“It’s easy to work hard when you love what you do,” Jerome said.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Gabe slapped his hands together. “Time to get some food in my body. Shawna, it was a pleasure. Jerome, don’t keep her to yourself all night—let her get around to meet other people.”
“Will do.” Gabe patted Jerome on the shoulder and then walked away.
“He seems to really like you,” Shawna said, easing out of Jerome’s reach.
“I hope so. My goal is to make partner. I have big plans.” He cleared his throat. “Shawna, I know we said we’d just be friends, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my future and where I hope to be in the next five years. What I’m trying to say is—”
Gabe’s booming voice greeting someone caught his attention, which Shawna was happy for. The conversation had started in a direction that made her distinctly uncomfortable. She turned toward the door and had a moment of dizzying disbelief when she saw Gabe standing there with his arm around Ryan’s shoulders as if they were old friends.
Ryan, in a suit.
She’d done her best to keep thoughts of him at a minimum, but his arrival made that impossible to do. He looked amazing in a black jacket, pale blue shirt, and a striped tie. Even with the stubble on his jaw, he looked polished, professional—breathtaking in a different way than he normally looked in casual attire.
A redhead stood beside him with short hair, tapered on the sides.
“Is that your friend?” Jerome asked.
Her throat muscles had tightened to the point that she could hardly breathe, and it took a while before she had the presence of mind to tear her eyes away and answer the question. “Yes, that’s him.”
“What’s he doing here?” Jerome demanded, as if she’d violated some unspoken rule. He looked uncharacteristically upset.
“I don’t know. He probably received an invitation like everyone else.” Jerome looked at her with accusation in his eyes as if she’d given Ryan access to the party and sprung an unwelcome surprise on him. “I don’t have anything to do with him being here. You should probably talk to Gabe about it since they seem to be friends.” Jerome’s hostility surprised her.
Shawna turned back to the window to pull herself together. Given their last argument, she really had no right to be jealous, but the ugly emotion rose inside her like chimney smoke.
Who was the woman with him? A friend, or more?
Ryan’s image appeared as a reflection in the glass. “Good evening, Jerome. Shawna.”
His voice prickled the hair on the back of her neck. Steadying her nerves, she turned slowly to face him.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Jerome said stiffly. “You know Gabe?”
“You could say that. Gabe’s a great guy. We have a couple of things in common. We both grew up in farming families and it turns out he’s a fellow Okie, too. I made the conference table and credenza, and he invited me to the open house.” He turned his attention to Shawna even though he continued to speak to Jerome. “I hadn’t planned on coming, but my plans changed at the last minute, and I decided to show up so I could take care of some business.”
It was nerve-wracking the way he kept looking at her. She wished he’d stop it.
The redhead walked up beside him. “Ry, give me a couple of your business cards so I can help you hand them out.”
Ry? His name contained four letters and two syllables. Was it really so difficult that she had to shorten it?
“Pardon me, I’m Jessica.”
Names were exchanged and then Shawna politely asked, “What do you do?” Although she didn’t feel polite. She wanted to scratch Jessica’s eyes out.
Her gaze shifted to Ryan, who still stared at her. When he lowered his eyes to her bare shoulders, she experienced a sensation very much like a caress.