“Bad move, Jamie. You need to be here to light a fire under their butts. I’m telling you, nipping this in the bud is critical.”
Jamie was sure his being there in person wouldn’t do any more good than a videoconference. He trusted his cyber investigators, and he trusted Mark, but he also knew Mark didn’t like his advice to be ignored. He had to level with Mark or Mark would never let up. He also knew how protective Mark was of him. He practically had the FBI check out every woman he dated, and while it pissed Jamie off at times, he was equally as thankful that Mark had his back.
“Mark, I met someone. I’m not leaving.”
Vera raised her eyes and smiled. Jamie knew that Vera understood how serious he was about Jessica, because he rarely shared his personal life with anyone. Especially Mark. But Mark had his ways of finding things out, so one way or another, his attorney and buddy since college would have figured this out without him.
“You’re blowing off business for a chick? Eight years of a stellar rep that you could lose over some idiot hacker…for a chick?”
“She’s not just a chick.” Anger simmered in Jamie’s gut.
Mark laughed. “She better be a fine piece for this risk, my boy.”
“Mark! Cut the crap.” He wanted to tell him not to ever refer to Jessica that way again, but Mark was already hot under the collar and he needed him to focus on the issues, not on his relationship.
“Fine. I’ll come there. I can be there this afternoon. We’ll structure a game plan and I’ll take care of it. You’re at Vera’s?”
Jamie let out a frustrated breath. Mark was a good friend to come all the way there instead of relying on a videoconference, and Jamie appreciated his efforts. He’d gone over and above the call of duty for Jamie many times, and in turn, Jamie paid him well. Not to mention that their friendship ran even deeper than their business relationship. Tonight was Jessica’s performance with Vera’s quartet, and he wanted to be there. His parents’ deaths had taught him how precarious life really was, and he wasn’t about to miss Jessica’s performance, even for Mark.
“Fine. I have plans at seven thirty, so make it early.”
“I SAY WE go chunky-dunking tonight,” Bella said as she looked out over the water. The girls were having a late lunch at Mac’s Seafood on the harbor. Pete, Kurt, and Caden were working, and Jamie had a meeting to prepare for with his attorney.
“What’s chunky-dunking?” Jessica was only half paying attention. She was thinking about Jamie. He’d been so sidetracked that morning when they had coffee with Vera after his run. He’d mentioned how many calls and texts he’d missed from his attorney, and Jessica worried that she was interfering with his work.
“Skinny-dipping,” Jenna explained. “For normal-sized women.” She glared at Amy. “Pin-thin girl over there can still go skinny-dipping.”
“Oh, please.” Amy waved a dismissive hand. “You think you’re normal sized? Miss Young Dolly Parton?”
Jenna cupped her breasts and pushed them up. “Mine are so much better than Dolly’s, and I’m a brunette, much sexi—”
“Don’t even go there.” Bella pointed a finger at Jenna. “We are not having the brunettes have more fun argument.”
“I’m not sure I can go skinny-dipping,” Jessica admitted.
“What? Why?” Bella asked.
“Because I’m playing with Vera’s quartet tonight.” Thank goodness, because she’d never gone skinny-dipping, and she didn’t like the idea of running around naked in front of anyone other than Jamie. “Besides, aren’t there sharks feeding at night?”
Leanna reached across the table and patted her hand. “We don’t chunky-dunk in the ocean. We go in the pool.”
“In the pool?” She couldn’t keep her eyes from popping open wide. “What about everyone else? Don’t you care if their boyfriends see you naked?”
They all laughed. “That’s why we do it after midnight when everyone’s asleep. And whatever you do, don’t tell Theresa. It’s against the rules.”
“Oh.” Now she really wasn’t sure about this. Jessica wasn’t a rule breaker, even if she and Jamie had fooled around on the beach. It was nighttime, after all, and they were fully dressed. When she was younger, she’d felt so guilty after sneaking out of her parents’ house to go to the Cape she’d told her father and then thanked him for grounding her. I have lived a sheltered life.
“You’re playing tonight, so after you and Jamie…you know.” Jenna raised her brows in quick succession. “When he goes back to Vera’s and falls asleep, then we’ll go.”
She dropped her eyes so they wouldn’t see her shock that they knew about him leaving in the middle of the night.
“She thought we didn’t know,” Amy said gently. “Jessica, we’re all friends. And we’re all women. We get it, and Jamie’s not a player, so we know he’s really into you.”
She breathed a little easier. A little. This summer of self-discovery was becoming way more than that. If they knew the sexy stuff she and Jamie did, would they still understand? Or would they think she was a tramp?
“Yeah, as long as we don’t have to see the pink fuzzy handcuffs attached to the bedpost…Bella.” Jenna pushed Bella’s shoulder.
“What?” Bella laughed.
“What if Evan had seen them?” Jenna asked.
“He’s a teenage boy,” Bella said. “The last thing he wants to do is walk into his father’s bedroom.”
“True,” Jenna agreed.
“We don’t. I don’t…” No, not handcuffs, but his hands worked perfectly well.
“Really?” Bella asked. “You should try them. But on a more serious note, we don’t judge each other. That’s not what girlfriends are for. Girlfriends are for calling each other on their bull, supporting each other when we’re down or frustrated, and…” She shrugged. “Maybe most important, we always, unconditionally and without judgment, have your back.”
She couldn’t stop envy from tumbling from her lips like pebbles. “You guys are so lucky to have each other.”
They all exchanged a glance she couldn’t read, and in the next second they were gathering around her for a group hug.
“You’re lucky, silly,” Amy said.
“Yeah. You’re a Seaside sister now.” Jenna kissed her cheek with a loud mmmwwwwaaahhh!
“Welcome to our little circle,” Leanna added.
As they settled back into their seats, leaving Jessica reeling with appreciation, Leanna asked, “So, Jamie’s meeting with his attorney today?”
“Yeah. There’s some issue at his office.” Jamie had assured her this morning that she hadn’t been keeping him from taking care of the work he needed to do, but even with his reassurance, she still worried.
“The guy’s a jerk,” Bella said. “He came up a few years ago to meet with Jamie about something and he was like…I don’t know. He’s slimy. I don’t like him.”