Chapter 26
Jordan drove Sam home early in the afternoon on Sunday. They’d enjoyed a leisurely brunch at the hotel and finalized plans for dinner with Uncle Jim and his family. Jordan made a reservation for seven o’clock at Balzanos, the Italian restaurant owned by his good friend, Nick.
The closer they approached her brownstone, the quieter Sam became. She couldn’t help thinking about the messy appearance of her place.
“You’ve hardly said a word since we left the hotel.” Jordan glanced in her direction. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing important. Except I didn’t get a chance to put things in order before I dashed out of my house Friday. My life’s been too hectic with all these belly dancing gigs. You’d better keep your eyes half-closed the whole time we’re there.”
He started laughing before she finished speaking. “I can handle disorder. In fact, I’ll volunteer my superior organizing skills and help straighten things out.” He gave her thigh a fond squeeze.
“Thanks for the offer, but it’s several years too late. I spent two hours earlier this week trying to rearrange the cabinets in my kitchen, so that I could have it done before the contractor comes to give me an estimate. Believe me, you could hardly see a change, and I was exhausted by the effort. I’d much rather spend my time with you outdoors for the next few hours. The kitchen can wait.” Now that she’d made this confession, Sam relaxed.
He parked in front of the brownstone and turned to her. “Did you hire someone already? I didn’t know you were seriously thinking of doing that.”
“Peter gave me the name of the man who renovated the gallery. I haven’t phoned him yet, but I plan to contact him tomorrow. The kitchen needs a major overhaul. I’m sure you’d agree.” Would he be upset she hadn’t consulted him?
“You’re right on that score. Even if you decide to sell, you’d have to modernize the place to get a decent price.”
“I don’t plan to sell anytime soon. I like living here, but when I compare it to your spotless condo, I can’t help seeing the difference. With new appliances and flooring, I can give my kitchen a fresh look.”
Her home needed more than a new kitchen. But he didn’t want to discourage her. Another plan for a possible living arrangement had popped into his head during the past week. He’d need to give the idea more thought before mentioning it. It did have interesting possibilities for spending more time together.
He retrieved their overnight bags and opened the car door. “We have to talk about this upcoming wedding next weekend. There’s a rehearsal dinner Saturday night, the actual wedding on Sunday and a brunch Monday morning. We can probably skip the brunch and spend at least one day on the boat.” He shook his head in annoyance. “I’m free of weddings until the Labor Day weekend. One of my sisters is getting married for the third time.”
Sam started up the steps beside him. “She’ll probably have a small wedding if it’s the third time around.”
“Oh, no. That would be too easy. Her prospective husband hasn’t been married before and wants a big affair. Since he’s willing to foot the bill, I’m in for another lousy weekend. I can’t squirm out of this one.” Jordan’s expression was grim.
It was Sam’s turn to laugh as they entered her house to the sound of loud meowing. “Poor Jordan. With three sisters, you must have seen your share of weddings.”
He dropped the overnight bags in the hallway. “You can’t imagine how many weddings I’ve been to in the past few years. My jaundiced view of the marital state must’ve come from walking down that aisle more times than I can remember.”
Sam walked into the kitchen to feed the cats. Jordan trailed after her and cleared off a kitchen chair to sit on. He tried not to notice the piles of clutter on the table and counters. “We can take a long hike around the park if you’re in the mood.”
“That sounds okay. Or maybe we could walk down to the Met and wander around. I haven’t had time to do anything like that in ages.” She emptied the contents of a large can of cat food into two dishes. “I’ll need to change into something comfortable for walking.”
“Sounds good to me. I haven’t been to a museum in years. You’ll have to be my guide.”
She came over and put her hands on his shoulders. “It would be my pleasure.”
He couldn’t resist pulling her onto his lap. “I can think of lots of ways to have pleasure, but we’ll have the whole night for those kinds of pursuits.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her close for a long, soulful kiss.
She cuddled against his firm chest with a sigh of contentment. “This is nice. Just being with you makes everything better.”
“That’s what I want to hear.” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “We need more leisurely days like this. Tomorrow I have to be in the office by two. At least we can lounge around for the whole morning unless you have other plans.”
“No plans. That sounds wonderful.” Her painting time could wait.
It was so comfortable sitting there with him that Sam almost forgot about her desire for the outdoors. “We should get some fresh air,” she murmured. “Maybe the museum is too far away, but a brisk walk would do us good.”
“Fine. We’ll do the museum when we have more time. Right about now, I have a fantasy of a luscious bowl of ice cream with all the fixings. On our walk, I’ll be on the lookout for an ice cream shop.”
“You would,” she retorted, getting up to find her sneakers. “If I lived with you, I’d be as fat as a house.”
“Who says?” he challenged as she walked away. She was going to live with him at some point. Jordan had already decided that. Now all he had to do was convince her.
~ ~ ~
A little before seven on Sunday night, Jordan and Sam entered the small Italian restaurant in mid-Manhattan.
“I hope Uncle Jim can find this place,” Sam said. “It’s a well-hidden gem.”
“I gave him good directions. He shouldn’t have a problem,” Jordan replied.
He slipped an arm around her waist. “Have I told you how sexy you look tonight? That’s one of my favorite tops. Easy to slip off, too.” His hand moved up to caress her bare back while his eyes darkened with desire.
With a mock stern expression she rounded on him. “Your mind is either on food or sex. Do you realize that?” The halter-neck top Jordan admired did exactly what the saleswoman at that boutique said it would.
“I can’t deny it. Both turn me on.” Lowering his voice, he said, “But you’ll always come first. Remember, I neglected several late-night sundaes to take you to bed.”
“That was a big sacrifice,” she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Before he could deliver a suitable retort, the hostess came to show them to their reserved table. “Nick will come out later to say hello. Meanwhile, he told me to let you know your drinks tonight are on the house.”
“That’s very kind of him.” Jordan looked pleased. “We’re waiting for four more people, who should be here shortly.”
As he finished saying those words, the Milburn family walked in. Sam hurried to greet them. “I’m so glad to see you. I thought you might have trouble finding this place.”
“No problem. Jordan gave good directions.” Jim Milburn gave her one of his enormous hugs. “This has that authentic Italian look. And I can smell the aroma of garlic and tomato sauce. I love it already.”
“Yeah, this looks cool,” Andrew said glancing around.
Realizing she hadn’t introduced Jordan to her family, Sam said, “I want you to meet Jordan. His good friend, Nick Balzano, owns the restaurant, and I can vouch for the food. It’s marvelous.” She headed to their table with the others following behind her.
Jordan was eager to greet everyone. He noticed how happy Sam looked as she presented each of her family members. It was in stark contrast to the way she described her parents and sisters. Jim and his two sons were tall men with athletic builds. By comparison, her aunt was much shorter and well-rounded. She had perceptive gray eyes and a warm, pleasant expression. He liked her immediately.
When Sam mentioned the name Milburn, Jordan knew he’d heard that name before. Yes, Andrea’s parents’ name was Milburn. Was it just a coincidence? He’d have to find out.
When everyone was seated, Jim said, “I’m so glad we could get together tonight.” Turning to Sam, he added, “It’s been too long since we’ve seen you. At least six years. The last time we were all together was at Grandma Wilma’s funeral. We can’t let six more years go by.”
“Has it been that long?” Sam exclaimed. “I’ve been so busy starting the gallery that time has just flown. I haven’t had a real vacation in those six years. But I’m taking a whole week off this summer.”
“That’s my doing,” Jordan chimed in. “I love sailing, and last weekend I took Sam out on my boat for two days. She loved it and wanted to circle the globe for a year. Well, since that’s not possible, we settled for one week.”
“That sounds like a good compromise. Faith and I love sailing, too. We’re near enough to Annapolis to get out pretty often with friends who own a forty-eight-foot sloop. If we could get you down one weekend, I’d arrange at least one day on the water.”
“Yes, I hope you can come down this summer and visit with us, even if it’s just a weekend,” Faith said. “We’re still in the big house, so there’s plenty of room. We don’t need much notice. Please consider it.”
Sam beamed at her aunt and uncle. “Thank you for the invitation. I’d love to spend more time with you. You are by far my favorite relatives.” Surrounded by the love of her uncle and his family, Sam was filled with a rare sense of joy.
Their waiter appeared with baskets of crusty Italian bread. For the next few minutes everyone studied the menu.
“Why don’t we order family style?” Jim suggested. “That way, we can try lots of dishes.”
“I can vouch for the veal scaloppini,” Jordan mentioned. “That is one fantastic dish. The spaghetti and clam sauce is also marvelous.”
“I’d love an eggplant entrée,” Faith said. “We’re trying to eat less meat and more vegetables.” She eyed her two sons and her husband.
“You may be into veggies, but there’s nothing wrong with a big, juicy steak. How about it guys?” Jim glanced at Andrew and Geoff.
“Dad, you know Mom’s right. Especially now that you’re getting older. Less red meat is important for your health,” Geoff said with a righteous air.
Andrew nodded. “Most of the people I work with are either vegans or vegetarians. It’s a coming trend.”
Jim turned to Jordan. “What about you? Does a nice thick steak appeal?”
Jordan glanced from Faith to Jim. “Your wife’s probably on the right track, but every once in a while I love a filet mignon wrapped in bacon. Pretty decadent, huh?”
“Decadent but delicious.” Jim sighed. “Okay, we’ll get eggplant parmesan and also a fish dish. Of course, we’ll have salad. That should be a well-rounded meal.”
Nick Balzano appeared with two bottles of wine. “Good evening folks. I’ve selected a Pinot Noir and a Sauvignon for you to try tonight.”
“Thanks, Nick.” Jordan smiled at his friend. “I know we’ll enjoy your selections.”
“Remember, I’d like to have you and Sam over for brunch one of these upcoming weekends,” Nick reminded Jordan. Coming around to Sam, he bent and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad Jordan brought you again.”
“Thanks, Nick. I’m happy to be here.” What a lovely man. He not only remembered her but seemed glad to see her.
“I promise we’ll be there one weekend in June,” Jordan affirmed.
The waitress brought a huge salad for everyone to start while they waited for their entrees. Faith elected to serve everyone while several conversations were in process. Sam wanted to know how Geoff’s work at a book publishing house was going. Jim asked Jordan about his background.
“Are you involved in the art world? Is that how you met my niece?” Jim inquired.
“No way.” Jordan added dressing to his salad. “I can’t draw a straight line. I’m a lawyer, and I met Sam when she was performing at the Blue Monkey restaurant. I was there with a group of friends.”
Jim nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Well, her belly dancing is quite a surprise to us. We never knew she had that talent.”
“She’s one of the best I’ve seen. In fact, she’s been hired to do television ads for a local craft beer company.”
“Is that so? That’s very interesting.” Jim cast a quick glance at his niece. “I always knew she was a wonderful artist, but belly dancing–that’s another dimension. We did get to see her briefly at the beer convention. It was quite a shock when Sam appeared in that costume and wig. I hardly recognized her.”
Their entrees came, and everyone’s attention turned toward the food. Looking around at the convivial group, Sam couldn’t help comparing it to the lunch at Melina’s with her two aunts, mother, and sisters. Here were people who enjoyed talking to each other and exchanging ideas. It was the kind of environment conducive to building rapport. She was definitely going to spend more time visiting her aunt and uncle in the future. Her parents and sisters were a lost cause. It was best to be realistic where they were concerned.
At the end of the meal, Nick came to their table. “I hope you’ve left room for dessert.”
Jim almost groaned. “I don’t think I can eat another thing. Everything was wonderful. My compliments to the chef.”
“Yes, we all enjoyed your great Italian food,” Faith said. “I think a cup of espresso is all I can handle.”
“Why don’t I bring out some spumoni and biscotti?” Nick suggested. “I know my good friend Jordan wouldn’t be happy without dessert.”
“Absolutely. I always leave room for dessert,” Jordan agreed. He glanced at Geoff and Andrew. “I’ll bet you guys can handle dessert.”
“Yeah, that sounds good to me,” Andrew concurred.
Geoff nodded his approval. “Espresso would be fine, too.”
While waiting for dessert, Jordan remembered the question he’d wanted to ask Sam’s uncle. “Your last name is Milburn. Are you by any chance related to Warren Milburn?”
Sam’s head swiveled in Jordan’s direction. How did Jordan know her father? For some strange reason, her heart started to pound. A prickle of apprehension raced up her spine, and her hands grew clammy.
Jim looked in Sam’s direction with a puzzled expression. “Hasn’t Jordan met your family?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. We’ve only known each other a short time.” Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears.
“I’m Warren’s younger brother,” Jim said to Jordan. “We’re not here that often. We came for my niece’s wedding next weekend.”
“Your niece’s wedding?” Jordan’s expression was incredulous. His mind whirled in all directions at the implication of Jim’s words. He turned to Sam. “Don’t tell me your sister’s name is Andrea? That’s whose wedding I’m taking you to.”
“Omigod! You know my sister Andrea? And you’re going to her wedding? I don’t believe this!” The pit of Sam’s stomach coiled into a tight knot. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t. “I was supposed to be one of the bridesmaids. We argued and I refused to go to that damn wedding.”
Sam’s adamant tone left no doubt about her feelings. Jordan saw the anguish in her eyes and an entirely new emotion surged inside him. He couldn’t quite identify it. Her vulnerability caught him by surprise, and he knew he had to protect her. At the same time, the absurdity of the situation made his mouth quirk at the corners. He didn’t want to laugh, but he suddenly couldn’t help himself. The laugh started as a low rumble and quickly escalated to a loud roar. He tried to choke it down, but he could hardly contain his mirth. Gasping for breath, he finally said, “I’m s-sorry b-but this is so b-bizarre.” He tenderly touched her cheek, oblivious to everyone.
Astounded by his reaction, Sam simply stared at him. How could he be laughing at a time like this? She’d been ready to cover her face and cry with despair a moment before. Obviously, he saw things in a different way. And his laughter was contagious. In spite of her best efforts, her mouth started to quiver. And then a giggle made its way out, and she was lost. It truly was a comedy of errors.
The others around the table watched in fascinated silence as the dramatic scene played out. Now they chuckled along with her.
Jordan cradled her face between his large hands and leaned over to give her an impetuous kiss. In a husky tone he whispered, “Now we have a free weekend. I’m so glad we don’t have to go to that damn wedding.”