattered and frustrated that his ire would not be vindicated immediately. Still, he dropped a slight bow to my mother and headed back down the steps.

I was relieved to see that Dayton's friend had herded him back inside their trailer office and out of sight. I watched as Robert trotted down the steps, already yelling at Jeffers, and felt the icy grip in my chest loosened just a bit.

"Oh, Mother, thank you," I smiled. "Did you see--"

"Jessa, please. I don't have it in me to hear about silly lovers' quarrels this morning," my mother replied.

"What's the matter?"

My mother shook her head and pulled me into my father's office building. Estrella Lauren was known for her poise, but she leaned on me heavily as we headed for the elevators.

"Father's not here?" I asked as she pushed the button for the penthouse.

Estrella shook her head, her dark sunglasses still firmly in place. "He moved his meeting to his yacht. Or so they tell me."

I felt a clutch in my chest. My father loved his yacht as a status symbol, but he got seasick even at the dock. It was possible that it was the truth, but something sounded off. Between that news and my mother's puffy eyes, I felt a sudden stab of worry.

Was my parents' marriage in trouble?

The elevator doors opened on the penthouse office, and my mother swept us past the receptionist. She ignored my father's personal assistant completely and shut the heavy office doors loudly behind us.

"Mother, you're worrying me. What's the matter?" I asked again.

Estrella took off her sunglasses and tossed them on my father's wide mahogany desk. She then went to the window and peered out over San Francisco's Financial District.

"What was that little scene with you and Robert?" my mother asked.

Tears stung my eyes. "Nothing. He was upset that I have been working to furnish the renovations with authentic finishings."

"You're working?" my mother asked. She spun around and looked at me. "It seemed a bit more dramatic than that."

"Dayton, I mean, the foreman, didn't like the way Robert was speaking to me and he stepped in."

"Robert has a cruel streak." My mother sighed. "Everyone can see it though he thinks he's so subtle."

The tears I had blinked back spilled over. "It was horrible, Mother. I've never felt so inconsequential in my life."

My mother caught me up in a rare embrace. "Inconsequential. Oh, my dear, I know how you feel."

Before I could ask what she meant, my mother released me. Then the buzzer on my father's desk went off and made us both jump.

"There's a Dayton Miller here to see you," my father's assistant announced.

My mother smoothed the fair skin under her eyes and then stabbed the intercom button with one perfectly manicured finger. "Show him in."

I only had time enough to turn around and swipe my tears away before Dayton strode into the office.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt," Dayton said. "I thought Mr. Lauren would want to speak with me."

"About the incident outside?" my mother asked. "You've come to apologize?"

I turned around and hoped Dayton wouldn't notice my eyes. His head was down, examining the carpet as he stood in front of my mother. His fists were clenched, but he was clearly there to make an apology.

Then he looked up.

There was no doubt he saw the faint traces of tears on my cheeks because Dayton let out a low growl. My mother's hand flew to her chest in surprise. All I could do was stand miserable and embarrassed behind her.

Dayton skirted around my mother. "Are you all right, Jessa?" he asked.

I nodded, mortified.

"Liar," he said. He gently took my arm and examined my bruised elbow. Then he spun to my mother and snarled, "did you know he treats her this way?"

My mother dropped her hand to her side in indignation. "Certainly not. Robert is a well-bred man, and we thought he was a good match for Jessa, but as of today, he is on notice."

"Notice?" Dayton snorted. "He'll be on a respirator if he touches her again."

My mother surprised us both with a sudden smile. "Mr. Miller, was it? I think you'll agree we could all use a drink. Would you be so kind?"

He narrowed his eyes at my mother but gave her a slight nod and headed to the bar cart my father kept in the corner of his expansive office.

When he was out of earshot, my mother asked, "this is the man you've been working with?"

"It's not like that, Mother," I insisted.

"Well, perhaps it should be. He seems quite devoted to you."

I was shocked. More than Robert's inexcusable behavior, more than the bruising on my arm, and more than Dayton's fierce response, my mother's quiet suggestion shocked me to my core. Estrella Lauren had never sided with anyone outside her social circle.

"Please, call me Dayton." He returned with three crystal glasses of aged Scotch.

"A bit bracing before lunch but I think we could all use it," my mother said. She raised a glass to Dayton. "Here's to common decency."

I took a sip of my drink and coughed as it heated my esophagus. It joined a spreading warmth in my chest that I hadn't noticed before. Just being near Dayton had thawed the cold grip.

"I should still apologize for losing my cool," Dayton said.

My mother smiled and gestured to the soft leather sofas that formed a sitting room on one side of my father's office. "I'd rather hear you tell me about the renovations. I hear my Jessa has a part in all this commotion."

"You should be proud, Mrs. Lauren. Jessa has tracked down some truly amazing pieces for the building. Including a chandelier whose wiring doesn't have to be held together with electrical tape," Dayton said and then smiled at me.

My cheeks warmed. "You should thank my mother. Her contacts at Sotheby's have made my job very easy."

"To the Lauren ladies." Dayton raised his glass.

"Please, call me Estrella," my mother said.

Her tone was sharp, and her request was another shock.

I studied her face again. She had been so upset. It wasn't unusual for my father to change his plans without telling us. Why was today so different? Had something happened between her and my father?

Dayton, thankfully, did not notice. "Jessa has also managed to track down photographs of the original mural that decorated the lobby walls. We're interviewing artists later this week."

"What a wonderful use of your art history major, my dear," Estrella said.

I didn't know what to say. The whole conversation was so civilized, but there was an undercurrent coming from my mother that I could not understand.

Dayton finished his drink in a quick gulp and stood up. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I'll leave you lovely ladies to your morning."

My mother stood up and graciously gave Dayton both hands. "If Robert has the nerve to bring any of this up to my absent husband, I will be sure to set him straight. It showed great consideration for you to come up here and check on my daughter. Thank you."

Dayton gave my mother's hand a swift and gentlemanly kiss and then looked at me. "Thank you for letting me borrow her expertise. It is much appreciated."

"Well, it's nice to know someone appreciates us," my mother said. She showed Dayton to the door while I sat, still shocked.

"Mother, what's going on?" I asked when she rejoined me on the leather sofa.

Estrella patted my hand. "Don't worry, dear. I approve of your little project."

"But what about Robert?" I asked.

My mother pursed her lips. "It will be a blow to your father if you end the engagement, but I think we can agree that Robert is not entirely suitable for you."

I jumped up. "What? What are you saying?"

She laughed. "Oh, dear. You can't honestly believe that I would force you into a marriage with someone like Robert after he has shown his true colors?"

"But what about Father?"

My mother stood up and smoothed down her Chanel suit. "My best advice to you, dear, is to dump Robert. True love is nearly impossible to find, but it will be much harder if you're tied to a man like that."

"True love?" The floor felt like it swayed underneath my feet.

"Yes, Jessa. Even your old mother is still able to believe such things exist," she said. She caught my hands, squeezed them, and kissed my cheek. "Do us both a favor and don't give up so quickly."

Estrella left my father's office before I was able to ask her anything else. In the wake of my disastrous morning, I decided to sit back down and finish my drink. It burned in my chest, but the warmth was welcomed. I thought about what my mother said, and then I thought about Dayton.

The feeling grew until I was warm all over.